当被放逐到拔摩岛时（启示录 1:9），与耶稣最亲近的跟随者之一使徒约翰，见到一些惊人的异象，是关于耶稣、天堂、大能的天使、还有很多其他的事物。约翰在启示录这卷书中描述了这些异象，这些记载有助于增强我们的信心，好叫我们学习怎样忠心为耶稣而活。耶稣是神的儿子，是人类的救主，衪到世上来，为我们舍弃衪的性命，为要拯救我们脱离罪和死亡，叫我们得以永远与神同活。
今天的经文，描述了天上一场出人意外和戏剧化的景象。神坐在宝座上，手拿着有七印封严了的书卷，但似乎没有人配展开那书卷和揭开那七印；然而，有一位长老随后对约翰说话，长老所说的是：“看哪！犹大的狮子已得胜，祂是能够展开那书卷的啊！”
约翰看见像是被杀过的羔羊-这并不是一只普通的羔羊，这乃是耶稣，“神的羔羊，除去世人罪孽的”（约翰福音 1:29）。羔羊拿起书卷时，天上千千万万的天使、还有宝座周围的活物和长老一同大声高唱说：“曾被杀的羔羊是配得权柄、丰富、智慧、能力、尊贵、荣耀、颂赞的！”接着我们看到羔羊耶稣展开书卷，来描绘神怎样拯救我们脱离罪和死亡、领我们踏上信心生活旅程的故事。
耶稣啊，感谢你把救恩赐给我们。求你帮助我们在你里面凭信心生活。阿们。
启示录 5
1我看见坐宝座的右手中有书卷，里外都写着字，用七印封严了。
2我又看见一位大力的天使大声宣传说：“有谁配展开那书卷，揭开那七印呢？”
3在天上、地上、地底下，没有能展开、能观看那书卷的。
4因为没有配展开、配观看那书卷的，我就大哭。
5长老中有一位对我说：“不要哭。看哪，犹大支派中的狮子，大卫的根，他已得胜，能以展开那书卷、揭开那七印！”
6我又看见宝座与四活物并长老之中有羔羊站立，像是被杀过的，有七角七眼，就是神的七灵，奉差遣往普天下去的。
7这羔羊前来，从坐宝座的右手里拿了书卷。
8他既拿了书卷，四活物和二十四位长老就俯伏在羔羊面前，各拿着琴和盛满了香的金炉。这香就是众圣徒的祈祷。
9他们唱新歌，说：“你配拿书卷，配揭开七印，因为你曾被杀，用自己的血从各族、各方、各民、各国中买了人来，叫他们归于神，
10又叫他们成为国民做祭司，归于神，在地上执掌王权。”
11我又看见且听见宝座与活物并长老的周围有许多天使的声音，他们的数目有千千万万，
12大声说：“曾被杀的羔羊是配得权柄、丰富、智慧、能力、尊贵、荣耀、颂赞的！”
13我又听见在天上、地上、地底下、沧海里和天地间一切所有被造之物都说：“但愿颂赞、尊贵、荣耀、权势都归给坐宝座的和羔羊，直到永永远远！”
14四活物就说：“阿们！”众长老也俯伏敬拜。
"'The Lion of the tribe of Judah . . . is able to open the scroll and its seven seals." Then I saw a Lamb. . . ." - Revelation 5:5-6
The apostle John, one of Jesus’ closest followers, received amazing visions of Jesus, heaven, mighty angels, and much more while he was exiled on the island of Patmos (Revelation 1:9). John describes these visions in the book of Revelation, and together these passages help us to grow in faith so that we can learn to live faithfully for Jesus. Jesus is the Son of God, the Savior of the world, who came to lay down his life for us so that we can be saved from sin and death and live forever with God.
Our reading today describes a surprising, dramatic scene in heaven. God is seated on the throne, and he is holding a scroll that is sealed with seven seals. It seems that no one is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. But then an elder says to John, in effect, "Look! The Lion of Judah has triumphed, and he can open the scroll!"
And John sees a Lamb, looking like it had been slain—and this is no ordinary lamb. This is Jesus, "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). As the Lamb takes up the scroll, the many thousands of angels in heaven and all the creatures and elders around the throne sing out, "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" And in the following scenes Jesus, the Lamb, opens the scroll to portray the story of how God frees us from sin and death and sets us on a journey of living by faith.
Thank you, Jesus, for providing our salvation. Help us to live by faith in you. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
