Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

This is the first vision that Christ gives John.

It is a vision of Christ Himself, of Christ in His glory and exaltation.

It is in this vision that the glorified Christ proclaims His message to the seven churches.

But before He speaks to the churches, Christ gives John a glimpse of Himself.

Christ wants believers down through the centuries to know who it is that has given these messages to the churches.

Christ wants all believers to know that the message to the churches is coming from the Supreme Majesty of the universe, from One who must be heeded, from One who possesses all power and knowledge, from One who can provide and protect, assure and secure, judge and destroy.

This is the vision of the Author of Revelation, of the One who has given us this awesome message of Revelation.

[Leadership Ministries Worldwide, Revelation, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1996), 19.]

Main Thought: What response will you have at the Appearing of our Lord Jesus?

John fell at His feet as dead, and received a Word of comfort.

Sub-intro:

John began to write the first of seven visions which make up the Book of Revelation.

The others include the Throne of God and the Seven Seal Judgments (cf.

Rev. 4:1-8:1), the Seven Trumpet Judgments (cf.

Rev. 8:2-11:19), the Heavenly Warfare and Salvation (cf.

Rev. 12:1-14:20), the Seven Vial Judgments (cf.

Rev. 15:1-16:21), the Fall of Babylon and Coming of Christ (cf.

Rev. 17:1-19:21), and the Final Judgment and New Jerusalem (cf.

Rev. 20:1-22:5).

[Thomas M. Strouse, To the Seven Churches: A Commentary on the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ, Selected Works of Dr. Thomas M. Strouse (Bible Baptist Theological Press, 40 Country Squire Rd., Cromwell, CT 06461, 2013), 51.]

Body:

I.

The Commission of John (Rev.

1:9-11).

Note - John calls himself "your brother."

That means he is a believer, and part of the family of God by adoption through the Blood of Christ (John 1:12).

A. John's Companionship in Tribulation (v.

9).

1.

In Partnership through Tribulation.

Note - trials, afflictions, sufferings, persecutions, distresses...

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

So then death worketh in us, but life in you.”

(2 Corinthians 4:7–12, KJV 1900)

Note Dr. Strouse points out the need for distinction between these "tribulations" prior to the Rapture and the "Great Tribulation" after the Rapture.

The student of the [Apocalypse] needs to discern that there are tribulations[116] and there will be the “great tribulation” ....[117] For instance, not only was John in tribulation on “the isle” ...of Patmos ...[118] but the assemblies at Smyrna and Thyatira had the experience of tribulations prior to the Rapture (cf.

Rev. 2:9, 10, 22).

However, during the great Tribulation (of Daniel’s Seventieth Heptad), after the Rapture, the Lord predicted that multitudes would be saved (cf.

Rev. 7:14).

([116] The KJV translated [this] noun as “tribulation” (21x) and “affliction” (17x) in its 45x.

[117] Cf.

Rev. 7:14.

[118] This hapax legomena [Patmos] means “my killing,” and was an appropriate name for the Roman’s penal colony.

This crescent-shaped island, about ten miles long by six wide, forty miles southwest of Miletus, was an excellent place for banishment in the Dodecanese Islands.

The Icarian Sea, viewed from the shore would serve perhaps to help visualize John’s visions (cf.

Rev. 13:1).

[Thomas M. Strouse, To the Seven Churches: A Commentary on the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ, Selected Works of Dr. Thomas M. Strouse (Bible Baptist Theological Press, 40 Country Squire Rd., Cromwell, CT 06461, 2013), 52.])

2. In Partnership in Christ's Kingdom.

“Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22, KJV 1900)

3.

In Partnership in Christ's Patience.

“Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:” (2 Timothy 2:10–12, KJV 1900)

Note again Dr. Strouse's relevant correlation between Christ's Kingdom and Patience when compared to those who suffered in NT times:

The Lord had warned that “the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force” (Mt.

11:12).

Certainly, those of the first century were companions with Christ in tribulation, in the kingdom ministry, and in patience.

The Baptist John was beheaded, Christ was crucified, Paul and Peter were martyred under Nero, James was slain by Herod, and now John was exiled on Patmos.

For his defense of the Word of God ... and for identification with the crucified Savior ... John was willing “to abide under” ...exile, as multitudes before and after suffered all types of afflictions (cf.

Heb.

11:33-38 and II Cor.

11:23-28).

[Thomas M. Strouse, To the Seven Churches: A Commentary on the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ, Selected Works of Dr. Thomas M. Strouse (Bible Baptist Theological Press, 40 Country Squire Rd., Cromwell, CT 06461, 2013), 53.]

4. In Patmos for Christ's Word & Testimony.

Note - See verse 2.

B. John's Communion on the Lord's Day (v.

10).

Note - The meaning?

Not a wild eyed stare or trance

More than Rom 8:9- a transition into a state which enabled John to view the heavenly and future scene.

The Lord’s Day- Sunday?

Or the eschatological day of the Lord?

If the latter, then it is unusual in the grammar and construction of the normal usage as found in the NT.

Note - Tyndale translated this as "Sondaye" in his 1536 English Bible both here and in 1 Cor.

16:1 in reference to the "first day of the week."

Note - The importance of a Trumpet in ancient times to signal important messages or events.

Note - First Scriptural Reference to "Trumpet":

“There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.”

(Exodus 19:13, KJV 1900)

Note - Last Scriptural Reference to "Trumpet":

“Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.”

(Revelation 9:14, KJV 1900)

C. John's Communication to the Seven Churches (v.

11).

Note - for "Alpha and Omega, the first and the last" see verse 8.

Note the confusion bred by the CT's removal of a clear reference to the person of Christ commissioning John which omits these words and has led some "Scholars" to conclude that while this MIGHT BE Jesus speaking to John, they think it more likely to be simply an "Angel":

The “voice” John heard could be Christ’s or, more likely, that of the angel who appears frequently to John (4:1; 5:2).

[Alan F. Johnson, “Revelation,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation, ed.

Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 12 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 425.]

Note again Strouse's timely words concerning these "Baptist church plants in Asia":

For the first time, the Lord Jesus Christ declared the audience of His last revelation to Christianity.

Unequivocally He addressed seven NT assemblies, representative of the movement He began—the “my church” movement (cf.

Mt. 16:18).

He began to build up His [ecclesia] in Mt. 16:18, He gave it church discipline in Mt. 18:17-18, and the Great Commission in Mt. 28:19-20, authorizing His [ecclesia] to convert, baptize,[144] and instruct the world.

The Lord Jesus continued with what He began, giving to the movement of the Baptist assembly concluding exhortations and future revelations.

It is theologically significant that the word [ecclesia] does not appear in the Tribulation passages of the Apocalypse (chapters 4-19), since the Lord promised that His churches would miss the Tribulation via the Rapture (Rev.

3:10; cf.

I Thes.

5:9).

The seven assemblies were church plants in seven cities in Asia[145] or Asia Minor (western modern day Turkey).

([144] One should not ignore the biblical fact that the Christian era began with a great deal of Baptist activity (cf.

Mt. 3:1-17).

[145] This refers to the Roman province of Asia or western region of Asia Minor.

[Thomas M. Strouse, To the Seven Churches: A Commentary on the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ, Selected Works of Dr. Thomas M. Strouse (Bible Baptist Theological Press, 40 Country Squire Rd., Cromwell, CT 06461, 2013), 57–58.])

II.

Eleven Characteristics of Jesus (Rev.