Sermon May 3, 1998 Shepherd Lamb based on Revelation 7:9-17

He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Amen.

Our readings this season of Easter are coming from Acts, Revelation and John. We will continue to study Revelation today. We want to learn more of what John recorded for us. He recorded what he saw in a vision-something which appeared to be happening as John experienced it, but is actually yet in the future.

We look again in this book for the comfort God offers to Christians who face the trials and persecutions of this life. We look for the comfort that God provides as we come through the tribulation of the end of the world and come to stand before His throne in righteousness, innocence and blessedness forever.

There are three patterns of events in Revelation which portray the judgment and destruction of the world. They each provide a different way of looking at the calamity to come. These three patterns each use a count of seven objects to mark off the end. The first pattern is the opening of the seven seals on the scroll, which is described in chapters 6 and 7. Our text falls at the end of this pattern. As each seal is opened the judgment of the world takes another step. There are the other two patterns also, the seven angels with trumpets in chapters 8-11 and the seven angels with bowls in chapters 15-16. These patterns also work the same way, in that with each of the seven objects, the trumpet blown, or the bowl poured out, a portion of the destruction of the world is completed.

The Lamb, Jesus Christ, is coronated, installed, in chapters 4 and 5 and as part of this coronation, He is given a scroll with seven seals on it. Only He is worthy to open the scroll. He is worthy because He was slain, killed on the cross for our sins. As each of the seven seals are removed, the destruction of the world takes another step. Each seal is accompanied by various symbolic events. The first four seals include the coming of the white, red, black and pale-green horsemen. The fifth seal has to do with the martyrs under the altar. The sixth seal involves various natural disasters, including a great earthquake, the sun turning black, the stars falling, the sky rolling up, and the mountains and islands being removed.

All people then are fearing the judgment. They say to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" At this point the end is just around the corner, waiting for the seventh seal to be opened. One thing must happen first, and this is the sealing, or marking of the servants of God.

The believers in Christ are marked as the ones who will inherit everlasting life. Revelation says 144,000 will be marked. This number is symbolic of completeness. By saying 144,000, the Bible is telling us that all who believe in Christ will be marked; none will be missed.

Then in our text we have the description of this group. All the saved are gathered into a choir. Though the number 144,000 was previously given, in our text it describes the group as a great multitude who are beyond counting. This confirms for us that the number 144,000 is intended symbolically.

This gathering of believers is from all around. It is from EVERY nation, tribe, people and language. They will all be represented. We certainly cannot think that just the people from the United States will be saved. Not just the white people. Not just the English-speakers. Not just people from democratic countries. Not just Missouri Synod members. No, God will gather His believers from all sorts of people groups around the world.

This gathering of believers are standing before the throne of God and in front of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. They are wearing white robes and holding palm branches. The palm branches remind us of the branches waved before Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey. This multitude in white robes cried out in a loud voice, as the judgment was nearing. They said "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

So, are you planning on being among those who say this before the Lamb at the end? If so, then perhaps you should practice. Take out your bulletins and say it with me....Now, let's say it one more time, this time remembering who you are going to be saying it to....

This simple statement summarizes our faith nicely. Salvation belongs to our God. This means God is the one who saves us. He has a monopoly on the salvation market. It belongs to Him! So, we get our salvation from no other source than our God, the Lamb. Christ alone can save us. Salvation does not belong to us, but rather it is a gift given to us freely by Christ. Salvation is not earned. It is must be given from the one to whom it belongs. Salvation comes from the Lamb.

Another group begins to worship God after the white-robed multitude is through. This group is similar to the one we heard from in last week's sermon. This group consists of all angels, the elders and the four living creatures. This group has all the angels in it. The one before had only thousands upon thousands.

This group worships God by falling down on their faces. When is the last time you fell down on your face to worship God? In some churches they have kneelers, so the people can kneel at time of prayer, etc. and still be comfortable. What do you think of kneelers? Some would consider the idea too heavily involved in Roman Catholicism for us to use. I have seen several Lutheran churches with kneelers, however. I rather like the idea, myself. If we cannot kneel before God here in His house, where can we?

While in St. Louis I hosted a pastor who had come for a visit from Latvia. We went into a church without kneelers and this pastor was so used to kneeling that he just kneeled right on the floor. He told me that in Latvia they didn't have kneelers, they barely have church buildings. Even when he worshiped at the Seminary chapel, which did have kneelers, he still kneeled right on the floor.

In any case, I have not seen someone fall down on their face to worship God in public. The angels, elders, and living creatures will do this as the judgment approaches. Then they will say "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!" In their worship, this group gives all these things to God, for He is worthy of them.

Following this song, John gets to interact with his vision. He is not just passively witnessing what appears before him. Now, one of the elders asks John a question, "Who are these ones in the white robes?" We can't be sure of what the elder was trying to accomplish by this question and John's response makes us even more unsure. John says, "Sir, you know." Did John not know the answer? Was the elder just trying to find out if John knew what he knew? Or maybe John knew the answer and couldn't understand the elder asking. Anyway, the elder answers his own question.

These people in white robes are the ones who came out of the great tribulation. The great tribulation was or will be the end of the world and the judgment coming upon all people. These people got their robes white by bleaching them in the blood of the lamb.

The white robes are the robes of righteousness. They are a symbol that the ones wearing the robes are freed from their sin. How? By the blood of the Lamb. Jesus' death on the cross paid the price for our sins. His sacrifice washed all the stains out of our robes and made us pure and holy. In fact, Jesus' righteousness is already credited to us, but we still live our lives in a world of sin. Imagine what it is going to feel like on that judgment day to be fully freed from your sins. Imagine a totally pure, white robe.

These holy ones, saints, in white robes are involved in the constant worship of God. They serve Him day and night. How do you feel about that? Is that what you picture life in heaven as being like?

There are many that want to make heavenly life out to be exactly what they wish for in this life. If fishing is their favorite pastime here, they imagine enjoying it in heaven. If knitting is what they like now, they want to knit in a heavenly way. When there is a suggestion, as there is in our text, that we will be worshiping God, some find this offensive. It was reported to me that a certain person didn't want to go to heaven if all we did was worship God. That would be too boring, he said. If heaven doesn't meet their current expectations, then they will pass on it.

The problem here is that these people want to be in control. If we are honest, we will admit that we have the same sinful tendency. We want to call the shots. We want to design our heavenly life. This attitude violates the first commandment. It forgets who is creator and who is creature.

This desire to call the shots also spills over into our earthly life. We want control of things, rather than letting God have it. This attitude controls how we respond to God's will for our lives. We may reject what God wants us to do. We may wish to not be reminded of our sins. We may ignore things which we know are breaking God's laws. We want to call the shots in our life.

Yet, for us sheep that want to be in charge, the sacrificial Lamb paid the price. Jesus died a death of sacrifice to free us from our sins. Forgiveness is ours for all our sins. However, stubborn sheep as we are, we sometimes turn away from God's forgiveness. To be forgiven means to admit that we need forgiveness. We'd rather be in charge and not admit our sins. The forgiveness of Christ is there for us. The freedom from penalty for our sins is ours right now.

Our text goes on to paint a picture of what freedom from our sins will mean in heaven. Never again will we hunger or thirst. We won't be bothered by the heat of the sun. Why? It is because the Lamb on the throne will be our shepherd. He will lead us and care for us. He will give us to drink from springs of living water.

It is sort of interesting how the one who is the Lamb is also the shepherd. By faith we understand how Jesus could be both our Lamb and shepherd. He offered Himself willingly as a sacrifice for our sins. He gave Himself in all weakness to be the sacrificial Lamb for all our trespasses. Yet, He truly is God and can serve in the powerful position of our Shepherd. To the world, this idea is foolishness, but in faith we understand the awesome wonder of our Shepherd. This Lamb was killed for us, and laid in a tomb. "But God raised Him from the dead."

Our Shepherd now promises us a life in heaven where we will be fully satisfied. No hunger, no thirst, and no sunburn. Living water to drink. On top of all this, no tears. Every tear, past and future is wiped from our eyes, by our Shepherd. See..., we will be perfectly content with our heavenly life. Into this blessed existence, let us follow the lead of our Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.