The Lord has heard my cry and plea. My enemies, disgraced and shame, will suddenly turn back from me. People of God, let us turn now to our scripture passage for this evening, Revelation chapter 5. It is the last book from Genesis to Revelation. It is page 1314 in most of the pew Bibles. Revelation chapter 5. And we will read the entire chapter, and we'll make reference to the chapter and a little bit also to the context of chapter 4. But we will focus primarily on the first five verses. Let us hear the word of God. 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. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals? And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. And I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, weep no more. Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the roots of David has conquered so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals. 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. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the lamb. each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song saying, worthy are you to take the scroll and to open it seals for you were slain and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God and they shall reign on the earth. And I looked and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels numbering myriads and myriads and thousands and thousands 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. 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. And the four living creatures said, amen. And the elders fell down and worshiped. So far the reading of God's holy word. Let us turn then our reading from the confessions tonight. It's from the Canons of Dort, page 267 in the Forms and Prayers book. We turn our attention now to The second main point of doctrine, Christ's death and human redemption through it, through the death of Christ. I'll read the headings in bold. And then these articles are a little bit shorter. I think we can try to read them together. Article 1, the punishment which God's justice requires. God is not only supremely merciful, but also supremely just. His justice requires, as He has revealed Himself in the Word, that the sins we have committed against His infinite majesty be punished with both temporal and eternal punishments of soul as well as body. We cannot escape these punishments unless satisfaction is given to God's justice. Article 2 The Satisfaction Made by Christ Since, however, we ourselves cannot give this satisfaction or deliver ourselves from God's anger, God in His boundless mercy has given us a guarantee His Only Begotten Son who was made to be sin and a curse for us in our place on the cross in order that he might give satisfaction for us. Article 3, the infinite value of Christ's death. This death of God's Son is the only and entirely complete sacrifice and satisfaction for sins. It is of infinite value and worth, more than sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world. Dear congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, The second point of the doctrines of grace, or what is sometimes called the L in TULIP, which has a different order so that the acronym might be kept. The order of the canons is OLTIP. This doctrine, the doctrine of Christ's death and human redemption through it, the doctrine of limited atonement, this is perhaps the most controversial of the five points of Calvinism, of the five doctrines of grace, at least when there are those who claim to be four-point Calvinists or I think I had a good friend in college who was somewhere in between. He called himself a 4.5 point Calvinist. This is most often the one which would be left out. Why is this doctrine such a breaking point? The key distinction comes down to this. Did Jesus die on the cross to make salvation possible? Or did Jesus die on the cross to actually accomplish salvation? Did Jesus accomplish salvation or did Jesus make salvation possible? Surely scripture teaches that Christ, the perfect one, did not merely make salvation possible. Scripture teaches us that the death of Jesus as the sacrificial lamb actually and fully accomplishes salvation. More than this, the power of Jesus Christ includes not only the power of life, the power of satisfaction fully made, it also includes the power of just judgment. And so we have before us a passage in Revelation 5 which would emphasize both of these things. Both that Jesus is the one who fully accomplishes who is worthy to fully accomplish salvation and that Jesus is the one who holds authority to judge rightly. Or to say it this way, full satisfaction and just judgment are found in Christ. And we'll look at this truth tonight considering three points. First, the powerlessness of creation and all creatures. And then second, perceptive tears shed by John as he sees this vision. And then third, perfect salvation. What is the powerlessness of creation in Revelation 5? And in order to answer that question, we first have to answer the question of what is the scroll in Revelation 5? What is this scroll? Well, perhaps, people of God, you are those who have read Revelation once or twice, and we have some of the images of Revelation, some of the some of the objects of Revelation in our head. So perhaps you know of the Lamb's Book of Life, on which every name of God's people must be written. That is a book. There's some similarity between book and scroll, right? They're both things on which things are written. Is that what Revelation 5 is talking about? Is this the Lamb's Book of Life? Or is there more to it? People of God, the Lamb's Book of Life is talked about later in Revelation, but this scroll talks about more than just life. This scroll contains matters both about salvation and about judgment. We see that the scroll does cover matters of salvation, especially in the surrounding context. In 4 verse 10, it speaks about the one who is sitting on the throne. 4 verse 11 is the one who is God. And what does it say in 5 verse 9? He is the one who is slain. And then what is this slain one? This one who is God, who sits on the throne, but is also slain. What does it say about him in the middle of 5 verse 9? That he ransomed by his blood, by your blood, You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. That is a song in response to seeing the opening of this scroll. This scroll contains things about salvation. But this scroll also contains language of judgment. And we see this a little bit in our text, especially in perhaps verses 10 and 12, we see the language of the kingdom of God, the reigning of God, we see it in and a language of his power and his might. But we see it even more particularly in the Old Testament context. Now there are strong allusions to Daniel, to Ezekiel, to Isaiah. Let's turn to one of those places. If you would turn with me to Isaiah chapter 29. We could also turn to Ezekiel 2, but we'll read Isaiah chapter 29. We'll read verses 11 to 16. And Revelation is perhaps more than any other books, saturated with imagery from the rest of Scripture. It is very much the final book of God's book, and so very much makes reference to the rest of Scripture. And so these scrolls, especially Talked about in Daniel as well, Revelation 4 and 5. We'll basically quote portions of Daniel from time to time. But hear this about the scroll in Isaiah 29. It's not only a scroll that contain matters of salvation, but Isaiah 29 would emphasize that it contains language of judgment. Beginning at verse 11, and the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, read this, he says, I cannot, for it is sealed. And when they gave the book to one who cannot read, saying, read this, he says, I cannot read. And the Lord said, because these people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men. Therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people with wonder upon wonder, and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden. Ah, you who hide deep counsel from the Lord your counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, who say, who sees us, who knows us? You who turn things upside down. Shall the potter be regarded as clay, that the thing that it should make should say to its maker, he did not make me, or the things say of him who formed it, he has no understanding? No, God has understanding. He sees all. He will do wonder upon wonder. All things will be revealed. All thoughts will be made clear. There will be judgment. and is a scroll which contains both judgment and salvation. That's also, if we were working through Revelation as the seals are opened, it would become abundantly clear that there are matters of judgment with the opening of the seals. So what happens now if we combine these ideas of judgment and salvation? What is this scroll? It has judgment, It has salvation. This is a vision of John, of all things coming to fulfillment. It has judgment. It has salvation. It is also complete. This scroll is complete. It has writing. It says in Revelation 5, verse 1, that I saw the right hand of him sitting on the throne, a scroll written within and on the back. Sealed with seven seals. There's two things there that indicate completeness The first is the number seven itself the number seven, which is the number of completeness the number of fullness and so we would we would look at verse 6 for example, the seven horns and the seven eyes, emphasizing the full power. Horn is a word related to power, the full power of God. So again, the context, this is not just about salvation, it's about power, the one who has, in verse 5, the root of David, who has conquered. This is full power, and then the eyes, he sees all, he knows all, he has all power, and this book has seven seals. It's complete. There's a fullness to it, and it has writing on the front and on the back. That's another thing that indicates a fullness. Nowadays, most things have, most of the time we pick up a piece of paper, it has writing on the front and on the back, does it not? And sometimes we'll have printers, I've had printers in my life that only print one-sided, and then to print two-sided, you have to take the paper out and put it back in. And make sure you're putting it back in right so it doesn't print the same thing twice like over top of each other or backwards or whatever. So sometimes you've got to be careful. But even with a one-sided printer, you oftentimes try to print things two-sided, right? We have all kinds of books. There's usually words on both sides of the paper, right? This is not the case with ancient scrolls. ancient scrolls had a smooth side and a rough side. To see ink, to see writing on both sides of a scroll would be unusual. This would be rare. It is a picture of fullness. that this scroll in this vision, it is within and on the back. There's writing everywhere. It's completely filled up, which is not how you usually see a scroll. It has seven seals. It has writing on the front, on the back. It is full. It contains messages both about salvation and about judgment. What is this scroll? This scroll is the history of the world, of God's plan, both for salvation and for judgment. It is just judgment executed. It is salvation fulfilled. All of this is contained fully in this scroll. It is the plan of all made clear. It is all of the difficult why questions, all of the how questions. It's all here. God has put it all down. All the answers are contained. But creation is powerless to look at this scroll, to open it, to understand it, to execute it. Powerless. There is no one worthy in heaven or on earth or under the earth You might think about how in verse 13, every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and under the sea, and all that was in them saying to him who sits on the throne, he is worthy. Right, kind of in the context here, it's no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth, no creature, not creation itself, Then we think of those who are a little bit above. There's the crown of creation. That's man. No man is worthy. No tyrant. No peasant. No millionaire. No beggar. No one old. No one young. You know, all of those groups at different times and in different places are either held in honor or downcast, aren't they? usually it's the poor Hordau caste, but sometimes, sometimes you live in a society and it's like, you know, someone's, someone should be ridiculed just because they're rich, right? Or all of these, all of these groups are sometimes considered worthy, right? Like, or the young are always, you know, some would just say the young are worthy just because they're young, you know, as innocent as a child. Or in some cultures, the old are worthy just because they're old, and so the leader is automatically the oldest person alive, or whatever it is. But there's no one worthy. There's no one worthy to open this scroll. It doesn't matter if they're powerful or weak, young or old, rich or poor, and on heaven or on earth. So what about those who are above the crown of creation? What about angels? There's no angel worthy to open. Creation is powerless to look at this scroll. Creation is powerless to see the answers to salvation and just judgment. And so, we come to our second point. There is no one worthy. And in verse four, seeing this vision, John begins to weep loudly. Think about why he's weeping, people of God. If there's no one worthy to open the scrolls, all those who have suffered, there's no answer. for why they're suffering. All those who have been tyrants, all those who have been persecutors, there's no just judgment. There's no answer to these things. Matters of judgment, there's no answer. It's hidden, it can't be seen. Matters of salvation. Remember, it's both matters of salvation and of just judgment are contained in this scroll. It is the complete plan. It's purpose. It's purpose. Without seeing this scroll opened, what is the purpose of life? What is the meaning of life? It is hidden. I cannot see it. And no one is worthy to open it. No one has the answer. Do you see why John is crying? No one has the answer to life, to purpose, to meaning. It cannot be found. Angels can't give it. Demons can't give it. No man can give it. No creature can give it. Creation itself cannot give the answer. It is hidden. It is sealed up. Tears. and loud weeping. You see, these tears are perceptive tears. Without one who is worthy, without Jesus, Are you downtrodden? Life has no purpose and no justice. This should bring about tears. Are you the mighty of this world? The possessions of this life bring happiness only for a season. The mighty too grow old and die. What is the purpose? There is no purpose. It should bring about tears. What about the need for salvation? Are you yourself a sinner apart from Jesus? Salvation is impossible and tears are shed. Hopeless, confusing. Some are mighty on this world, many are downtrodden, all are sinful. All are in need of Jesus. Now, tears is not always the response. But for one who is perceptive, for one who can look at this world and see what it is without Jesus. Is there an answer to any kind of purpose, any kind of ultimate meaning? No, there is not without Jesus. And so tears at that point are the only proper response. These are perceptive tears. They are loud tears. But now we come to our third point. Because John, in his tears, in his loud weeping, is told to weep no more. 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. Is there one who can execute just judgment? Is there one who is the lion of the tribe of Judah, the perfect king who can reign over all? Yes, there is. What about salvation? Are we not all sinners in need of salvation? Well, this one who is the lion, who is the root is also the lamb. Verse six, what a movement from verse five to verse six, people of God. It's just said simply, behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David has conquered. He is one in the same. And who is this one who is one in the same? He is also the lamb standing as though it had been slain. And as though it had been slain, we'll probably just translate it, the one who we can see has been slain. We see that also in verse 12, right? Worthy is the lamb who was slain. This one, a lamb who has been killed, who has the marks of death and crucifixion upon him. He is the Lion. He is the Root of David. It's all one and the same. How well did the prophets understand this? This is such a difficult question. The fact that many, many missed this. We're working through the gospel of Mark. Are we not people of God? How many missed that that the lion was also the lamb. What is the lamb? Where does the Old Testament talk about the lamb? The lamb who was led like a sheep to the slaughter, Isaiah 53. The lamb of the Passover who represents the taking away of sins. That's what we read this morning, is it not? In God's providence, I had no idea. John chapter one, behold the lamb who takes away the sin of the world. What about the lion of the tribe of Judah, the one who would always have the scepter and rule Genesis 49? It's one and the same. What about the root of David, Isaiah 11, Ezekiel 17, who brings peace to all the nations, who rules over all, before whom all will bow? It is all the same. Is it not a great privilege to be the people of God in the end times, the time between the first coming and the second coming, where we can read in two verses, it is one and the same. The Lion is the Lamb. The Root of David is the Lamb who was slain. The One who is mighty and roaring and brings judgment is also the Lamb who dies on the cross for your sins and brings salvation. How the prophets themselves must have longed for the clearness of these two verses put together. and all the answers. The scroll. What is the purpose of life? Is there salvation from sin? I am a sinner. Yes, there is. Is there just judgment against sin? Yes, there is. And it is all found in the one who is worthy. the one who is both of heaven and of earth. Daniel 7. and the book of Daniel as a whole has been called a model or an outline for Revelation 4 and 5. Let's turn to Daniel chapter 7. Rightly, we can think of Daniel 7 as the Son of Man chapter. It also talks about scroll and words. As I read Daniel 7 verses 9 to 14, even children, listen to hear if you can pick out languages of purity, something white, language of power, Is there a horn in these verses? Language of one who is on a throne worshiped by many. And then reread the last few verses of Revelation 5 if you need the connection there. One who brings judgment. Is there the killing of a beast? And one who is worthy. Daniel 7 verse 9 to 14, As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came out from before him. A thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. I looked then, because of the sound of the great words, that the horn was speaking, and as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to the burning with fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. I saw in the night visions and behold with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man and he came to the ancient of days and was presented before him and to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people's nations and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. He is presented before the ancient of day and He is given all things. He is worthy. It's a qualification word, is it not? Man is not worthy. Man is not qualified. Man cannot accomplish salvation. Man is not worthy of worship. Man is not worthy to open these scrolls. But the Lamb is worthy. He has accomplished. Colossians 1, 13, 14. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Not redemption made possible, but redemption itself. The opening of this scrolls is the accomplishment of just judgment. It is the accomplishment of salvation. This brings us back to that kind of a four-point thinking which would say basically that rejection of errors three on page 269 kind of says it in a lengthy roundabout way, but basically what would be taught was Christ died and he made salvation possible so that those who could accept salvation would accept it through their own free choice. It was removing Christ's work from the actual accomplishment of salvation. It was making man worthy to open the scroll. This is a severe error. What is the language? At the end there, rejection of error three, for they have too low an opinion of the death of Christ. They do not at all acknowledge the foremost fruit or benefit which it brings forth, and they summon back from hell the Pelagian error. Well, that's strong language. Why? Any kind of thought which would take away, which would say that man is worthy, is failing to acknowledge the worthiness of the one who is worthy. Failing to acknowledge the full satisfaction which is found in this one worthy lamb, Jesus Christ. So then it's stated positively in articles 2 and 3, which we read together. We ourselves cannot give satisfaction, article 2, but the Son was given as a guarantee in our place, the last line then, in order that He might give satisfaction for us. The death of Christ, of God's Son, Article 3, is the only and entirely complete sacrifice and satisfaction for sins. See, this worthiness to open the scroll, that is the worthiness to satisfy the price of salvation. It is the worthiness of Jesus Christ. So do we see the full necessity of Christ? Do we look at the world apart from Christ and see that there would not be answers? that there would not be salvation, that there is no one worthy. But then looking to Him, know that there is a full book which contains all of the just judgments, all of the answers, and the story of salvation itself, and the forgiveness of sins, by the Lamb Jesus Christ, the worthy, worthy Lamb. And then there is no more need for tears. Later in Revelation, what is the language? It is the Lamb of God who wipes away every tear. everlasting peace, every answer, salvation itself in him. Amen. Let us pray. Our Lord God, we give thanks that salvation is not merely possible in Christ, but accomplished by the Lion who is the Lamb. So that by His worthiness, by His worthiness, we might, in the fullness of time, know the purpose of all things, and even trusting in His worthiness alone, have salvation. So, Lord God, bring us, too, to You. Do Your will in us and make us to rejoice with tears wiped away at the sight of this perfect lamb. In whose name we pray, amen. People of God, our song of application number 196. Let us stand together to sing number 196. ♪ The blue lands wash us in the tide ♪ ♪ Flowing from his tears inside ♪ ♪ Praising him who's the divine ♪ ♪ Gives his sacred blood for wine ♪ ♪ Gives his body for the feast ♪ ♪ Christ the victim ♪ ♪ Jesus Lord ♪ Israel's host triumphant glow ♪ Through the wave that drowns the foe ♪ Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed ♪ Blest O victim, blest O bread ♪ His sincerity and love of hell beneath thee lie. Debt is conquered in the fight. Thou hast brought us life and light. Hymns of glory and of praise, risen Lord, to thee we raise. Holy Father, praise to thee. with the Spirit ever be. People of God, it is time now for our evening gifts and freewill offerings. This evening is for the General Fund. Following that, Benediction and Doxology No. 563. Yeah. Yeah. You know, I just want to say one quick thing, and that is, I did some reflecting on what was said last week, for those who were here, about hearing the Word and how we must apply it to ourselves. How easy is the application from easy? How necessary is the application from the thought that This is a scroll which contains the purpose of life. We tend to think of purposes in our own ways. Do we not, people of God? And that's something which each of us will think in different ways. We'll each think of a different answer is the answer. Or maybe there is one, right, who is in this very room who is thinking that, well, I can find a purpose to life apart from Jesus. As we take words like this back to our rooms and into our prayers, Lord, teach me the purpose of life that you have for me. Help me to see that purpose is only found in Jesus, right? And that prayer is gonna be a little bit different for each one of us. Let us stand if able for the benediction. God's blessing, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. In the grace of Christ our Savior, and the Father's boundless love, with the Holy Spirit's favor, rest upon us from above. This day we abide in union with each other and the Lord, and possess in sweet communion joys which earth cannot afford. Amen. Thank you, Father.