Theologian Elizabeth Schussler Fiorenza argues that: “The central theological question of chapters 4-5 [Revelation] as well as of the whole church is: Who is the true Lord of this world?” (Vision of a Just World, 58, as cited in Blount’s Commentary on Revelation, 84-85).[1]
Now what is it in these two pieces of Scripture 
read today – the Gospel of John and Revelation 4 – that makes that question ring true in the writers’ time and in our time. Let’s look first at John 17:1-5. This prayer that Jesus prays, in essence, says that eternal life is this: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent.
Jesus is praying in the presence of his disciples reminding them that the only true God they need to worship and follow is God and the Son, Jesus Christ. That will be tested over and over again, but the prayer is that reminder that no matter what, this is the God you worship and glorify. No other god!
What do we think of when we think about being a faithful witness and worshiper of this true God and of Jesus Christ? How faithful are we and is this the God we worship? Keep that in mind.
Let’s move on to our passage from Revelation. As context as to why John has been invited to go through the open door on a spiritual journey, it’s helpful to know a bit about Chapters two and three. Those chapters record John of Patmos’ letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor.
These letters point out where these seven churches have been faithful witnesses to the only true God and to the Son, but in five of those churches, John also points out their failures to be good witnesses. In fact in one, the Sardis church, only failure to witness is pointed out!
How might these churches better understand more faithful witness?
Hence the invitation for John to visit the throne room so that he can go back to these churches and tell them of all he has seen and heard that assures him, them and us that there is one true God and Son Jesus Christ who we are supposed to offer faithful witness and worship. This is in contrast to the Roman empire world they lived in, where the true god/s were supposed to be the Caesar and the Roman deities. They were the ones all were supposed to worship and be loyal too.
So what is it about this throne room and its imagery that helps John understand and then be able to communicate about the true Lord – our God? What is it about this room and its imagery that communicates it is our God who holds the ultimate power, not Caesar? What is it about this room that says the true Lord – our God is who we are supposed to worship, not the empire’s gods.
So let’s accompany John on this spiritual journey into the throne room to gain a better understanding of what these symbols and images mean. You have a picture in your bulletin.
First, take in the whole room – that amorphous image on the throne, the lightning, the rainbow. Do you see how it accents God’s glory and majesty, and how that image might offer an assurance that the ultimate power in heaven and on earth belongs to God. That we should not be afraid to be faithful witnesses who worship the one true God and the Son Jesus Christ. We do not owe loyalty and fealty to empire rulers and gods because our God is indeed worthy of our praise and worship, worthy of us following and testifying to God’s love and grace and mercy.
Let’s look next at these 24 elders bowing down towards the throne. Who are these 24 supposed to represent – many think they are to remind us of the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 Apostles connecting them to one another. Moreover, the number 12 symbolizes wholeness and John doubles it!
God’s covenant is with all people throughout history, and as people of faith, we come together as a whole community. In that wholeness, we orient ourselves towards God, Jesus, Holy Spirit – that is the Trinity we worship. That is the true Lord over all – not Caesar or the Roman deities.
Do you see those seven lamps and lampstands? They tell us that God has been present through all creation – God is in charge and even when all is not well, everything is well because God is still present. God still has the ultimate power. They are a prophetic statement of God’s continuing desire to be in relationship with us.
Next up is that glass sea in front of the throne. That tells us that even in heaven there is chaos and hostility that we must and will face if we are to be faithful witnesses to the one true God. As someone commented Wednesday evening, we have to be willing to go through the chaos and hostility in order to access God.
Think about the Roman empire and the chaos and hostility they caused these early Christians – to be a faithful witness carries consequences – there will be barriers, there will be dissent and opposition, there will be anger and even hatred – but we are still called to be those faithful witnesses.
We are called to live out the Love commands – God, neighbor, self, one another, our enemies. We are called to care for and witness on behalf of those on the margins, those who are being harassed and bullied and driven to live in fear right now, just as they were in Roman Empire times.
Now what about those four creatures who introduce that hymn of praise – they exist to praise God and guess what – we exist to praise God. No matter where we are – carried on a spiritual journey to heaven or here on earth, we exist to praise God.
What God do we worship and praise? I hope it is the God who loves us and asks us to bear witness to the love God has for all people. We, like the 24 elders and those seven churches, are a community of faith brought together by Jesus to serve God, one another and our community.
We are a community of faith where many of us carry some form of privilege and that privilege should make us brave to be faithful witnesses. The strength and power of God should make us brave to be faithful witnesses opposing the empires of our time.
And what might those empires be: how about greed and capitalism gone off the rails as one person commented Wednesday evening. How about a government that terrorizes immigrants, even those in the midst of legally obtaining citizenship? How about those who want to force on everybody a judgmental God who excludes more than includes? What other empires can you name where God’s love is not being witnessed too and how might they react to our faithful witness?
Will we be perfect in our witness? I suspect some of what was written to those seven churches could apply to us or any church in existence today. We are human and therefore imperfect, but we have our own invitation to be more faithful witnesses. To learn and pray and witness together. We have been invited to be part of this community of faith and together we can support one another, strengthen our resolve and hope, and give us courage to be more faithful witnesses.
Being in community with one another means we are not witnessing alone and that our various gifts are brought together for stronger witness. Being in community with one another helps us to stay connected to God and one another, living out those great Love commands. God wants our worship, not because God has an ego, but because worship keeps us connected to God and each other.
God wants us to imitate the faithful witness of Jesus Christ. God wants us to acknowledge our need for eternal life – meaning to know the one true God and the Son Jesus Christ who was sent. Are we ready to do that – to be faithful witnesses, to acknowledge our need for eternal life as we heard in the Gospel reading, to stay in community with one another, to worship the one true Lord – not the one of empire, but the one we’ve learned about today. Are we ready?! May it be so.
[1] Blount, B. K. (2009). Revelation : a commentary. Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, KY.