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[0:00] Well, praise God this morning. Awesome music so far, and looking forward to a great time in God's Word this morning for the next few minutes. I really thought about a message on April Fool's.

[0:16] I looked up. There are actually over 162 times in the Bible the words fool, fools, or foolish.

[0:28] So God talked a lot about fools. But I decided I was going to do something a little bit different, and today is just a little bit different of a resurrection message as well.

[0:41] We're going to be in the book of Revelation primarily, and you say, well, that's an odd book to be in. Normally we're in the Gospels. Well, the book of Revelation, when the angels and the 24 elders and the six-winged creatures up in heaven glorify and praise God, they talk about, and when John is waiting for the seals to be opened, he weeps.

[1:14] And the Bible says in the Greek, he wept and he kept on weeping. But then someone was worthy who came forward to open the scroll, and that was none other than Jesus Christ.

[1:29] And in the song, the new song that is sung talks about the worthy one who lives, and he lives because of the resurrection. And as we talk and as we think about Jesus Christ and the sacrifice that he gave on the cross of Calvary and the blood that was spilt for us, there is a crimson flow throughout the Bible.

[1:52] It began with the first lamb that was slain in the book of Genesis and continues all the way through the end of the Bible, through the book of the Revelation, from the first lamb to the lamb of God who was slain for the sin of the world.

[2:11] We see that flow of crimson throughout God's word, that thread that goes all the way through. And we see the ultimate sacrifice of the lamb of God brought salvation for the entire world.

[2:25] Everyone who would believe there was power in the gospel that would provide life to everyone who believes because Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sin.

[2:38] God was satisfied with that payment. And so therefore, on the third day, God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, raised Jesus Christ from the dead. And he ever lives and is seated at the right hand of God the Father forevermore.

[2:54] Now, none of those Old Testament sacrifices could save. From the very first one in the book of Genesis, the animal that died to provide the clothing for Adam and Eve, what is turned the Protavangelium is the forerunner or that first time that we see it's a foreshadowing of the gospel.

[3:19] All the way through every year when the high priest would go to the Holy of Holies and offer the sacrifice when an animal would be slain and blood would be poured out.

[3:31] And we see the high priest offering this sacrifice for the sin of the people. None of those could save. They would just take care of them for the next year.

[3:45] And over and over they had to be done. The unworthy animals could not take away sin. Let's begin by looking at God's word. Take your Bibles.

[3:56] And let's look at the book of Hebrews, chapter 10. And this is very, very important because there are many people today who are still trying to offer sacrifice for their sins.

[4:08] It might be through their religion. There are some who sacrifice or go to mass, and the mass is literally called the bloodless sacrifice.

[4:21] There is no longer a need for a sacrifice. There are those who try to pay for their sin by trying to live a good life or trying to atone for them by doing whatever, doing penance, or trying to be sorry for their sin, which we ought to feel the pangs of sin because we know that it's sin that led Jesus Christ to the cross and caused him to have to die for us.

[4:54] But there is one payment for sin, and that was Jesus Christ on the cross. Verse 4 says, That's why we no longer have the need for a priest to take care of a sacrifice to try and take away our sins.

[5:22] These sacrifices were but types of the one that would come of Jesus Christ. We see, we go on, verses 5 through 10 of Hebrews chapter 10.

[5:36] Therefore, when he came into the world, he said, Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me.

[5:48] In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you had no pleasure. Then I said, Behold, I have come in the volume of the book.

[5:59] It is written of me to do your will, O God. Previously saying, Sacrifice and offering, Burnt offerings and offerings for sin you did not desire, Nor had pleasure in them, which are offered according to the law.

[6:15] They were doing, the Old Testament Jews were doing what God had prescribed, But God had no pleasure in them in the sense that it did not atone for sin. It did not completely take away the sin of the world.

[6:28] It just covered. It just took care of as a forerunner or as a picture of the Lamb of God who would die for us. We see in verse 9, Then he said, Behold, I have come to do your will, O God.

[6:43] He takes away the first, that he may establish the second. By that, by doing away with that first ordinance of sacrifices, He provides a second, complete sacrifice in himself.

[7:03] By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ. Once for all. The one who died on the cross is the worthy one.

[7:17] We're going to take a look at that for the next few minutes in the book of the Revelation primarily, and see that there was only one who was worthy to take away our sin. There was only one who was worthy that could die an eternal death.

[7:31] That blows my mind. How can you die an eternal death for everyone and yet still live? But Jesus is God.

[7:42] And in his humanity, he died, literally died for us. But in his deity, he was able to, the one who had no sin, he was able to be the perfect substitute for us, and took care of that sin, and pleased and appeased God, and atoned for our sin.

[8:10] Now let's see why he is worthy. First of all, we see that Jesus is worthy, because number one, he's holy. He is without sin. He is totally, completely set apart and sanctified to his heavenly Father, because Jesus is God.

[8:29] He is holy. Let's take a look in Revelation chapter 4, verse 8. We won't read each one of those verses, but if you have time later.

[8:39] Revelation chapter 4, verses 9 through 11, the scene is in heaven, and John is looking after these things that happen in chapter number 3.

[8:55] He hears a voice like a trumpet saying, Come up here. And immediately, John says, he was in the Spirit, and there was a throne. He sees the throne room of heaven, and around the throne, we see these living creatures.

[9:12] And in verse number 8, we see the four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within, and they do not rest day or night.

[9:23] And this is what they say, Holy, Holy, Holy, repeated three times, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.

[9:40] Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. And as a member of the Godhead, Jesus Christ is holy. Jesus was the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

[9:54] When he was tempted in the wilderness by Satan, he was triumphant. We see that in Matthew chapter 4, verses 1 through 11.

[10:05] He did not succumb to temptation. He didn't sin. As a matter of fact, even judicially, we see Pilate testing him. He talked to him.

[10:16] And what did Pilate say to the crowd? I find no fault in him. Even the magistrate, even the political ruler, leader could find no fault in Jesus.

[10:33] He had committed no crime. He had done nothing wrong. Peter and John, in Acts chapter 4, verse 27, said that Jesus is holy.

[10:45] The writer of Hebrews calls him holy. Harmless and undefiled in Hebrews chapter number 7. So Jesus is worthy because he's holy.

[10:57] Jesus is the only one who is completely holy. And thankfully, he calls us holy. He declares us to be holy when we trust him as our Savior.

[11:11] And his righteousness is imputed, or it's put over from the deficit column into our bank account.

[11:22] And so he considers us to be holy as well. And so this holy one is then the perfect substitute for sinners.

[11:34] The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And Jesus is the only one. Jesus is the only one who could take away the sin of the world.

[11:46] Now, I know there are a lot of religious leaders who have lived over the centuries, but not a single one of them was perfect and sinless and able to take away the sin of the world.

[12:05] You can look at a dictionary of world religions. Close your eyes and point your finger anywhere. And you will not find any single one who was worthy to take away our sin.

[12:23] To open up those scrolls that we see in Revelation chapter 4 and chapter 5. He died for you and for me.

[12:35] He is worthy because he is holy. Secondly, he is worthy because he's the creator. He made us. He spoke the world into existence.

[12:48] He spoke everything into existence. He took the dust from the earth. And he formed a man. And he breathed into this man, Adam, life.

[13:03] And so he created us. And so therefore, by virtue of being the creator, he has full authority over us. And God can choose the way to reconcile us back to him.

[13:16] And there was only one way. And it was through an eternal, sinless mediator, Jesus Christ, the one who could take away sin, the one who could be our substitute.

[13:31] You have created all things. John insists that this is one of the reasons why he is worthy. Verse 11 of Revelation chapter 4.

[13:43] You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power. Why? John says, for you created all things. That's why Jesus is worthy in Revelation 4, 11.

[13:55] And by your will they exist and were created. So John says, you're worthy because you created everything. The creator gives himself on the cross for us who are sinful created ones.

[14:14] Think about that. The creator gave himself for the created. That's what we celebrate on Resurrection Sunday. That the creator took our place.

[14:27] Think about that. He didn't send anyone else. He did it himself. And heaven sings a song of redemption in Revelation chapter 5 and verse number 9.

[14:41] And they sang a new song saying, you are what? You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals. Why?

[14:53] Because you died for the world. You are worthy to open its seals. For you were slain and have redeemed us to God.

[15:05] Now, there's a lot of conjecture about what these four living creatures represent, who the elders represent. There are some who say they were angels.

[15:15] There are some who say they are representative of those who are redeemed of the church. And if we are to read this as we see in the Greek, I believe they are representative of those who have been redeemed by the blood.

[15:30] Because as they sing this song, number one, angels don't sing. Because nowhere in the Bible do angels sing. It's always they said. So if there's a song to be sung, it's sung by those who have a song to sing.

[15:44] Now, that's a tongue twister. I'll try to repeat that. If there's a song to be sung, it's sung by those who have a song to sing. Because the angels weren't redeemed. We were.

[15:54] And so it says, you are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals. Why? Because you were slain and have redeemed us. To God by your blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

[16:09] We have been bought back by the sacrifice of Calvary. Jesus Christ is worthy. Because John says, you are the creator.

[16:19] And the 24 elders and these four living creatures sing. As a result of the cross. Think about this. As a result of the cross, the best is yet to come.

[16:31] You know, you may think, you know, sometimes life is difficult. Sometimes life is great. But no matter how grand life is, truly the best is yet to come.

[16:42] No longer any sin, sickness, or death. We will be able to say hello to our loved ones in the Lord who have gone before us.

[16:53] We will be able to look in the face of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And say thank you. We will cast our crowns before him. Cross the glassy sea, the book of Revelation says.

[17:05] Because it's not about us. It's all about him. And so because of the cross of Calvary, the best is yet to come. The future is bright because the worthy one paid for our sin with his blood.

[17:20] Remember I said the crimson flow flows throughout the Bible. From the book of Genesis to the book of the Revelation. So he's worthy because he is holy.

[17:32] He is worthy because he is the creator. He is worthy. Thirdly. And here it is.

[17:43] He's worthy because of the resurrection. He's worthy because God looked down from heaven and saw a perfect sacrifice and said, Well done.

[17:55] And so he raises Jesus Christ from the dead. He's worthy because of the resurrection. Let's look at verse 14 of Revelation chapter 5.

[18:08] Then the four living creatures said, Amen. And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped him. Why? Why was he worthy? Because of the resurrection he lives forever and ever.

[18:22] He's worthy because he's holy. He's worthy because he created everything. And he's worthy because he lives forever. He's worthy because of the resurrection.

[18:35] The worthy one rose from the grave and lives forever and ever. And at Calvary and because of the empty tomb, he overcame the devil. He overcame sin.

[18:47] And he overcame the grave. That's why he's worthy. All creatures, great and small, one day will call him worthy. They will bow the knee before him and say, You are worthy.

[19:04] You know, I talked a little bit earlier about fools. 164 times, at least, that I found.

[19:16] The fool has said in his heart, What? There is no God. But one day, Stephen Hawking among them is going to bow the knee before God.

[19:30] Yes, he will be able to bow his knee. And say, You are worthy. You are God. Because you're holy.

[19:41] You created me. And you rose from the dead. Conquering the devil. Conquering sin. And conquering the grave.

[19:53] He is risen. They will bow before him and declare him Lord. Philippians chapter 2, verses 10 and 11.

[20:07] That in the name of Jesus, every knee should bow. Those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth. And that every tongue should confess what?

[20:21] That Jesus is Lord. Lord. Because he is. When we trust Christ as our Savior, inherently, this was something that was a given in the New Testament.

[20:38] When anyone trusted Christ as their Savior, they also trusted him as what? They recognized him as Lord. Because if he's not Lord, he is nothing at all.

[20:56] Think about that. Because if you have trusted in someone who is not Lord, what value is that faith? Jesus is.

[21:08] One day, everything will say what? You are Lord. Glory. To the glory of God the Father. Jesus Christ is Lord.

[21:19] Why? Because he's God. Now, we have a choice. We have a choice. Once we trust Christ as our Savior. We have a choice whether or not we're going to serve him as Lord.

[21:33] You see, sometimes we put ourselves back on the throne of our life. And say, you know, I'm the Lord of my life. I can decide. Because I want to do this. I know you tell me to do that, but I want to do this anyway.

[21:45] What we do is we take him and we replace Jesus on the throne of our life and put ourselves. So we're going to close with just a couple of things.

[21:59] A couple of questions. But before that, we have a fully qualified Savior. He's holy.

[22:10] He's the creator. And because of the resurrection, the worthy Savior. Think about this. The worthy Savior responds to the call of unworthy sinners.

[22:21] The Bible says, for all who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. That's all it takes. It doesn't take living a life for him. It doesn't take being good.

[22:33] It doesn't take turning over a new leaf. All it takes is saying, God, I'm a sinner. I'm unworthy. Jesus, you are worthy. You died in my place.

[22:45] Save me. I trust you as my Savior. That's all it takes. And the question, have you trusted this worthy Savior for your salvation?

[23:04] The cross, think about this. The cross was in God's plan from the very beginning. And you say, but why would God create mankind knowing that man would choose to reject him?

[23:21] And why would we create mankind knowing that Jesus would have to take upon himself human flesh and suffer ignominy, suffer reproach, suffer at the hands of evil men, those that were those for whom he was dying?

[23:42] Why would God still create us? Because God wants a relationship with us. He wants to have a relationship with you and a relationship with me.

[23:54] On his terms, but by our choice. Think about that. It has to be on his terms. But he leaves it up to our choice.

[24:08] Because he wants us to serve him. He wants us to love him. Because we want to. The first thing for those who maybe hear this morning, maybe who, those who are listening to my voice over the recording.

[24:28] Will you respond in faith to this worthy one who gave his life for you and for me on Calvary? Will you respond in faith and trust Christ as your Savior?

[24:42] That's truly the only logical response. And I will venture out and say this.

[24:53] And I hope I don't offend anyone who's listening to this. If you choose not to, you're a fool. You're foolish. If you choose not to, in faith, trust Christ as your Savior.

[25:09] Because what is the alternative? If we are to believe the Bible, and I believe the Bible is true. The Word of God. The Bible says.

[25:22] That all of sin comes short of the glory of God. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death. And the Bible says. That all those who do not trust Christ as their Savior.

[25:34] One day. Will be cast into the lake of fire. There's really only one logical choice. God loves you. Jesus died in your place.

[25:46] And there's only one right answer. Jesus. I'm a sinner. And I'm trusting you as my Savior. And secondly.

[25:58] Will we live each day in full surrender to the worthy one? Will we recognize Him as Lord of our lives?

[26:11] And live a life that says thank you. Live a life that glorifies God every day. Because we do have that choice. Whether or not to respect Him as our Lord.

[26:24] Will we do that today? Because He is risen.

[26:35] And the response is? Amen. Let us pray. Father, this morning we thank you. So very much. For the sacrifice of the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

[26:47] The worthy one who takes away the sin of the world. I thank you, Father, for each one here today. I thank you, Lord, for your provision of life.

[27:00] Your redemption. I thank you, dear God, that because of what was accomplished on the cross of Calvary. We have hope. A hope for a brand new life here and now.

[27:14] And a hope for a glorious forever. With you. Lord, we are so thankful for what you have done.

[27:26] Father, we thank you for what you are about to do. We thank you, dear Father, also for this offering that we are about to receive. May you use it for your honor.

[27:39] And for your glory. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[27:50] Amen. Amen. Amen.