A Crash Course in Theology - Part 2 - Revelation 4:3-4
Posted by Calvary Chapel Fremont at 10/17/2010 10:18 PM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Pastor Tim Brown Calvary Chapel Fremont Crash Course Theology Revelation
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Pastor Tim Brown Calvary Chapel Fremont Crash Course Theology Revelation
Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Sunday October 17, 2010
A Crash Course in Theology - Part 2
Revelation 4:3-4
B4 the Lord showed John what would be happening after him (C6ff), He showed him what was happening above him. B4 he saw the things of tomorrow, he saw the things of eternity. B4 we see the judgment of God in C6-19, we see God C4-5. You will only fathom God’s judgment when you know God. Theology b4 eschatology.
1-2 1st thing John saw when he was in the Spirit: a throne occupied by God. Being in the Spirit relates you to the throne/authority of God. God’s throne is referred to 50 times in the NT/39 of them are in Revelation. God is taking back the planet from Satan/sin. The rebellion that began in Genesis is finally put down in Revelation.
The 1st thing noted about the One on the throne is that He is sitting – posture of rest.
The 2nd thing John notices about the One sitting on the throne is His colors. John doesn’t speak to us in the language of technical theology. He doesn’t tell us that the Lord is omnipotent/omniscient/ omnipresent/ immutable/self-existent/ self-sufficient… He was not struck w/ the attributes of God, but the appearance of God. Someone near him might have seen him and could tell he was having a vision. “What do you see, John?” “I see colors! Look – God is diamond white/ruby red/emerald green.” Appearance points to attributes/colors indicate His character.
Jasper: color of purity/holiness - clear like crystal/diamond
The 1st color/characteristic of God – God’s holiness. Our favorite description of God is that He is love. The Bible’s favorite description of God is that He is holy. We can understand love somewhat because of our experience w/ our parents/spouses/children/one another. It is far more difficult to gain a proper understanding of holiness/of a purity so radical that no sin can dwell in its presence.
We understand it a little bit when we put a criminal in prison. Our sense of right/wrong/justice is an echo of God’s holiness. God’s holiness demands justice. The demand of holiness can be seen in this last week’s rescue of miners in Chile.
Authorities at Camp Hope (Chilean miner’s camp | Oct. 2010 mine collapse | 70 days trapped) have had to deal with a rush of women coming forward claiming to be first in the Chilean miners' affections in order to receive government handouts. At least five wives have been forced to come face to face with mistresses whose existence was kept from them by their husbands. One miner has four women fighting over him in an effort to claim gov’t money - a first wife he never divorced/ his live-in partner/mother of a child he had several years ago/woman who claims to be his current girlfriend. He’s in a deeper pit! One miner’s wife ran into her husband's mistress while waiting for his rescue/she said that she won’t be waiting for him at the top when he is pulled to safety – and she wasn’t.
Women, would you share your husband? Men, your wives? God’s holiness demands single hearted faithfulness – just like marriage. Can you imagine God saying 2u, ”I won’t be waiting 4u.” I imagine that a man takes a mistress because he’s not satisfied w/ his wife. Someone dissatisfied w/ God has many lovers. God runs n2 your lovers all the time. He sees you entertaining pleasure/pursuing wealth/in the arms of greed and pride. God doesn’t want to share you w/ other lovers. He is a jealous God/desires your spirit.
He is a holy God – diamond white. God’s holiness is the theological rationale for the tribulation/hell itself. The great tribulation/hell make no sense w/o knowing the holiness of God.
Sardis: color of redemption/love – deep ruby red
His holiness is the reason for wrath and His love is the reason for rescue. God knows that you cannot live up to the demands of his holiness – all have sinned - and so God’s love satisfied the demand of His holiness. Christ did 4u what you could never do for yourself. He lived a perfect life that met the demands of holiness and died a sacrificial death bearing my failure/your guilt. God’s love in Jesus provided what you could never provide for yourself. By faith, Christ’s perfect obedience is transferred 2u/demand of holiness met.
If God’s holiness is the rationale for the great tribulation/hell, God’s love is the rationale for the rapture/heaven.
Emerald rainbow: color of mercy/promise - sign of the covenant to not destroy. Cf. Noah. When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth. Gen. 9:16 There is an emerald rainbow around the throne. God will be faithful to who/what He is.
There is theology in colors - they teach us about God.
White: God is a holy God into whose presence no sinful man can come.
Red: God is a loving God forgiving sin and bringing man into His presence.
Green: God is a faithful God who will not forget, but be true to all He as promised.
4 24 elders – (24 OT/NT saints)
White garments: color of the righteousness of Christ.
Golden crowns: color of deity
The color of the elders/people of God is the color of God Himself. God gives Himself to color in our lives. God’s love supplying the demand of God’s holiness results in you being clothed/crowned in with the colors of God.
Ex. 28 Jasper/sardis – last/first stones on the high priest’s breastplate representing the 12 tribes of Israel. Reuben/Benjamin – representing the whole of the covenant people.
* God seeks to reproduce the color of His glory in His people. He desires to color you in – we have partaken of the divine nature.
* All of us have sinned/fallen short of the color of God. We don’t see God’s character/glory in people. God meant us to live life in living color, instead, we live colorless lives in black/white.
* So we try to add color to our lives – pleasure/fame/wealth -mistresses – but the color fades. Here is the offer of Christ: let Me color in your life. Jesus came to bring the color of God to a black/white world.
When the Chilean miners emerged from their deep pit we saw scenes of men crying/praying/thanking God. Here’s the message in this: no matter how deep or dark the pit you’re in, if you call on Christ He will find you and set you free. Your world caved in upon you and w/o Christ, ur trapped in darkness. Call upon the Lord, for all who call upon Him will be saved. His hand reaches into the depths of the earth; He can reach to you.
Government officials are considering asking the 33 trapped miners to name those they want to claim the benefits entitled to them in a bid to solve problems on the surface. “Choose this day who you will serve…”
Communion: white bread – the color of His holy life/red juice – the color of His redemptive death. We partake of His color…
Download | Duration: 00:42:28
A Crash Course in Theology - Part 2
Revelation 4:3-4
B4 the Lord showed John what would be happening after him (C6ff), He showed him what was happening above him. B4 he saw the things of tomorrow, he saw the things of eternity. B4 we see the judgment of God in C6-19, we see God C4-5. You will only fathom God’s judgment when you know God. Theology b4 eschatology.
1-2 1st thing John saw when he was in the Spirit: a throne occupied by God. Being in the Spirit relates you to the throne/authority of God. God’s throne is referred to 50 times in the NT/39 of them are in Revelation. God is taking back the planet from Satan/sin. The rebellion that began in Genesis is finally put down in Revelation.
The 1st thing noted about the One on the throne is that He is sitting – posture of rest.
The 2nd thing John notices about the One sitting on the throne is His colors. John doesn’t speak to us in the language of technical theology. He doesn’t tell us that the Lord is omnipotent/omniscient/ omnipresent/ immutable/self-existent/ self-sufficient… He was not struck w/ the attributes of God, but the appearance of God. Someone near him might have seen him and could tell he was having a vision. “What do you see, John?” “I see colors! Look – God is diamond white/ruby red/emerald green.” Appearance points to attributes/colors indicate His character.
Jasper: color of purity/holiness - clear like crystal/diamond
The 1st color/characteristic of God – God’s holiness. Our favorite description of God is that He is love. The Bible’s favorite description of God is that He is holy. We can understand love somewhat because of our experience w/ our parents/spouses/children/one another. It is far more difficult to gain a proper understanding of holiness/of a purity so radical that no sin can dwell in its presence.
We understand it a little bit when we put a criminal in prison. Our sense of right/wrong/justice is an echo of God’s holiness. God’s holiness demands justice. The demand of holiness can be seen in this last week’s rescue of miners in Chile.
Authorities at Camp Hope (Chilean miner’s camp | Oct. 2010 mine collapse | 70 days trapped) have had to deal with a rush of women coming forward claiming to be first in the Chilean miners' affections in order to receive government handouts. At least five wives have been forced to come face to face with mistresses whose existence was kept from them by their husbands. One miner has four women fighting over him in an effort to claim gov’t money - a first wife he never divorced/ his live-in partner/mother of a child he had several years ago/woman who claims to be his current girlfriend. He’s in a deeper pit! One miner’s wife ran into her husband's mistress while waiting for his rescue/she said that she won’t be waiting for him at the top when he is pulled to safety – and she wasn’t.
Women, would you share your husband? Men, your wives? God’s holiness demands single hearted faithfulness – just like marriage. Can you imagine God saying 2u, ”I won’t be waiting 4u.” I imagine that a man takes a mistress because he’s not satisfied w/ his wife. Someone dissatisfied w/ God has many lovers. God runs n2 your lovers all the time. He sees you entertaining pleasure/pursuing wealth/in the arms of greed and pride. God doesn’t want to share you w/ other lovers. He is a jealous God/desires your spirit.
He is a holy God – diamond white. God’s holiness is the theological rationale for the tribulation/hell itself. The great tribulation/hell make no sense w/o knowing the holiness of God.
Sardis: color of redemption/love – deep ruby red
His holiness is the reason for wrath and His love is the reason for rescue. God knows that you cannot live up to the demands of his holiness – all have sinned - and so God’s love satisfied the demand of His holiness. Christ did 4u what you could never do for yourself. He lived a perfect life that met the demands of holiness and died a sacrificial death bearing my failure/your guilt. God’s love in Jesus provided what you could never provide for yourself. By faith, Christ’s perfect obedience is transferred 2u/demand of holiness met.
If God’s holiness is the rationale for the great tribulation/hell, God’s love is the rationale for the rapture/heaven.
Emerald rainbow: color of mercy/promise - sign of the covenant to not destroy. Cf. Noah. When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth. Gen. 9:16 There is an emerald rainbow around the throne. God will be faithful to who/what He is.
There is theology in colors - they teach us about God.
White: God is a holy God into whose presence no sinful man can come.
Red: God is a loving God forgiving sin and bringing man into His presence.
Green: God is a faithful God who will not forget, but be true to all He as promised.
4 24 elders – (24 OT/NT saints)
White garments: color of the righteousness of Christ.
Golden crowns: color of deity
The color of the elders/people of God is the color of God Himself. God gives Himself to color in our lives. God’s love supplying the demand of God’s holiness results in you being clothed/crowned in with the colors of God.
Ex. 28 Jasper/sardis – last/first stones on the high priest’s breastplate representing the 12 tribes of Israel. Reuben/Benjamin – representing the whole of the covenant people.
* God seeks to reproduce the color of His glory in His people. He desires to color you in – we have partaken of the divine nature.
* All of us have sinned/fallen short of the color of God. We don’t see God’s character/glory in people. God meant us to live life in living color, instead, we live colorless lives in black/white.
* So we try to add color to our lives – pleasure/fame/wealth -mistresses – but the color fades. Here is the offer of Christ: let Me color in your life. Jesus came to bring the color of God to a black/white world.
When the Chilean miners emerged from their deep pit we saw scenes of men crying/praying/thanking God. Here’s the message in this: no matter how deep or dark the pit you’re in, if you call on Christ He will find you and set you free. Your world caved in upon you and w/o Christ, ur trapped in darkness. Call upon the Lord, for all who call upon Him will be saved. His hand reaches into the depths of the earth; He can reach to you.
Government officials are considering asking the 33 trapped miners to name those they want to claim the benefits entitled to them in a bid to solve problems on the surface. “Choose this day who you will serve…”
Communion: white bread – the color of His holy life/red juice – the color of His redemptive death. We partake of His color…
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