Why Worship Jesus? | Revelation 19:11-21
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