Sermon

Today's sermon was from Revelation 5:1-14. I am so loving this sermon series over the book of Revelation!

Here are some of the main points I took away from today's sermon:

In verse 4, John weeps because there is no one worthy to open the scroll or to even look inside of it. However, in verse 5, one of the elders tells John to stop weeping, because there is One who is worthy.

The One who is worthy appears to John as a lion (verse 5), then as a lamb (verse 6).

The death of Jesus qualifies him to break the seals and reveal the content of the scroll, because as verse 9 makes clear, by means of his "blood" alone, people from every tribe and language and nation are "ransomed" from sin and condemnation.

God's Love of Ethnic Diversity

God loves ethnic diversity as is evident from the purpose of Christ's sinless life, substitutionary death, and bodily resurrection. God's aim is to have a redeemed bride for his Son from "every tribe and language and people and nation" ( verse 9b).

** The events in Charlottesville last week are not so much a hatred of a particular people group, but a hatred of God and a denial of the glory of God in creating every single human being in his image. 

The Adoration of the Lion and the Lamb

In Revelation 5:5 Jesus is called "the Lion of the tribe of Judah," but in Revelation 5:6, Jesus is also portrayed as the "Lamb." It is this juxtaposition of contrasting images that the answer is found to what makes Jesus worthy of our adoration and praise. Pastor Storms gave a page and a half of these seemingly contrasting images. Here are just a few:

The Lion who wields power and strength that none can resist is also the Lamb who walked the earth in weakness and suffering, resisting none.

The Lion who is known for his uncompromising commitment to righteousness is also the Lamb who overflows in love to sinners like you and me.

The Lion who could silence a raging storm with a single word is also the Lamb who refused to speak or revile against those who nailed him to a cross.

The Lion who is life itself is also the Lamb who willingly dies for his enemies.

The Lion who drove the robbers and thieves out of the Temple is also the Lamb who only days later allowed those very robbers and thieves to nail him to a cross.

The Lion who commands absolute obedience from his creatures is also the Lamb who in obedience honored every command of his Father.

Jesus is at one and the same time a Lion-like-Lamb and a Lamb-like Lion without any inconsistency or contradiction.