The Scroll of the Most Worthy - A Vision of Heaven: Part 4 - Revelation 5: 1-5

2:45So, what we want to do this morning as we're introduced into the content of chapter five and the worship scene that's going to take place, worshiping the lamb who was slain, worshiping the Christ we celebrate at Christmas. And beyond, he is the Christ revealed in Scripture and is the worthiest one in heaven. And so, as we are introduced to this scene, first of all, we want to understand the scroll, and then we want to understand this worthy one, the most worthy of heaven, who is going to be the one who opens the scroll, discloses its content. I want us to do this so that as we turn our hearts this Advent season to the Christ revealed in Scripture, as we look upon this baby in a manger, that we get a fuller dimension of his career. He is not just the baby in the manger, he is the lion from the tribe of Judah, he is the root of David, he is the most worthy in all of heaven. So, we want to look at the scroll this morning, look at the one who is most worthy in heaven, so that we'll worship him as such. And that's where we're going. The scroll, the most worthy. We'll look at the scroll, and then we'll look at the most worthy. So, right after this great display of worship in chapter 4, remember in verse 11, you've got this scene. The living creatures are giving glory to God and honor. The 24 elders are falling down, casting their crowns before them. And in verse 11, saying, Worthy are you, O Lord, and our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created. All of us owe thanks and honor to God simply because He created us. You owe honor and thanks to God because He is your Creator. Well, right after this, John's eyes are focused upon an object. Look at this. And I saw in the right hand, verse 1 of chapter 5, I saw in the right hand of Him who sat upon the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. So John sees a book or a scroll. And it's a very important scroll. It's probably not a codex, like this would be a book, like a codex. It's probably not this because these don't really catch on until the century after this. So the word biblion, where we get Bible from, is a scroll. The scroll. You remember when we were studying Pergamum, the whole town is named after parchment. That was one of their industries. Paper was really vellum being developed. And so for scrolls. So this is probably a scroll, not a codex or a book like we were. Would know it, but a scroll. And it is sealed with seven seals.

6:07But it's very evident that this is a very important scroll, and that's what's coming to the forefront. How can we tell it's very important? Well, it's in the place of highest importance. And I saw, really, the word is on the right hand. If you want to be a literal translation, it's not that he's, and I saw in the right hand, it's more on the right hand. That would be the idea, an open hand. And I see on the right hand of him who sat on the throne. Now, who has just been worshipped? The one sitting on the throne. This is the Creator God, the most important. All of heaven is worshiping him. And now his right hand, that place of power, that place of importance, supreme power, there is a scroll, a scroll. So it's in the place of highest importance. I mean, what could be more important than anything that involves the highest in heaven, but specifically something that's in his right hand. And he's holding it out. It's the right hand, the place of power, the place of action.

7:23But it's also clear that it has an abundance of content. Notice, I saw on the right hand of him. Who sat upon the throne, a book written inside and on the backside. So think about a scroll. And he could see this from where he's at because it would be, typically, scrolls would just have writing on the inside. This had, he could see writing on the outside. Very abundant content. But also, its content was concealed. The importance. This is a top secret.

7:59Top secret kind of information. But it's intended to be revealed. Nothing that's hidden is going to remain hidden. Everything's going to be disclosed. So what God is doing is he's awakening John's attention to the scroll. I remember many years ago when Michael, and I've already got his permission to share this story, but Michael, when he was little and in that young, youthful age, we're driving to church, and I hear from the back him saying, Everybody, I have a secret. I think I've told this story before. I have a secret.

8:48I look back there, and he's yanked out his front tooth. There's blood everywhere. I pulled out my tooth. Well, I don't think it was intended to be a secret for. Very long. But even as a little kid, he's able to say, I know how to heighten everybody's anticipation to what's going to happen. I have a secret. And everybody, well, what is it? Oh, I don't think you could have kept that a secret very long. Well, we do the same at Christmas. We wrap presents, right? We want to heighten the conceal things for a little bit. And the idea is that great unveiling, what the gift is. Well, that's the idea is to increase anticipation. Well, you think about what God is doing. He is got this scroll in the most prominent position in all of heaven, and its contents are sealed. He wants to tell us something. He wants John to be captivated, and all the churches that this book is written to to be captivated by the scroll and what's in it.

10:02God wants us looking into it. That's why he has put it in such a place of importance. But then he goes on so he can see the scroll is important. You can just by telling at verse 1, but then he elevates the scroll's importance even more. Look back at verse 2. And I saw a strong and Angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals? Who is worthy? This is like an announcement. It's a herald, it's a question, but it's more like a summons. Let the one who is worthy to open the seals and open this book and break its seals come forth. Is there anyone? Let him come forth. So we're this strong angel makes this loud proclamation: reveal yourself, the one who is worthy to open this book.

11:13And this, by the way, introduces us to a whole other class of angels. We started looking at angels and angelic beings last time, last Lord's Day evening, not last week, but a couple weeks ago. We're going to continue that tonight because we want to look at, we sing all about angels and their worship of the Lord. Well, tonight we'll continue that. And so you'll have to come back to look into this strong angels because these strong angels are going to show up again. And they are and do reflect a whole class and category of angels. So come back for that tonight. But for now, you can look and just see this angel's strength. A strong angel proclaimed prophet. Proclaiming with a loud voice. And it's his loud voice that demonstrates his strength. Because in the next verse, it's clear that everyone in heaven, earth, and under earth hear his voice. It's a penetrating voice. It's the word we get megaphone from, a loud voice. But you think about this voice that can penetrate these realms.

12:31Let the one who is worthy to open up the scroll come forth and do it. Who is worthy? And this leads to a comprehensive search. Who is the worthy one? Look at verse 3. And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or look into it. Who is worthy? Who has the criteria? Who has the might? Who can go up to the one seated on the throne and take the scroll and open it? Who can even get that close?

13:21Who is of a moral character? Who is of a worthy character that can come up and open this book? Who is of a Dignified rank to come up and open this. Who is the worthy one? That's what the angel's asking. Who is he? And no one was found. No one was meeting heaven's criteria of worthiness to open the scroll. No one. No one was there to open it, to look into it, and therefore no one was able to reveal its contents or put them into effect.

14:07Now, this is quite a resume if you just stop and think about it. No one in heaven. Now, think about who we've got. We've looked at the living beings, these huge, amazing, angelic creatures who sing day and night, proclaiming, holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty. The elders arranged around, none of them were worthy. None of them stepped forward. You have angels like Michael, who is going to throw the dragon down, and his angels, the leader of the host, you have Gabriel. He's not worthy. Think about it. No one is worthy. There's going to be an angel that can take the devil and quickly, without much of a context, Wrap him up in a chain and throw him in prison. He doesn't come forward.

15:05No one in heaven. And you think by this time there's certainly many saints in heaven. Moses didn't come forward. Elijah doesn't come forward. None of the other apostles come forward. No one. That's quite a resume. No one on earth. John's still on earth. None of the church leaders. No creature, no person, no one from the realm of earth is able. And no one under the earth. No one under the earth. Without getting much into the detail or spending time on it, I think this is speaking clearly of the underworld.

15:50Where is Satan? All the angelic beings that defied heaven and rose in revolt. Let the one who is worthy to come and open the seal and break the seals and open the scroll come and do so. Satan doesn't come forward. None do. What a resume. No one. You see how important the scroll is? Well, the empty search leads to John's lament. Look at verse 4. Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it. I began to weep greatly.

16:46This is the word for wailing. Uncontrollable wailing. John's disappointment, the fact that no one in heaven was found worthy to open the scroll and disclose what's in it, led John to a moment of uncontrollable grief, wailing. He wept greatly. Another time this expression is used is when, you remember when a rooster crowed, and Peter remembered the words of his Lord that you would defy me. Before a rooster crows, you will deny me three times. And in Matthew 26, 75, and he went out and wept bitterly. Same expression here. John is weeping. And the question is: why is he lamenting? Why is he crying like this?

17:46No one's worthy. No one's worthy to open it, look into it, disclose its contents, and therefore put them into effect. John isn't just, this isn't just a matter of curiosity. Rats, I was really hoping to know what was in that book. It's not that. It's a much deeper thing. He is, there is a secret. There is something regarding the future. This is God's answer to what's wrong with the world. And John, as he discovers no one is worthy to open it, then he weeps. And I believe he weeps because the one who is there to look into it is also the one to bring it about. These are the actions of the Almighty that are going to have to be put off because no one is worthy to come.

19:00I mean, I think John, even in his time, he's like, how long can things go on like this? We ask ourselves the same question. How long can things go on like they are? Well, in this hand of the right hand of Almighty God is the scroll, decisive action. So do you get the sense of what's happening in this? Opening verses of Revelation 5, God is not just increasing John's anticipation of what's in the scroll, but all of us who are reading what John has disclosed. He wants us to focus on the scroll and the one worthy to open the scroll.

20:01This is a very important scroll. God wants everyone, everywhere, to understand its importance and our desire to know its contents. He wants us to be curious, he wants us to look into it. So the importance of the scroll is seen by number one, where it is, its abundant content, its mysterious content, John's uncontrollable lament, and the fact that no one in heaven, earth, or under the earth are even worthy enough to come up and look into it.

20:44And in this way, this scroll now becomes the focus upon the one who's worthy to open it. And that's where the rest of chapter five is going to go: is the one who's worthy to open it. It. And then, beginning in chapter 6, guess what happens? He begins to open the scroll. And the scroll being opened takes up chapter 6 all the way to chapter 18. The large part of Revelation is about this scroll and the events that it contains and opening it up.

21:23But first, John's going to give us an acute awareness of the one who is worthy to open it. Creator God, scroll in hand, Redeemer God, who's worthy to open it. Chapters 4, chapter 5 of Revelation. And so, let's begin looking at the most worthy. We've looked at the scroll, verses 1 through 4. Now we're going to jump into the one most worthy. But before we do, I have to take some time and look at what is probably the most significant interpretive issue in the whole book of Revelation. I want to be brief, but I want to be quick. I want to be brief, but thorough. It's the most important, but so I need to say something. There's several different viewpoints of what this scroll is, because really, if you think about it, you need to understand what this scroll represents, what the scroll is. Spirit of God is doing with this scroll because it takes up really chapter 6 to chapter 18.

22:38You have the seven seals, and then the seventh seal becomes the seven trumpets, and the seventh trumpet becomes the seven bowls. And that's the large part of Revelation. So the paradigm, the way you understand the scroll, is going to drive a lot of how you understand the whole book. And so there are numerous, way too many to deal with. But I want to, I started out bringing, just going to talk about three, and then I figured I'd better add and fourth, and then I figured I'd better add a fifth. And I'll spend a little bit more time on the first one simply because this is a view that's become more significant in recent times, especially in many of our baptistic circles. And this seems to be gaining ground and at least certainly in the academia baptistic type circles. And this is that the first view is that this is God's divorce decree of Israel. God's divorce decree of Israel. And this is the Preterist view, or certainly championed by Preterus.

23:53Preterist is someone who sees much of the prophetic. Word of Revelation being fulfilled in 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem. But advocates of this position see the scroll as that it resembles a historic bill of divorce. Jeremiah 3:8 speaks of a bill of divorce. And so, one, let me just read to you a very prominent and leading advocate of this view. He says this, and I quote: The seven-sealed scroll is God's divorce decree against his Old Testament wife for her spiritual adultery. In the Old Testament, God marries Israel and threatens her with the bill of divorce. In the New Testament, the final and conclusive destruction of the temple accomplishes this. In his divorce of Israel, God disestablishes her.

24:58And this viewpoint sees much of the symbolism in Revelation as prophetic hyperbole. So much of what we read in Revelation is prophetic hyperbole. And let me explain this. So if you looked at, say, chapter 6 and verse 14, you'd see this: the sky was split apart, and the scroll, when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And to this, the reference. Every mountain is an advocate of this position, interprets this. The mountain is the Roman construction crews removing mountainous impediments to the Roman army.

25:47Revelation 16:21. I'll read it to you. And huge hailstones, about a hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men, and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe. This is right after the seventh bullet. What are these hailstones? Well, according to this viewpoint, it's the Romans catapulting of Jerusalem. And he says it like this: open quote: John is presenting the dramatic covenant lawsuit against Jerusalem for her adultery. The punishment in God's law for adultery is death, which in biblical law is by stoning. So these large hailstones coming down from heaven are really Roman catapult stones. And here's, I'll give you one more of just this prophetic or this interpretive hyperbole.

26:51In Revelation 19:9, then he says, Write, Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. A lot of drama. About the marriage supper of the Lamb. And I'll quote again this particular author: In conjunction with the marriage feast, the bridegroom appears in fact. He appears. In fact, his divorce and capital punishment of his adulterous wife prostitute provide the very justification for this celebration and new marriage. End quote. And then he goes on to say, open quote: the lesson of Revelation now becomes clear. Christ gloriously appears, punishing faithless Jerusalem and taking a new bride.

27:45So that's the divorce decree view. Israel has been replaced. God's promises of restoration and blessing are for the church, not redeemed Israel. There's a reason, several reasons, why I do not agree with this viewpoint. First of all, the apocalyptic hermeneutic. It's just too much hyperbole for me. I tell my kids, don't exaggerate. That's lying. And really, when I think about this, it just as I think about an approach that just I realize, think about here is the Creator with the scroll in his hand, heightening the importance of the contents of the scroll. And there is one that comes up, only one in all of heaven that's worthy to come and take the scroll and open it up and disclose its contents. And now, here I am, standing up here in a pulpit, taking what he has disclosed and trying to communicate what it means.

28:55And I don't know about you, but that kind of scares me a little bit. That the last thing I want to do is be cavalier with these words. I mean, would we dare treat these words with anything less than the utmost respect, especially at the end of the book, you get Jesus Himself saying, Do not add, do not subtract. And so I think about just how important these words are, and how important, shouldn't we not also weep violently if the preacher gets up here and distorts and convolutes these words so that we obscure their meaning to where nobody really gets it? I feel a tremendous weight on this. But let me just go on and say why I cannot go down this road. Number one, I cannot understand that I cannot give you any kind of assurance with speculations of this kind of hyperbole.

30:01If Revelation is intended to be that loose with its interpretation, the authority then must rest with somebody other than Sola Scriptura. And which tells me, you know, like there is no prophetic source for fulfillment. The ones that would espouse this view would say that, well, Josephus is the one who gives us the history. We have no prophetic record after the words of Revelation are finalized. We don't have a prophetic record to say, oh, yeah, and by the way, this was fulfilled here, this was fulfilled here. No, we can speculate at what Josephus says. Josephus was that historian, if you call him that. He was certainly a historian of that day, but he was a politician. Josephus walked a fine line between Jewish sympathies and Roman loyalties. And to elevate his writings to where he got even the history right is something that I cannot do. We must have a prophetic source for fulfillment. There's a lot of disregard for the Old Testament prophets and promises.

31:18Israel is among all the nations, and all the nations will be blessed. The end is a very different picture of Christ. I see in the Gospels a picture of Christ lamenting over. Jerusalem, not coming, celebrating his divorce of Jerusalem and his taking of a new bride. This leaves a very unhappy and disturbing ending. No forgiveness for Israel? What about the one who told us, forgive 70 times seven? And we get to the end, and Israel has no prophetic hope or redeemed life.

31:57So, all of that, I just can't go there. And maybe some of you feel comfortable. That's fine. But I would say another element of this is that it presupposes that Revelation was written in 70 AD, or certainly before 70 AD, under Nero's reign. Strong external evidence puts it in Domitian's reign in the 90s. Strong internal support. No, these churches did not just come up in 10, in less than 10 years under Paul. I mean, this is epic. We just spent months in the seven churches and looking. These things have gone through a generation at least of being birthed, growing, maturing, and then entering a period of decline. For all that to take place in five to ten years is just too much.

32:57And so, all that. That's view one. I'm going to be quick with the others, I assure you, because many of the same things will be answered with these others. But a second view is that it's the book of life, that this is a book of life. Because in Revelation 20, two books are open, or books are open, one of them certainly being the book of life. But if you look closely, that book of life is a registry of names. The content of this scroll is not just simply a registry of names.

33:35And it also mentions that it's another book, another book, the book of life, is opened. A third view is that it's the last will and testament concerning the saints. So some see this as like in ancient times you'd have a last will and testament in a scroll that would be written on the outside. Well, certainly, and it's given to the saints, and you think about this Revelation where it's given to, it is the final book, and it does guarantee, it does tell us what is coming for the saints. There is a future inheritance. So I think there's much to commend that. Yeah, it's certainly true. But if you look at it, there's a whole bunch of judgment, a bunch of wrath. Chapter 6 through 18, there's a lot of wrath. So it's not just involving an inheritance of the saints.

34:30Another view is that it's the title deed to the world, a title deed to the world given to Christ that he comes up, and it's basically a title deed. Certainly, John MacArthur would hold this view, and I appreciate the view. I think it's the best so far, in my opinion. Like a contract title deed. And these were common in Egypt, Babylon, Greece, and Rome. Strong support from historical customs, and they would have seven seals on them.

35:04And so, very strong support. And the title of deed is given to Christ. Certainly, by the time all of this is over, Christ has received, he is king. He is already king, sitting on the throne, but earth is going to be aware, and his will will be done on earth, just as it is in heaven. So, certainly, I think there's much to say that it's the title deed. Well, let me get to the fifth one. And I think there's some elements to these that tie into this: the title deed, the will and testament, and all that. But personally, I think it's just referring to future events.

35:51Look at chapter 4 and verse 1. We've already been told what's in it. 4, 4, 1, after these things, I looked and behold, The door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of the trumpet speaking with me, said, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things. Remember, Revelation is broken down in three parts: what was written, what was, what John had saw, the things that are, chapters two and three, the seven churches, and the things that would take place after these things. So, right there in chapter four and verse one, John is called up so that he can understand the things which will take place after these things. Very simple.

36:35And then he immediately sees the one seated on the throne, the one worthiest of all heaven. He sees a scroll in his hand, and then next he's going to see one who can open the scroll, and then beginning in chapter 6, he starts opening the scroll. Very straightforward. It may be some other things, but certainly do not miss this detail. The scroll is the means that John is told what is to come. I will show you what's to come. I'm going to choose a scroll with seven seals on it, and I'm going to go through and break those seals. And then through that process, I'm going to show you the things which are to come. So, certainly, no matter what you think about this scroll, it is a revelation of that which is to come. Specifically, from John's standpoint, And as we keep reading, I believe it becomes clear that they are still future from our standpoint. But what do these future events depict? Well, simply put, I believe they depict the future and final chapter of human history. We need to know how human history ends. We have in Genesis the beginning of human history. In Revelation, now we're given the end of human history. And we need to know that.

38:04And listen, regardless of what school of thought you come from, what approach you have to Revelation, and I know there are many reflected in this room, by the time you get past chapter 20, verse 7, we all pretty much get on the same page. Those, if you have a high view of Scripture, you get the idea that we know how human history is going to end, that all are going to bow and worship Jesus Christ as Lord to the glory and praise of our Heavenly Father. We all get there. And so it's just, I think some are going to have a little more details of the events leading up to it, depending on how you interpret. But we all get there because we need, we need the ending point of human history. And that's what Revelation gives us. Even as you're working through these different viewpoints, it's fine. Come, be edified. You'll be blessed by having studied, and there is a promise of blessing even as we work through these things.

39:09We know how you need to know how human history ends so that you can orient your life accordingly. So, because of this, we'll shift gears now, get back to where we were. He is the one who is disclosed. He is the Alpha, the Omega. He is going to disclose to us the final events of human history because he is the Alpha and Omega, because He is the Lamb who was slain. And we're going to get into that a little more. He is the one worthy to disclose the final events of human history and the fate of all humanity. And this is going to lead a little bit later in this chapter to the worship of the Lamb. So, let's get back to John's severe disappointment. He's weeping. Last time we saw John, just a few minutes ago, he was weeping uncontrollably.

40:06He's wondering. Look at verse 5. And one of the elders said to me, Stop weeping. Behold, the lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals. So one of the 24 elders, we've already met them, and I believe an angelic being, comes to him and says, Stop weeping. Quit your cry. Crying. Quit wailing. This is not an occasion to wail. Jesus also said this on a couple of occasions. You remember the woman, the widow who lost her only son, and Jesus, she's weeping at his funeral, and Jesus says, Stop weeping because he's going about to do something. Remember Jairus's daughter, Jesus, again, as they come out and they say she's dead, says, Stop weeping. This is not an occasion for weeping. It's an occasion to see the glory of God.

41:06And Jesus, on such occasions, told them to stop wailing because it wasn't an occasion. And the elder steps forward and saying, stop crying, stop wailing. This is not going to be an occasion for you to weep. This is going to be an occasion for you to behold something marvelous. Look at what he says. Stop weeping. Behold. This is an occasion for you to behold something, to see something. The most worthy in all of heaven, on earth and under the earth, is about to step foot on the scene. The most worthy in heaven is being revealed. Stop wailing, John. Behold, there's something here for you to see.

41:58And it will prove to be the Occasion for worship. So the elder first goes on to identify this most worthy one in heaven by who he is, and then he explains why he is the most worthy. Two questions. Who is he? Why is he the most worthy? Look at verse 5. Behold, stop weeping. Behold, the lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of David. Notice, well, a couple things. First of all, I think it's of primary importance to note that the most worthy in heaven, on earth, and under earth is a human being.

42:51Someone from the tribe of Judah. Someone who is the root descendant of David. And he describes him. Two titles: the lion from the tribe of Judah and the root of David. Now, the first title takes us back to Genesis 49, 8, speaking of Judah, prophecy Jacob made to Judah. Judah, your brothers shall praise you. Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies. Your father's son shall bow down to you. Judah is a lion's whelp.

43:31From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He couches down like a lion, and as a lion, who dares rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Judah, in this context, is a whelp. What's a whelp? Well, a puppy. What do you use? A dog's whelp is a puppy. A human's whelp is a young man.

44:02So here, Judah is a lion's cub, a young lion. So he's growing in strength with a future of dominance. Jesus is not referred to as a lion's whelp. He is referred to as the lion from Judah. Jesus, the mature leader from Judah. Judah, from which we get the word Jews. Most likely where it came from. He is the king of the tribe of tribes. From this tribe will come forth one to whom the obedience of all the nations will be given. As Jesus told the woman at the whale, salvation is from the Jews. And because salvation is from the Jews, guess what? The obedience is also going to be this one who emerges from The tribe of Judah. But there's a second title given to him: the root of David. And this second title really calls to mind all of the promises made to David. You remember in 1 Chronicles 17, 10, David says, I'm going to build a house for God.

45:25For he desires that. And then Nathan comes in 17:10 and tells him, I tell you, instead of you building a house for God, God is going to build a house for you. And I'm going to establish the throne of his house forever. Certainly a depiction of one who would come. And so many associate this with the shoot of David. Yeah, he's certainly the descendant of David, but I think the New American Standard has translated this right. It's root. It's not just that he's a descendant of David. Yes, he is, as we read earlier in Isaiah 11:1, then a shoot will spring forth from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

46:14He is certainly the descendant, but as you keep reading in Isaiah 11, you come to verse 10, and it says, Then in that day the nations will resort to the root of Jesse. Root speaks of cause. Root, which Brings forth. And the same root that brings forth Jesse is also the same root that gives rise to David and the promises to David. In fact, Jesus is the one who stirs the interest of the leaders of Pharisees. And they're gathered together in Matthew 22. He says, Let me tell you something.

46:52How is it that he asked him, who do you say the Christ is? Who do you think the Christ is? And they say, well, he's the son of David. And Jesus says, interesting. Then how does David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool? And Jesus asks, if David calls him Lord, then how is he his son? People are like, huh, I don't know.

47:26But it's clear that Jesus is both the descendant of David, but also the root cause for David. And he is the cause of David's house. He is therefore the one truly receiving, worthy of receiving all the promises and blessings of David's house and the eternal throne. But it's clear from these titles that Jesus is the most worthy in heaven. That God is a covenant keeper. Now, the question is: why? So that's who he is. He is the lion from the tribe of Judah, the root of David. Now, why is he the most worthy? You know who the most worthy is? Now, why? Look back. Stop weeping. Behold, the lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has overcome, so as to open the book and its seven seals. It's not just who he is that elevates him, but what he has done that makes him the most worthy. What has he done? What has he done?

48:46Well, several things. But I'll just mention a few. First of all, he has overcome all satanic powers. Colossians 2:15 says that when he had disarmed the rulers and authorities, he made a public spectacle out of them, having triumphed over them. And he triumphs over them at the cross. So he overcomes all the satanic forces. Second, he overcomes death. Hebrews 2:14 speaks about through death he rendered powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and might free those through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. Listen, if you are in Christ, you do not fear. Death, like those who are outside.

49:35He has conquered death and the fear of death and a fear of dying. But the third thing, he has overcome sin. He overcame sin. Not just sin in his own personal life. Yes, that he does. He never gave in sin, but he also overcame sin in his people's life. He will be the basis for everyone who overcomes Satan. He is the one. And you think about this. This is what his task was to do. He had to come and destroy the power of sin in his people.

50:21He had to do it without destroying them. Think about the Noahic flood. What does this tell us? That God has power to destroy sinners. But that's not his objective. He needs to save his people from the power of sin in them without destroying them. That's a little more complicated. So the Noahic flood testifies to his power over sinners, but the cross testifies to his power over sin in the human heart and how he overcomes it. And he did all this, by the way. As a man relying upon the power of his heavenly Father and His Holy Spirit, He is the basis for all others who overcome. Well, so who is this Christ? I know our time is gone, just about. Who is this Christ? Who is this Christ that we celebrate at Christmas? Let us not put the trivial alongside the profound and lose our celebration of the incarnation of God Almighty to a few trivial matters this season. Who is this weighty person? Who is this most worthy? He is the lion of Judah, to whom the obedience of all the nations are and will be. He is the root of David. He is the cause of David's strength. He is the descendant of David. He is the heir of the promises made to David. He is the cause of every one of us coming into existence. He is the root cause, the cause of David. He is the cause and sustainer of all things. Who is this Christ you see in the manger? He has overcome. He is the one who has overcome all satanic powers. He has overcome death. He is overcome. Overcome sin. He is the most worthy in heaven, the most worthy on earth, the most worthy under the earth. He is the one who opens the scroll. He is the one who's going to bring humanity to its final conclusion.

52:51He is the one who will bring you and I individually to our conclusion. And all of heaven is going to worship Him. So, as we've looked at these this morning, I hope this awakens a desire for you to worship Him and truly worship this Christ we celebrate this Christmas. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you that the most worthy in heaven loves each of us to the most profound degree. It's too much for any of us to even take in. Help us through the eyes of faith to understand that you created this world, you have a conclusion for this world in mind. Father, all for your good purposes, so that you will bring eternity to bear on our hearts, not just now as we wait these final culminating events of human history.

54:00But even anticipating what's ahead as our minds turn toward heaven, a time where people do not wrong each other, where dads do not leave, where moms do not forsake, where husbands and wives and faithful children love each other, to where the whole realm of humanity uses its strength to love one another, to do what is right towards one another, and to be creative in all their expressions of love and worship. Lord, until that day, we are comforted by these words. We're comforted by the hope that awaits. And that gives us reason to live today in unashamed boldness, declaring who you are and celebrating who you are. For truly, you are the most worthy in heaven. You are the most worthy on earth. And now, Father, help us by your Spirit for you to be the most worthy in this church and be the most worthy in every individual heart here. Only your Spirit can bring that about. So we ask in Jesus' name for you to do it. Amen.