Faith Bible Fellowship

Pastor Lee Copeland
Download sermon audio (MP3) file here

It is easy to see the victory of Jesus at the Cross only in terms of our personal salvation and our means of getting to heaven and avoiding the terrible punishment of God on our sin. Yet the greatest effect, in one sense, of the Cross is the opening of the seven sealed scroll in Revelation 5. Who is able to procure the victory of God over evil, and release the judgments of God on the evil of man? This view from heaven hopefully will encourage us to see the inevitable victory of right over wrong, and to assure us that our involvement in the “good fight of faith” will succeed, even if we do not see it completely in our individual lives.
Hebrews 12:12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Only the victory of the Lamb gives us this confidence.
Consider these thoughts:

How do our lives contribute to God’s ultimate victory over evil?
Why is the Lamb praised so much for taking the scroll?
How can we enter into that glorious praise?

Here is an outline to help you understand what is happening:

The presentation of the seven sealed book (1-4)

1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.

Only the Lamb is worthy to open it (5-7)

5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.

The worship of the Lamb by living creatures and 24 Elders (8-10)

8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”

Worship of the Lamb by the angels (11-12)

11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

All creation worships the Lamb who was slained (13-14)

13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

See you Sunday,
Lee