“Answers
For The The Church” • 6.14.20 • Calvary Christian Fellowship,
Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- The first
eight verses of this chapter have supplied us with great clarity regarding this
final book of the Bible. We learn about what it's subject matter is from the
very first verse.
- This book is
the Revelation, the complete unveiling of Jesus Christ as He relates to world
history. All other subjects are incidental and are only important in light of
Him.
- We discover
what it is from the first verse and who it's for in the very next phrase! It is
for His servants via the administration of John the Apostle.
- These
servants are a part of a group of churches who represent the Lord's Kingdom as
priests, who are washed in the Lord's blood.
- We know what
it is, who it's for and now, you'll recall why it is necessary from the seventh
verse! Jesus is coming soon! If the church needed a final revelation of Christ,
it was during this time!
- Why did the
church need it at this time? Why was Jesus not simply returning now? What about
the enemies of the church and the Kingdom? These answers will be clear as we
continue. V. 9
Text
•
Revelation 1:9-11 : "I, John, both your brother and
companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on
the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of
Jesus Christ." : John begins his transition
into how he intersected with this material in the first place.
-
For all of his credentials, John is very grounded in his assessment of himself
and his service to Christ, which had spanned over 60 years! It's sad that one
would find that surprising.
-
In our day and age, servants act as if they are as great or even greater than
their Master!
-
Men love to prop themselves or their "brands" up for public
consumption and Jesus is often an afterthought! Often, Pastors won't even let
you address them without using the word "Pastor!"
-
John is simply their brother and companion! He doesn't insist on a title or
remind them of his superior experience. He's one OF and one WITH them! He is primarily
their brother.
-
He has been saved by and for Jesus Christ! All there are in Christ's family are
brothers, sisters, sons and daughters! That is the truth of scripture and there
is no other distinction.
-
Whether you are black, brown, white or anything inbetween, there is only one
new person in Jesus Christ and there is no privilege or status afforded to
anyone. All are loved and blessed equally!
-
John is one of them and is one with them! He is their companion, a partner, a
partaker with them. Of all the people that have ever said this, John was
speaking without hyperbole.
-
By the time that John was writing this, most historians believe that the Roman
emperor Domitian had already attempted to martyr John by boiling him in oil!
-
John had had his share of persecution and more during this period of time. He
describes their common experience as a time of "tribulation,"
"Kingdom" and "patience."
-
The NKJV uses the phrase "the tribulation" here. As far as I can
tell, there isn't a definite article in the text that I've consulted. It should
read "your brother and companion in tribulation."
-
Why does that matter? Many have used that single and absent definite article to
interpret John's words as being significant of fulfillment.
-
They view this as an admission that John was living in "the
tribulation," but that isn't what John was saying. Every Christian,
including you and I, will experience "tribulation."
-
The word refers to "pressure," and is alternately translated
"suffering," (NLT, NIV) "persecution," (NET) and
"affliction." (CSB)
-
In that respect, the time that these Christians lived in were indeed times of
tribulation. They were suffering at the hands of an oppressive government that
persecuted them awfully!
-
Nero's persecution during the 60's had largely remained in Rome. Domitian
spread his malice toward the entirety of the Empire, including Ephesus!
-
Today, you and I experience very little suffering for our faith. It's shameful
to compare our sufferings with those of our brothers and sisters in other
nations, who live in constant insecurity.
-
Wherever Christians are, to whatever degree, they are suffering to some extent,
whether physically or mentally.
-
The difference between those kind of sufferings and the kind of suffering that
will be experienced in THE Great Tribulation is related to the source and
recipients!
-
Christians suffer today at the hands of a world that rejects Christ's rule and
often, from the shortsightedness of our own choices.
-
During the Great Tribulation, the world will suffer at the hands of the Lamb of
God directly!
-
Among other arguments, this is key to why I believe it theologically
inconsistent to see God's Ambassadors on Earth during that time of trouble.
-
God's wrath upon our sin has already been poured out upon Jesus Christ, our
Propitiation! (I John 2:2) It would
be inconsistent with God's justice to allow His kids to go through a second
round!
-
At the same time, it is difficult to reconcile the fact that while we are
suffering presently, we are fully supernaturalized Kingdom citizens!
-
Today, we are living in light of the Kingdom, without experiencing some of the greatest
benefits that have been won for us!
-
We are functioning under the internal rule of the Holy Spirit, living by the
constitution found in the Holy Bible, focusing our eyes upon our eternal King,
the Holy One Himself, Jesus Christ!
-
We will suffer and we are a part of a functional Kingdom which waits upon the
patience, endurance of Jesus Christ! What does that mean?
-
If you have ever wondered what is keeping Christ from coming, understand this
word. The word speaks of bearing up or as we might say it, "putting
up" with those who are insulting.
-
Imagine the great insults that you have endured for the sake of Christ. Imagine
that the wide world over. Now, imagine that over the lifetime of this planet!
-
Consider every atheist and every godless, wicked nation that has ever existed,
who thought to defy the law of God. Think of all that God has endured!
-
We might be inclined to think that He has endured just a little too much, but
we are glad that He sought us out while we were yet blasphemers and haters!
-
While He endures, God continues to make His enemies His family through the
blood of Jesus Christ and the agency of the Holy Spirit! This is what we are
all waiting through.
-
We are living in the time of Christ's patient endurance with sinners who reject
Him! We should be grateful that God is inevitably still drawing people to
Himself! This is what we wait for.
-
While Jesus is enduring, John was living on the Island of Patmos, the first
century equivalent to our Alcatraz!
-
Patmos is a beautiful Greek island that is only 7+ miles long and about 6 miles
across at it's widest point. It's a part of a chain of Greek islands called the
"Dodacanese Islands."
-
Patmos is the last link of the chain. It's an interesting island in that it's a
volcanic island separated by several isthmuses. From a drone's view, Patmos
would resemble a sea horse.
-
At the same time, it's quite a bi-polar island, as there are beautiful beaches
on one side and a treeless bald landscape on the other! This was no vacation
home for the Apostle!
-
As a nearly 90 year old man, John was forced into the hard labor of mining
marble from this site. Eusebius tells us in his history that if you went there,
you were never coming back!
-
He was sent there by the Roman Emperor Domitian who ended up dying and John
actually only served a 16 month sentence. Domitian, I'm sure, would have turned
over in his grave!
-
This Emperor had built a temple to himself in Ephesus and had begun the trend
of having his constituents address him as "god" during his life! Most
were conferred "god" status after their death.
-
Domitian was just getting his while he lived, so men burned incense to him in
Ephesus at a temple that he had constructed. Needless to say, John wasn't going
to do that!
-
This is why John was banished to Patmos after the VO5 treatment failed. At the
height of Domitian's reign, John continued to hold to God's Word, to testify
that the real God was Jesus Christ!
-
John's persistence to minister for the name of Christ during a time of
persecution reminds me of Daniel, who continued to pray at his open window
after the threat of death was issued by Neb!
-
May the Lord remind us that these men were only men endowed with the power of
God's Spirit! May we have the same constitution should our days grow darker!
-
This all being said, grammarists tell us that John wasn't merely on Patmos
because of past faithfulness. It was at the same time, because of present
revelation!
-
He was there in order that he might be in the best position to receive God's
Word!
-
John's stay on Patmos would very likely have been considered a low point,
perhaps one of the most desperate moments of his life. This makes this next
phrase incredibly important! Verse 10.
•
Revelation 1:10,11 : "I was in
the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a
trumpet, saying, 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and
the Last,' and, 'What you see, write in a book and send it to
the seven churches which are
in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to
Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.'" : Note the
phrase "I was in the Spirit." That phrase is used three more times in
this book. (4:1, 17:3, and 21:10)
-
One might assume, and this is quite possibly the case in this instance, that
this refers to John's regular practice of worship on Sunday morning. If that is
the case, consider the implications.
-
John is living on a penal colony and he is committed to entering into worship
on the Lord's Day, which the early church identified as Sunday. Let's put these
pieces together.
-
John is understanding that his time on earth is ending and the church is
enduring a period of intense persecution. He is probably not going to see them
again. Where did he go?
-
He went to the one place where he was sure to hear from the Lord. He began to
worship, as had been his custom since the church was born six decades earlier!
And what happened?
-
God met him! This is the normal and natural means that God uses to intersect
with His people! It might not happen with the same intensity each week, but the
Lord is present in His church!
-
When His Word is proclaimed and His people gather to worship, the Lord is
speaking! Let us not neglect to gather, lest we find ourselves without the
answers and wisdom that we need!
-
Keep in mind that there is an alternate interpretation here. I mentioned
earlier that being "in the Spirit" is referenced three other times.
-
Each of those times, it seems obvious that God transported the Apostle in his
mind to observe visons that he could not have been seen from Patmos!
-
If THIS is the interpretation here, John was transported in his mind into the
eschatological "Lord's Day," being significant of the Lord's day of
reckoning, not His people's day of worship!
-
If this is the correct interpretation, John has the prophetic privilege of
being in the war room of Almighty God! If this is the case, we are getting to
see those plans from an eyewitness!
-
So which is it!? Both are true and because John was in the position that he was
in, we get the privilege of joining him on this journey! Before he saw
anything, he heard a voice behind him.
-
Our word "megaphone" comes from this Greek word, and it was as loud
as a trumpet, but not merely a sound! This carried a certain message! This was
the "Alpha and Omega."
-
These are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet that Jesus
referenced in verse 8. Jesus Christ
is the sum total of all that God wants to communicate in redemption's final
act!
-
The second title that Jesus employs is far more evocative. Jesus tells John that
He is the "First and the Last." Where does this title come from? Please
turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 44:6.
-
Isaiah is prophecying of the conditions that would accompany the period of time
before the Millenium when men would come again to Israel in order to be
identified with Israel.
•
Isaiah 44:6,7 : "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his
Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God. And
who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare
it and set it in order for Me, since I
appointed the ancient people. And the things
that are coming and shall come, let them show
these to them." : Notice that. The Lord, the
King of Israel and his Redeemer the Lord of hosts say "I am the First and
the Last!"
-
Isaiah will use this phrase two other times in his book, each with specific
relation to God's power to predict and bring future events to pass! (Isaiah 41:4, 48:12)
-
Jesus is telling John that He has the authority to disclose God's future
dealings with humanity and it will be His power as God that will bring them to
pass!
-
He has undertaken to begin this plan and He will be the last one standing when
it is completed! Jesus is Isaiah's "First and Last!"
-
It is Jesus that commanded John to capture what he was about to see and send it
specifically to these seven churches.
-
Since we will be looking at each church individually, we'll table our comments
about them. Suffice it to say, Jesus had a specific word for each church! Verse
12.
•
Revelation 1:12-16 : "Then I
turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven
golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of
Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a
golden band. His
head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame
of fire; His feet
were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of
many waters; He
had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged
sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength." :
-
Can you imagine this moment? Having heard the voice, John naturally turns to
look!
-
John turned to see with his eyes and then, when he had done that, he, saw, the
word for understanding, the information before him.
-
He knew exactly what it was that he was seeing clearly, though, I'm fairly
certain that he didn't know what it meant entirely until later because Jesus
will explain some part of it to him.
-
First, John saw seven golden lampstands. This is not a picture of a menorah,
the famous 7 light candlework that is virtually synonymous with Israel. These
are individuals on individual stands.
-
What does that say to you? How much light does a single candle produce? Not
that much!
-
Even when all of them are completely lit, they probably only had enough light
to bring attention to the Son of Man, who stood in the center of these
candlesticks.
-
The single goal of every true church is to bring light, understanding, upon the
person of Jesus Christ! To exist for any other goal, makes it a dysfunctional
church at best, a false one at worst!
-
Jesus is equadistant to each candlestick, capable of touching and resourcing
each one. His proximity to the churches gives Him an unparalleled view into
what is happening in each one!
-
The Lord is not remote from His churches even during their time of suffering.
His presence is with them and is perhaps even more potent as His church calls
out to Him.
-
I'm reminded of the Lord's words to Paul when they first met on the road to
Damascus: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" (Acts 9:4) Jesus feels the pain of our
persecution!
-
When Nebuchadnezzar threw Shadrach, Mescech and Abednego into the fiery furnace
for not bowing their knees, one like the Son of God was found right there next
to them! (Daniel 3:25)
-
The Lord suffers along with His church, but the title, "Son of Man"
reminds the church that one day, the suffering will all cease, as Jesus takes
His place of dominion over all the Earth.
•
Daniel 7:13,14 : "I was watching in the night
visions, and
behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with
the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of
Days, and they brought Him near before Him.
Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a
kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and
languages should serve Him. His dominion is an
everlasting dominion, which shall not pass
away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed." : One day Jesus, the Son of Man will rule forever and ever and
His church will be right by His side!
-
When John saw Him there amidst His churches, he describes a long robe with a
golden sash across His chest. When John last saw Him, Jesus was clothed in
humble clothes.
-
Jesus now had a long flowing robe that went down to His feet! The only people
in the ancient world that wore such a robe were Kings, whose feet rarely
touched the floor!
-
He is also wearing a sash that is entirely made of gold, reminiscent of the
High Priest!
-
The Levitical priests wore a similar sash, though theirs only had several
strands of gold attached. The Lord's is made entirely of gold! What does this
communicate to us?
-
Remember that the Lord operates in an everlasting Priesthood, the Priesthood of
Melchizedek, which is superior to that of the Levitical priesthood! (Hebrews 7)
-
It is superior in it's length of time, built upon a superior, once-for-all
sacrifice, with an eternal Priest who has no need for a personal sacrifice
because He is Holy!
- The Lord's head and
hair were pure white (Daniel 7:9)
with burning eyes aflame. Pure and wise in character, perfect in vision!
Nothing carnal or impure passes through His field of vision!
-
His eyes see perfectly through to the subject that He seeks to look upon!
Nothing is hidden from Him. All is naked and laid bare before Him!
-
His feet are burnished bronze, the metal of judgment. Bronze is a mixture of
copper and steel, the most durable metal in antiquity. The Lord's feet will not
be moved once He has set them!
-
John tells us that His voice thundered like many waters! It is as if you are
standing at the edge of a several mighty waterfalls.
-
When you are near a waterfall of virtually any size, you will find your voice
"drowned out" by the sound. With "many waters" combined, no
other voice has the chance of being heard!
-
Today, the world speaks loudly against the Lord God. There are men and women that
you know who are talking today as if they will be able to say anything on the
day of Judgment!
-
The Lord's voice is as powerful as the sound of many waters! What voice will
rise above His?
-
In His right hand are the seven stars, the symbolism of which will be explained
momentarily. Focus first on what the right hand signifies in scripture. It is
always the symbol of strength and might!
-
Whatever is in the Lord's right hand will never be removed! It is the most
secure place in the Universe! John moves from His hands to His mouth.
-
The sharp two edged sword that came from His mouth needs no explanation to any
of us! It is the word of God!
-
When it comes to judgment day, all that will stand as true will be the word of
God! The word of God will render judgment upon all that have yet to reconcile
themselves to Him!
-
The fact that His word is a double edged sword speaks primarily to it's
efficiency. It will not dull easily and the target in front of it will not
survive.
-
The commentators make note of the fact that this is not the same kind of sword
that is spoken of in Hebrews 4:12,
which is a smaller hand sword.
-
That would be used for hand to hand combat, as well as by field surgeons for
it's precision. The sword that is mentioned here is no delicate instrument!
-
It was the sword that one carried on their back which was upwards of 4-5 feet
in length! It required both hands to operate and it cut down anything in it's
path!
-
Such an instrument was said to have inflicted injury that would easily cut a
man in half!
-
This is no meek and mild Jesus! Every aspect of His description speaks of
overwhelming might and power, including His visage. John hasn't seen Jesus
physically for over 60 years!
-
As he looked up, all he could see was blazing light, as if he were looking at the
sun at it's mid-day peak! Finally, something that John recognized!
-
You'll recall that John, along with Peter and James, went up to a high mountain
with Jesus to pray. When they had reached the top, Jesus was transfigured
before them.
-
Matthew 17:2 reports that the Lord's
face shone like the sun! What John was seeing at this moment was the unveiled
nature of the Son of God! He remembered this face!
-
It's interesting because when John saw this face again, he had the same
response that he had when he was on the mount of transfiguration. Verse 17.
•
Revelation 1:17-20 : "And when
I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying
to me, 'Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and
of Death. Write the things which you have seen, and the
things which are, and the things which will take place after
this. The mystery
of the seven stars which 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 which you
saw are the seven churches." : What
would you have done at the vision of Christ? John fell down motionless and
didn't get up until the Lord assured him!
-
Remember, John is a Christian man who has been walking with the Lord for over 5
decades. He has served the Lord faithfully and HE fell down as if dead at the
sight of Him!
-
If that is what a Christian will do, what do you think an unbeliever will do in
His presence!? John stayed right where he was just like the night of the
transfiguration. What broke the tension?
-
The same words that broke the tension on that night from the same person:
"Do not be afraid!" (Matthew
17:7) There isn't any need to be afraid!
-
Jesus is the First and the Last, the One who perpetually lives and even though
He had experienced death, He lives forever more!
-
He alone has the keys to the grave and to death! Keys speak of mastery and
ownership over these enemies! The place of the dead and death itself have been
subjugated to the King of Kings!
-
Is it any wonder that John had survived boiling oil and exile? The Lord knows
the number of our days and until our time is complete, we can't be touched! Rome
doesn't have that power.
-
Our lives and their lives are bound up in His! The world can only send us to
Him, if that is His will to allow it!
-
With that, Jesus issues His command to John, who is to make sure to keep a
record of what he is about to be shown. Jesus breaks it down into three
periods, beginning with the things that were.
-
This refers to all that we have just seen in the vision of the Lord Jesus that
John has disclosed. This brings us to the things which are, which we believe
refers to the seven churches.
-
Then, John is to record the things which will be, which covers everything from
chapter 4 to the end of the book. That
is our three fold outline for the book!
-
Then, as a key to us all, Jesus explains the symbolism that He has already used.
The seven stars are the seven angels of the seven church.
-
The word "angels" can also be translated "messengers." Most
scholars believe that this refers the Pastors or teaching elders that served in
each church.
-
One of the main reasons for holding to this view is that angels cannot repent
or be corrected. Pastors and their congregations can! The lampstands then, are
the churches themselves.
- Lord willing, we'll
begin to look into the church of Ephesus next week.
Conclusion
- The church needed this revelation because it was being persecuted and needed a fresh and full vision of the Lord, who was no longer the suffering servant, but the King of Kings!
- The church needed this revelation because it was being persecuted and needed a fresh and full vision of the Lord, who was no longer the suffering servant, but the King of Kings!
-
Jesus is not coming to teach about the Kingdom. He is coming to establish it!
-
They needed to know that He is patiently enduring those who will eventually
surrender to Him voluntarily because when He comes, there will be no choice!
His enemies will be silenced!
-
His Word will be the only Word on that day and those that have not reconciled
themselves to Him will kneel before Him in fear.
-
Today, all will be wise to make themselves His friend, by becoming His family
and accepting His terms of surrender!
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