Rev. 14.1-5
Burning Bright for Jesus
Topical Cat. #
5 & # 28
Chapter 14 brings to the end the parenthetical section that
began in Chapter 10. Details in the
Trib.
B) what we have here in Ch.14 is a series
of pronouncements and visions that
assure us of 2 things
1.) The ultimate triumph of
Jesus Christ / 2.) The judgement of
the wicked.
C) The Chapt. Begins by
jumping ahead to the 2nd coming where Jesus is
seen standing Triumphantly on Mt. Zion w/ the 144,000 READ V.1-5
Now we first met
this group in ch.7 where we were clearly told that they were 144,000 Jews
12,000 from each of the 12 tribes
A) They were set apart by the Lord w/ a Special seal of Protection Set apart for a Special assignment during the Tribulation
B) Most believe that they are going to be used as Evangelist 144,000 apostle Pauls telling Israel to Repent !!!!
C) What is AWESOME TO note is John sees them here appearing w/ Jesus at the end of the trib. / but note the NUMBER
1) Not 142,000 / or even 143,999 No its 144,000 THEY ALL MADE IT THRU
D) Testimony to the Faithfulness of the Father He Keeps His Promises
So here is this
special group that makes it through the Tribulation time they Stand Strong
for the Lord in the Mist of Difficulties
A)
They go through the most Morally Dark time in the History of the World
& the most Spiritually Difficult time
& Come out Winners / Stood ground
B) Now we as the Church will not be here during the Trib.
because we are going to be Raptured ahead of time
C) But we Presently go through Tribulations & difficulties
Jesus promised in this world we will have Tribulation But We
are to Stand Strong
1) And We are currently living in a dark world that is against God
A) So What can we learn from
this group of People about Standing Strong & Shinning Bright in the mist of
these type of Circumstances
1)
That
is what I think the Lord would have us Consider this morning as we examine the
Lives of the 144,000
I. THEIR SEAL V.1 Father's name
written on their foreheads.
A) The name of
"YAWEH" was written in their foreheads and protected them from many of the judgements that took place
during the Trib. Period
B) You could say that the Lord was always on
their minds
Isa.26: 3 You
will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts
in You.
C)Now
Paul declared in Eph.1: 13 that when You put your Trust
in Christ
after you heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation;
1)
when You believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
D)At that moment The Father placed His seal in us And the work that the H.S. is seeking to do is to always keep our minds on the Lord Jesus
1)
He
exist to testify of Jesus to give Glory to Jesus / to Point us to Jesus -
& Help us walk w/ Jesus
The significance of this sealing of the Holy Spirit- speaks
of many things For one thing, it speaks of a finished
transaction.
A)
Even
today, when important legal documents are processed, they are stamped with the
official seal to signify the completion of the transaction.
B) This sealing also implies ownership: In Bible days shipping was big Business/
C) Once goods were packed at one port & ready to be shipped to another they would SEAL them by putting a wax seal on the merchandise
1) and putting the imprint of their signet ring upon the wax. This was their mark of ownership.
A) When the ships would arrive at the port the servants of these merchants would go to the docks and identify their masters goods by means of the SEAL that was upon them.
The Holy Spirit is Gods Seal upon our lives to prove His
ownership.
A) You see, Jesus purchased you from the slave market. You were once a slave to sin & in the bondage of corruption, but now you belong to Him.
1 Cor 6:19-20 Or do you not know
that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have
from God, and you are not your own? 20
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and
in your spirit, which are God's.
B) POINT: We are really NOT OUR OWN to live as we please. It is NOT
for me to order my own life or to chose the way that I want to go.
1) I belong to HIM.... He purchased me and has sealed me... He has
put His mark of ownership upon me. Now I live according to HIS will.
A)
Another use for the seal is as a mark of AUTHENTICITY Just as a
signature on a letter attests to the
genuineness of the document,
1)
So
too the presence of seal on a Document
proves that it is Authentic
Like Wise the Presence of
Spirit proves the believer is genuine. ( Fruit)
D) So It is not simply our lip
profession, our religious activity, or our good works, but the witness of the
Spirit that makes our profession authentic.
E) We are like purchased merchandise on the ship headed for the home port.
1)
When we arrive He is going to say: This one is Mine... He has my seal
upon him.
So first their seal We have been sealed -
II. Their
Symphony :
3 They sang as it
were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the
elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four
thousand who were redeemed from the earth.
A)
The 144,000 had an exclusive song to sing because they alone went
through the testing & the tribulations & maintained
their integrity
1)
They
kept their Purity Continued
walking w/ the Lord until He redeemed them from the Earth
A)
They
ALONE could sing because of what they
were able to observe what the Father
was doing in that time of trib. As he was faithful to them
1)
The
ways in which he Protected them in the midst of the Trib
A)
Now Everyone of us goes through trials & tribulations . Gods intention is that
those times might produce in us a New Song A
Symphony
1)
A
Declaration of How His grace was Sufficient / Power in weakness
Of how He ALONE pulled us through
We see an
Illustration of this in the Story
found in Acts 16:25 of Paul & Silas
put in Prison
A) This was not your prison w/ color t.v. Work
out facility / rec. yard
We are talking dark Dungeon ( -Cold w/ Rats crawling around)
B) Yet we find these 2 men in the Darkness of the Dungeon in
the Midnight hour Singing Praise songs to the Lord Why?
1)
Was it because they knew an Earthquake was going to Shake the Prison
& open up the Doors NO Hadnt read Acts 16
A)
Was it because they wanted to Experience the power of Praise Maybe if we sing
the Lord will get us out of here NO
B) They sang because they knew that the Lord was w/ them/ See He had already Shaken their hearts & for that reason they sang
1)
They
knew that God was still on the throne / Their Hope was in God
Their Peace was in God -
E) For that reason a SYMPHONY
WAS IN THEIR HEARTS
And that is the Lords INTENTION/
He wants to Produce a SYMPHONY IN OUR
HEARTS in the times of Trial
A) He wants to give us a New song a Symphony of Praise ( Because He
is Still on the Throne & He is w/ us / Seal is upon us )
B)
But there is one thing that
will Stand in the way of that song being birthed in our hearts what is it
A) The Lord has not only Promised to Strengthen me & help me / but He also promises to walk w/ me through the Fire
Isa. 41: 10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not
dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I
will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'
Now I can either TAP
INTO the reality of that Truth WHICH can Produce a Symphony in my heart
A)
Or
I can Choose to get sympathy from People
B) See when we are going through difficulties & hard times there are always
well meaning people who come along with words of Sympathy
1) And I am referring to is that Type of Sympathy that says things like
I cant
believe that this is happening to you
C)This doesnt
make any sense you are such a good person / Oh you poor
thing this is just so horrible
1)
I dont
understand why such a good Christian would suffer so much
A)
And
2nd it puts My focus on me & my Situation & takes my eyes
& mind
off of the Lord
Listen God is totally
& absolutely faithful to meet us in every Situation in each Tribulation
& Difficulty
A)
And in each Situation He
reveals a new aspect of his Person/ His Power & His Provision
B) And what He wants to do in us
is what He did in Paul & Silas & the 144,000 He
wants to write in our Hearts a symphony
of Praise
1)
He
wants to put a new song in our hearts Because we know that He is w/ us in
that time of tribulation
C)What
we have to do is to not let that get short circuited by
well meaning
people who will seek to put the
focus on us & our pain / our loss
1)
And who in doing so will be questioning Where was the Lord in this
Or
You dont deserve this Etc
D)And what we must
fall back on & remind ourselves of is the truth
that God is Good He is faithful / He
Promises to be w/ us
1)
He will not allow us to be
tempted beyond what we are able
E)And that He is going to meet us in the mist of that Situation in some way
Proving once again that He is exactly who He claimed to be !!!!
1)
What
ends up Happening is that our Lives become a Symphony of Praise to the Power
& Faithfulness of God others are Blessed
A) Comfort = to Strengthen
& to raise up
Sympathy merely identifies w/ the Pain
Amy
Carmicheal Gods
Comfort is never weakening He leaves the Soul He comforts Stronger to fight
/Braver to suffer/ grateful/ not sorry for itself but keen to go on / to Strive
/to seek/ to find & not to Yield
4 These are the ones who were not defiled with
women, for they are virgins.
A) This speaks of many things
: 1st They have kept themselves pure from
the
defilements of this world and it's moral filth.
B) They
kept themselves from anything that would compromise their purity before
Jesus.
1)
In
the Old Testament and the New Testament, unfaithfulness to the
Lord is described as spiritual
"fornication" or Spiritual Adultery
D) These were faithful to
Jesus...They did not love the world, nor the things of this world for it would
have been like committing
spiritual "fornication".
1) Their love belonged to Jesus and to Jesus only
Unfortunately There are MANY Christians who don't think to seriously about flirting with the world and with sin...
A)
I
saw on the News the Other day this competition they were having in
Africa where these guys
get in a Ring Square off w/ a King Cobra snake
B)
Object
is they have to try to catch the Snake by the Back of the head w/ out getting
Bit !!! -
1)
Many
Christians have the tendency to approach sin in that same way I am just going
to play around a little it is not going to get me
A)
FOOLISH
those little bites can be DEADLY !!!!
1John 2: 15
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the
world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in
the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life;
is not of the Father but is of the world.
B)
Anything
that has to do with "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life" is being in love with the world.
1) These things make us fornicators in a spiritual sense.
Now It is a very unsettling thing to think of any unfaithfulness to Jesus in that light
A)
To
think that IF you given your affection, which belongs to Jesus, to the
world.... You have gone
to bed with the world....
B) Listen
We are the "bride of Christ"
1)
And
As His "bride" we should be keeping ourselves for Him and Him
alone We should be
avoiding anything that would defile us
C) What bride in her wedding
gown / would lay down in a pig pen
1)Shows up for the wedding Dress covered in Pig Slop &
smelling like
a Pig -
2)( What
happened honey where you been hanging out
w/ the Pigs)
D) Ladies how is your spiritual Wedding gown
doing ? Guys how is Your Tuxedo looking Spiritually
A)
The next time you are thinking about doing something that is questionable,
1)
ask
yourself if the situation will cause you to get your wedding gown dirty. Will it Defile Your Tux
A)
The next time you think that compromise is an innocent thing and
that the Lord will
understand....
1) Think of it as committing spiritual fornication... as being
unfaithful to Jesus.... The chances are that you will
change your mind about it
A) The fact that they were virgins indicates that they were single
B)
They
used their singleness for the Lord Great encouragement to any who are single
here
1
Cor.7:32-34
32 In everything you do, I want you to be free
from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the
Lord's work and thinking how to please him.
33 But a married man can't do that so well. He
has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife.
34 His interests are divided. In the same way,
a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be more devoted
to the Lord in body and in spirit, while the married woman must be concerned
about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband.
C) You who are single have a certain Mobility & Freedom
that those of us who are not single dont have
1)
Use it for the Lord !!!!! Rob Nash
& the Mission trips
These are the ones
who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.
A) NOTE: Following
Jesus is the simplest way to being all that God would have you to be
1)
and enjoying all that God would
have you enjoy as a Christian.
B) Following Jesus is the simplest
explanation of Christianity.
1) Jesus said: "Follow Me"
Matt. 7:13-14 13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is
the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who
go in by it.14 "Because narrow is
the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who
find it.
D)
Now It is obvious
that the two paths have nothing in common.
1) The "broad path" is the way of the world.
E) Following Jesus means
entering in at the "strait gate" and walking on the "narrow
path". The two paths will never meet.
NOTE:
If I'm following Jesus,
A)
then I will keep my life from being defiled...& I will avoid anything
that will steal my
affections.
Thou art the way, the truth and
the life.
Without the way, there is no going.
Without the truth, there is no knowing.
Without the life, there is no living.
Thomas a Kempis,
A)
Some
people follow the Lamb as long as He takes them where they want
to go
( Blue skies & Sunny days )
B)
But
the minute there are storm clouds over head I think I will sit this one out Lord
C)We
love the green pastures & the Still waters but dont take me through that
Valley of the Shadow of death thing ( Not into that )
A) Jesus said : You are my friends
if you do what ever I command you
B)
He
didnt say You are my friends if you do whatever you personally agree w/ / Or
what ever You find Convenient & Comfortable
5
And in their mouth
was found no deceit,- they spoke the Truth
A)
Think
about the Truth that they were to Share Theirs was not an easy message : Turn from sin / Turn to God
1)
Dont
take the mark of the Beast although it is probably going to cost you Your Life it is
the best thing
B)
Contrast
that w/ the message we get to Share : We get to tell people that God Loved them so much Sent His only Son die for
their sins
1)
To
take the punishment that was meant for them And if they would simply turn
from their sin & turn to Christ put trust in Him
A)
God
would forgive their sins / Cleanse them of their guilt / Give them the Hope of
eternal life / Plus experience real living now Quality of life
1) Emptiness filled / Void Quenched & Instant
Peace - All they have to do is believe
Turn to Christ - GREAT MESSAGE
E)
What if they dont Believe ? TOUGH
PART We have to tell them the
truth Going to Hell Cant candy coat
it or shrink back from it
F)These
144,000 SPOKE THE TRUTH even when it
was difficult to do
so ( May we do the same )
for they
are without fault before the throne of God.
A)
Guys
this is one of the Key aspects of our Standing in the times of Tribulation ( It is Knowing who you are in God/ Your place in Christ)
B)
Heb.3:1
Holy Brethren / Partakers of a Heavenly Calling
C)
Not
because of what You have done / or who You are / But Whos you are Gods /
Where You have been placed IN CHRIST
1) Cookies
In Me - Sin doesnt see In
Christ
D)
That
is why Paul spends 3 Chapters in the book of Eph. Talking about our Position IN
CHRIST
1)
Blessed
w/ Every Spiritual blessing / Made sons
/ Inheritance / Abundance of Power / Access to the throne /
Now when I realize those truths it impacts my life in a
radical way Im no longer worrying Is
God happy w/ me ?
A) No longer striving to earn
his favor / Instead I am resting in & moving in
the Reality I have His
favor / I have His love / Because I am
IN CHRIST
B)
Suddenly
I have this spiritual confidence that I can face any situation / I have a Boldness to approach the Father Knowing I am
Welcome
1) I have a FREEDOM to take steps of Faith in Life &
Ministry / It completely Impacts my life in all areas !!!!!
Illustrate it this way: Friday my wife Surprised me for my
B.day by taking me away for the day ( We had a great time - )
A) During
one of our meals she told me how much she loved me how she thought I was a
great Husband & Father/ how she loves being married to me
A) Now I am not Perfect Denise knows that
Sees all my faults / all My short comings all my imperfections/ but she Loves me
still
1)
But
she also sees the man that God is making me / she is committed to our
Relationship for KEEPS FOREVER
A) How do you think that affected me ? Did that inspire me to be a Flake
did I view it as a Ticket to slack off
1)
Was it a License to go mess
around
A) Not even It merely INCREASED MY DESIRE TO PLEASE HER TO
LOVE HER TO BE W/ HER MAKE HER HAPPY
1)
It
made me even more Comfortable w/ her / More secure in our Relationship
A)
Confidence
that no matter what this life throws at us we are going to go through it
together !!!!!
Romans 5
5:1 Therefore, having
been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 through whom also we have access by
faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of
God.
3 And not only that,
but we also glory in tribulations,
knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance,
character; and character, hope.
READ: ROM. 8:37
37 Yet in all these
things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor
life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things
to come,
39 nor height nor
depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love
of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.