The End in the Middle - Revelation 14:1-5
Posted by Calvary Chapel Fremont at 3/6/2011 11:05 PM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Pastor Tim Brown Calvary Chapel Fremont End Middle Revelation
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Pastor Tim Brown Calvary Chapel Fremont End Middle Revelation
Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Sunday March 6, 2011
The End in the Middle
Revelation 14:1-5
Overview of Revelation
Doesn’t Jesus stand on Mt. Zion w/ the 144,000 at the beginning of the Millennium? C14 is in the middle of the tribulation – what’s it doing here? Why is the end in the middle? Cf. R12-13 - John has been detailing the fierce wrath of the dragon/awesome authority of the antichrist/miraculous powers of the false prophet – unholy trinity
* Seems like whole planet is worshipping beast.
* Looks like Satan has what he was always lusting after – he’s ruling planet earth.
How does God meet the challenge of Satan/antichrist? Is the beast completely victorious over God’s people? What is God doing during this darkest of times for our planet? He fast forwards the readers to the end.
1 The Lamb is standing on Mt. Zion. In the middle of the tribulation we are fast forwarded to the end and see the triumph of The Lamb. We will be in heaven w/ Jesus/won’t need this comfort. But those who come to faith in Christ in the tribulation need this vision of triumph in the midst of tribulation because they are getting clobbered – cf. R13:7. God doesn’t want them to lose sight of the end – to lose sight of their victory in Christ.
When you’re in the middle of something it’s easy to feel trapped/ hopeless. Life can seem like a maze – you can’t see beyond the next hedge blocking your way. You can’t find a way out. Even now in your Christian experience God puts the end in the middle so that you won’t lose heart. Don’t lose sight of the end. When I am in the middle of something/feeling despair – God reveals the end. Even though I am in a maze, I can be in amazement.
This is a strategy God has always used. Cf. James 1:2-4 In the middle of the trial fast forward to the end – perfect/complete/ lacking in nothing. What helps you when dieting? (picture of brad pitt)
By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Hebrews 11:9-10
Clowns to the left of me,
Jokers to the right, here I am,
Stuck in the middle with you. Stealer’s Wheel 1972
God doesn’t want you to be stuck in the middle… ff to the end.
It doesn’t say Jesus, but The Lamb. 29 times in Revelation Jesus is called The Lamb. (Jesus – 13 times/Christ – 7 times). The Lamb is the most common title given to Jesus in Revelation.
The picture of the sacrificial lamb is from Exodus 12 – the Passover lamb. The blood of the lamb was to be applied to the lintel/two doorposts of the home/the family was to remain inside as the Death Angel passed over. The homes w/ the blood applied were safe for the blood was a covering/protection from wrath of God.
Jesus is first identified as The Lamb in John – “Behold The Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” Your biggest problem is that you can’t take away your own sin. You can’t scrub yourself clean. You can’t wash yourself spotless. You can eliminate your poverty/ignorance - you can change neighborhoods/careers – you can solve most of your problems and the problems you can’t solve someone else can solve for you. But not you/anyone else can take away your sin.
Your greatest need can’t be supplied by a politician/educator/ philanthropist/philosopher/physician – you need redemption/ forgiveness – and that’s not on the Kaiser/Blue Cross plan. A $1,000 deductible w/ a $25 co-pay won’t get you to heaven. Only The Lamb of God can supply the provision for your greatest need. The Lamb of Revelation solves the greatest problem you’ve ever had.
There is a pattern/logic to the revelation of God in Scripture. The Bible is not the abstract revelation of God, but the concrete revelation of God. The God of the Bible is not the theoretical God of the philosophers, He is the real-world and, because of Jesus, down-to-earth God of sinners who reveals Himself to sinners to help them in time of need. G1:1 doesn’t reveal God as the Ground of our Being/Overarching Principle of the World Spirit. God reveals Himself as your Creator/world’s Creator – He makes stuff. The first mention of God is a God who is getting His hands dirty!
God is revealed in Scripture as the supplier/provider of the need of the moment.
* To Abraham He revealed Himself as God Most High – life from death
* To Moses He revealed Himself as the great I AM – deliverance from bondage
* To David He revealed Himself as The Rock and The Fortress – help in trouble
* Jesus revealed Himself as light - we need light - as the door - we need a way in – as the way/truth/life, because we need direction/truth/life. Cf. Jesus revealed in R2-3.
* God reveals Himself to you as The Lamb because you have need of forgiveness.
After the unveiling of the unholy trinity in C13, John fast forwards to the end and we see the triumph of Jesus Christ/The Lamb.
THE description OF THE 144,000 1-5
In C7 they are introduced/sealed, but not much is told about them. We get more info here. The 144,000 are standing w/ Jesus on Mt. Zion. This is a millennial scene. Jesus has returned to planet earth and made His way into Jerusalem through the eastern gate.
Mt. Zion - in heaven or on earth? Earth – beg. of M. Whether they are preserved through or resurrected – message is the same. After evil has done its worst, God’s people are still standing. Not just The Lamb, but the followers of The Lamb are triumphant, too. Here’s why -
Single brand
* Marked - Mark of Best or mark of beast? Name: Yahweh?
Single song – they hear the music from heaven/begin to sing. Why did Paul/Silas sing in prison? They heard the music.
Singled out
* Purchased from among men – bought/paid for by blood of Jesus
Single minded
* Pure - not chauvinists, but celibates. Single/single minded. Many are single, but not single minded.
Single heart – follow the Lamb
Single tongue – honesty
In a single word: blameless Jude said, “Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling/ present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.”
We see the end in the middle. How many sealed in C7? How many present here, in C14? God is faithful/will bring you through when hell has done its worst! So, not just The Lamb, but the followers of The Lamb are triumphant, too.
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The End in the Middle
Revelation 14:1-5
Overview of Revelation
Doesn’t Jesus stand on Mt. Zion w/ the 144,000 at the beginning of the Millennium? C14 is in the middle of the tribulation – what’s it doing here? Why is the end in the middle? Cf. R12-13 - John has been detailing the fierce wrath of the dragon/awesome authority of the antichrist/miraculous powers of the false prophet – unholy trinity
* Seems like whole planet is worshipping beast.
* Looks like Satan has what he was always lusting after – he’s ruling planet earth.
How does God meet the challenge of Satan/antichrist? Is the beast completely victorious over God’s people? What is God doing during this darkest of times for our planet? He fast forwards the readers to the end.
1 The Lamb is standing on Mt. Zion. In the middle of the tribulation we are fast forwarded to the end and see the triumph of The Lamb. We will be in heaven w/ Jesus/won’t need this comfort. But those who come to faith in Christ in the tribulation need this vision of triumph in the midst of tribulation because they are getting clobbered – cf. R13:7. God doesn’t want them to lose sight of the end – to lose sight of their victory in Christ.
When you’re in the middle of something it’s easy to feel trapped/ hopeless. Life can seem like a maze – you can’t see beyond the next hedge blocking your way. You can’t find a way out. Even now in your Christian experience God puts the end in the middle so that you won’t lose heart. Don’t lose sight of the end. When I am in the middle of something/feeling despair – God reveals the end. Even though I am in a maze, I can be in amazement.
This is a strategy God has always used. Cf. James 1:2-4 In the middle of the trial fast forward to the end – perfect/complete/ lacking in nothing. What helps you when dieting? (picture of brad pitt)
By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Hebrews 11:9-10
Clowns to the left of me,
Jokers to the right, here I am,
Stuck in the middle with you. Stealer’s Wheel 1972
God doesn’t want you to be stuck in the middle… ff to the end.
It doesn’t say Jesus, but The Lamb. 29 times in Revelation Jesus is called The Lamb. (Jesus – 13 times/Christ – 7 times). The Lamb is the most common title given to Jesus in Revelation.
The picture of the sacrificial lamb is from Exodus 12 – the Passover lamb. The blood of the lamb was to be applied to the lintel/two doorposts of the home/the family was to remain inside as the Death Angel passed over. The homes w/ the blood applied were safe for the blood was a covering/protection from wrath of God.
Jesus is first identified as The Lamb in John – “Behold The Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” Your biggest problem is that you can’t take away your own sin. You can’t scrub yourself clean. You can’t wash yourself spotless. You can eliminate your poverty/ignorance - you can change neighborhoods/careers – you can solve most of your problems and the problems you can’t solve someone else can solve for you. But not you/anyone else can take away your sin.
Your greatest need can’t be supplied by a politician/educator/ philanthropist/philosopher/physician – you need redemption/ forgiveness – and that’s not on the Kaiser/Blue Cross plan. A $1,000 deductible w/ a $25 co-pay won’t get you to heaven. Only The Lamb of God can supply the provision for your greatest need. The Lamb of Revelation solves the greatest problem you’ve ever had.
There is a pattern/logic to the revelation of God in Scripture. The Bible is not the abstract revelation of God, but the concrete revelation of God. The God of the Bible is not the theoretical God of the philosophers, He is the real-world and, because of Jesus, down-to-earth God of sinners who reveals Himself to sinners to help them in time of need. G1:1 doesn’t reveal God as the Ground of our Being/Overarching Principle of the World Spirit. God reveals Himself as your Creator/world’s Creator – He makes stuff. The first mention of God is a God who is getting His hands dirty!
God is revealed in Scripture as the supplier/provider of the need of the moment.
* To Abraham He revealed Himself as God Most High – life from death
* To Moses He revealed Himself as the great I AM – deliverance from bondage
* To David He revealed Himself as The Rock and The Fortress – help in trouble
* Jesus revealed Himself as light - we need light - as the door - we need a way in – as the way/truth/life, because we need direction/truth/life. Cf. Jesus revealed in R2-3.
* God reveals Himself to you as The Lamb because you have need of forgiveness.
After the unveiling of the unholy trinity in C13, John fast forwards to the end and we see the triumph of Jesus Christ/The Lamb.
THE description OF THE 144,000 1-5
In C7 they are introduced/sealed, but not much is told about them. We get more info here. The 144,000 are standing w/ Jesus on Mt. Zion. This is a millennial scene. Jesus has returned to planet earth and made His way into Jerusalem through the eastern gate.
Mt. Zion - in heaven or on earth? Earth – beg. of M. Whether they are preserved through or resurrected – message is the same. After evil has done its worst, God’s people are still standing. Not just The Lamb, but the followers of The Lamb are triumphant, too. Here’s why -
Single brand
* Marked - Mark of Best or mark of beast? Name: Yahweh?
Single song – they hear the music from heaven/begin to sing. Why did Paul/Silas sing in prison? They heard the music.
Singled out
* Purchased from among men – bought/paid for by blood of Jesus
Single minded
* Pure - not chauvinists, but celibates. Single/single minded. Many are single, but not single minded.
Single heart – follow the Lamb
Single tongue – honesty
In a single word: blameless Jude said, “Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling/ present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.”
We see the end in the middle. How many sealed in C7? How many present here, in C14? God is faithful/will bring you through when hell has done its worst! So, not just The Lamb, but the followers of The Lamb are triumphant, too.
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