Unveiled | Part 2: The Throne Before the Storm | Chris Vaught

How many's got a reason to praise him this morning, amen? Yes. ♪♪♪ ♪ Praise in the valley and praise on the mountain ♪ ♪ I'll praise when I'm sure and praise when I'm doubting ♪ ♪ I'll praise when I'm numbered and praise when surrounded ♪ ♪ 'Cause praise is the water my enemy's drowning ♪ ♪ As long as I'm breathing I've got a reason to praise ♪ ♪ Lord, oh my soul, praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ ♪ I'll praise when I feel it and I'll praise when I don't ♪ ♪ I'll praise 'cause I know you're still in control ♪ ♪ My praise is a weapon, it's more than a sound ♪ ♪ Oh, my praise is a shout that brings Jericho down ♪ ♪ Oh, as long as I'm breathing I've got a reason to praise ♪ ♪ Lord, oh my soul, praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ ♪ Oh, I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ How could I keep it in time ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're starving ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're ready ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're rose and defeated the gray ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're faithful ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're true ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause there's nobody greater than you I will ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're starving ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're ready ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're rose and defeated the gray ♪ ♪ Oh, praise 'cause you're faithful ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're true ♪

♪ Praise 'cause there's nobody greater than you ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ ♪ Oh, praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive, how could I keep ♪ ♪ Oh, I won't be quiet, I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive, how could I keep ♪ ♪ Oh, I won't be quiet, I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive, how could I keep it inside ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ ♪ Oh, praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ Oh, praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ ♪ There was no way that you made a world ♪ ♪ Praise upon grace, hallelujah ♪ ♪ Even though I don't deserve it ♪ ♪ You did it, even though I couldn't earn it ♪ ♪ You gave it, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Never mind that you ♪ God, I'm just grateful for Come on, sing it on my life And oh, my God, I'm just grateful for you God, I'm just grateful for you Holy, holy, it's only one I gave you glory and all that you've got Even though I don't deserve it Today, yes Even though I couldn't earn it

You gave it Who am I? That you keep me on your mind God, I'm just grateful for you God, I'm just grateful for you And oh, my life You've been right here by my side God, I'm just grateful for you God, I'm just grateful for you Who am I? That you keep me on your mind God, I'm just grateful for you God, I'm just grateful for you And oh, my life You've been right here by my side God, I'm just grateful for you God, I'm just grateful for you So grateful for you And all that you do Every season You're so good And oh, oh I'm lifting both of my hands 'Cause you gave me chance after chance After chance And oh, oh I'm giving all that I had 'Cause you gave me chance after chance After chance And oh, oh I'm lifting both of my hands 'Cause you gave me chance after chance

After chance And oh, oh I'm giving all that I had 'Cause you gave me chance after chance After chance Who am I? That you keep me on your mind God, I'm just grateful for you God, I'm just grateful for you Oh, my life You've been right here by my side God, I'm just grateful for you God, I'm just grateful for you And who am I? That you keep me on your mind God, I'm just grateful for you God, I'm just grateful for you Oh, my life You've been right here by my side God, I'm just grateful for you God, I'm just grateful for you Come on, proclaim me God, I'm just grateful for you God, I'm just grateful for you God, I'm just grateful for you And I'm all right Keep me safe I'm out of my mind, God, I'm just grateful for you God, I'm just grateful for you Yeah, that's you today

Can you just give me a shot of praise? Amen Amen So glad you're here today, today's your first time I want to let you know about your next step I want to let you know about your next step I want to let you know about your next step I want to let you know about your next step I want to let you know about your next step I want to let you know about your next step I want to let you know about your next step I want to let you know about your next step I want to let you know about your next step I want to let you know about your next step I want to let you know about your next step I want to let you know about your next step I want to let you know about your next step I want to let you know about your next step I want to let you know about your next step And it's just allowing there to be space. And if we miss this, then we've missed everything about today. So today, we're gonna open our altars. We're gonna allow God to just have his way here in the place today. And today, if you need some encouragement, you need prayer, or you just need to sit at the feet of Jesus today. We wanna give you that opportunity. Today, our altars are open.

We've got people that are prayed up, ready to pray with you. And again, I don't want you to miss being in his presence today, amen. Today, I'm gonna ask you to do something a little bit different. Today, there may be somebody that walks up and goes to the altar. But there may be somebody that's sitting right around you or standing right around you, that they're going through something. I want you to be praying for the people that are around you in this moment. And I want us all at the same time, in the same place to focus more about his presence and what he's doing than anything we got going on. Sounds like playing, don't it? Let's attack the throne room of heaven today. Amen. Let's sit at the feet of Jesus today, amen. Let's continue in our worship. ♪ I am an instrument of exaltation ♪ ♪ And I was born to lift your name above all names ♪ ♪ Did you hear the melody of all creation? ♪ ♪ But there's a song of praise that only I can bring ♪ ♪ Lift it up, who else is worthy ♪ Come on, every voice, who else is worthy, there is no one. ♪ There is no one that's only Jesus ♪ ♪ Who else is worthy, who else is worthy ♪ ♪ There is no one only Jesus you are ♪

♪ You are the infinite God of the ages ♪ ♪ But yet you chose to make my heart dwell ♪ ♪ Oh thank you Lord, you healed my brokenness ♪ ♪ And showed me your glory ♪ ♪ So I have songs of thanks, not even angels sing ♪ ♪ Who else is worthy, yes ♪ ♪ Oh who else is worthy ♪ ♪ There is no one only you Jesus ♪ ♪ Oh who else is worthy, there is no one else ♪ ♪ Who else is worthy ♪ ♪ There is no one only you Jesus ♪ ♪ Sing who else is worthy ♪ ♪ Oh who else is worthy ♪ ♪ There is no one only you Jesus ♪ ♪ Who else is worthy ♪ ♪ Oh who else is worthy ♪ ♪ There is no one only you Jesus ♪ ♪ Come on, Lamb of God, Lamb of God anointed one ♪ ♪ Who was and is and is to come ♪ ♪ You're seated on the throne above ♪ ♪ Holy, holy and righteous one ♪ ♪ Who shed his blood, you prove to us ♪ ♪ The Father's love, oh Jesus Christ be lifted ♪ ♪ I'm shouted, holy, oh you're holy ♪ ♪ Lamb of God anointed one ♪ ♪ Who was and is and is ♪ ♪ And he's seated on the throne above ♪ ♪ Holy, holy and righteous one ♪ ♪ Who shed his blood, you prove to us ♪ ♪ The Father's love, oh Jesus Christ ♪

♪ You're holy, oh Lamb of God ♪ You're seated on the throne, and You are holy, holy, all right Just one who shed His blood, You prove to us The Father's love, oh Jesus Christ Oh yes You are You are, oh who else is worthy Oh who else is worthy, there is no one Only You are, oh the land that's seated on the throne There's no one more than You are, there's no one Only You Jesus, there is no one Only You, oh only You Jesus, there is no Only You Jesus, only You Jesus Give them some praise in the house today Give them some praise Wow, wow, what a morning Man, if this is what it sounds like in the angels in heaven Or singing when somebody gives their life to Christ I can't wait to get there, but I'm not that big a hurry yet And you may be seated You may be seated, but good to see everybody today My name is Kevin Mann, I'm the executive pastor of Connection Point Ministries, and it's good to have you If you're new with us today, good to see you If you're watching online with us today Wow, I hope that you've been blessed in this time of worship Earlier today, I got to share this with you Earlier today, had somebody in the background showing us A video clip of this 18 month old girl watching the services live She had her hands up in the air and praising God And only 18 months old, I think somebody's raising that kid right, amen? You think so? I think so, I know so

I know so Well, it's good to have everybody in here, and I got to think about a comment that was made earlier Been hearing a lot lately, and I remember saying this when I was a young Christian And my youthfulness of walking in the newness of Christ One of the things I thought of was this Have you ever thought of this, especially if you're young and you're walking Have you ever thought of, well, I wish God would just show up I wish God would show up during this I wish God shows up in church this morning Can I tell you a little secret? God was here way before you even thought of that thought God was here way before And sometimes we miss a whole point about God showing up Because he's promised that he never leaves us our forsakers Amen? So, man, if you're glad that God was already here before you got here You ought to give him another hand clap of praise Wow Again, my name is Kevin, man, I have a few items that I want to discuss with you this morning All elements of thought and worship, you know, we just worship through music And you worship through fellowship when you came in here this morning But there's a couple events coming up that are very important I want you to know about First of all, on November 15th That's just right around the corner We're going to celebrate people's lives through baptism And what started as they committed their life to Jesus Christ And when they do that, the next step is baptism And it's the decision that you made inside, but it's an outwardly action To let you know the decision that they made So if you're interested in maybe you've given your life to Christ

And maybe you haven't, maybe today is that day that you do You want to sign up for baptism by registering And you can register online to seat backs in front of you Has the QR code that you can take a picture of Or you can have this also the QR code on your worship guide here And that will take you there Couple more things, so starting point is a class that we promote here Quite heavily, and the reason why we promote it is this And especially if you're new here, you want to know what makes this church tick What is it that God does in this church That seemingly is exciting all the time Well, how does God move in? Well, there's a chance that you can get involved in that class By just signing up on the QR code also on their seat back If you can put that slide back up there again, back there in the media room So you can find your next steps in starting point it's a start of third service and move into the cafe area that's available back there, or you can sign up on December 13th. And you'll understand where we've been, where we're at, and where we're going, and why God is moving here. It's great information, okay? So make sure you want to sign up for that. Also, we think about worship, worship through, worship through music. It's not so much the music, but it's the heart behind why we give our gratitude and our heart to Jesus Christ during that time. Another way that we worship is through our giving. And there's several ways that we do that. And we're going to put it up on the screen, but let me tell you something. I've been out at Bollinger County a lot, CPC in Bollinger County. And what God is doing out there is because what God did through you to get that place opened two years ago, this year, two years ago, they're running almost 400 people. It's because of what God did through you that made all that happen. And then we started the the jail ministry pando app. It was because of what God did through your finances. Well, there's a way that we can keep that motion going. And you can text the word give to 573-282-6670 online at your CPC.church/griv. There's drop boxes, black drop boxes on the back wall as you leave where you can mail it to 358 East Deerwood Drive here in Jackson. Isn't God

good that he's blessed this church and this community? Isn't he good that we get to celebrate? So as we bow our heads and worship through our hearts and give thanks for this time of giving, we also want to pray for Pastor Chris and the message he gives us each and every week, and you pray for him as our senior pastor as he brings that message today. So as you bow at this time, let's give him thanks. Lord, we have every reason to be excited to praise you, to worship you, to forgive, to move forward, to let things go so that we can let more of you in. We ask your blessings upon this time of giving through our time talent. Yes, now even our treasures. It's because of what you did 2,000 years ago that makes this possible for us to believe in that you can work through the brokenhearted, you can work through people who are looking for something that I've never seen before. And it's this time that we give you thanks, allowing us to be able to give the way that you called us to do. So we do this in celebration, we do this because you loved us first, we do this because it's an honor. And it's in Jesus' name, we pray, and all of God's people said, Amen. Well, if you love him today, come on, let's give him our best praise of the morning, congregation, come on in-house, come on online. Amen. Hey, if this is one of two people right now and tell men, I'm excited to see you this morning. Sided you're here, part of CPC, while you greet one another, smile real big, then put your hands together and welcome our online campus and those watching in prisons across America. We love you guys, thank you, tune it in. We're already receiving letters from prisons and it's absolutely amazing to see God speaking to people who are watching and reaching out and giving their hearts to Jesus. Amen. Well, if you're a first-time guest here today, thanks for being here. May I pray you feel welcome and you just join right in. Hey, I'd love a chance to meet you. I'll be outside these doors in between the services. Swing by, say hello. And if you're watching online, you can also download our media notes right now of any of our outlets in-house, grab yours. And we're going to dive into the word together this morning. We're in a new series, we start last week called Unveiled. Talk more about that in a minute. It ties to our reading plan. So we're going through the New Testament. The book of Psalms this year is a church. And if you're new with us every week we preach from that reading plan this year at least. And you can get a copy of that. You can download a physical copy or download a copy rather on our website or pick up a physical

copy at the next step station and you can find out where we're reading this week and join us as a church. We're in the book of the Revelation. How many had fun in that this week? Amen. Come on. Look at your neighbor and tell them you made it. Three chapters in. All right. All right. Things are going to really pick up after today. All right. So we're going to dive into that here in just a minute. We're going to have some fun today. Amen. Join me in prayer. Father in Jesus' name. Thank you for this morning. Thank you for everyone in this room and watching online. Thank you for the moving of your Holy Spirit. Thank you that we've got to worship you and psalm. God, we are grateful for you. Who else is worthy? No one. So Lord, may we bring you our praise and many appraised you this morning through psalm. Thank you for the generosity of the people. That's how this ministry is funded. Thank you for those who've served and volunteered without them, we could not do this. And all of that is an act of worship. Now, God, we pray over the next few minutes, we worship you by being attentive to your word. I pray that God, as our eyes look at the scriptures, you let us behold truths. Let our ears hear the voice of the Holy Spirit whisper these truths. Let our minds comprehend and our hearts receive it. 'Cause as we pray every week, God, our hearts desires to be more like you, less like us in a world that desperately needs us. Let's be salt and light for that to happen. We gotta allow you to transform our minds, give us a mind of truth built on your word and let us live with voices of hope, sharing the good news of the gospel. Let us love people with hearts of compassion

and live out with hands of service and feet of purpose. We pray it in Jesus' name and all God's people said. Amen. - Hey, if you live in Southeast Missouri, and I know, listen, I know some of you knew the area, I met a first time couple just in the last service from South Africa, who just moved here, met someone at Walmart who invited them to CPC, and they were here this morning. Can I get a name in? That's how this works. That's how this works. Here's the funny thing, the guy who invited them, church, brought them through the reception line and said, hey, I want you to meet some new people to our church, they're from Texas. And then they started talking and I'm like, I've never heard that accent in Texas. I said, and I'm from Kentucky, we gonna mess some people up around here. There was some good accents going on, but listen, if you're from this area, you know what I'm about to say is true. If you're new to the area, you're gonna get used to something. And if you're driving in from areas outside of this direct area, this may not be as true for you, but if you're in this area, you know something, the first Wednesday of every month at noon, you're gonna hear a sound.

Come on. We were in staff meeting this past Wednesday and it was at the close and one of our pastors up and they were leading this beautiful time of prayer with our people and it was very emotional and everybody was into it and it's a beautiful time of prayer and hit noon and none of us paid attention 'cause we're all into prayer in Jesus' name and all of a sudden the tornado siren went off and everybody jumped in the room and it was hilarious. Everybody jumped and then just as quickly as everybody was embarrassed because they all jumped, someone made the obvious conclusion. Oh, it's the first Wednesday of the month. It's okay, everybody. It's just the alarm siren test. How many of you know what a tornado siren sounds like in Southeast Missouri? Come on, somebody. We live with them. All right, it's constantly. Here's why it captured me. The moment when we didn't know what was about to happen, we were all alarmed when we heard the sound. But once we realized what was really going on, behind the scene, behind the alarm, there was a calm that came over the staff. Today, we're going to Revelation chapter four through chapter eight. That's where you're at in the reading plan this week.

And why want you to see a message that God gives to John? Remember, God gave this revelation, the word revelation or apocalypse doesn't mean danger. The devil's ruling the earth. It means an unveiling. And God wants to unveil truth to us. Remember what I shared with you last week? When you come to these chapters beginning this week, you're going to see numbers. You're going to see symbols and images and a lot of Old Testament references. In fact, there's more Old Testament references in the book of Revelation than any other New Testament book. And you're really going to start getting into that over the next three weeks. You're going to see a lot of numbers and symbols and images and Old Testament references. And I want you to remember when you go into this book this week, this is a book of hope, not a fear. It's written to a real man named John who is writing to real, or he's given to John, John writes it down to give to real churches in the first century who were under real pressure under the Roman Empire. And remember what I said last week? This book was written to them, but it's also for us. And there are truths that John and that early church had to take from the book of the Revelation. And they are applicable to us even today and will be for our future when Jesus returns.

And today you're going to begin that, or tomorrow as you start in the reading plan, you're going to start seeing some of this and I want to remind you. So here's what I want you to pay attention to. And God starts Revelation chapter four with John. And I want you to see how after the letters to the seven churches is done, what Jesus says next to John. You ready? Verse one, Revelation four, after this, I looked and there in heaven was an open door. And the first voice that I heard speaking somebody shout his name, who's the first person to talk to John in the book of the Revelation? Jesus. And the first voice that I heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, read it with me, ready to go in house online and in prison, come up here and I will show you what must take place after this, after the letters to the seven churches. And what God is doing for John is is, hey, some things are about to happen, some things are about to unfold, I'm about to share some stuff with you. And before you go into that, I need you to come up here and see me and see my throne. This is going to be vital that you don't miss how God starts. God doesn't just immediately start because here's what's going to happen. This week when you get to chapters five, six, seven and eight, here's what you're going to find. You're going to see a scroll with words written on it on the front and the back. You're going to see seven seals on that scroll. You're going to see Jesus take the scroll and hold it in his hand and begin to break them. When he does, things start happening on the earth. You're going to see the appearing of it. You've heard of these guys.

You just didn't know what they meant. The four horsemen of the apocalypse. How many of these ever heard the four horsemen? They weren't wrestlers in the eighties. You're going to read about these four horsemen. And one is going to represent conquest. The second will will represent war. The third will represent economic upheaval. And the fourth will represent death itself. And then you're going to sum to the fifth and it's going to be the prayers of saints. People who died for Jesus crying out from under the altar. And then you're going to come to the sixth seal and there's going to be this cosmic upheaval. You're going to see stars fall in and volcanoes and earthquakes and tornadoes and the sky rolling and you're going to be like, "Wow! How many of you've ever heard the phrase? You can't see the forest because of the trees. And if you're not careful, you can get caught up in what's happening when every seal is broken. And that becomes your full attention. And I believe that's why God has John stopped before a horseman ever rides, before a seal is ever broken. And God says to John, "Come here, let me show you something." God wants him to his eyes not on the seals. Are you listening to me congregation? But on the throne of heaven. Is there a calm that can come to us before a storm hits? Is there a calm that God can give to us in the middle of a storm? Whether it's a storm you're in right now or the storm you fear at the end of the ages. What you're going to see today from the Word of God, just like with the siren, once we realize what was going on behind the scene,

a calmness came over our staff. And what God wanted John to see, because you've got to remember, these Christians are under great persecution. They are dying at the hands of the Romans and it wasn't getting easier. It's intensifying and it was true for them. It's true for our generation, you won't read this in the news, but more Christians have lost their lives in the last 100 years across this planet than in any time in the last 2000 years combined for the name of Jesus. And we have no idea what it's going to be like before Jesus returns. But here's what God wants us to see. If we can look behind the scenes and behind the horsemen and behind the seals, we're going to see there's a calm that comes from the throne of God to get you through. Last week I shared with you this way of study. You have to be careful with isegesis and you've got to strive for exegesis. Isegesis is you go to these passages this week with a predetermined conclusion before you ever even read the verses because of what you've heard or a book you've read. Exegesis is go to the book and allow the scripture to speak for itself. Then when you go and do your study, that's not what's directing you. The scriptures are the ones directing you. And there are three primary methods of studying what you're about to read and or viewpoints. Let me say it that way. or you go list of bills, you're gonna hear one of these three. And I'm gonna tell you upfront what they are, and I'm gonna tell you that probably none of them have it all together, right? We'll find out when the income's. And you can be a Christian and say, oh, I can see that one, or I can see that one,

or I may see a little bit of all that. So let me give them to you so you don't get confused. Remember, don't get stuck because of the force and not be able to see the trees. If you hold to that the book of Revelation was written early, like 65 to 68 AD, before the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, you're gonna read these passages probably for more of a preters view, which believes that because the temple in Jerusalem had not yet been destroyed, and that Nero is the one who sent John to the Alapatmas, this is a view, it's not the most popular view of dating, but some believe that it was an early written passage. And if it is, you can see that the Jewish system of worship was not yet destroyed, that destroyed in AD 70 when what Jesus said in Matthew 24 came to pass and not one stone was left on the temple, and the worship, the sacrificial system in Jerusalem, ended in AD 70 when Rome came in and destroyed the city. And if you told to that view, you can read all these seals and say, wait a minute, and here's what the preters believes. Everything from Revelation one to Revelation 19 was accomplished before AD 70, and when the temple was destroyed, we don't have any of that to worry about, we're just waiting for Jesus to come back. And that is a view, and maybe some of you hold to that view.

But if you hold to a later dating of the book of the Revelation, it's not Nero that sent John to the Alapatmas, but don't mission, it was probably written then around 95 AD, this is probably the most popular of the dating, and here's a problem. John didn't write the date in the corner of his letter when he wrote it. So we're trying to figure out the dating period of this, but here's what, if you hold to a later view, you have a historic view, and they see that the seals that you're gonna read this week begin to be broken in the day of John, and we see the elements of that even now in our generation and will continue until the return of Jesus. That's a historical view. It happened for them, it's still happening for us, we're right here in the middle of these chapters. Then if you hold to the view that no, none of this has happened yet, that's called a futurist view, and then if you hold a futurist view, you're gonna say, no, these seals, the trumpets, the bow judgments, all of that is reserved for one seven year period that happens just before the return of Jesus, of the time called the great tribulation, and that's a futurist view, and look at me, look at me, look at me, you can get called up in trying to figure out all the details

in which one of these views is the right one, and miss the message God is trying to get you to see in the midst of it. Are these views accurate? Sure, they're good, and you need to study them, but listen to me, God may not allow you to capture and understand every mystery that you're about to read. There's something though that is here, and it's the reason why I believe Jesus said to John, come up here and let me show you some things before all this happens. What does Jesus show John? That's where we're gonna go. Before a single horseman rides, before a single seal is broken, God shows John a throne, and he wants him to know something. There are three truths I'm gonna show you today out of this passage to give you some calm before the storm you're in right now, or in the storm, or even the storm at the end of time. And this was as relevant for John in the first century as it is for us, and it will be for the next generation. Here's truth number one, grab this. Heaven worships before it acts. Well, here's what God does to John. He says, I want you to come see this before all of the chaos unfolds on the earth, and look at verse two after he says, come up here. What is the first thing John sees?

It says immediately, I was in the spirit. Somebody shot immediately. John didn't have to work himself up. Jesus said, come here, John said, Okey-Dokey, and immediately he was in the presence of the Spirit of the Lord. And immediately I was in the spirit, and there in heaven was a saith thrown, and one was seated on the throne, and the one seated there had the appearance of Jasper and Carnelian Stone, a rainbow. Notice that, don't miss it, a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald when you read verse two and three this week. Here's the first thing John sees. He sees first of all that the throne of God is occupied. Before a horseman rides, before any calamity hits the earth, before a seal is unbroken. Here's what he has told. I want you to hear this in this room online and in prison. The throne of Jesus has never been empty. The throne of God is occupied. And there's not been one second that God hasn't occupied. His throne, the throne of God is occupied. It is safe, it is secure. Even before, during or after the world shakes, heaven doesn't. The second thing I want you to notice is there's a rainbow here. How many of you have ever went and seen a rainbow?

I thought, oh, how beautiful. I wonder where the end of the rainbow is because maybe there's a pot of gold and a leprechaun running around. Yeah, I had a guy come to me after the first service, said he was in Alaska and he said, I was in Alaska and I popped over the hill and there was the end of the rainbow. He said, I saw it. I said, dude, that's awesome. How many people can say that? He said, but there wasn't no gold. (congregation laughs) I said, yeah, I figured that out, bro. Here's what I want you to see. In this life, we see a rainbow. We see how much of a rainbow, half. But when you come to Revelation, you're gonna see this this week in your reading around the throne, it's not a half of a rainbow, it's a full circle rainbow. And here's one of the Old Testament references. Where does a rainbow come from? Why did he see a rainbow? The first time you read a rainbow in the Old Testament, it's Genesis chapter nine after the flow of the earth. And what does God do? God puts a rainbow in the sky and what does God promise? Never again will a storm, catch this. Never again will a storm destroy the earth.

And here's John right before a storm like no other storm humanity's ever seen is about to be unfolded through visions to him. And God says, but before you go see the storm, before the horseman rides, before the seals are broken, John, I need you to know something. God's still sitting on his throne and there's a full circle rainbow. What's he saying? The storm will never defeat you if you're I. Is on the throne. There's a message there for somebody in this room, someone online, someone watching from prison, I'm here to tell you today that if you keep your eyes on the throne, the storm cannot defeat you. And God put a rainbow around the throne to promise you that. John sees this, he sees the throne. And then you know what he sees next? Four living creatures and 24 elders. And guess what they're doing in heaven? They bow before the one sitting on the throne. Look at the passage with me, verse 10. And they cast their crowns before the throne and they say, let's practice it for heaven in the room. And online today, let's read our Lord and God. You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power because you've created all things and by your will they exist and are created. How many can shout?

Who else is worthy? His name is? Jesus, amen? What happens? Right, listen, a seal hasn't been broken yet. And God wants John to tell us the throne is occupied. There's a promise the storm will have the last word and what is heaven doing right now? Even before the storm hits, they're on their faces, worshiping the one sitting on the throne. Here's what happens in our modern culture. We read the passage as you're gonna read this week. We pick up the newspaper or jump on YouTube or get on our internet news and we just lose our ever-loving mind in fear and anxiety. And God wants his people to know something whatever you see around you. Some of you lost your ever-loving mind after the election on Tuesday. Maybe it didn't go the way you want it. Maybe it didn't go the way you believe in biblical convictions. Maybe not for me either, but here's what I wanna tell you in Washington and everybody online today. Listen to me, ladies and gentlemen, God hasn't lost one ounce of his power. He still knows what he's doing. He's still in control and I'm still gonna keep my eyes

on Jesus and I'm still gonna protect the innocent. We're still gonna believe and we're still gonna pray because God is still on his throne. Anybody know what I'm talking about? Is that too personal? You want me to tell you who to send that email to? Ha, let me come up with somebody. Em, I was like, no, I'm joking. Ha, ha, ha. What are they doing around the key throne of heaven today? Is heaven shaken? Do you think God's wringing his hands? No, let me tell you what they're doing right now. They're bowing before the throne and worshiping. And listen to me, listen to me. This is even what we find in the Old Testament. Second Chronicles chapter 20, King Jehoshaphat is leading Judah. There are three armies who come against Jerusalem. They besiege it. There's no way Jehoshaphat's gonna be able to defeat them. And Jehoshaphat looks out of there and he could have just retreated. He could have just surrendered. But you know what Jehoshaphat did? He called the people of Jerusalem and Judah to go to God in prayer and fasting. And God answered with a prophet who said, "The Lord will fight for you, keep your eyes on God." And you know what they did?

God said, "Now tomorrow you gotta go out to fight them at the battle." And God said, "But don't worry, I'm in control." And you know what Jehoshaphat did by faith? He grabbed a group of praise team members with musicians and singers and put them in front of the army. And the army went to the battlefield singing praises to God in front of the army of Jerusalem, of Judah. And when the praises went up, here's what the Bible says, when the praises went up, God went to fight for Israel and Judah. And he went and fought against the three armies who had beseeged Jerusalem. And by the time the army of Judah got there, there wasn't anybody left to fight. Lean in close, lean in close, lean in close, in this room online and from leaning close. I gotta tell you something, just like Jesus did to John, come here, I wanna show you something. Worship is not what is reserved for the end of the storm when it's over. Worship is how you prepare for the storm that's coming and how you sustain yourself in the middle of the storm when you're in it. Worship invites the presence of God. In fact, in the Psalms, it says,

God inhabits the praises of his people. How many believe that in this room? How many of you believe that watching online? Amen? Last night, I had the honor to go and to pray before the cage fights, which was really, really cool. And my family was teasing me all day. They was like, what are you gonna pray before dudes punch themselves in the face? Like, Lord, you know, we know you say, turn the other cheek, we're gonna turn both cheeks, maybe an arm bar, maybe a real, I don't know, but it was so cool and I saw many of you there. By the way. Yeah, it was a lot of fun, but it was a lot of fun. Here's the thing, everybody had a run-out song to the ring, right? Now, some of the songs were pretty inappropriate and I looked over to the guys, and I was like, who picks these songs, right? I can tell you, my brother Garrett, man, he had a powerful song. His song was all about King Jesus, amen? That dude has it right. And he shared the gospel from the ring last night. He preached the gospel and I'm so proud of him. But here's what I wanna tell you. Everybody has a run-out song. And sometimes, what do you do? Why do you have a run-out song?

It is to motivate you before the battle comes. When I was in school, I was in high school, where's poor little Kentucky town? And we only had two sports in our high school. We had basketball and we had a baseball. We didn't have football, I would have played it. We didn't have it. We didn't have anything else, right? We had basketball. And so this is the late '80s. Our mascot was the Tigers. We wore orange jumpsuits with black tiger stripes. Come on, somebody, this is the late '80s. Who can guess what our run-out song was for the huge card Tigers? Come on, somebody out of the Tiger. Yeah, I wanted to sing it today, but I wanted you to stay. Here's my high school basketball team. Can you pick me out? Some people ever want to, and don't look at the short shorts. That'd be legal today, it was legal back in the day. All right, here we go. There I am. People ask all the time, "Did you have a mustache in high school?" Yes, I did. Now, my mustache don't look real good today, and that's because I was in a hurry last night

to get to the fight, and I had a hiccup with a clipper. It'll be grown back out by next week. This is the close to me without a mustache, you'll probably ever see, all right? A.W. Tozer said this, "What comes in our mature minds "when we think about God is the most important thing about us." And here's what I need you to know, before you even get to the storm, worship is your greatest weapon. And when you're in the storm, worship is your greatest weapon. And when you come out on the other side, worship is what he is worthy to receive. Can I get amen for somebody? Here, truth number two, heaven weets before it rejoices. So when you come to chapter five, you're gonna see God holding a scroll with words written on the front and the back and seven seals. And as he's holding the scroll, listen to me, this scroll shows up one other time in the Bible and the Old Testament. Remember I told you all kinds of Old Testament references. He's Ezekiel chapter two. And Ezekiel two, there's a vision of the scroll written on the front and on the back and sealed and it holds the lamentations that will happen at the end of the ages.

Now it shows back up in Revelation chapter five. And angel breaks the silence because there's silence when there's a seventh seal open. Angel breaks the silence and the angel says, who is worthy to open this scroll? Who's worthy? The word worthy there means who carries the same amount of weight as the weight of the words on that scroll that tell how the end of time will come and God will stand victorious. Who can open this? And I want you to notice how John responded. John said, and I wept and wept, read it with me because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or even to look at it. John begins to weep and the reason he's weeping is because if someone doesn't open that scroll, we can't get to the finality and God's not gonna be able to finish this. The way this all ends is locked up on that scroll. Someone has to open it and John begins to weep and here's something I need someone in the stream watching a liner in the prison to grab a hold of lean and close, lean, close, lean, close. Notice heaven allows John's tears to stay before the throne. Notice heaven will not scold John for weeping. Someone needs to hear me. Someone needs to hear this today. Heaven doesn't scold John and say, John, how could you dare cry?

Don't you know where you are? You're in the throne room of God. Where's your faith, young man? Old man, he's probably 90 years old, man. Heaven never does that. Heaven allows him to weep. I don't know who needs to hear this today, but somebody today, your heart may be weeping and I need you to know God is not ashamed of you. The angels of heaven are not saying, oh, you of little faith. God allows you to weep before his throne, but then you need to be ready for this. He's then gonna redirect your eyes back to the ones sitting on the throne while you weep. Notice verse five says, "Then one of the elders said to me, read it with me, do not weep, look, read it. The lion from the tribe of Judah, the root of David has conquered so that he's able to open the scroll and it's seven seals. One is been found, and here's what I want you to capture. The lion from the tribe of Judah goes all the way back to Genesis chapter 49. The root of David is a prophecy all the way back to Isaiah chapter 11. Everyone in the Old Testament was waiting for the one who would be worthy to open the book, to open the scroll of Ezekiel, and finally he has been found what the whole creation since the book of Genesis has been waiting for is Jesus. Amen?

And Jesus is gonna be found worthy. And maybe you've asked, I wonder what it was like when Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father and stood there after his resurrection. Have you ever wondered? You read Acts chapter one, you read about him going up and the angel said, "One day he's coming back, what did it look like when he got back to the throne?" We see it here in the passage. He says, "One has been found, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, he has conquered." When did Jesus conquer? When he arose from the grave. Somebody shut, amen. He died for our sins rose from the grave and he's able to open the scroll. Look at the very next verse and I saw one. John thought he was gonna look and see a lion, but instead he saw a slaughtered lamb standing between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders. You know what Jesus looked like when he walked back up to the Father's throne to grab that scroll out of his hand? He looked like a lion who has conquered and he looked like a slaughtered lamb at the same time. He's both lion and lamb. He is victorious. for our sin and to rise from the grave. Anybody grateful to a lion and a lamb named Jesus? Amen.

Heaven doesn't take away your tears. If you're weeping today, Heaven's not upset with you. It just wants to redirect you. Get your eyes back on the throne and see Jesus. Get your eyes back on Jesus. You remember a couple of weeks ago, I told you about Corrie Ten Boone and how her sister Betsy died in a concentration camp. Here's what her sister Betsy said before she died. You ready for this? There is no pit so deep that God's love is not deep or steel. How many know that to be true with the Lord? Amen. There is no pit so deep that God's love is not, not strong or steel. Here's what I want you to catch. Remember when John saw him, the lion that was a slaughtered lamb? What was a slaughtered lamb doing? Standing. And I need somebody to hear me this morning. You may be wounded, but you're still standing. And the reason you're standing is because you serve a lion who's a slaughtered lamb, but Jesus didn't come lying down to heaven. He comes standing in his own power. And you can stand if your eyes are still on Jesus. Amen? Truth number three, heaven waits in silence before it moves.

When you come to chapter eight this week, you're going to have read six seals that have been opened and there is chaos on the earth. There is loud, this storm is raging. And then the seventh seal is going to be broken by Jesus. When Jesus opens that seventh seal, something happens. Are you ready for it? Look at chapter eight, verse one. When the lamb opened the seventh seal, there was, say it. Silence in heaven for about half an hour. Now, here's what I want to remind you. Go back to chapter four. What are the four living creatures? What are the 24 elders doing? Always around the throne of God, even before the horseman ride. What are they doing? Worshiping the Lord. What are they doing as the seals are being broken? Worshiping the Lord. They're worshiping all the way till that seventh seal is broken. And when that seventh seal is broken, then and only then does heaven go quiet. And you've got to ask the question, why? Why does heaven hush? Why does every voice stop? Here's something I want you to understand. Remember all the Old Testament references. In the Old Testament, in the temple, when they were sacrificing the lambs,

there would be music playing and people singing during the time of the daily sacrifices. There is one time when all of Israel was to go silent at the temple. The only time was when the priest walked into the holy room and burned incense before the altar. When he burned a sweet smell in aroma before the altar, everyone was to go quiet. What did that burning incense before the altar represent? We see it now. Verse three and four. Another angel with a golden incense burner came and he stood at the altar. This is the altar in heaven. And he was given a large amount of incense to offer with the, say it, prayers of all the saints on the golden altar in front of the throne and the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints went up into the presence of God from the angel's hand. Here's what I need you to capture. And here's what God shows John. John, I want you to see this. I want you to tell my people this that the throne is occupied. The storm is not going to defeat them. I need you to know before the seals and before the horsemen ever ride. I need you to know that worship is the key. I need them to know that when they weep, they can weep.

I won't shame them. But when they weep, I'm going to redirect them and show them the lion out of the tribe of Judah who died and rose again. And I want them to know that every time they feel like that prayer they prayed went unheard. When they felt like heaven gave them silence all of heaven goes quiet, the music has to stop, angels can't sing, elders can't bow, because heaven goes quiet so that the prayers of the saints of all the ages can be heard. In the years of the One sitting on the throne." In fact, Revelation chapter 5 says, "There are these golden bows at the altar of God in heaven and it collects all the prayers of the people." I need to tell someone something this morning. God collects your prayers. I want everyone in this room online and in prisons to read the next line with me ready. Every one of them, God collects prayers, ready? Every one of them. God collects prayers, every one of them, the ones you felt and the ones you didn't. The ones you got goosebumps after you prayed, the ones that you like, heaven just heard that and the ones that felt like they hit the ceiling and came back into your face. They've all been collected in heaven's bows. And when the time is right, God will hear every prayer. God has listened to you today. Be still and know He is God. Here's my big takeaway for you this week. As you go forward, wherever you're at right now, maybe you're in a storm, maybe you just came out of one, maybe you're going to face one soon. Or if you look and you're thinking about the end of time and it really gets you upset, don't let it. It's a book of hope, not fear.

Here's what God wants you to know. The throne is occupied and the first step we should all make today is, say it, worship. We should worship first, worship before the storm and the storm and after the storm, amen? And then notice that the lamb is worthy and he loves you and he allows you to weep honestly. But when you weep, he's going to redirect your attention because he wants you to know something, ladies and gentlemen, your prayers are heard. You just sometimes have to wait in faith. Amen, maybe you're in this room or watching online and you've never given your heart to Jesus. I'm here to tell you today, he's worthy of you to put your trust in. He loves you and he'll give you the gift of eternal life if you'll trust him today. But I'm also talking to many believers and right now where you're at is you need to practice what we just preached and we're going to do that before we leave. Worship team's going to come out. We're just going to do a few moments of who else is worthy. I mean, no one is worthy except Jesus of our praise. And we're going to stand together and we're going to sing out who else is worthy. Somebody shut his name? Jesus. We're also going to bring our altar workers up here because there's some of you in this room are watching online and online campus. We have people ready to pray for you in the chat right there. Just tell them they're going to pray with you right now. And in house, we're going to have people up here because while we worship, there's some of you who need to come and lay that prayer in God's golden bow and leave it there. And I want you to have that opportunity. And for some of you, today's the day of salvation, today's the day for you to place your faith in Jesus. And I want to invite you to pray a prayer like this with me. And then afterwards, I'm going to ask you to come tell one of these prayer team members

that you prayed to receive Christ today or use your phone to scan or tap that thing in front of you so that we can get your information because we have resources for you. We want to walk with you as you make a decision to follow Jesus. So would you bow your heads with me? If you've never trusted Christ and you want to trust Him today, would you pray this with me? Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. I believe that you died on the cross and rose from the grave. I believe you are the lion and the lamb and today by faith, I trust you for my salvation. I ask you Jesus to forgive my sin, come live in my life. I turn my life over to you right now in Jesus. I pray it in Jesus' name and all God's people said. [BLANK_AUDIO]