With the opening of the sixth seal, John witnesses scenes that can only be described as cataclysmic. He describes disaster on a massive scale as God's judgment rains down on the earth. It's quite the contrast from the previous seal, in which He saw faithful saints who were kept in God's presence. God was revealing to the church that a time of judgment was coming, and the symbols in the text suggest that these predictions would be fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem at Roman hands, which came to pass shortly after. What can we learn from these grim predictions? First, that God's judgment is very, very real. Second, that hard-hearted rebellion against God leads to preventable tragedy. Only Jesus, the Lamb of God who is Holy and True, can bring us from ruin to redemption.

The fifth and six seals that Jesus breaks reveal two remarkably different pictures. With the breaking of the fifth seal, John sees believers who have been martyred for their faith. They have given the ultimate sacrifice to Jesus. As the sixth seal breaks, God shows John a striking scene of destruction: those who continue in rebellion against rebellion facing the full wrath of the Lamb of God. These scenes predicted and described events that would occur in John's day - the great persecution of early Christians at the hands of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem - but also are instructive for us. They show us the massive difference in the fate of those who give their lives sacrificially to Christ and those who persist in hard-hearted rebellion. One results in redemption and the other in ruin, and the difference between the two is what Jesus has done.

Revelation 6:1-8

In the book of Revelation, Heaven is described as a place of music and worship. In chapter 4, God is worshipped as creator of all things. In chapter 5, John tells us that a new song begins. It's the song of Jesus, the Lamb, and celebrates the story of His saving sacrifice. Join in as Ryan and Jake discuss Revelation 5:8-15 and how the new song of heaven shows us what worship looks like in our churches and in our lives.

Jan 22nd Sermon by Life Bridge Christian Church

We often say things like: "God has a plan for your life" with good

intentions. For the most part, there's truth in it. At the same time, it

can give the impression that God has many different plans that He's

managing all at once. That's not the picture John gives us from

heaven. He sees a vision of God with a scroll. On this scroll is one plan:

God's determined will for human history. It includes His decrees of

judgment and redemption. Who can read this scroll? Who can bring

about God's plan for redemption and protect us from the judgment

therein? No one in heaven or on earth except Jesus Christ, the lion of

Judah and lamb of God, who has conquered through the cross. In this

week's message we learn about why Jesus is central to God's will for

human history, and why the solution to our weeping is to behold Him.

Ever dream of getting backstage passes to see

your favorite band? That's what John got to experience in his

vision of heaven. He gets to go "behind the scenes" not just to

some VIP room at a concert, but to the center of the spiritual

universe; the most glorious place imaginable, the throne room

of God Himself. What he sees is too much to be contained in

mere words, but the descriptions within are given to us to

send us a clear message about who God is and the honor that

is due to Him. As we study together, we'll look at the symbols

and imagery within, which is intended to amaze us with the

unimaginable greatness of God's beauty, authority, and rule.

John's impression is clear: God is worthy of our highest

worship and obedience.

After the letters to the churches in the first few chapters of Revelation, Jesus shows the Apostle John a vision of the heavenly throne room, including a vivid description of God seated upon His throne. This picture of the heavenly realms is telling us all sorts of important things about the Lord, but what exactly is it saying? In this week's episode, Ryan and Jake examine Revelation 4:1-11

God’s love transforms us!

New Year's celebrations often bring about thoughts of change. We deeply desire to better ourselves and improve, but often find ourselves battling against the same old temptations or frustrations. Where does real change come from? In this week's episode, Ryan and Jake discuss Galatians 2:15-21 and how Jesus empowers us to be sanctified by giving us victory, access, resources, and motivation that leads to lasting change.