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990502AM

Ls Experiencing Jesus In Revelation REVELATION 21:9-22:5 EXPERIENCING JESUS

This morning God invites us to the greatest event of all time. The ultimate communication from God has arrived. It is a beautiful work of art, a picture of vivid color and radiance. It is a full color portrait of His Son, Jesus. God presents this photograph as a gift to us. We can do with it what we want, but He promises an unusual blessing to all those who take the time to look at this picture.

What is the picture? It is the Unveiled Jesus of Revelation. It is the uncovered glory of the Image of God in Jesus. It is a gift from God for us to share at this Lord’s Supper!

Have you experienced the irresistible attraction and the incomparable satisfaction of experiencing God? Our Lord proposes to all that will try, that experiencing His Son Jesus is the highest pleasure and greatest treasure to be found. What do you think? God and His Word have fallen on hard times in our world. There are far more exciting pleasures and captivating treasures than Him aren’t there?

Worshipping God is the highest calling we can have as His creation. We were created to worship God. Yet I find more resistance in my life to worship than anything else. Distractions pour in, doubts arise and the constant downward tug of the world, the flesh and the devil all make it hard. On the positive side, we can all agree that the most precious moments in our life are those few that we know were spent standing consciously in the very presence of God. This morning may I ask you to rise to this moment?

This is a worship service. We have come to worship the One who’s sacrificial death was in our place. We have come to worship God the Father’s plan. Would you lay aside all the plans, imaginations and distracting thoughts of other things and give the gift of your total attention to God? Will you follow along in the Scriptures and in a spirit of continual prayerfulness ask the Lord to open your heart more and more to Him? Its the hardest and yet most rewarding exercise I can think of!

Please stand with me and listen as I read The first and last verses of every chapter of Revelation

Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2:1“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 3:22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ” 4:1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the
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back, sealed with seven seals. 6:1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 7:1 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 8:1When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 9:1 Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. 10:1 I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. 11:1 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. 12:1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. 13:1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 14:1 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. 15:1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete. 16:1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.” 17:1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 18:1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 19:1 After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Worship Jesus with me this morning. Discover what it means to be Experiencing Jesus. He is wonderful, He is glorious and He is our Beloved Bridegroom for Whom is all our desires. God’s Word describes five different stages of worship as we come into the very presence of God.

We start the process of worshiping Him as we startledly sit still in front of His awesome Majesty: Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (NIV); Habakkuk 2:20 But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.” (NIV)

HOLY, HOLY, Holy

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Then as we comprehend even a fraction of Who He is and how utterly magnificent He is we stop again in awe, wondrous reverence and sheer delight at the magnitude of His power, might and infinitude: Psalm 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. (NIV)

As we linger in the glow of His presence we find our lack of holiness becomes painfully revealed: Isaiah 57:15 For this is what the high and lofty One says — he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. (NIV)

Then it hits, a pang of hunger. We want to know Him, love and adore Him. We begin to fill up with wonder and gratitude for even the chance to have this moment. Psalm 63:1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (NIV);

Awash with wonder we feel the sheer delight of a new hope. Joyously He begins to flood our souls with His response of bearing away the deadening load of our sin. We feel the burden lifted, the stains removed, the coldness warmed and the emptiness filled. We are experiencing our God. Psalm 27:4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (NIV).

We find in His Revelation we can:

Worship Jesus’ Majesty Revelation 1 Worship Jesus’ Message Revelation 2-3 Worship Jesus’ Mission Revelation 4-19  Opening His Worship 4-5, 1, 19  Showing His Ending of the World 6-9, 16, 19  Explaining His Mystery 10-15  Revealing His True Bride 17  Warning of the World’s Collapse 18 Worship Jesus’ Mansions Revelation 20-22

DISCOVER THE MAJESTY OF JESUS REVELATION 1

 Revelation 1:1-3: Worship the MINISTRY OF JESUS Revealing Himself to His Bondservants  Revelation 1:4: Worship the PEACE OF JESUS Revealing His rest  Revelation 1:5: Worship the BLOOD OF JESUS Revealing His Life  Revelation 1:7-8, 19-20: Worship the PLAN OF JESUS Revealing His Heart
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 Revelation 1:14: Worship the EYES OF JESUS Revealing His omniscience  Revelation 1:15: Worship the VOICE OF JESUS Revealing His Omnipotence  Revelation 1:16-18: Worship the TOUCH OF JESUS Revealing His Humanity  Revelation 1:9-20: Worship the GLORY OF JESUS Revealing His character

Imagine hearing a voice like a trumpet and seeing these SEVEN PERFECTIONS OF HIS DIVINITY: 1. THE PERFECT MAN: As identified with us, Hebrews 2:18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. Hebrews 4:15 but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. NKJV Son of Man: (84 times He calls himself this, no one else does.) He came to seek and save the lost of Adam’s fallen race. One like the Son of Man, THE CONQUEROR OF ADAM’S FALLEN RACE, 2. THE PERFECT SACRIFICE He is robed to the feet as THE PERFECT PRIEST,: All other priests carried around sacrifices, this priest was the sacrifice, He gave Himself for me Paul says and so should we! As priest: Robe to Feet , Hebrews pictures Him ever living to intercede for us. 3. THE PERFECT JUDGE: as Judge: Girded around breast was ancient symbol of restrained emotions. He judges rightly. He is sinless, He is full of love and wisdom. No one can made decisions perfectly except Him! 4. THE PERFECT IMAGE OF GOD He is white haired as THE ANCIENT OF DAYS,: As Ancient of Days, White hair = sign of maturity, absolute holiness; Ancient of Days – Daniel 7:9 –same description. As Hebrews 1:3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, NKJV 5. THE PERFECT TRUTH: With His eyes of fire, THE SEER OF ALL SECRETS, As penetrating scrutinizer: those eyes of fire discover and with consuming light reveal secrets 6. THE PERFECT DEFENDER: As trampler of foes, those feet of military bronze will crush His enemies, even those who cry, “Lord, Lord…but He never knew.” With His brazen feet, THE ULTIMATE JUDGE crushing all foes, 7. THE PERFECT COMMUNICATOR: With a voice, THE VOICE OF GOD as thunderous as the 12 million cubic feet of water crashing at Niagara’s base, commanding all to pay attention, the deaf and the dead can hear it, and so should we!

DISCOVER THE MESSAGE OF JESUS REVELATION 2-3 1. TRUE BELIEVERS HAVE AN ABUNDANT LIFE Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (KJV) = Has infinite life in paradise regained – John 3:16  AN OVERFLOWING LIFE: John 7:38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” (NIV) 2. TRUE BELIEVERS HAVE AN INDESTRUCTIBLE LIFE Revelation 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. (KJV)
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 SECURE FROM ANY PHYSICAL ADVERSARY: John 10:28-29 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father’s hand. (KJV) 3. JESUS CAME TO GIVE HIS OVERCOMERS AN INEXAUSTIBLE SUPPLY Revelation 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth [it]. (KJV) 4. TRUE BELIEVERS HAVE AN INEXPRESSIBLE FUTURE Revelation 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: (KJV)  GOD WILL OVERWHELM US WITH UNBELIEVABLE PLEASURES: Second Corinthians 12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. (KJV) 5. TRUE BELIEVERS HAVE INCREDIBLE COVERAGE Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (KJV) WE have Christ as our garment, Advocate and our relative:  CHRIST AS OUR GARMENT! Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof]. (KJV)  CHRIST AS OUR ADVOCATE! Hebrews 7:24-25 But this [man], because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (KJV) 6. TRUE BELIEVERS HAVE AN INESCAPABLE DESTINATION Revelation 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, [which is] new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and [I will write upon him] my new name. (KJV)  A PILLAR, BECAUSE WE ARE SECURE: John 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if [it were] not [so,] I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, [there] you may be also. (NKJV)  A NAME, BECAUSE WE ARE A LOVE GIFT FROM THE FATHER TO THE SON! John 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (KJV) 7. TRUE BELIEVERS HAVE INTIMACY WITH GOD Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (KJV)  INTIMACY IS A PROMISE: John 14:21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” (NKJV)  INTIMACY IS A PERSON: John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. (NKJV)
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 INTIMACY IS PERMANENT: Revelation 21:7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. (NKJV)

DISCOVER THE MISSION OF JESUS REVELATION 4-20

 Worship the LOVELINESS OF JESUS as He is at the center and focus of my worship (4)  Worship the SACRIFICE OF JESUS at the Throne of the Universe as the Lamb of God (5)  Worship the WRATH OF JESUS as He displays His Holy Wrath against Sin (6)  Worship the LOVE OF JESUS as He sends His Witnesses to Rescue lost and helpless sinners (7)  Worship the PATIENCE OF JESUS as He controls His wrath and waits, Listens and Responds (8)  Worship the JUDGMENT OF JESUS as He Judges hardened and unrepentant sinners (9)  Worship the MYSTERY OF JESUS as Judge (10)  Worship the WITNESS OF JESUS by trusting His Word (11)!  Worship the VICTORY OF JESUS as He shows His people His Ultimate Triumph (12)  Worship the GENUINENESS OF JESUS as He exposes the LIES of the Counterfeit Christ (13)  Worship the COMPASSION OF JESUS in sending the everlasting gospel (14).  Worship the BEAUTY OF JESUS as we worship Him in the splendor of His Redeeming Love (15)  Worship the POWER OF JESUS as He judges the horror of locked hearts (16).  Worship the TRUE BRIDE OF JESUS unmasking the apostasy and revealing His own saints (17)  Worship the AUTHORITY OF JESUS judging materialism and acclaiming true values (18) .  Worship the MARRIAGE OF JESUS (19:1-10) as He celebrates union with His bride.  Worship the RE-ENTRY OF JESUS (19:11-21) conquering the rebellion (19).

DISCOVER THE MANSIONS OF JESUS REVELATION 20-22

 Worship the TRIUMPH OF JESUS vanquishing the devil (20:1-10) and renewing the earth.  Worship the LAST WORD OF JESUS damning the rebels (20:11-15).  Worship the HONEYMOON OF JESUS unveiling Paradise for His Bride (21:1-8).  Worship the WONDERS OF JESUS revealing Paradise to His bride. (21:9-27)  Worship the EXTRAVAGENCE OF JESUS offering salvation to all who come to Him (22:1-21).  Worship the EXPERIENCE OF JESUS opening and closing the Revelation of Himself (1-22)

Step with me into the worship center of the universe. Through His Word, gaze at the One who is seated on the Eternal Throne. As we watch, exalt God in your spirit as the endless praise is ascending around His Throne. Let us be still and know who it is before
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whom we stand. And then Adore the LOVELINESS OF JESUS as He is at the center and focus of my worship.

To worship Him Who is worthy of all worship and praise is our duty and purpose of existence. The Father seeks only one thing, and that is that we might worship Him. To truly worship Him is to ascribe to Him that honor, praise, glory, and majesty that He is worthy of – a true “worthship.” This day, join me as we stand in the vestibule and peer through the door into the chambers of the Most High.

Through the eyes of that faithful and true disciple of love who alone remained, heir of the apostolic band-and with his pen, tried to capture that which when Paul saw it, said it was inexpressible.  Let us listen to the choirs of angels in numberless circles about the glassy sea and its throne as they say His worthy praise.  Let us listen to those eternal creatures chant “Holy, holy…holy,” and by faith’s eye let us see with John that band which no man could number and listen to their songs of adoration and praise. Do you know Him, Christ the Lord, Who merits such praise.  Let us see Him now—worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to be praised this day by us who owe Him our all!