Christ's Picture Everywhere
The sermon emphasizes that Jesus Christ's picture is everywhere, particularly in the four gospels, which describe His kingship, suffering, sonship, and divinity.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the challenge John faced in describing heavenly beings in Revelation, noting that while it is impossible to fully capture God's glory, he attempts to convey the essence of the four living creatures. Tozer draws a parallel between these creatures and the four Gospels, illustrating how each Gospel reflects a different aspect of Christ: Matthew as the King, Mark as the suffering Servant, Luke as the Son of Man, and John as the Son of God. This imagery serves to remind us that Jesus Christ is central to Christianity and is depicted throughout Scripture. Tozer encourages believers to recognize the omnipresence of Christ's image in the world around us, reinforcing the idea that worship and devotion to God are paramount.
Text
We try to sympathize with the writer John as he attempts to describe heavenly creatures in human terms in the book of Revelation. He knew and we know that it was impossible for God to fully reveal Himself and the heavenly glories to a man. John tries to describe for us the four "living creatures" in Revelation 4. The first was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had the face of a man; the fourth was like a soaring eagle. Did you know that for centuries Christians have seen those same "faces" in the four gospels of the New Testament? God has put Jesus Christ's picture everywhere! Matthew's is the gospel of the King. Mark's, the gospel of the suffering Servant. Luke's, the gospel of the Son of Man.
John's, the gospel of the Son of God.
Four loving, adoring, worshiping beings, faithfully and forever devoted to praising God! Make no mistake about it: the imagery is plainly the gospel of Christ. He is what Christianity is all about!
Sermon Outline
- The Challenge of Describing God
- Human limitations in describing heavenly creatures
- John's attempt to describe the four living creatures in Revelation 4
Key Quotes
“God has put Jesus Christ's picture everywhere!” — A.W. Tozer
“He is what Christianity is all about!” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We can deepen our understanding of God's nature by studying the four gospels.
- The imagery in the four gospels highlights the significance of Jesus Christ in Christianity.
- Faithfully and forever devoted to praising God, the four living creatures in Revelation 4 represent the four gospels.