The Conquering King Comes! (A sermon based on Revelation 19:11-16)

Sorry, but the service wasn't recorded again. We've been having some issues with our internet cutting in and out and it seems to have cut out shorting after recording began. But here's the text of the sermon for your reading and edification! Blessings on your week!

In Him,

Pastor Guenther 

The Conquering King Comes!

A sermon based on Revelation 19:11-16

Sunday, May 16, 2010 - Ascension Sunday

        It's been said, "Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep, and you weep alone." That is to say, when things are going well, you have tons of friends, everyone wants to be near you and enjoy your company. But, when things aren't going so well, when you're down and out and need a helping hand, well... then no one seems to be around. 

        In a certain sense, that's true of our Savior. When he went to battle against sin and hell, he fought alone. No one was there to help. No one was on his side. And when God the Father forsook him he was truly, all alone. But, having won the victory all by himself, though he wept alone on the cross, he didn't say, "To the victor--and to the victor alone--go the spoils!" Not at all! Instead he gladly shares his victory with all who believe in him that we might laugh with him in glory.

        In our text for this morning from Revelation 19, we see the King of kings return victorious from battle. Though he was the sole victim, he is the surrounded victor, sharing his victory with us. You're invited to follow along with the text in the bulletin and to make use of the sermon notes on the insert in your worship folder. Revelation 19:11-16...

¹¹ I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. ¹² His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. ¹³ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. ¹⁴ The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵ Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." [Psalm 2:9] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

I. The Sole Victim (v. 11-13)

        It seems that most everywhere Jesus went, he walked there. I can only think of two times in the Bible where it mentions Jesus traveling in any other way. The first was on Palm Sunday. Then Jesus rode into Jerusalem riding on a humble and lowly donkey. Not exactly the ride we might expect to see the Creator of the universe use. But Jesus promised (in Mark 13:26) that when he came to earth a second time, "[all] men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory." And the second time we see Jesus riding, here in Revelation, it is no longer in humility on a donkey, but in glory on white stallion, coming in splendor, with multiple crowns on his head and with eyes blazing like fire. 

        Those blazing eyes are laser-like. They penetrate beneath the surface. They miss nothing and see everything. In other words, he is omniscient, all-knowing. You know our medical technology today is pretty amazing. With high-powered machines, we can look inside the human body and see not just the skeletal system, but can scan the entire body, and even examine the lobes of the brain without using a single blade. But Jesus' sight is even more powerful still. He doesn't need to use an X-ray, a CAT scan, or a PET scan to see through us. His eyes, blazing like fire, can see through to our thoughts, our attitudes, our very souls. He can see what we ourselves can't even see. And he knows the depth of our sin.

        Charles Spurgeon put it this way: "There are no secrets here that Christ does not see.  There is no lewd thought, there is no unbelieving scepticism, that Christ does not read. There is no hypocrisy, no formalism, no deceit, that he does not scan as easily as a man reads a page in a book.  His eyes are like a flame of fire to read us through and through, and know us to our inmost soul.""

        And so, at first it might seem a terrible thought to know that "With justice he judges and makes war," that his robe is dipped in blood, and that "He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty." It reminds us of Isaiah 63: "² Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? ³ "I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing. ⁴ For the day of vengeance was in my heart..."

        What a terrible thing to be under the wrath of God on Judgment Day! And that is what we once were, for none of us is faithful and true 100% of the time. Try as we might, we all fail to keep God's commands perfectly. 

        

        But he goes on in Isaiah 63: "...the day of vengeance was in my heart and the year of my redemption has come. ⁵ I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm worked salvation for me..."

        We need not fear God's wrath because the victory he won, he won for us. You'll notice that in the vision of Judgment Day that John records, the army doesn't look like most. There is only one person in the entire army who's garments are bloodied. There is only one who has a weapon. And that's because only one person fought: Jesus. 

        Jesus, the rider on the white horse "is called Faithful and True" because he has lived up to God's perfect standard 100%! He never sinned and he never did anything wrong! He never disobeyed God but always remained faithful to him, true to his Word. But what's more, that perfect Son of God who deserved the glory of heaven, left it to do battle for us! And as John put it in the first chapter of his gospel (v. 14), "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." And why did he become flesh? To suffer and die in our place. You see, the one whose robe is dipped in blood shed his own blood on Calvary's cross. He was bloodied by God's wrath so that no blood of ours would ever be demanded by God as punishment for our sins. 

         So, let's go back to the army surrounding Jesus again. What does it do? Does it do battle? No. "He judges and makes war... out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations... He will rule them with an iron scepter... He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty." He. He. He. He. He does it all. What do we do? Nothing. What does His army contribute? Nothing. We need no armor. We need no weapons. We have no sword in our hands. So why are we there? We're there to watch. We watch as Jesus stomps on Satan and all who oppose him, crushing them like grapes under his feet. We watch as he wins the victory all alone! 

II. The Surrounded Victor (v. 14-16)

        Now I'm sure you all know the story of the Little Red Hen. In the tale, the little red hen finds a grain of wheat, and asks for help from the other farmyard animals to plant it. However, no animal will volunteer to help her, so she plants it by herself. Then, once it's grown, she asks for help from the other animals to harvest it. Again, they're not interested. As the little red hen threshes the grain, mills the wheat into flour, kneads the dough, and bakes the bread, she again asks for help from the other animals, but each time is refused assistance. So finally, once the hen has completed her task, she asks who will help her eat the bread. Of course, this time, all the previous non-participants eagerly volunteer. But she declines their help, stating that no one aided her in the preparation work, so she eats it with her chicks, leaving none for anyone else.

        Now, our Savior won the victory all by himself with no help from us in resisting temptation, in serving the Father, in perfectly keeping his will, in fighting satan, in going to the cross, in enduring hell. Like the little red hen, our Savior did all the work all alone. But very much unlike the little red hen, he shared the fruits of his labor with everyone even though no one assisted him. 

        Even though the army surrounding Jesus has no weapons, no blood on their clothes, and exerts no effort, they too surround the victor and share in his victory! Notice something else about that army that seems very odd for an army: They're  not dressed in camouflage. They're not dressed in black. But in white. In battle that would make them sitting ducks. But they're not in battle any more. They're in the victory parade, covered in the pure, clean robes of his righteousness.

        And of course, that army is us. We are victorious, not because of any battle we've fought, but because of the battle he fought. He lets share in his victory. You and I don't need to fight to win our salvation. We don't need to do battle to earn our white robes of righteousness. You and I are given the victory through Christ. 

        And he still reigns in heaven. You see, Jesus didn't ascend into heaven to retire and relax forever with the angels. But he still rules all things in the interest of his church. John quotes Psalm 2 when he says, "He will rule them with an iron scepter." That is, his rule can't be broken. It will never end. And what's more we rule with him!

        While some have suggested that the title King of kings and Lord of lords refers to the fact that Jesus is king over all earthly kings. All rulers, powers, and authorities, ultimately must answer to him. But others have suggested that in the title King of kings and Lord of lords, the kings and lords are us. After all, Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 19(:28) and again in Luke 22(:29 - quoted here): "I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." So Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 apply to us: "All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future--all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God."

        Now, admittedly, it may not always seem like Jesus is in charge. It may not always seem like we're wining either. It may look like we're being defeated, that false teachers are winning the day, and that satan has the upper hand. But you can trust the promises of God. So when you feel like you're losing, go back to the Word again. Go back to that double-edged sword (cf. Hebrews 4:12) of the Word coming out our Savior's mouth. And remember that he is faithful and true. He cannot lie and so what he says can be trusted.

        Trust that through faith in Jesus, we are victorious! Chosen by his love, called by the gospel, kept faithful by his Spirit, strengthened by his body and blood under the bread and wine, we already have a part in his kingdom. And we will have a place at his right hand, to be with him and to enjoy his presence forever. 

        Now live like the victorious royalty that you are. Fear nothing! Your conquering God is with you! Go out and boldly share the truth of his victory! Go ahead, make satan mad! Rub it in! He lost, Jesus won! Share that truth with others who haven't heard that they too can be victorious in his victory! Though he was the sole victim, he's glad to be the surrounded victor and share his victory with anyone who believes in him.

        You know, this past week I found out that my 41 year-old neighbor, with whom I'd been trying to share our faith, suddenly and unexpectedly passed away even though he had been in great health. But I'm thankful that about 2 weeks ago, when I handed him a business card and he asked me "What is 'The Main Thing?'" I had the opportunity to share with him the victory that is ours in Christ. I hope and pray that he took it to heart and that he's laughing with Jesus right now. But there are still so many others who need to hear of Jesus' victory--that he shares with all people--before it's too late and they're trampled under his feet.

        Think of someone you know who needs to hear of Jesus' victory--of their victory. Write that name down on the bulletin insert. Commit to pray for that person every day of this week, at the very least. Pray that God would open up an opportunity for you to share Jesus' victory with them. And look for a chance to invite them to hear of his sacrifice and of his grace so that when the King returns, they won't weep alone, but will laugh with us, with their Savior, in the glory of heaven, sharing in his victory. And our conquering King, our ruling Lord, will help us do it! In his name, dear friends, amen.