Kingship of Christ in Revelation 5

In this part of the sermon: John sees a scroll sealed with seven seals, written on both sides, which no one in the universe is found worthy to open. John weeps bitterly, understanding the scroll's…

Compares the scroll to personal notes filled on both sides, with no empty space, to illustrate the completeness of God's purposes.

of the vision. This that I have called the problem of the sealed scroll. Verse 1 tells us that John sees a scroll or a book upon the right hand of the one seated upon the throne. And the strange thing about this book or scroll is that it is completely covered with writing, both on the back side and on the inside. It's as though you were to see my notes,

9:06 - 9:36 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: John sees a scroll sealed with seven seals, written on both sides, which no one in the universe is found worthy to open. John weeps bitterly, understanding the scroll's…

Compares the strong angel's challenge to the universe to Goliath's challenge to Israel, emphasizing the scope and seriousness of the call for one worthy to open the scroll.

angel from an ordinary angel, I do not know. All I know is John says, I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a great voice, who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof. In other words, this mighty angel with a loud voice throws out a challenge to the entire universe. Now, you children remember the story of David and Goliath, don't you? Remember when that big

10:20 - 10:52 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: An elder tells John to stop weeping because the 'Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David' has overcome. John then sees a Lamb, standing as though slain, with seven horns and…

Compares the elder's instruction to John to 'stop weeping' to a parent comforting an upset child, conveying the immediate reassurance given.

One of the elders saith 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?

13:44 - 13:59 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Upon the Lamb taking the scroll, the four living creatures and twenty-four elders, then countless angels, and finally every created thing in the universe, break into a symphony of…

Uses the experience of hearing a large choir sing Handel's 'Worthy is the Lamb' to help the audience imagine the immense sound of innumerable angels praising the Lamb.

And now this multitude and John just piles up language and let us know it is an innumerable company of these angels. These ones, the number of whom was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands say with a great voice. And as I meditated upon that word, great voice, what must it have been? I've heard a choir of 300 sing handles.

20:02 - 20:32 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The scroll represents the complete, unchangeable divine counsels and purposes for the church and the world until consummation, known only as they are accomplished. The Lamb is the…

Quotes Ramsey's commentary to explain that the scroll represents God's gracious, fixed, unchangeable, and secret purposes for His church and kingdom, revealed only as they unfold in history.

Why, it is nothing less than that total accumulation of all the decrees and purposes of the living God for his church and for the world within which the church will accomplish its history. One of the finest commentaries I've ever seen on the book of the Revelation. And it's been such a help to me has an excellent word concerning this scroll. And I would.

25:10 - 25:38 Read in full sermon

Driving home: God's plans can only be known and understood as they are accomplished. Do you get that? They can be known and understood only as they are accomplished.

States that God never needs to 'pick up his eraser' to change His plans, illustrating the perfection and completeness of His foreordained arrangements.

This wisdom is infinite. His knowledge admits of no addition. His foreordained arrangements, therefore, must be perfect, incapable of improvement. God never needs to pick up his eraser.

26:25 - 26:38 Read in full sermon

The point: Ask God by the Holy Ghost to help you with the eye of faith to penetrate beyond the veil of sight and sense and spiritually comprehend the realities of the Lamb's sovereignty.

Questions whether deep-throated organs, stained glass, or super-personalities produce true worship, contrasting them with the pattern of beholding the Lamb's worthiness.

And oh, what a pattern for our imitation. 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?

46:25 - 46:44 Read in full sermon

The point: Pause and remember the Lamb is in the midst of the throne, executing all of God's purposes, and every detail in your world is part of that scroll.

Describes the feeling of living in a 'mixed up world' where nothing seems to fit or make sense, to highlight the comfort of remembering the Lamb's sovereign administration.

Here I come out of the matrix of my own little mixed up world with all of the seeming confusion of things that don't fit, pieces that don't mesh, and circumstances that seem to have no rhyme nor reason to them. The world within my own heart, my own home, my job, my neighborhood, nothing seems to fit. There seems to be no rationale. There seems to be no justice.

49:11 - 49:40 Read in full sermon