Scripture: Revelation 4:1-11; Ezekiel 1:5-10; Mark 4:30-32 Series: 2022
Preaching on the throne vision of Revelation 4:1-11, this sermon argues that the book of Revelation is fundamentally about identity: the discovery that we are not the center of the story. Using his son Dominic’s question about living in a movie and George R.R. Martin’s doomed character Quentyn, the preacher exposes the narcissistic, Hauerwasian modern illusion of being the self-authored protagonist with everyone else as supporting cast. He parallels this to Rome’s claiming of every people’s story, which Revelation unmasks by revealing who truly sits on the throne, not the emperor but the lamb that was slain. The maximalist, symbol-upon-symbol imagery shows the magnificence of God’s presence, and the elders’ song gives us a place to worship with the heavenly host now. Communion, like the mustard seed, looks insignificant but is God doing something great; the victory of Christ is never in doubt, so the drama of faith lies in the present journey. The sermon closes with a call to holiness, to jump fully into life with God through prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness, pointing always to the lamb who has already won.
Illustrations: dominic-living-in-a-movie, quentyn-plot-armor, hauerwas-no-story-but-the-one-you-choose, bart-simpson-punching, rome-stolen-menorah-citizenship, bauckham-creator-and-lamb, holy-holy-holy-sanctus, mustard-seed-communion, revelation-struggle-within-the-heart
February 13
Who Sits Upon the Throne
After this I looked and there was a door that had been opened in heaven. The first voice that I had heard, which sounded like a trumpet, said to me, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in a Spirit-inspired trance and I saw a throne in heaven, and someone was seated on the throne. The one seated there looked like jasper and carnelian, and surrounding the throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald. Twenty-four thrones, with twenty-four elders seated upon them, surrounded the throne. The elders were dressed in white clothing and had gold crowns on their heads. From the throne came lightning, voices, and thunder. In front of the throne were seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God. Something like a glass sea, like crystal, was in front of the throne. In the center, by the throne, were four living creatures encircling the throne. These creatures were covered with eyes on the front and on the back. The first living creature was like a lion. The second living creature was like an ox. The third living creature had a face like a human being. And the fourth living creature was like an eagle in flight. Each of the four living creatures had six wings, and each was covered all around and on the inside with eyes. They never rest day or night, but keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is coming.” Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one seated on the throne, who lives forever and always, the twenty-four elders fall before the one seated on the throne. They worship the one who lives forever and always. They throw down their crowns before the throne and say, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, because you created all things. It is by your will that they existed and were created.” Revelation 4:1-11
Intro
A few years ago, I was talking to my son Dominic. We were having breakfast. Out of the blue he asked me, ‘Daddy, are we living in a movie?’ Whoa! This was a really deep question for 5 year old. It is a wise question for a 50 year old.
My first reaction would be to say ‘no’ and move on. But I wanted to engage him. I love his curiosity and interest. I probably talked a little too much and did not give him the space to rethink the question
So I mentioned how it may seem like we are in a movie. But it is important to remember that, 1) God is not really far away watching us and just observing us from a distance. And 2) we are not the center of the story. We are not protagonists in our own film of life.
And the important thing about that is that it means that the people around us are not just extras or supporting characters for our life. Because it is so easy to fall into this narcissistic trap. to think that all the people in our lives are just there to serve us, to amuse us. To give us things and to help us.
I am going to geek out for a little bit, but it is super relevant. In the fifth book of A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. There is a character who was not in the TV show, Game of Thrones. They cut him out. So He only exists in the book, A Dance with dragons.
If you haven’t read any of Martin’s books, they are structured in such a way that each chapter is written from the point of view of one of the characters in the story. My own readings usually meant skipping over chapters with characters I found boring. The first time, I read Dance with Dragons I skipped over the chapters of this character named Quentyn. If something relevant happened, I would go back and read,
It was only later, when I reread the books, that I came to appreciate Quentyn’s chapters. His purpose in the novel is to function as a metacritique of the fantasy genre in general. He is going on this great adventure, but the first time we see him, most of his friends have already died. It is right after this storm at sea and his best friend has been killed and his mentor has been killed and another helper on the journey has been killed.
But he thinks that becoming king is his destiny. He thinks he has plot armor. Plot armor is the idea that there are certain characters in a story or movie that cannot be killed because it would ruin the plot. Quentyn thinks that he is being protected so he goes on this journey to try to marry the princess. He thinks it is destiny but he is scared. His interests are not with being a hero. He would rather read and garden then go fight bad guys and ride dragons. That is not who he is but it is who he thinks he needs to be. And he thought that the narrative would save him. He thought that the story would save him. He thought that he was the center of the story.
But it does not end as he expects.
His last ditch effort, after being rejected by the princess, is to bargain with some evil mercenaries to sneak him into the castle where the dragons are being held. Because of who he thinks he needs to, he is going to try and tame a dragon. But it does not go well. Instead of becoming king, the dragon opens his mouth, And Quentyn is burned.
Series Intro
My friends, we are continuing today in our series on the book of revelation. Revelation is about our identity. What is the source of our identity. What kind of story do we think we are in? What do we think we need in our lives? What do we value in our lives.
One of my teachers, Stanley Hauerwas, once said that “the project of modernity was to produce people who believe they should have no story except the story they choose when they have no story.”
People who think the only story and meaning of their lives is what they create, as if meaning, purpose, and history can be changed like a jacket or a hat. I find my own way and I am the only judge. My favorite illustration of this comes from the simpsons. Bart and Lisa are arguing and Bart says, “I am going to be punching, and if you get in my way it is your own fault.”
people who believe they should have no story except the story they choose when they have no story. This is super essential for Christians or anyone today to understand this as false. That is, the realization that there is not this null point where we get to decide what story we are a part of because we are not the center of the universe. And the project of modernity is to say that each one of us is the center of the universe. All the adds this afternoon are going to be about how awesome you are, but also how you could be more awesome with this product. And so there are six billion centers of the universe and so we are just competing for a fixed amount of resources . In grade school, we are competing for a fixed amount of slots in our college. As we grow up, we are competing for a fixed amount of desirable partners. This competition is constant because we are each the center of the universe and we each choose our own story and that is it! And there is nothing that comes before unless it is what we choose to accept.
This is a very similar narrative to the Roman Empire. The Romans swept across the ancient world and claimed each story as its own, claimed its people as its own. This is why the Romans stole the giant Menora from the Temple in Jerusalem. They claimed the Jewish story, too. They bequeathed the right of citizenship to some people and slavery to others. Citizenship in Rome had some political consequences, you had a right to trial, you could appeal to the Emperor. It also had some economic consequences. You did not need to fear starvation. There is always free bread for citizens of Rome.
And people could be content with that story, but it is a lie. It is not ultimately life-giving. And we see it falling apart in the book of Revelation. We see the lie falling apart when we see who really sits on the throne. We see the story of the world is not about us. You can’t Napoleon your way or pick yourself up by your bootstraps to the throne of heaven.
The Throne
The one who sits upon the throne is not the emperor in Rome with illusions of grandeur but the lamb who was slain. As Richard Baukham says, ‘The creator and the lamb are the theological center of the book of Revelation.’ The throne vision in chapter four puts them at the heart of the created order. And what do we see at the heart of the created order? We see and hear a song. We hear Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord, God almighty.
During communion service, we say those words, Holy, Holy, Holy. At Christmas, the shepherds are out with their flocks by night and a heavenly host appears singing ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’
There are a lot of other symbols going on here. There are thrones and rainbows and gems of jasper and emerald. There are 24 thrones and 24 elders. There are seven flaming torches. And there are all these symbols upon symbols. There are these four creatures with different animal parts which resemble the creatures at the beginning of the prophet Ezekiel. And it is symbol upon symbol upon symbol, showing the maximalist view of heaven. One image cannot contain the presence of God, and so we need an image upon an image upon an image.
This is what all that symbolic structure, all that vividness of the imagery is to show how magnificent the presence of God is. And the elders on the throne show that there is a place for us with God. There is a place with God. And even more, there is a place for us now with God. Where we can sing to God.
This is why we share table together. This is why we sing with the heavenly host, Holy, Holy, Holy are you Lord God almighty. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
We sing along with the elders in heaven. We are given space in the drama of creation history. We are contingent beings in a broken world and yet we matter to God. Not just in the future but here today.
And what is so important for us to remember and what this story of revelation shows us is a spoiler about the end of the story. We know who is going to win. We know who has already won.
Communion
When we share in communion, it seems like a small thing. Just a little bread. Just a little juice. And yet God is here doing something great. Like the mustard seed in the Gospel of Mark. It will grow to be enormous. The kingdom of heaven is here at this table. And it will grow. And even though it can look insignificant, that does not dictate what is going to be. Even when you feel insignificant. Even when you feel like you don’t matter to someone or that you don’t matter to the right someone, Or you don’t matter to yourself. that does not define who you are. You are part of a larger story. The book of Revelation, from the beginning to the end, does not hide Christ’s victory. It is never in doubt. There is not a moment when it seems like the forces of wickedness are going to prevail. They are ultimately impotent compared to the power of God in Jesus Christ. The drama of faith is not found in the destination but in the journey. We all know where we are going to end up. Not what it is going to look like to get there. For that, we are given images upon images upon images. We have glimpses to see of what the presence of God is like.
The drama is not found in our future but in our present. And how we are going to take our understanding of our future with God and live our life now. Live a life of hope. Live a life of peace. Live a life of love. From about 390, some Christians have read Revelation not as centered about us s them but as the struggle within the human heart. Is our heart set towards Babylon or towards the one who sits upon thrown? This is not a way to get out of responsibility but puts more on us. Let us live a heavenly life now and not wait around. Don’t accept Jesus tomorrow. Accept him today. Don’t ask for mercy tomorrow. Seek it today. Don’t forgive tomorrow. Forgive today.
Holiness
Live a life of holiness. To be holy means to be set apart. It can be a simple, a simple word. I am set apart from you in the congregation.
What is set apart in your life? What is holy? Christ includes us in this story of redemption. Let us participate fully. Let us not stand on the sidelines. Let us jump in with all that we have.
Let us jump in with our prayers. Let us jump in to life with God with our prayers knowing that God wants to have conversation with us. Let us jump in with our presence with being present for other people. With being as concerned for other people as for ourselves. With being present to fulfill the commitments of our life. With being unafraid of making new commitments because we don’t need to be afraid because God is looking out for us. Let us jump in with our gifts. With our spiritual gifts as well as the gift of generosity. As the gift of giving financially to what matters in our life. Of the gift of not building up storehouses in this life because we realize that they do not ultimately protect us.
Let us jump in with our service. With our willingness to serve others for God. Let us jump in with our willingness to receive service from others. Peace from others. And let us jump in with our witness. With our willingness to point to the one who sits on the throne. Not the conqueror. Not the emperor. Not the president. Not the CEO. Not even the bishop, the lamb that was slain. Jesus Christ. Who has won this victory. Who has offered his life for you. that you can life fully and hopefully now. Now that we together can sing Holy, Holy, Holy now. And that this little mustard seed is going to grow. And that our life, even when we feel as insignificant as a mustard seed, is going to grow because God is with us.
Let us pray,
Heavenly Father, thank you so much for revealing your love in the life of Jesus and the resurrection love of our future with God, offered to us. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.