Participating with Christ
Pursuing Resilience in Revelation • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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I, John, your brother and fellow participant in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because 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 the sound of a trumpet, saying, “Write on a scroll what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
Intro
Intro
The Christian life is not a 100 yard dash, nor is it a series of short sprints. It is a cross country marathon. We must persist and endure if we are to receive the prize.
John Bunyon imagined the Christian life as a pilgrimage in his classic work of alegorical fiction, “The Pilgrim’s Progress.” In his story, the main character Christian and his friends encounter many hardhips and tragedies aong their way to the celestial city. Even after leaving the City of Destruction and being unburdened at the cross, the face a multitude of trials and temptations which test their resolve to remain on the narrow road of Christ. Some gave up and returned to Adam’s land, while others remained resolute to travel the road Christ the King had called them to walk. To be sure, Christian experiances many great victories, even slaying the Beast of Satan with the Lord’s help. Yet these victories came at a cost too, and the road was never easy, though it was well seasoned with God’s grace and made bearable by His presence there.
I love Bunyon’s allegory because it is so relatable for every resolute Christian. We all experiance many trials, temptations, victories, and harships as we walk the Calvary road with Christ. Yet no matter what we may face, we remember that Christ has said that the one who perseveres will inherit the crown of life.
Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him.
John the Aposle here in Revelation 1:9, identifies himself not as someone who is far above his fellow Christian pilgrims. Rather, he is one of them. He is a participant in tribulation, kingdom, and perseverence in Christ just as we are. Though John was an Apostle, our calling is in many ways no different than his. We are to endure and remain steadfast in Christ, following John’s example as John follows after Christ.
Today, we will look into this life which we are called to, seeking to walk in the Apostle’s example which is patterned after the example of our Lord Himself.
Truth
Truth
John opens his communication of this vision from the Lord with a statement which not only communicates the facts of his present ordeal, but truly representatively communicates the ordeal of the entire Church of Jesus in all times until the day on which we will stand before Him.
John’s call is a call to endure. This is a great word of encouragement for us. Christ Himself and also every Christian, both great and small, have endured much on account of their faith in Christ and if we endure with them we are identified with them.
A common theme of the Scriptures and of Revelation in particular, is endurance. We must not allow anything to know us off of the narrow path which leads to life. There is no worthy focus which might derail us from our focus on Christ.
So John reminds us that he, though an Apostle and a great church leader, is just one of us in regards to his participation in the sufferings of Christ. True church leaders are not isolated nor are they insulated from the church. Rather, like Christ, they are incarnated into the church and the world for the good of all and for His glory.
The Apostle’s life in this case, is meant to be an example for what the best and most Christ-oriented life looks like. A true Christian perseveres until the end, refusing to trade the pure gold of Christ for the tempory pleasures of the fools golf men and devils may offer us.
John names three specific ways in which he and we participate in the sufferings of Christ during our lives. We will examine each today.
I. Participation in Tribulation
I. Participation in Tribulation
Enduring troubles because of our confession of Christ as Lord is par for the course of the Christian life.
For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.
He said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit at My right and at My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”
strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.” When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Christ endured trouble on our behalf, and not we endure trouble with Him as we seek to fight our way to that Great Celestial City.
These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
Anticipating the reward even which we struggle in this world.
and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are partners in our sufferings, so also you are in our comfort.
II. Participation in the Kingdom
II. Participation in the Kingdom
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.
The Gospel of the kingdom
Repentance and belief
The call to others
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
The people of the kingdom
and He made us into a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
The demontration of the reality of the kingdom
But if I cast out the demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”
“I can do nothing on My own. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of Him who sent Me.
The anticipation of the coming of the fullness of the kingdom to Earth.
“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you must be ready as well; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.
“Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household slaves, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.
If we endure, we will also reign with Him;
If we deny Him, He will also deny us;
III. Participation in Perseverance
III. Participation in Perseverance
Refusing to give up on following the Calvary road with Christ, even when it is difficult.
“Then they will hand you over to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. And at that time many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will rise up and mislead many people. And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
By your endurance you will gain your lives.
May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the perseverance of Christ.
Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Because you have kept My word of perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of the testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who live on the earth.
Gospel
Gospel
Who is God?
He is God the Son who has entered into our broken world.
What has God done?
He has shown us what a good human life looks like, participating in tribulation, kingdom, and perseverence in our place; putting Himself on display for us. He died, rose, and ascended to free and empower us to walk in His way.
Who are we?
We are those whom Christ has done all of these things for and has now called away from the city of destruction in Adam to the city of life in Him.
What will we do?
Our calling is for all of us, from least to greatest, to humbly lay ourselves down, take up our cross with Him, and walk with Him down His narrow path to life.
Challenge
Challenge
What trial are you enduring right now? Have you viewed it as a participation with Christ?
Have you entered into Christ’s kingdom by grace throug faith? If so, are you participating in His kingdom daily?
Is your vision of Christ central enough to fuel your patient perseverence as you await His coming?