I invite you this morning to
turn back with me to Revelation chapter 4. And as I told you a couple weeks
ago, the book of Revelation is a revelation of Jesus Christ. That's what it's about. That's
what it's about. I may not understand all the
symbols. I may not understand all those ends, but if I am to
understand this book aright, I'm going to have to understand
it in the light of the person and work of Jesus Christ because
that's what it is. This is. That's what he tells
you at the beginning of the book. This is the revelation of Jesus
Christ. That's what it is. Actually,
that's what this whole Bible is. It's a revelation of Jesus. To Him give all the prophets
witness. To Him the four Gospels give witness. And the Psalms,
they sing about Him, don't they? The books of Moses were written
about Him. Luke chapter 24, it said He went
all the way back. And in the books of Moses and
in the prophets and in the Psalms, He told them those things concerning
Himself. Then opened He their understanding
that they might understand the Scriptures. This is the revelation of Jesus
Christ and it's about who He is and why He came and what He
did and where He is. It was given to John and sent
to the churches of God in this world to assure us of the ultimate
victory which is secured by our Savior who now reigns in heaven
as the guarantor of all the Father's covenant blessings to us. That's
what it's about. It was given to the church. God inspired John, caught him
up in his spirit to see these things. Now there are two things
I want to point out to you by way of introduction into the
message. First of all, and this is the very first thing you run
into here in this chapter, is an open door. An open door. Now an open door, what is that? What's that telling me? That's
the very first thing a believer discovers. When he discovers
Christ, he discovers this is an open door. This is an open
door. It's not a closed door. It's
an open door. And an open door at least hints
at welcome, don't it? You go up, knock on the door,
nobody answers. You knock on it again, nobody
answers. You're pretty much going to have to turn around and walk
away. And if you know somebody's in there, then you know you're
not welcome. They wouldn't open the door. But an open door. You know, I call some of you
and I sometimes don't give you much notice, but I say, I'm going
to come over and visit with you. Most of the time when I get there,
the door's open. That's a good sign. That's a
good sign. An open door hints of a welcome,
and an open door speaks of a providential opportunity, don't it? I tell you, if you're able to
see, in Christ, an open door. Boy, that speaks of opportunity.
That speaks of opportunity because not everybody sees Him that way.
There are some folks I preach Christ, the sovereign Christ,
the elect in Christ, and I preach it to them and they go away thinking
this is a closed door. This is a closed door. No, it's
an open door. It's an open door. And an open
door gives you a sight into heavenly mysteries, don't it? If God doesn't
open the doors of heaven, how are you going to see into His
mysteries? How are you going to be able to peer in there to
find hope? Where are you going to find your
foundation? There is no foundation here. But that open door allows a view
into glory. It allows us to see and to peer
into glory. It makes a sight into heaven
possible. And then an open door speaks
of passage. So that's the first thing I want
you to see here in this thing. This thing is all about an open
door. It's an open door. I tell you this morning, the
gospel that I'm preaching to you this morning is not a closed
door. It's not a door to shut out light. It's not a door to keep away
from passage. It's not a blinder to you. It's
an open door. It's open. It's open. And it's open through the preaching
of the Gospel. It's open through its occupant,
the Lord Jesus Christ. And then the second thing I want
you to see here by way of introduction is that John saw these things
being in the Spirit. In the Spirit. And that's the
only way you and I will see and be enabled to see what John saw. In the Spirit. He tells us, I
have not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man what God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God
hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth
all things, yea, the deep things of God. He will take the things of Christ,
we are told in John chapter 16, and show them unto us. And that's
exactly my hope and prayer this morning that God the Holy Spirit
will give us eyes to see this heavenly vision. As the vision
opens up, John tells us that he saw a throne. And that's where
I'm going to camp out the rest of the morning. He saw a throne
set in heaven. And he saw Him who sat upon it. You see that, and you've seen
everything you need to see. You can see that. And that's
what, when the Spirit of God catches a man up and gives him
the revelation of Christ, this is the first thing he's brought
to confront, is the throne. The first thing he sees, if God
enables you to peer into glory, the very first thing you're going
to see is that which is preeminent in heaven, and that's the throne
and Him that sits upon it. He's not poor little Jesus, boy. It's the blessed and only potentate,
the King of kings and Lord of lords, sitting upon His throne. And by the grace of God, this
will be my message to you this morning. Now there's eight things
symbolized here in this vision and set before us about the throne
set in heaven and Him who sat upon it. There's eight things.
I'm just going to give them to you briefly. And the first is
this, that there is a throne. Folks don't believe that. Huh? You don't believe that. We don't
have to believe that. There is a throne in glory. And under this throne are all
things. Creation holds its existence
by Him who sits on the throne. Creation owes its existence to
Him who sits on the throne. Creation, in some way, in everything
that's created, pictures the work of Him who sits upon the
throne. You see what I'm saying? This
is the preeminent thing in glory. If God gives you eyes to peer
into glory, here's the first thing you're going to find out.
There is a throne. There is a throne, and everything
comes under the rule of that throne. I know these things are hard
to understand, but you know it says over there in the book of
Acts that these kings, these heathen kings, they all got together
and they talked back and forth. Pilate and Herod, they went back
and forth and they communicated, got to be friends during this
whole thing. And then the Jews, they came in here. They despised
these Romans. These Romans had come in and
conquered them, and they were prisoners of Rome. And yet, now
here they are, and they're together with the Romans. And then here's
the Gentiles, and they're all gathered together, and they're
with them, them soldiers out there, those Gentile soldiers,
those Roman soldiers. They were in this thing up to
their eyeballs, out there throwing spears at him, and all this kind
of nonsense, and laughing at him, and mocking him, and all
these things. All these people gathered together, John, all
from different walks of life. They all gathered together, it
says, to do what God's hand and God's counsel determined before
to be done. You see what I'm telling you
about this throne? Everything in God's providence falls under
the rule of that throne. There is a throne in glory. David said, the Lord's throne
is in heaven. It's in heaven. And let me tell you this, that
throne speaks of sovereign dominion, almighty power. It speaks of
the immutability of God, an everlasting kingdom. Where there is no kingdom,
there's no need for a throne, is there? It speaks of a kingdom. And David said the Lord's throne
is in heaven, ever-present, all-powerful, all-inclusive. And He said again,
Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever. There is a throne in
glory. And this world is not spinning
out of control and evolving to no sure end, but being shaped
by unforeseen circumstances. People think this world is being
shaped by unforeseen circumstances. Do you know that? And chance. What is this? What is that? We don't know what is, but God
is it. If I didn't have but one scripture
over in Ephesians chapter 1, I think it's verse 11 or 12.
It says, he worketh all things after the counsel of his own
will. Now there's no way that He can
work all things together for your good and His glory if He
can't control all things from the front to back. Do you see
what I'm saying? This world is not spinning out
of control. It's not evolving to no sure
end and it's not being shaped by unforeseen circumstance and
chance. All one needs to know is just
to be still for a little bit and go outside and think on the
order of God's creation. In the Navy, we used to, we would
send out sonar signals on enemy subs and enemy ships and so on,
and each one of them had a mechanical, they called it a signature, a
mechanical signature. Made a certain sound, all those
engines and parts and different things on that ship had a specific
sound, and you could identify that ship by that sound. All
creation has the signature of God. Has the signature of God. There's too much order to it
to have evolved. It's too fine a mechanic. There's
just too many things. One little thing goes out of
control and the weathermen fall off the seat. Oh, this is going
to happen and that's going to happen. The reason it don't happen
is because God's in control. That's why. And He knows what
to do. He knows how to maintain us.
He knows how to bring you over to the edge and bring you back.
He knows how to do that. It's got God's signature on creation. Paul tells us in Romans 1.20
that the invisible things of God from the creation of the
world are clearly seen being understood by the things that
are made. Now listen. even His eternal
power and Godhead. You go out here and look at creation,
and the one thing that creation tells you over and over and over
again, is there is a throne in heaven. Huh? Ain't that what
Paul is telling us? David said this, he said, the
heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth
His handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech,
and night unto night showeth knowledge. And there is no speech
nor language where their voice is not heard. There is a throne
set in heaven. It's set. What's that mean? That means it's fixed. It's immovable. It's not going anywhere. God
set this throne. This throne ain't going to move.
Everything is going to revolve around this throne. The personal
work of Jesus Christ evolved around that throne. It revolves.
Everything revolves around that throne. Judgment at the throne. Everything significant in this
thing of salvation from front to back, you're going to find
the throne involved in it. It's set. It's fixed. It's immovable. It's unchangeable. And then the
second thing I know about this throne is that it was occupied.
It wasn't an empty throne. It wasn't a throne awaiting for
somebody to make Jesus their Lord and then He could go up
and sit down on. It wasn't an empty throne. This
throne is occupied. Somebody sits on it. That man or woman, boy or girl
to whom the Lord has granted by His grace to see into the
great mysteries of God. The first thing he sees is one
sitting upon the throne. He doesn't see two. He doesn't
see three. He doesn't see him and Christ.
He sees Christ seated upon the throne. He just sees one. One. There can be only one sovereign
in a kingdom. Paul writes to Timothy and he
gives his young understudy this encouragement. in 1 Timothy 6,
verses 14 and 15, that the Lord Jesus Christ would yet appear
one more time on this earth. And in His time would show once
for all who is the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings
and Lord of lords. He's going to appear one more
time. And every knee is going to bow. Isn't that what he said? Every tongue is going to confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. He is going to show this once
for all, who is the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings
and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality and dwells in a light
which no man can approach. For every saved soul in the Colossian
church, Paul gives thanks unto the Father, who delivered them
from the power of darkness and translated them into the kingdom
of His dear Son. That is, He translated to them
and in them the knowledge and glory of the grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ. He is the image of the invisible
God and the firstborn of every creature. All things, it says, were created
by Him and for Him. And He is before all things.
And by Him all things consist. He is the head of the body of
the church that in all things He might have the preeminence.
If this throne has preeminence and glory, surely the one who
sits upon it has preeminence. Why does He have preeminence?
We worship a triune God. It says in Colossians 1, it says
this, It pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell.
That's why. That's why. There's a throne, a magnificent,
glorious throne set in heaven itself and one who sits upon
the throne arranging all things and judging all things and governing
all things, working all things after the counsel of His own
will. And then the third thing I know
about this throne is that the one who sits and reigns Upon
this throne, I know this, He sits there as a mediator. What's
that mean? That means He's a representative.
That's what that means. He sits there as a go-between. He sits there as one who makes
up the heads. He sits there between God and
you. He sits upon this throne. He's
a mediator. This one who sits upon this throne,
I read to you in chapter 5 a while ago, everybody was weeping in
heaven, nobody could figure out who is going to take the book.
The angels weren't worthy, men weren't worthy, the preachers
weren't worthy. Who is going to take the book from the hand of
the Father and fulfill all His eternal will and counsels and
purpose? Who is going to take it? The
Lamb. The Lamb. That's who is going
to take it. That's who is worthy. That's
who's worthy. He arranges all things, judges
all things, and governs all things. He's the one who sits and reigns
alone upon it. And He sits there as a mediator.
Paul's first letter to Timothy tells him in chapter 2, verse
5, that there is one mediator between God and men. The man,
Christ Jesus. That's it. If God ever permits
you to look into the mysteries of glory, you'll see that throne
and see Him that sits upon it, and you'll see Him as the mediator.
You'll see Him as the only one, the only one who can absolve
those things that separated you from God, is this one who sits
on that throne. He's a mediator king. In Revelation 5, he saw in that
vision the absolute God of glory holding these things and only
one worthy, and that was the one who was slain. And then I know this is so again
because he tells us over in II Timothy 1-9 that our calling
is a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to
His own purpose and grace given us in Christ Jesus before the
world began. I was only one to mediate the
will and purpose of God without compromising the holy character
of God. And it is the will of God that
everything given to this sovereign mediator be gathered together
in the fullness of time. You can read about it there in
Ephesians 1-10. And then with this in mind, he tells us in
Ephesians 1-4 that in this sovereign mediator we also have obtained
an inheritance being predestinated. according to the purpose of Him
who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will.
And the one who sits on this throne is the God-man, the all-glorious,
all-wise, all-powerful God, and yet flesh of our flesh and bone
of our bone." Paul paints an awful picture of man in Ephesians
chapter 2. Dead in sins, a prisoner held
in bondage to his own nature, a child of wrath even as others,
a man who lives out his days chasing after lusts and desires
of his flesh, paints a horrible picture. But he said, but God,
but God, who is rich in mercy, and for His great love wherewith
He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses and sin, did
what? quickened us together with Christ. You see something now about that
Mediator who sits on that throne? He made us one with Him. And
He raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus. So the one who presently occupies
the throne in John's vision is the sovereign mediator of grace.
And then the fourth thing I know about this one who sits upon
heaven's throne is his posture. He sits. He sits. He's not pacing. I raised two girls. I've spent
some nights pacing. I know what it is to pace. I
wonder if my will is going to be done. I wonder if what I told
them, they are going to keep. I wonder. Pace back and forth,
back and forth, back and forth. Do you ever pace? Christ is not
pacing. He is sitting. He is sitting. He sits. The Lord Jesus Christ
came into this world through the womb of a virgin. to accomplish
the redemptive will of God. There were appointments given
to Him. He's the mediator, He's the prophet, He's the priest,
He's the king, He's the savior, the redeemer, the promised seed.
And there were things given to Him to manifest. The will of
God, the way of God, the character of God, God's truth, God's righteousness,
God's mercy and His grace, God's love. And there were things Also,
these things given to him to keep, the integrity of God, the
reputation of God's holy name, and a people given to him to
redeem and restore, and the immutable will of God to accomplish. All
of these things given to Christ, and at the end, listen to this,
at the end of of thousands of years of sacrifice and burnt
offering. It says in Hebrews 10 verse 17,
Then said I, Lo, I come in the volume of the book it's written
of me to do what? To do thy will, O God. Not to talk about it, not to
promise it, but to do it. To do it. It won't do you any
good to find a mediator who promises to do the will of God. Isn't that what it says about
the law? Cursed is everyone who continueth not in all things
written in the book of the law to do. Paul told them, I think
it's over there in Romans chapter 2, where he tells his own kinsmen
over there, he said, talking about the law won't do you any
good. You have to do what it says you have to do. We love
the Ten Commandments. Can you do them? That's the question. It won't do you any good if you
don't. Do you any good? Same thing about
atonement, redemption, all these things. Atonement's finished.
Righteousness is finished. Wisdom is made known. Sanctification
is a done deal. Redemption has been made. And
the great Mediator of Peace sat down. He said, Lord, I come in
the volume of the book that's written of me to do Thy will,
O God. by which we were sanctified through
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Once for
all. He sat down. And then the fifth
thing I know about this throne and him who sits upon it is a
confident anticipation of a sure victory over all his enemies.
This one who sits on this throne is confident, confident in his victory over
his enemies. He's not sweating. He's not nervous. He's not stuttering. He's confident. He's confident. Listen to this,
Hebrews 10 verse 12, This man, after he had offered one sacrifice
for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God from henceforth
expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. That's why
he ain't pacing, John. He knows their end. And what
a glorious thing it is to see the reigning Christ by the Spirit
of God. And all those who do can say
with Paul in Romans 8.33, Who shall lay anything to the charge
of God's elect? Boy, there's assurance there
if you can find it. If you can see Him who sits on
the throne, you can find this. Who is He that condemneth? It's
Christ that died. But that ain't it. Listen, yea
rather, who is risen, who is even at the right hand of God. There's your assurance. You need
assurance? There it is. It's seated at the
right hand of God. There is a confident assurance
of faith in those who can see the sitting, reigning, victorious
Christ that finds nothing in this world, in heaven or in hell,
that can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord. Confident and assured. And then
sixthly, the sixth thing I know about this heavenly throne and
the King who sits upon it is that His reign is a present,
continual, and necessary reign. Were it not for His present and
continual reign and glory, we'd be swallowed up by this world.
We'd be swallowed up by Satan just the way the rest of the
world is swallowed up. Why don't you get swallowed?
Why don't you get deceived? That's what makes folks mad.
You're making fun of what I profess. You're making fun of what I believe.
What makes you so sure you're right? Because I have one in
heaven who opened the door, who sent the Spirit, who caught me
up and let me see Him who sits on the throne. That's why. And
if it wasn't for His present reign right now, and His watching
over you, what did He say about the angels? Their ministering
spirits sitting forth to minister to those who shall be heirs of
salvation. He left nothing to chance. Nothing
to chance. And there's a confident assurance
in faith in those who can see the sitting, reigning, victorious
Christ. He finds nothing in this world,
in heaven or hell, that can separate us from Him. And His reign is present. His
reign is continual. Paul, you know, he gets emotional. At least I read that into it
in Romans chapter 7. And he begins to talk about the
things that he would do, that he don't do. Boy, I don't have
to talk about that very long. I get emotional. I want to do
them. I can't. And things I don't want
to do, and that's the very thing I do. Every time, that's the
very thing. And the more he thought on it,
the more it worked on his heart, and finally he cried out, O wretched
man that I am, who shall deliver me? The one who presently reigns
in glory. Ain't that what he said? I thank
God through the Lord Jesus Christ. That's where the victory is.
That's where the victory is. We come and submit ourselves
to this priestly King, knowing that He's able to save to the
uttermost those who come unto God by Him. If we sin, that's
what John said. Somebody said that word might
should have been win. I know if about it, but it says
if we sin, we have an advocate with the Father continually. Continually. It said, He ever liveth. He ever
liveth to make intercession for His saints. We come and submit ourselves
to this priestly King, knowing He's able to save to the uttermost
those who come unto God by Him. He's not limited in His power
to only those who willingly bow to Him and serve Him. He's the
Lord of the dead and the living. He's Lord of everybody and everything. The devil is his devil. Boy, I'll never forget the first
time I heard that. That shocked me. The devil is
his devil. He holds in his hand a chain
and a collar, and he come down here personally and put it on
him. The devil is his devil. He can't do anything without
the Lord's permission. Nothing. He has a chain around his neck
to restrain him or loose him as he sees fit. And even in his
earthly humility, the demons were subject to him and often
asked him permission to do this, to permit us to go into those
swine. Ain't that what they said? Well,
if he ain't the king, why are they doing asking him permission?
Huh? Because he is king. He dictates providence and sends
his preachers and draws his elect to Christ. And the sovereign
King of glory, even at this present time, uses the wicked reactions
of ungodly men to accomplish His sovereign will. Question
is not what we're going to do for Him. That's what preachers
are telling everybody. They'll get up there and talk
a little bit and then get down to end their message and then
start talking about what you're going to do for Jesus. Question
ain't what you're going to do for Him. What's He going to do
with you? That's the question. What's He going to do with you?
He's your King. And then the seventh thing I
know about this glorious throne and Him who occupies it is why
He's there. Listen to His prayer. He was
about to go to the cross in John 17, verses 1 and 2. And He said,
Father, the hour has come. Glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son
also may glorify Thee, as Thou hast given Him power. Now we're
talking about the King who's about to sit on the throne. as
Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give
eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. Now, the Son
of God, the second person of the Godhead, He is coequal with
the Father and the Holy Spirit, and as such, He is omnipotent.
But as our God-man mediator, our representative, this power
must be given Him. It must be earned. It must be
deserved. And he came down, and by virtue
of his person and work, was elevated rightfully to that throne that
he presently occupies as our representative. And he's seated
in glory to guarantee the salvation of his elect. That's why he sits
there. You say, well, what guarantee do we have? We might start on
this way and fall over. We might step a little sideways
and fall off the cliff. It's a narrow way. He said, no
way. He's not going to let you walk
by yourself. He walks with us. And He reigns in glory to guarantee
the salvation of His elect. Listen to this. This is that
chapter we always preach at funerals. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 24. He said, Then cometh the end, when he, talking about this king,
shall have delivered up the kingdom to the Father, when he shall
have put down all rule and all authority and all power. For he must reign till he hath
put all enemies under his feet. You see, there's such a difference
between an abstract throne with a sovereign who has no intent
and no love and no mercy and no grace. But when you see that
open door, that door that welcomes you in and welcomes you to see,
when you see that open door and you see that king, you see him
in a whole different light, a whole different light. And then the
last thing I know about this heavenly throne and Him that
sits upon it is why only He alone is worthy to sit there. John
was caught up in the Spirit and with eyes of faith, saw with
spiritual eyes and heard with spiritual ears the voice of many
angels, he said, Revelation 5.11. Many angels round about the throne. And the beasts and the elders
and the number of them was 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of
thousands, saying with a loud voice, worthy is the lamb that
was slain to receive power and riches and strength and honor
and glory and blessing. And every creature which is in
heaven, and on earth, and unto the earth, and such are in the
sea, and all that was in them, heard I saying, blessing, and
honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon
the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four
beasts, those preachers, they said, Amen. Amen. God reigns in heaven. Is that
a reason for me not to preach? Oh, no. That's the reason why
I do. I say amen. Amen. And the four and twenty elders,
they fell down and worshipped Him that liveth forever and ever.
Oh, Isaac Watts wrote a hymn that expresses what I'm trying
to preach to you this morning. I want to read it to you in my
clothes. Keep silence, all created things,
and wait your Maker's nod. My soul stands trembling while
she sings the honors of her God." Talking about creation itself.
Life, death, and hell, and worlds unknown hang on His firm decree. He sits on no precarious throne,
nor borrows leave to be. None can stay his hand or say
unto him, what doest thou? Chained to his throne a volume
lies with all the fates of men, with every angel's form and size
drawn by eternal pen. His providence unfolds the book
and makes his counsel shine. Each opening leaf and every stroke
fulfills some deep desire. Here he exalts neglected worms
to scepters and a crown. Think about that. Takes a worm,
Nathan, makes him a king. Huh? Takes a murderer, makes him a
priest. Here he exalts neglected worms
to scepters and a crown. And then the following page,
he turns and treads the monarch down. In thy fair book of life
and grace, oh, may I find my name recorded in some humble
place beneath my Lord, the Lamb. He saw a throne, and him that
sits upon it. I've seen that throne. Have you? May God, by His Spirit, reveal
it to you.