THE SONGS OF CHRISTMAS - Our New Song
January 1, 2022
Revelation 5:9-14
Introduction:
Can I tell you what Sunday mornings are like at my house? I’d love to tell you that it’s a time of complete joy and focused preparation…That I wake up at 6 with a smile on my face, roll over to kiss my wife (with fresh minty breath) and say, “Good morning my dearest Love…It’s the Lord’s Day…Let’s arise and worship!”
I then jump out of bed, do 100 push ups…go into the kitchen, squeeze fresh oranges to make juice for Kari as we recite memory verses to each other.
I’d like to tell you that our 2 dogs, 2 cats, and one parrot plus 3 or 4 grandchildren who are there, and brother have fed themselves, dressed themselves and sit lovingly around the living room prepared to leisurely make our way to church.
As we drive together…we sing as a family “Amazing Grace” in perfect harmony…I’d like to tell you that’s how our Sunday mornings go…But it would be a BIG FAT LIE.
Sunday mornings at my house are absolutely crazy…especially when the grand kids are there.
They’re 15, 10 and 7…Rush and hustle no matter how early we get up…Cereal everywhere, dogs barking, car keys missing, and then the Brixie gets knocked over by the dog and starts to cry…Usually we need to pick someone else up for church…So, I’m trying to get sermon stuff together, and the grand kids, Kari's taking another car to pick people up…and we’re always in a hurry…and I hate being in a hurry and being late…So, I’m barking orders:
“Hurry up and eat.”
“Get your shoes on.”
“STOP crying.”
“Don’t hit your brother.”
“Do you have your Bible?”
“Come on guys…Let’s go!”
After the mad scramble to the truck and the car, Kari heads one direction, I head another and by the time I pull into the parking lot, shaking my head…
By the time I walk past two or three people with the smile I’ve pasted on I run to my office…just to find a safe zone to get my blood pressure down before I preach…I’m not focused on God, something has irritated me and I’m not focused on God…I am not ready to worship…I’m probably not the only one with Sundays like this. Maybe you’ve been there…It’s easy to get distracted.
Let’s be clear. The churches in Revelation faced more than distraction…They faced harassment, maybe even execution…Gathering to worship was not simply inconvenient…It was dangerous…They weren’t irritated with high blood pressure because their kids and family weren’t ready to get to worship. They were wondering how they could get to worship and protect them from real harm.
It wouldn’t be surprising if they lost their enthusiasm for worship. They needed a new song…God knew that so He reveals:
I. HEAVEN’S THRONE ROOM
In the first 3 chapters of Revelation we see the risen glorified Christ walking among His churches on earth…but in Chapter 4 the stone shifts to the throne room of heaven…Jesus opens a door for the Apostle John to leave earth and enter Heaven.
A thundering voice beckons John “Come up here and I will show you what must take place after this…instantly John falls under the influence of God’s Spirit and he sees a throne…and the one seated on it…Instead of the war, persecution, pestilence, famine and destruction that people associate with Revelation we find ourselves in God’s throne room witnessing one of the most amazing worship services recorded in Scripture:
REVELATION 4:1-11
John’s fascinated with this picture…no darkness, no shadows, no flaws…and these 4 living creatures…the word that’s used to describe them is (Zoa - Living Ones…we get our word “zoology” from this word)…These personal guardians, attendants, are worshipers around the throne…It’s not important what category of angels they are, Cherubim, Seraphim, unique correctness only to serve here, but these creatures are the closest to God, nearer than the elders…If closeness to God indicates importance…these are the most important beings ever created! These living ones are full of eyes front and back…all seeing. They take in all of God and everything else. Verse 7 describes them: the first, like a lion, the second like a calf, the third had a face like that of a man, and fourth, was like an eagle. They each have 6 wings…they can travel, man! Why these creatures?…Well, remember my advice to look through simple historical and emotional associations.
They are like the lion, the mightiest of beasts, the king (or leader) of the jungle indicates majesty and power. The ox or calf or bull is the strongest domesticated animal, typical of faithful labor and patience. The greatest bird, the eagle represents supreme sovereignty and supremacy. One was like a man, indicating intelligence. The four beings suggest whatever is noblest, strongest, wisest and swiftest in animated Nature or the created order.
So what’s going on here? If Jesus is showing John what must take place after this…after the Churches…Why would the 1st thing Jesus takes John to, be “a worship service?” Why, not just get down to “brass tacks…the nitty gritty?” We want to know about the battle between good and evil, Satan and God…but instead, the first scene is the Throne Room of God and a worship service! Why start here? Because Jesus knew this is where we had to start!
II. WE CAN’T WORSHIP IF WE’RE FOCUSED ON THE WRONG THINGS
The mark of the beast, the dragon, Pale horses of death…Armageddon…Revelation can be a scary book…There are parts of it I wouldn’t read to my grand babies as a bedtime story…God views that and that’s why the vision begins with worship…a reminder “Focus People!”
Focus on God who is “Holy…Holy…Holy…the Lord God Almighty! Who was, and is, and is to come!”
God is awesome…unearthly…There are odd creations in this picture…Yet 24 elders, somewhat like us, in white robes and golden crowns…that’s kind of reassuring.
God is worshiped by everything and everyone in heaven and on earth…not because we must but because He is worthy…It’s voluntary, spontaneous…filled with wonder, excitement and joy.
There is a sense of supreme power here. And because of that a sense of assurance and security…“If this is my God…my enemies better watch out!”
Ephesus needs to remember this first love, Smyrna finds hope in it’s affection and poverty with a God who is dressed in this splendor and power, so does Philadelphia in its weakness and open door, Thyatira needs to return to the Word of God and stop letting Jezebel and the world sway its people…and Pergamum needs to keep the faith, but stop being polluted by the Balaam in the church, Sardis needs to stop living on its reputation and wake up…and Laodicea needs to stop being lukewarm and tepid, making Jesus want to vomit…and hear Jesus’ voice, open the door and invite him in! Seeing God the Almighty on His throne makes you repent of anything you’re focusing on instead of Him!
Revelation is written to churches, Christians, Christ followers who have struggles in this world…remember Jesus said in John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
This is the focus of Revelation…John in his first letter, chapter 4 verse 4 says, “You are of God…and have overcome…because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.”
You are going to have trouble…the world, and its god will seek to overwhelm and overcome you…This is an inseparable truth.
But take courage…Because of God you belong to Jesus…You will overcome…you will be victorious.
One of the primary ways we overcome is through worship…singing His praise…focused on His glory…He is bigger than our present circumstances…His power and providence shatter our difficulties…In Him hopelessness and despair are conquered in faith and endurance. He is the God who takes care of the past, provides for the present, and promises for the future.
That’s why the 4 living creatures cry our, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is, and is to come.”
It’s why the 24 elders cast down their crowns before His throne and say this praise, “You are worthy, our Lord, and God to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will they were created and have their being.”
Loose paraphrase:
“You made everything…you hold everything together. It’s your plan…All glory, honor and power belongs to you.”
Because of this providential plan…Because God created this world and everything in it for a purpose…To love and have a relationship with us…we come to this amazing truth:
III. WE SING TO THE LION WHO BECAME A LAMB
REVELATION 5:1-10
It takes strength to open some things (We men love it when our wives ask, “Would you open this jar of pickles for me?” We flex, grip, twist and exult in our power!!!
In Revelation 5 it’s a scroll that needs to be opened…it has 7 seals, is there anyone who can open the scroll…anyone who can break the seals?” No one could be found…in heaven, on earth or in the underworld…John weeps because of this…it breaks his heart…and one of the leaders, the Elders says to John “don’t weep…Look, the lion from the tribe of Judah, the root of David’s tree has conquered…He can open the scroll…He can rip through the 7 seals.”
So John looks and there surrounded by the throne, 4 living creatures and the elders (in the center) is a Lamb, bearing the marks of being slain…with 7 horns and 7 eyes (these are the 7 spirits sent out into all the earth). And the Lamb comes to the one seated on the throne and takes the scroll from God’s right hand…and when He takes it the elders and the 4 living creatures fall down in worship at the feet of the Lamb…each were holding a harp and a golden bowl of incense…filled with the prayers of God’s people.
It takes physical strength to open a new jar of pickles…it takes the authority and power won by the “Lamb of God that was slain” to open the scroll and its 7 seals.
Without getting lost in seals, and horns and scrolls and creatures…the point of this apocalypse scheme is…all creation…everything and everyone…praising Jesus for purchasing God’s creation…He paid for its redemption in His blood. He purchased people from every tribe, language, people and nation…he made the Kingdom of God real, and called us to be priests and servants in it.
[Xavier and I watched Jack the Giant Slayer the other day and we really liked it…I won’t give away all of it, but you already know there’s a Beanstalk and Giants. In the movie there’s a headstrong, independent princess…she goes to the marketplace, gets into trouble. She’s accosted by some low-life’s…Jack comes to her defense, but gets beaten up.
SHOW JACK THE GIANT SLAYER VIDEO (1:05)
This is the message to the churches…and to each of us…You might get punched by this evil world but “There’s Someone behind me…Isn’t there?” When trials and persecution attack, when Satan tries to overwhelm…OVERCOME!!! Because the Lion of Judah who became the Lamb that was slain, and with that power behind you and I we’ve become priests who serve in God’s Kingdom…That’s our new song!
Let’s pray.
