Hope When You Are Discouraged – Part 2

Welcome to living in the light with and Graham wants real genuine praise and worship is contagion is praising Jesus because you are this is living in the light with and Graham wants continuing in her step by step study of Revelation eyewitness account of God's plan for our peers and with today's verse six in the center That in the center, around the throne of the throne is the center of the universe and the center around the throne, were four living creatures. They were covered with eyes in front and back and were just going to go through and see that there filled with praise. At the very center of the universe there is worship of Jesus. There is praise of Jesus central to everything in these four living creatures. They just so weird looking, but there the cherubim and seraphim of the Old Testament, the ones that were the closest to God or the highest of the created being and highest intelligence in the universe right next to God himself, and they surround the throne and worship him. But we know them in the Old Testament in Genesis 3 to member after Adam and Eve send and God removing the garden he stationed one of these beings in the door of the guard with the sword that turned every which way to protect that tree of life, so Adam and Eve could come back and eat of it and forever be stuck in their sin and one of these cherubim and seraphim that brought the visions to Daniel and Ezekiel and remember what Isaiah saw the Lord had lifted up and is one of these creatures that brought the live coals on the altar and put it on his mouth and cleansed his lips and so these creatures do a lot of work but that the center of the throne and the first living creature look like a lion, the second like an ox that there like a man.

The fourth like an eagle right hold on for a minute because in the Old Testament. Ezekiel saw them they look like that and their characteristics of Jesus.

So Matthew presents Jesus as a lion because he's the king, the fulfillment of all that Old Testament prophecy in Mark presents him as the ox is the humble servant and Luke presents him as the man in his humanity, and John presents him as a flying eagle. In his deity. So these are characteristics of Jesus and this is the need to stop because it says they are likely never cease to worship him to wonder as they are worshiping him day and night.

They begin to be conformed to his image to other people look at them and they see a reflection of the character of Jesus while and then I think we are minutes of the work they did in the Old Testament have a cease to work.

It says they and night look at that in verse eight.

They had six wings they covered their eyes all around, even under their wings. They are night they never stop saying, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty is and what is to come. And yet it says they never stop to praise him, and yet we know they did a lot of work and so I was thinking you know is that a contradiction to this not know what the Old Testament said not all and they never cease to worship and while they worship they do their work. What a lesson, why do we think we do our work over here and then we come here we think and we do our worship and then we go do our work and then we do not know how our lives are still with worship we never cease to worship the center of our lives to carve us is praise of Jesus and as we praise him. We work for our workflows for membership. That's what was so important to the Ephesian church. They put their work before their worship and they needed to get that straightened out because worship should be sexual praise should be at the center at the hearts and we praise the Lord without ceasing, and we never cease to worship in our hearts, and by the way we do our work and our work comes from our worship. And while that happens could be that he conforms us to the image of Jesus, so that even on account people can see something of the character of Jesus I would make it worth it with minutes. Remember once meeting a woman I'll never forget a just pastor bound the hall almost did a double take. She was an old woman, but she just had the light of the Lord on her face and really felt like I could see Jesus. Since Jesus about her and when they love to have somebody pass me in the hall into a double take and not even know me but think you know there's something about her and something about accountant.

Something about the way she handles her stuff that's just got to be chief center testing in order for that to take in the could be wrong.

This is my opinion may be, but it requires suffering pain brokenness I don't know why that is exactly except God just has to keep crushing a 70 to get us out of the way so that the life of Jesus can be raised up in and through us of the other people can see these four living creatures prays that they offered was central to praise that they offered was continuous.

They never stop praising in the continuous praise became contagious. Look at verse nine whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him, sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever. The 24 elders fall down before him and they worship in the lives forever and ever. And then if you go over to chapter 5 the 24 elders. They fall down and worship the Lord in verse six. Then they start to praise the Lord. Then in verse 11.

I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands in 10,000×10,000, encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders in a loud voice they say and then I hear every creature. Verse 13 in heaven on earth and under the earth and all that is in them, singing, and the praise just ripples out from the central part of the throne in those four living creatures who ever lived.

The praise and worship Jesus sent ripples out till it just becomes a crescendo of praise in the universe and the whole universe is filled with praise of Jesus because real genuine praise and worship is contagious. Those praising Jesus because you are and it's amazing when people see us in the fire and they see the suffering and the hurt and the things going wrong and they see as praising Jesus makes them want to know him and it draws them to amend they think you know I can go one more day with my circumstances and I can hang on for one more half-hour if she can do it I can do it and they want to know Jesus and worthy is the Lamb that was slain so don't let anyone or anything in Iraq to pray pray should be central and from that centrality, then it just begins to go out in a continuous praise in the contagious praise and appraise this costly because these 24 elders going back to chapter 4 in verse 10. They lay their crowns before the throne. And they say you are worthy, our Lord and God, receive glory and honor and power, you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. And they took their crowns off their heads and I'm assuming the crowns represented their success in their achievement and their position of greatness in their authority and their glory and they took crowns off and they just laid them at the nail pierced feet of Jesus sacrificing everything that they were in Hadden's had done at the feet of Jesus because they knew without him they could do nothing that if they had achieved anything.

It was because he had done it in and through the minute given them the opportunity in the first place, and so they laid their crowns before is a very solemn picture in Corinthians 3 about the judgment seat of Christ. And if you have been to the cross, Jesus is taken the judgment for our sin.

We will never come under God's judgment for our sin, but our Christian life from the time we received pricing a time we see him face-to-face is going to be judged for our works, and by Judge Deming were going to be rewarded for what we've done for him in Corinthians 3 tells us that our works are going to pass through the fire of God's holiness and if our works have been done in obedience to God's word because every day we took time at least read a paragraph and ask what to say and what does it mean what does it mean to my life and we applied and we lived it out and were obedient to his word, we surrender to his will, and we do things his way, then our life is like gold, silver and precious stones and it passes through the five God's holiness and were rewarded with the crown how to tell you something when I get to heaven.

This is something that motivates me every day when I get to heaven and I see Jesus for the first time and I see the wound in his brow where the nails had been that crown of thorns representing the curse that was on me from us in the wound in his hands and feet were the nails had been busy. Took God's judgment for my sin and he opened heaven for me and gave me eternal life. I want to tell you something I'm going to want to give him something in return. I don't want to come. They have an empty handed and I wonder at that moment when I see Jesus face-to-face for the first time will have a crown that was given to me in reward for my life's work.

The latest nail pierced feet I will have the actions of a wasted life depression to his nail scarred can't tell you how many times I thank God that that moment is not yet. So for you if that moment came today, would you have a crown to give him her ashes.

You decide and then from distasteful.

Nevermind yesterday.

Okay, that was then this is now. From this day forward, would you live your life all out with a band obedient to his word that you make the time every day to read your plan, you live it out the matter for anybody else's. You do it in your surrender to his will, even though he seems to be asking you a hard thing, something you don't want to do would you say Lord you are in charge. I'll do it your way and I'll do it according to your will and so when you get to heaven he reward you with the crown that then you have the privilege of laying his feeds so it's costly praise isn't that worship in the crowns that we receive are given for work.

This not easy and a life that's live that goes against the flow in our culture today in a life that increasingly will be in the minority and despise the nothing persecuted, so it's costly when I tell you what.

On that day when we see Jesus is gonna be worth thousand times over Something that we can give him in return for all that he's done for us so Jesus is worth it.

Absolutely supreme as the Lord receive that revealed by his position revealed by his presence revealed all the praise he received in chapter 5 we see that Jesus is absolutely sufficient as Lamb and in chapter 5, John says, then after this amazing scene at the center of the universe.

He saw on the right hand of him who sat on the throne not going to assume at this point this is God the father because of the context of the passage. There was a scroll in his hands of God the father had a presence he was seated he had a hand. He was holding a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. I believe the title deed, the planet Earth and whoever possesses a scroll has the right to rule the world and fulfill God's purpose for the human race. And God is sitting there holding its and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming it out loud voice, who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll who is worthy to rule the world and fulfill God's purpose for the human praise and I can think of a lot of people who are willing, I think Vladimir Putin would be willing to rule the world. I think there are other dictators and probably people don't even know about who would be very willing to rule the world. But that's not the question, who is worthy to rule the world's and got and says the universe was searched. No one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it in every age, every generation, every planet, every black hole every nation was searched for somebody who would be worthy to rule the world and fulfill God's purpose for the human race. And no one was found not Abraham, the friend of God and not David a man after God's own heart and not because they are the greatest of the Old Testament prophets, not John the Baptist was as great as any woman would ever been born and not Mary the mother of Jesus cannot call the greatest evangelist and not Peter who opened the door for the gospel to go to the Gentiles, and not even John is recording this vision. No one was found was worthy to rule the world are fulfill God's purpose for the human race is her. John says, standing there this old man with his long gray beard and his weatherbeaten face and he says I wept and wept because no one was found was worthy to open the scroll or even look inside it and John where Shane for the human right failing to be who God created to be wept with shame for himself because he knew he wasn't worthy to rule the world either as much as he loved Jesus and serve Jesus and he wasn't worthy. And I think he was weeping in despair because you know something. Think about it if is no one was found was worthy to rule the world to fulfill God's purpose for the human race.

That means in the end, the devil is one and hate wins out over love and evil wins out over good and the cross was just a dirty joke and Jesus is just weak and ineffective in their somebody greater than he is in all in the end it means is no hope at all. No new day coming and John stands Ernie weeks and just hopping Shea in despair and hopelessness.

Then one of the kings got up from his throne in verse five and he said John do not we, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David. He is triumph. There is one man, John, and all of the universe. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals. One may was able to rule the world and fulfill God's purpose for the human race from God's perspective and his name is Jesus is unequaled in his position all listen to me. Praise God is right, but think about your own life. If there is one man who is able to rule the world and all the details and make it all come out right and please God and do it perfectly in why would you not surrender your life to him.

Why do you think he's not able to rule the details of your life why you think things are out of his control. We read the newspaper. We watch the news we see things going on in our world and it's filled with stories of people with broken homes and broken hearts and broken dreams and broken lives because they have submitted to a leader who is not able to rule rightly and they don't know and they crash one thing to another, one lot to another, one deception to another because there's only one man who is able to rule to rule your heart to rule your life through your circumstances to rule this planet to rule the universe and his name is G unequaled in his position and is undisputed in his power. In verse six. Then I saw a Lamb so John was told. Look there's a line of the tribe of Judah, and he turned and looked and he didn't say a line he saw him looking as if it had been slain because there were the wounds on his brow with the thorns of been the nail prints in his hands and feet and bearing the marks of Calvin. Down here they can joke about the cross or say it wasn't an historic event or talk about Jesus is just being a good man but not the Savior. Not the risen Christ and in heaven. The memories of Calvary are precious and he's wearing the scars that he bore for you and me, me standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders and listen to his description. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits.

So let me just translate that for you. Seven horns.

That's a strength that's perfect.

That's his omnipotence and his seven eyes he sees everything that's his omniscience and the seven spirits of God's out over all the earth. That's the Holy Spirit. The spirit of God was omnipresent okay just another way of saying what we read in chapter 1 what it said. That's Jesus on the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end he is omniscient and he is the one who is and was and is the Commies omnipresent. He's Almighty's omnipotent just same way of saying that okay just on a different way of saying the same thing. So he is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, and look at this in verse seven he walked over the one is seated on the throne and he came and he took the scroll from the right hand of him is that on the throne, and nobody said, oh, wait a minute you think you are, and we need to discuss this and we need a committee to decide if this is something that we can do you know he just walked over and took the scroll.

No one disputed him and you understand he's asserting his right to rule the world because he doesn't. He made it creation he bought at Calvary. Now he's asserting his right to rule it and that scroll passes into that nail pierced palm.

What a day of victory. How thrilling that the Lamb is the law and he walks over and he takes the scroll and when you taken.

That's the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lord, and each one had a heart and the heart in the Old Testament represented the song represents July. Remember when Judah was taken off in the captivity, she went into Babylon and she hung up her harp.

She had no sign. The Babylonians games it sings the song she had no song missing just lost her joy to somebody who's lost her joy. You hung up your heart. Please note for you get it back. It's when Jesus Christ is the right to rule and you surrender that authority to him and he is Lord of your life and people think when he is Lord of my life. That's when my life dries up and become miserable and I can't do what I want listen to me opposite. It's when you're under his Lordship is a freedom because now he's in charge.

He calls the shots and you just do what he says.

And there is Deaton sure your life counts as purpose and meaning you have hope.

You know you going to bear eternal fruit that one day will have eternal consequences in heaven, and there is deep July.

They had a harp after he had asserted his right to rule, and then he had bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the same. Don't you wonder what was the last prayer that came in the field of that bowl and I wonder if he was waiting on my prayers. How long would it take for bowl to fill out Lord Jesus come and that some points in the future.

That bowl is going to be full and he's going to say it's time they sang a new song when he did that you are more than is a new song by the is not about deliverance from Egypt is not even about the cross of the resurrection is about his right to rule the world. You're worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and they talk about the cross being a tragedy is the greatest victory. There's ever been because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language people and nation. Jesus is not a white man's God and Christianity is not an American religion.

He is the Lord of all, because God so love the whole world is given as Jews sees the light of the world and he is purchased by his blood, people from every tribe and nation.

That means these purchase people from the Islamic faith and Buddhist ends Baptist and Methodist agnostics and atheists in Catholics and people from every tribe and language and nation and tongue, and they all have to come to the cross and repentance of sin and receive Christ as Savior and put their faith in him.

But when they do their been purchased with the blood of Jesus and they make up this wonderful kingdom is going to be wonderful to be in heaven is not see the people around the throne worshiping the same Jesus hearts filled with praise for what is done.

You've made them to be kingdom and priests to serve our godly will rain on the earth. Jesus is undisputed in his power, asserting his right to rule and then I looked and I heard the voice verse 11 of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands 10,000×10,000, encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders in a loud voice they sang worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and power in the whole universe is Roxanne praise the whole universe just rule bars and acclamation of the worthiness of Jesus cry.

He receives all glory, all praise, all honor universe.

Just ask and pray the canoe sits on the throne into the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power for ever and ever. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess he is Lord because he is Lord and he is unequaled in his position undisputed in his colonies were the Lord who is coming back one day soon to rule and reign in this earth and we have the privilege until he gets back of demonstrating our lives with the kingdom of God with look like if Jesus was Lord now hears and with this final word.

Let me just close today with this added encouragement. If God is undisputed in his power in the universe and he is.

Why do we argue with them resisting his authoritative claim on our lives. He created you and me. He bought us at Calvary and he is the only one who has the right to rule our lives would you yield the reins of the government of your life to him. You and I need to stop resisting his will stop arguing about his purpose.

Stop complaining about his methods and just submit to his authority in Revelation 59 John says they sang a new song there's no greater cure for discouragement that a new song about the power and the glory of the one who has the right to rule.

When we feel we need a new song perhaps what we really need is to fall down and worship the Lord who is the Lamb upon the throne surrendering our hearts and our lives afresh to him then open your heart and sing. This has been living in the light please take advantage of all the free resources that and Graham lots.org to help and encourage you in your walk with God and in your study of his word. During this hearing each week for living in the light