Hope When You Are Discouraged – Part 1

Welcome to living in the light with n-gram lots. When you in that vortex and even ones like the swelling in every which way and things are unraveling the anchor that holds is that Jesus is seated on the throne are Jesus Christ and his message today here on living in the light in her ongoing series from the book of Revelation you've never read Revelation, or it's been a long time were you trying to read it but you just lost your way and subseries will give you new understanding of God's love and mercy. His life-changing hope these two chapters. Revelation 4 and five I think are the most thrilling in the Bible I would put them right up there with Genesis chapter 1 and the creation of the world and look to when God became incarnate's and the creator became creation of Bethlehem and right up there with John 20 the resurrection of Jesus from the from the dead and these two chapters is like Revelation peaks early and these are thrilling so I just pray that the Lord will give me energy and strength and in words to convey what I think is here not only the thrill of what one day is going to take place but what it means for you and me today you ever wonder sometimes if it's just worth its to go through all of this in the live the Christian life is like a salmon swimming upstream. You know the whole Todd of everything is against us. And is it worth the effort and the energy in the sacrifice and the pain and the suffering and disappointment and some things that come with it and I was thinking to myself I wonder one day if I would want to ask Abraham was it worth it.

The labor of the Chaldeans, and travel 800 miles to the west and land in Canaan with for the rest of your life you lived in attendance. In the end, yet nothing more to show for it and basically one son and unfulfilled promises of God was that worth it, and then did you ever want to ask Daniel. Was it worth it to you know, pray three times a day and wind up in the lion's den and you wanted to ask Moses was it worth it to leave the treasures of Egypt and end up leaving a band of ex-slaves in circles in the wilderness and never even getting in the promised land. If you ever wonder. Ask Jeremiah was it worth it to preach over 60 years and never have a positive response to you ever wondered if it was wanted to ask John the Baptist was it worth it to speak the truth to Herod space and wind up with your head on a platter in was it worth it. Mary to say, be it unto me according to your will, and the sun you would conceive you would live to see crucified on a Roman cross.

Is it worth it. Is it worth it to live a life of authentic faith and discipleship is let me ask you, is it worth it. Is it worth it to live in obedience. According to God's word and live your life submitted to his will and do things his way, when nobody in your church is living like that. Is it worth it to get up early in the morning on Sunday and go to church especially when you're the pastor. Nobody listens, or you're the one in the pew in the past really is speaking from God's word and you want to be a part of God, is it worth it. Was it worth it to forgive the person who's wounded you and reach out and reconciliation, only to be rejected and wounded again, is it worth it to tell the truth in your business and wind up paying more taxes. Is it worth it to speak the gospel to your neighbor and lose the friendship. You know, is it worth fits the live a life Dave is different from everybody else.

Life in obedience to the wording submitted to his will and doing things according to his will and nobody around you and your family to church even takes God seriously like that. Is it worth and I'm just going to answer you yes yes yes yes you know why because Jesus is worth it. And because he's worth it. As we look upward. We have the hope of a new day and seven chapters 4 and five, John says heaven is opened in Outlook and were going to see what he saw and its thrilling sucker bobbles are open already open them. If you were to Revelation chapter 4 and verse one it says after this after what, after all those messages to the churches and it's interesting from this point on, the church is mentioned again in Revelation and the broadest spoken of in heaven.

At the wedding feast of the Lamb, but the church is no longer on earth to some people think somewhere between chapter 3 and chapter 4 is the rapture of the church.

I don't know if that so or not but I know the rapture is so okay and that term is not in Scripture.

But there's going to come a time. The Bible says and I believe it's any moment when the trumpets going to sound, the dead in Christ will rise, and we who are alive and remain on the earth going to be caught up in the air to be with Jesus forever and ever and ever. And that moment is coming and that begins at a time of judgment on earth were going to talk about when God pours out in his wrath on this earth but were going to be in heaven celebrating with him, but maybe that takes place between these chapters, and now this is something that were actually going to glimpse out on if that's true or not, or if this is when the rapture takes place on no John says after this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And that's that could be a sermon on itself. Couldn't that there is a door open heaven and Jesus is open heaven for you and me, but John lets us peek inside and we see what he saw and I was thinking the center of the universe. This is this is the center of the universe. This is the throne room of God in several years ago went to Buckingham Palace and I was not invited. I had to buy a ticket to go and like all the other tourists you go through the rooms and then one of the most interesting rooms is a throne room is for the Queen does or official business. I actually thought it was sort of disappointing.

It looks rather ordinary and is a throne there and I'm sure it's much more impressive when she sitting on it.

That's where she conducts her official business and this is the throne room of the universe and then I went online this past week, and I looked up the Oval Office because the president United States is the most powerful man in our country and because our country leads the royalties considered the most powerful man in the world and the Oval Office is his official office. It's where he resides in power people come from all over the world seeking an audience with the present and present they want entrance into the Oval Office and its oval because it's oval and curved windows that face the South lawn and the fireplace on the north and into sophism from the fireplace in the present as the design is rug and it's very warm and sort of inviting looking in, and it almost seems trivial.

When you consider what John's going to show this is where the Lord of lords. The King of Kings God. Father God the son God the Holy Spirit. This is where they reign. This is the seat of their power. This is their official when they do their official business right and so John lets us peek inside and we see that Jesus Christ is absolutely supreme as Lord and it's revealed about the position that he holds in verse one and says Outlook and I heard the voice that first was speaking to me like a trumpet said come up here and I'll show you what must take place after this. And at once I was in the spirit and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it impact the throne is mentioned 12 times in this chapter. This is the center and there someone sitting on the throne or we know God the father sits on the throne, but we know Jesus sits at his right hand and so for our purposes in this chapter were going to think of this is Jesus sitting there on the throne in absolute control and he's revealed being supreme as Lord because he seated on the throne. That's his position and to be seated on the throne is to be in power and authority in control in charge never doubted that he seated on the throne your other kingdoms come and go, and rulers rise and fall in Jesus is always seated on the throne. I remember when a 28-year-old son called and said mom I have cancer, and it was life-threatening and at that moment. I remember consciously having the thought Jesus is seated on the throne and this is caught us by surprise, but it didn't catch him by surprise. It was part of his purpose for Jonathan's life and we prayed together on the phone that Jonathan would live to bring glory to God, which was his purpose, or he could doctor the glory of God the glory of God. As you know, bringing him glory is our purpose. Something cause you to doubt that he's an authority that he's in control, but he's in charge. Maybe when your prayer hasn't been answered for your child the way you prayed maybe when your spouse walked out. Maybe when you got the pink slip and you were fired from a job right before you should've retired now.

What you make is when you lost your retirement.

I don't know what the issue might be.

Maybe it's something in your family.

Something in the church something in your business. Something in your health Sylvia Hatcher who is a very precious friend women's basketball coach University of North Carolina was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

When the three winningest women's coaches in the country went into the doctor's office.

They put in the hospital with leukemia. She called me and that was what I told Sylvia Jesus is seated on the throne were totally in shock. By this, by the time I talked with her already putting the ports and for the chemo that poured into her 24 seven. It was amazing and she rested in the confidence that Jesus is seated on the listen when you're in that vortex of evil in your life is swirling every which way and things are unraveling the anchor that holds you is that Jesus is seated on the throne. He's in charge is in control. Sylvia just was distant at all and that she was in hospital for months she's all over test of come back great.

She went for four days each month for four months for the rest of her treatment. She may have to have a bone marrow transplant. But right now, her leukemia is officially in remission for which we praise God and she is praising God and telling other people what he's done and how he's answering her prayer and she strong interface and Jesus is seen on the throne and I believe she's in his Hall of Fame and he's using her for his glory. The time that I'd set aside to come up euros in the hospital looking after her husband week had all the complications we couldn't figure it out now was having to make decisions and push the doctors and call for meetings and you know it's just when we got them home and then we had a complication and he was very frighteningly having episodes that look like seizures and I just had to leave him and come up here and it's like wow old and at rest and a hold on to the anchor that Jesus is seated on the throne and he's not going to allow anything to come into my life or my family's life that's outside of his control is under his control and he allows it for our good and are good is not to be happy, healthy, problem free prosper is not good is to be conformed to his image so that we can become like Jesus and he allows all these things to work out that purpose in our lives so that we can bring him glory. Jesus is seated on the throne. John said, selling their and he still today seated on the throne and one-day heavens going open and were going to look and were going to see seated on the throne until that day comes, we can do that by faith. So I don't know what your swirling circumstances are what the situation is in your life or up seems down and down things up and you can't quite get your bearings. Your anchor is cheese and he seated on the throne, he sees you he knows what's going on your own is me you're never off of his mind. He's praying for you and so we see that his Lordship is revealed by the position that he holds a position of greatness. He's in control and it's a position of glory one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian Jasper looks like a diamond in the carnelian looks like a Ruby so if we can just imagine, not one point I went through the Tower of London are if you've done that to see the crown jewels and they have diamonds. I promise you that are as big as goose eggs and that rubies are as big as hens eggs in their set against this dark velvet. They're just spectacular and the lights come down on so they flash and sparkling and I can only imagine what the light from a diamond in a Ruby and mixed in. Given off from a living being what it would look glorious is the sheep. The heart of the Shekinah glory. And we know that the character of Jesus is his glory right his goodness, his mercy, his kindness is justice as righteousness is love all of his character is his glory. So it's like the character of Jesus and all of its spectacular facets looking like the light that comes from a diamond in a Ruby and chest glorious something that our minds can't comprehend and eyes have never seen her ears couldn't possibly hear just something that's almost beyond description as a position of glory and as a position of grace because you know something in the Old Testament when the high priest when the most holy place and he would do that once a year. He where more breastplates on his breastplate were 12 precious stones and each precious stone was carved with the name of one of the tribes of Israel and the first was a Jasper and the last was a carnelian and it spoke of the fact that when the high priest went into God's presence. He carried the names of God's children on his heart to listen to me when we go through chapter 6 to 19, and you see God pouring out his wrath. You have to be afraid because the one who sits on the throne at the center of the universe is calling all the shots is in charge carries you by name on his heart. If you've been born again. If you're his child.

If you been to the cross of you been cleansed by his blood euros child in your name is written on his heart, so is a position of grace we see them seed on the throne and he's our Savior. He's our Lord one who redeemed us with his own blood rules our lives that we have purpose and meaning when they will come to take us to be with himself. Shepherd seated on the throne. All of his glory and his greatness and his grace and that my name would be written on his heart is not anything I deserve as just his grace. So we see his Lordship revealed by the position that he holding him by the presence that he has is a presence that signify before things I see in this passage. One is his mercy, and in verse three it says surrounding the throne was a rainbow, resembling an emerald that encircled the throne and remember the first time. I don't know exactly unknown if this is a right interpretation of this is what came to my mind first rainbow we see in Scripture. Remember in Noah's day old no hope one day I get to meet him on the one down on the medium. He's such a remarkable person you talk about somebody who live the life for the worthiness of Jesus when nobody else was when the whole world was melting down. Everybody did evil all the time continuously and God just got fed up as we decide is going to destroy the world and Noah was a righteous man walking with God and God said no I'm going to destroy the world to build an ark and that's what Noah did and I don't think he was a carpenter, but he learned to and for 120 years. He built out arcing you want afforded to get the money onward to get the labors that have to work during the day to make money during the day to pay for his labors at night and they work for hundred and 20 years and then finally when the ark was finished he stood in the door and he was preaching righteousness to his generation, nobody responded that all the animals start showing up in God brings animals to get them all settled seven days Noah's on the are getting everything settled preaching righteousness and nobody was responding. And so God shut the door.

Give her thoughts what happened next but did you know here when the door was shut and suddenly I'm assuming the vapor canopy that was over the earth at that point ruptured and the water fell on the earth and the fountains of the great deep that it been these huge caverns burst forth in the water gushed out from underneath and you could hear the screams of the people in the animals outside everybody coming on the judgment and then it rained for 40 days and 40 nights. And then there was that sad. Gary sat the whole world. A watery wasteland for over a year, Noah and all those animals and his family just floating in that modem, then the water receives land, draws up in the door opens and he comes out and he sacrifices some of those precious animals just in thanksgiving for his salvation from judgment.

Then you wonder what he thought.

How did he feel next time the thundercloud rolled his or hadn't been rain on the earth until the flood and is the thundercloud all of a sudden there's a clap of thunder and the lightning flashed.

Was he terrified and did he think all know God, having been saved from your judgment. My going to come under it. Again, not going to lose my salvation and God knew he would be terrified and so God said no I'm going to give you a son, my coven, I'm going to put a rainbow in every time you see the clouds roll up and that rainbow is there. You remember I remember your save my children were growing up. My husband promise that they could go to New York City for their 16th birthday and he was from New York. Now Reggie, I can enjoy it for a day or two.

But then I want to get out of there now and I was born in these mountains and the New York City is sort of intimidating to me but my husband was born and raised there so he promised that they could go and they were excited and asked.

I think he made on her 17th birthday. He was about a year late, but they reminded them and they put little sticky notes all over his bathroom is bad in the kitchen and just reminding him because they were met they would never forget his promise, but they want to make sure he remembered his promise, because to be buying the ticket and taking them up and so God said no I don't you remember Mark promise you remember.

I remember my promise to you, your say the New Testament when Jesus led his disciples of the Last Supper, when they took the cup and broke the bread, he said this is the Son of Man new covenant, and if you ever listen to me if you ever are tempted to doubt your salvation from judgment. You look at the cross is the sign of the new covenant, and you remember he remembers your saved from his judgment okay so his presences indicated or characterized by his mercy.

The rainbow that circles it and buys authority in verse four around the throne. It says there were 24 other thrones, seated on them were 24 elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads talk to who these people were.

They were people, or maybe there is sort of angelic beings. I'm not sure, but it's obvious their kings and are seated on the throne because Jesus is the King of Kings. Remember, that's one of his titles and so he seated on the throne and they surround him because he's king of the King and the King's obvious they're there to do his bidding. They serve him that positions of authority under his authority and they serve them and the whole picture to me is one of dignity and seriousness and alertness and you know they are available in the ready, and they're willing and they just just say the word. They keep their out of whatever he wants. They do and completely submitted to him while they're in authority over others and I just see his authority over the leaders of the universe and so available to serve and plan he's Lord. Not only is it characterized by mercy and authority in them and let me tell you this in the Old Testament reason another serving him know Old Testament only descendents of Aaron and Levi could serve in the temple and after a few enter 12 orders of priest after while there were more priests and could serve in the temple because of the descendents they multiplied so they divided into 12 orders. Only two people from each order can serve at any one time. So in the temple there were always 24 priests who were serving God within the temple and so these kings.

I'm assuming Tingley priests who are in authority, but live to serve the King of King and Jesus said those were greatest in my kingdom will be servants, you might want to remember that you know when we think something is beneath our dignity to do and whatever he calls us to do so. These kings or servants in his presences indicated by the activity that's taking place in this is a wild verse how to know exactly how to characterize it. But in verse five it says that from the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder sound like a rock concert all sorts of things going on in his activity in the presence of God is not boring is not quiet and somber and then it's it's amazingly electric and forever. Jesus is things are happening and things are moving ends. There may be quietness and a pause were going to see that butts in the throne room. There is a lot that's taking place. Lastly is presences indicated by purity because it is a blazing lamp before the throne and it says before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. As a seven fold seven spirits of God as the Holy Spirit Holy Spirit is a spirit we couldn't see them so in scriptures represent about things that we can say V7 lampstands are the dogs at baptism, or the five flame of fire Pentecost the Holy Spirit. He is not the flame of fire. He is not the doubt. He is not the seven bold lamp, but he is represented by those things that we know is present in the Holy Spirit is holy and so in the presence of Jesus. There is holiness there is no sin, is a purity to sit in front of the throne was a sea of glass. I'm assuming if it was surrounded by a sea of glass, you will be like a mirror and it would reflect his Lordship and his authority in his purity and his mercy and his activity throughout the universe, so I just want to apply these points make this application. If Jesus cry is seated on the throne of your heart. If he is Lord of your life, then these same characteristics ought to be seen in you and me right now. Here's a man with this final word when by faith you invited Jesus Christ to come into your life is your Savior and Lord. He came in in the person of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is holy, totally separate from sin. One of the first things the Holy Spirit does when he comes into you is to give you the desire to be holy.

Increasingly, as you yield your life to him. He gives you the power to be holy.

The intense purifying fire of the Holy Spirit burns away anything and everything that's not pleasing to God what sin are you toying with what habit of sin. Are you tolerating in your life, what attitude of sin, bitterness, selfishness and pride. Resentment, anger, jealousy, unforgiveness, are you nurturing instead of crucifying when we acknowledge Jesus as King of our lives.

The Holy Spirit begins to work in our hearts to separate us from sin and all that is displeasing to God one day our sin will drop away, and the Holy Spirit's work will be completed one day you and will be like James just a reminder to join us here each week is and continues her series in Revelation taking us step-by-step through John's amazing account of God's plan for our future. Please take advantage of all the free resources that and Graham Watts.org to help and encourage you in your walk with God and in your study of his work join us here each week for living in the line