Jesus is the Redeemer God, Royal King, and Rightful Lord.
Revelation 5:1-7 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 Root 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.
Have you ever been told that Jesus was not born on December 25th and that Christmas is a pagan holiday? This criticism is against Easter as well. I think Christmas and Easter are demonized as pagan holidays to change the story of Jesus, God’s message of love.
The problem is that Satan uses commercialism from outside the church and criticism from inside the church to demonize two cosmic events necessary for the salvation of the world. People need to realize that and how Easter and Christmas tell the story of Jesus, God’s message of love.
In Revelation 5:1-7, John saw Jesus as the Lion of Judah and the slaughtered Lamb, revealing Jesus is God’s message of love not only on earth but also in heaven.
Only by celebrating Christmas with an Easter perspective do we experience how Jesus, God’s message of love is what angels said on the first Christmas, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14, ESV).
Why am I talking about Easter on Christmas and not the manger and Magi?
First, we, as a church, are studying Revelation verse by verse and I tend to continue through the book we are in, even during special times of the year. This morning, in Revelation 4, the focus was on worshiping the Creator God the Father. In chapter 5, the focus is on worshiping the Redeemer God the Son who took on flesh on Christmas to die on the cross on Easter to pay for our sins and to purchase our salvation.
Second, even the Magi brought the message of Easter on Christmas. Matthew 2:11 says, “And going into the house, they [the magi] saw the child [Jesus] with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” They worshiped Jesus and offered frankincense, gold, and myrrh. Frankincense was used in temple worship, a fitting gift for God in the flesh. Gold represented royalty, a gift for the King, and myrrh was used for burial, for Jesus was born to die on the cross to save the world and become the rightful Lord of us all.
Revelation 5:1-7 shows these three truths about Jesus. He takes central stage as God begins to judge those who reject Jesus, God’s message of love.
Jesus is the Redeemer God
Revelation 5:1-2 reads, “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?” The one seated on the throne was the Creator, God the Father. The scroll in His hand is likely the official verdicts and sentences against the unredeemed. The number seven is the number of perfection and here it symbolizes the perfect judgment of God against those who reject Jesus, God’s message of love. Verse 3 says, “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.”
Verse 5-7 reveals that only God the Son, Jesus, is worthy because no one is like Him anywhere. He is the redeemer God.
Jesus is the Royal King
In Revelation 5:5, John says, “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 [here is the reason] he can open the scroll and its seven seals.’ ” This is a messianic prophecy from Genesis 49:9-10 and Isaiah 11:1. Isaiah 11:1 reads, “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” Jesse was the father of King David. To David, in 2 Samuel 7:16, God promised that his kingdom would last forever. Matthew 1 tells us that Jesus in His humanity was the son of David from His father’s side and Luke 3 says also from His mother’s side. Isaiah prophesied this some 730 years before Jesus’ ministry.
Jesus is the Rightful Lord
Revelation 5:6-7 says, “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.” We will unpack these seven verses more but let me draw your attention to the Lamb who took the scroll. John was told not to cry and look at the Lion of Judah, however, when John looked, in the place of the Lion was the slaughtered but living Lamb. In John 1, when John the Baptizer saw Jesus, he said “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Isaiah 53:5 prophesized “But he [the promised Messiah] was pierced for our transgressions… upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”
If you are looking for peace, healing, love, and restoration, this year, celebrate Christmas with an Easter perspective and surrender to Jesus, God’s message of love for He is the Redeemer God, Royal King, and Rightful Lord.
A man came to a pastor and said, “I have received Jesus as my savior do I have to accept Him as my Lord too?”
“Yes, indeed you do,” the pastor said.
When Jesus is the Savior, He forgives sins and when Jesus is the Lord He transforms our lives including forgiving our sins.
If you have doubts about Jesus, know that Jesus is God’s message of love. He came from heaven for you to save you.
Remember: Christmas is a joy to the world because Jesus was born to a world worthy of God’s wrath but on Easter, Jesus on the cross took that wrath upon Himself. Jesus was always God and King, but the Lordship was granted to Him by the Father for His obedience to the will of the Father to the point of death on the cross to save us. Jesus will always carry the wounds of the cross to be the rightful Lord of us all. For those who reject Jesus, the judgment of God approaches rapidly, so do not wait, and this Christmas, turn to Jesus, God’s message of love.
