Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / Looking for a Lion, Finding a Lamb

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Looking for a Lion, Finding a Lamb · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Can we again open our Bibles if you have one? Revelation chapter 5. Let's read verse 5 and verse 6.
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!
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I don't know how familiar you are with the book of Revelation, but there's probably two main myths about the book of Revelation.
0:53
One is it's about the future. Many people who speculate about these things say that the book of Revelation talks about things that will happen in the future.
1:06
And they read all sorts of amazing things into the book.
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And especially in these days of power politics in the Middle East, there are many folks who say, well, it's obvious, it's all there in the book of Revelation.
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Well, the book of Revelation, frankly, may allude to the future, but it is very much a book which talks about today.
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So that's mythology number one, that it's a book entirely about the future.
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Mythology number two is that it's a difficult book.
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Now, there's a certain degree of truth in that.
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The book of Revelation is perhaps not the easiest book in the Bible, but it's not as difficult as we think.
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Remember, the Bible is a people's book.
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The Bible is written for every single one of us.
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It's not for experts to stand up in a podium and to explain it and unpack it to people as if there was some priestly caste who is understanding,
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and the ordinary people can't really get it.
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The Bible is a book for every single person.
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And there, of course, there's symbolism in the Bible.
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We'll see symbolism in the verses we're going to read.
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But at the end of the day, it's not as difficult as it appears.
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And so if you were to have an image here about Revelation chapter 5, indeed the whole of Revelation,
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you would ask the question, what is behind the locked door?
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Or what is behind the curtain?
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Because the word Revelation means an unveiling.
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So what we have is you imagine something and it's mysterious.
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And someone says, look, you go into that room, but don't look behind the curtain,
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because there are mysteries behind the curtain.
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And so look at the Revelation as the unveiling, the opening of the curtain to see what is behind it.
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Now remember also that whenever we read the Bible, and again we see this tonight when we look at Esther,
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there is really one story in the Bible, and that's the story of Jesus.
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And the story of how Jesus came to save, and that runs from Genesis right on to Revelation.
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How he came on a great rescue mission.
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And so the hero of the Bible, the hero of the day, the hero of the hour is always the Lord Jesus.
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And of course he is featured very much in this chapter.
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He is seen there in two figures.
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He is seen there as a lion.
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We see that, of course, in verse 5.
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And he's seen also as the lamb.
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There was a 13th century Italian philosopher known as Bonaventure.
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And someone, a student, said to Bonaventure,
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why don't people love God more?
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And his reply was, they don't love him because they don't know him.
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It's interesting, isn't it?
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They don't love him because they don't know him.
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That's true very much here in the Western Isles.
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The church-going population of the Western Isles is, I think, the highest in the United Kingdom
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at something like 10%, but 90% of folk don't appear to know him or don't appear to even care.
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And I think a lot of the problem is that folk just don't know him.
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They don't know about him.
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They don't know what he is like.
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And sometimes we've not really helped.
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And so what I want to do here is look at this passage.
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And the key word in the passage is, if you wanted one key word in the passage,
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it is the word worthy.
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Dominates it.
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You see it there in verse 2.
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You see it in verse 9.
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You see it in verse 12.
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It's the theme of the song of the angels in verse 9.
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And worthy are you to take the scroll and open its seals.
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Worthy.
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And again, we'll unpack that in a wee while, God willing.
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But this morning, as we look at the passage, I just want us to notice, strangely enough, three things.
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The first thing we notice there is the scroll.
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And that kind of dominates the chapter, isn't it?
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The scroll.
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What do we notice about the scroll?
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Well, verse 1 and verse 3, we notice that the scroll is sealed.
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And so you're always wondering, what's inside a sealed scroll?
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Well, we've got to ask ourselves, what exactly is this scroll?
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Verse 1 says it's got writing on it.
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There's writing on it on both sides.
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The idea there is it's packed with information.
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It's packed with writing.
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And there's lots of ideas, lots of theories about what actually is written on the scroll.
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Some folks say it's prophecies are written on the scroll.
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There's another interesting view.
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It's the last will and testimony.
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Some folks say it's the last will and testimony of Jesus.
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That's what's written on the scroll.
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And so the picture is it's like the reading of a will.
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What has Jesus left for the church?
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And it's in the scroll.
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And people are really keen to open the scroll.
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So it could be prophecies.
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One view is it's the last will and testimony of Jesus.
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And another view, and I think this is probably the most accurate, is everything's in the scroll.
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The history of the world is in the scroll.
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The future is in the scroll.
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The purposes and plan of God are in the scroll.
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Wouldn't you like to know the purposes and plan of God?
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Well, sometimes it's a blessing not to know the purposes and plan of God.
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Have that picture in your mind that that's what the scroll is.
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It is the purposes and plan of God for everything.
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It's not the first time we see the scroll.
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You see the scroll in Exodus chapter 2.
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The same book.
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Sorry, Ezekiel.
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Ezekiel chapter 2 verse 10.
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Exact same book.
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It says,
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And both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.
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It's seen in Psalm 139.
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Within the volume of the book, it written as of me.
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All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to pass.
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And of course, in an ancient tradition, a book was often sealed after the contents were witnessed by seven people.
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And so it's the future of humanity here.
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And it is jaw-dropping.
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Because when the book is opened, chapter 8 verse 1,
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it says that there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
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But there's a problem, isn't there?
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You've got this book.
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You've got this scroll.
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And it's got everything in it.
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It's like a safe.
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But nobody knows the combination.
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And you see here, there, the problem with scroll.
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In verse 2, I ask the question,
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Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?
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You've got the picture there, haven't you?
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The scroll.
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I see two concepts there, don't you?
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The first concept I see is the concept of frustration.
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Who is able to open the scroll?
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It's like you know something is there.
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Now, in the idiom of the day, there's something bigger going on here.
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Because not only did the person who opened the scroll see its contents,
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but actually, in the context here,
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the person who opened the scroll didn't just read it,
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but they enacted it.
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They made it happen.
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So, this stuff in the scroll wasn't going to happen.
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Good things, bad things, all these things,
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the future of humanity,
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the history of the world,
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everything wasn't able to get going
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unless someone opened the scroll.
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The promise of the new heavens and the new earth.
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Although the book of Revelation is not all about the future,
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where it is somewhat about the future.
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That this world is not all there is to be.
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That there is a new creation.
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That there is a new day coming.
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That there is an end to all the tears.
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That there is an end to all the pain.
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That there is an end to all the frustration.
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That this valley of tears is not determinist.
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But that there will be a glorious new creation.
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But there is nobody able to enact it.
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Because nobody can open the scrolls.
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And the book was in the hand of a man on a throne.
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And he is encircled by a rainbow.
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Isn't he?
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And the rainbow there,
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don't you just love rainbows?
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I don't know about you,
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but my heart sings
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when I see a rainbow.
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Because it speaks to me about promise.
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It speaks to me about God and the throne.
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It speaks to me about a God who said,
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I am with you.
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I will never leave you.
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I'm the promise keeper.
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And from the throne,
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yes, it's surrounded by a rainbow
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and there's flashes of thunder.
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That's what God is.
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God is a God of awe,
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of majesty,
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of wonder.
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But there's a frustration here,
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isn't there?
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That's the first concept,
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it's frustration.
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The second concept is
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what I've called worthiness.
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They weren't looking for a powerful person.
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Don't we today have world leaders
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who talk about power?
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They boast about power.
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My aircraft carrier is bigger than yours.
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My army is bigger than your army.
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I am the emperor.
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What I say goes.
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Power.
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And it's seen there in the world stage.
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It's seen also in your office.
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It's seen also in your home.
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Power.
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And everybody is looking for power.
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But it's not a powerful person
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who opens a scroll.
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This is how world politics,
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this is how domestic politics
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gets it all wrong.
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Power is useless
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in the kingdom of God.
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Power is also useless
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in the way the universe works.
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We're not looking for a man or woman of power.
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Revelation chapter 5
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is looking for someone of worthiness.
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Who is worthy?
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Not a person who's powerful,
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but a person who is good.
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Godly.
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Humble.
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Not a person who sees himself as Jesus
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or even a universal doctor.
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But someone who sees himself as nothing.
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the power of goodness.
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So the question goes out again.
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Who is worthy?
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You look in the world situation
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through history and through time,
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who's worthy?
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Is there a worthy politician?
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You see great humanitarians.
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You know,
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we've seen them in the past.
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Nelson Mandela,
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Mother Teresa,
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great humanitarians,
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wonderful people.
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The world leaders.
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Who's good?
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Is there one good figure
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for maybe the
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five of you
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who like Lord of the Rings?
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Who is able
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to destroy the ring?
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That that ring,
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that malevolent thing
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that brings misery
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into the world
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is not a symbol of sin.
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It's not a symbol of transgression.
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That misery thing
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that brings
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rottenness
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into the core
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of everything in the world.
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Who is able
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to destroy the ring?
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Nobody.
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Verse 3,
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he's in despair.
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No one in heaven
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or in earth
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or under the earth
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was able
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to open the scroll
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or to look into it.
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Verse 4,
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and I began
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to weep loudly.
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That brings out
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the original,
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snorting,
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wailing like an animal
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and inconsolable grief.
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And if you have
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a sensitive
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conscience,
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that's how you'll feel
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just now
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whenever you watch
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the news.
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There are folk
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near to me
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who just can't
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watch the news anymore.
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It literally
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triggers
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an emotion
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of grief.
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Where can we go?
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We're just lost.
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We need
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a Messiah.
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Don't we?
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These islands
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need a Messiah.
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Our nation
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needs a Messiah.
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There are elections
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coming up
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and folk are saying,
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yeah,
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we are the people
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who will sort this
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and sort that
15:24
and sort the others.
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Can't even get off
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a ferry
15:31
in five minutes.
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The world's
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in a mess.
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We need
15:41
a Messiah.
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And so what
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do we see
15:46
in the passage?
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We see a scroll,
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don't we?
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And we're asking
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this question,
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we need
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a Messiah.
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Messiah.
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Enter
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the Lamb.
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Point one,
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the scroll.
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Point two,
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the Lamb.
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There's something
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dramatic happens here.
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Look at verse five.
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I love the language
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of verse five.
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It's very
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military,
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isn't it?
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Weep no more
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and behold
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the lion
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of the tribe
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of Judah.
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The root
16:17
of David
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has conquered
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so that he
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can open
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the scrolls.
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And there's
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this image
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of a lion,
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an image
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of power,
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the king
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of the jungle,
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invincibility.
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You've seen
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a lion's jaws,
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how it can
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just consume
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a wildebeest.
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A lion
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is at the top
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of the eating
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hierarchy.
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Lions eat
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people,
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so there's
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this image
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of power.
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And Jesus
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is that lion,
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isn't he?
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He is the one
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who is of the
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tribe of Judah.
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He is the one
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of the root
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of David.
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People talk
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about Jesus,
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gentle Jesus,
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meek and mild.
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Yes,
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he is.
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But he's also
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lying.
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He's also
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all-consuming.
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He's also
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powerful.
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Folks say
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they don't know
17:03
about Jesus.
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Do they know
17:04
about the Jesus
17:05
who is not
17:06
some sort of
17:07
leftover
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hippie
17:10
from the 60s?
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Someone who
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just floats
17:13
about being
17:13
nice to
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everyone?
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No.
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But there's
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more to
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Jesus than
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the lion
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is of
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Jesus.
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The lion
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is a
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lamb.
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Looking for
17:29
a lion,
17:30
finding a
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lamb.
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That could
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be the
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metaphor for
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where we
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are in
17:36
Stornoway
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today.
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That could
17:38
be a
17:38
metaphor of
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where we
17:39
are in
17:39
Scotland,
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in the
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United
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Kingdom.
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We're
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looking for
17:42
a lion.
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But he
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sent a
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lamb.
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What do we
17:51
notice about
17:52
a lamb?
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Well, one or
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two things.
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We notice
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weakness,
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don't we?
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This reveals
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the values
18:00
of the
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Kingdom.
18:02
Strength
18:02
is through
18:04
weakness.
18:06
Strength
18:07
is through
18:08
weakness.
18:11
If you
18:11
watch the
18:12
major world
18:13
powers,
18:14
it's almost
18:15
a comedy
18:16
show,
18:17
isn't it?
18:18
Let's
18:19
take
18:19
Vladimir
18:20
Putin.
18:22
You ever
18:22
seen his
18:23
table?
18:25
You need
18:25
binoculars to
18:26
see the
18:28
guy at the
18:28
other end.
18:29
It's the
18:29
biggest table
18:30
I've ever
18:31
seen in
18:31
the world.
18:33
So you've
18:33
got little
18:34
Vlad at
18:35
one end of
18:36
this huge
18:36
table.
18:37
It's the
18:37
optics of
18:38
power,
18:39
isn't it?
18:40
the optics of
18:41
power,
18:40
the optics of
18:41
power,
18:44
and then
18:45
of course
18:45
we have
18:46
the
18:48
president
18:48
with
18:48
Air
18:49
Force
18:49
One.
18:52
Invincible
18:53
world
18:53
power.
18:54
I live in
18:55
Edinburgh
18:55
when the
18:56
royals are
18:56
in town.
18:57
You always
18:57
know the
18:57
royals are
18:58
in town.
18:58
There's a
18:58
cavalcade,
18:59
the cars
19:00
are there,
19:00
the motorcycle
19:01
outriders,
19:02
the cars
19:03
with the
19:03
flashing blue
19:04
lights.
19:05
It's the
19:05
royals,
19:05
there's
19:06
power,
19:06
there is
19:07
power here.
19:08
But here
19:12
is the
19:14
power of
19:16
the Lamb.
19:19
Folk talk
19:19
about soft
19:20
diplomacy,
19:21
don't they?
19:21
Soft power.
19:25
We are
19:25
Christians,
19:26
we are
19:26
people,
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men and
19:27
women of
19:28
the kingdom.
19:30
And this
19:31
is where
19:33
our power
19:34
comes from.
19:35
And the
19:35
power of
19:36
the kingdom
19:37
is inverse.
19:38
isn't it?
19:40
It's the
19:40
power of
19:41
gentleness,
19:42
it's the
19:42
power of
19:43
opposites,
19:43
that the
19:44
way up
19:44
is the
19:44
way down,
19:45
that those
19:46
who have
19:46
less have
19:47
more,
19:48
that those
19:48
who have
19:49
nothing have
19:49
everything.
19:50
It's the
19:51
mathematics of
19:52
the kingdom.
19:53
And the
19:53
paradox is
19:54
things are
19:54
not as
19:55
they seem.
20:00
Things are
20:00
not as
20:01
they seem.
20:04
Here we
20:05
are in
20:05
this
20:06
building.
20:09
It's a
20:09
simple
20:09
building,
20:11
traditional
20:12
Presbyterian
20:13
church,
20:13
plain
20:14
building.
20:19
And yet
20:19
there's more
20:20
power in
20:20
here this
20:21
morning,
20:21
isn't there,
20:23
than
20:23
Downing
20:24
Street,
20:24
Holyrood,
20:25
the Kremlin
20:25
and the
20:26
White House
20:26
combined.
20:28
Isn't
20:29
there?
20:29
power.
20:32
But it's
20:32
a quiet
20:33
power.
20:35
And that's
20:36
the way
20:36
God most
20:37
often works.
20:38
Again,
20:38
we'll see a
20:39
little bit of
20:39
that tonight
20:40
in Esther.
20:41
God doesn't
20:42
just work
20:42
with the
20:42
dramatic
20:43
signs and
20:43
wonders.
20:46
He works
20:47
powerfully.
20:50
Have you
20:51
ever heard
20:51
the moon
20:52
operating in
20:53
the tide?
20:54
Have you?
20:55
No,
20:57
it's
20:58
silent.
20:59
And yet
21:00
the seas
21:01
rise
21:02
and the
21:03
seas
21:04
fall.
21:06
That's
21:06
power.
21:09
The
21:09
lamb is
21:10
gentle,
21:11
the lamb
21:12
is silent,
21:13
the lamb
21:13
is meek.
21:17
We see
21:18
weakness,
21:19
but also
21:20
we see
21:20
sacrifice,
21:22
verse 6.
21:24
This is a
21:24
weird lamb.
21:26
Verse 6,
21:26
I saw a
21:27
lamb standing
21:28
as though
21:28
it had
21:29
been slain.
21:31
You know,
21:31
the metaphors
21:32
are bizarre.
21:34
Not only
21:34
is the
21:37
Messiah,
21:37
not only
21:38
is the
21:38
one who
21:38
is able
21:39
to open
21:40
the scrolls
21:41
a weak
21:42
lamb,
21:43
he's a
21:44
dead
21:44
lamb.
21:46
It looks
21:46
as if
21:47
he's been
21:47
slain.
21:50
Now,
21:51
again,
21:52
the gospel
21:53
and grammar
21:54
as they
21:55
say,
21:56
I saw
21:56
a lamb
21:57
standing
21:57
as though
21:58
it had
21:58
been
21:59
slain.
21:59
There's
22:00
an ambiguity
22:00
there.
22:01
Is it
22:01
dead?
22:02
Is it
22:02
alive?
22:02
Well,
22:02
it looks
22:03
as though
22:03
it had
22:04
been
22:04
slain,
22:05
but,
22:06
you know,
22:07
it's
22:07
alive.
22:09
who
22:10
does that
22:11
remind you
22:11
of?
22:11
That
22:11
reminds you
22:12
of Jesus
22:13
and
22:13
resurrection.
22:14
He looks
22:14
as if
22:14
he's been
22:15
slain,
22:15
but he
22:16
is
22:16
alive.
22:20
And this
22:21
is us
22:22
right into
22:23
the heart
22:24
of our
22:26
faith.
22:29
The
22:29
kernel of
22:30
the
22:30
kernel,
22:32
the very
22:33
epicenter
22:34
of the
22:34
Christian
22:35
faith.
22:36
What is
22:36
the
22:36
center of
22:37
the
22:37
gospel?
22:38
What is
22:39
the center
22:39
of the
22:40
church?
22:40
It's not
22:40
all the
22:41
stuff.
22:44
It's not
22:45
all the
22:45
accoutrements.
22:46
It's not
22:47
all the
22:47
outward
22:48
stuff in
22:49
the church.
22:50
And that's
22:51
what I
22:52
would love
22:52
to do,
22:53
and that's
22:53
what I
22:53
try and
22:54
do from
22:54
day to
22:55
day.
22:55
Get folk
22:56
to the
22:56
kernel of
22:57
the
22:57
gospel,
22:58
and the
22:58
kernel of
22:59
the
22:59
gospel is
23:00
dear
23:03
dying
23:04
lamb,
23:05
thy
23:05
precious
23:06
blood
23:06
shall
23:07
never
23:07
lose
23:08
its
23:08
power
23:08
till
23:10
all
23:10
the
23:11
ransomed
23:11
church
23:12
of God
23:12
be saved
23:13
and sin
23:14
no more.
23:18
This
23:19
is
23:20
a
23:21
foolish
23:22
message.
23:24
You say
23:26
to it,
23:27
what is
23:28
the answer
23:29
to the
23:30
world's
23:30
ills?
23:33
A
23:34
dying
23:35
lamb
23:36
who was
23:38
sacrificed
23:38
for our
23:39
sin.
23:42
Look at
23:43
how all
23:44
the faith
23:44
traditions
23:45
view God.
23:47
I was
23:48
in India
23:48
recently,
23:50
and it
23:50
was dominated
23:51
by the
23:51
Hindu faith,
23:52
and there
23:53
are shops
23:54
that sell
23:54
idols,
23:56
and they're
23:56
all there,
23:57
and they
23:57
all look
23:58
very
23:59
idly.
24:02
The
24:02
gods
24:02
of human
24:04
invention
24:04
are either
24:06
too
24:07
bizarre
24:09
and remote
24:11
and up
24:12
there and
24:13
unattainable,
24:15
or they're
24:15
too human.
24:16
this is
24:18
not an
24:19
avatar,
24:19
this is
24:19
a flesh
24:20
and blood
24:21
god,
24:21
this is
24:22
a god.
24:25
We've
24:26
seen the
24:26
scroll,
24:28
we've
24:29
seen a
24:30
lamb.
24:32
Thirdly,
24:33
what are the
24:33
implications?
24:34
The question
24:35
we may ask
24:36
is,
24:37
so what?
24:39
Who
24:40
cares?
24:40
here we
24:43
are,
24:43
a few
24:44
folk
24:44
gathered
24:44
here in
24:45
this
24:45
building,
24:45
Kenneth
24:45
Street.
24:47
You go
24:47
home and
24:48
someone says,
24:48
oh,
24:49
what was he
24:50
on about
24:50
today?
24:52
Well,
24:54
he spoke
24:54
about a
24:54
lamb.
24:57
What else
24:57
did he
24:58
speak about?
25:00
Spoke about
25:01
gentleness,
25:03
spoke about
25:03
sacrifice,
25:04
a lamb who
25:05
died for
25:06
our sins.
25:06
So what?
25:13
I think
25:13
this passage
25:14
speaks,
25:15
and this is
25:15
the application
25:16
for today,
25:17
there's several
25:18
levels of
25:19
application.
25:21
The first,
25:22
the passage
25:22
to me speaks
25:23
in terms of
25:24
reversals.
25:26
Number one,
25:27
there's a
25:27
reversal of
25:28
power.
25:29
Look at
25:30
verse six.
25:31
Here we
25:32
move into
25:32
symbolism.
25:34
The lamb
25:35
looking as if
25:35
it had been
25:35
slain with
25:36
seven horns
25:37
and seven
25:38
eyes.
25:38
Well,
25:38
you know,
25:39
symbolism 101
25:40
tells you that
25:41
seven is the
25:42
number of
25:42
perfection.
25:43
Every school
25:44
girl knows
25:44
that.
25:45
Seven is the
25:45
word of
25:48
perfection.
25:49
So when you've
25:49
got seven
25:50
horns,
25:51
horn is a
25:52
symbol of
25:52
power.
25:53
Again,
25:54
that's not a
25:54
complex image.
25:57
The eyes,
25:58
wisdom.
25:59
Zechariah speaks
26:00
of the seven
26:01
eyes of the
26:02
Lord which
26:02
range throughout
26:03
the earth.
26:05
Stop right
26:06
there.
26:06
Stop right
26:07
there.
26:09
The lamb
26:10
has seven
26:10
horns.
26:11
He's all
26:11
powerful.
26:13
And he's
26:13
got seven
26:14
eyes.
26:15
He sees
26:17
everything.
26:19
Again,
26:19
the present
26:20
tense is
26:20
used of
26:21
the power
26:21
and not
26:23
the visibility
26:24
of the
26:25
lamb but
26:25
the vision
26:26
of the
26:26
lamb that
26:26
he can see
26:27
absolutely
26:28
everything.
26:29
think for
26:33
a moment
26:34
of the
26:36
people to
26:36
whom the
26:37
book of
26:37
revelation
26:38
was written.
26:40
It wasn't
26:41
written to a
26:42
group of
26:43
comfortable
26:43
Christians
26:44
in an
26:45
island,
26:46
seated in
26:48
nice padded
26:49
pews in a
26:51
warm building
26:52
like us.
26:53
the book of
26:55
revelation was
26:57
written by
26:57
two people
26:59
who perhaps
26:59
the very next
27:00
day they would
27:01
have been fed
27:02
to the
27:03
lions.
27:04
It was
27:04
written to the
27:05
persecuted
27:06
church.
27:06
It was
27:07
written to
27:07
people who
27:07
feared the
27:08
Roman Empire.
27:09
The Roman Empire
27:10
was tyrannical.
27:11
It was going to
27:12
massacre people.
27:14
That's who it
27:15
was written to.
27:17
Not folk in a
27:18
tidy situation
27:19
like us but
27:19
folk who in
27:20
fear of their
27:21
lives.
27:23
Suffering
27:23
persecution for
27:24
their faith.
27:26
And so much
27:26
of this was
27:27
behind closed
27:28
doors.
27:31
See that again?
27:32
Closed doors,
27:33
veil.
27:38
And they
27:39
wondered,
27:39
did anyone
27:41
ever notice?
27:45
Did you ever
27:45
think that?
27:46
Does anybody
27:46
ever notice?
27:48
I heard in the
27:49
news two days
27:49
ago,
27:50
Nigeria.
27:51
The persecution
27:52
of Christians
27:52
in Nigeria
27:53
is going
27:54
through the
27:54
roof and
27:55
only recently
27:56
has it begun
27:57
to be spoken
27:58
about.
28:02
I read
28:03
this morning,
28:05
that's an
28:05
incredible
28:06
statistic,
28:07
365 million
28:09
Christians,
28:10
one in
28:11
seven Christians
28:12
in the world,
28:13
one in seven,
28:14
365 million
28:16
are being
28:17
persecuted for
28:18
their faith.
28:20
who cares?
28:24
Who knows?
28:24
Who knows?
28:28
He sees.
28:32
In verse
28:33
seven,
28:34
he took the
28:34
scroll from
28:35
a hand.
28:37
Didn't he?
28:38
Verse seven
28:38
says that.
28:39
He went and
28:40
took the scroll
28:40
from the right
28:41
hand of him
28:42
who was seated
28:42
on the throne.
28:43
the will of the
28:44
father and
28:45
son are one.
28:50
Do you feel
28:51
you're alone?
28:53
Churches can
28:54
feel
28:55
isolating
28:57
places at
28:58
times,
28:58
don't they?
28:58
you've got
28:59
the inner
29:00
people,
29:01
you've got
29:01
the circle,
29:03
the in
29:04
crowd,
29:05
but you're
29:05
not one of
29:06
the in
29:06
crowd.
29:08
You're just
29:09
sitting there
29:10
in the pew.
29:13
Does
29:13
anybody know
29:13
I'm here?
29:14
Does
29:14
anybody care?
29:15
care?
29:17
He cares.
29:20
There's a
29:21
Zulu
29:22
greeting.
29:24
Not used
29:25
it often
29:25
myself,
29:26
but there's
29:27
a Zulu
29:27
greeting
29:28
and it's
29:30
sawabona.
29:33
Sawabona.
29:34
It means,
29:36
if there are
29:36
any Zulu
29:37
speakers here,
29:38
they'll correct
29:38
my pronunciation,
29:39
it simply
29:39
means,
29:41
I see
29:41
you.
29:43
I see
29:43
you.
29:45
quiet,
29:48
marginal
29:48
person
29:50
suffering
29:51
without anybody
29:51
knowing your
29:52
story.
29:54
The lamb
29:55
in the midst
29:56
of the throne
29:57
sees you.
30:00
So there's
30:01
a reversal
30:03
of status
30:04
here.
30:05
Look at
30:06
what the
30:06
passage says.
30:08
These saints
30:08
have been
30:09
despised for
30:09
many years,
30:10
not many
30:10
noble,
30:11
not many
30:11
wise,
30:12
but he
30:12
sees you.
30:15
verse 8.
30:18
Isn't
30:18
that intriguing?
30:19
They fell
30:20
down before
30:20
the lamb,
30:21
each one
30:22
holding a
30:23
harp and
30:23
a golden
30:24
bow full
30:24
of the
30:25
incense.
30:26
Again,
30:26
we know
30:26
what the
30:27
incense is,
30:28
which are
30:28
the prayers
30:29
of the
30:30
saints.
30:30
the
30:33
prayers of
30:37
the
30:37
saints.
30:43
And the
30:44
prayers are
30:45
answered.
30:46
The
30:47
worthiness is
30:48
the scene.
30:48
And notice
30:49
what the
30:49
worthiness
30:49
is.
30:50
The
30:50
worthiness
30:51
arose from
30:52
his death,
30:53
slain with
30:54
that blood.
30:56
Verse 2,
30:57
there was
30:57
silence in
30:57
heaven.
30:58
Verse 9,
30:59
there's this
30:59
chorus of
31:00
wonder of
31:01
praise.
31:04
There's a
31:05
reversal of
31:06
status.
31:09
But then
31:10
thirdly and
31:10
finally,
31:11
there's a
31:11
reversal of
31:12
exclusivism.
31:14
Look at
31:14
verse 9.
31:15
Whether you
31:16
are to
31:16
take the
31:17
scroll and
31:18
to open
31:18
its seals,
31:19
for you
31:19
were slain
31:19
and by
31:20
your blood
31:21
you ransomed
31:22
people for
31:23
God from
31:23
every tribe
31:25
and language
31:25
and people
31:26
and nation.
31:27
the true
31:30
internationalism
31:31
of the
31:32
church.
31:34
One of my
31:35
big things,
31:36
I pray for
31:36
our own
31:37
denomination,
31:38
is it
31:38
will become
31:38
bigger,
31:40
it will
31:40
become
31:41
poorer,
31:42
and it
31:42
will become
31:43
darker.
31:44
Bigger,
31:45
poorer,
31:46
darker.
31:46
What does
31:46
that mean?
31:47
Bigger means
31:48
that we
31:49
want to
31:49
see our
31:49
churches
31:50
grow and
31:51
expand.
31:52
We want
31:52
to see
31:53
people come
31:53
to faith,
31:54
not just
31:55
splitting
31:56
churches
31:57
and forming
31:58
new churches,
31:59
not just
32:00
doing that
32:00
constantly,
32:02
it gets a
32:02
bit weary,
32:03
but people
32:04
who are
32:04
non-believers
32:05
seeing the
32:06
beauty of
32:07
Jesus,
32:08
seeing the
32:09
beauty of
32:09
Jesus and
32:10
running to
32:11
him and
32:11
filling up
32:12
the churches
32:12
that we
32:13
have,
32:13
planting new
32:13
churches,
32:14
bigger,
32:15
also poorer,
32:16
that we
32:17
have folk
32:17
from every
32:18
socio-economic
32:20
unit,
32:20
that we've
32:21
got folk
32:21
from housing
32:22
schemes,
32:22
that we've
32:23
got folk
32:23
from all
32:24
over as
32:25
well,
32:25
darker for
32:26
ethnic
32:27
diversity.
32:32
And that's
32:33
the promise.
32:35
You ransom
32:36
people from
32:37
every tribe
32:38
and language
32:38
and people
32:39
and nation,
32:40
whoever you
32:41
are in
32:41
this island.
32:42
And one
32:42
of the
32:42
great things
32:43
about the
32:44
highlands
32:44
and islands,
32:45
whether not
32:46
everyone sees
32:46
it as great,
32:47
but I
32:47
certainly see
32:48
it as great,
32:48
is the
32:48
diversity
32:49
of our
32:49
religions,
32:50
people who
32:51
come from
32:52
every single
32:53
area.
32:54
And the
32:54
wonderful thing
32:55
is that
32:56
they're welcome
32:57
in the
32:57
church of
32:58
God.
33:04
Someone once
33:05
said to me,
33:05
what's your
33:06
name?
33:06
I said,
33:07
David Meredith.
33:09
And the
33:10
reply was,
33:11
Meredith,
33:12
what sort
33:13
of a name
33:14
is that?
33:15
I'm sorry
33:17
I wasn't a
33:18
McLeod or
33:19
a Nicholson
33:20
or a
33:20
McKenzie
33:21
or a
33:21
Smith
33:21
or a
33:22
Bacani.
33:26
Every tribe
33:28
and language
33:29
and people
33:29
and nations
33:30
folk with
33:31
the weirdest
33:32
names and
33:33
folk from
33:34
every complexity
33:36
purchased.
33:41
We look for
33:42
the internationalism
33:43
of the church.
33:45
So what do
33:48
we have
33:48
here?
33:48
Let's
33:49
come into
33:51
land.
33:54
We've got
33:55
the world
33:55
in a mess.
33:58
And how
33:59
can I put
33:59
it simply?
34:00
We've got
34:01
a Messiah.
34:02
A Messiah
34:04
who can
34:05
change the
34:07
world and
34:07
change your
34:08
heart and
34:09
change your
34:09
life.
34:12
What do
34:13
we have
34:13
here?
34:14
Some folks
34:15
say it's
34:15
too good
34:17
to be
34:17
true.
34:20
It is
34:21
true.
34:21
Folks,
34:22
it's
34:22
true.
34:23
The
34:24
gospel's
34:24
true.
34:26
Jesus is
34:26
the lamb.
34:27
Jesus is
34:28
the one
34:28
who says
34:29
trust in
34:30
me,
34:30
lean in
34:31
me.
34:31
Jesus is
34:32
the one
34:32
who says
34:32
yes,
34:33
I have
34:33
died,
34:34
but I've
34:34
died for
34:35
you so
34:36
that you
34:36
would not
34:37
die.
34:39
And I'm
34:39
going to
34:40
bring a
34:40
new creation.
34:41
I'm
34:42
going to
34:42
make this
34:43
world
34:43
new.
34:45
There's
34:45
going to
34:46
be a
34:46
freedom
34:47
from all
34:47
sin,
34:48
freedom
34:48
from all
34:49
illness,
34:49
freedom
34:50
from all
34:50
division,
34:52
freedom
34:52
from
34:52
everything.
34:56
The four
34:57
living
34:57
creatures,
34:59
what did
35:00
they do?
35:00
verse 14.
35:04
They said
35:04
Amen.
35:07
And the
35:08
elders fell
35:09
and worshipped
35:11
him.
35:16
We're
35:17
Lewis folk.
35:17
We don't
35:18
say Amen
35:18
out loud.
35:20
We say
35:20
in here.
35:24
Sing it
35:24
out or
35:25
keep it
35:25
in.
35:26
It doesn't
35:26
matter.
35:28
Our
35:28
response
35:29
this morning
35:29
should be
35:30
Amen.
35:34
And we
35:34
fall down
35:35
and
35:37
worship
35:38
him.
35:40
Father,
35:40
we thank
35:41
you for
35:41
your word,
35:42
for its
35:43
power,
35:45
and the
35:46
power of
35:46
God
35:47
unto
35:48
salvation.
35:50
Help us
35:51
today to
35:52
rejoice in
35:53
the Lamb
35:53
and to
35:55
see him
35:55
as King
35:56
of Kings
35:56
and Lord
35:57
of Lords.
35:59
Amen.
36:00
we sing
36:07
in Psalm
36:08
34 from
36:09
the
36:09
Scottish
36:10
Psalter,
36:11
page 247.
36:18
Scottish
36:18
Psalter is
36:20
Psalm
36:20
34
36:21
from
36:25
verse
36:26
8.
36:26
The tune
36:28
is
36:28
Denfield.
36:31
O taste
36:31
and see
36:32
that God
36:32
is good,
36:33
who trusts
36:34
in him
36:34
is blessed.
36:36
Fear God
36:36
has
36:37
saints,
36:37
none that
36:37
in fear
36:38
shall be
36:39
with want
36:39
oppressed.
36:40
Singing
36:41
to verse
36:41
15,
36:43
to God's
36:44
praise,
36:44
O taste
36:44
and see
36:45
that God
36:45
is good.
36:46
Standing
36:46
need
36:47
to sing.
36:47
Amen.
36:47
Thank you.
37:17
Thank you.
37:47
Thank you.
38:17
Thank you.
38:47
And now may the grace of Lord Jesus, the love of God the Father, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be upon us all now and forever. Amen.
39:07
Thank you.
39:37
Thank you.