So I invite you to turn to the book of Revelation chapter 5. We'll be looking at the first seven verses this morning. And before we read, I would like to just say thank you for the opportunity to come here and serve Christ's church in this manner. It's always a blessing and a privilege to serve the bride of Christ. So Revelation chapter 5, we'll be reading the first seven verses, and I'll be reading out of the New King James Version. And verse one begins like this. And I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals. And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look at it. So I wept much. because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, do not weep. Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals. And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as though it had been slain. having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then he came and took the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne. May the Lord bless the reading of his word this morning. Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we come before you this morning seeking wisdom from your word, Lord. Not wisdom of our own, but your wisdom, heavenly wisdom, Father. We pray, Father, that you would humble us this morning in our thoughts, in our affections, in all our actions, Lord, and that we would bow before the authority of your holy word and that your holy spirit would enlighten our minds, would put a desire in our heart to love you and grow more and more towards you in love. and towards our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, Lord. Oh, we pray you would be honored and glorified in the preaching of your word. May we see Christ. May our eyes this morning be lifted up to the throne in heaven where the Lamb stands, even though he's been slain, Lord. In Jesus' name, we pray all these things. Amen. Please be seated. The Book of Revelation is perhaps one of the more fascinating, spectacular books of the New Testament. Men throughout the centuries have sought to find all the meaning behind the symbolism, the visions, the metaphors of the book. And there have been many approaches to the Book of Revelation throughout the centuries. And the chapter and verses that we will be looking at this morning are verses that have always fascinated me for as long as I can remember when I first read them years ago. I have always been fascinated and intrigued by the angel's words to John to behold the line of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, and John's vision of a lamb standing in the midst of the elders. And this is a pivotal book, a pivotal moment in the book of Revelation. It is a point in the book where if the scroll is not opened, if the Lamb doesn't go forward to take the scroll and break the seals, we would not know what was beyond the rest in the book of Revelation. We would not know, as Jesus said in chapter 1, of the things which will take place after this. The events recorded by John in this chapter are crucial. They're vital and they're of great importance. So this morning I would like us to study this chapter in the first seven verses under the title, Behold the Lion, See the Lamb. So beginning in verses one through four, we see John's concern. John is presented to us in verses one through four as having a concern, a concern that causes him to weep. And if you think about Revelation chapter 4 and chapter 5, what we're really looking at is one scene in the book of Revelation. In chapter 4, after John sees God seated on his throne, John's sight is moved from the one sitting on the throne to God's right hand where John sees a scroll. Now I would like you to put yourself in John's shoes for a moment. Think about what John is going through as he's standing in God's throne room. And if you were to look back and begin reading in Revelation chapter 4 verse 1, it is there where John sees an open door, he hears a voice like a trumpet, and then he's taken up into God's throne room. Then, after being taken up into God's throne room, John sees the one seated on the throne. And he tries to describe God as best as he can, the one who is seated on the throne. Then John begins to notice as his vision moves from the one on the throne to all the things that are going on around him. He sees the sea of glass like crystal. He sees flying creatures, living creatures flying around, and he hears all the celestial worship, all the celestial songs of these living creatures. John is privileged to see the heavenly worship that one day we as Christians will be able to experience ourselves. So just imagine what it must have been like for John. Now, I imagine John was experiencing sensory overload. Everything that was going on around him must have been overwhelming for John. The sights, the visions, the sounds, the creatures. He is seeing things that cannot be described by earthly things. He's seeing things that are eternal and beyond human description. This must have been overwhelming for John. Then, ironically in chapter 5, a strong angel begins to proclaim with a loud voice the question which causes John to be concerned, which causes his much weeping. Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals? I find it interesting that it is a strong angel that makes this proclamation, not just any angel. It is as if the Holy Spirit inspires John to write this vision to add emphasis on the one who is worthy to open the scroll. And the angel makes a proclamation, and no one in heaven, no one in earth, not even a strong angel, is worthy to open the scroll. There's a universal search for the person who is worthy to open this scroll, and none is found. This must be some scroll. that is in the hands of the one seated on the throne. It must be some book. It is written on the inside and on the back. It is sealed with seven seals. In other words, this scroll is so full that there is nowhere left to write, speaking of its perfection. So John wasn't there to take the scroll and write more on it because it was full. It was full. There was no more room to be written. And it is some scroll because it contains God's decrees of judgment that we will read about further on through the book of Revelation, not this morning. But if you were to read through it, this is what you would find in it. But it also has God's decree for the salvation of God's elect in it as well. And what is John's reaction? John begins to weep much because no one is found worthy to open the scroll. John becomes heavy hearted and burdened with a desire to see the scroll's contents that he begins to weep much. The old Scottish theologian James Durham says that this is John's exceeding great heaviness and weightiness that he experiences in God's throne room. Now if you have another translation besides the New King James, your Bible might read that John weeps loudly, or it might say that John weeps greatly. No matter which translation you're reading, we know that from the text, John's weeping is intense. It is not some mere tear that comes out of John's eye and rolls down his cheek. It is loud. It is great. It is lamenting. It is much weeping. But why? I ask myself the question, why should John weep if he's in God's throne room? He's been blessed to see so much. He's been blessed to see what we would call the beatic vision, the vision of God. He's been blessed to see the vision of the Lamb. He's been blessed to hear the celestial songs. He's been blessed to see great and wonderful celestial beings, yet there he is in God's throne room and he begins to cry. Why? Well, the text tells us because there's no one found worthy to open the scroll. No one in the universe. But I would think that John in this environment wouldn't have any reason to cry. But I think there's also a little bit more beyond just not being able to find someone to open the scroll. And as I began to ask myself this question as to why John cried, I asked myself another question. How about us today? Do we weep like John wept? How many of us today would have reacted as John reacted when no one was found worthy to open the scroll? Now, I would like to believe in my own pride that I would have wept just like John. I would have been just like him, but probably not. I would not have wept like John because John is being led by the spirit in heaven in God's throne room. The text says that John wept much because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll or to look at it. In other words, the revelation of Jesus Christ to John the Apostle was hindered because no one was worthy to open the scroll and read it. John was being shut off from further revelation of God's decrees, of God's judgments, and of God's redemption for his elect. It was all going to stop for John at this point. This would have been the end right here. Revelation chapter five, verse four, end of the book, end of the story, end of the further revelation that God was receiving. John's reaction should be an example for us in our lives as Christians. And even if you're not a Christian this morning, John's reaction is an example for you if you are an unbeliever. Because crying, weeping, mourning, lamenting is a universal experience for us as creatures created in God's image. We all have cried, wept, mourned, lamented. Regardless of whether you are in Christ or outside of Christ, I know you know of this experience. But here's the difference between believers and unbelievers. We cry for different reasons. And I ask myself, and I would ask you this morning, what causes your weeping in this life? Is it the things of the world? Is it because your favorite baseball team, football team, or basketball team, whatever it is, didn't make it to the championship or lost an important game that causes you to weep? Or is it the things of the world to come? Is it the things of the flesh? Or is it the things of the spirit? And here is one thing that should cause each and every person here to weep and mourn and cry and lament. And it is this. It is our sin. Your sin should cause you to weep and to weep greatly. To weep as John wept. To cry loudly as John cried. But why? Why should I cry over my sin? Because sin is something that brings great dishonor to the holy God, the thrice holy God, to the one whom Isaiah saw in the temple and the angels were crying out, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. Second, your sin, my sin, our sin causes us to be separated from God. God's word has much to say about weeping and crying. We have many examples of men weeping in God's word. Take, for instance, Ezra in the book named after him. Chapter 10, verse 1 says, now while Ezra was praying and while he was confessing, weeping, and bowing down before the house of God, a very large assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him from Israel, for the people wept very bitterly. They were weeping. and confessing their sin. Then there's Esther chapter 4 verse 3 where there is weeping among the Jews because of the king's command to exterminate them. Then there's all the Psalms that we have that speak of weeping. Then there's the writings of Jeremiah, who's known as the weeping prophet, the book named after him, and a book titled Lamentations, Weepings, Cryings. Then there are the tears of the New Testament saints. Have you ever noticed how much weeping there is in the New Testament? Have you ever noticed how much they wept over and what they wept over? Consider the Apostle Paul. Philippians chapter 3 verse 18, the Apostle Paul wrote these words inspired by the Holy Spirit. He says, for many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. Do you weep like Paul weeps? over the enemies of the cross of Christ? Do you weep over those who may mock you for your beliefs? Do you weep over those who may persecute you because you are a Christian, the enemies of the cross? The Apostle Paul wept over them. I often find myself fighting back against them, arguing with them, and even wanting to vindicate myself against them in a sinful manner. The Apostle Paul also wrote this in Romans chapter 9, verses 2 to 3. While these verses don't have exactly the word weeping in them, take note of what Paul wrote. He says, I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart, for I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen, according to the flesh. Paul wept over sinners of the cross, enemies of the cross, and Paul wept for his countrymen to the point that he said, I wish I myself were accursed. There are many examples of us for weeping in the New Testament. One that we're probably all familiar with is Peter's weeping. After he had denied his Savior, after he had betrayed Christ. It's recorded for us in Matthew, Mark, and Luke that Peter wept over his sin of his denying Jesus. And then there's a weeping of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who wept over Jerusalem, as recorded for us in Luke chapter 19, verses 41 to 44. There's Jesus. He's about to head into Jerusalem. He's about to be crucified. He's about to be mocked. He's about to be falsely accused. And Christ, right before he begins to enter, he weeps over Jerusalem. He says, oh, if you hadn't known the things that would bring you peace. But they didn't know them. And Jesus wept. What do you weep over? Do you even weep? Christian husband, do you weep over your marriage? Christian wife, do you weep over your marriage? You see your marriage and you know that there's something in it that needs fixing by God. And does it take you to the throne of grace and do you weep over that? Christian father, Christian mother, do you weep over your unbelieving children? over their sin? Do you weep over the Savior's suffering for your sin? Oh, I pray that the Holy Spirit would move us as individuals to weep and cry over the true things that really matter, not over the things that are in this world. Then we move on to verse 5, where we find that John's weeping is short-lived. And from our text, we see that as John is weeping after the invitation is made, and then there's no one found worthy to open the book, the elder's first words to John are these. In verse 5, do not weep. Do not weep. He says, behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll into lucid seals. So the elder sees John crying and he tells John, do not weep, John. Behold, see, look. And the elder points John to the lion of the tribe of Judah. He says, look at him. Take notice of him. Look to the one who has prevailed. He is bringing comfort to John by pointing John to the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David. However, interestingly enough, John does not see a lion, and neither does he see a root of David, which is speaking of the offspring of David, and we'll get to that in a little bit. John sees a lamb. And not just any lamb, a lamb that says, the text says, has been slaughtered yet is standing. Now John's experience here in this chapter reminds me of what happened to John in Revelation chapter one. It is there that John also hears a voice. If you've read through chapter one and recall, you remember that John hears a voice and then the text says that he turns to see the voice. And at that moment, it's a voice like a trumpet, a voice of many waters. And what does he see? He sees Jesus Christ when he turns to see the voice. And this is the same thing John is experiencing here. He turns to see the voice. And on both occasions, interestingly enough, the disclosure of Jesus's identity begins with what is heard, what is spoken. On both occasions, John sees or hears one thing, but he sees another. And the commentator Dennis E. Johnson wrote these words addressing how this is a paradox. How it's something that appears to be a contradiction, but it's not. And here's what Johnson wrote. He said of John's vision of the lamb, hearing a lion, but seeing a lamb. This is a striking paradox. The conquering lion, warrior king of Judah's tribe and David's line, the champion of the people of God, appears before John's eyes as a lamb slaughtered, yet standing. Another theologian by the name of G.K. Beale points out that from this point on in the book of Revelation, Jesus' identity, the predominant identity of Christ, becomes the Lamb of God. From here all the way to chapter 22, Jesus is going to be identified as the Lamb more than anything else. And both of these titles are taken from the Old Testament. And we'll consider these titles and what the Old Testament tells us about them. So first, the title of the Lion of the tribe of Judah is a title taken from Genesis chapter 49 verses 8 through 12. And it is there in Genesis 49 when Jacob gathers his children together, his sons together, and he tells them what shall happen to them in the last days. And the summary of Jacob's words to Judah, one of his sons, is this, the king of Israel shall come from your line. The title, The Root of David, is taken from Isaiah chapter 11, verses 1 through 10. And it's there in Isaiah that a prophecy is given to the reign of Jesse's offspring, and it is described how the root of David will rule. The passage describes what he will be like. He will be full of God's Spirit. He'll be full of God's wisdom. He'll have godly understanding. He'll give godly counsel. He'll come in godly might. He'll have godly knowledge. And he'll be full of the fear of the Lord. So what does it mean for Christ to be compared to a lion? Well, it says many things. And if you know, the lion is a symbol of royalty, of regalness. But it also speaks of boldness. It speaks of courage. It speaks of Christ having all that is necessary to face His enemies and the enemies of the church, His bride. It means that Christ never draws back from His enemies. It means that He never draws back from the enemies of His church. Consider Jesus when He went toe-to-toe with our greatest enemy, Satan, in the desert. Jesus' confrontation with Satan in the desert was nothing like Adam's in the Garden of Edith. And you know the Bible talks about Jesus, about the first Adam, and it talks about Jesus being the last Adam. The Bible tells us in Luke chapter 4 that Jesus went out to a desert place. He went out to the wilderness. And not only did He just go out to the wilderness, He was on a 40-day fast. And then the text also tells us that He was among wild beasts. And then Satan presses Jesus several times with the temptation, if you are the son of God, then. If you are the son of God, then. If you are the son of God, then. Adam's temptation was nothing like Jesus' temptation. Adam was in a beautiful garden. He was in paradise. He was surrounded by an abundance of luscious fruit where he could just go and pick from the trees and eat as he pleased. Adam was tempted in an unfalling creation. Huge difference between the two. And Jesus did not draw back, but the Bible tells us in Luke 4 that Jesus was led, even driven by the spirit to face Satan in the desolate place on a 40-day fast and among the wild beasts. Now, if you are a Christian this morning, if you are one, as the book of Revelation would later tell us, one who has been washed white in the Lamb's blood, then there is a bold lion who stands ready at your defense. Consider our enemies. Consider the flesh. Jesus assumed human flesh. He came and lived in it, and he lived a perfect life in human flesh. He died in human flesh. He rose in human flesh. He ascended in human flesh, and now he's in heaven in ascended flesh, glorified. Glorified dust is what Jesus is as he's assumed human flesh that we Bible tells us we are made out of. Now, the righteousness that He obtained in human flesh is imparted to those who repent of their sins and believe in Him for eternal life. This is the message to you if you are a sinner. Your human fallen sinful flesh, which is full of unrighteousness, by faith in Christ you can have the perfect righteousness of the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Consider the world in all its lust. Jesus overcame them. Consider the devil overcome as one day Satan will be cast into the lake of fire forever. What about death? What does the Bible say? Oh death, where is thy sting? Jesus did not draw back from any of our enemies, none. And when you, dear Christian, are faced with these enemies, the lion of the tribe of Judah will not draw back from them either, and he does not draw back on your behalf, on our behalf. The lion of the tribe of Judah, he's bold. The spirit of fear does not abide in Jesus Christ. Second, the root of David. What does it mean for Christ to be titled the root of David? This speaks of several different things. It speaks of his humanity. He came in the line of David. He came in the offspring, the seed of David, who was the first king, true king of Israel. It also speaks of his rule, his office as king of the church, king of the world. This is who Jesus is, and this is what he does. The book of Revelation would later on identify Christ as the king of kings and the Lord of lords. He rules and reigns over the world, and he rules and reigns over his church lovingly. We're called his bride. He treats us with much love. Now think about what you were like before you became a Christian this morning. 2 Corinthians 10, verse 5 tells us about what Christ did in order to bring us to Him. It says this, casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. If it were not for Christ being the root of David, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, and spiritually exercising His authority over you as you were as a sinner in unbelief, you would have never come to Him. But yet He lovingly comes to us with royal authority, kingly authority, and He takes those thoughts that we have in our mind that are against them, and He submits them to Him, and He brings our mind into obedience, into the captivity of the obedience of Christ. One commentator put it this way, and thus the soul is one to Christ. He, speaking of Christ, writes down his terms and the soul willingly subscribes to them. Thus it comes into Christ by free and hearty submission, desiring nothing more than to come under the government of Christ for the time to come. the Puritan John Flavel, in his book on the three offices of Christ, who is prophet, priest, and king. Then there's Ephesians chapter 1 verse 22, speaking of Christ, it says, and he put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the church. All things have been put under Christ's feet. All things have been put under his feet in regard to the church. He rules and he reigns over us. He cares for us spiritually and physically. He promotes our spiritual well-being. And what is true of the church as a whole, as his bride, is true of us each and individually. If you're a Christian this morning, Both of these titles come from the prophecies of a Messiah who will overcome his enemies. And we know further on in the book of Revelation, he will judge them. Well, what about the lamb? After being directed by the elder to behold the lamb, or to behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, John turns to see what the elder was pointing him to. And as I said earlier, he doesn't see a lion. He doesn't see the root of David. He sees a lamb as though it had been slain, and this lamb is standing. And this is the great paradox of this chapter, a standing lamb that has been slain. How is it that a dead lamb can stand? How does a dead creature act as if it is alive? What is the meaning or the significance of the slain lamb standing? Now there's a lot to this, much more than we'll be able to cover here this morning. But the truth of the lamb or the sacrifice of a lamb is an Old Testament title of Christ and it is probably the one that you are most familiar with if you're a Christian this morning or if you've been raised in a church and you've heard a lot of sermons. There are a lot of mentions in the Old Testament of lambs. And perhaps the earliest and most notable mention is the narrative of Abraham and Isaac. It is there where Abraham says to Isaac when he takes him up on the mountain to sacrifice his only son. And Isaac turns around and he's like, we have wood, we have this, but dad, where's the lamb? And Abraham turns to him and says, my son, God will provide for himself. the lamb for a burnt offering. Genesis chapter 22 verse 8. And then there's especially of great importance the Passover lamb. The story recorded for us in Exodus chapter 12. And then there's also the well-known passage of Isaiah chapter 53. So there's a lot that the Bible has to say about lambs. And I love what the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 5, verse 7. Speaking of Christ, he says, for indeed Christ, our Passover, the church's Passover, was sacrificed for us. Here we have the apostolic interpretation and application of Exodus chapter 12, the Passover narrative of Jesus being the Passover lamb for us. It is there that we read in Exodus 12 of God's people being delivered from Egypt and all of its influences by the blood of a lamb, the Passover lamb. And Paul is making a direct interpretation from the Old Testament title, the Lamb of God and application of that lamb, of the Passover lamb, to the church. And what's interestingly enough, which is even more interesting, is the context in which Paul makes it. He makes it to the Corinthian church, where he's speaking about sexual immorality. He says, regarding sexual immorality, which is a sin in the Corinthian church, he says this, Paul using Christ our Passover, he says, as the foundation, cast out that old sin, cast out that old leaven, and be a new lump. Why? For Christ, our Passover, our unleavened bread, has cleansed us from such sins, all sins. And there's a mention of, in the Gospel of John, where John the Baptist begins his ministry in chapter 1, verse 29, with these words, Then the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and he said, Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. What does it mean for Christ to be the slain Lamb? What significance does it have for us? It has all the significance in the world. All of it. Whether you're a believer or a non-believer. Believer because you've been slain by the Lamb. You've been saved by the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. And for the unbeliever, you want to be saved? You want to be forgiven of your sins? Then come to Christ. Come to Him. As John said, Jesus is the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. Isaiah chapter 53, which is a wonderful and excellent chapter. I'm only going to read verse 7, as it's directly related to what we're looking at this morning. And speaking of Jesus, it says this, He was oppressed and He was afflicted. Yet he opened not his mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. Jesus was oppressed. He was afflicted. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. He was as a sheep before its shearers. He was silent. He did not speak a word. Now there's a lot to this that we're gonna get to in a little bit. But I want us to think about what was it like? What was Christ's sufferings like? What was done to Christ as the Lamb of God, as our Passover Lamb? Thomas Manton, another old Puritan from the 17th century, commenting on this chapter, says this. He says, those who come nearer that render he was punished and troubled, for the first word signifies to exact a thing with rigor and molestation. and is applied to this case, as if a man should come and molest as a surety, or we could say a down payment, or the payment of a debt for another for whom he is engaged. Our punishment is exacted, demanded, and obtained of Christ. The creditor came upon Him, Jesus, for our debt. As if the word did point to that great truth which is held forth in other places that Christ died for us as our surety. Hebrews chapter 7 verse 22. In other words, what Jesus does as our surety is this. He is the person who takes responsibility for another's performance in the terms of a contract, in the terms of a covenant. For example, when someone does not pay their debts that they've contracted to sign, and you get sued, you're called to the court to pay for that debt. And Jesus is the one that comes to the court in your place, and he stands before the judge. He's our surety. Just prior to this, in verse 6 of Isaiah 53, Isaiah wrote these words about humans. He says, we all, like sheep, have gone astray. It is us that has gone wayward and astray, not Christ. We have all turned aside to our own way, not God's way, beginning with Adam and Eve in the garden and continuing to this day. Humanity's condition is this. We are wayward sheep. We go our own way and not God's way. And Christ, the one who never strayed from God's will for his life, he never strayed from God's law ever. He walked a straight path from his birth to his death on the cross for us, for wayward sheep. It's interesting enough that the word in Isaiah 53 verse six, the word laid simply means this. to meet, to reach, or to arrive at. By God's own act, Christ is the meeting point for the iniquity of us all. He is the reaching point. He is the arriving point. He is the one who paid a debt he did not owe. He is the one that paid our debt. Your iniquity, it has a meat in place. One day you're either gonna meet that iniquity in front of God as judge, or now in this life you can meet that iniquity, the iniquity and all of its disaster that it brings upon you in the Lamb of God, in Jesus. Do you want to have all your iniquity forgiven? Then you must meet, reach, and arrive at Jesus Christ. There is no other way. Consider the manner in which Christ carried our sins. Isaiah wrote that he did so like a lamb. Isaiah wrote that he opened not his mouth. He was a lamb led to the slaughter as a sheep before the shearers. In Isaiah 53 verse 7, in it he says, yet he opened not his mouth. Now it's easy to sort of read over that and not even to think about it. You know, he opened not his mouth. Right? But this is an indication that despite all that Christ was suffering, he didn't open his mouth, he didn't speak back, he didn't speak up. Think about this. This shows the great patience of Jesus Christ, our Savior, to suffer for things that He did not deserve to suffer for. When all this was upon Him, He did not lose patience at any point. Not a single word from Christ's mouth was an impatient word, none, either against God's will for His life on earth, nor against those who were His enemies. A bridal tongue, is a sign of great patience. And I want you to think about us. I can really tell you about how I am and how impatient my mouth is. But consider a situation that you may have been in, a situation when something is going on, something is being said, whatever the case may be, and at that particular moment, there's a desire that begins to rise up within you to say something. Then there comes a moment when you just can't hold it back anymore. You cannot hold your peace, and you blurt something out. You just blurt it out. You speak without wisdom. You don't consider the consequences of your words or actions, or as we may put it in our common day language, you lose it. Has anyone here lost it? Or am I the only one? Jesus never lost it. He never spoke or acted without wisdom. Oh, you may say, I have an objection to that. You remember when Jesus was in the temple, he made the whip and he drove the money changers out? There's a time when Jesus lost it. But no, if you consider his motives, what was it that Jesus was wanting to do? He wanted his father's place to be a house of worship. Even when Jesus did lose it, his motives were pure. They were holy. He wanted his father's house to be a place of purity, a place of honesty and sincerity, where true worship would take place. 1 Peter 2, verse 23 says this, speaking of Christ, who, when he was reviled, did not revile in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously. Now, we get accused of things all the time, and sometimes falsely, but most of the time, the accusations are true. And probably even worse, if people could look into our hearts when they accuse us of things and see our motives. But Jesus suffered for false accusations. He suffered for lies that were told against him. And the text of Peter says that he continued to commit himself. He continued to entrust himself. He continued to surrender himself. beneath all these things, humble to all these things, to God who judges righteously, his father. He was insulted. He was reviled. He was threatened. He was slapped. His beard was pulled. He was reviled. And Peter says that he did not return reviling for reviling. Why? Because Jesus knew that he would go to the cross and die. So he spoke not a word. He didn't speak out without wisdom. All praise the Lord that Jesus, the Lamb of God, takes us impatient, foolish sinners. He forgives us of our sins. He gives us the Holy Spirit as a gift. And then he begins a work of conformity to his image in our lives that the Bible tells us in the book of Philippians, he will not finish till the day he comes. What about you? Have you heeded the elders' words as John did? Have you beheld the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David? Have you looked to the lamb who was slain yet standing? All of us one day will see him. All of us one day will have a vision of Christ, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, the lamb who was slain yet standing. And whether you believe in Christ or whether you don't believe in Christ, it's going to have an impact on how you view him. One day you will either see this. You will either be behind the lion of the tribe of Judah as he charges forth to destroy his enemies, or you will be facing the lion of the tribe of Judah as he comes to destroy you if you are an unbeliever. You will see Jesus, the lion of the tribe of Judah, coming at you as a bold, courageous, fierce lion because you are his enemy. or you will be following Christ, watching him from behind as he charges towards his enemies. And in that moment, he will not retreat from them. When Christ was falsely accused, as we read in Matthew 11, verse 19, I don't have the verse here, but I have it not all the way written out. But some of the things that the Pharisees had accused Jesus of in the scribes is they called him a glutton and a wine-bibber, right? A gluttonous man, a drinker of wine, a friend of tax collectors, and a friend of sinners. And in that accusation that they made of him, it was really true. Jesus did do this. Now he wasn't a glutton because he never sinned, but he did pastime, he did fellowship and have communion with sinners because how else are they going to be saved if Christ never comes to them? Because we don't come. But the Bible in Matthew chapter 11 verse 19 says this, that wisdom will be justified by her children. The wisdom of Christ is justified when sinners come to him and are saved. The scribes and the Pharisees can make all the accusations they want, but Jesus, what he did and accomplished, will be justified by the salvation of sinners. Thomas Manton, again, wrote these words. He said, when Christ comes to destroy men, he will come as a lion. But when he comes to destroy sin, he comes as a lamb. What about you? Will you be destroyed by Christ the Lion? Or will you have Christ the Lamb destroy your sin today? Will you come to Him who's the friend of sinners? Or will you continue in your disobedience to Him and continue to be an enemy of Christ? All those who come to Christ, all those who have come to Christ, I would encourage you and exhort you to continue looking to Christ, looking to the ascended and glorified Christ who stands in heaven for us as a lamb slain. Our text says that Jesus is a lamb who's been slain, but he's on his feet. He's standing. He didn't just take the scroll out of God's right hand and then just take it for the sake of opening it and the sake of having it. No, he took it and he stands between God and us as our great mediator, our great intercessor. And he prays for his church. He intercedes for us. He governs his church. He guides his church and he loves his church, his wife. He defends us as a lion of the tribe of Judah, as a root of David against our enemies. And he will defend us on the day when we die or the Lord comes back as a lamb who has destroyed our words, our sins. And I'll finish with this quote right here. Thomas Brooks, the Puritan, another Puritan. I love reading the Puritans. I read a lot of the Puritans. He said this about Jesus being on the right hand of God in his book, Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices. He said, him who has been exalted to sit at the right hand of God is the ultimate glory for us and the deposit of our great happiness. So be encouraged, Christian. Be encouraged that the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, the Lamb who was yet slain, It was slain yet standing, stands on your behalf in heaven, interceding for you, praying for you, governing over you, guiding you, loving you as his bride. And as Thomas Brooks said, I pray that this would just be something that is most happy for you as a Christian this morning. Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we are so grateful for Christ our Savior, Lord. We're so grateful for the many ways you have revealed who Jesus is to us in your word, as a king, as a lion, as a lamb, Lord. And I just wanna lift up each and every Christian here this morning, each and every believer, Father, wherever they're at in their lives, wherever they may be, Lord, I pray that you would just encourage them by this vision that John had, this vision that one day we will have. And that as we will heed the words in the book of Colossians, that we would set our mind on the things above, not on the things of this world. And we know that we can only do so by the work of your Holy Spirit, Lord. We pray that your Spirit would continue to guide us and lead us throughout this week. He's led us in worship this morning. He's led us in the hearing of your word, the reading of your word, and oh, now we need him, Lord, as we go back to face the enemies in the world, our flesh, and Satan and all the temptations in there. We need Jesus, the fierce lion, to defend us. I pray that he would help us this week, Lord, and that your Holy Spirit would just indwell each and every one of us, that he would just guide us as we go about this week, Lord. Oh, bless each and every one here, Lord. I pray for those who are not sinners, that you would enlighten their minds to the knowledge of Christ, which is eternal life, and that you would convict them of their sins, Lord, and that you would turn the love that they have for the things of this world to the things of Christ, the things that truly matter, those eternal things, Lord. They will never come unless Christ brings down the wall that they've built around their minds, that only He can go through and destroy and bring their minds and their hearts into captive obedience, Lord. Oh, we pray for the unbelievers here this morning, Lord. Thank You, Lord, for all Your goodness, Your kindness towards us. We deserve nothing, but You're a gracious, loving God. You're our Holy Father who takes care of us, Lord. When we ask of things, You don't give us a rock or a serpent. You give us what we need, Father. And You've given us Christ for the salvation of our souls. And we praise You for that. And in His name we pray and thank You this morning. Amen.