Before the Throne of God Above

Introduction

And so, as we come to ultimately the conclusion of my lesson this morning, it is my desire that your life will indeed be hidden with Christ in God. And that if that is not the case at this moment that you will make that decision, the greatest decision you’ll make in this world to make that so. Hello. I’m Tony Mock, your local evangelist. I have not preached here in about three weeks. You needed a break from me, so that’s good. But I’m excited about today’s two lessons. And they are somewhat connected. So hope to see you back tonight at 5 o’clock. If you can do that, if not, listen online. Facebook Live, a wonderful tool. Today is Anonymous Psalm Day. And as I thought about that, anonymous Psalms that got included in the book of Psalms, that is, their author is not identified.

It’s not David, or at least not attributed to him. They must have been pretty good to make the grade. And so I want to look at one of those Psalms with you by way of introduction this morning. We indeed serve a God of wonders. Oh, give thanks to the Lord. Call upon his name. Make known his deeds among the peoples. Sounds like hymns that we sing, right? Sing to him. Sing praises to him. Speak of all his wonders. That’s what we teach our children. All of his wonders. Glory in his name. Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad. Seek the Lord and His strength. Seek His face continually. And as I think about that verse, I should have had Scott lead. Glory for me.

When on that day we shall look on his face. Oh, that will be glory for me. Seek his face. And one day we shall see him face to face. Remember his wonders which he has done. His marvels and the judgments uttered by his mouth. I got the idea from Josh Ligan last week, who came to speak to us about his work in Canton, Illinois as he asked us the question Sunday morning, do you really want to go to heaven? And I told him after he got done that I think I’m going to preach part two of that sermon this Sunday. Of course we do. Of course we want to go to heaven. But are we living our lives in such a way that demonstrates that we really want to go?

Is there an excitement? Is there an anticipation about wanting to go to heaven? And if not, why not? And now I think of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Everybody’s seen that movie, right? If you haven’t kid Baker Kid, seriously. They haven’t seen Willy Wonka. Something’s wrong at the Baker’s. We’ll get that fixed this week, boys. You remember what Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was all about, right? Those kids that bought the candy bars because they were looking for the golden ticket. And the excitement when they opened it, and they had the golden ticket to go see the Willy Wonka chocolate factory, and everything went to pieces once they got inside. Except for one, as I remember. But oh, the excitement. They had a ticket for the special tour.

It reminds me of four of our sisters who bought their tickets a year in advance, right? To see Adele in concert in Houston. There’s a long story associated with that, but I’ll not tell it now. Oh, to have a ticket. You know, Paul really talks about that in 1 Corinthians chapter 9 when he says, all run in a race, but only one receives the prize. Run in such a way that you may win.

Got another one this morning. Golden ticket. Golden ticket. This cost me five dollars on Amazon. What if you could secure it? Let’s, and it had to be big, right? I didn’t know it was going to be this big. But we’re talking about a ticket to the ultimate place. I love it if I could have a ticket for everyone this morning and just hand them out as you walked out today. Everybody gets a golden ticket. And this is the ultimate golden ticket. Not because heaven literally has a street of gold. But if I could give you a golden ticket to heaven. How much is it worth? How much should it be worth to you? Before the throne of God above.

1. Why Not More Desire to Go to Heaven?

It should be desired above any pleasure that affords itself to us, any earthly thrill that might be attainable in this world. Do you believe that? Do you believe that being before the throne of God above would be greater is to be desired more than anything? Any thrill in this earth or any pleasure. Why is it that there is not more meditation? Anticipation, and desire to go to heaven. And that’s what Josh was asking us last week. And a second question on the heels of that why are we not more engaged in prayer to such an awesome giver? Every good and perfect gift comes from above from the Father of lights. Why are we not more engaged in prayer as a result of the anticipation of going to heaven and all that issues and emanates from our God?

More on the prayer aspect tonight as we talk about hindrances to prayer. I’m going to try to answer these questions. Because I think there are some very real reasons that impede our understanding of heaven, our difficulty in defining God, as Daniel spoke to us. That was a good preparation for this. I think one of the challenges for us is that God is invisible. He is a spirit being. The New Testament talks about God being invisible and dwelling in unapproachable light. And therefore, because God is invisible, it’s almost as if he’s not real.

Or he’s detached from my circumstances in my life. I’ve never laid eyes on him one time. And so because he is invisible, not only does he seem very far away, but heaven seems very far away. Yeah, I want to go there one day, but it’s way down the road. You don’t know that. And you’re closer than you’ve ever been. And that’s what Paul says. Your salvation is nearer than when you believed in Romans chapter 13. I think the invisible aspect of things is part of our problem. It’s one of the reasons why we struggle in prayer. It’s certainly one of the reasons why we don’t have a stronger desire to go to heaven. I think perhaps there’s a problem associated with doubt. Does God really desire intimacy with me?

2. A Great High Priest Who Ever Lives

Do I really have a personal connection to him? Is it really possible for the likes of me to go to heaven? Is it just out there as a maybe? But seemingly the impossible dream. I think a bigger problem is probably our affluence. We’re probably too satisfied with life here. More attached to this world and what it affords than we likely should be. Understand these obstacles to appreciating what is truly in store for us in the presence of God. Made possible. I have a strong, a perfect plea. A great high priest whose name is love. Whoever lives and pleads for me. Hebrews 7, verse 25. I preach in every meeting that I go now. We have a great high priest who is able to save forever those who draw near to him.

And not only that, not only is he able to save you, he ever lives. And that goes on continually from the time that he ascended to be at the right hand of the Majesty on high, where the book begins in Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 1. He ever lives. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He ever lives to make intercession for us. He is pleading our case.

Yes, you before the Father.

3. The Redemptive Language of Isaiah

Now one with him, I cannot die. I have the answers to life and eternal life. No tongue can bid me thence depart. No man on earth is powerful to snatch us from the Father’s hand as we live faithfully before him. This language that we sing in this song is actually the redemptive language of Isaiah. In Isaiah chapters 48 through 50, I don’t have time to talk about all the verses of this restoration language that we find in Isaiah 48. But notice in Isaiah 48 and verse 21, it says, They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts. Jesus came and said, What? I can quench your thirst. I can satisfy every longing that you have. I have living water to give to you. And they did not thirst when he led them through the deserts.

He made the water flow out of rock for them. He split the rock and the water gushed forth. God provides our sustenance, and it is living water that flows from his throne, and know this. There is no peace for the wicked. Verse 22. Verse 10 of the next chapter. They will not hunger or thirst, nor will the scorching heat or sun strike them down. For he will have compassion on them and will lead them and will guide them to springs of water. And verse 14, but Zion said, The Lord has forsaken me. God is turning his back on Zion. It appears at this point in history, but it is because of their sins. Has the Lord forgotten us? Is really the question. He says, Behold, verse 16.

I have inscribed you in the palm of my hands. Your walls are continually before me. We are written on the palms of God’s hands, if we will truly be his new Jerusalem or spiritual Israel. Verse 8 of chapter 50. He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? No tongue can bid me thence depart. Let us stand up to each other. Who has a case against me? Let him draw near to me. Behold, the Lord God helps me. Who is he who condemns me? Behold, they all wear out like a garment. The moth will eat them. Who is among you that fears the Lord, that obeys the voice of his servant? That’s in reference to the Messiah, that walks in darkness and has no light.

4. Standing Before the Throne and Before the Lamb

We need this God. We need fellowship with him. And we can anticipate a glorious and awesome ending. Which really is not an ending. But merely a beginning. In Revelation chapter 7, I want to read this text. One of the, I think, probably the clearest picture of heaven in the New Testament. Revelation chapter 7, beginning in verse 9. After these things I looked and behold, a great multitude, which no one could count. From every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands. The palm branches, indication of a festive joy. And they cry out with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.

His angels who are around the throne, and the elders and the four living creatures, they all fell on their faces before the throne. And they worship God.

I need to go. I’m compelled to go. And you’re hoping the want kicks in at any moment after three cups of coffee. And we finally make it to the building. We had to wrestle the kids. It’s like wrestling alligators. To get them all ready to go. Uncooperative. Slowly getting dressed. Finally we get it all together. We get to the building. We were compelled to worship. I want to suggest to you, in heaven, it’s never that way.

I need to work up to this. I need to get excited about this. I need to find motivation for this. Oh no. It’s there. It’s latent within your presence there. You are in the presence of the most awesome being that is. It’s overwhelming. You’re compelled naturally. You do what everyone around the throne does. They say, Amen. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen. It is a compelling scene. It’s not forced or coerced. Or having to find the feeling. The feeling is there. Because you’re in the presence of perfection. For this reason, verse 15. I’ve not skipped those verses. I’m coming back. For this reason, they are before the throne of God. And they serve him day and night in his temple.

Again, not under compulsion. Oh, because I have to. You’re going to want to. And he who sits on the throne shall spread his tabernacle over them. What a wonderful concept. More on that. And they shall hunger no more. Neither thirst anymore. Neither shall the sun beat down on them, nor any heat. Thoughts that we saw in the restoration language of Isaiah. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore. No heat, no sweat, no Texas anymore. For the lamb in the center of the throne shall be their shepherd. I miss growing up. Somebody says, I know you haven’t yet. I miss growing up in that little town of Floyd’s Knobs, Indiana. I don’t know if your experience was like mine, but I had wonderful parents. I had a wonderful life.

I didn’t have a care in the world. Not that I remember. Except for the fact I had to shovel snow a lot. Pick up a lot of limbs out of the yard and rake leaves forever and ever and ever and ever.

Man, how am I going to make it through the day? Life was good. That’s what’s being described here. But even better. God shall be their shepherd and shall guide them to springs of the water of life, and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes. What do we see here? This is what Josh pointed us to last week. What is heaven all about? It is a close, intimate, unfailing, filling, joyful, blissful, exceeding, unending. And the list goes on. This is all that the throne of God is about. It’s what you should want above everything. Everything. It is security. It’s protection. It’s no fear. It’s no need. It’s security. It’s protection. It is home. It is the highest ultimate feelings that we experience on earth. Greatly magnified.

That’s why we should covet it. That’s why we should anticipate it. I know we have to respond in faith, and that’s a challenge. That’s really part two next week. What’s it mean to walk by faith? That’s really the challenge to this, to appreciating what lies before us. Had to fit in my favorite verse in all the Bible.

And the reason I like that graphic is the thing that says above it, amazing fact. It is amazing, and it is a fact. And you put those two things together, you’ve got amazing fact. In his presence is the ultimate experience. It is true of our relationship with him now, but it’s our relationship with him with a turbocharge in eternity. Why would you not want that? Why would you live for something else besides that? Why would you put that in peril when you can have a ticket to there? Why? And it’s my favorite part of Psalm 23. He’s our shepherd. We saw that in Revelation chapter 7. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Do you realize what that last four words is really saying?

If you’re getting hungry right now in heaven, that doesn’t happen. You’re always filled. Always filled in every possible way. But certainly there’s an ounce of something that’s missing. Do you ever feel like perhaps it’s a moment of loneliness? Perhaps it’s just something’s not just right in my life, not like I would like it to be. It’s less than ideal. None of that ever happens in heaven. It’s always ideal all the time, forever.

5. Washed Their Robes in the Blood of the Lamb

We should make sacrifices in view of it. To deny ourselves in light of it. And serve the Lord. I said I wasn’t going to skip it. For this reason, they are before the throne of God. Who are these clothed in the white robes, verse 13? Who are they? Where do they come from? And I said to him, My Lord, you know. And he said to me, These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation. And they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Who are these ones clothed in white robes? For this reason, they are before the throne of God. They came out of the great tribulation. Please be advised that those who experience the thrill and joys of heaven may indeed have tribulations.

In this world, Jesus says in our text that we studied in class in John 16, in this world you have tribulations. Do not let those struggles discourage your desire to please the Lord and go to heaven. Those who are before the throne of God, they’re there. Because they endured whatever life threw at them. They came out of the great tribulation. And I’ll tell you what else they did. They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. They came to the Lord for the cleansing blood that causes their redemption, the precious blood. They have been released from their sins by his blood. He said that earlier in Revelation chapter 1, verses 5 and 6. So how does that happen? We need to know how that happens.

Because we need that to get our ticket.

Everybody, right? Everybody’s not saved. We read that clearly in the New Testament. So, how do we secure the benefits of the blood? You know what word appears ten times in the book of Revelation? Those who have come out of the great tribulation, those who are being admonished not to be influences by the forces that are at work in the world that are opposed to the forces of righteousness. Over and over again, the book of Revelation says, you must repent. You must turn from ways that are evil and wash your robes, come to the light for cleansing. Those who are released from their sins have repented of sins to be washed in the blood of the Lamb. Repent and be converted in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord as your sins are blotted out.

We are buried in the death of Jesus and rise to walk in newness of life. It is by our repentance and then our baptism that our sins are washed away by the blood of Christ. Baptism is not an afterthought in the process. It is essential to the process to be cleansed in the blood of the Lamb. Those who discount baptism are changing the gospel. They’re causing people to be lost. We are born of truth, not of error. So we will teach in this place what Peter and the apostles taught in Acts chapter 2. Repent and be baptized on the basis of all that Jesus is. Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, and you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, which I gotta tell you involves this ticket.

Conclusion

It’s everything the Holy Spirit was promising. Back in Isaiah, back in Ezekiel, back in Zachariah and Joel and the prophets. Have you been released from your sins? Secure the ticket and never let go.

Is your life hidden with Christ in God? For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Is your life hidden with him? Is it reflected in the fact that as you leave this place today and go throughout your week that you will be meditating upon the presence of God, your relationship with him, will you commune with him this week? Because you know that your robes have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. And that you have a very real hope and expectation that within months, maybe years, I’m going to be before the throne of God. And I’m going to say, with those who came out of the great tribulation, with the four living creatures and the twenty four elders and the great throng of angels and everyone that is around the throne of God.

Amen. Blessing and honor and glory and might to the great King. To Jesus the Lamb. And I’m going to be filled. Filled to the full forever and ever. That’s the message of the gospel. Let’s stand and say.