LutheranLectionary.org

Reflections on Scripture with Dr. Leins

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:00	[Music]
0:15	hello
0:17	today let’s talk about what lies behind
0:20	the
0:22	veil human beings have long been tempted
0:25	to know what the future
0:28	holds God knows the end from the
0:31	beginning but God has made it so that we
0:34	do not we cannot see into the future not
0:38	a year not a week not even a
0:42	moment the world Rebels at this the
0:46	world tries to see into the future with
0:49	fortune tellers horoscopes and Ouija
0:52	boards Shaman and
0:54	Sorcerers but God tells us no his word
1:00	is a light to our path and a lamp to our
1:02	feet Christ is our companion in this
1:05	life and the Holy Spirit will guide us
1:08	into the way of Truth We Trust In Our
1:11	God in this journey into an unknown
1:16	future still every once in a while God
1:20	does give us a look behind the veil such
1:24	a vision is given to John as recorded in
1:27	the Book of Revelation to today we look
1:30	at the 7th chapter verses 2-1
1:34	17 through this scripture we receive a
1:37	look at the future that awaits all those
1:40	who believe in Jesus
1:43	Christ point one God’s servants are
1:51	sealed John recounts a vision of the
1:54	church both the church militant and the
1:56	church triumphant that is the church on
1:58	earth and the church Church in heaven
2:01	John begins with a description of the
2:02	church on Earth there are four
2:07	Angels standing at the Four Corners of
2:10	the earth and they are holding back Four
2:14	Winds the winds are meant for harm on
2:18	land and sea but a fifth angel appears
2:22	at the rising of the Sun and he tells
2:24	them not to harm even a single tree not
2:28	until all the Servants of God have been
2:33	sealed this is the important thing to be
2:36	sealed is to be marked approved and
2:41	confirmed nothing must be allowed to
2:43	interfere with this Divine process no
2:46	thing and no one is able to restrict or
2:49	restrain the Divine work of God sealing
2:53	his children that is nothing can stop
2:56	God from bringing his children to
2:59	Salvation and eternal
3:01	life God’s children will be sealed with
3:04	his Divine seal and his angels will
3:07	stand guard and will battle until every
3:09	last one of God’s servants has been
3:13	sealed beloved this is a very comforting
3:16	thought God is personally and powerfully
3:20	attending to each and every one of his
3:22	children so that we will each be sealed
3:26	with God’s own seal there is nothing
3:29	that he will allow to interfere with
3:31	this
3:32	plan of course scripture tells us that
3:36	anyone may choose to reject Jesus Christ
3:39	and refuse him as Lord and Savior
3:43	however this scripture tells us that in
3:45	spite of the devil’s schemes the world’s
3:48	Temptations and the sins of our own
3:50	flesh God has made provision to guard
3:54	protect and seal each of his precious
3:58	children
4:01	when the revelation of John was written
4:03	horrible persecution was a very real
4:06	part of Christian Life this was true for
4:08	John himself to whom the vision was
4:11	given John was a prisoner and a slave of
4:14	men because of his faith in
4:16	Jesus but God’s Vision assures John and
4:19	assures all believers that God is
4:23	preserving us sealing us and keeping us
4:27	as his children unto eternal life life
4:30	in his Heavenly
4:32	Kingdom at times it may be difficult to
4:34	believe that God has his eyes upon us
4:37	and that his holy angels have charge
4:39	over us but this scripture gives us
4:43	Assurance God knows the number of hairs
4:46	on our head and he knows each moment in
4:50	our lives his angels have sealed Us by
4:53	his command and the end will not come
4:56	until the last of his children has been
4:58	sealed
5:00	and made
5:03	secure point two salvation to our
5:08	God now the vision changes it moves from
5:12	Earth to heaven and In Heaven There is a
5:16	great multitude which no one could count
5:19	the Heavenly redeemed are from every
5:22	nation and tribe every people and tongue
5:26	they are Before the Throne of God and
5:28	before the L
5:30	am they are wearing flowing white robes
5:34	and are crying out salvation to our
5:37	god this sounds wonderful and is indeed
5:41	glorious but if you’ll think about it
5:44	for a moment it is kind of difficult to
5:47	understand what does it mean to cry out
5:49	salvation to our God does it mean give
5:54	salvation to our god or bring Salvation
5:57	to our god what do salvation to our god
6:01	mean God does not need someone to give
6:04	salvation to him so why cry out
6:07	salvation to
6:09	God some translators have supplied the
6:11	word belongs and this surely is
6:15	something of the correct meaning the
6:17	absolute and complete work of Salvation
6:20	is ascribed to God and to the lamb all
6:25	salvation Belongs To Our God he owns Sal
6:29	ation because he is salvation he’s the
6:33	only one who brings salvation the only
6:35	one who gives salvation the host of
6:38	Heaven Cry For Joy and the redeemed
6:41	praise God with hearts filled with
6:43	Thanksgiving because salvation Belongs
6:46	To Our God and he has freely given it to
6:49	each one of the Redeemed by his grace
6:53	through faith in Jesus Christ so
6:57	salvation to our God not only means that
7:00	God is the author of Salvation that is
7:03	that he is our salvation but even more
7:08	it also means that he gives
7:13	salvation Salvation to our God is Not
7:16	only a statement of what God has but of
7:19	what God has bestowed upon us by his
7:23	grace through faith this expression of
7:27	highest praise for the saving work
7:30	accomplished by almighty God and his son
7:32	Jesus Christ the lamb salvation to our
7:36	god the redeemed fall on their faces
7:40	before the throne and before the lamb
7:42	and they
7:45	worship and they are saying amen
7:49	blessing and glory and wisdom and
7:52	Thanksgiving and honor and power and
7:54	might be to our god forever and ever
7:58	amen then Revelation
8:02	7:12 this is a picture of what you too
8:05	will do when you join the heavenly host
8:08	and you worship the almighty god father
8:10	Son and Holy Spirit John was given a
8:13	look behind the veil and by the Holy
8:15	Spirit John was given permission to
8:18	write it for you to read and to
8:22	understand this is what awaits you in
8:27	God’s holy heaven
8:32	Hallelujah point three white
8:36	robes finally an elder one of those
8:39	standing around the Throne of God asked
8:41	John a question it was not to be
8:43	answered by John but it was a teaching
8:46	for him and for him to share with us the
8:50	Elder
8:52	asked these who are clothed in the white
8:55	robes who are they and from where have
8:59	they
9:01	come John said to the Elder my Lord you
9:04	know and the Elder
9:07	explained these are the ones who come
9:10	out of the Great Tribulation and they
9:12	have washed their robes and made them
9:14	white in the blood of the
9:16	[Music]
9:19	Lamb John
9:22	7:14 what is the special quality that
9:24	enables these white robed persons to
9:27	stand in the presence of God what Merit
9:30	or faithfulness what perseverance or
9:32	Holiness has sustained them on Earth and
9:35	granted them entrance into this heavenly
9:40	Glory they have come through Great
9:44	Tribulation but that is the trial and
9:47	the struggle that all of the faithful
9:50	have experienced the Great Tribulation
9:52	is the accumulation and the summation of
9:55	all the trials and all the Temptations
9:58	endured by all all of God’s children
10:00	across the
10:01	ages now the Great Tribulation is over
10:04	for all of the redeemed in heaven but
10:07	again I ask what is their their special
10:11	quality how did they enter into Heaven’s
10:15	holy
10:17	worship their special
10:20	quality their entrance into Heaven’s
10:22	worship is only it is
10:25	only because their robes have been
10:28	washed in the blood of the
10:31	Lamb they have done nothing to deserve
10:34	this blessing it is the Lamb Jesus
10:37	Christ and his blood this is the answer
10:40	to the question how did they get there
10:42	how did they get into heaven their Merit
10:44	and faithfulness are found in him their
10:48	perseverance and Holiness are found in
10:50	him Jesus is the source Jesus has
10:55	supplied their righteousness and their
10:57	salvation they received from Jesus all
11:01	that was necessary to enter into God’s
11:03	Heavenly Kingdom all that is needful was
11:07	freely given by his grace through faith
11:10	in Jesus now I’m concerned so let me say
11:14	again as plainly as
11:16	possible it is his Merit and his
11:21	faithfulness it is the perseverance of
11:24	Jesus and the Holiness of Jesus that
11:27	Jesus gave to them
11:29	that Jesus gave for them that enabled
11:33	them to enter the paradise of God’s
11:36	Heavenly
11:37	kingdom do you
11:39	see it is
11:41	Jesus who has been their Good Shepherd
11:44	and their sacrificial lamb and their
11:47	place in his Heavenly kingdom is all and
11:50	only because of Jesus he’s done it all
11:54	he has won it all the Heavenly redeemed
11:58	count on nothing in themselves but all
12:02	of their salvation is in him and in his
12:05	cross and in his resurrection and it is
12:09	the same for
12:12	you all of the Merit and faithfulness of
12:15	Jesus all the perseverance and Holiness
12:17	of Jesus have been given to
12:20	you that beloved is how you will enter
12:24	Heaven that is the glory of this eternal
12:27	moment in John
12:29	Vision the redeemed their sin was a
12:32	disease and their righteous Works were
12:34	as filthy rags but the Lord Jesus Christ
12:38	washed them healed them filled them with
12:41	Faith by his word and redeemed and
12:44	received them unto himself by his
12:47	blood that is what those white robes
12:50	mean Jesus washed them in his own blood
12:54	just as Jesus has washed your robe in
12:58	his blood blood
13:01	too conclusion behind the
13:05	veil here on Earth we enter God’s
13:08	Earthly Sanctuary each Sunday we offer
13:12	our poorly executed confession of sins
13:14	and our weak songs of praise we receive
13:17	his Absolution his Divine word of
13:20	forgiveness spoken through a human voice
13:23	and we receive his Heavenly sacraments
13:25	delivered through human hands here
13:29	we are still plagued by our sin here on
13:32	Earth we are still simil ustus at patur
13:38	simultaneously Saint and sinner though
13:41	always repentant but soon beloved soon
13:45	and very
13:46	soon we will enter Heaven’s holy worship
13:50	God will spread his holy shakina Glory
13:53	over us as his glory once rested Over
13:56	The Mercy Seat and hung Heavenly in the
14:00	air of the holy of holies the songs of
14:03	the angels will fill his Heavenly Temple
14:07	and trumpets and shouts of Archangels
14:10	will ring with
14:12	Triumph then we too with countless
14:16	multitudes and with John the Apostle
14:19	will cry out when we see him the Lamb of
14:22	God our Lord Jesus Christ for he is one
14:28	like a son of man clothed in a robe
14:31	reaching to his feet and girded across
14:33	his breast with a golden girdle and his
14:36	head and his hair were white like white
14:40	wool like snow and his eyes were like a
14:43	flame of fire and his feet were like
14:45	burnished bronze when it has been caused
14:48	to Glow in a furnace and his voice was
14:51	like the sound of many Waters and in his
14:54	right hand he held Seven Stars and out
14:56	of his mouth came a sharp two-edged
14:59	sword and his face was like the sun
15:02	shining in all its strength Revelation
15:08	one
15:10	then you will have no more hunger or
15:13	thirst no more sorrow or suffering no
15:16	more Affliction or pain the lamb himself
15:21	will be your Shepherd and he will guide
15:24	you to Springs of the Water of Life and
15:27	he will wipe away
15:29	every tear from your eyes this beloved
15:33	this is the truth behind the
15:36	veil this is the future that our Lord
15:40	Jesus Christ has won for
15:44	you
15:54	[Music]
15:57	amen