Kingship of Christ in Revelation 5

Driving home: John breaks into a fit of intense weeping because none was found worthy to open this book or to look upon it.

Pastor Martin recalls Goliath stepping out and hurling defiance to all Israel: 'Give me a man to fight with me.' He uses this picture for the strong angel of Revelation 5 hurling his challenge across the universe — 'Who is worthy to open the scroll?'

He would stand and throw out the challenge, give me a man to fight with me. Well, there's a sense in which there's something of this spirit here with this angel. He is hurling out a challenge to the entire moral universe. Where is there found anyone who is worthy to break the seals of this book and to open it?

10:55 - 11:18 Read in full sermon

Pastor Martin pictures the elder turning to weeping John the way mothers and fathers turn to a sobbing child: 'Stop crying — there's no need to cry. Look, here's the answer.' The fatherly tenderness frames the elder's announcement of the Lion-Lamb.

And one of the elders said unto me, Stop weeping. There is no cause to weep, John. Stop your crying. Again, you kids, ever hear mom and dad say that to you? You're crying about something and you're all upset. And mommy or daddy puts an arm on your shoulder and says, Now just quiet right down. Everything's going to be all right. Well, one of the elders says, John, cease from your crying.

13:44 - 14:11 Read in full sermon

Pastor Martin says he has heard a 300-voice choir sing Handel's 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.' If that thrilled him, what must it have been when an innumerable angelic host actually thundered the same words around the throne in heaven?

I've heard a choir of 300 sing handles, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive blessing and glory and honor and power. What must it have been when to John's ear came the sound of this innumerable company of angels ascribing worth to the Lamb? And then it's as though the chorus is still not complete. Those creatures nearest the throne, the four living creatures, the four and twenty elders, they ascribe worth to the Lamb who is overcome. Then the angels that are near the throne to carry out the bidding of the one who sits upon the throne, they join the chorus. Then we read in verse 13, And...

20:27 - 21:20 Read in full sermon

John hears 'Lion of the tribe of Judah' and turns expecting to see a mighty beast or a regal figure on a throne. Instead he sees a Lamb standing as though it had been slain. The whole sermon turns on this paradox: the Lion conquers by being the Lamb.

He does not see the figure of a mighty lion, nor does he see some princely regal figure upon a throne, as he saw in chapter 1 in that representation of Christ in all His regal and majestic power. But His identity, according to verse 6, is what? And I saw, John says, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders,

34:36 - 35:05 Read in full sermon

The point: When godless governments and beastly powers rage, look past the rumblings and see the Lamb in the midst of the throne ordering every seal.

Picture suffering saints in Domitian's empire — fiery breath of beasts, iron fists of godless governments. Pastor Martin says: see beyond the rumblings, behold the Lamb in the midst of the throne, His hand on every seal, ordering all things for His people.

from the nostrils of the beast. See beyond the rumblings and the stirrings of the iron fist of godless men and godless governments. O God says, Behold the Lamb in the midst of the throne. Everything that comes to this earth comes from the administration of King Jesus. In the midst of all of this, He is the one who comes forth conquering and to conquer. He rides upon His white charger, and by the power of the gospel, He brings sinners in His train as He subdues them to His grace. But He's also active in famine. He breaks the seals that bring famine. He breaks the seals that bring war. He breaks...

39:18 - 40:15 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray that the Holy Spirit would help you penetrate the veil of sight and sense to spiritually behold the Lamb on the throne.

Pastor Martin: it is not deep-throated organ tones, soft stained-glass colors, persuasive rhetoric, or rousing music that produces true worship. It is the eye of faith piercing the veil to behold the Lamb in the midst of the throne. Stained-glass aesthetics are a carnal imitation of worship.

What produces true worship amongst the people of God? Is it the deep-throated tones of a majestic organ? Is it the soft, muted colors of stained glass windows? Is it the persuasive or energetic effort of a super personality whipping up enthusiasm? Let us all sing another verse. RUVISH!

46:29 - 46:54 Read in full sermon

The point: Reckon now with the Lamb who will administer wrath at the sixth seal — His patience today is not indifference.

Revelation 6:16 — kings and rich and mighty hide in caves and cry to the rocks: 'Hide us from the wrath of the Lamb.' Pastor Martin presses the dread irony: the same Lamb in whose patience grace is administered will yet become the object of universal terror.

In the breaking open of those seals, in the administration of the counsels and purposes of God for His church and for the world, the Lamb will open the seal which will call forth the judgments of the Almighty upon everyone who refused the overtures of the mercy of the Lamb. It is either refuge in the mercy of the Lamb or to be crushed by the wrath of the Lamb. Can you see again what a word of warning this would be to little children and young people sitting in the churches at Ephesus, at Smyrna, at Pergamum, when the lector would read and they would come to this point where the Lamb whose name...

52:21 - 53:19 Read in full sermon