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Why Worship Jesus? | Revelation 19:11-21
Bottom line: We worship Jesus for who he is and what he’s done (and what he’s doing to do): He came and He’s coming again!
Series: Revelation: The Best is Yet to Come
Title: “Why Worship Jesus?”
Scripture: Revelation 19:11-21 (Commentary helps listed at the end)
Bottom line: We worship Jesus for who he is and what he’s done (and what he’s doing to do): He came and He’s coming again!
INTRODUCTION
Opening story:
See Tomb of Unknown Soldier description in Jim Hamilton’s Revelation commentary.
OUR NEED
“We Christians don’t realize who we are. We too often forget that this world is not our home. We are not earthlings. We see the city that is to come, which has eternal foundations, whose King is Jesus.”
I was chatting with my long-time friend who’s in the ministry about this happenings in the news this week. We talked vaccines, civil disobedience, and our identity in Christ. It was funny how we both were struggling with how to respond to the events happening in our country this week. I found that in both our cases when we focused
“Mission for God exists because worship of God doesn’t.” -John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad
So why worship Jesus Christ?
Last week’s bottom line: We worship Jesus Christ for who he is and for what he’s done. We exist to worship him and enjoy him forever.
Bottom line: We worship Jesus for who he is and what he’s done (and what he’s doing to do): He came and He’s coming again!
CONTEXT
We have seen:
Jesus and his churches (1-3)
The throne and judgments of God (6-16)
The whore, the King, and his bride (17-22)
We saw the fall of Babylon
Last week we saw heaven celebrate him
This week we see another reason why: his return! (Second coming)
OUTLINE
This passage gives us THREE huge reasons for why we worship Jesus. And they don’t even include that fact that he CREATED us or that he is the RISEN Christ defeating death and living forever (which should be reasons enough!). (We covered two last week)
So, in case we needed more reasons to worship Jesus, here they are in Revelation 19
We worship Jesus Christ because:
Of his just wrath and judgment over humanity. (Last week)
Of his joyous wedding to the Bride of Christ (the Church). (Last week)
Of his jubilant return ending Babylon and establishing his Kingdom forever. (This week)
In light of Jesus’ return in chapter 19, a vast crowd will praise him the Lamb of God:
I. The celebration in Heaven (19:1-10) LAST WEEK
A. Praising the Lamb for his wrath on a corrupt whore (19:1-5)
The reasons for his judgment (19:2): This false religious system is condemned on two counts.
Corrupting the earth with immorality (19:2a)
Murdering the saints of God (19:2b)
The rejoicing over this judgment (19:1, 3-5)
The song (19:1b, 3, 4b-5): It consists of one great, grand, and glorious word: “Hallelujah!”
The singers (19:1a, 4a)
A vast multitude (19:1a)
The 24 elders (19:4a)
B. Praising the Lamb for his wedding to a chaste wife (19:6-10)_
The clothing of the bride (19:6-9): She wears the cleanest, whitest, and finest of linens.
The chastening of the apostle (19:10): John is rebuked for attempting to worship the angel who is revealing these things to him.
II. The confrontation on Earth (19:11-12) THIS WEEK
Let’s remember we’re talking about the king of kings in Rev 11:15: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
He’s also a person in the sense that he’s the second person of the trinity. This passage opens with us looking at a person—the divine person of Jesus Christ. Fully human and fully God. I can’t explain it. And he’s beautiful to behold. Perhaps this is why Darrell Johnson wrote, “I’m sure this is why, as my grandfather died, just before he took his last breath, he said to my father and his brothers, ‘Oh, boys! He’s beautiful!” Heaven is about a person!
A. His appearance as heaven’s King (19:11): John sees Jesus, who is called Faithful (reliable) and True (authentic, genuine, real thing), seated on a white horse, coming from heaven.
Second coming: White horse (2nd coming)—conquering king, and a Donkey (1st coming)—king of peace.
Why is Jesus coming back? 3 reasons for his second coming:
To judge Satan, sin, and the system of the world (Babylon) (17, 18, 19:11-21)
To establish the universal, visible, manifestation of His millennial kingdom (20:1-6)
To provide motivation for faithful service for the Church in each and every generation in the meantime.
Second coming will be globally unmistakable:
Like lightning—quick and brightly visible
Like vultures—come to consume corpses (see battle)
End of great tribulation starts with judgment and vengeance.
Note his character: faithful and true (just judge and just war)
B. His apparel as heaven’s King (19:12-13, 15-16): Jesus wins because of…
His eyes…penetrating judgment and insight; he misses nothing seeing all (and he still loves you); they don’t just look at us—they look through us
His many diadems (symbols of victory)
all on one head represents all the kingdoms he rules (all of them); total sovereignty! It is a strange sight but not uncommon in the first century for kings to wear multiple crowns to show he was king of more than one country. A crown for every victory? you could argue a crown for every person he’s rescued and defeated death for!
Vs many heads each with just one crown on the dragon
His name no one knows but him—two points:
In ancient times it was thought if you knew someone’s name (even a god’s) then you could exercise a certain level of control over him or her. To a degree that is true. If you see your friend walking down the street ahead of you and you yell out, “Betty!” She will stop and turn around. If you want to get a child’s attention you say their full name Darien Roger Gabriel! It is a way of saying that Jesus Christ—as available as he’s made himself—is under no one’s control.
In ancient times, names revealed something about the person’s nature and character. “You are Simon. You shall be called Cepheus, the Rock.”
His robe dipped in blood—both a priests and kings robe…
His from battle—his enemies will be judged; but he arrives to the battle with blood already on his robe…
His martyr’s blood—his saints will be vindicated
His blood from the cross (I favor this one)—his substitutionary atoning sacrifice will save many souls from sin, death and hell
C. His authority as heaven’s King (19:15-16): unparalleled authority
His titles:
The word of God (cf. John 1:1-14)-God’s perfect communication and revelation (word and deed)
King of kings and Lord of lords—sovereignly rules over all for ever. Not Caesar is Lord—Jesus is Lord! The declaration of faith of the early church
His sword—his powerful words are the means from which he will conquer evil forever.
He spoke to a fig tree and it withered.
He spoke to howling winds and heaving waves and they calmed.
He spoke to a legion of demons and they obeyed.
He speaks here and the war is over and he is the victor.
Jesus is “the word of God” meaning Jesus is God’s speech…his final speech.
His rod—more like a very strong shepherd’s staff. He shepherds by leading, feeding and protecting his flock. Rule here can also be translated “shepherd”
His wine press—Picture of his holy and full wrath against Babylon, Satan and his kingdom. It will also include those who follow him.
D. His armies as heaven’s King (19:14)—plural meaning probably humans AND angels
Dressed in linen and on white horses—white represented the redeemed and linen representing priests (vs warriors); will get to follow him into battle but really no battle at all; linen is the uniform of priests and the Bride—not of warriors.
No fight—Jesus shows up and it’s over; Chuck Swindoll said, “Let’s cut to the chase: before anybody on earth can utter the word ‘Armageddon,’ the battle will be over. When God determines the end has come, it’s curtains.” Insights, p. 254
E. His avenging as heaven’s King (19:17-21)
He defeats Satan’s armies.
He defeats antichrist and false prophet. The first permanent residents of hell are these two.
Why does Jesus Christ win? Because of who he is. He is king of kings and lord of lords. He’s our Creator! He’s our savior!
CONCLUSION
Contrasting two feasts.
Wrath vs Wedding.
Pray
Lord’s Supper, 1 Corinthians 11:17-32
OTHER NOTES:
Contrasting first and second comings of Jesus Christ
First vs. Second
He rode a donkey vs a white horse
He came as the suffering servant vs King and Lord
He came in humility and meekness vs majesty and power
He was rejected by many as the Messiah vs recognized by all as Lord
He came to seek and save the lost vs to judge and rule as King
He came as God incognito vs in all His splendor
-Daniel Akin
OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS:
MAIN COMMENTARY HELP:
Exalting Jesus in Revelation by Daniel Akin
Revelation by Jim Hamilton
Revelation by Paige Patterson, New American Commentary series
Breaking the Code by Bruce Metzger
2020 Sermons by Matt Chandler
ESV Global Study Bible
Bible in One Year by Nicky Gumbel
Bible Knowledge Commentary
The Outline Bible, Wilmington
Discipleship on the Edge, Darrell W. Johnson
Why Worship Jesus Christ? His Wrath and Wedding | Revelation 19:1-10
Bottom line: We worship Jesus Christ because of who he is and what he’s done. We exist to worship him and enjoy him forever.
Series: Revelation: The Best is Yet to Come
Title: “Why worship Jesus Christ: His wrath and wedding?”
Scripture: Revelation 19:1-10 (Commentary helps listed at the end)
Bottom line: We worship Jesus Christ because of who he is and what he’s done. We exist to worship him and enjoy him forever.
“Mission for God exists because worship of God doesn’t.” -John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad
Introduction:
“Imagine boarding an airplane, having the doors close, and then hearing the pilot announce that as soon as he gets the plane off the ground he’s putting his nine-year-old son in the pilots chair. How relieved would you be if near the end of the flight, after many dips, dives, jerks, and polls, the pilot announced that he had taken control of the plane? When God begins to reign, the world will finally be ruled as it should be.“ -Hamilton
Afghanistan we’ve seen injustice and evil…
We will have reason to celebrate one day!
John piper wrote that the reason the mission of God exists because the worship of God does not. Let the nations be glad
What will get us through is this truth:
Last week’s Bottom line: “The future is bright even though the day is dark.”
This week’s bottom line: We worship Jesus Christ for who he is and for what he’s done. We exist to worship him and enjoy him forever.
Last week in Revelation 17-18 we saw the downfall of Babylon and how those seduced by her are drug down with her into destruction with her. Are you in that crowd? God calls you out today! (V. 4)
This week we see God praised for his character and competency. His character shines as he acts in accordance with that character in judging the whore and giving her what she deserves.
Context:
We have seen:
Jesus and his churches (1-3)
The throne and judgments of God (6-16)
The whore, the King, and his bride (17-22)
Last week we saw the fall of Babylon
This week we see heaven celebrate him
Next week we’ll see his return! (Second coming)
Outline:
This passage gives us two huge reasons for why we worship Jesus. And they don’t even include that fact that he CREATED us or that he is the RISEN Christ defeating death and living forever (which should be reasons enough!).
So, in case we needed more reasons to worship Jesus, here they are in Revelation 19:1-10
In light of Jesus’ return in chapter 19, a vast crowd will praise him the Lamb of God:
I. The celebration in Heaven (19:1-10)
A. Praising the Lamb for his wrath on a corrupt whore (19:1-5)
The reasons for his judgment (19:2): This false religious system is condemned on two counts.
Corrupting the earth with immorality (19:2a)
Murdering the saints of God (19:2b)
The rejoicing over this judgment (19:1, 3-5)
The song (19:1b, 3, 4b-5): It consists of one great, grand, and glorious word: “Hallelujah!”
The singers (19:1a, 4a)
A vast multitude (19:1a)
The 24 elders (19:4a)
B. Praising the Lamb for his wedding to a chaste wife (19:6-10)
The clothing of the bride (19:6-9): She wears the cleanest, whitest, and finest of linens.
The chastening of the apostle (19:10): John is rebuked for attempting to worship the angel who is revealing these things to him.
II. The confrontation on Earth (19:11-12) (NEXT WEEK)
Conclusion:
Have you been invited to the wedding feast?
Have you accepted the invitation?
How are you preparing to be part of the bride of Christ?
Pray
Notes:
Why we worship Jesus:
Hallelujah = Praise Yah or Yahweh = Praise the Lord = Praise Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords.
4X - nowhere else in the NT; found heavily in the Hallel Psalms
Who God is
Savior
Glory, attributes of God
Love
Truth
Holiness
Power
Knowledge
Omnipresence
Omnigoodness
Immutability
Truth & Holiness
Avenger
King, sovereign ruler
Bridgegroom; Groom
Provider of Holiness
What God’s done
Saved us from sin and death, shame and guilt, babylon the whore, and hell itself.
Present in His people (Holy Spirit)
True and just in his judgments (esp. against babylon and Satan.
Avenged all injustice
Rules with all authority and power
Betrothed to His people
Clothed His people in righteousness
Who am I in light of this?
His servant who rightly fears and reveres him
His saved/rescued one
Worshipper of Jesus Christ
Bride of Christ
What do we get to do as a result?
Please him; gladly submit to him
Live for him with my life he saved from eternal destruction and damnation
Rejoice and shout hallelujah because of who he is and what he’s done. Worship God!
Enjoy him and his wedding feast forever.
Better questions:
Are you invited to the wedding feast?
Have you accepted your invitation?
What’s keeping you from accepting that invitation?
What does your life say?
What needs to change?
Hallelujah = (You) Praise Yah(weh)
BQ: Why only used here (4X in Revelation)? Why do we worship and praise Jesus like this here?
Reason 1 - Because Jesus Christ delivers his people from the Whore (Babylon).
Psalms 113-118 are the Hallel psalms. The thread that runs through them is the Exodus. They are sung before, during and/or after the Passover Celebration. They recall God’s deliverance from and judgment of Egypt. (The Babylon of that day)
Jesus and his disciples likely sang one or more of these as part of their Passover celebration at the last supper. (Mark 14:26)
We worship Jesus because he delivers us from Babylon (the world, the flesh, the devil).
Babylon = the great city, the whore, mother of whores, the power that opposes God’s purposes and oppresses God’s people.
1500 BC Passover meal celebrates deliverance from Egypt won through the coming Passover lamb (Jesus).
AD 30 Wedding feast celebrates deliverance from Babylon won through blood of the lamb.
Reason 2 - Because of the coming marriage supper of the lamb. (Eternal feast) Because he calls us and then makes us ready by empowering us to be ready for his arrival. (Cf. Phil 2:12-13) “Therefore, the multitude cries, “Hallelujah!” The bride (the Church) is ready to enter into the feast, which lasts not 7 days, not even 14 days, but forever.” -D Johnson
Throughout the OT, the arrival of God’s kingdom—new heaven, new earth, new Jerusalem, new Zion—is spoken of as entering a great feast.
See Isaiah 25:6
Rev 19:7 & 9
Parable Matthew 22:1-14
King is God the Father
Son is Jesus
All who didn’t RSVP to invite and dress appropriately are judged
“Let us rejoice and be glad” only shows up twice in NT:
Rev 19
Matt 5:11-12
“Let us rejoice and be glad” Why? Because the vindication of Jesus’ disciples is taking place.
Case: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” is a discipleship book—a document to hope make disciples. (Darrell Johnson)
Jesus’ great commission is go make disciples of all nations, all ethnic groups. This book shows us what it means to be his disciples. These images help us.
Images:
Great city (Babylon) vs The Greater City (New Jerusalem)
Whore vs Bride
Titles and images: Disciples are:
Priests
Co-regents with Jesus
Witnesses
Martyrs
His Bride
1st Church (Ephesus): “Left your first love.” (2:4)
7th Church (Laodicea): “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into you, and eat with you as you with me.” (3:20) Echos love poem in Song of Solomon 5:2
“I stand and knock”
“Hear my voice”
“Opens the door”
4th Church (Thyatira): “Jezebel who seeks to seduce Jesus’ bride into bed with Babylon the whore.”
Ephesians 5:25-27
Marriage customs of 1st century Judaism:
3 steps in getting married:
Engagement (betrothal)
Prepare for wedding
Wedding supper itself
Betrothal ceremony
Prospective groom and best man leave father’s house and travel to prospective bride’s house. Finalize arrangements and settle on “purchase price”. (She is bought at a price, 1 Cor 6:20)
As soon as paid, marriage technically went into effect. Legally bound to each other but not sleeping or even living together yet. She was declared “consecrated” to the groom (set-apart) exclusively for him.
A new covenant established between the sealed by drinking wine over a benediction was pronounced: “This cup is a new covenant”
The groom leaves bride’s house and returns to father’s house for 12 months while he prepares a room there for them to live in.
During this time the bride prepares herself for the wedding (and marriage).
While not sleeping or even living together these 12 months, they were legally and spiritually bound to each other. “So binding was this betrothal agreement—this covenant—that if a man died during the betrothal period, she was considered a widow. To breach the betrothal agreement was the same as divorce.” (Think Joseph and Mary)
“At the end of the betrothal period, the bridegroom, dressed in festive attire, and accompanied by his best man and friends, would make his way back to the bride’s house. Although everyone had a rough idea of when the groom would come, they did not know the exact day or hour. Usually, to add the element of surprise, he would arrive around midnight. His arrival would be preceded by the shout, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out. Come out to meet him” (Matt 25:6). Then, wiht great joy, the bride, veiled and accompanied by her maidens, who were carrying lamps, would come out to join the groom and his attendants. Then the wedding feast itself would begin!”
“First, there was a brief ceremony involving the word, “take.” The groom would “take” the bride from her home. Thus the Hebrew expression, “Take a wife”. free the groom “took” the bride, the whole bridal party would make its way to the groom’s father’s house. There they would find the wedding guests gathered and dressed in special robes. The feast would take off! It would last 7 days, sometimes 14 days.”
“About AD 33, in Jerusalem, Jesus is havin gthe Passover meal with his disciples in an upper room. He takes a cup of wine, gives it to his disciples, and says, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood.; Jesus then tells them he is leaving. Wha’ts more, he tells them that they cannot come where he is going—-yet (John 13:36).
Then John 14:1-3
“Do you hear what Jesus is claiming? He is the Bridegroom, the headband of the people of God. We are his bride. He has paid ‘the purchase price’ with his own blood. He has sealed the engagement with a cup of wine; ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood.’ He is preparing a place for us in his Father’s house. And he is coming to take us to himself to be his forever.”
“We have been betrothed! We are engaged to Jesus Christ!” -Darrell Johnson
“Hallelujah! The time has come for the marriage feast.” Send out the invitations. “Blessed!” “Blessed is everyone who is invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”
Look at Rev 19:7-8 “And the bride has made herself ready…was given to her to clothe herself…”
Tension here like throughout the NT. On the one hand, “The bride has made herself ready.” On the other hand, “And it was given to her to clothe herself.” Which is it?
It is the same tension found in Phil 2:12-13: “So then…work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Who’s doing the work? Us or Jesus? The answer is both.
“He calls us to himself. Then in relationship with himself, he begins to free us, especially from captivity to Babylon, and begins to empower us to live a new life. Our new life leads to new deeds, “the righteous deeds of the saints” (19:8). Yet it is because of his power at work in us—that we are able to do the new deeds.” -D Johnson
What does all of this mean for discipleship right now? At least 6 Things:
If we are engaged to the Lamb, then we have a powerful picture of the nature of Jesus’ love for us.
He loves us as his friends
As his brothers and sisters
As his temple
As his body
…But as his BRIDE! Wow!
If we are engaged to the Lamb, then we are very secure.
Bought at a price: his own blood.
We are not our own any longer—we are his!
New covenant he’ll never break
If we are engaged to the Lamb, then the fundamental issue of discipleship is loyalty. The issue is fidelity. We do not want ot be found in bed with another lover. Babylon, the whore, is very seductive. We cannot be engaged to 2 brides.
If we are engaged to the Lamb, then sin is worse than we thought. Sin is adultery.
It is not only missing the mark.
It is not only twistedness.
It is adultery. Profoundly relational.
If we are engaged to the Lamb, then the call to loyalty is a call to be ready. It’s a call to intimacy.
He’s gone away to prepare a room in his Father’s house. (21-22)
While he’s gone, are we preparing ourselves? “The righteous acts of the saints”
If we are engaged to the Lamb, then the call to discipleship is a call to simplicity.
We are too busy. Too encumbered.
No wonder we lose intimacy.
Lack of margin kills intimacy. -Andy Stanley
Think back to when you were engaged…we MADE time to be together.
Being in love simplifies things.
The call to discipleship is the call to do whatever it takes to stay in love with Jesus.
Other Illustrations:
Main commentary help:
Exalting Jesus in Revelation by Daniel Akin
Revelation by Jim Hamilton
Revelation by Paige Patterson, New American Commentary series
Breaking the Code by Bruce Metzger
2020 Sermons by Matt Chandler
ESV Global Study Bible
Bible in One Year by Nicky Gumbel
Bible Knowledge Commentary
The Outline Bible, Wilmington
Discipleship on the Edge, Darrell W. Johnson