As we gather together today we are celebrating the installation and ordination of our deacons as well as commissioning the White family as they head to the place where the Lord has called them to as missionaries. As we celebrate this great day I want us to spend some time together in REVELATION 7:9-12. As we work our way through this great passage of Scripture please know that this passage has much to say to us all here today, especially those who have ANSWERED JESUS’ CALL TO SERVE.
A GREAT MULTITUDE
The book of revelation is filled with great scenes of that which is to come. I could only imagine how much John’s mind must have been blown as with every turn of his head there was something glorious and new that he saw. Prior to this point John had seen a vision of Jesus as both the Son of Man and the Son of God. He received a vision of Jesus moving in and among the Churches and then he heard what He had to say to them in the 7 letters of chapters 2-3. He got a glimpse of the throne in heaven, the lamb that was slain and yet lived, a scroll with seven seals and as each seal was broken judgment in all sorts of manifestations was released upon the earth. He saw the 144,000 of chapter 7 sealed and now he sees a crowd. This is no ordinary crowd. John qualifies what he sees by emphasizing that this was a GREAT MULTITUDE. The word great John uses is not only a reference to the size of the crowd but to the diversity of the crowd. The crowd was such THAT NO ONE COULD NUMBER and THEY WERE FROM EVERY NATION, FROM ALL TRIBES AND PEOPLES AND LANGUAGES.
1. GREAT IN NUMBER. There are people as far as the eye can see and farther beyond that. Just think about it. John saw and heard what 144,000 looked like in vv. 1-8 and now all he can say, in comparison, is that this is a GREAT crowd. We are told that some 800,000 people gather in downtown Louisville for the firework display called Thunder over Louisville. Do you remember seeing the aerial shots of the great lawn where all those people are gathered? It is really a breath taking sight. That scene pales in comparison to what John is seeing.
2. GREAT IN DIVERSITY. This crowd is great because of its size. This crowd is great because of its diversity. John makes clear that in this crowd he sees people from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages. There are men and women in this crowd. There are boys and girls in this crowd. There are Americans and Asians in this crowd. There are those from civilized and technologically advanced cultures and there are those from tribes that exist right now in the most remote places of the African Bush and the Australian Outback. There are Finchvillians and Finnish. There are Louisvillians and Laotians. There is young and old. Male and female. Rich and poor. Educated and uneducated. Black and White. English speaking. Arabic speaking. Spanish speaking. Asian speaking. On and on and on I could go. This is a greatly diverse crowd.
a. THE SINFULLY PREJUDICED, RACIST AND ETHNOCENTRIC MIND HATES THIS SCENE IN HEAVEN AND RIGHTFULLY SO ONLY BECAUSE IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT YOU WILL NOT BE A PART OF IT. I say this because racism, prejudice and ethnocentricity is reflective of an unredeemed heart.
3. GREATLY CLOTHED. They are greatly clothed not because they are wearing the finest and most expensive designer brands but because they are wearing white robes. John notes that they are wearing white robes, which is symbolic of the fact that these have been forgiven of their sin, which once stained their soul before God. The New Testament speaks of salvation in terms of being cleansed of our sinful filth and this accomplished because of the blood of Jesus—MATTHEW 26:27-28. This crowd is not generally composed of all the peoples of the earth but is particularly composed of all the peoples of the earth who have been forgiven of their sins and consequently clothed with the white robes of righteousness by Jesus Christ.
GREAT IN WORSHIP
They are worshipping God for His great salvation made possible by way of the Lamb. THEIR SOLE FOCUS IS ON WORSHIPPING JESUS as they waved palm branches before Him. The waving of palm branches was a familiar practice of Israel, as they would wave them before the procession of their king and army when they returned in from battle in victory. THE PALM BRANC WAS A SYMBOL OF REJOICING IN VICORY. This crowd is rejoicing in the victory that was accomplished for them by the Lamb. It is no wonder they were focused solely on worship. They were not consumed with the brilliancy of the atmosphere around them. They were not focused on the angels or the elders surrounding the throne with them. They were not distracted by or focused upon who was beside them. They were not captivated by the glitz and glamor of the heavenly abode. They were CONSUMED WITH JESUS and WORSHIPPED HIM for the salvation that He has accomplished for them. THEY KNEW THAT THE ONLY REASON THAT THEY ARE HERE AND NOT IN HELL IS BECAUSE OF JESUS AND BECAUSE OF THIS THEIR WORSHIP IS INTENSE, PASSIONATE AND NEVER ENDING.
1. WHY COME TO CHURCH? There are a lot of different reasons why people attend church services. It often makes headlines when celebrities and politicians attend a church service especially, for politicians at least, when election season rolls around. In many cases attention is drawn to somebody’s attendance of a Christian worship service yet their lives, philosophies and beliefs are in opposition to Jesus and His Word. Only God knows the heart but you have to wonder what the motivation is behind their attendance of that worship service.
2. WHY ARE YOU HERE TODAY? Are you here to worship Jesus or network? Are you here to worship Jesus or people watch? Are you here to worship Jesus or appease your conscience by “going to church?” Are you here to worship Jesus or to check out somebody of another gender? Are you here to worship Jesus or simply here and you really do not know why? Are you here to worship Jesus or to impress your parents? OUR CURRENT GATHERINGS ARE PREPARING AND TRAINING OUR HEARTS FOR THAT WHICH WE WILL EXPERIENCE IN HEAVEN AND THAT IS WORSHIPPING JESUS!
THE ANGELS AND ELDERS JOIN IN THE WORSHIP OF THE GREAT CROWD. The angels and elders surrounding the throne, in response to the praise and worship of the GREAT CROWD, fall on their faces and worship God. They begin their song of praise by shouting “AMEN!” To say, “Amen!” is to affirm something that has been said. The elders and angels are inspired to worship Jesus because of the GREAT CROWD’S worship of Jesus and His great salvation. The elders, angels and “living creatures” are those who, while sinless beings created for specific and particular service around the throne of God, and this is a great privilege that they share, they are not the subjects of God’s greatest love manifested in salvation. As they hear this GREAT CROWD worshipping God for His great salvation they resound with a great, “AMEN!” knowing full well that the worship that is being offered up is due to the God of salvation.
THIS SCENE MOTIVATES DEACON, MISSIONARY AND CHURCH
This scene that we see in this text is the future. It is as certain as the very moments we are sharing together right now. Because this scene is a reality, the Church is motivated to obedience to Jesus as He leads us towards this GREAT MOMENT IN TIME. The very fact that we are gathered here today to ordain deacons and commission this family reminds us of this. We have seen through the Scriptures that deacons have been appointed by Jesus to the local church to serve the church so that there may be an atmosphere conducive for the proclamation of the Gospel so that those whom the Lord brings this way may be saved and consequently found among this GREAT CROWD we have looked at. Jesus is working in His Church to save those whom John sees in this crowd through this local faith family. Likewise, the White’s have answered the call of Jesus on their lives to go to a people and a place in need of the Gospel and in their obedience Jesus is going to save those who live on the other side of the globe—those who will be in the GREAT CROWD of our passage today. Because we know that there will come a day when the redeemed will worship Jesus for the great salvation He has accomplished for them we are motivated to be focused and obedient to our call to be about proclaiming the Gospel that saves lost mankind.
IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS!
FOCUS ON JESUS! As we ordain/install deacons and send out missionaries to serve let me remind you of something that is very important—IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS! Like the crowd around the throne that is solely and singularly focused on Jesus so must it be the case for us. If we have any other motive behind our ministry than Jesus’ glory then we will never see it through. While we are called to serve people we do so for the purpose of honoring and glorifying Jesus. He must be our focus. He must be our purpose. He must be our desire. If we allow our focus, purpose and desire to be centered on anything or anyone but Him then we will struggle to persevere in the ministry.
You have been called out by Jesus for a particular ministry/service. Deacons are called to serve the faith family so that there may be an atmosphere conducive for the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Missionaries are sent to people for the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In both instances, Jesus has called out some to serve others. If the focus of your ministry rests on people you will surely give up. BUT IF THE FOCUS OF YOUR MINISTRY RESTS ON JESUS AND HIS GLORY IN YOU, THROUGH YOU AND AROUND YOU IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS THEN YOU WILL FIND GREAT COMFORT IN TIMES OF TROUBLE AND PEACE AMIDST UNREST. IT IS ONLY WHEN OUR FOCUS IS SOLELY AND SINGULARLY ON CHRIST WILL OUR MINISTRIES PERSEVERE AND MAKE THE DIFFERENCE THEY HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO.
As we read and hear the words of Paul my prayer is that this will be our hearts as we serve: 1 CORINTHIANS 2:2 and PHILIPPIANS 3:10.
