Revelations 1:4-20
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Introduction
Last week we just touched the surface of our introduction and we focused on some key words or phrases
The revelations of Jesus Christ
Sent by an angel
John testifies to the word
Blessed if you hear it, keep it and take heart to what is written.
I believe it was a powerful start - AMEN
Today we move to the rest of Chapter 1 and we will try to unpack these passages -
How many of you are excited ?
Remember Jesus is unveiling himself to the churches
- His Sovereignty,
- His Character
- His Plan
- His heaven - all being revealed.
It always starts and ends with him.
Lets start by reading these passages in Chapter 1
John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,
and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet
saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”
Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,
and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.
The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire,
his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.
In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last,
and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.
As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Lets look at this description of Jesus Christ- Remember the first verse in Revelations - the revelation of Jesus Christ
Audience - Seven Churches - we will get into those seven churches next week. ( what does seven represent ( completeness)
ADD PICTURE OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES
But to touch on them for a moment - These would be in modern day Turkey. The old ancient kingdom of Pergamum taken over by the Romans. This is the Roman province of Asia.
Now we will touch on the group of seven churches.
This is a route that you would take at Ephesus and deliver letters and what ever else you wanted to deliver. These are literal churches and Emperor worship is prominent in these cities. The imperial cult under Domitian had to take a pinch of incense put it on the altar and say Caesar is Lord. If you refused your life would be taken. Naturally the Christians had a problem with this. Some were even tempted to abandon their faith or at least to make concessions to Rome sufficient to enable them to save their lives.
We now have a direct clash with Rome. It wasn’t until Constantine that things radically changed. So at this point in history are still a couple hundred years plus away.
In other words this is not going to be easy.
Rome was brutal - Jesus is assuring them that Deliverance is in Hand.
John now sees Jesus in a spectacular new way.
Grace and Peace are declared
The favor of God is upon you. God will give you the strength to go through it and the Peace to endure it.
How many of us are in need of Grace (Greek)and Peace. (Hebrew Shalom)
It is a declaration - Grace and Peace be upon you. from Jesus the great I am
It says your a kingdom and not just a kingdom but also a kingdom of priests ( we will talk about in a minute) so what can you do - You can declare Grace and Peace. ( lets do it together) ( I’m going to talk about this in a minute)
The Phrase Jesus who was and is and is to come - What a powerful statement why? This was an immediate attack on Greek thought and specifically Greek Mythology Zeus- who was called Zeus was, Zeus is and Zeus shall be. Zeus was the king of the Gods. John is flat out saying no he is not.
Just because you believe it doesn’t make it true.
Now we see a picture of the Trinity. Back to vs 1 - The father God, We see Jesus revealed and we see the seven Spirits ( which are represented by either
Seven actual spirits - that are over the seven actual churches
The Holy Spirit which is symbolized by the seven spirits which means completeness.
The fact is no one really knows. So it is a best guess
Now we start see the images of Jesus
Faithful witness - Marty (faithful to death)
Firstborn of the dead - preeminent one - raised himself from the dead
Ruler - supreme ruler who has the ability within himself to always be on the throne. He will never be deposed or voted out. If you vote him out guess what he gives you your own kingdom in which you can rule all by yourself to a nation of one.
Jesus gave you freedom
of your sins By His Blood
Because He loves us
You are now a kingdom and priests- Oh OH - the only ones who were supposed to have this title were for the Jews only - Now it is for you
And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.
We Gentiles are now Holy Priests - we bring a sacrifice to God
We are grafted in - we can now cry out Abba father. Hallelujah
As we move ahead Scripture we see Jesus coming with the clouds -
Clouds represent the manifest presence of God
Moses Tabernacle - Cloud by day for direction - Sinai surrounded by clouds etc
So the manifest presence of God is going to arrive on the scene - not in a small sense as the cloud to lead Israel but the cloud that leads the world. When he shows up you are going to know it and you are going to see it.
His return is going to be on a world stage - Everyone is going to see Him in His glory
Those who pierced Him - All those who put him on the cross, not just the Jews who turned him over and lied but we mourn because we put him there and the rest.
This is the world who will mourn.
Alpha and Omega
vs 8 Jesus the beginning and the end. The first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet
The real sovereign in History - Past - Present and Future
Jesus the Almighty is used 9 times in Revelations - some translate the almighty as the all ruler.
John now tells the soon to be listeners is I understand how you feel. I’ve been there I am still suffering I understand suffering. I am stuck on this rock - John does not think at that time he is going to get off the rock. He is most likely thinking he is going to die on the rock.
How many of you at times feel like you are all alone on some rock somewhere
John talks about the Lords Day - this is Sunday - the day of the resurrection. Is it ok to worship on Sunday and Not Saturday. The answer is Yes and we have been doing it since the first century. I don’t think it was by accident John mentions the Lords day.
On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.
On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.
You see not only is John saying to the Greeks - that Jesus is the almighty not Zeus or for that matter Ceasar. But on the Jewish side he is moving away from legalism.
He also adds He was in the Spirit - So John was Pentecostal or Charismatic.
He was in a trance- everything about Johns world just changed. He was in a state to receive a vision of Jesus. A theologian said he was in direct spiritual contact with Jesus ( let that sink in for a minute)
Daniel had this experience in Dan chapter 8:2
In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.
Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance;
This was Peter. Life changing vision
He hears his voice like that of a trumpet-
Moses described it- on Mt Sinai
It was a call to get together and listen or a call of war
He sees Jesus in the midst of the seven lampstands which are the seven churches which he mentions
Lets stop for a second. this is significant.
In the midst of persecution , in the midst of feeling alone, terrified at times, maybe even small and insignificant - Who is in the middle of it?
He saw the son of man like Daniel saw the son of Man
He sees Jesus
Clothed with a Robe ( down to his feet) Robe of the High Priest and King
Golden Sash - Sash of Honor
White Hair - ( Dignity and Wisdom)Like the vision in Daniel
Eyes Flame of fire - Purifying fire - piercing but loving
Feet of burnished Bronze - solid and strong - been through the fire of testing - unmoving
Voice of rushing water - awesome in power
Mouth double edged sword - His words are the words of God - powerful
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Seven Stars -angels of the seven churchs - angels represent messengers
Could be actual angels or guardian angels or Bishops (represented). Or the Holy Spirit that represents the church.
Conclusion
Conclusion
He laid his right hand on me - Do not be afraid
I am the first the last - the living - I have the keys of Death and Hades.
In other words I have the authority
This was a terrifying experience
John needed comfort - don't need to be afraid anymore
John needed a savior
John needed someone who is in control
John needed to know that it is alright I got this .......
John needed to know that Jesus holds the future it is secure in his hand
Scripture said I John turned to the Lord.
That’s the key to this passage is that you turn to the Lord.
It is as a sign of repentance right. It is turning 180 degrees and seeing the Lord.
It is all this that will lay behind you as you turn to Jesus. This verse said as I turning I saw Jesus
It is always a step of faith. AMEN
Take a step of faith today.
Then you are going to feel the hand of Jesus on your shoulder saying Don’t fear - I am the first and the last.