Washed Clean by Jesus' Blood (CC)
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SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013 SERMON TEXT IS: REVELATION 7:9-17
[CC CAN EASILY BE TURNED OFF OR TURNED ON AS DESIRED]
LET US RISE FOR THE READING OF THIS MORNING'S SERMON TEXT
RECORDED FOR US BY JOHN IN HIS REVELATION,
WHERE WE READ FROM CHAPTER 7, BEGINNING WITH VERSE 9:
AFTER THIS I LOOKED
AND THERE BEFORE ME WAS A GREAT MULTITUDE THAT
NO ONE COULD COUNT, FROM EVERY NATION,
TRIBE, PEOPLE, AND LANGUAGE, STANDING BEFORE
THE THRONE AND IN FRONT OF THE LAMB. THEY WERE WEARING
WHITE ROBES AND WERE HOLDING PALM BRANCHES IN THEIR HANDS.
AND THEY CRIED OUT IN A LOUD VOICE:
"SALVATION BELONGS TO OUR GOD, WHO SITS ON THE THRONE,
AND TO THE LAMB." ALL THE ANGELS WERE
STANDING AROUND THE THRONE AND AROUND THE ELDERS
AND THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES. THEY FELL DOWN ON THEIR
FACES BEFORE THE THRONE AND WORSHIPED GOD, SAYING:
"AMEN! PRAISE AND GLORY
AND WISDOM AND THANKS AND HONOR AND POWER AND
STRENGTH BE TO OUR GOD FOREVER AND EVER.
AMEN!" THEN ONE OF THE ELDERS ASKED ME,
"THESE IN WHITE ROBES -- WHO ARE THEY, AND WHERE
DID THEY COME FROM?" I ANSWERED,
"SIR, YOU KNOW." AND HE SAID, THESE ARE THEY WHO
HAVE COME OUT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION;
THEY HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES AND MADE THEM WHITE IN THE
BLOOD OF THE LAMB. THEREFORE, "THEY ARE BEFORE THE THRONE OF
GOD AND SERVE HIM DAY AND NIGHT IN HIS TEMPLE;
AND HE WHO SITS ON THE THRONE WILL SPREAD HIS TENT
OVER THEM. NEVER AGAIN WILL THEY HUNGER;
NEVER AGAIN WILL THEY THIRST. THE SUN
WILL NOT BEAT UPON THEM, NOR ANY SCORCHING HEAT.
FOR THE LAMB AT THE CENTER OF THE THRONE WILL BE
THEIR SHEPHERD; HE WILL LEAD THEM TO SPRINGS
OF LIVING WATER. AND GOD WILL WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR
FROM THEIR EYES." THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD.
LET US PRAY:
GLORIOUS AND GRACIOUS GOD, MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE
MEDITATION OF EACH OF OUR HEARTS BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR
SIGHT, OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE AND COMFORT. AMEN.
[TEXT TAKEN FROM THE HOLY BIBLE:
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, 1973, 1978, 1984,
USED BY PERMISSION OF
ZONDERVAN BIBLE PUBLISHERS]
DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR,
JESUS CHRIST:
AS SOMEONE WHO HELPS PUT TOGETHER THE WORSHIP SERVICES
THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE
I GET COMMENTS WHERE PEOPLE SAY: PASTOR,
WHY CAN'T WE SING THOSE SONGS THAT I REALLY LIKE?
AND I SAY: WELL, WE TRY TO
INCORPORATE THEM.
BUT IT REALLY IS ... A MATTER OF TASTE SOMETIME.
BECAUSE TODAY YOU HAVE SUNG
THE GREATEST HYMN
EVER WRITTEN. YOU HAVE SUNG
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WORDS SET TO THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
MELODY THAT I CAN IMAGINE,
AND I COULD SING THIS HYMN EVERY DAY
FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
IT IS A HYMN THAT WHEN I SING IT,
AND I HEAR IT, I START GETTING TEARS
IN MY EYES.
BECAUSE OF THE GLORIOUS PICTURE THAT IS THERE, AND IT
REALLY TRULY IS VERY MOVING
TO ME. AND THAT TEAR THAT IS IN MY EYE,
I LONG FOR THE DAY WHEN I WILL NOT HAVE THAT
TEAR IN MY EYE. AND I KNOW
EXACTLY WHEN THAT DAY IS GOING TO BE.
WHEN THOSE PEOPLE WHO GATHER AT MY
FUNERAL SERVICE, SING THE HYMN
THAT WE JUST SANG.
AND THERE WILL NOT BE A TEAR IN MY EYE.
BECAUSE I AM GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE
IN THE WHITE ROBES GATHERED AROUND THE THRONE OF GOD
AND HE WILL WIPE EVERY TEAR
FROM MY EYES.
BECAUSE HE IS THE ONE WHO HAS PURCHASED ME
WITH HIS BLOOD. HE IS THE ONE WHO IS
MY SHEPHERD AND TENDERLY CARES FOR ME.
AND HE IS THE ONE WHO IS GOING TO COME AND
TAKE ME TO BE WITH HIM AND I
LONG FOR THAT DAY AND I LOOK FOR THAT DAY.
THE GLORY OF GOD WILL BE REVEALED AND I,
WITH MY EYES WILL SEE THIS.
AND I WILL SEE THE CULMINATION
OF MY FAITH. THIS BEAUTIFUL
PICTURE OF HEAVEN THAT JOHN PRESENTS FOR US TODAY.
THAT BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF THOSE IN HEAVEN,
PICTURED IN THOSE WHITE ROBES
OF HOLINESS. NOT THEIR OWN GOOD DEEDS.
NOT THE THINGS THAT MADE THEM GREAT PEOPLE, OR GOOD
PEOPLE, OR ONES WHO SERVED GOD WHILE
THEY WERE IN THIS WORLD. BUT WHITE ROBES
OF CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS.
IN THE HOLINESS OF GOD, GIVEN TO
SINFUL PEOPLE. NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING
THAT THEY HAD DONE OR DESERVED TO HAVE
GOD IN HIS LOVE LOOK DOWN UPON THEM AND SAY:
I WILL SEND MY MESSIAH.
I WILL SEND MY SON TO BE
YOUR SAVIOR. AND THAT'S EXACTLY
WHAT GOD DID. HE KEPT HIS PROMISES
AS PAUL REMINDED US IN OUR FIRST LESSON
FOR TODAY. THAT PAUL PROCLAIMED TO THOSE JEWS
AND THOSE GOD-FEARING GREEKS
THAT HAD GATHERED TOGETHER IN THAT SYNAGOGUE SAYING TO THEM:
YOU KNOW THIS; YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND IT.
THAT OUR GOD KEPT HIS WORD.
THE WORDS OF THE PROPHETS WERE FULFILLED.
THE WORDS OF THE PSALMIST WERE FULFILLED. THAT GOD
WHO WAS GOING TO SAVE PEOPLE, DID THAT
VERY THING. USING PEOPLE
WHO DIDN'T UNDERSTAND GOD'S PLAN, AND
WHO DIDN'T BELIEVE IT.
THOSE PEOPLE WHO CRUCIFIED CHRIST
DID NOT UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS HIS BLOOD THAT WOULD WASH
AWAY SIN. THAT IT WAS HIS DEATH
THAT WAS THE SACRIFICE FOR SINS THAT GOD DEMANDED.
THEY LAID HIM IN A TOMB NOT
FULLY REALIZING THAT HE WAS NOT
GOING TO STAY THERE. THAT HE WOULD RISE
TRIUMPHANT; BACK TO LIFE IN BODILY FORM.
TO COME AND BE WITH HIS DISCIPLES.
TO ENCOURAGE THEM, TO INSTRUCT THEM
IN THEIR FAITH AND TO SEND TO THEM THE HOLY SPIRIT
SO THAT THEY WOULD LISTEN
TO HIS VOICE. THAT THEY WOULD BELIEVE HIM.
THAT THEY WOULD TRUST IN HIM
AS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR.
BECAUSE HE IS THE ONE WHO RANSOMED THEM
FROM SIN AND DEATH AND THE POWER
OF THE DEVIL. AND IT IS HE
WHO MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO WEAR
THAT WHITE ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD FOR ALL ETERNITY.
STANDING BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD
AND PRAISING HIM. SINGING SALVATION
BELONGS TO OUR GOD AND TO THE LAMB.
THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS. THEY HAVE
GIVEN IT TO THE WORLD. THEY HAVE BROUGHT IT TO ME
AND I AM SAVED!
AND I AM GOING TO JOIN THAT THRONG IN HEAVEN
SOMEDAY WHEN GOD HAS SET AND DETERMINED
IT IS TIME FOR ME TO LEAVE THIS WORLD.
TO JOIN THAT GROUP THAT IS BEFORE THE THRONE OF
GOD PRAISING HIM WITH THE ANGELS AND THE FOUR LIVING
CREATURES. SHOUTING TOGETHER: AMEN!
SO THAT ALL OF THE HONOR AND STRENGTH
AND POWER AND GLORY GOES TO
OUR GOD! FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE.
FOR WHAT HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED
IN BRINGING US SALVATION.
AND THE CARE THAT HE PROVIDES
FOR HIS SHEEP. THOSE WHO HEAR HIS VOICE AND
LISTEN TO HIS VOICE. THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIM,
HE COMES TO THEM TENDERLY AS A SHEPHERD
AND CARES FOR THEM KEEPING THEM
IN THE FLOCK. PROTECTING THEM
UNTIL THEY COME TO THAT PLACE OF REST WHERE THERE IS
NO MORE PAIN ... WHERE THERE IS NO MORE SORROW.
AND YOU AND I HAVE NOT YET REACHED
THAT POINT.
YOU AND I ARE IN THE GREAT TRIBULATION.
THE GREAT AFFLICTION THAT GOES ON
IN THIS WORLD. AND I'M SURE YOU
THOUGHT OF THAT THIS WEEK.
HOW COULD WE NOT REALIZE THAT EVIL IS RAMPANT
ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
THAT PEOPLE DIE AT THE MOST
INOPPORTUNE TIMES THAT THEY'RE NOT EVEN THINKING OF
THAT THEY CAN'T PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR.
THAT PEOPLE ARE EVIL AND DESIRE
TO HURT OTHERS.
TO WREAK HAVOC AND TO
CAUSE INJURY. AND HOW EASY IT IS
FOR US TO SOMETIMES SIT BACK IN OUR HUMAN NATURE
AND CRY: GOD, WHY? GOD, WHERE ARE YOU?
GOD, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
AS IF GOD DID NOT CARE.
AS IF GOD WERE IN HIS HEAVEN
AND CLOSED THE SHADES OF THE DRAPE AND WASN'T
LOOKING AT IT. AS THE CHILDREN
OF GOD WE KNOW THAT IS NOT THE GOD
THAT IS OURS.
BUT I TRULY BELIEVE AFTER THIS WEEK, THAT PEOPLE
SEE WHAT THEY
WANT TO LOOK FOR.
THAT PEOPLE TAKE ANY EVENT
AND WILL USE IT FOR WHAT THEIR BIAS IS
OR WHAT IS TRULY IN THEIR HEART.
INTERESTING CONVERSATION I HAD;
I HAD TO HAVE A PRESCRIPTION REFILL
ON FRIDAY. I GO TO THE DRUG STORE,
AND THERE IS AN OLDER BLACK MAN STANDING THERE.
COULDN'T EVEN TELL IF HE WAS IN THE LINE OR NOT, SO I ASKED
HIM. I SAID: ARE YOU STANDING IN LINE? AND HE SAID: "WELL,
YES I AM", IN THE MOST PROPER BRITISH GRAMMAR I HAVE EVER
HEARD. AND I SAID: OKAY, I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO GET IN
LINE IN FRONT OF YOU AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE YOU HAVE TO WAIT
LONGER. AND HE SAID: I HAVE THE ENTIRE DAY BEFORE ME
WITH NOTHING TO DO. AND HE WAS JUST A VERY PLEASANT MAN AND
WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION. AND A WHILE LATER, AN OLDER
WHITE WOMAN COMES ALONG AND SHE SAYS:
IS THIS THE LINE? AND THE MAN SAYS:
WELL, YES IT IS. OR AS WE WOULD SAY IN BRITAIN:
"THE QUEUE". AND SHE CAME TO HIM AND SAID: WHAT?
AND HE SAID: AS BRITONS WE WOULD ...
AS IN BRITAIN, WE WOULD SAY: "THE QUEUE".
SHE SAID: ALL OF YOU PEOPLE NEED TO GO BACK WHERE YOU
CAME FROM.
AND HE SAID: OH ...
HE GOES: WELL YOU YANKEES YOU DON'T LIKE ME
HERE. AND I SAID: AND THEN WE WONDER WHY
PEOPLE IN THE WORLD DON'T LIKE AMERICANS.
AND HE SAID: YOU KNOW, IT'S .. IT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.
AND SHE SAID: I'M JUST TIRED OF ALL OF YOU FOREIGNERS
COMING HERE AND BLOWING US UP.
AND WE WENT: OKAY ...
YOU KNOW. ALRIGHT. AND SHE SAID: WELL, THERE WAS A BAG
THERE. THERE WERE TWO BAGS THERE. EVERYONE THERE AND
NOBODY SAW THOSE BAGS AND NOBODY DID ANYTHING ABOUT
THOSE BAGS. AND I SAID TO HER: SO EVERYTIME YOU HAPPEN TO SEE
A BAG SOMEWHERE, YOU CALL A BOMB SQUAD?
THERE WERE PEOPLE IN A MARATHON.
THERE WERE BACKPACKS. THERE WERE BAGS.
AND SHE SAID: YES. EVERY TIME I SEE A BAG SOMEPLACE, I CALL
THE BOMB SQUAD IMMEDIATELY.
AND THE MAN NEXT TO ME SAID:
WHAT A HORRIBLE WAY TO LIVE.
IN FEAR.
ALL THE TIME. BECAUSE DON'T YOU REALIZE
THAT GOD HAS SET THE DAY YOU'RE GOING TO DIE?
THAT GOD KEEPS YOU IN HIS CARE
AND PROTECTION? AND HE SAVED YOU
BY HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST, AND WHEN IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO GO,
YOU ARE GOING TO GO!
YOU CAN'T LIVE IN FEAR.
GOD PROTECTS YOU.
AND I SAID: YOU SAID THAT VERY WELL! AND THE LADY
STOPPED TALKING TO US. [LAUGHTER]
BUT IT TRULY IS AMAZING
THAT WHAT WE WANT
IN LIFE, IS WHAT WE SEE.
A HORRIFIC OCCASION
IN OUR LIVES PLAYED OUT BEFORE OUR VERY EYES.
BUT GOD STILL IS IN HIS HEAVEN.
GOD STILL IS CARING
FOR HIS CHILDREN. GOD STILL IS
ADVANCING HIS CHURCH. GOD STILL IS
USING HIS SONS AND DAUGHTERS TO BRING
AID AND COMFORT AND CARE.
TO BRING PROTECTION AND PROVIDE SAFETY.
GOD STILL IS SHOWING HIS LOVE
TO ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE HIS OWN.
AND CALLING THE CHURCH TO BRING
THE TRUE COMFORT OF GOD'S WORD
TO THOSE PEOPLE. OF KNOWING THAT THERE IS
A GOD WHO HAS LOVED PEOPLE SO MUCH
THAT HE HAS SAVED THEM FROM
ETERNAL WRATH AND PUNISHMENT.
THAT HE IS A GOD WHO CARES
FOR PEOPLE. THAT HE USES
YOU AND ME TO SHOW THAT LOVE.
TO EXPRESS THAT CONCERN. TO RAISE
OUR PRAYERS FOR ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE.
THAT THEY WOULD BE COMFORTED BY THE
KNOWLEDGE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR.
AND IF THEY DO NOT KNOW IT
THAT GOD WOULD SEND SOMEONE TO THEM TO SHARE
THAT MESSAGE WITH THEM. TO HOLD OUT THAT HOPE.
TO HOLD OUT THAT WONDERFUL KNOWLEDGE THAT
IS YOURS AND MINE
IN JESUS CHRIST. THAT WE PUT ON
THAT ROBE OF CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS IN OUR
BAPTISM. THAT DAILY WE LIVE
IN THE MUCK AND MIRE AND TURMOIL AND
TRIBULATION OF AN EVIL SIN-FILLED WORLD.
THAT WE CANNOT
STOP EVIL FROM ATTACKING US.
BUT WE STAND IN THE CONFIDENCE OF KNOWING
THAT OUT GOD LOVES US
AND HE CARES FOR US.
AND ULTIMATELY HE IS GOING TO TAKE US OUT OF
THIS VALE OF TEARS
TO BE WITH HIM IN HOLINESS
AND PERFECTION TO WIPE THE TEARS
FROM OUR EYES. TO STOP THE PAIN.
THAT THERE BE NO MORE HUNGER. AND NO MORE THIRST.
BECAUSE WE ARE THE
CHILDREN OF GOD; CALLED BY HIM
TO FAITH, CALLED BY HIM TO
OUR ETERNAL HOME.
TO WEAR THOSE WHITE ROBES OF
CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR ALL ETERNITY.
AND TO JOIN WITH THE CHURCH TRIUMPHANT
IN PRAISING OUR GOD FOR WHO HE IS AND
WHAT HE HAS DONE. BECAUSE SALVATION BELONGS
TO OUR GOD AND TO THE LAMB.
AND THEREFORE WE CRY AMEN! GLORY
AND HONOR AND POWER AND STRENGTH AND WISDOM
BE TO OUR GOD FOREVER AND EVER.
AMEN.
LET US RISE.
NOW MAY THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH GOES BEYOND ALL OF
OUR UNDERSTANDING KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS AND
ESPECIALLY YOUR LIVES IN THE ONE TRUE FAITH UNTO LIFE
EVERLASTING. AMEN.