OPEN: Bill Crockett tells of the time he was delivering a motivational lecture to a group of young Navy men. “I spoke in great detail about why I joined the military and how much it meant to me. Finishing my story, I pointed at a sharp looking sailor out in the audience and asked him why he decided to go to sea.”
"Well, Chief," he said, "my old man’s a farmer. And when he put lights on the tractor, I knew it was time to leave the farm."
APPLY: That sailor knew how to read his future. He knew his future because watched his dad. And what his dad did revealed to him his future and the decisions he had to make.
I. It’s interesting - that when Revelation begins talking about future things, the 1st thing it focuses on – is the Father
Look at Revelation 4:1-4 “After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first 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 there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.
And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.”
So, Jesus tells John he’s about to see "what must take place after this…"
BUT, instead of the horrendous pictures of War and Famine and Pestilence that people often associate with Revelation… instead, we find ourselves in God’s throne room witnessing an awesome worship service - filled with strange sights and sounds
· lightning and thunder and rumblings in the distance
· beautiful colors
· unusual creatures
· And an inspiring example of how to praise God
(pause…)
As I looked at this passage I suddenly thought… "What’s going on here? If Jesus has told John that he’s about to see "what must take place after this…" why would the 1st thing Jesus take John to be a “church service”? Why visit this beautiful BUT seemingly irrelevant ceremony. Why not just get right down to the nitty gritty of it all and tell us all about what we really want to know about: the conflict between the forces of good and evil, between the forces of Satan and the angels of God? But instead we find ourselves being led into God’s throne room.
Why start here? Why? Because that’s where God KNEW we had to begin.
II. We have to realize - when we read Revelation – it’s possible to focus on the wrong things.
TV Evangelists and radio preachers get caught up looking at the wrong things all the time. Regarding Revelation (which many of these men focus on to the exclusion of all other Scripture)
some commentators and preachers focus on the powers of darkness; the Mark of the Beast - 666; the war of Armageddon; and so on.
They seem to dwell on the darker, scarier aspects of this vision and thus focus on the wrong things.
ILLUS: For example, over the past 50 years or so, prophetic teachers have gotten people so scared of the prophecy about the mark of the “beast” (666 which is described in Revelation chapter 13) that faithful church goers have made nuisances of themselves - fighting any attempt by our government to use Social Security numbers, identification cards or anything like of the sort – for fear that “the mark of the beast” might be placed upon them unawares.
Few seem to have stopped to consider that God was the one who told them about that mark in the first place. AND, if God told us about it, do you suppose we could stop it from happening? Of course not.
AND the way God describes the mark of the beast, it’s obvious that Christians won’t be marked by it one day and suddenly discover the next that they’ve been hood winked. No… when it came (for I believe the mark came centuries before we were born - a description of the economic poverty non-Catholics experienced) or when it will come (if it is indeed yet future) Christians will be forced to make a decision:
Take the mark, worship the beast and survive
OR Follow Jesus and starve (Revelation 13:11-18)
As I researched the internet for comments on "the mark of the beast" I ran across some interesting comments.
· One of the prominent speculations was that "the mark" was to be an implantable microchip. And that this chip would identify who you are. It would be similar to the photograph in your driver’s license.
· Another speculation was that it would be a number like your social security code similar to your credit card number. Only you have that number.
· Some conjectured that it would be like a password or PIN number. You’d need it to take out money, or to authorize transactions.
· One sight showed a picture of a Bar Code indicating that each bar code in existence had 666 imbedded within it (beats me, maybe they do).
As I read, I found these authors stressing the approach of a "cashless society." An emphasis was made on the potential for cashless purchases at McDonald’s, and the documentation of fingerprint scans that were to replace Lunch Money in Pennsylvania. There was a heavy emphasis on "Big Brother" is watching.
One of these authors even wrote:
"The real truth is this. The astounding prophecies of doom and a great Antichrist is just a smokescreen used by the Dark Brotherhood to cast an illusion over the real beast, antichrist and meaning of 666 so the masses will continue to bear the mark."
As I read through these items, I recalled the joke about the man talking to his friend, saying: "Just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean they’re NOT out to get me!"
These guys are paranoid. And its easy to understand why. Revelation can be a scary book. Revelation would not be a Bible book I would read to my children for a bedtime story. There’s some frightening images in there.
III. God knows that… and that’s why the vision starts in the throne room.
Consider the image that this chapter places in our minds
* It’s Awesome
* UnEarthly – there’s odd creatures in this room
* Yet somehow comforting (24 elders in white garments & crowns). These elders at least look something like us.
* God is worshipped by everything in Heaven and on earth. Everything and everyone subjects itself to God. NOT because they have to, but because He is worthy. Everything is voluntary. Spontaneous. Filled with excitement and joy.
* There’s a Sense of Power here… A Sense of Wonder… AND an assurance that – if this is my God - my enemies better watch out!
The images that follow this, in chapters 5 through 18, can be frightening and overwhelming.
BUT our God is bigger than anything the world can throw at us. He occupies the higher ground, and nothing can stand against His power.
As John wrote in 1 John 4:4 “You are of God,… and have overcome… because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
IV. Jesus taught us:
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
That’s what Revelation is trying to drive home to us… “You are going to have trouble in this world”
How ever you read the rest of Revelation – that truth is inescapable: YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE IN THIS WORLD.
But take heart – because of God. Because you belong to Jesus - you will overcome.
Thus, Revelation 4 is (not only) telling you how you that you will overcome. I believe it is telling you HOW we can overcome! I believe we will overcome by following the example of those in the throne room.
Look at what they’re doing: (Revelation 4:10-11)
Ø They’re singing praises to God
Ø They’re worshipping the Father
Ø They’re focusing all of their attention on Him
Ø Everything is centered on - throne in the midst of the room
Ø Why?
BECAUSE, when we do that - when we praise and worship God, focus our attention solely on Him and His throne of power - we’re focusing our attention:
NOT on our circumstances and difficulties
NOT on our failures and tragedies
No. When we learn to worship and praise God as these in the throne room do, we are focusing upon the God who has the power and the majesty and the desire to lift us up out of our despair and hopelessness.
That’s why the 4 living creatures cry out:
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
God has always been there in the past, He’s here in the present, and He’ll be there in the future when we need Him. He’ll never leave us of forsake us, even in our darkest moments.
That’s why the 24 elders cast their crowns before His throne and sing this praise:
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
This is the God who created everything that has ever existed simply by the words from His lips. Those who stand against you don’t stand a chance. We overcome, because we have the power of God in our corner.
ILLUS: In 1607, a German named Martin Reinkardht wrote…"Now Thank We All Our God”
Down thru the centuries it has been one of the great hymns of praise. (I sang it to them)
"Now thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices
Who wondrous things has done, in whom His world rejoices
Who, from our mother’s arms has blest us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today
All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given
The Son, and Him who reigns with them in highest heaven
The one eternal God whom earth and heav’n adore
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore."
BUT in the year that Reinkardht wrote that hymn, over 6000 people in his German village, including his wife and his children, died of pestilence. In the midst of that great catastrophic social and personal loss, Reinkardht wrote one of the most lasting hymns of praise.
Note the words of that last verse:
"All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given…
The one eternal God whom earth and heav’n adore
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore."
In the midst of his tragic loss, Reinkardht must have been reading from Revelation 4. He literally quoted directly from its words. Why? Why did he write that hymn? Because he understood what Revelation is trying to tell us: "In this world you will have trouble… but take heart…" Focus on God’s throne. Set your eyes and your heart and your soul on HIM who has the power to help you face & overcome your tragedies and heart aches.
CLOSE: That’s what worship is all about. That’s the reason for our gathering to sing songs of praise and glory to God…
to train us
to prepare us
to drive home into our hearts…
that the only sure power we have to face the fears and anxieties of this world is to focus on the Father and upon His throne.
An elementary teacher by the name of Phyllis I. Martin, teacher told this story. She said:
Storm clouds and strong gusts of wind had come up suddenly over Columbus, Ohio. The Alpine Elementary School radio blared tornado warnings. It was too dangerous to send the children home. Instead, they were taken to the basement, where the children huddled together in fear. We teachers were worried too. To help ease the tension, the principal suggested a sing-along. But the voices were weak and unenthusiastic. Child after child began to cry – we could not calm them.
Then a teacher, whose faith seemed equal to any emergency, whispered to the child closest to her, “Aren’t you forgetting something Kathie? There is a power greater than the storm that will protect us. Just say to yourself, ‘God is with us.’ Then pass the words on to the child next to you.”
As the words were whispered from child to child, a sense of peace settled over the group. I could hear the wind outside still blowing with the same ferocity of the moment before, but it didn’t seem to matter now. Inside, fear subsided and tears faded away. When the all clear signal came over the radio sometime later, students and staff returned to the classrooms without the usual jostling and talking.
Through the years I have remembered those calming words. In times of stress and trouble, I have again been able to find release from the tension by repeating, “God is with us.”
Is God with you?
Have you learned to look to Him in your times of deepest troubles?
Do you have the assurance of His promises. Even Christians struggle with this when they face times of hardship and difficulty. But for those without Christ, there’s not even the promise of God’s intervention and care. That’s why we offer an invitation at the end of every service. If God has spoken to you of your need for His love and care in your life, won’t you please come forward as we sing our invitation hymn…
SERMONS IN THIS SERIES
The Power Of Praise – Revelation 4:1-11
How To Pray Like A Righteous Man – James 5:1-20
The Power Of Persistent Prayer – Daniel 10:1-14
The Power Of Persuasive Prayer – Exodus 32:1-20
The Prayer Of Antioch – Acts 13:1-3
