Second Presbyterian Church Sermons

Revelation 5

Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

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. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Big Idea: Because Christ leads the plan, we must . . .

I. Save those Tears (vv. 1-5)

The scroll pictured here contains God’s plan of redemption. There was a similar scroll in Ezekiel, but it only had writing on one side, because Jesus had not yet come. This scroll has writing on both sides, because Jesus has come to complete God’s plan. John weeps because no one has yet been found who can open the scroll. The elder says to John, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” As Christians whose hope is in Christ, we are given permission to weep, but we are never those who weep hopelessly, because God’s plan is still being completed in Jesus Christ. We are those who weep with hope because the conquering lamb will answer your prayers. 

II. See the Throne (vv. 6-8)

Now it becomes very evident to John why he must save those tears, because God’s redemptive plan will be fulfilled in Jesus in a manner he could never have dreamed of. God will do so much more for us through Jesus than we even need! His grace is always greater than our sin. John describes as “seven horns” (power), “seven eyes” (known plan) accomplished by the “seven spirits” (Holy Spirit). John assures his present readers that this Holy Spirit “[has been] sent out into all the earth.” That is he was sent in the past but is still bringing salvation to God’s elect from every, tribe, tongue and people (Acts 1:8). When we see the throne, we are empowered by the Spirit to live with a courageous faith.      

III. Sing the Theme (vv. 9-14)

Finally, because Jesus is carrying out the redemptive plan of God, we must sing that theme to one another and to back to him. Herein is presented a theology for saying a hearty “Amen” at every appropriate occasion, especially in corporate worship. Every time we say “Amen” at the end of a prayer or a song or during a sermon we are anticipating that day when the final “Amen” will be shouted. We are saying, “this prayer is advancing us toward that goal,” “this kind of song will be sung on that day,” “this truth will be finally validated by every creature.” 

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

Revelation 4:1-11

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.” 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. 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. From the throne came flashes of lightning, 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 crystal.

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!”

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” 

Big Idea: God’s throne is a supreme power center that is invulnerable to attack. In fact, its power and authority are so secure that its doors are opened to all visitors; even the devil himself has been admitted. This is the throne room of God, which John was invited to tour.

I. The Sovereign Judge (vv. 1-5)

The initial impression we get from looking at this throne is as a judgment seat. 

A. High (vv. 1-2): God’s throne is high above all things like a judge’s seat behind a dais, towering over everyone else in the courtroom. The voice, like a trumpet, authoritatively commands John to enter; it is not merely an invitation. In the Bible, trumpets announce the Lord’s presence. This Judge is absolutely sovereign to the end that he can reveal what will “take place” in the future because he has ordained that it “must.”

B. On (v. 3): Seated on the throne is the Sovereign Judge who is not identified until v. 8 as “the Lord God Almighty.” His power is also combined with truth. The stones only reinforce what we know from other Scriptures too, that the transparent truthfulness of Christ makes him beautiful in the sight of believers. 

C. Surrounding (v. 4): Reinforcing this courtroom imagery are 24 other thrones with 24 elders wearing crowns. Twenty-four represents the unity of God’s Old Testament people, headed by 12 patriarchs, and New Testament people, led by 12 Apostles. They picture the fulfillment of God’s promise that his followers will someday be enthroned and share the duties of judging the world with Christ

D. From (v. 5): “Lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder” are reminiscent of Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19:16) where God revealed himself to Israel as the great Lawgiver. And the “seven torches” identified as the Holy Spirit are reminiscent of Pentecost, when the Spirit empowered the Apostles to preach the gospel in everyone’s language as with tongues of fire. Going forth from the throne then is the gospel which is the good news of salvation from judgment if it is believed, but the bad news of condemnation if it is ignored or rejected. 

II. The Sovereign Redeemer (vv. 6-11)

The other impression we get from looking at this throne is a Judge turned Redeemer.

A. In Front (vv. 6, 9-11): There is a lot happening in front of the throne! For one, there is a “sea of glass, clear as crystal.” A tumultuous sea is often the biblical image for the sinful chaos of the world. That is the kind of “sea” that will be “no more” in heaven (Rev. 21:1). But there will be this perfectly calm sea. Its proximity to the Holy Spirit who is also “in front” of the throne reminds us that he is that agent of the Godhead who brings order out of chaos as he did at creation (Ge. 1:2). Only now he does so by applying the redemption purchased by Christ to us as the “firstfruits” and then ultimately to the whole creation (Ro. 8:23). 

B. Encircling (v. 3): Encircling the throne is an emerald colored rainbow. Ezekiel received this tour of God’s throne room many years before John and saw the same encircling rainbow. Why a rainbow? The Noahic covenant was sacramentalized by a rainbow (Ge. 9:13-17). By that sign God promised he would never destroy the earth again by water; he would preserve the earth as an arena in which he would carry out his work of saving a people for himself (cf. Rev. 11:18). Sometimes just called a “bow,” the phenomenon in nature looks like a weapon at rest rather than drawn on an enemy. In other words, it is a symbol of God’s mercy. God is enthroned amidst his mercy. Specifically, his Son bearing the wounds of his loving sacrifice is enthroned in the glow of mercy. 

C. Underneath (vv. 6-8): Though awkwardly expressed, the text basically says that the throne rests atop these four seraphim, whom Ezekiel eyed as well (1:1-21). Basically, these creatures face four directions so as to execute Christ’s directives throughout the earth. They probably represent the work of all God’s angels. “Full of eyes” means they carry out the will of a Savior who knows and sees all things.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

Due to a power outage, audio has been taken from a previous sermon at First Presbyterian Augusta.

Revelation 3:14-22

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.

“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Big Idea: In this passage, Jesus tells us really bad news. He identifies us with five very uncomplimentary words: wretched, poor, pitiful, blind, and naked! However, if you will acknowledge they represent your condition, you will experience the greatest news in the universe. 

I. Wretched

What leads someone to this condition of being wretched, poor, pitiful, blind and naked? It begins with forgetting who Jesus is.  As we have observed in the previous six letters, Jesus opens each letter with an applicable attribute. In this case, he calls himself “The Amen.” Most likely an allusion to Isaiah 65:16 in which God twice identifies himself as “The Amen.” In our text, Jesus not only equates himself with the Godhead, he tells readers of his sovereign authority to validate and effect everything he promises in this passage to do. That will be very, very good news to those who commit to him as Savior and Lord and very, very bad news to those who refuse to commit or “decommit." Our response must be the one we learned in Revelation 3:3: remember the gospel, obey the gospel by believing it, and then you will repent. 

II. Pitiful

Next Jesus calls himself the “witness, the faithful and true one.” It is no accident that “witness” and “martyr” are the same word in Greek (ὁ μάρτυς). As the “slain Lamb” (5:6), Jesus provides the standard for anyone who would consider himself a witness in Revelation (2:13; 11:3; 17:6). There is ultimately no validity to one’s witness, unless he has suffered and still loves Jesus. The ultimate apologetic for the witness of the Apostles was that each one suffered, most sealed his testimony with his own blood. Elders continue the function of apostles—not in terms of revelation or working miracles—but in terms of shepherding the flock of God with the word of God. It has been my observation that no one remains an elder of a healthy church unless he suffers significantly. 

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

Revelation 3:7-13

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

“‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’"

Big Idea: This is the second letter in which Jesus tells us, “Hold on!” But as we have seen in each of these studies thus far, we are merely called to hold on to Christ who has already taken hold of us. We must hold on to the person who holds us with his message and assures us of our future.

I. The Person (v. 7)

Jesus reminds us that he is “holy and true.” These qualities only occur together twice in the New Testament, once here and once referring to God in Rev. 6:10 (“faithful and true” occur together in 3:14; 21:5; 22:6). Together they assure us who are as vulnerable to Satan’s attacks as these Philadelphians, that we have in the person of Jesus all we need to endure to the end. 

A. Holy: Identifying himself as holy is first a claim to divinity. Over 20 times in his prophecy, Isaiah distinguishes the only true God by calling him “holy” (Isa. 40:25; Hab. 3:3). So by calling himself the “holy” one, Jesus equates himself with the godhead. Not only does Jesus claim this for himself, even the demons recognize it to be true (Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34; John 6:69). Like God in the Old Testament then, Jesus expects his people to be holy as he is holy and no book in the New Testament surpasses Revelation in conveying that expectation. 

B. True: Christ is not only holy, he is true. It is one thing for someone to claim divinity, it is another to assert reliability. Philadelphia was littered with temples to gods that claimed to be real and possessing divine power, but none of them asserted those qualities in order to say effectively, “Do not be afraid. You can trust me.” Like every other attribute of God, his truthfulness is an expression of his goodness. 

II. The Message (vv. 8-10)

The second assurance that God holds us securely in Christ is the message of the gospel itself.

A. Welcomed: The first beautiful characteristic of the gospel is its welcome to all nations and races. One reason this group of Jewish people in Philadelphia is called “a synagogue of Satan” is that they were refusing to allow Gentiles into the church.

B. Loved: In fact, Jesus not only calls such an attitude a heresy sponsored by Satan himself, he promises cosmic humiliation. The day will come when he will force all who have asserted such racial superiority to bow at the offended Gentile Christians’ feet and Jesus will publicly prove to the whole world that he loves them.

C. Preserved: Finally, Jesus promises to preserve us through trials. Verse 10 could sound like some will be spared tribulation. But Jesus actually promised that in this world we will have trials (Jn. 17:15). So the only conclusion that we can reach in comparing Scripture to Scripture is that he is promising that we will be preserved through the fiercest of trials and the Judgment itself (Ac. 18:9-10).

III. The Future (vv. 11-13)

Finally, Jesus urges us to hold on because he is “coming soon.” In view of eternity, his coming to judge the world at the last day will be “soon” (2:16, 25; 22:7, 12, 20; cf. Zech. 2:10). For one to whom a “thousand years is as a day,” any date in future human history will be “soon.” But we have also observed that Jesus promises to come for special missions in the intervening time, “like a thief” (3:3).  For those who walk with Christ, Jesus’ coming at any time is welcomed, because he comes to bless us and not to curse.

A. Honored: Those who love Christ “love his appearing” because whenever he shows up it is to honor his disciples. No matter how we are humiliated and dismissed in this life, Jesus will “crown” us as his “co-heirs.” Therefore, he urges us to stay close to him when we are being persecuted or tried or reviled lest those spiritual or human forces who oppress us cause us to quit and forfeit our crown of victory. 

B. Named: Furthermore, Jesus promises to name us with every title necessary for dignity (cf. 14:1; 22:4). The “name of my God” is the assurance of a lineage because God is now your Father as he is Jesus’ Father. The “name of the city of my God” provides dignified roots and history. And Jesus “new name” is an allusion to that role he will have as Judge of the nations when his redemptive mission is finished. Including us in that new name means that we are destined to rule with him. 

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

Revelation 3:1-6

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

“‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Big Idea: Whether you are waking up from spiritual torpor or already walking with the Lord, you must constantly return to the very basics of what Jesus has done for you.

I. Wake Up The primary issue Jesus raises with the church in Sardis is that they are spiritually dead. It seems that these Christians are “dead” because they are just going through the motions in serving the Lord. Their worship, evangelism, discipleship, fellowship and works of mercy are perfunctory. There are two things these Christians – and us – are called to when we find that we have been going through the motions.

A. Strengthen: First, these Christians are called to “strengthen what remains.” In other words, just because we have previously done things in a perfunctory way or done them with imperfect motives, does not mean that we must quit doing them. Instead, they must be done with a heart full of love for Christ. They must be done in grateful response to Jesus.

B. Remember: The only way to reinvigorate our hearts to live and serve in this way is to “remember what we have received and heard.” In the Bible, this is always a reference to the message of the gospel, what Jesus did to save us.

II. Walk Jesus says that there is a remnant in Sardis who still “walk” with him. That is, are his constant companions who stay close by even when it is unpopular to be seen with him. They are not occasional friends but loyal and devoted ones. A Christian whose “works are complete” is one who is never ashamed of being associated with Jesus. Constantly remembering what he has done for you will compel you to stay near him in obedience and stand with him even when it seems like the whole world is ridiculing you.

A. Away from “Christians”: Jesus compares those who walk with him to priests wearing white unsoiled garments. John has already told us in chapter one that Jesus’ loving sacrifice made us to be a kingdom of priests and Paul explains that our primary priestly duty is to take the gospel to unbelievers so they can be reconciled to the Father. By his own example, Jesus teaches us that such priestly ministry for our lost friends and neighbors begins with a heart of love and compassion for them, which compels us to “sanctify” ourselves. That is, we set ourselves apart in holy living so that we might pray effectively on their behalf as well as hold out to them an attractive alternative to the life they are living (Jn. 17).

B. Toward Your Name: If you have been blending in with the crowd and soiling your garments to make them look like everyone else’s then Jesus holds out this invitation to repent. He says that even if you are near the end of your life, there is still the possibility of walking with him in “garments of white.” It will be by repenting now and overcoming at the end.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

For Further Study: The book referenced was Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer: Learning to See the Glories of God’s Love (Focus Publishing, 2008). 

Revelation 2:18-29

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Big Idea: We need “a fiercer delight and a fiercer discontent” with the world as it is.

I. Threats

Unlike the anger of the gods of the day that resulted in misfortune, Jesus’ anger comes from love. He is angry that people are living in a way that is beneath their dignity as those who bear the image of God. He is angry because those he created to be kings and queens are allowing themselves to act as animals and thus defacing the beauty of life as he designed it.

II. Promises

Bronze feet represented a sure foundation, so Jesus had sufficient strength to make good on whatever he promised. That they were burnished also conveys how beautiful his character is lying behind every command. To submit to Christ is not to cower before some repulsive sovereign. Submission to Jesus results in a more beautiful life.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

John 20:11-29

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 

Big Idea: Jesus’ resurrection is relevant to our lives, because it provides hope for our despondency, courage for our disconnectedness, and faith for our disillusionment. 

I. Despondency 

Despondency is the result of thinking people or earthly forces, or circumstances can overpower the Lordship of Christ. But the resurrection proves to us that the world matters to God. N.T. Wright has written:

The message of the resurrection is that this world matters! That the injustices and pains of this present world must now be addressed with the news that healing, justice, and love have won. If Easter means Jesus Christ is only raised in a spiritual sense—[then] it is only about me, and finding a new dimension in my personal spiritual life. But if Jesus Christ is truly risen from the dead, Christianity becomes good news for the whole world—news which warms our hearts precisely because it isn't just about warming hearts. Easter means that in a world where injustice, violence and degradation are endemic, God is not prepared to tolerate such things—and that we will work and plan, with all the energy of God, to implement victory of Jesus over them all.

II. Disconnectedness

The disciples were terrified after Jesus’ death, because they were in danger of being persecuted and evil killed because they were followers of Jesus. The resurrected Jesus came to them personally and provided peace through his presence, purpose through his commission, and power through his Spirit which was to come.

III. Disillusionment

Thomas was reluctant to believe that Jesus had been raised from the dead. He said, “Unless I see ... I will never believe.” Jesus corrects his unbelief. This cannot be a rebuke of the hard-headed disciple, because the others have only believed after seeing Jesus too. It is rather a promise to readers of the account that we can be as blessed as Mary, the disciples and Thomas. Without seeing or touching Jesus, the resurrected Christ can restore hope, courage, and faith.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion: