Worship Service Livestream
August 16, 2026
- Welcome and Announcements
- Rejoice
- Prayer of Invocation
- Trust In You
- King of My Heart
- Scripture Reading - Revelation 5
- The Heart of Worship
- Pastor's Message -- The Lion Who Is The Lamb
- The Heart of Worship
Revelation 5
1 I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.
2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?"
3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it.
4 Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it;
5 and one of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals."
6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.
7 And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
8 When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
9 And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
10 "You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,
12 saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing."
13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."
14 And the four living creatures kept saying, "Amen." And the elders fell down and worshiped.
2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?"
3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it.
4 Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it;
5 and one of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals."
6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.
7 And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
8 When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
9 And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
10 "You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,
12 saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing."
13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."
14 And the four living creatures kept saying, "Amen." And the elders fell down and worshiped.
SERMON NOTES - The Lion Who Is The Lamb
- This morning we will consider another conjunction of Christ's attributes symbolized by what the apostle John witnessed in Revelation 5.
- Revelation 4-5 are two premier worship chapters in the bible. Through the vision of the apostle John, we are transported to the throne of God.
- In chapter 4, the focus is on the worship of God sitting on the throne. In chapter 5, the focus shifts to an inscribed scroll in the right hand of God.
- A sealed scroll authenticated the author and ownership. Only someone designated by entitlement, office, or covenant had the legal power to open the scroll.
- The fact that God is holding the scroll indicates that He is the author and owner. Even more importantly, it signals sovereign authority over its contents. The scroll comes from God, belongs to God, and can only be enacted by the one who is worthy to take it from His hand. God alone determines who may open it. The problem is that there is no one worthy.
- But there is One who is worthy, who is able to open the book and read the 7 seals, and there are 3 statements about His identity: He is the Lion from the tribe of Judah. He is the Root of David. He has overcome.
- It is the Lion who is able to open the book, but John sees a Lamb.
- If the Lion is worthy and can open the scroll and the Lamb is worth to open the scroll, it can mean only one thing: the Lion is the Lamb and His name is Jesus.
- When John says that the lamb was standing as if slain, the Greek word emphasizes a past action, the results of which are enduring and permanent. This Lamb was slain as a sacrifice in the past, but the significance of that sacrifice is continuous.
- The Lamb's slain appearance reflects Christ's atoning death, echoing the Passover lamb in Exodus whose blood brought deliverance. This connects the Old Testament redemption story to the ultimate salvation through Jesus, who redeems people from every nation, tribe, and tongue.
- At the end of chapter 4, God is worthy because He is Creator, but here the Lamb is worthy because He is Redeemer and Savior.
- No one was worthy because opening the scroll is connected to the redemption of the humanity and no one could achieve that redemption except Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
- The slain Lamb represents Christ's death on the cross, but the standing Lamb represents His resurrection from the grave.
- Jesus is also described as the Root of David, a significant description because it is saying that the One who is able to open the book is the One who brought David and David's line into existence.
- How can the Messiah be the Son of David and yet be called Lord by David? The answer is in the doctrine of the preexistence of Christ and his incarnation.