In first chapter of John’s gospel - John - the Apostle - records the account of the baptism of Jesus.  John the Baptist is at the Jordan River preaching about repentance - turning from sin and turning towards God - preparing our hearts for the coming Messiah.  When John saw Jesus coming toward him, John says, “Behold, the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world!”  (John 1:29b)

John’s declaration is an amazing description of Jesus - the coming Messiah - born in a manger.  God in the flesh.  Jesus the Lamb of God - Who has come for us.

Last Sunday we began taking up John’s challenge.  “Behold” - has the idea of seeing - perceiving - experiencing - discerning - spiritually getting it.  Process this at the core of who you are:  Jesus is the Lamb of God.

The Lamb Who does what?  Takes away the sin of the world.  Literally - He picks it up - bears it on Himself - and carries it off far from us.  Who’s sin?  The world’s sin.  Our sin.

John’s declaration is astounding.  The implications are huge.  What  does all that mean for us - for us individually - as we celebrate Jesus’ coming?

Last Sunday we looked at The Blood of the Lamb.  The Passover in Exodus.  Jesus dying in our place on the cross.  The crucial significance of trusting Him alone for our salvation.  That message and the studies are online through our website.

This morning we are going to look at Revelation 4 - moving forward a bit in history - to look together at The Authority of the Lamb.  Let’s repeat that together, “The authority of the Lamb.”

Revelation 4 - starting at verse 1:  After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven!  And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

Let’s pause there.  As we go through these verses there are some key insights that we need to grab onto along the way.  We’re dealing with future history - what has yet to happen.  And we’re dealing with a whole lot symbolism and imagery.  John the Apostle - who was given this revelation - John trying to describe in words what is not describable in words.

So we’re going to take this slow and try to unpack these verses as we go through.  Hang on to your safety straps.

In verse 1 - we need to understand Who the voice is that’s talking.  Who’s talking to John?

Notice that its the first voice - which John had heard - past tense - speaking to him.  Which takes us back to Revelation 1:10 - where John writes, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet.”  John - in chapter 1 says that he turned to look behind him to see Who that voice belonged to - and it was Jesus speaking.

The first voice is Jesus.

In chapter one Jesus introduces Himself.  In verse 8, Jesus says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “Who is and Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty.” 

Jesus introduces Himself as the beginning of everything and the goal of it all.  All of history is moving to glorify Jesus.  He is the Lord God.  He is the Almighty.

In verse 17, Jesus says, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living One.  I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”

Jesus - the eternal God - died in our place and rose again.  We have no need to fear death because Jesus conquered it forever.

The first voice is Jesus - the ever living Lord God Almighty Who has accomplished our salvation by His own death and resurrection.

Then - going back to 4:1 - Jesus says, “I will show you what must take place after this.”  Which begs the question… After what?  What is this?

Back in chapter 1 - Jesus introducing Himself to John - John sees Jesus standing in the midst of 7 churches.

Seven actual churches that were located in what is now western Turkey.  If you go there you can take tours where you can go visit the cities where these churches were located.  Some of the people in our congregation have been there. 

Churches that - as we read on through chapters 2 and 3 - each church is given a specific message from Jesus.  Each message contains a description of the spiritual condition of that church - the good, the bad, the ugly.  Jesus, the Lord of the Church, being intimately aware of what’s going on in that church.  Each message has an encouragement either to keep going or to make changes.

7 churches.  7 messages.  Pretty straight forward.  Yes?  Here’s were it gets interesting.

There’s a very valid understanding of these 7 churches that goes beyond them being just 7 historical churches.  Many people who study prophecy believe that each of these 7 churches also represents 7 periods of church history.

In other words - the 7 churches can be understood as a timeline - as a description of Church history - past, present, and future.  If you look at the screen - the basic flow of that description is this:

Ephesus is a description of the Apostolic age - 33 AD to 100 A.D.  Smyrna is a description of the church persecuted by the Roman Empire - 100 A.D. to 312.  Pergamum - from 312 to 606 - describes when the church basked in its glory - and corruption - as the dominant religion of the Empire.  Thyatira covers the Mediaeval history from 606 to 1520 - the Roman Church - the Papacy.  Sardis - from 1520 to 1750 - describes the dead church and the Reformation.  Philadelphia from 1750 to 1900 - brotherly love - and the awakenings.  And here’s the really intriguing one.  Laodicea - the lukewarm church - the last of the 7 churches begins in 1900 - current history.    

The way to check to see if that interpretation makes sense is to go back and compare history - to compare what actually happened in Church history with those different descriptions of each church - given by Jesus - in chapters 2 and 3.  The bottom line - without drowning in a lot of detail - the bottom line is that if we do that comparison there are huge similarities.

In Revelation 4 - Jesus says, “I will show you what must take place after this.”  “this” meaning the historical ages of the church.  “After this” means what comes next in history - what comes after the time of the 7th church.  The time that we’re most probably in.

Chapter 4 begins the section of the Book of Revelation that deals with the end of history and God’s coming judgment.

Point being:  Jesus is God.  He is the risen Lord of the Church - then, now, and forever.  Whatever is coming - subsequent chapters - in John’s revelation - judgment - God’s wrath - eternal death and eternity with God forever - Jesus is Lord over all that as well.

Let’s go on.  Verse 2 - the Apostle John writing of himself:  At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven with one seated on the throne.  And He who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.

Jesus invites John into the very throne room of God.  John trying to describe for us what is indescribable.

Symbols that don’t even come close.  Jasper and carnelian that represent the supernatural splendor of God.  The rainbow resembling emerald - God’s encircling brilliance.  John trying to give us a glimpse of God’s indescribable transcendent glory.

Verse 4:  Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads.

There are at least 13 different views as to who these elders are.   You can relax.  We’re not going through all those.  We’d be here into eternity.  Or it would seem like.

Most probably 12 elders represent the 12 tribes of Israel - think Old Testament - and 12 elders represent the Church - possibly the Apostles - think New Testament.  Thrones has the idea of governance - authority.  White garments are garments associated with God’s people.  Golden crowns are related to royal dignity - a reward given to God’s people.

Bottom line - we’re probably looking at representatives of God’s people who are given positions of authority before the throne of God.

Verse 5:  From the throne came flashes of lightening, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like a crystal.

Almost sounds like a song we’ve sung.  The Revelation Song.  Thunder and lightening - symbolic of God’s awesome presence - the splendor of God’s glory.

Isaiah was given the same experience.  Remember that?  Isaiah 6.  Isaiah is given a vision of the Throne Room of God.  Isaiah said that God’s glory - the overwhelming presence of the holy God filled the throne room.  The very foundations of the throne room shook - simply with the voice of God.  Isaiah - experiencing the holiness of God - realizing his own sinfulness - Isaiah feared to be in the presence of the holy God.

God’s people before Mount Sinai - Exodus 19.  God’s presence covered the mountain with thunder and lightening - a thick cloud - God’s voice was as a loud trumpet blast.  A fraction of the glory of God on display.  And God’s people trembled before God.

Its one thing to sing The Revelation Song here in this sanctuary.  Imagine John experiencing it before the throne.  Terrifying?  Awesome?  One day we’ll be there.

The seven torches of fire?  Our best understanding of these is that they represent God’s presence in the world - the work of the Spirit through the Church through the 7 ages we talked about.

The sea of glass like crystal probably has to do with God’s omniscience.  His complete - unlimited - knowledge of everything.  Nothing is hidden from God.  Everything that’s ever been done or will be done is known to God.  And all creation - all of us - are accountable to Him. 

Notice - it all centers on the throne.  More importantly - the One seated on the throne.  This is all about God.  His awesomeness.  His majesty.  His power.  His authority.  Nothing happens.  Nothing exists - past, present, future - apart from God’s complete knowledge - God’s sovereign intention.

Going on in verse 6:  And around the throne on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind:  the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight.  And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”     

These four living creatures are probably angels - the Seraphim of Isaiah 6 and the Cherubim described by Ezekiel.  (Ezekiel 1)  Heavenly creatures of the highest order that are involved in worship.

Unpacking some of the symbolism.  “Full of eyes” probably has to do with having great knowledge.  “Like a lion” is about royal power.  “Like an ox” is about strength.  “With the face of a man” is about spirituality.  “Like an eagle in flight” is about swiftness of action.

Point being that each quality reflects the character of God and each creature represents the top of the food chain of each species.  Putting all that together - together they reflect the fullness of God’s nature and life and power.   

Grab this:  The creatures reflect the awesomeness and character of their creator.  Those heavenly creatures do what?  Ceaselessly - day and night - ceaselessly praise God.

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”     

Scripture repeats itself when it wants to make a point.  “Holy, Holy.”  Three “holies” is over the top.  Holiness on steroids.  Focusing on the infinite holiness of God.  Holiness revealed in His past, present, and future activity.  His power.  His authority.  On display.  Everything God does is holy.

Put another way:  Everything that we are - as those created in God’s image - everything that we are is to be given back to God in praise of Who He is.  He alone is holy.  He alone is the Lord God - almighty.  He alone is worthy of all praise - for all that He is - all that He has and will do.

Still holding on to your safety strap?

The living creatures - the angels - on the four sides of the throne - like the four points of the compass - the throne in the middle - as they declare in praise the truth of God’s holiness - the 24 elders - representative of God’s people fall down - not just bow or bend over or slowly get down on their knees - they fall prostrate before God Who’s seated on His throne - and worship.  They cast their crowns - whatever authority they may have - whatever God has given to them - their crowns are cast quickly - decisively - without any indecision - cast before the throne of God - before God in worship - in utter devotion to Him. 

God alone is worthy of all glory - of all honor - of all power because He alone - no angel - no man - no emperor - no created thing or being - The Lord God Almighty in all of His holiness - He alone is the source and sustenance of every created thing.  He alone is worthy of worship.

Can we say a collective Amen?  Amen!!!

Next Sunday we’re going to go on into chapter 5.  But, this morning in order to get to where we need to get to in understanding chapter 4 - we need to jump ahead a bit.  If you would, flip forward with me to Revelation 5 - down at verse 6.  Revelation 5:6 - John goes on with his description of God’s throne room.

Verse 6:  And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

All those sevens are symbolic of Jesus’ power and knowledge and Who Jesus is as the Lord of the Church.

Jesus leads John into the throne room and then where’s Jesus?  Right there in the center of worship.  Being worshiped at the throne.

Reading through Revelation chapters 4 and 5 - there are 5 hymns of praise.  Chapter 4 - has two of them that we looked at:  “Holy, Holy, Holy.”  “Worthy are you.”  In chapter 4 those hymns focus on God seated on the throne.  In chapter 5 - the next hymns - what we’ll look at next Sunday - those hymns focus on Jesus.

Those hymns grow in crescendo - intensity - volume - focusing our attention of the great significance of the fifth hymn.  The first is sung by four living creatures.  The fifth hymn of worship is sung by all creation.

That final hymn of worship - number 5 - focuses on God and Jesus - so intertwined - that the reality is very clear.  Jesus is at the center - the focal point of worship.  Jesus is God.  Jesus is worthy of praise.  All of creation is to bow before Him - Jesus.  Who alone is holy.  Who alone is worthy of all glory and honor and power.  Who alone is the source and sustainer of every created thing.

Grab all the imagery.  All the symbolism.  The immense indescribable reality of what John is attempting to describe - and put Jesus at the center of it all.

That’s a lot to take in.  Isn’t it?

In trying to process all that and put all that into something that we can take home and apply as we go into this week - I’d like to suggest holding on to one bottom line truth.  Here it is:  Jesus, the Lamb of God, is the authority - to Whom belongs all the authority - over our lives.

Jesus - God in the flesh - exerts God’s authority - the sovereign rule of God - in this world.  A few examples of what that means.  Taking the throne down to the level where we live life.

Jesus taught as one having authority.  Not like a scribe or prophet who was speaking for God.  Jesus spoke with the authority of God.  (Mark 1:22)

Jesus commanded the unclean spirits - demons - the minions of Satan - commanded them with Divine power and authority.  (Luke 4:36).

Jesus has the authority to forgive sins - our sins.  That’s a God only thing.  (Luke 5:18-26)

Jesus has authority over nature (Matthew 8:23-27).  That whole calming the storm thing.  Jesus has authority over sickness (Luke 6:19) and even death.  He brings people back to life.  (Luke 8:53-55).

Jesus has Divine authority over all flesh - even to give us eternal life (John 17:2).

We can on with these examples.  Bringing the throne down to the level where we live life.

Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth - over everything.  (Matthew 11:27; 28:18).  Jesus has authority to judge - to be the judge - our judge (5:22).

The Apostle Paul - in contemplating and writing of Jesus - Paul breaks out in worship of Jesus - in his first letter to Timothy:  “To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever…  He Who is blessed and the only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords who alone has immortality, Who dwells in unapproachable light, Whom no one has ever seen or can see.  To Him be honor and eternal dominion.  Amen.”  (1 Timothy 1:17; 6:15b,16)

Jesus is the authority because Jesus is God.  He’s not just the central thing in Christianity.  He’s also the beginning and the end.  He is all in all.

Which leaves us with some very uncomfortable realities.  Because we can understand - to a point - theologically, doctrinally, Christologically - Who Jesus is.  We can sing in worship of Him - songs that we’re going to sing for eternity - with myriads of others in Heaven.  With those who’ve trusted Jesus as their Savior - with the angels - we’ll be there before His throne - certain future history.  And we can claim that truth and rejoice in it.

And yet - here and now - in the real time of our lives - we struggle with the authority of Jesus over our lives.  Are we together in that?

In a very practical sense - processing Jesus’ authority over our lives - there are three imperatives.  First - We Need To See Jesus At The Center. 

Which is what we’ve been looking at here in Revelation 4.  The Authority of the Lamb.  Jesus.  God.

Second Imperative:  We Need To Keep Jesus At The Center. 

Have you experienced this?  Listening to Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity - Glenn Beck - or Michael Savage - effects me.  Or - when I’m listening to the news or reading the paper - I start tensing up - getting caught up in the urgency of what’s happening.  Are we really going to be chauffeured over the financial cliff?  All that begins to effect my attitude - my perspective - even my responses to people around me.  Sometimes its not pretty.

Things we let into our lives effect us.  Stuff influences us.

Put another way - every place we go there’s secular music playing.  One great things about Christmas is there’s at least some Christmas carols being played in the stores.  We went to a concert Friday night out at the college.  Heard Fred sing and Cat play.  I don’t know where all those people are spiritually.  But the music was about Christmas.  The music glorified God.

But the other 10 months of the year what we’re bombarded with is all secular.  We can debate musical taste.  But think about the message that’s relentlessly being pounded into our heads - world wide.

Mostly about sex and messed up sexuality.  Pure self serving - self focused - messed up relationships glorifying - family destroying - pornographic - immoral - not God’s version - sex.  And not just music.  Right?  But media - the internet - printed and otherwise - for the most part is cranking out an increasingly anti-god message.

Life is about me, what you owe me, and how you all are messing up my life.  Take a look around and ask yourself if that message has had an effect on families - marriages - children - education - nations - the very core of humanity.

Point being - all that - these are tip of the iceberg examples - all that influence is authority that is competing with God’s authority over our lives.  Competing for who or what will command the greatest influence over our lives.  Direct us in how we live our lives.

Paul defines our struggle in Ephesians 6.  “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”  (Ephesians 6:12)  Have you heard that?

Reading Scripture - God’s light in the darkness of this battle - the Bible doesn’t just present spiritual warfare as being between some computer generated special effects angels and really scary looking demons.  Scripture speaks about systems of “the world.”  About what is corrupt and destructive.  In other words - what we wrestle with is not just demons and Satan - but what we wrestle with in real time are the dehumanizing world systems under the influence of our Adversary.

Behind that ongoing bombardment of secular music and media and culture is a well orchestrated onslaught of our Adversary.  There is design in what is ungodly.  Purpose behind what desires to distract us and delude us and influence away from Jesus being at the center of our lives.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians:  “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?  Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute?  Never!  Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her?  For it is written,  ‘The two shall become one flesh.’ But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.”  (1 Corinthians 6:15-17)

Let’s be clear.  Sex is huge.  But what Paul is writing here is about a whole more there than just a physical act.  Paul is writing about spiritual realities.  Fornicating with the world verses becoming one with Jesus.

James writes to God’s people, “You adulterous people!  Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?  Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself and enemy of God.”  (James 4:4)

Pretty strong language.  No middle ground.  Sometimes we need that.

The bottom line reality is that the world is under the influence of our Adversary - an active an cunning and skilled Adversary - who is doing a disastrous number on this world.  Our Adversary who is relentlessly using the corrosive systems of this world as a tool to get Jesus off the center of our lives. 

Neil Anderson says this:  “If you want to get rid of flies you have to throw the garbage away.”  (1)

That means choices - decisions - without compromise.  That means that we must purpose at the core of who we are to keep Jesus at the center.  We have choices to make.  In the real time of a world system that is designed to keep Jesus off center we need to make strategic choices that will keep Jesus in the center.

Crucial choices about what we are exposing ourselves to - what we allow to saturate our minds and thinking - our hearts and attitudes.  What we’re dabbling in.  What we allow ourselves to get caught up in.  What we participate in.

Third Imperative:  We Need To Remember Jesus Is The Center. 

Jesus is the authority.  He’s sovereign over all of what goes on around us.

Jesus said - John 16:33 - Jesus said, “I have said these things to you - in the context of John’s Gospel - these things are about our struggles in the world and Who Jesus - meaning He is God - Jesus said, “I have said these things to you , that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But, take heart; I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:33)

Jesus is the Lord - the Alpha and Omega - the sovereign Almighty Holy God.  He’s the authority in the midst of this.  He’s the authority over what comes “after this.”

Skye Jethani - Senior Editor of Leadership Journal - writes, “...it will require far more than human intelligence and devices to overcome these forces.  We cannot program or teach our way to victory over any of them, because these maladies were not caused by human ignorance or villainy alone.  President Kennedy famously said that “Our problems are man-made, therefore they can be solved by man.”  The apostle Paul disagrees.  He reminds us that we ‘do not wrestle against flesh and blood but… against spiritual forces.’  Therefore we require spiritual weapons.”  (2)  

Remembering that Jesus is the center doesn’t mean being paranoid about life and running from society to start a commune in Saskatchewan.  We live here and now.  We need to engage society.  Go and make disciples is a command we need to obey.

But we also need to recognize that fighting the battle of our lives goes way beyond our whit and wisdom.  Our own hearts may deceive us.  We’re way too easily influenced.  We’re probably way more influenced that we realize - even in the church.

We need to run to Jesus and to keep on running.  To fall on our knees before Him - prayer and worship are huge at keeping Jesus in the center - not just Sunday morning - but ceaseless.  Forever begins today.

We need to saturate ourselves with the things of God.  Change the station.  To saturate ourselves with the truth of God’s word.  To read - to study - to meditate - to immerse ourselves - to place ourselves under the authority of God’s word.

We need to be with Godly people.  Someone said, “If you want to be godly be with the godly.”  We’re designed to need each other.  We need to be around people who will keep pointing us to Jesus.  Encouraging each other.  Accountable to one another.  Discipling and being discipled.

We need to learn how to live with Him at the center - in His sovereignty - under His authority.  To overcome because He’s overcome  Rather than being overcome by the gates of Hell we need to follow Him through them into His victory.

Bottom line:  Three Imperatives.  #1 See Jesus in the center.  Grab onto Who Jesus is.  #2 Keep Jesus at the center.  Grab and hold onto Him.  #3 Remember Jesus is the center.  In the end Satan looses.  Why?  Because Jesus is already victorious.  We need to live under the authority of our victorious sovereign Savior.

Let me ask you some really tough questions.   As I’ve been working through this for myself - to be honest with ourselves we have to ask these.

Who really does have the authority over your life?  Who do you worship?  Who do you bow down before?  Who gets the glory - the honor - the power to do with me whatever He wills?  Who sits on the throne of your life?

_________________________

1. Quoted by Dr. Erwin Lutzer, “A Contested Universe”, Leadership Journal, Spring 2012

2. Skye Jethani, Winged Enemies, Leadership Journal, Spring 2012