Sermon – Revelation 19 and 20 The Millennium

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Sermon – Revelation 19 and 20 The Millennium

First Presbyterian Church of Ocean City

April 24, 2016

            This is the midpoint in a series of seven sermons on the Book of Revelation.  So far we have seen that Jesus is present with us in worship.  Jesus has battled evil not as a great lion as we might expect but as a sacrificed lamb who uses mercy and forgiveness to free us from sin.  And last week we saw Jesus as shepherd gathering the souls of believers into heaven.  Today we will see Jesus as a conqueror riding a white horse.  We will get to this, but first let’s pray.

            “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments.” (Revelation 19: 1-2)

            Let’s begin today’s look at Revelation with John’s vision of Jesus riding a white horse.

           

Revelation 19:11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: “king of kings and lord of lords.”

            What John has seen is the second coming of Jesus Christ.  He will return in holiness.  He will judge with justice.  He will be merciful.  He will speak for God.  He will be leading the heavenly armies which will subdue all nations on earth.  And Jesus will be the supreme ruler.  This is good news. 

            The seventh seal on the scroll in chapter 7 is opened in chapter 9.  And this leads to seven trumpets and seven bowls.  All of this corresponds to a war between good and evil.  By the 19^th chapter of Revelation evil has been defeated; good wins and Jesus returns.  Then we read this in  chapter 20.

20:1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They[a] had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

            Here is the story in a nutshell.  Satan is limited.  Jesus reigns for a 1000 years with the believers.  Finally Satan, his demons and all evil is destroyed forever.   This is the best news you could ever hear.  Good defeats evil.  But when will the 1000 years occur?  The church has understood the millennium in different ways in its history.

            In the first three centuries the church experienced persecution and suffering.  Christians were being martyred for their faith.  The Kingdom of God and the promised peace on earth seemed a long way off.   They were experiencing great evil.  The Kingdom of God had not yet arrived.  And so they longed for the day when Jesus would return, put Satan in his place, and rule in justice and righteousness.  There would finally be peace on earth.

            This is called premillennialism.  Premillennialism is the theological belief that the binding of Satan and the 1000 years of Christ’s rule would happen sometime in the future after Christ returns.   Many Christians continue to believe this today.   Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins popularized this view with a series of books and movies in the Left Behind series.  And if you attend our adult education class with Graison Wainwright you will hear a passionate defense of premillennial thought.   Many Christians believe that after Jesus returns, Satan will be bound, believers will reign with Christ for 1000 years, and then all evil will be removed.

            In the fourth century, the Christian church became established as the official religion of the Roman Empire.  Official persecution of the church came to an end.  Suffering was replace by power.  Many Christians began to think that the Kingdom of God had already arrived.  It appeared that we no longer had to deal with Satan.  The church was free to help people repent from their sin, work to eliminate injustice and violence in the world, and take the gospel to the ends of the earth.  The belief was that as the church worked to extend the Kingdom of God the world would become a better and better place until finally Jesus returns and ultimately deals with the devil.

            This thinking is called postmillennialism.   Postmillennialism is the theological belief that the Kingdom of God is already here.  As this kingdom grow by the work of the church the world will become Christian and then Jesus will return.  Under this view Satan is already bound by Jesus on the cross.  We are therefore free of devils and demons.  And so with this freedom we work for justice and seek to lead people to Christ. 

            Today we have both premillennial and postmillennial churches.  The premillennial churches are longing Jesus’ return.  Many are engaging in spiritual warfare asking God for the Holy Spirit’s power to protect and deliver us from evil.  The postmillennial churches have little concern for demonic power and use their resources to care for victims of sin and injustice. 

            Where you stand in all of this starts with your view of the world.  If you look at the world and see a terrible place, filled with evil, then it would hard to accept that evil has been defeated.  You would be a premillennialist, pray for the Holy Spirit’s protection, and long for Jesus’ return.  If, on the other hand, you see the world as a good place you would desire for it to be even better.  You would join a church to extend the Kingdom of God, care for the weak and the lost, and bring us closer to Jesus’ return.

            I think there are flaws in both of these ways of thinking.  The postmillennialists are too optimistic.   Increasingly we are confronted by evil in the world.  The rise of anti-Christian terrorism has returned many of us to the days of persecution.  Increasingly, the American culture is at odds with Christian values.    War and violence is still the order of the day.  So I can’t accept the idea that the Kingdom of God is here.  It isn’t.  At least not fully. 

            Neither can I accept the premillennial view.  I think it is way too pessimistic.  Satan is not in complete control of our world.  The demons do not have freedom to do whatever they want.  Jesus did bind the devil by refusing to submit to his temptations and by casting out demons.  Today the devil is limited, controlled, and regulated by the Holy Spirit.  Our prayers to be delivered from evil are heard and acted upon.

            In the fifth century the Rome fell and it became obvious that the Kingdom of Heaven and the Roman Empire were not the same thing.  Bishop Augustine thought extensively about this and realized that the Kingdom of God was only partially realized here on earth.  The true Kingdom  of God is in heaven.  There, in heaven, Jesus reigns.  Jesus is our king.  The thousand year period of Christ’s rule is not some future physical event.  It is not a present physical reality either.  Rather it is a hidden spiritual reality.

            This view is called amillennialism.  Amillennialism is the theological belief that the “thousand years” in Revelation 20 refers not to a literal 1000 year reign of Jesus on earth.  Rather it refers to the reality of Jesus’ current reign in heaven.  Jesus bound the devil when he was on earth the first time.  Today, he reigns with the souls of the faithful in heaven.  And one day he will return to earth in glory.

            I believe that we live in an in between time.  Jesus came to bind the devil, and now controls the devil from his throne in heaven.  The Holy Spirit fills the church and is the means the devil is controlled.  Our prayers put the devil and his demons in their place.  And that frees us to proclaim the gospel for everyone to hear, and to work to mitigate the effects of evil in our world. 

            I believe that the millennium, the 1000 years period of Jesus’ reign, is a present spiritual reality.  Jesus is our king reigning, with the souls of the faithful, in heaven.  He is guiding us in our efforts against evil.  He is coaching us in our efforts of evangelism and social justice.  And Jesus will do this for an extended period until finally he returns and Satan’s time on earth is over.  Let’s pray.

Hallelujah!   For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! (Revelation 19:6-7) Amen. 

Sermon – Revelation 6 and 7 Heaven

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Sermon – Revelation 6 and 7 Heaven

First Presbyterian Church of Ocean City

April 17, 2016

            This is the third in a series of sermons I am preaching on the Book of Revelation.  We already seen that our Lord Jesus Christ is present with us whenever we worship.  We have also seen that he comes not as a powerful lion but as a sacrificed lamb defeating evil with love and forgiveness.  Today we will see Jesus transformed from a sacrificed lamb into a shepherd caring for his sheep.  We will get to this, but first lets pray.

            “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”  (Rev. 7:10)

            Last month ISIS terrorist attacked a retirement home is southern Yemen killing 15 people.  During the attack they captured Father Thomas Uzhunnalil and announced that he would be crucified for his faith on Good Friday.   The terrorist carried out this threat and the priest was crucified just like his savior, Jesus Christ.  Did the terrorists win?  Did they achieve their goal of silencing a priest and terrorizing a community.  The answer is no.  Because death cannot stop a faithful Christian.   We are not afraid of death because we know of the promise of eternal life.  Father Uzhannalil’s soul is today in heaven.  And one day he will receive a new resurrected body.  These are the promises of God.  And today we will read about these promises in the Book of Revelation. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3512288/ISIS-carries-Good-Friday-crucifixion-Indian-Catholic-priest-Yemen-kidnapped-three-weeks-ago.html)

            Last week in Revelation we saw the sacrificed lamb sitting on the throne with a scroll containing important prophecy for God’s people.  This scroll was sealed with seven seals and cannot be read until those seals are opened.  The lamb holding the scroll is the only one worthy to open the seals.  So let’s go back the Revelation and see what happens when the lamb opens the first seal.

Revelation 6:1 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

            Who was this rider on this white horse?  There have been many theories about  this.  But here is what I think is most convincing.  White is a symbol of holiness.  So the white horse is on a mission.  It’s holy mission is to conquer evil.  I think this horse and rider represent the evangelists, the preachers and the teachers who go into the world with the holy word of God, to conquer the world with gospel of Jesus Christ.  In the first seal our means of salvation is already present with us.   All believers in Jesus Christ are already assured of eternal life.  And this good news is being spread all over the world.  This prepares us for what happens with the second seal.

³ When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” ⁴ Then another horse came out, a fiery red one.  Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

            With the opening of the second seal a red horse enters the world with war and violence.  This was a reality experienced when Revelation was written and we experience it today.  We know all too well about the effects of war and violence.  Let’s watch the lamb open the third seal.

⁵ When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. ⁶ Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds^[a] of wheat for a day’s wages,^[b] and six pounds^[c] of barley for a day’s wages,^[d] and do not damage the oil and the wine!”

            The black horse enters the world with economic injustice.  Inflation has made it impossible for workers to make a living.  A full day’s pay is required to buy a day’s ration of grain.  Many people today work for a living and yet make barely enough to pay for food and housing.   So in addition to war and we now have economic injustice.  Let’s see what is behind seal number four.

7 When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

            A pale green horse brings disaster upon the world.  Violence, disease, famine all wreak havoc on God’s people.  Three horses have brought disaster upon us with war and violence, economic injustice, and now natural disaster.  Our only hope is in the white horse and proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Let’s look now as the fifth seal is opened.

9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,[e] were killed just as they had been.

            With the opening of the fifth seal all believers who die in the faith after living in the turmoil of war, economic injustice, violence, and natural disaster find themselves in heaven.  They are holy because their sin has been forgiven and therefore they are clothed in white robes.  This is where the souls of our loved ones and all the faithful go when they die.  They are in heaven waiting for the day that Jesus returns to earth and we all experience resurrection.   Let’s watch as the lamb opens the sixth seal.

12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

            We have reached the day of judgement.  Creation is reversed.  In creation God said “Let there be light, and there was light.”  In judgment this light is removed and those who have rejected God experience this:

15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us[f] from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their[g] wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”

            So it won’t be pleasant for those who reject Christ.  But all who hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and believe that he was resurrected from the dead will be saved from all this.  God will send the angels to protect us.  Here is what will happen:

7 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

            The number 12 is important in Revelation.  It is the number of God’s people.  There were 12 tribes of Israel and 12 disciples of Jesus.   Here there are 12 times12 times 1000, all God’s people are saved.  And it is not just the ones you expect.  There are many people you never thought would be in heaven.

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 before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:  “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

            Salvation belongs to all who put their faith in Christ regardless of their nationality, tribe, people, or language.  Everyone who believes in Christ will have their sin forgiven and will be dressed in the white robes of holiness.  As the souls of believers gather in heaven the angelic choirs begins to sing.

12 “Amen!, Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”

             As John saw the souls of believers arriving in heaven one of the angels asked him who they were.  Listen to the conversation.

13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”

14 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.

            The souls of believers are dressed in holiness in heaven.  Their robes have been bleached white by the blood of that Jesus shed on the cross.  Through Jesus’ blood your sins have been forgiven.  Your souls will go to heaven when you die.  You clothing will be white signifying your holiness,  and your relationship to God will be restored.  As believers you will be saved.

            And so the cherubim and angels in heaven join their voices with all the souls of the  faithful to sing praises to God.

15 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 shelter them with his presence.  16 ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst.  The sun will not beat down on them,’[a] nor any scorching heat.  17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’[b]   ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’[c]”

            This is the promise for all who believe.  Father Thomas Uzhunnalil and all Christian martyrs, and all the faithful who have died have been gathered into heaven by the Good Shepherd our Lord Jesus Christ.  Let’s pray.

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power,

for ever and ever!” (Rev. 5:13)

Sermon Revelation 4 and 5 – Worship

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

First Presbyterian Church of Ocean City

Sermon Revelation 4 and 5 – Worship

April 10, 2016

            I am continuing today with our look at a hidden spiritual reality revealed to us by God through the testimony of Jesus Christ in the book of Revelation.  We saw last week the spiritual reality that Jesus is with us when we gather for worship.   Today Jesus will invite us to enter through a door into heaven to reveal to us what takes place there when we worship here.  This will reveal to us what is really happening spiritually when we are worshiping physically here at First Presbyterian Church.  We will get to this, but first let’s pray.

            “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”  Amen.

            When I was young, my father worked for RCA.  As an RCA employee he received a discount on television sets.  Therefore I had one of the first color televisions on the block.  And all of my friends came over to watch the Wizard of Oz.  This movie, as you undoubtedly remember, is about a young girl, Dorothy, who is swept into heaven by a whirlwind.  When she gets to heaven she finds it is named Oz.  And in Oz there is a great wizard who can help her go home.  So she makes her way to the Emerald City where this great wizard lives.  But then she is disappointed to find out that the great wizard is just an old man pulling levers and pushing buttons.  This “wizard” has no ability to help her get back to Kansas.  But Dorothy finds out that she doesn’t need a wizard because she can get back home with her own abilities. 

            Sadly, several generations have grown up with the idea that heaven is like the mythical Oz and God is no more real than the false wizard Dorothy found.   This is not the truth.  The Wizard of Oz is fiction. The creator God really lives in heaven.  We can’t see God in our physical world.  But God exist in a hidden spiritual reality in heaven. 

            Many Christians today deny the spiritual realty revealed in the Book of Revelation.  They read Revelation as a mythical story the way one might read the Wizard of Oz.   Other Christians deny this spiritual reality by saying that the Book of Revelation reveals not a spiritual reality today, but a physical reality sometime in the future.  They would argue that what we read in the Book of Revelation is not a hidden reality but a future reality when the world comes to an end.         But I think that what John of Patmos and the prophets of the Old Testament saw, and what

Jesus revealed, was a true spiritual reality that is hidden but does exist today.  Jesus is alive today.  He is with us spiritually today.  He is seated on God’s throne today.  This is the spiritual reality we believe and is revealed to us in the book of Revelation.  So let’s turn to the fourth chapter of Revelation and see what it reveals.

Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

            Jesus has invited John of Patmos and us to see heaven for ourselves.  And so in the context of worship on the Lord’s Day, John and we pass through the door between heaven and earth to see worship from the perspective of heaven. 

 ² At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. ³ And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. ⁴ Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. ⁵ From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. ⁶ Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. ⁷ The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. ⁸ Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings.

            What we see here is God sitting on his throne in heaven.  In front of him are all the heavenly creatures.  Directly in front of God are four creatures called cherubim or seraphim by the Old Testament prophets.  Behind them are 24 angels which in Revelation are called elders.  All of these heavenly beings worship God continually.

Day and night the cherubim never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”

To which the angels respond:

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

            What is being revealed to us is worship from the perspective of heaven.  As Christians gather together for worship on the Lord’s day we are joining the cherubim and the angels in praising God.  Christians  never worship alone.  We worship as part of a church, of all churches on earth , and of with all Christians who have ever lived.  We are the church universal.  And when we sing we join our voices with the heavenly choirs of angels and cherubim.  If this was a myth then there would be no reason for us to worship.  Why bother?  But it is not a myth.  It is a hidden spiritual reality.  We worship the living God in heaven who receives worship from all creation.

            Let’s get back to John’s eye witness account from heaven.

Revelation 5:1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.

            So John has seen a scroll in heaven held in the right hand of God.  The ancient prophets received similar scrolls containing vital information for God’s people.  The prophet Ezekiel was told to eat the scroll, memorize it, so he could give the exiled Israelites instructions of what to do when they returned from Babylon to Jerusalem. 

            But the scroll John sees is sealed completely, seven seals.  And no one is worthy to break the seal.  Let’s talk a bit about being “worthy”.  In the first century only one man could be called worthy, Caesar.  Worthiness was an attribute of a king.  No one else could be worthy.    So who could possibly be worthy to open the seals?  It would have to be a most powerful king.  Who might this king be?  One of the 24 angels told John not to worry.  There was someone worthy enough to open the seals.  Here is what he said.

5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

            This is good news.  The messiah has come as a mighty Lion, descendant of King David.  He had defeated Satan and power of evil.  And with his power he is worthy and able to open the seals and reveal the prophecy inside the scroll.  So let’s watch this awesome display of power.

6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

            A slain lamb?  We were expecting a great Lion, but all we get is a dead bloody lamb?  What is this all about?   Is that all we get?  Jesus did not come as expected.  We all thought he would confront Satan with the power of Lion.  But instead Jesus showed up as a sacrificial lamb.  He defeated Satan not with power and might, but with love and forgiveness.  And that is what made Jesus worthy to open the scroll.

7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.

            And so whenever we worship our prayers are carried by angels and cherubim to heaven where they are presented to God and to the Lamb, who was sacrificed for our sin.  And when our prayers are received by God we join with all of creation bursting  into a new song.

9 …“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.  10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

            This is really good news for us.  We have been ransomed from evil.  Jesus paid the price for our slavery to sin.  He purchased us from the Devil.  And so we are free to glorify God and enjoy him forever.   Then all the heavenly angels and cherubim from all over creation return to heaven and sing.

12 … “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

            And then all the Christians in all the churches and all the creatures on earth join with all the choirs in heaven in the singing.

13 … “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power,

for ever and ever!”

            This is the reason we worship.  We join our voices with the cherubim and angels, and all of creation to sing praise to God and to our savior Jesus Christ.

            The heavenly worship service John witnessed was coming to a close.  The four Cherubim said “Amen”, and the 24 angels fell face down in worship.        This is the spiritual reality that happens every time we worship.  We may think that worship is limited to what we see and hear.  We may think worship is only singing hymns and anthems, reading God’s word, praying and preaching the good news.  But worship is far more than that.  We worship the living God with all of creation.  Our prayers are delivered to God in heaven where our savior is continually praised.  And we join with all the heavenly creatures singing praises to our God.  Let’s pray.

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power,

for ever and ever!”  Amen.    

Sermon Revelation 1 – Spiritual Reality

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

First Presbyterian Church of Ocean City

Sermon Revelation 1 – Spiritual Reality

April 3, 2016

            I am beginning today a series of sermons drawn from the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible.  This book has been interpreted in many different ways.  You may have heard several different interpretations.  So we will look at it closely and interpret it the way we would any other book of the Bible.  Our guiding principle will be that in reading the book we will be blessed.  We will get to this, but first let’s pray.

            “Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)

Listen to the prologue of the Book of Revelation

Revelation 1:1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

            The first word in the Book of Revelation is the Greek word Apoka,luyij  From this word we get the English word “apocalypse”, which means the final violent destruction of the world.  Apocalypse, is a popular form of entertainment in today’s culture.  One of the most popular television shows today is The Walking Dead.  In this show the world as we know it has come to an end in a zombie apocalypse.  The Book of Revelation is nothing like this.

            The word Apoka,luyij  should be translated into English as “revelation”.  Something is revealed.  Suppose you are walking down the beach and you see a shell.  You bend down and pick it up to see what is underneath.  What’s under the shell was hidden, but is now revealed.  In the Bible a revelation is usually a spiritual reality that exists beyond our abilities to see and hear it.  The only way we can know about it is if God reveals it to us.  And that is what the Book of Revelation is.  God has revealed a hidden spiritual realty to us.

            God has revealed this hidden spiritual reality to us through the testimony of Jesus Christ.  Jesus came to earth to show us the spiritual reality that is hidden from us but is nevertheless present.  Jesus revealed this spiritual reality to us through his life, his teaching, and most especially his resurrection.  It is the resurrected Jesus whose testimony is given to us through the Book of Revelation.  And we are told that the process Jesus uses to transmit this testimony to churches is through angels or messengers, and preachers of the gospel.  The angels have brought Jesus’ testimony for the Book of Revelation to a preacher named John. 

            John wrote this testimony of Jesus, probably on a parchment scroll.  One copy was taken to seven churches in the western part of modern day Turkey.  It is included as the last book of the New Testament.  When the Book was received by the churches they would read it out loud, cover to cover, in Sunday worship.  According to John those who read it and those who listen to it are richly blessed.  And it should bless us as we read it in worship because it is truly good news from our resurrected Lord.

Here is cover letter John sent with the book.

4 John,

To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

            Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

            To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

            This letter is addressed to seven churches in the Roman province of Asia, modern day Turkey.   Seven is an important number in the Book of Revelation.  We will hear it over and over again.  The reason seven is important is because it is the number of completeness.  How many days did it take God to complete creation including his day of rest?  Seven!  How many days is a week?  Seven!  Seven means all of them, everyone.  So seven churches means all the churches and that includes us.  God wants to reveal to us this spiritual reality, and has communicated it to us through Jesus, an angel, John, a letter, and finally the New Testament of the Bible.

            Now, let’s look at what is being revealed.  This could get you into trouble.  As Christians we believe that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead even though scientists tell us the dead can’t come back to life.  As Christians we believe that our Lord Jesus has power and authority over all governments on earth, a political belief that could get us arrested from treason.   So there is risk involve in our belief.  But there is also a great reward.  Christians who believe receive forgiveness of sin, participation in the Kingdom of God,  and the ability to talk directly to God in prayer.  So Christians accept the risk and enjoy the reward.

            Now we turn to what the Book of Revelation is about.  Like all prophecy it clearly sees the spiritual reality behind the world we live in, but it goes beyond this to reveal God’s plan for the future.  Our future hope, as Christians, is that Jesus will return.  And when that happens here is what we can expect.

7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”

    and “every eye will see him,

even those who pierced him”;

    and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”

So shall it be! Amen.

            After his resurrection Jesus ascended to heaven where he now sits at the right hand of God.  One day he will return to earth the way he left.  But this time everyone will know that the messiah is coming.  This is good news for us because we are waiting for his return.  But it is bad news for all who reject Jesus.  That is why it is so important for you to reveal the good news to people to need to hear it.  Let people know of the blessings of knowing Jesus.  Talk about forgiveness.  Talk about hope and trust.  Talk about eternal life.  And prepare people for day when Jesus returns.

            The cover letter John attached to the Book of Revelation shows who the true author is. 

Here is the signature.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

            And so the author of the Book of Revelation is God.  God has revealed a spiritual reality that could not have otherwise been seen.  And this brings us to vision John saw.

⁹ I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. ¹⁰ On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, ¹¹ which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

            It took a lot of guts, in the first century, to declare that Jesus is Lord.  Caesar had declared himself to be “God and Lord”.  Christians could never agree to this and were persecuted for it.  John was probably arrested on political charges and exiled on a rocky island in the Mediterranean called Patmos.  He was unable to preach God’s word to his church so he wrote the Book of Revelation and sent it to churches to be read aloud.  The content of the Book of Revelation is a vision that John saw.  This vision took place on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, and so was probably in the context of worship.  While worshiping , John heard a voice commanding him to write down his vision and send it to the churches.  And here is what he saw.

¹² I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, ¹³ and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,^[d] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. ¹⁴ The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. ¹⁵ His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. ¹⁶ In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

            There first thing John saw were seven lamp stands.  Seven is the number of completeness.  Light is a symbol of faith.  John saw the faithful Christians assembled in all the churches on Sunday morning.  John saw us.  And while watching us in worship John saw a spiritual reality that is usually hidden, but is now revealed.  He saw Jesus with us.  The spiritual reality is whenever faithful Christians assemble for worship, Jesus is present in our midst.  He is dressed as a high priest.  His voice booms like a waterfall.   Jesus holds the churches in his hands and he speaks words of judgment.   And in his face the love of God is revealed in all its brilliance. When John saw Jesus present with us, he did the only thing he could do, he fell at Jesus’ feet in worship.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

            All of this may seem very strange to us, but Jesus wants us to know that this is the spiritual reality.  Jesus is spiritually present with us in worship on the Lord’s Day.  Jesus is in our midst right now.  Jesus is with us as we gather around this table for the Lord’s Supper.  And there is nothing to be afraid of because this spiritual reality is really good news.

            Chapter 1 of the Book of Revelation ends with Jesus explaining what all this means.

19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

            And so John has seen a hidden spiritual reality that is present in all churches when the faithful worship.  This spiritual reality is that Jesus Christ is with all churches in worship.  Let’s pray.

            Lord Jesus we thank you for your presence with us.  We thank you for hearing our prayers.  We thank you for your healing and your teaching.  We ask your blessings as we gather around your table.  In your glorious name we pray.  Amen.

Sermon John 20:15-16 Gardener and Teacher

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek Presbyterian Church

Memorial Service for Peggy Lewis

Sermon John 20:15-16 Gardener and Teacher

March 31, 2016 at 6:00pm

            Today we gather to remember a mother, a grandmother, a cousin, an aunt, a teacher, a gardener and a friend.  We are here to remember the life of Peggy Lewis who taught children in Pocomoke for 242 years, and served Pitts Creek Presbyterian Church faithfully for as long as she could as a teacher, deacon, elder and mentor for the pastor.  We will remember Peggy, but first let’s pray.

            “Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)

            Last Sunday we celebrated Easter.  Easter is the time when we remember the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Jesus had been executed on a cross and buried in a tomb.  And on the third day he rose from the dead.  This historical event comes with a promise.  All who put their faith in Jesus will, like him, rise from the dead to live eternally.  And we know, given Peggy’s great faith, that this promise applies to her.  She will, one day, be resurrected with new knees and new hips and no pain and ready to garden and teach to her heart’s content.  And, of course, for all of us who believe in Christ, we too will rise from the dead to join her.

            One of the first witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection was a woman named Mary.  Here is what happened when she met the resurrected Jesus.

John 20: ¹⁵ He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

            So when Mary looked at Jesus she saw a gardener.  And when she heard his voice Jesus sounded like her teacher.  Let’s explore these two ideas:  God is a gardener and God is a teacher.

            It is certainly true that God is a gardener.  We read this in the second chapter of Genesis.

⁸ Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. ⁹ The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. 

So from the very beginning God was a gardener. 

            I can remember many times driving down Winter Quarters and turning into that cute house at number 340.  The front yard was always immaculate and flowers led you to the front door.  But the real treasure could be found by sitting on the back porch looking at the garden.  Peggy’s garden was filled with flowers that bloomed in season.  Birds were everywhere nesting in the trees and eating from the feeder.  Squirrels roamed freely.  It was a spiritual place just like Eden.  The Kingdom of God had certainly come near.  My wife and I would talk with Peggy on this porch or in her kitchen where, by the way,  she always had something good to eat.    Peggy was a master gardener.   Peggy gave me tips for getting things to grow around the manse.  And there is no doubt in my mind that Peggy and God are talking about gardening right now because Peggy and God share a love of gardening. 

God is a gardener.  God is also a teacher.  In the 36^th chapter of the book of Job we read:

²² “God is exalted in his power.
    Who is a teacher like him?
²³ Who has prescribed his ways for him,
    or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?

So God is a teacher.

            Peggy Lewis taught children here in Pocomoke for decades.  She not only taught in the public school, she also taught many children right here at Pitts Creek Church.  I would sit on her porch and talk with her about the activities children and youth of this church did years ago.  We talked about how we could get children’s programs started here again.   Peggy continued teaching late into life.  Shortly after we moved to Pocomoke my wife started a new church.  She needed help with English.  So every Saturday Grace would visit Peggy with her sermon in hand.  Peggy would listen carefully and correct her pronunciation.  

            It seems that everyone in Pocomoke knew Peggy.  That’s what happens when you have taught for 42 years.   I would visit her in the hospital or nursing home after her surgeries.  And many times someone would stop in and say, “Hi Miss Lewis.  Do you remember me?  I was in you class.”  And she did remember. Is there any doubt in your minds that Peggy is in heaven today teaching the children who have died and gone to heaven?  I think she and God are reviewing lesson plans as we speak.

            There you have it.  Both God and Peggy are gardeners and both God and Peggy are teachers.  They are both in heaven today doing what they both love. 

            When Peggy arrived in heaven last week she searched for God. And the angels asked her:

Song of Solomon 6

1Where has your beloved gone,
    most beautiful of women?
Which way did your beloved turn,
    that we may look for him with you?

Peggy was searching for God, but then she found where God was hiding.

² My beloved has gone down to his garden,
    to the beds of spices,
to browse in the gardens
    and to gather lilies.
³ I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine;
    he browses among the lilies.

Peggy has found God, working in his garden in heaven.  And here we are, remembering this wonderful teacher and gardener and mother and hoping to rejoin her some day in her new garden in heaven. So keep Peggy in your memories.  Remember how she cared for you.  Remember what she taught you.  Remember her beautiful garden.  And be assured that she loved the Lord and is with him right now in his garden in heaven.  Let’s pray.

Dear God,

You are our Creator. You are the author of life.

Life is a precious gift.

We come today to commemorate and honor a life that is precious to us.

As we mourn this life that is no longer with us, we are aching from a void that has been created in our heart.

We lift up our sadness and grief to you. 

Lord, we ask that you would comfort us in our pain, and bring us an abundance of your gentle healing mercies.

In Jesus name we pray,

Amen,  (Copyright © 2013 Beth McLendon of Inspirational-Prayers.com)

Sermon Luke 24:1-12 Women at the Tomb

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

First Presbyterian Church of Ocean City

Sermon Luke 24:1-12 Women at the Tomb

Easter Sunday - March 27, 2016

            Today is Easter.  On this day we remember the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  He died on the cross and was buried in a tomb, but on the third day he was resurrected from the dead.  Our slavery to sin has come to an end.  The kingdom of God has come near.  All believers are assured of eternal life through Christ’s victory over the grave.  With death conquered we have nothing to fear and are free to live the lives God created us to live.  This is a day to celebrate.

            On the very first Easter morning a group of women approached the tomb where they supposed Jesus’ body lay.   Most Bible stories are about men.  But the Easter story is about women.  And so I would like to tell you the story of these women and how they came to be at Jesus’ tomb on the day of resurrection.  We will get to this, but first let’s pray.

            “Most wonderful God,  we no longer look for Jesus among the dead but the living. We thank you for the glorious love that is now immortally among us! We pray that we may abandon ourselves in adoration and commit our energies to serving beside Christ in this world which has now become a territory of much promise. To you be all thanksgiving, praise and glory, on earth and in highest heaven!”[1]  Amen.

           

            Who are these women who play such an important role this day?  Who are Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and all the other women who brought spices to Jesus’ tomb for his burial, discovered the tomb empty, and heard the good news that Jesus has been risen from the dead from an angel?  Let’s hear their stories. 

Luke 7:³⁶ When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. ³⁷ A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.³⁸ As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

³⁹ When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

⁴⁰ Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

⁴⁴ Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷ Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

⁴⁹ The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

⁵⁰ Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

            One of the women who came to the tomb on that first Easter was a woman with a bad reputation.  Everyone knew what she had done.  And she was overwhelmed with guilt and shame.  But she turned to Jesus with love and received his forgiveness.  She was a woman of great faith, and I believe she was one of the women at the tomb that Easter morning.  And there were other woman with her.  Let me tell you about one.

Luke 8:42b As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. ⁴³ And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. ⁴⁴ She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

⁴⁵ “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”

⁴⁶ But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”

⁴⁷ Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed.⁴⁸ Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

            Here is another unnamed woman.  She had been suffering for twelve years and no one could heal her.  But along came Jesus and with just one touch of his robe she was healed.  She was a woman of great faith who worshiped at Jesus’ feet and I think that she too was at the tomb on Easter morning.  So we have two women at the tomb of Jesus that first Easter morning, one who had experienced forgiveness the other had experienced healing.  And there were more women at the tomb.  Here is another one.

Luke 7:  ¹¹ Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. ¹² As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.¹³ When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”

¹⁴ Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” ¹⁵ The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

            Here is a widow grieving for her only son who has died.  Jesus was filled with compassion for her and raised her son from the dead.  I have no doubt that this woman was at the Jesus’ tomb to witness his resurrection too.  So for we have heard about three unnamed women in Luke’s gospel.  One was forgiven.  One was healed.  And one experienced great joy when she saw her son resurrected by Jesus.  All three of these came to faith in Jesus because of  the blessings they had received.  And because of this they got involved in Jesus’ ministry. And there is still more.

Luke 8: 1 Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, ² and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; ³ Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

            The women who had been forgiven and healed and overjoyed began following Jesus.  They were as important as the male disciples.  They supported Jesus’ ministry financially.  They probably cooked their meals and made their clothes.  My guess is that they later talked with Luke and became the source from his gospel.  Let’s look at the faith of these women.

            As Jesus made his way to the cross Luke tell us this, Luke 23:^27 “A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him.”  As Jesus was dying on the cross, Luke tells us this.  Luke 23:  ^49 “But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.”  And when Jesus was removed from the cross and taken to the tomb Luke tells us, “⁵⁵ The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. ⁵⁶ Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.”

            The male disciples denied Jesus and fled in fear, but the women stayed with Jesus all the way to the cross.  The women turned out to be far more faithful than the men. Then we hear this.

Luke 24:1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. ⁵ In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ⁷ ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” ⁸ Then they remembered his words.

            As a result of their faith, God blessed these women by making them the first witnesses.  The saw the stone rolled away.  The looked in an empty tomb.  The heard the angel’s voice say, “He is risen.”  And they remembered that Jesus had told them that he would rise from the dead.  As witnesses to Jesus’ ministry and resurrection they were ready to give their testimony.    And so we read.

⁹ When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 

So, who were these women who witnessed Jesus’ resurrection.  Some of their names are recorded in Luke’s gospel.

¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.

            All of us are followers of Jesus.  We come to church and listen to prophets predict his coming.  We listen to his teaching.  We hear about what he did.  And we are witnesses of his life, death and resurrection.   God has filled us with faith.  And like the women we are ready to give our testimony.

            So tell other about the blessings you have received from God.  Tell people how you have been healed.  Tell people how you have experienced forgiveness.  Tell people about the promise of eternal life for all who believe that Jesus was resurrected from the dead.  Do these things and your names will be written in God’s book too.  Let’s pray.

Holy God our Salvation:
you roll away the power of sin,
     bringing forth the One
     who makes everything alive.
Out of the garden
of violence and hate
which evil has planted,
     you bring forth
     a spring harvest
          of love and forgiveness.

Jesus Christ, Creation's Gardener:
you went into the grave
     to drive out the power of the world;
you shut the doors
     of pain and death
and open the gates of glory
     to those who trust in you
     and follow as your faithful servants.

Holy Spirit, Anointer of new life:
you speak
     and open our eyes to faith;
you touch our lips
     with glad songs of victory;
you roll away our fears
     so we can tell everyone
          we have seen the Risen Lord.  Amen. (http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.com/2016/03/liturgy-wcommunion-for-march-27-2016.html)

---

[1] http://www.bruceprewer.com/DocC/C28eastd.htm