Revelation 1:9-20
Visions of an Exile • Sermon • Submitted
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· 63 viewsThroughout all of revelation we see glimpses of Heaven. What it looks like, who is there, and even what it sounds like. We can learn a lot about Heaven and its key figures by studying this Book.
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LAST WEEK
LAST WEEK
We began our journey through the Book of Revelation
We saw the workflow of this letter
God the Father gives the vision to Jesus
Jesus gives it to His Angels
The Angel of the Lord reveals it to John
John is writing to the 7 Churches to give them vision of whats in store
We also learned that Jesus is coming again in the Clouds
Every eye will see Him
Even those who pierced Him
And all the tribes of the world will enter into a state of mourning.
This detail clued us into the fact that this is speaking of His Second Coming, not the rapture of the church.
Which are two separate events.
THIS WEEK
THIS WEEK
We are going to look at where John was when receiving the Vision
We are going to get a grip on what He is seeing, what He is hearing, and what it mean for us today.
TURN TO
9 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. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 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.”
12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 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. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 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. 17 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. 18 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. 19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. 20 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.
PRAY THAT GOD WOULD REVEAL HIMSELF TO US
PRAY THAT WE WOULD GRAB A HOLD OF HOW REAL THIS IS
PRAY THAT WE WOULD MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS WE ARE CONFRONTED BY THE GOSPEL.
9 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.
9 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. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 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.”
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT JOHN
REV 1:9-
John was the disciple that Jesus loved
John was 1 of 3 disciples that was closest to Jesus
Here John proclaims himself as a brother and companion in 3 things
The tribulation of Jesus Christ
The Kingdom of Jesus Christ
The Patience of Jesus Christ
During John’s experience following Jesus
These are the three things that He had experienced for himself.
He had experienced trials and tribulations for the name of Christ
He had experienced his identity in Christ
He had experienced the Patience or Steadfastness of Jesus Christ
JOHN WAS ON THE ISLAND OF PATMOS
An Island off the West Coast of Turkey
Patmos was a desolate Volcanic Island where prisoners would be sent to die.
John, became one of those prisoners
Why would the Jewish leaders isolate John from his homeland?
John clues us in
Because of his testimony to the of Jesus Christ
“Because of his testimony to the of Jesus Christ”
“Because of his witness of what Jesus had done on this earth”
CHURCH
We may not be sent to an Island to die
But we can be persecuted in a way that leads us to be ineffective in the mission of God.
I am not an advocate of Alex Jones and Info Wars
But the fact that what He stands for is being muted by social media channels is alarming
The fact that Greg Laurie had his billboards taken down for no other reason than the fact that someone thought it was offensive.
THOUGH WE CAN’T CONTROL HOW THE WORLD TRIES TO SENSOR US
MY CONCERN IS MORE ALONG THE LINES OF HOW WE MUTE OURSELVES
The Church isn’t being muted as much as we are muting ourselves
The Church isn’t being muted as much as we are muting ourselves
Why?
Because we preach
But we aren’t fully living it out
We love
But we don’t try to be like Jesus in that way
It isn’t cool to stand up for Jesus
It isn’t cool to be like Jesus
It isn’t cool to have your bible out at a coffee shop
It isn’t cool to walk with Jesus anymore
it isn’t cool to share your testimony anymore
It isn’t cool to share what Jesus has done in your life
One thing we have to realize is that our goal isn’t to be cool, or relevant, it is to be faithful
This is why John was being persecuted
This is why John was in exile
When we are given the opportunity to Worship Jesus
We should be the first to jump at the opportunity
We should jump on board
We, the church, should be first in line to serve people
To testify of who Jesus is
To share with people what God has done in our lives
Being a witness to what we have seen, what he has done, and what we have heard.
HOW CAN WE BE A WITNESS, IF WE ARE NOT WALKING WITH JESUS?
HOW CAN WE TESTIFY, IF THOSE WHO HAVE ACCESS TO JESUS, AREN’T ABIDING IN HIM?
JOHN WAS IN PATMOS FOR ONE REASON
GIVING GLORY TO GOD IN EVERYTHING.
If we were put on trial
Would there be any evidence of us walking with Jesus?
Rev 1:10
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 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.”
AS JOHN WAS LIVING OUT HIS LIFE IN EXILE, I WANT US TO NOTICE THAT NOTHING STOPPED HIM FROM PRESSING IN
Sometimes, when things don’t go our way spiritually, we bail
I am often tempted with the thought
“Is this where I walk away?”
“Is this where Ministry ends for me?”
JOHN WAS ON A VOLCANIC ISLAND AMONGST PRISONERS AND IT DIDN’T EFFECT HIS DEVOTIONAL LIFE
He had no church
He had no fellowship
He had no coffee and bagels
He had no friends
AND STILL, HE CONTINUED TO WALK WITH JESUS
HE WAS IN THE SPIRIT ON THE LORD’S DAY
Sidenote:
The term “The Lord’s Day” was a phrase used to refer to celebrations in honor of Ceasar
However the Body of believers began to use this term to refer to the Resurrection
This would be a direct attack against Ceasar and his lordship
The Early Christians worshipped in Jewish Synagogues on Saturdays
By this time in the history of the Church
Jesus followers had been kicked out of the synagogues
So they began to worship on Sundays
IT WAS WHILE JOHN WAS IN THE SPIRIT ON THE LORD’S DAY THAT
HE HEARD A LOUD VOICE BEHIND HIM
IT WAS A DECLARATION LIKE THE SOUND OF A TRUMPET SAYING
IN
I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA
THE FIRST AND THE LAST
WHAT YOU SEE, WRITE IN A BOOK AND SEND IT TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES WHICH ARE IN ASIA
Church, we have to agree that when we seem least valuable, God may give us a platform from which to declare His promises.
No one in the church world was looking for John
No one was trying to hire him
No one was with him
In his loneliness, the Lord shows him something that was foreign to the entire Christian World.
Many hate loneliness. Many hate not fitting in. Many want a companion.
We long for fellowship
But sometimes we long for the lesser fellowship
When God offers us the greatest fellowship
Fellowship with GOD Himself.
When you walk with Jesus you are never alone.
SO WHAT DOES JESUS LOOK LIKE?
12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 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. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 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.
Rev 1:12-
THE SON OF MAN SURROUNDED BY 7 LAMPSTANDS
CLOTHED IN A GARMENT DOWN TO HIS FEET
A GOLDEN BAND ABOUT HIS CHEST
HIS HAIR WHITE LIKE WOOL, AS WHITE AS SNOW
HIS EYES LIKE A FLAME OF FIRE
HIS FEET LIKE FINE BRASS AS IF REFINED IN A FURNACE
HIS VOICE AS THE SOUND OF MANY WATERS
IN HIS RIGHT HAND SEVEN STARS
THESE REPRESENTED THE ANGELS OF THE CHURCHES
OUT OF HIS MOUTH A SHARP TWO EDGED SWORD
HIS COUNTENANCE WAS LIKE THE SUN SHINING IN ITS STRENGTH.
REV 1:17-
HOW DID JESUS’ PRESENCE EFFECT JOHN?
17 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. 18 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. 19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. 20 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.
JOHN FELL AT HIS FEET LIKE A DEAD MAN
FEAR HAD OVERCOME HIM
LOOK AT THAT DESCRIPTION OF WHO CHRIST IS:
THE FIRST AND THE LAST
HE WHO LIVES
WAS DEAD
BUT IS ALIVE FOREVERMORE
AND I HAVE THE KEYS OF HADES AND DEATH
What does this mean?
If you have the keys to something
It means you have ownership
You have authority over that thing
Jesus is telling John not to be afraid, why?
Because He has the last word when it comes to death
He has authority over death
He had the power to lay his life down and to raise it back up again
Death is no longer in authority over us who are in Christ Jesus
WHO ARE THE STARS?
THE ANGELS OF THE CHURCHES
THE WORD IN THE GREEK IS MESSENGERS
WHO ARE THE LAMPSTANDS?
THEY ARE THE SEVEN CHURCHES