Stephen Lonetti: Thank you so much for lowering the pulpit.
Stephen Lonetti: I was actually just being gracious and and and patient with you, Doug, because I figured you were just in the midway point of establishing a pulpit that you walk up and into like to have in Europe.
Stephen Lonetti: Need from the UK.
Stephen Lonetti: So I'm just glad I can see you all now.
Stephen Lonetti: I felt like I was driving a car looking through the wheel, you know.
Stephen Lonetti: You never know.
Stephen Lonetti: Well, good morning, and it's just a joy to be with you.
Stephen Lonetti: I consider it us a privilege to be in this pulpit.
Stephen Lonetti: And um, I thank you for the opportunity, Doug.
Stephen Lonetti: Why missions and why should churches link arms and become co-workers with those heralds of the truth in other nations?
Stephen Lonetti: Well, I'm a churchman and I've dedicated my adult life to the propagation of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Stephen Lonetti: Theologian Rollin McCune stresses the importance of the local church's role in making disciples in this way when he says, Scriptures teach us that the local church is the pillar in support of the truth, 1 Timothy 3.15, and is the only God-appointed institution authorized to carry out his program of witness and service on the earth during this present age.
Stephen Lonetti: The church is big stuff.
Stephen Lonetti: In this in-between time that Doug talked about, where we are waiting his return, and forgive me for just using Doug.
Stephen Lonetti: We have a relationship.
Stephen Lonetti: But the truth of the matter is we're waiting.
Stephen Lonetti: But while we're waiting, we need to be busy.
Stephen Lonetti: Taking McCune's quote to heart means every church needs to be enthusiastically involved in the ongoing work of seeing new churches planted and growing both here and abroad.
Stephen Lonetti: That's the mandate of 3 John 8.
Stephen Lonetti: Therefore, we ought to support such men so that we may be fellow workers or co-laborers together with them with the truth.
Stephen Lonetti: But in addition to John's admonition, there's something more scriptures present to motivate us to that end.
Stephen Lonetti: And I'd like you to consider these following verses.
Stephen Lonetti: You don't have to turn there, just let me recite them to you.
Stephen Lonetti: From 2 Timothy 4, 6 through 8, we read, For I am already being poured out, Paul said, as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
Stephen Lonetti: I fought the good fight, and I finished the course, and I have kept the faith.
Stephen Lonetti: In the future there is a laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.
Stephen Lonetti: It's a motivation to service.
Stephen Lonetti: First Peter 1, 3 and 4.
Stephen Lonetti: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and not uh will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, for a salvation to be revealed in the last time.
Stephen Lonetti: Motivation.
Stephen Lonetti: And then we have James 1, 12, saying similar things.
Stephen Lonetti: Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.
Stephen Lonetti: All of these point to a future time.
Stephen Lonetti: Each one talks about a reward that's in heaven for present labor, suffering, and perseverance.
Stephen Lonetti: And after it's all said and done, there will be rejoicing in heaven.
Stephen Lonetti: If you've been a believer for any length of time, you have experienced suffering.
Stephen Lonetti: Whatever you believed when you first believed, the gospel of Jesus Christ, about your life coming forth from that wondrous time of finally having your eyes open to the truth of God's love for you and mercy.
Stephen Lonetti: Most of us were not anticipating the suffering that we would experience.
Stephen Lonetti: But I'm here today to tell you when it's all said and done, there's going to be great rejoicing.
Stephen Lonetti: And I want to encourage us with that this morning.
Stephen Lonetti: Let's pray.
Stephen Lonetti: Our gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you for this opportunity to once again break open your word, uh, the truths of your word, and in what a book, the consummation of all things, the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Stephen Lonetti: We pray that you, by your Holy Spirit, would first and all anoint me for the preaching of your word, that my words would reflect your glory.
Stephen Lonetti: And secondly, Lord, that you would open up the hearts of these dear people to receive that which you've prepared for them to hear today.
Stephen Lonetti: For we pray it in Jesus' name.
Stephen Lonetti: Amen.
Stephen Lonetti: Well, you can turn with me to the book of Revelation.
Stephen Lonetti: I'm just going to kind of go over uh some things to kind of set the plate, if you will, for Revelation chapter 5.
Stephen Lonetti: But Revelation chapter 1, if we look casually at 9 through 20, especially verses 12 through 16, we see that John was on the island of Patmos.
Stephen Lonetti: It was a prison island just off the coast of modern-day Turkey, and he had a vision of Jesus Christ.
Stephen Lonetti: And it was the Lord's day, and he was in the spirit, and when behind him he heard a voice that most likely startled him because it was a loud voice, like a trumpet blast.
Stephen Lonetti: And John heard the voice command him to write a book about what he sees and send it to the seven churches listed in verse 11.
Stephen Lonetti: I believe there are real churches, historic churches, that were known to John as they were in the very area that he had ministered before being exiled to Potmos.
Stephen Lonetti: And hearing such a voice with the intensity of a trumpet blast, he naturally turned around to see where it was coming from.
Stephen Lonetti: Verses 12 and 13 read like this.
Stephen Lonetti: And to the angel of the church in Pergamo, excuse me.
Stephen Lonetti: Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me, and having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like the Son of Man.
Stephen Lonetti: One like the Son of Man, Christ in his humanity.
Stephen Lonetti: Jesus referred to himself as the Son of Man often and in relation to his second coming.
Stephen Lonetti: In Matthew 8, Jesus speaks of the need for the Son of Man to suffer, die, and rise from the dead on the third day.
Stephen Lonetti: That wonderful day that we just celebrated.
Stephen Lonetti: Then he links the title the Son of Man with his return in glory, accompanied by his holy angels.
Stephen Lonetti: In John chapter 5, he links two titles together: the Son of God and the Son of Man.
Stephen Lonetti: And when he refers to himself as the Son of Man, it is the relation to his second coming.
Stephen Lonetti: Never ceases to amaze me to think of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, right now, seated at the right hand of the Father in his physical body that has been glorified.
Stephen Lonetti: He left in that body and ascended to heaven.
Stephen Lonetti: And the angels said, What are you standing gazing up there for?
Stephen Lonetti: He's going to return in the same way.
Stephen Lonetti: That is a blessed hope.
Stephen Lonetti: Our glorified bodies.
Stephen Lonetti: But he's present with the church, isn't he?
Stephen Lonetti: In verse 12, standing in the midst of the seven golden lampstands, he's wearing a robe like a priest would wear a robe.
Stephen Lonetti: He's interceding for the church.
Stephen Lonetti: His head and hair are white like wool, like snow.
Stephen Lonetti: He's pure.
Stephen Lonetti: His eyes are like a flame of fire, all discerning, nothing hidden.
Stephen Lonetti: His feet are like burnished bronze.
Stephen Lonetti: Shows his lordship.
Stephen Lonetti: The kings in the Middle East sometimes sat on raised thrones, and when those who were to be judged came before the king, they would fall at his feet and therefore place themselves under his authority.
Stephen Lonetti: The voice was like the sound of many waters.
Stephen Lonetti: I love this because God communicates.
Stephen Lonetti: Do you understand what this is?
Stephen Lonetti: This is his self-revelation to us.
Stephen Lonetti: So much in here we would not have a clue about if he did not reveal it to us.
Stephen Lonetti: The story of creation.
Stephen Lonetti: Who was there?
Stephen Lonetti: God.
Stephen Lonetti: And he opens it up to us.
Stephen Lonetti: How marvelous is that! But this sound, and he said, and behold, the glory of God of Israel came from the way of the east in Ezekiel chapter 43.
Stephen Lonetti: And his voice was like the sound of noise of many waters.
Stephen Lonetti: Um, you're in New York.
Stephen Lonetti: Have you been to Niagara Falls?
Stephen Lonetti: First time I went there, I went on made of the mist, right?
Stephen Lonetti: And it was so amazing.
Stephen Lonetti: And they gave you these little ponchos, you know, because you get by the falls and it's just coming at you.
Stephen Lonetti: I just burst out in song.
Stephen Lonetti: Well, nobody could hear me.
Stephen Lonetti: But how great is our God.
Stephen Lonetti: Behold our God, you know.
Stephen Lonetti: I just was so praising God underneath those falls.
Stephen Lonetti: What must this voice have sounded like?
Stephen Lonetti: That's what I thought of.
Stephen Lonetti: The voice of the Lord.
Stephen Lonetti: Wow.
Stephen Lonetti: In 116, it tells us that out of his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword.
Stephen Lonetti: And if the sheer sound of many waters doesn't stir up a pitcher of authority, the sharp two-edged sword should.
Stephen Lonetti: Should suffice to do that.
Stephen Lonetti: On the Mount of Transfiguration, his father spoke and said, This is my beloved son.
Stephen Lonetti: Listen to him.
Stephen Lonetti: When our glorious Lord and Savior, the King of the earth, speaks.
Stephen Lonetti: We need to listen and obey.
Stephen Lonetti: And then his face was like the sun shining in its strength.
Stephen Lonetti: Glory, Shekinah.
Stephen Lonetti: This describes the incredible glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Stephen Lonetti: He's in the presence of the Father.
Stephen Lonetti: This final description is a fitting cullimation of John's vision of Jesus Christ, and it clearly signifies his glory in the church.
Stephen Lonetti: What a vision.
Stephen Lonetti: And what a savior.
Stephen Lonetti: He's purifying, discerning.
Stephen Lonetti: He's a reigning Lord.
Stephen Lonetti: He's commanding with authority and shining brightly in all of his magnificent glory.
Stephen Lonetti: And he stands in the midst of the redeemed church.
Stephen Lonetti: And he walks among his church, loving, protecting, sanctifying her.
Stephen Lonetti: His glory is our deep, deep joy.
Stephen Lonetti: This is Jesus.
Stephen Lonetti: This is who we worship and serve, beloved.
Stephen Lonetti: But that is merely the first glimpse of Jesus that John saw in his vision on Patmos.
Stephen Lonetti: There's more, much more.
Stephen Lonetti: Over in chapter 4, we learn a little bit more.
Stephen Lonetti: Verses 1 through 4.
Stephen Lonetti: After these things I looked up and behold, a door standing open in heaven.
Stephen Lonetti: And the first voice, which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, Come up here, and I'll show you what must take place after these things.
Stephen Lonetti: Immediately I was in the spirit, and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and one sitting on the throne.
Stephen Lonetti: And he who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance.
Stephen Lonetti: And there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance, and around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting clothed in white garments and golden crowns on their heads.
Stephen Lonetti: Wow.
Stephen Lonetti: This begins a whole new section in Revelation.
Stephen Lonetti: And Revelation 1 through 3, God presented historical churches, as I mentioned.
Stephen Lonetti: They're all churches that had actual geographical locations and to which John sent letters, and he may have even been part of their establishment.
Stephen Lonetti: We don't know.
Stephen Lonetti: Beginning in chapter 4, we're swept away into heaven with John, and the most of the rest of the book of Revelation is from the viewpoint of heaven looking upon the earth.
Stephen Lonetti: It imparts important things that we need to grasp in our concept of God and his involvement with the church.
Stephen Lonetti: In fact, one commentator names this chapter exactly that the church in heaven.
Stephen Lonetti: It's a heavenly scene.
Stephen Lonetti: There's a door in heaven and a command to come up here.
Stephen Lonetti: When John says he saw a door standing open in heaven, it's simply a device to transition our thinking away from earth and up into heaven.
Stephen Lonetti: In the previous chapters, the focus was on the seven churches on earth, and now we're in heaven in the very throne room of God.
Stephen Lonetti: Once again, no way to know about this, but the revealed will and word of God.
Stephen Lonetti: And in verse three, there are incredible word pictures that John used to try to describe the wonder of it all, but don't get caught up in all of the incredible elements in John's vision and miss the practical theology behind it all.
Stephen Lonetti: God is on the throne.
Stephen Lonetti: He's on the throne.
Stephen Lonetti: And John says he saw one sitting on a throne.
Stephen Lonetti: This has to be God the Father.
Stephen Lonetti: Because he's distinguished from the Lamb in verses five and seven of chapter five.
Stephen Lonetti: They're together.
Stephen Lonetti: And he's distinguished from the Spirit in chapter four, verse five.
Stephen Lonetti: So this is God the Father.
Stephen Lonetti: And what John is doing here is portraying the glory of God, not trying to paint a detailed picture of his person.
Stephen Lonetti: He's just lifting him up as glorious.
Stephen Lonetti: And he saw something very similar to what Daniel saw in Daniel 7, verse 9.
Stephen Lonetti: I kept looking, Daniel said, until thrones were set up, and the ancient of days took his seat.
Stephen Lonetti: His vesture was like white snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool, and his throne was ablaze with flames, and its wheels were like a burning fire.
Stephen Lonetti: And even here, Daniel 7, further on we read of one like the Son of Man who came up to the ancient of days and was presented before him.
Stephen Lonetti: So again, talking about God the Father.
Stephen Lonetti: And in 713 it says, and there too, there was a parallel to what John saw and witnessed on Potmos.
Stephen Lonetti: Because into the hands of the Son of Man, the ancient of days, will be dominion and glory and kingdom, that all the peoples and nations and men of every language might serve him.
Stephen Lonetti: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.
Stephen Lonetti: And all this was given into the hands of the Son of Man, Daniel 7, 13 and 14.
Stephen Lonetti: Now back to the throne room of God and John's vision.
Stephen Lonetti: All around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting clothed in white garments and golden crowns on their heads.
Stephen Lonetti: Who are they?
Stephen Lonetti: Well, there's been a lot written about these twenty-four.
Stephen Lonetti: And when it comes to identifying these elders, there's been long-standing debate with the interpretation falling into one of four areas.
Stephen Lonetti: There are angels, they could be Israel representing Israel, or the church, the third or the fourth, all the redeemed, Israel and the church altogether, 12 tribes and 12 elders.
Stephen Lonetti: Who knows, right?
Stephen Lonetti: Who are they?
Stephen Lonetti: Well, I understand them to be 24 elders to represent the church.
Stephen Lonetti: That's what I've fallen on.
Stephen Lonetti: Raptured, glorified, coronated, and ready to sing the song of redemption found in Revelation 5, 8 through 10.
Stephen Lonetti: And here's why I interpret that.
Stephen Lonetti: They are seated on thrones.
Stephen Lonetti: Angels are never found sitting on thrones.
Stephen Lonetti: Never see an angel on throne.
Stephen Lonetti: And they're called elders.
Stephen Lonetti: Again, this is a term never used in the Bible to refer to angels.
Stephen Lonetti: So I'm knocking out the angel interpretation.
Stephen Lonetti: They're wearing white garments, and although angels are identified in white garments, Jesus distinctly promised the saints at Sardis: He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments.
Stephen Lonetti: That's in verse 5 of chapter 3.
Stephen Lonetti: And it's indicative of the church, the bride of the Lamb, at the marriage supper of the Lamb in Revelation 19:8, and it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
Stephen Lonetti: And they also have golden crowns.
Stephen Lonetti: Angels are never promised crowns, nor are they ever said to be wearing them in the Bible, but the crown of victory is promised to the believers at Smyrna.
Stephen Lonetti: Do not fear what you are about to suffer.
Stephen Lonetti: Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Stephen Lonetti: Saints are also promised an imperishable crown in 1 Corinthians chapter 9.
Stephen Lonetti: And a crown of righteousness in 2 Timothy 4.8.
Stephen Lonetti: And a crown of life in James 1.12.
Stephen Lonetti: And the unfolding crown of glory, 1 Peter 5.4.
Stephen Lonetti: You don't hear a lot about the Old Testament and crowns, except for kings, but that's in the New Testament we hear a lot about the saints and crowns in the future.
Stephen Lonetti: It's an acceptable, it's acceptable to see the 24 elders as representatives of the Redeemed Church.
Stephen Lonetti: And it's only church age believers who honestly sing the song of the redeemed, which they participate in.
Stephen Lonetti: It's just, it would make sense to think of Israel or angels singing for their redemption out from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
Stephen Lonetti: It doesn't work.
Stephen Lonetti: This is a redeemed church.
Stephen Lonetti: Redeemed, raptured to be with their Lord, judged, rewarded, seated, for work complete, and finally with the Lord and Savior.
Stephen Lonetti: When it's all said and done, there's great rejoicing in heaven.
Stephen Lonetti: Now turn to chapter 5 for our text.
Stephen Lonetti: I saw on the right hand of him who sat on the throne a book written inside and out in the back, sealed up with seven seals.
Stephen Lonetti: I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who's worthy to open the book and to break its seals?
Stephen Lonetti: And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book, to look into it.
Stephen Lonetti: And then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it.
Stephen Lonetti: And one of the elders said to me, Stop weeping.
Stephen Lonetti: Behold, the lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seals.
Stephen Lonetti: We're still in the throne room of God.
Stephen Lonetti: It's in heaven.
Stephen Lonetti: And the one seated on the throne begins to act.
Stephen Lonetti: And I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne.
Stephen Lonetti: Remember, God the Father.
Stephen Lonetti: And written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.
Stephen Lonetti: The scroll is a deed.
Stephen Lonetti: It's a deed to the earth.
Stephen Lonetti: It's not like a book that we think about today, but rather a scroll, a parchment.
Stephen Lonetti: And it was rolled up.
Stephen Lonetti: They were made of papyrus and animal skins and a sc had to be unrolled, but it had seals on it.
Stephen Lonetti: Seven of them.
Stephen Lonetti: Such important documents were often witnessed by at least three witnesses.
Stephen Lonetti: And their signature was added protection of being sealed with at least three.
Stephen Lonetti: Seals, more if the document was of greater importance.
Stephen Lonetti: This had seven seals.
Stephen Lonetti: And a scroll, as I mentioned, three times in the Gospel of John, he refers to the devil as the ruler of this world.
Stephen Lonetti: Three times.
Stephen Lonetti: Paul calls the devil the God of this age.
Stephen Lonetti: But the most significant designation of the devil in this respect is written in John's first epistle, 1 John 5 19, where he says, The whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
Stephen Lonetti: He's a usurp.
Stephen Lonetti: He usurped that position.
Stephen Lonetti: He stole it from Adam.
Stephen Lonetti: Originally, God gave dominion of the earth to Adam.
Stephen Lonetti: But through our first parents' sin and rebellion, they abdicated that dominion to the devil.
Stephen Lonetti: And ever since the fall of man, the devil has usurped the rule over this planet and all who are on it.
Stephen Lonetti: It's not his by right or by privilege, but by deceit and theft.
Stephen Lonetti: But God, in his wisdom and plan, is determined that Jesus Christ is the only rightful ruler of this earth.
Stephen Lonetti: And when Jesus died on the cross, he atoned for the sin and crushed Satan by redeeming fallen race of people and destroying the usurper's claim to world dominion.
Stephen Lonetti: I love Jesus' words on the cross.
Stephen Lonetti: It is finished.
Stephen Lonetti: That is so packed.
Stephen Lonetti: You could preach for a month on that easily.
Stephen Lonetti: It is finished.
Stephen Lonetti: What's finished?
Stephen Lonetti: Well, it is finished.
Stephen Lonetti: And what's beautiful about that term is it's still coming to pass what is finished.
Stephen Lonetti: He's still redeeming people by virtue of his death on the cross.
Stephen Lonetti: And there's still going to be rewards meted out to the glorified church in heaven as part of it, it is finished.
Stephen Lonetti: Love those words.
Stephen Lonetti: So when we take into consideration what's inside the scroll, as each of the seven seals are broken open in Revelation 6 through 19, and the cullimation being the second coming of Christ to the earth to set up his millennial kingdom, it seems a given that the scroll represents the title deed to the earth.
Stephen Lonetti: Now no one was found to open the scroll.
Stephen Lonetti: The questions asked, who is worthy to open the scroll?
Stephen Lonetti: And all of heaven is waiting in anticipation.
Stephen Lonetti: Is there anyone who is worthy to open the title?
Stephen Lonetti: Some of you are playing a song in your head right now.
Stephen Lonetti: He is worthy.
Stephen Lonetti: Oh, we did that for Easter Sunday.
Stephen Lonetti: Resurrection Sunday for those of you that don't have a Catholic background.
Stephen Lonetti: I've been so hammered over that.
Stephen Lonetti: But the truth of the matter is to me, it's Easter Sunday and Resurrection Sunday both.
Stephen Lonetti: But honestly, we sang that as our closing hymn.
Stephen Lonetti: And like your you people sing.
Stephen Lonetti: God bless you.
Stephen Lonetti: You sing out.
Stephen Lonetti: And it just it I'm always a little bit leery.
Stephen Lonetti: I I've been in a lot of churches over the years, right?
Stephen Lonetti: And you know, when a church doesn't really sing very much, you just wonder what's wrong here.
Stephen Lonetti: What's wrong?
Stephen Lonetti: So it's funny when you're up here preaching, Pastor Doug, isn't it funny the thoughts that come into your mind?
Stephen Lonetti: I'm thinking Steve Fernandez singing at the top of his lungs, couldn't hold a tune for nothing.
Stephen Lonetti: And every song was like heaven breaking out.
Stephen Lonetti: And he's he was shorter than I am, which is short.
Stephen Lonetti: And and he just bounced on his toes and just singing.
Stephen Lonetti: I sang next to him, and I couldn't sing because he was just blowing the harmony or you know, the song apart.
Stephen Lonetti: But there's gonna be singing.
Stephen Lonetti: There's gonna be singing, isn't there?
Stephen Lonetti: And this title deeds opened.
Stephen Lonetti: Who's worthy?
Stephen Lonetti: Absolutely no one.
Stephen Lonetti: Absolutely no one found anywhere who's worthy.
Stephen Lonetti: And the staggering thought here is that there was not one in existence found to be worthy.
Stephen Lonetti: Scour every corner of the earth, no one.
Stephen Lonetti: Look into the secret places of heaven, no one.
Stephen Lonetti: And John used a threefold division which followed the Old Testament past pattern of identifying the entire realm of existence in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
Stephen Lonetti: The idea clearly is that there was no one in the created universe that is able or is worthy or who can do the job to open the scroll, and it just breaks John down.
Stephen Lonetti: It breaks him down because he knows what's in the scroll.
Stephen Lonetti: He goes into despair.
Stephen Lonetti: And would we not also despair?
Stephen Lonetti: And have we not felt such despair when we had no one who we could come to for aid?
Stephen Lonetti: Do you remember when you were saved?
Stephen Lonetti: Man, I was a mess.
Stephen Lonetti: I was just filled with stress and anxiety, and I read about the gospel in a book, and I trusted Christ, and the peace of God just filled my heart.
Stephen Lonetti: I still remember that like yesterday.
Stephen Lonetti: Well, he he was feeling despair here, and we've done that when we were at the end of ourselves and no one was near.
Stephen Lonetti: When we so needed someone and there was no one.
Stephen Lonetti: Jesus came to all of us who are weary and heavy laden.
Stephen Lonetti: Jesus is here right now, he's available to you.
Stephen Lonetti: Maybe you're there at the end of yourself.
Stephen Lonetti: You know, Ephesians Paul talks about being in the world without God and without hope.
Stephen Lonetti: That's where you are without Christ.
Stephen Lonetti: Without hope, hopeless.
Stephen Lonetti: Boy, there's a lot of people around us.
Stephen Lonetti: A lot of people.
Stephen Lonetti: Well, there is no one left and nothing left for John.
Stephen Lonetti: He knew it was the inside of the scroll because the summary on the back, he knew that none of the details, for it must have been open to be reading the details of it, but he knew it was a deed to the earth.
Stephen Lonetti: But there is no one to open the scroll but Jesus.
Stephen Lonetti: But Jesus.
Stephen Lonetti: The overwhelming waves of peace and assurance when Jesus is found, right?
Stephen Lonetti: He's the only one, he's able.
Stephen Lonetti: Remember this when you're in need.
Stephen Lonetti: Remember this when nothing else is left to be done.
Stephen Lonetti: And why is it we just try so hard to solve our own problems?
Stephen Lonetti: I'm talking to you, believer.
Stephen Lonetti: We still have that sin that dwells within us and it is strong, especially when we're suffering.
Stephen Lonetti: And we have to be brought to the end of ourselves all over again, don't we?
Stephen Lonetti: And we finally go, why am I so thick?
Stephen Lonetti: Forgive me, Lord.
Stephen Lonetti: And he meets us right where we are, and he takes us by the hand, and he leads us in the way that we should go.
Stephen Lonetti: Amen.
Stephen Lonetti: Well, John was wondering, where is someone?
Stephen Lonetti: And he wept, and Jesus appeared.
Stephen Lonetti: He's ready, he's able, he's willing, and he's there.
Stephen Lonetti: The lion and the lamb.
Stephen Lonetti: The one of the elders, then one of the elders said to me, Stop your weeping.
Stephen Lonetti: Behold the lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has overcome, has to open the book in seven seals.
Stephen Lonetti: And I saw between the throne with the four living creatures and the elders, a lamb standing as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent out into all the earth, and he came and he took it out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne.
Stephen Lonetti: He's the lion from the tribe of Judah, the root of David.
Stephen Lonetti: He is the root of David, but a majestic, as majestic as he is, he is also meek, because he is the Lamb as if slain.
Stephen Lonetti: He's the one worthy to take the scroll, open its seals, and the only one who is found in heaven and on earth to take the scroll is Jesus Christ.
Stephen Lonetti: And he does just that, the Lamb, verse 7, came and he took the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne.
Stephen Lonetti: And this is a crescendo in time, and it is a climax of all existence.
Stephen Lonetti: Right here.
Stephen Lonetti: Now let's look at verses eight through ten.
Stephen Lonetti: And when he had taken the book, and the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Stephen Lonetti: And they sang a new song, saying, Worthy are you to take the book and to break its seals, for you were slain and purchased for God with your blood, men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and you have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.
Stephen Lonetti: So Lord help us.
Stephen Lonetti: The appearance of the Lamb as he moves to take the scroll causes praise to break out in heaven from everywhere, and the praise accelerates in an ascending crescendo of worship as the oratorio of redemption reaches its climax.
Stephen Lonetti: I went to uh Messiah, presented by uh Corell in Minnesota, and Minnesota Orchestra playing behind when they sing the Alleluia chorus, man.
Stephen Lonetti: Oh, you just close your eyes, you go to heaven.
Stephen Lonetti: What is this gonna be like?
Stephen Lonetti: Right?
Stephen Lonetti: And I I don't know how many of you have been to big convocations.
Stephen Lonetti: Uh I've been to the Shepherd's Conference with about 5,000, 6,000 men all singing together.
Stephen Lonetti: That carries you up.
Stephen Lonetti: I've been to a conference with 10,000 people singing Amazing Grace.
Stephen Lonetti: What is this going to be like?
Stephen Lonetti: I'll tell you one thing is gonna be far better than this.
Stephen Lonetti: Far better than what you can experience on earth.
Stephen Lonetti: And it it the spontaneous outburst of worship is the result of the realization that the long-awaited defeat of sin, death, and Satan is at hand.
Stephen Lonetti: And they all realized it.
Stephen Lonetti: And Jesus Christ will return to the earth in magnificent triumph and set up his glorious millennial kingdom on earth.
Stephen Lonetti: And the devastating curse of sin will be reversed, and Israel will be saved, and the church will be honored as Jesus assumes his rightful place on the throne forevermore.
Stephen Lonetti: This song has been closed up in the breast of the saints for millennia, and now it will burst forth in exuberance never before witnessed, as they sing a new song.
Stephen Lonetti: This is a new song, the song of the redeemed.
Stephen Lonetti: You see, there are four things which sin and the devil have dislocated in his rebellion in the universe.
Stephen Lonetti: The church, which should be in heaven, Israel, which should be at peace in the land given her by God, Satan, who should be in the lake of fire, and Christ, who should be seated on his throne from which he reigns.
Stephen Lonetti: We don't see these things right now, but at this time we're being introduced to them.
Stephen Lonetti: Now, all four of these sin brought about anomalies will be put to rest by Jesus.
Stephen Lonetti: The new song, whenever it's mentioned in the Bible, is always a song of redemption.
Stephen Lonetti: And notice who it is that has been purchased and rescued and redeemed.
Stephen Lonetti: People.
Stephen Lonetti: People, people from every tribe.
Stephen Lonetti: That means a group affiliated by kinship or habitation, and tongue, a group related through language, or people defining large groups of people, or a country, or a nation, ethnos.
Stephen Lonetti: So it describes the ethne or the ethnic groupings of the world.
Stephen Lonetti: And all are gathered in heaven around the throne of God, all of them.
Stephen Lonetti: And we will sing like we have never sung before, and we will rejoice as we have never rejoiced before, and we will be together forevermore with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Stephen Lonetti: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.
Stephen Lonetti: To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.
Stephen Lonetti: And the four living creatures will keep saying, Amen.
Stephen Lonetti: Amen.
Stephen Lonetti: Thank you for that amen.
Stephen Lonetti: It's nice to have a response sometimes.
Stephen Lonetti: Appreciate it.
Stephen Lonetti: And the elders.
Stephen Lonetti: God bless you, brother.
Stephen Lonetti: There's always one amen or, you know.
Stephen Lonetti: And the elders will fall down, for he is worthy.
Stephen Lonetti: Now, this is the motivation for every church to join and co-labor with those who have gone out for the sake of the name and for the truth.
Stephen Lonetti: This is why we join together with those.
Stephen Lonetti: That, and I appreciate it.
Stephen Lonetti: Um, I don't know if it was in Pastor Doug's prayer or if he was saying it.
Stephen Lonetti: I appreciated the fact we need to be discerning who we support.
Stephen Lonetti: There's a lot of people looking for help, okay?
Stephen Lonetti: But we need to make sure that they're going out for the sake of the name and for the truth, because we are co-workers together for truth.
Stephen Lonetti: And I believe this church is on to that, and that's a great encouragement.
Stephen Lonetti: Therefore, we ought to support such men so that we may be co-laborers together with them with the truth.
Stephen Lonetti: Let's pray.
Stephen Lonetti: Father God, we thank you so much, Lord, for this glimpse into heaven.
Stephen Lonetti: And Father, we our words fail.
Stephen Lonetti: We're so inadequate.
Stephen Lonetti: Even as we read your word, it thrills our souls, but we're just on the edges of glory.
Stephen Lonetti: Just on the very, very fringes.
Stephen Lonetti: We only get small little glimpses of such glory.
Stephen Lonetti: But thank you for those glimpses, and thank you for the motivation they are to our hearts.
Stephen Lonetti: May we be faithful and obedient.
Stephen Lonetti: For we pray it in Jesus' name.
Stephen Lonetti: Amen.