Grace Rules [Part 2]

Pastor, author, and Bible teacher, Alan Wright.

There is no more grand place in all of the Bible, or I would say maybe in all of literature, to get a vision of Jesus Christ than in Revelations, chapter four and five. That's Pastor Alan Wright. Welcome to another message of good news that will help you see your life in a whole new light. I'm Daniel Britt, excited for you to hear the teaching today in the series, The Revelation, as presented at Rinaldo Church in North Carolina. If you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire program, I want to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now. It's a CD album or a digital download, your choice of the body you've always wanted, audio messages on what heaven is like. It can be yours for your donation this month to Alan Wright Ministries.

As you listen to today's message, go deeper as we send you today's special offer. Contact us at PastorAlan.org. That's PastorAlan.org, or call 877-544-4860.

That's 877-544-4860. More on that later in the program. But now, let's get started with today's teaching. Here is Alan Wright. The only way to see God manifested in the world around is with the eyes of Jesus within. God within is the one seeing God without. God is both the object of my seeing and the subject who does the act of all real seeing. He tears the veil to the Holy of Holies, gives me the only seeing that I have.

I've been lost and now I'm found and I sing it softly. Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart. Everything in our life would change and be corrected if we could see it through the eyes of Jesus. Verse 7, the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. Four almost always represents the created order. We speak of four ends of the earth and of north and south and east and west. There's a rabbinic saying that's very ancient that said, the mightiest amongst the birds is the eagle, the mightiest amongst the domestic animals is the bull, the mightiest amongst the wild beasts is the lion, and the mightiest amongst them all is man. And so it very well may be that this is a reference to what is considered to be the highest created order amongst each of these categories. So all of the best of creation is encircled around the throne of God in worship. Revelation 4 verse 8, and the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, quite reminiscent of Isaiah 6, are full of eyes, there's the eyes again, all around and within and each and day and night they never cease to say holy holy holy as the Lord God almighty who was and is and is to come. You see if you really were to get a revelation of God everything within you would say holy holy holy and it's almost just mercy from God that we don't have the continued revelation of its shekinah glory we couldn't do anything else but we're going to get a spiritual body one day and we'll be able to do everything that God ever intended for us to do. I can barely make it through a sermon without weeping over this image and how you're going to clean your house or take your car to the mechanic if you just completely can't say anything but holy holy holy sometimes you have to say other things but these around the throne of God can't say anything but holy holy holy every other word that tries to come out won't fit won't work it's too holy come up here and see this Jesus says see that whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who's seated on the throne who lives forever and ever that the 24 elders verse 10 fall down before him who's seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever and they cast their crowns before the throne saying worthy are you our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things I'm not even through the good part of the sermon yet you see they laid their crowns down not because God asked them to I want you to see this because they they they love to I don't think we understand this I just don't think we understand except for in moments this is one such for me but in moments you get this where you discover that the greatest happiness you could ever have is to completely forget about yourself and think only of him it must be the very nature of heaven complete self-forgetfulness where we are no longer subject to the shame of wondering what others think of us and all we really care about is adoring him come up here and see this where everything that encircles the throne takes its greatest joy and delight in magnifying his name it's my greatest joy and why I ever settle for lesser things I don't know it's the greatest joy you could ever have to participate as one amongst myriads and myriads of millions and millions upon myriads of millions to just praise his name and we come to chapter five I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back sealed with seven seals and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice now this is a mighty angel huge warrior who says who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals it was great scholarly debate over the meaning of this scroll what does it represent one thing's for sure it is in the roman world a legal document because only a few documents were sealed in this manner and only a few had writing both on the inside and outside so long story short they would take papyri paper that had been made from the papyrus and and and basically into like eight by ten sheets that then are attached horizontally more or less glued in a simplistic manner at their edges and then put into the scrolls and rolled together so the scroll would be this is the way a book this word in greek bibliom and so it's read left to right as the scroll is unfurled this way you're closing it up this way and when it's a legal document it had to be attested and sometimes for the most important legal documents they would have seven different witnesses that would be there to witness it and it would receive seven wax seals that's clearly what we're seeing here and most likely not all scholars agree on this but it it is it's my confirmed opinion that this is an image of a last will and testament clearly this is fitting for what we know we know a lot about roman wills and how they were sealed how they were executed and they would have writing on the outside and inside to be sealed with seven seals and preferably would only be open if the seven original witnesses were there nobody you couldn't just legally open this except for by proper authority one commentator has let me just read it point blank has said that bibliom this word though there may be a variety of interpretations that the most simple member of the asiatic churches knew that a bibliom made fast with seven seals was a testament and when a testator dies the testament is brought forward and when possible open in the presence of seven witnesses who sealed it so we can't say for absolute certain but i think it's best to think of yourself as an heir of god and to think of this as god's will and testament in this scroll therefore are the assurances of god's promises for you in this scroll there is in this scroll there is the destiny of the cosmos and his plan to make a new heaven a new earth there in this scroll is the guarantee of judgment against evil and the guarantee of unmerited favor for those who are in christ jesus there in this scroll is the assurance of reigning forever with jesus christ there in this scroll is what paul had in mind when he spoke in colossians one and said you have been guaranteed your inheritance in the saints because you've been fully qualified fully qualified he said this is what i think paul had in mind when he spoke in ephesians one of us being blessed with every spiritual blessing in christ what's in this scroll is the whole hope of your life the means by which you have become seated with christ the means by which you are healed and set free what's in this scroll the assurance of heaven and your healing and your joy and your hope the restoration of life the hope for your marriage the lifting of depression the deliverance of evil the presence of god to you the assurance that that prayer of yours is being answered by god and heard by him the care of your life the provision for your life the promises of god for he has his eye on the sparrow and and this scroll is the inheritance of every good thing and every perfect gift that god ever intended to release to you that has always been in his right hand and always been his will to pour it out upon your life that and so much more is in this scroll that's alan wright and we'll have more teaching in a moment from today's important series if you think heaven is a misty place where you float around on clouds and pluck angelic harps you're in for the surprise of your life our special product this month is all about the hope of heaven it's our gift to you when you support this month alan cd album invites you to discover the body you've always wanted a spiritual resurrected body be assured that god isn't going to scrap you or the world he'll make all things new overcome the gnawing anxiety about the end of your life you can have peace now pastor alan wright's hope-filled messages will lead you into more than a joyous revelation of heaven according to the scriptures they'll lead you into a bounding hope so please help us stay on the radio in your area by making a generous gift today and we'll be happy to send you the body you've always wanted the cd album that is when you make your gift to Alan Wright Ministries today we'll send you pastor alan's messages in an attractive cd album or through digital download as our way of saying thanks for your partnership we are happy to send this to you as our thanks from Alan Wright Ministries call us at 877-544-4860 that's 877-544-4860 or come to our website pastor alan.org today's teaching now continues here once again is alan wright verse three and no one in heaven on or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look into it and i began to weep john said loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look into it he knew in the spirit that that every treasure was in that scroll he knew in the spirit that scroll must be open that the whole hope of the world was in that scroll he knew it and there was no one in this vision no one was able to open the vision no one was able to open and he was weeping loudly he was wailing because no one could open it envision it's like a scene from the legend of king arthur where merlin magically has placed the sword into the stone and announce whoever could remove the sword would be the one that's the rightful king of england and according to the legend every strong in the land came to try to pull it out and none could until one day young arthur came and when he took hold of the sword it just seamlessly came out because he was the right one and i just imagine this scene sort of like that that the angels were all the first to try to attempt to open the scroll should seem like an easy thing to do just a scroll with some seals on it maybe it started with a lesser angel remember clarence from it's a wonderful life i'd like to see clarence going over to try to open it up clarence said i could open it i was able to save george bailey i was able to take him and see what his life would have been what the world would have been without him certainly i could just open up a little scroll and clarence goes over and tugs at it and pulls at it and strains and he can't open it and so another bigger angel comes and so let me have a try at that and some stronger angel comes over and says i have i have protected many a person in this world i have i have stayed giant accidents from happening before they ever took place give me that scroll and pulls and tugs and cannot be opened and maybe it proceeds until finally gabriel comes as i've trumpeted the news of the birth of jesus and i certainly can open up this good news as well and he pulls and tugs and strains and maybe and maybe michael himself comes and brandishes the sword that he used in the spirit to defeat the principalities over persia and takes that brandished spirited sword and lays it upon the seals and they do not break open who can open it the strongest archangel in heaven can't open it i just envisioned the father saying beloved some things can't be opened by force and some wise angel said ah this must be opened only by father and god said no it is not for me to open this is the inheritance for humanity it is for a human to open and so every human can you imagine it from adam the father of humanity who was originally given the promise to have dominion in the earth comes and tries to open the scroll and cant and abraham who was blessed to be a blessing and through him all the nations of the world be blessed and he tries to open and he can't despite all of his faith and perhaps moses and joshua come and david who had fought off the philistine giant and conquered in so many battles comes and he tugs with all his might and uses all his strength and all his faith he can't open it and maybe the martyred apostles come and one by one and nobody can open it and all the while john is weeping wailing loudly in his heavenly vision at verse five one of the elders said to me weep no more weep no more behold the lion of the tribe of judah the root of david has conquered he can open the scroll in its seven seals weep no more do not weep over this scroll anymore there would be much to weep about in this world we lose we grieve and we will weep but do not weep over this scroll anymore for the thing that's most important it's time to quit crying the grief has been misplaced john there is an answer there is one who's worthy the lion of the tribe of judah and you would just imagine you know that this lion now is going to appear in the vision with his giant claws and just claw open the wax seals and open up the scroll but instead verse six between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders i saw a lamb standing as though it had been slain with seven horns and with seven eyes which are the seven spirits of god sent out all seeing all spirit and went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne do you know the word for lamb here is the diminutive form little lamb it should be translated lambkin it doesn't make any sense you think it takes great strength to open this scroll but instead a little lamb little fluffy who has been who has been who's been obviously slaughtered and has got blood all over him and yet somehow it was standing that's the image that he has the lamb who takes away the sin of the world and he and he alone the one who is both god and man a human who can take this and open it on behalf of humanity but a god who had never sinned and therefore paid the perfect price he has ransomed us all at verse nine they sang a new song saying where they are you to take the scroll and open his seals for you were slain and by your blood you ran some people for god from every tribe and language and people and nation and you've made them a kingdom and priest to our god we've become a kingdom we're the priests of god we're welcomed into the throne room and they shall reign on earth it's a new song one the angels couldn't sing because they never sinned they never knew how sweet it is to be forgiven they don't know what it's like to be redeemed this is the redemption song you alone are worthy because you shed your blood you paid the price and i looked verse 11 and heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders and the voice of many angels numbering myriads and myriads and thousands and thousands saying with a loud voice worthy is the lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honoring glory and blessing jesus is on the throne it's not emperor do mission on the throne it's not the powers of hell on the throne it's not a pandemic on the throne it's not your problems on the throne it is jesus both lion and lamb powerful enough to destroy the world but loving enough to save the world the lamb has taken away the sin of the world and he sits on the throne grace and mercy have conquered grace rules the cosmos and all blessing has been placed into christ all inheritance is in christ and anyone who is in christ anyone who trusts in him anyone who receives him anyone who believes on his name becomes a co-heir with christ and all the blessing that should have been reserved for him alone is opened up in the scroll and it becomes yours thank you jesus what is there to do but join in the chorus of worship encircled around that throne and gladly appropriate the fullness of your inheritance and have every confidence that grace wins and evil loses worthy is the lamb who sits on the throne and that's the gospel alan wright our good news message today grace rules from the series the revelation i encourage you to stick with us pastor alan is back in the studio sharing a parting good news message for the day good news thought in our parting thought here in just a moment if you think heaven is a misty place where you float around on clouds and pluck angelic harps you're in for the surprise of your life our special product this month is all about the hope of heaven it's our gift to you when you support this month alan cd album invites you to discover the body you've always wanted a spiritual resurrected body be assured that god isn't going to scrap you or the world he'll make all things new overcome the gnawing anxiety about the end of your life you can have peace now pastor alan wright's hope-filled messages will lead you into more than a joyous revelation of heaven according to the scriptures they'll lead you into a bounding hope so please help us stay on the radio in your area by making a generous gift today and we'll be happy to send you the body you've always wanted the cd album that is when you make your gift to Alan Wright Ministries today we'll send you pastor alan's messages in an attractive cd album or through digital download as our way of saying thanks for your partnership we are happy to send this to you as our thanks from Alan Wright Ministries call us at 877-544-4860 that's 877-544-4860 or come to our website pastor alan.org back here now with pastor alan do you think it's only natural for us to feel some kind of a a conflict there's like humility and saying that we're undeserved it's undeserved but at the same time using the language like ownership and now i have a deed that's been given to me and and and accepting that it is a um it's it's a delicate balance daniel between our humility in christ and our confidence in christ and we're to have both it is uh also to say that jesus is in this imagery both lion lion of the tribe of judah and lamb and so even with jesus his power and confidence as lord of the cosmos was released through the humility of counting himself a servant to all and so that's that's the picture we get in revelation four and five the lion is also the lamb which i think you're right is an invitation to us to live with utmost confidence that the victory has been accomplished and we are co-heirs with christ while at the same time having the same attitude as christ jesus one that's of a humble servant that is here to bless the world today's good news message is a listener supported production of allen wright ministries