The New Testament lesson is the revelation of John, the fourth chapter, beginning at verse one, reading through 11 the end of the chapter. After these things I looked and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me saying, come up here and I will show you things which must take place after this. Immediately I was in the Spirit and behold a throne sat in heaven and one sat on the throne, and he who sat there was like a jasper and a sardiest stone in appearance, and there was a rainbow around the throne in the appearance of an emerald. On the throne were 24 thrones, and on the thrones I saw 24 elders sitting clothed in white robes, and they had crowns of gold on their heads, and from that the throne proceeded lightening and thundering. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are seven spirits of God, before the throne was a sea of glass like crystal, and in the midst of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion. The second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within, and they do not rest day or night, saying, holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, you are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things, and by your will they exist and were created. The word of the Lord, thanks be to God, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Mark, the sixth chapter beginning at the seventh verse, and he called the twelve to himself and began to send them out two by two and gave them power over unclean spirits. He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff, no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts, but two wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. So he said to them, in whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place, and whoever will not receive you nor hear you when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them, assuredly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city. So they went out and preached that people should repent and they cast out many demons and anointed with oil, many who were sick and healed them. The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, thanks be to the Lord, let us pray together. Again, Lord Jesus, we are grateful for your word. We are grateful that you have preserved it for us in this day. Give us your spirit that we might understand it, embrace it, and do it to the best of our ability by your grace. This we ask in your name, amen, she may be seated. Vacations are wonderful times for lots of reasons. One of the reasons I enjoy vacations is I pretty regularly, pretty typically get the ketchup on reading which I've wanted to do and haven't been able to do. Over the course of this last vacation, I read a massive novel, over 800 pages by Leon Urus called Trinity, a novel of Ireland. But we also listened to a tape on our way up to Indiana. It was one of the Mars Hill tapes and if you've not learned or known anything about the Mars Hill tapes before I suggest that you ask me or someone who has, it's a wonderful, wonderful audio magazine dealing with Christianity and contemporary culture and it's just fabulous stuff. And one of the pieces on the latest tape was an interview with a man named Thomas K. Hill who wrote a book entitled, are you ready for this? You won't be surprised. How the Irish saved civilization. It's a great book. It's a great story. And it's not a novel. It's a piece of historical inquiry. And it discusses the period after the fall of Rome, the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th centuries and discusses how, in fact, civilization was preserved after the barbarian hordes made their way across the Roman Empire and sacked Rome and pillaged what is now France, what was then gone and made their way eventually to the North Coast of Africa and Augustine who died in the early part of the 5th century as he lay on his deathbed could hear the barbarians, these Germanic tribes who had marched across all of Europe, he could hear the hordes pounding at the gates of his own city as he lay on his deathbed. And this great civilization which had lasted 11 or more centuries crumbled under the boot of the barbarians. And Thomas K. Hill discusses how after this avalanche and this assault of barbarism, civilization was preserved. And even though I'm Irish and obviously probably carry a brief for things like this, his argument is really very persuasive, that after Christianity came to Ireland through the evangelistic effort of Patrick who was in fact an Englishman but who was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland at about 16 years of age where he was for the next seven or eight years a slave, but where he heard the rudiments of the gospel then escaped and went back to England where he was converted, had a burden for the Irish people and went as a missionary taking the gospel to Ireland, an area outside the influence of the Roman Empire. And the gospel took root in Ireland and the Lord dug deep trenches in Ireland. And as the gospel began to permeate that society and transform that society from a society of paganism into a society which reflected much of the Christian ethic, the people of that land became interested in the civilization which brought them the gospel through Patrick. And while the barbarian hordes were sacking and pillaging and burning libraries and destroying books, manuscripts were coming to Ireland and those manuscripts both of sacred literature and secular classical literature were being transcribed by the Irish Christians on the Emerald Isle. And the gospel then was taken from Ireland into Northern Europe. And so you see the gospel which was birthed in Palestine and which then conquered much of the Roman Empire. Then found a nesting and resting place in Ireland and it was from Ireland through the missionary efforts of Irish Christians. It was from Ireland that the gospel permeated Northern Europe and began to take root in the countries which are now Germany and Switzerland and Austria and Northern France. What does this have to do with the book of the Revelation? Nothing, it's just the book report. No, it has everything to do with the book of Revelation because what I've encouraged you to see in these first chapters of the Revelation is this that before the Lord of glory speaks to his church about the world. Before he speaks to his church about his purposes in the world, before he discloses to his church what he intends to be doing in the world, he speaks first to his church about his church. See you and I, we are all interested in what the United States Congress or the Supreme Court might do next. We're interested in the next elections. We're interested in what is going to happen in Northern Ireland or in Bosnia. We're interested in what might happen now that relations with Vietnam have been normalized. We're interested in those worldly things and so is Jesus Christ but we tend to be more interested don't we in those things wondering what the Lord intends in that sphere than we are this sphere and in this one book in the Bible where the Jesus wants to communicate to his church interpret for his church what history is about and what is going to happen. He speaks first to his church about his church before he speaks to his church about the world.
See civilization according to Thomas K. Hill but theologically speaking, civilization is preserved by the church and Jesus Christ is more concerned you understand what I mean when I use language like that. He is more concerned that is he is primarily concerned with his church. The word Jesus Christ in this revelation to Saint John makes it clear that he has purposes, he has intentions for the whole of the world, his purpose, his intention basically is that he might gather a people to himself from every nation and tribe on the face of the earth exerting his lordship in all the earth through that people that is his purpose that is it in that is what he will do way of him accomplishing that the gates of hell will not prevail against him but he is not only appointed ends he has appointed means to those ends and he will not accomplish because he has chosen to operate in this way he will not accomplish his ends apart from means which he is appointed and he will not extend the kingdom of Christ in all the earth through a church which has lost its first love which is compromised which is unholy which is dead which lacks zeal and he will labor in the midst of his church to purify and cleanse his church no matter how painful it might be for his church in order that his church might be the means which she must be if the kingdom of Christ is to be extended in all the earth and that is a message for us in 1995 it was a message for the people of this day and it is a message for people in every generation. The Lord Jesus Christ will accomplish what he sets out to accomplish make no mistake about that but he will do it by means which he has appointed and folks we are it in our day and four hour time and Jesus Christ has been speaking to us about our first love about our holiness about our faithfulness and perseverance and zeal now glorious thing is that the same Lord Jesus who speaks to us about these things and holds out this very very high standard for us is the same Jesus who has manifested his grace over and over and over again and who will give to his people his grace and encouragement and strength and power if they will but seek him see the pattern is same it was in the gospel lesson which we read this morning how did Jesus determine to communicate his gospel in that land in that day it was through people who he had chosen and he sent them out that's how he does it he doesn't do it apart from us so he will wrestle with us and he will deal with us before he deals with the world and he will deal with the world through us
see God was pleased because he has appointed these means to raise up a group of people in Ireland in the 5th 6th 7th and 8th centuries who would care for the gospel which had been entrusted to his church and because of his preserving his own gospel in that day that gospel then went into the rest of Europe and that's the way the Lord Jesus always works and so again before we move on to consider the rest of this book before we even consider verse 1 of chapter 4 which represents a break which represents a line of demarcation which shifts our focus away from the churches to be sure but which returns our focus to the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory before we even move to that just a reminder just a reminder the Lord Jesus Christ wants to deal with us and we are the means by which he will extend his kingdom into all the earth now having said that as we come to this 4th chapter and this first verse it seems to me a good idea to think about putting all of this in the context of the whole book you have these first three chapters in which the attention of Jesus is focused upon his church and then beginning at verse 1 of chapter 4 the attention begins to move away from the church never losing sight of the church but now the church has been spoken to and the church understands her task and the church understands her place now the attention begins to move away from the church but notice when it moves away from the church and this is another reminder as it moves away from the church it comes back not to the world but it comes into the Lord Jesus Christ the 4th chapter is a description of God in the midst of all of his glory the language of this chapter is reminiscent of Ezekiel and Ezekiel's visions of this of this theophany which descends from the heavens which is filled with lights and wheels and angels singing it is reminiscent of Ezekia's vision in Ezekia 6 with angels flying about the throne crying holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts heaven and earth are full of his glory and as you move over to chapter 5 and read through the rest of this particular portion of the revelation it is the Lamb who is counted worthy to open the scroll to break the seals and when you get to the end of that 5th chapter the same language used to ascribe praise to the God of glory is now used to ascribe praise to the Lamb to the Lord Jesus Christ verse 13 of chapter 5 and every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as our in the sea and all that are in them I heard saying blessing and honor and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb and so chapters 4 and 5 of the revelation are a service of worship with elders and saints and angels and unusual flying creatures all singing and ascribing praise to the triune God seated in glory
this passage by the way just sort of parenthetically is in my way of thinking in a Achilles heel to Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses and others who would count the Lord Jesus Christ a being of lesser significance and glory than the God of Israel look at what happens in this passage the Lamb is worshiped the Lamb is worshiped and if you are a Jew worth your salt if you know the first thing about the first couple of commandments you know that there is one being who is to be worshiped one being who is to be praised one being who is to have ascribed to him all glory and honor and dominion and power and that is the God of Israel and the God of Israel alone and to ascribe that honor or that glory or that dominion or that power to any other being is idolatry and I frankly don't know how Jehovah's Witnesses and others can get round what transpires in Revelation 4 and 5 the worship of the eternal Lamb of God the incarnate Lamb of God Jesus Christ if he is not God then we have the record here in heaven of idolatry a violation of the core value in Old Testament Israel so what is there in this the Lord Jesus Christ again in these first three chapters manifests his glory to John displays his glory to John his stands in the midst of the seven lamp stands which represent the seven churches the number seven symbolizing completion or wholeness and so the Lord Jesus Christ is depicted in the first chapter as the first three chapters as being the Lord over his church but before he goes on to talk about what will happen in the world he brings his people back to this central reality he is Lord not only over his church he is Lord period he is Lord over the nations of the earth the Lord Jesus Christ is not simply the king of Israel the Lord Jesus Christ is the king of all of the kings he is the Lord over all of the Lords so how does that touch you how does that affect how you think about your particular situation your particular circumstances how does it affect how you think about your marriage how does it affect how you think about your business how does it affect how you think about the United States Congress how does it affect how you think about the president of the United States how does it affect how you think about Russia or Bosnia or Vietnam, or any other prince or kingdom on the face of the earth. The church has already gotten the message that the Lord Jesus Christ is King and Lord over her, but now before going on to talk about events in the world, he is reminding his people that he is King and Lord over everything. Everything. I know that's something you hear all the time. This is a good Presbyterian church. We're a good-reformed bunch of folk here. We talk about the sovereign to you of God. Isn't there some extraordinary comfort in being reminded of that yet again? But whether you think in proportions which are worldwide or individual and personal, the Lord Jesus Christ is seated upon the throne, and you know something about Him. You know that He is good. You know that He loves His people. You know at some level that He orders all things for His own glory and for your well-being, all things. And you know that He is bringing you out of this broken fallen world into an eternal and glorious kingdom. That point by the way is made in wonderful, very real but symbolic form in the structuring of the whole book of the revelation. If you're taking some notes, I encourage you to get these notes, not for any reason other than it will afford you the opportunity to review this in the week to come. The book of the revelation is structured according to scenes or pictures or snapshots. And there are eight of those snapshots. We have already seen one of them. We have seen Christ in His glory speaking to His church. That ends at the end of chapter 3. At the beginning of chapter 4, the second scene begins. And again, this is now Christ seated in His glory, ruling and raining, but now in connection with the nations of the earth and principally Babylon. And we'll figure out in days to come who Babylon is. And Christ is counted worthy to open the seals. And so the opening of the seals represents the second scene. And then the third scene which begins at chapter 8 verse 2 is the seven trumpets. And then the fourth scene which begins at 11, 19 is a depiction of heavenly conflict. And interestingly, though not surprisingly, there are seven constituent parts in that section describing heavenly conflict. And then at chapter 15 verse 5 there are seven bowls, bowls of rack, bowls of judgment. And then at 17, 1 there is the judgment upon the harlot. And that is the sixth scene and interestingly, though not surprisingly, there are seven constituent component parts to that judgment. And then at chapter 19 verse 11 there is depicted Christ, the conqueror, the vindicator of His church. And again, interestingly, though not surprisingly, there are seven constituent parts. Seven acts, seven portions in that scene. And then at chapter 21 verse 9 there is the eighth scene, the eighth and final scene which is a depiction of the new Jerusalem, the bride adorned for her husband coming down out of the heavens. Eight scenes, the first seven of which have seven constituent parts. And so in two different ways the book of the revelation is pointing to consummation. It is directing the people of God beyond their day, beyond their moment, beyond the world, beyond its kingdoms, to the eternal kingdom and the eternal rest which awaits those who love and who serve Christ in their day. Eight scenes, you say. Think of it this way, it represents it reflects the sabbatical pattern, six days of work and a seventh day of rest. Seeing that in its fulfillment in Christ, Christ completed His work on the sixth day. On the sixth day He declared it is finished. And on the seventh day He was rested in His tomb. But on the eighth day after He rested and after all of the work was done, He entered into His rule and reign, His resurrected glory which led to His ascended glory, which led to His enthroned glory at the right hand of the Father. Christ is King now. This is the eighth day. It isn't here in fullness but it is begun and it is begun in your life. It is that first fruit, that down payment which points ahead to a future glory. And then think also in terms of Old Testament numerology and the Jubilee year, the fifth year, the year of consummation, the year in which every slave is released from every form of bondage, every debt is forgiven, every family is reunited, every family is restored to its rightful land, its own land. Every wrong is righted and there is peace everywhere. The fifth is the year of Jubilee, seven scenes with seven constituent parts, 49 leading to the 50th at Revelation 21. Christ is Lord over the church, Christ is Lord over all of history, and Christ is bringing history to its consummation. We are moving in the direction of this glorious rest which Christ has purchased for you, and He will not fail to bring one of you to that rest. I have to tell you, I like this book, and I like what it does to my mind, and I like what it does to stir up my heart to faithfulness to Christ in this day, in this moment, in anticipation of future glory knowing that right now the hand of Christ is upon me, and the hand of Christ is upon you because you are His church, and He will not stop dealing with us until we are what He wants us to be in order that we might do what He calls us to do in order that we might come to that rest. Christ is Lord here, Christ is Lord out there, and Christ is moving it all to the year of Jubilee, if thanks to the Lord for His goodness to you, let us pray together. Lord Jesus, I confess as I, with my brothers and sisters here, look at my own life personally, my internal life, my external life as I look at the society in which we live as I reflect upon the condition of the church, it seems that chaos and disorder are the order of the day. Father, you know your people, those gathered in this building right now, and you know their hopes and their dreams, their aspirations. You know the joys, the delights, which they experience, and you also know their heart breaks and their sorrows and their fears. You know, O Lord, their doubts and uncertainties, they wonder sometimes where you are, what you are doing. Oh God, may your word to us be a constant source of encouragement. If you, Lord Jesus, are upon the throne, you do reign in and through your church, and you reign over all of the Babylon's of this world, and they serve you in your ends. And I thank you, Lord Jesus, that you will not be frustrated in your intention to gather a people from every nation and tribe and tongue and deliver them into the eternal rest which you have secured for them. So Lord, as we struggle and as we doubt sometimes, as we are happy and as we are sad, as we wonder and as we celebrate and rejoice in the full gamut of our experiences and emotions, help us to know. That you really do rule and reign as the King of glory, and our lives are in your hands, seal this to the hearts of these people gathered here today, all of them. And now, O Lord, give us grace that we might return to you what is rightfully yours with gladdens and seer hearts. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.