WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:05.200 So we are in our fourth week studying the book of Revelation. 00:00:05.919 --> 00:00:14.240 Revelation is this letter that John wrote as he was exiled on an island in the G and C, and he wrote it to seven churches, these seven churches that he really loves. 00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:17.120 And what we've said is the letter can sound kind of strange. 00:00:17.359 --> 00:00:19.760 Maybe even this morning to you, it sounded strange. 00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:23.199 It's because the letter has a lot of poetry in it, a lot of imagery. 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:26.239 There's symbolic language and there's literal language. 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:31.359 In Revelation 1, we saw John unveil to us, that's what Revelation means, to unveil. 00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:34.320 Then he unveiled to us how supreme and caring Jesus is. 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:44.320 And we got this guiding image of Jesus holding seven stars, and that was representative language of Jesus holding these seven churches that John's writing to. 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:53.280 So in John's mind, he's communicating how much Jesus cares and holds these people and how much he cares and holds us. 00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:55.200 We're in chapter four today. 00:00:55.359 --> 00:01:05.920 And so we begin in a series of visions that John has that he writes down to encourage these seven churches, and we get to partake in it and listen in. 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:07.519 Today we have the first vision. 00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:11.040 The first vision is God on his throne. 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:14.319 So we'll read our way through the chapter, we'll make a few points as we go. 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:16.079 Revelation 4, 1 through 3. 00:01:16.239 --> 00:01:27.120 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, Come up here and I will show you what must take place after this. 00:01:27.359 --> 00:01:30.640 At once I was in the spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven. 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:33.680 So here's the vision, with one seated on the throne. 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:43.200 And he who sat there had the appearance of Jasper and Cornelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 00:01:43.359 --> 00:01:49.760 So John uses jewelry language, jewel language to describe how beautiful God is. 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:53.200 Language just runs out sometimes. 00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:55.040 It just runs out. 00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:56.159 Sometimes we just have a hard time. 00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:01.359 What kind of word do we put on something that we esteem so highly or that we love so much? 00:02:01.599 --> 00:02:03.200 Now, this isn't my language, I'll be honest. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:04.799 You know, thinking about it, this is not my language. 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:05.760 Maybe this is your language. 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:07.280 Maybe you love jewelry. 00:02:07.439 --> 00:02:09.039 I care less about jewelry. 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:15.520 My wife can sadly testify how much I don't care about jewelry. 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:20.400 For me, verse 3 would read like this: Russ's version. 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:23.599 And you can write your own version because it's just language, this. 00:02:23.759 --> 00:02:29.520 This is just metaphorical language to try to even begin to how beautiful, how beautiful God is. 00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:38.479 For me, this is, and he who sat there had the appearance of a sunrise hitting the Teton Mountains and a sunset over the Pacific Ocean. 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:40.319 I could care less about jewelry. 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:41.360 I don't care about jewels. 00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:42.240 That's not my thing. 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:43.360 Might be your thing. 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:46.719 You might have read that and you've been like, whoa, that's amazing. 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:48.479 He's that beautiful. 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:51.599 Maybe you're a foodie and you put in some foodie language there. 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:53.280 I don't know what you need to put in there. 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:57.919 But it's the most beautiful language you could possibly put together. 00:02:58.159 --> 00:02:59.680 That's what John's doing. 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:01.039 He's running out of words. 00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:07.439 He's just trying to search for some words that could even possibly begin to describe how beautiful. 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:08.719 Here's point number one. 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:14.000 Because God reigns, we do not have to walk in fear or defeat. 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:16.879 I love the song that we just sang. 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:21.520 I think one of the lines was something like, The joy that seeks me in pain. 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:28.000 God's probably not going to just all of a sudden, tomorrow morning, just relieve you of all of your pain. 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:29.840 It's probably going to be a process. 00:03:30.560 --> 00:03:35.680 But what we do have is we have God's presence with us in the pain. 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:46.159 And the thing about us that I've discovered about myself is if all the pain is relieved and everything is easy, I all of a sudden don't really pay that much attention to God. 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:49.120 And the point is always God's presence. 00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:56.960 And that's why we don't have to walk in fear of defeat, is because no matter what we're walking through, we can't have God with us. 00:03:57.199 --> 00:04:02.080 Now, we don't think about thrones a lot in our culture, right? 00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:06.560 There's not a lot of language and imagery in the United States of that. 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:08.240 But we see imagery of it, right? 00:04:08.319 --> 00:04:10.719 The Queen of England, I grabbed a couple pictures this morning. 00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:12.479 Queen of England sits on a throne. 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:14.560 Every once in a while we see this kind of imagery, right? 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:16.959 It's not imagery of our country, but it's around. 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:21.199 The king of Saudi Arabia, he sits in a pretty esteemed chair. 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:26.399 Now, I don't think either of these people are watching television at night in these chairs. 00:04:26.560 --> 00:04:28.319 I don't think that's happening, right? 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:29.120 They're not. 00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:32.240 They're in these chairs to signify something. 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:34.079 King LeBron, right? 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:35.279 Famous ad. 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:37.120 He added in lions. 00:04:37.199 --> 00:04:40.560 Like real, like really, you know, like the throne, the chair wasn't enough. 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:42.399 Let's throw some lions in there. 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:43.120 Right? 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:47.120 Because thrones signify power. 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:51.839 Now, John's readers, they pick up on this right away. 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:55.279 They thought in terms of kings and thrones. 00:04:55.519 --> 00:05:05.120 They lived under an emperor of the Roman Empire, Domitian, who demanded everyone to call him Lord and God. 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:12.639 And those who refused, like John, ended up on an island, or beaten or killed. 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:17.360 See, the Roman throne was a throne of fear. 00:05:18.160 --> 00:05:41.360 But this imagery that John's giving out, and this is what these people were picked up on right away, this imagery, which is a really clever slight against the Romans, this imagery is saying, hey, that throne that you're under, that you may be afraid of of Domitian, that throne, okay, he may have some power in this world, but there's another throne. 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:44.480 There's a heavenly king that we serve. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:51.439 And it is a throne of power, but it's also a throne of love. 00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:56.160 And that would have just driven Domitian crazy. 00:05:56.639 --> 00:05:58.879 Because he only ruled by power. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:04.240 And here we have not just a worldly king, but the creator God. 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:13.439 And for us to understand him is for us to understand a throne, but it's not just a throne of power, it is a throne of power and love. 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:17.279 And we all have a domission. 00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:22.240 We all have some throne of power over us that produces fear in us. 00:06:22.399 --> 00:06:24.720 And you can fill in the blank of what your domission is. 00:06:24.959 --> 00:06:32.800 Whatever it is, it's that person or that thing or that situation, that circumstance that creates fear in you. 00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:39.199 And what John is saying is domission has a throne. 00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:40.959 Like he does. 00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:44.079 But God holds the ultimate throne. 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:49.680 And God's reign over us is power, but it's power and love. 00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:51.199 Verse 4. 00:06:51.439 --> 00:06:53.120 So here's the throne. 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:57.600 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones. 00:06:57.920 --> 00:07:03.279 And seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments with golden crowns on their head. 00:07:03.360 --> 00:07:12.160 From the throne came flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God. 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:18.480 And before the throne there was at it a sea of glass, like crystal. 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:24.480 And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:34.720 The first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:50.800 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are all full of eyes, all around them and within, and day and night, they never cease to say, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:52.639 Now here's point number two. 00:07:52.720 --> 00:07:55.680 There's a whole bunch in there we're going to try to make sense of. 00:07:55.839 --> 00:07:56.800 Here's point number two. 00:07:57.040 --> 00:08:00.720 Because God reigns, we can have inner peace. 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:04.879 Because He reigns, we can have inner peace. 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:11.920 Verse 6 has beautiful imagery for us amidst all this kind of strangeness that's going on in this passage. 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:16.959 There's this imagery of water, a sea of glass like crystal. 00:08:17.279 --> 00:08:17.600 Right? 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:20.720 No troubled waters. 00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:25.759 I read this week that there's no panic in heaven. 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:27.360 Isn't that nice? 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:30.399 Because there's so much panic in us. 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:39.200 That God knows all about your heartache and your broken heart. 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:42.240 Even the parts you haven't told anybody about. 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:43.840 He knows all about it. 00:08:44.879 --> 00:08:46.399 And there's no panic. 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:48.399 Not by him. 00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:50.559 There's no anxiousness by him. 00:08:52.799 --> 00:08:54.000 We want answers. 00:08:54.960 --> 00:08:55.759 We want answers. 00:08:56.080 --> 00:08:59.519 We want things to resolve right away, tomorrow, tonight, right now. 00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:01.679 And we want control. 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:04.799 But we don't always get that. 00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:09.919 And what our hearts actually need all the time is God's presence. 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:13.200 Which actually brings the peace that we really desire. 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:16.480 Now back to those numbers. 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:18.559 Three different numbers popped up. 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:26.639 Now, people who overread Revelation, we would say maybe they make too much of numbers in the book of Revelation. 00:09:26.799 --> 00:09:31.039 So we're going to tread carefully, but there's something here, these numbers. 00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:41.039 Repeating numbers are common in the Bible, so they mean something, but we don't have to build like an entire theology out of numbers and get real weird and sound like a cult or something. 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:42.320 We don't have to do that. 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:45.519 The numbers mean something. 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:51.279 And the numbers are actually a sign, meaning that the numbers send us somewhere else. 00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:56.879 They help us understand one thing in order for us to keep moving to understand something else. 00:09:57.200 --> 00:10:02.320 Here's a picture of our family last summer in front of the Yellowstone National Park sign. 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:04.159 It's a sign. 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:05.600 It's a great sign. 00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:07.279 I love national park signs. 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:11.600 Like I am, you know, I'm a national park nerd, right? 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:16.480 All the national park signs kind of look the same, and the craftsmanship's so great. 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:18.320 I mean, I just love them, right? 00:10:18.480 --> 00:10:20.320 I want to be a ranger when I grow up. 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:22.080 The sign welcomes us. 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:23.360 Everybody stops, right? 00:10:23.440 --> 00:10:25.840 You stop, you've done this, you've maybe, maybe you've done it. 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:28.960 You stop at the National Park sign, and we all take pictures of each other. 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:29.679 You meet each other. 00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:30.159 Where are you from? 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:31.120 How long are you here? 00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:31.679 All right? 00:10:31.759 --> 00:10:33.440 We do all that at the sign. 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:36.240 The sign welcomes us, but the sign sends us on. 00:10:36.320 --> 00:10:39.120 Like we're not meant to stay at the sign. 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:44.080 And we went on that day to marvel at some of God's unbelievable creative works. 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:48.399 Like we hiked around geysers and we swam in Yellowstone Lake, right? 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:51.279 Now imagine if we had just stayed at the at the sign. 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:53.519 That would have been weird. 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:55.279 That's just weird, right? 00:10:57.200 --> 00:10:58.960 Well, that would be crazy, right? 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:03.600 So see, these numbers, they they they tell us something, but they tell us in order for us to move on. 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:08.639 It's not for us to build out a whole weird spiritual religion out of the numbers. 00:11:08.799 --> 00:11:11.519 The numbers tell us something, so we move on to something else. 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:12.960 So what do the numbers mean? 00:11:13.039 --> 00:11:18.799 Well, we'll tread carefully, but let's just try to maybe propose upon this just a little bit. 00:11:18.960 --> 00:11:20.320 It's not a math textbook. 00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:22.720 I know they're numbers, but it's not like a math textbook. 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:25.039 This is still the poetry of John. 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:27.039 Like we have to put on a little poet hat here. 00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:29.200 John is being poetic here. 00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:31.519 24. 00:11:31.679 --> 00:11:33.600 That's the first number that we see here. 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:36.240 24 elders, most likely angels. 00:11:36.399 --> 00:11:39.039 And the number 24 is not very common in the Bible. 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:46.080 So you go, well, where in the world does he get 24 when he's sitting down and he's trying to be meaningful and write something meaningful? 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:47.840 Like, where is he getting this? 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:53.759 Well, we do have like 12 tribes of Israel, and we have 12 apostles, and 12 and 12. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:54.799 24, right? 00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:56.240 Okay, so maybe, maybe. 00:11:56.480 --> 00:12:00.879 We also see that those two groups are brought together in Revelation 21. 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:06.720 So maybe all of that, maybe that's where John's mind is going because we see it in Revelation 21. 00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:14.320 So all that to mean that it's possible that this 24 is representative of, it's symbolic of God's people. 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:21.440 Twelve tribes of Israel, 12 apostles, the people of God in the Old Testament, the people of God in the New Testament. 00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:24.960 Now, the number seven is a very common number in the Bible. 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:27.519 We see the number seven kind of all over the place. 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:30.480 Even in this letter, it's seven churches. 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:38.879 Symbolically, the number of seven in the Bible is usually referencing something to do with completeness or wholeness. 00:12:41.519 --> 00:12:52.799 So symbolically, looking at that idea of completeness and wholeness, and these seven churches here, that perhaps this means that this seven, this number of seven is speaking about God's church. 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:57.200 Then around the throne, there were four living creatures. 00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:59.759 Funky, funky, amazing creatures, right? 00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:01.039 Like Lord of the Rings stuff. 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:02.799 Like let's just get creative. 00:13:02.960 --> 00:13:05.200 Like as creative as you can get, go and write it down. 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:07.679 And that's the kind of thing that we have here. 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:12.320 Now it's thought that maybe these connect with Revelation 7.1. 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:15.279 We have the number four again as the four winds. 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:25.840 So maybe John's mind, he's working these two things together, and the four creatures here represent the four winds, and these connect in some way, which would mean if that's true. 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:26.639 I don't know. 00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:27.679 I don't know. 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:39.039 But it would mean, and I do love this, that they represent the four ends of the earth, that they represent nature itself. 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:46.080 That even the awesomeness of God's creation brings worship to the creator. 00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:49.600 So if we put all that together, I didn't come up with this. 00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:50.960 I read some commentaries on this, right? 00:13:51.039 --> 00:13:52.559 Like I could created all that. 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:54.080 Put all that together. 00:13:54.399 --> 00:13:58.159 Like a sign, remember we're not building a whole theology, it's just going to send us somewhere. 00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:02.000 We have 24, so we have God's people from the Old Testament and the New Testament. 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:09.360 We have seven, the whole of God's church, and then four, we have the entirety of God's creation that worships him, and all that. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:10.399 That's a sign. 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:17.840 It's a sign that sends us to the truth of our lives, which is we were created to worship. 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:18.720 Right? 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:24.320 Pretty simple, profound point with a whole bunch of imagery all around it in Revelation 4. 00:14:24.879 --> 00:14:30.399 We were created to know him, to know him more, to know his love, and to know his peace. 00:14:31.679 --> 00:14:36.879 Twenty years ago, when I was just dating Christy, I was at my granny's house. 00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:40.879 I'd stopped by to check on her and I think to do a few chores. 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:45.279 And Christy and I've been dating for a little bit, I was getting serious, and Granny knew that. 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:50.320 And Granny said, Well, you know there's a ring. 00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:52.480 You know there's a ring. 00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:54.960 I'm like, I didn't have any money. 00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:56.080 You know, so I'm like, what? 00:14:56.159 --> 00:14:56.960 There's a what? 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:00.240 And she said, There's a ring. 00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:05.120 Your great-grandmother had four rings. 00:15:05.679 --> 00:15:12.240 I have one, your Aunt Linda wears one, your mom wears one, and there's a fourth one in a safety deposit box. 00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:14.879 And then she says, and I don't even know what it is. 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:19.200 She said, It's been in that safety deposit box so long, I don't even remember what it is. 00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:21.039 But I think it's a diamond ring. 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:24.480 So maybe it could work for you, but I don't even know. 00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:25.919 But I'm still I'm all in. 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:27.360 You know, it's like free ring? 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:28.720 That's what we're talking about here. 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:30.559 Guys, you remembered, right? 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:31.679 I didn't have any money. 00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:33.600 I didn't know how all this was gonna work out. 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:35.120 And I was just like, free ring. 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:36.720 I'm like, well, just let me know. 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:37.440 What do you need me to do? 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:38.240 You need me to drive up there. 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:39.200 You want me to drive you up there? 00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:40.080 What do you need? 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:42.559 But she's like, Well, I'll go get it this week, come back next week. 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:44.399 So I come back the next week. 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:46.320 Can't wait to see this ring, right? 00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:48.080 I mean, this could be it, this could be it. 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:55.759 And she hands over to me a dirty Ziploc bag, and she's like, here it is, you know. 00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:57.360 And I open it up. 00:15:57.440 --> 00:15:59.039 In there is a ring. 00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:03.200 Something that you would walk by on the sidewalk in the gutter and just keep on walking. 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:07.840 It is corroded, it is nasty, it is dirty, the band is corroded. 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:11.600 There is a something that looks like maybe, maybe a diamond. 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:14.960 You're like, maybe, maybe that could be, don't know. 00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:18.000 And she's like, This is this is the diamond ring. 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:20.399 And I'm like, thank you, you know, thank you. 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:21.600 It's amazing. 00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:26.799 And I just tuck this ziplop bag straight in my pocket, you know, like maybe we'll see. 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:28.559 Maybe, maybe this could work out. 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:30.879 I do drive straight up to the jewelry store. 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:33.919 I'm gonna solve this, figure out this could be the real thing. 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:36.159 Drive up there and hand that over. 00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:37.120 That's a moment. 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:40.559 Hand that dirty ziplop bag over to the guy, and he opens it up. 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:41.759 He's like, What? 00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:42.559 What is this? 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:43.360 And tell the story. 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:44.720 He's like, Oh, okay, I get it. 00:16:44.879 --> 00:16:51.600 So he goes and he cleans it, and he comes back, and then he says, The band's horrible. 00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:52.480 It's corroded. 00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:53.279 The band is nothing. 00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:57.600 But he said, then he says, but he's like, that that's a nice diamond. 00:16:57.759 --> 00:16:59.039 He says, a really nice diamond. 00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:06.480 That's that's a hand cut, round, done, clarity, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, you know, all that stuff that you you knew for like one month of your life when you're a guy. 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:08.319 You really knew it. 00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:10.319 You knew those letters and numbers. 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:18.160 And then he told me the estimated worth of the diamond. 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:21.039 Everything changed. 00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:21.920 Right? 00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:28.559 It wasn't just like a casual ziplop bag in the pocket, like throw it in a glove box while you're running windy's, get a frosty. 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:30.880 That's not what happened the rest of the day. 00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:34.640 It was straight to the bank for a safety deposit box. 00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:44.880 Put it in the safety deposit box, in there, you know, you look in there, close it, look in again, look around, close it, lock it, unlock it, still there, okay. 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:45.920 Right? 00:17:47.359 --> 00:17:53.759 Because what what I treated so casually changed when I understood its worth. 00:17:55.839 --> 00:18:01.119 The song being sung in verse 8 is holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:03.440 Now I love that holy, holy, holy. 00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:04.799 We sing that a lot. 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:09.200 This is one of the things where language can't handle it. 00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:13.119 That word holy, because there's an otherness to that word. 00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:18.559 A separateness, separate from us, like separate from little imperfect me. 00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:26.799 It's like us singing like other, like just so just immaculate and godly and perfect and powerful and loving. 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:29.200 I mean, it's just other, other, other. 00:18:32.319 --> 00:18:33.039 Verse 9. 00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:46.160 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before him. 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:49.359 So that's the entirety of God's people. 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:54.079 Fall down before him, who is seated on the throne and worship him, who lives forever and ever. 00:18:54.319 --> 00:19:05.839 They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created. 00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:15.119 The elders representing God's people, there they are, and they're letting go of not just difficulties, but the goodness they have. 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:20.559 The imagery of the crowns is to be laying down the best that they have. 00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:29.119 Point number three is this worship is our response of astonishment to the glorious God who loves us. 00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:31.920 Worship is a response. 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:36.000 It's not a throne of fear and power, of just like coercion. 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:40.480 It's compelling you out of glory and love. 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:43.920 It's been about two months. 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:48.559 I figured we can talk about, I try to say very neutral as a pastor, but it's been two months. 00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:54.319 That my school, the University of Georgia, won the national championship. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:56.480 I'm not, if you remember, I've waited two months. 00:19:56.559 --> 00:19:59.359 I didn't want to bring it up too early because some of you are at other schools. 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:01.359 I understand, I try to be respectful. 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:04.000 We're in our den. 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:08.000 Little ones asleep. 00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:11.920 It's Christy and I, the two bigger girls. 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:17.519 Every play, our hands are up, we're out of our seats. 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:21.279 We've been just, we we've gotten so close so many times and we lose. 00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:24.240 And y'all have won other, I know so many of y'all have won, right? 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:25.440 So many of y'all won. 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:26.880 We get so close we lose. 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:27.519 So close. 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:30.319 Like, and we're just, we're like, it's it's still not gonna happen. 00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:31.440 Like it's not gonna happen. 00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:35.359 But still, we're it's like every time something great happens, like we're up, out of our, and then we actually won. 00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:38.640 Which some most of the time, Georgia fans, even now, we're like, did we win? 00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:41.839 Like, like, I'm not sure. 00:20:41.920 --> 00:20:42.480 I'll Google it. 00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:43.599 I'm like, yeah. 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:45.599 Like it did happen. 00:20:46.079 --> 00:20:50.160 End of the game, we're up, we're hugging, like arms are up, right? 00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:51.839 Like it finally happened, right? 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:56.319 Worship's a response to that which you deem worthy. 00:20:57.359 --> 00:20:58.960 And we don't all worship the same. 00:20:59.119 --> 00:21:00.319 That'd be boring. 00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:03.279 It'd be boring to me if everybody worships the same. 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:05.839 I just give you pastoral permission. 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:09.440 If you are a hands-up person, hands up, go for it. 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:10.880 Right? 00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:14.559 I like, I'm just I like to be a little sway. 00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:15.519 I'm a little sway. 00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:16.559 You've you've seen me. 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:18.799 I know you peek over and look at me when I'm worshiping. 00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:20.000 I know how it is. 00:21:20.400 --> 00:21:22.160 I just sway just a little. 00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:24.319 Some of you, you've you've never moved. 00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:26.240 You barely got in the room, right? 00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:31.200 You are stoic and you stand, you're contemplative, you sit. 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:33.039 Fantastic. 00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:38.480 Doesn't matter how you worship, worship's a response of your heart. 00:21:39.440 --> 00:21:42.640 You're so compelled by this throne of power and love. 00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:45.119 This God who loves you, holds you. 00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:50.400 There's a story in John 12 of a lady who comes to Jesus as he's eating. 00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:52.319 She has this very expensive jar of perfume. 00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:53.680 Remember the story? 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:55.119 She pours it on his feet. 00:21:55.279 --> 00:22:03.119 John 12, 3, Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. 00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:05.519 The house was filled with the fragrance of perfume. 00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:09.279 Judas goes and gets onto her, and then Jesus gets on to Judas. 00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:12.079 Judas is upset. 00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:14.319 It costs so much, worth too much. 00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:18.880 And Jesus said, you know, that she's done a beautiful thing. 00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:26.000 She experienced the greatness and love of Jesus that Jesus had for her, and it was just like, whatever, everything I have. 00:22:26.400 --> 00:22:27.680 I hand over. 00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:31.920 It's extravagant worship, response. 00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:36.160 This week, Revelation 4 has been that reminder for me. 00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:40.880 I'm into 1 Peter 5, 7. 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:43.759 Cast all your anxieties on him who cares for you. 00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:46.799 Like I'm in that because I have the anxieties. 00:22:47.200 --> 00:22:48.319 So I'm good at that. 00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:51.839 Like I can, I'm really good at casting anxieties. 00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:53.519 But then we get this Revelation 4. 00:22:53.680 --> 00:22:58.640 It's like, oh, not just our difficulties, not just our pain, not just our anxiety. 00:22:58.799 --> 00:23:05.920 We get to do all that, cast it on him, but also all the shiny great parts of our lives. 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:07.759 Like the best parts. 00:23:08.640 --> 00:23:17.440 Your giftedness, your resources, all the gifts, the crowns, your faithfulness. 00:23:17.920 --> 00:23:24.319 Like even all of that, we don't have to hold on to it and tight grip it. 00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:27.119 We get to cast it over. 00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:30.799 John could have given us like three points on how to worship. 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:33.039 Instead, he gives us this an image. 00:23:34.400 --> 00:23:35.920 An image to behold. 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:38.160 That worship is surrender. 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:46.880 Church, our crowns. 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:51.039 The best, the best of you, the best of you. 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:52.960 It's a grace. 00:23:53.119 --> 00:23:54.160 It's a gift. 00:23:54.400 --> 00:24:00.640 And we hold them with open hands and we surrender them back over to the one who holds us. 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:01.920 In Jesus' name. 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:03.599 Let's pray together. 00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:06.400 God, we thank you for your goodness to us. 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:11.039 That you are both powerful and loving. 00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:21.119 This image of Revelation 4 is just the beginning of words to try to describe how beautiful and wonderful you are. 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:24.319 And thank you that it is you who holds us. 00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:31.839 That you're not just a throne of power and glory that's far off, but you are incarnate in our lives. 00:24:32.240 --> 00:24:37.440 And that you pursue us in our brokenness and our hurt and our heartache and our heartbreak. 00:24:39.119 --> 00:24:47.839 How wonderfully holistic it is of our entire lives that we get to bring to you both our triumphs and all of our anxieties. 00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:58.960 Help us to be people of worship, learning what it means to be more responsive as we gaze upon you and your greatness. 00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:00.160 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:00.640 Amen.