COMMUNION, SUNDAY SPETEMBER 4^TH, 2011

REVELATION 5.6-9

Re 5:6 ¶ And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. 7 And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne. 8 And when He had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints (the prayers of God’s people come up to God as sweet incense). 9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

The location of the scene that is recorded here in Revelation 5 is in heaven. The Spirit has given the apostle John a glimpse of the future in the hand of God.

• In verse one we read, Rev 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. The opening of this scroll signifies the unfolding of the future history of the world. All of the end time events hinges upon the loosing of this sealed book.

In verse 4 we read, Rev 5:4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. To which, one of the heavenly elders replied, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

• The Lion of the tribe of Judah of course is none other than The Lord Jesus Christ, The Messiah, The Lamb that was slain (verse 6), Who by virtue of His resurrection from the dead, conquered or defeated sin and death forever.
• According to Hebrews 7.25, The Lord Jesus Christ is presently seated at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us; but John in this scene sees Jesus standing. Thus as the scene in heaven continues to unfold, the heavenly beings around the throne fall down and worship Jesus, for He is not only the Son of Man, but God The Son.

Rev 5.9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation

• The song that the redeemed sing in verse 9 is a new song that declares that the death of Jesus Christ makes Him worthy to open the scroll of history. In other words, the death of Jesus Christ was the vital part of how God would accomplish His global, redemptive purpose.

• Let the truth of the words, You have redeemed us to God by Thy blood be the destruction of all doubt, condemnation or accusations of the enemy against you this morning. The blood of Jesus is the power that brings us to The Father and binds us to Jesus with cords that cannot be broken.
• Ro 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
• Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace
• Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

The Scriptures that I just read state that we have been given peace, justified and redeemed in the sight of God by the blood of Jesus. The implication behind these terms is that you and I have a very serious problem friends.

• According to the Bible, every single human being is born into this world SIN positive, and the only cure is the gospel of The Lord Jesus Christ. Life is short, death is sure, sin the cause and Christ the cure. Christ and Christ alone is the one cure for man’s sin problem, not Islam, not Hinduism, not Mormonism, not Protestantism, not Catholicism, not positive thinking or transcendental meditation.  The gospel is not try harder, do better, improve your self esteem, keep the law…but trust Christ.

Please take special note of verse 9 this morning beloved. Jesus Christ died to save people from every kindred, tongue, people and nation. He came to save a great diversity of people. The church is a redeemed group of people from every tribe, tongue, people and nation. The Bible clearly teaches that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Sin is no respecter of gender or age or culture. Every single person and every single culture and ethnic group on earth needs to be saved from the debt of sin, the penalty of sin and the power of sin. Every race and culture needs to be reconciled to God. Because the disease of sin is global, so the remedy of God is global as well.

• The message, You have redeemed us to God by Thy blood has come to us straight from heaven. We have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.  
• The word redeem is a powerful word that has the meaning in that culture of an individual being bought out of the slave market. In the ancient world, slavery and slave auctions were common practice. Auctioneers would put shackled slaves up on a pedestal and interested buyers would stand around and make bids.
• And herein is the mystery of the gospel….God The Father sent His only begotten Son to redeem shackled sinners like you and me from the debt and slavery of sin. God Himself was manifest in the flesh in The Person of His Son Jesus Christ to redeem sinful, brokenhearted, crushed, discouraged and downcast sinners.
• Jesus Christ has redeemed us to set us free from the slave market of sin. He has redeemed us to set us free from the allurements and attractions of this fallen world system and death. Jesus Christ came to set the captives free, and whom The Son sets free is free indeed. He comes to all and any that are in this condition today and bids us to surrender ourselves fully to Him. That is what we are remembering this morning as we partake of The Lord’s Supper beloved.

The very word redeemed here in verse 9 and as it is found elsewhere in Scripture means that Jesus Christ has not only paid the debt of sin to God that we owe but could never pay; it also means that He has purchased us in order that we might no longer live for ourselves but for Him and His glory

• 1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
• 2Co 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
• A redeemed person is a person who has been given a new heart that daily sets it’s affections on things above and seeks to present it’s body as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is the highest possible expression of worship. 
• Those who know Jesus Christ best speak this way: Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.
• There is no sure evidence that we have a new heart just because we want to escape the fires of hell. That is a natural desire, not a supernatural one. Yes, salvation promises deliverance from eternal damnation, but the primary evidence of a regenerated person is not that we do not want to go to hell, but that we want to be brought near unto God Himself and bring Him glory in our lives.
• Forgiveness of sin is a wonderful thing, but forgiveness alone is not good news if it does not open unto us the way to God. Justification before God is a wonderful thing, but justification alone is not good news if it only makes us legally acceptable to God but fails to bring us into fellowship with God. Redemption is a beautiful thing, but redemptionalone is not good news if it only liberates us from bondage but does not bring us to God. Adoption is not good news if it only puts us into the Father’s family but does not bring us into His loving arms.
• 1 Peter 3.18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.

Beloved, in this age of tolerance that we live, do not be influenced by the devilish propaganda that tries to tell us that the gospel of Jesus Christ is a Western Gospel, and not relevant to those who live in the eastern hemisphere.

• Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
• Last time I looked at a map, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Indonesia, India, Yemen etc were under heaven.

The Lord Jesus Christ is not a tribal deity. He did not come to redeem one tribe or one ethnic group per se. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1.29)

• Ro 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
• Call on His Name right now, and join the global band of the redeemed.

And how does God redeem to lost man to Himself? John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.

• The eternal plan of God was that through the proclamation of the death, burial and resurrection of The Lord Jesus Christ, fallen man would be drawn to Him for the gift of salvation.
• 1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures
• The global impact of this plan of redemption was foretold in the OT
• Ps 22:27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. (not just the western hemisphere)
• The global impact of this plan of redemption is seen in the NT
• 2 Cor 5.19 God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
• When the risen Lord Jesus was at the end of His ministry on earth just prior to His ascension into heaven, He made His mission clear to all of the church.
• Lu 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
• Mt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost
• The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the foundation of worldwide evangelism and all missionary activity. Ac 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
• The 4 fold vision of KF is to Know Christ (salvation)….Grow in Christ (discipleship and fellowship)…Make Christ known (evangelism)….Bring Him glory in all that we do.

(Ask the praise team to return to the platform and the servers to pass out the elements for The Lord’s Supper). When all is said and done, God is The Gospel. All the words of Scripture are meant to lead us to Christ Himself (John 5.39). Salvation is not something, it is Someone. John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Yeshua- Jehovah is salvation!

• Many people remain unsaved because they have only intellectually embraced the good news of the gospel in their heads without ever being regenerated and made new creatures by embracing the glory and beauty of Christ Himself in their hearts.
• Redemption is more than a collage of theological terms beloved. Ro 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness. Redemption is that work of God in our hearts that causes us to cry out for and savor the fellowship, glory and majesty of God Himself.
• 1Jo 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
• Jesus, Who bought us with His blood, now calls upon us to give our lives to Him.  May your life and the life of this church be a testimony of the song, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood.  And why were we created and redeemed in the first place? Re 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.