Jesus Speaks
Revelation: All Things New • Sermon • Submitted
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· 9 viewsTheme: Jesus is Lord of the Church. Purpose: That the Church take its direction from Jesus. Gospel: The ascended Lord is present with the church to direct her. Mission: Discipleship is listenting to Jesus.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction: Watching the Chosen - Picture of Jesus in the Gospel, in Revelation He looks way different. How? and Why?
The Church is under attack.
The Church is under attack.
I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”
“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.
It is import to see a little context here.
Who is the Author - God and....
John - John is the Apostle John, I know it is debated, but what convinces me is a couple of things. 1) While a different Genre there are some similarities in themes and theology from John’s other writings. 2) Justin Martyre - 135 AD, A guy named Iraneaus (180 AD) said so - John - Polycarp - Iraneaus. - Earlier church writers claim he is the Apostle, later writers who didn’t like this book said it was someone else. - lived 130 AD - 202 AD, Polycarp (69-155 AD)
Iraneaus said it was John during Domitians persecution. -
John calls himself in the co-sharer of “The Tribulation.” and Kingdom, and endurance in Jesus.
“Tribulation” word is only here and one other time in the N.T. and when Jesus speaks of the Great Tribulation. Likely John thought this could be “The Tribulation” Jesus spoke of. There were previous ones of which John would have had experience with.
Nero - Tortured Christians (mostly in Rome, not empire wide) as a skape goat for a fire that burned down 1/3rd of Rome. People thought Nero did it. Nero eventually issued an edict to persecute Christians simply for being Christians. This edict was never recanted through most of the Roman Empire until Constantine. It wasn’t always enforced though.
Destruction of Jerusalem 70 AD which had to effect John a Jew.
Domitian loved everything Roman and pertaining to the Roman gods, and so likely hated Christians and Jews for refusing to worship them. Many Christians were considered to be martyred during Domitians reign, for a short time especially in Rome and Asia Minor. Often times leaders were banished so as to not have the influence to keep Christians and Jews from moving back to the “Roman Ways.”
Domitians Reign was from 81 AD - 96 AD. John was likely between the ages of 80-100 during the time he wrote John.
OK, so we need to reiterate - This book was primarily written to 7 churches who were experiencing fear over this wave of persecution, of which a major leader, John has been banished. And Jesus wants to write to them a visionary letter to Bless them.
So again, we need to first read how these 7 churches would understand this book as Jesus tells John to write what he has seen (Past-Tense), What things are (Present tense), and The things which are about to take pace after these things (It seems like near future tense).
Jesus is Lord of the Church.
Jesus is Lord of the Church.
I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.
The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.
His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.
In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.
I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.
The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Jesus is Lord
Jesus is Lord
Seeing the vision of the Holy Spirit coming on people like a dove and them people devleoping wings of fire and that fire spreading.
So some of the imagery is not explained by Jesus, but it isn’t too hard to figure out. Go to google and OpenBible.info. Bible Cross References - And you will find this imagry in the Bible.
Also, John knew Jesus when he walked on Earth. But this vision of Jesus Scared Him to death. How do we reconcile this to say, “The Chosens” portrayel of Jesus?
And I lifted up my eyes and I saw, and there was a man, and he was dressed in linen, and his waist was girded with the gold of Uphaz.
Now his body was like turquoise, and his face was like the appearance of lightning, and his eyes were like torches of fire, and his arms and his legs were like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words was like the sound of a multitude.
Daniel also saw a similar figure - robe, belt of gold, bright face, eyes like fire, polished bronze, voice similar.
Like in Revelation - Daniels messenger told him not to be afraid, and the message was about what was going to happen to the Jewish people under persian rule and really up to when Jesus arrived.
So, John is really identifying this messenger of Daniels as Jesus speaking to Daniel.
The figure would be noticeable, but the symbols point to who Jesus is.
Robe and Golden Sash - Reminds the readers and us that Jesus is our High Priest
The Lexham English Bible Chapter 8
we have a high priest such as this, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord set up, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices; therefore it was* necessary for this one also to have something that he offers.
Hair White as Wool - Reminds us of His Purity and that he is God - Also the Ancient of Days from...
“I continued watching until thrones were placed and an Ancient of Days sat; his clothing was like white snow and the hair of his head was like pure wool and his throne was a flame of fire and its wheels were burning fire.
Fire Eyes: Fire often mean judgement throughout scripture. It also the means of purification. So these are penatrating eyes. Jesus see all things as they are and judges them accurately. - This would scare us if we knew anyone who could see right through us, our secrets, or ways, our thoughts, etc…Our initial reaction would be, Don’t be judgy.
Feet of Bronze: Not sure exactly what it means, but certainly it is pure bronze, all of the impurities.
Voice: Clearly why this is symbolic.
Both sounds like a Trumpet - Play
The trumpet is a symbol of considerable consequence in the Old and New Testaments. In general, it can signify an alarm of war, a call to assemble, or a command to march (see Numbers 10:1-10). The fourth annual holy day is the Feast of Trumpets, a "memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation" (Leviticus 23:24; Numbers 29:1). Psalm 81:3-5 indicates Joseph was released from prison in Egypt on the Feast of Trumpets, making for rich symbolism regarding the future release of Israelite captives.
And many waters - This is moving water, and so is living water, which Jesus said was the Holy Spirit. So when Jesus speaks it as though the Spirit moves and works, and proceeds from Jesus.
Double-Edged Sword - Jesus does spiritual warfare with his words - It reminds us also of the Armor of God in Ephesians 6 - The Sword of Truth or....
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, both joints and marrow, and able to judge the reflections and thoughts of the heart.
- Picture of the Ramphaia - Describe Forged in Fire Scene.
- Words Matter, but Jesus’ words are so precise, so truthful, and cuts to the heart of things - on point. - This both heals and destroys evil. - We see Jesus doing this in during His life.
Double-Edges sword comes out of a passage from Isaiah on a description of God’s Servant the Messiah.
And he made my mouth like a sharp sword; he hid me in the shadow of his hand, and he made me like a sharpened arrow; he hid me in his quiver.
His face was shining like the sun. What happens when you look directly into the sun? Usually your body immediately reacts to this shear brightness and looks away.
- wiffle ball at the block party.
This depicts Jesus’ holiness. It is painful and scarry to humans not because it is bad, but because He is sooo good and brillient. - This is also a foreshadow of the end of Revelation where the sun will no longer be needed because the presence of the Lord will be the New Heaven and New Earth’s light Source.
Finally, Jesus is the First and the Last, He is identifying with himself as God - just like the Father in verse 1-8 is the one who is and has been, and will come, so is Jesus
Jesus in very vivid imagry is being presented by John as the God-Man, fully God, and fully man, but one person.
1. Sometimes it is hard to fully comprehend Jesus as the Alpha and the Omega. N. T. Wright says, “This baby is what you get when the stamp of divine nature leaves its exact imprint in the soft metal of a human being. Jesus is the coin that tells you whose country you are living in. Jesus is the seal that tells us whose authority the document carries. Jesus is the alphabet, Alpha and Omega, beginning and ending, Chi and Rho, the Christ, Sigma for Soter, Saviour, Tau for the cross—the letters that speak of his identity, his vocation, his victory” (N. T. Wright [sermon, Durham Cathedral], quoted in Trevin Wax, “God Inside Out,” The Gospel Coalition, December 16, 2006, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/god-inside-out/).
The dead giveaway that this is Jesus is...
Jesus is Lord over Life and Death.
Jesus is Lord over Life and Death.
Clearly a description of Jesus dying and being raised to new life. - vs. 18
Keys to death and hades - Hades is not our conception of Hell, this is the Jewish conception that is using a Greek word to mean the place of the dead. It is where all dead people go after they die.
To say he has the keys, is not to say he literally has keys, but it is symbolic in saying he has the power over death and the place of the dead. In other words, he can make dead people alive again, and he has the power to release people from the place of death.
Jesus is now Lord over Life and Death by His Death and Resurrection.
Jesus is with the Church.
Jesus is with the Church.
Everything Said so far is about the description of Who Jesus is through these Symbolic Images.
But Jesus has something to say, and one of the first things he wants to say, is what two Symbols mean.
I think what we can find is that all of the symbols so far that are not explained, need not be explained because The Author, and the Reader, and if we do our homework already can know what those things mean. You just have to look them up in the O.T.
Like we said last week, Jesus wants us to know the meaning of the Symbolic language in Revalation so Explains two symbols that either are not in the O.T. or are going to take on new meaning than what is in the O.T.
What are the stars? and What are the lampstands?
Jesus explains - The 7 lampstands are the 7 churches John is writing Revelation to....That simple.
The Seven Stars are 7 Angels for the 7 Churches. OK, the word could mean messenger, so it is either, 7 human messengers, or supranatural messengers (likely the second as the bodies in the sky in ancient cultures often represented supranatural beings).
Jesus Speaks to the Church
Jesus Speaks to the Church
The Point here is Jesus is standing among the Churches - Leading and guiding, and he holds authority (ie right hand) to speak through messengers to his church. - He is Lord over the Church, and the church would do well to listen to Him and receive guidance from Him. - Great commission - All authority in Heaven and Earth…and Surely I am with you....
This is both challenging and comforting.
Jesus has never and will never abandon his leadership of the Church, but the question is...
Are We Listening?
Are We Listening?
Yes, Revelation was written to seven Churches in Asia Minor around 100 AD, but you will make note of something.
They are all required to read each others mail, and so are we...
By listening to what Jesus is about to speak to these 7 churches we will be hearing what he is saying to our churches. Are we listening.
Ways to listen: Read your Bible - Vision is to get people together around the Word. And Listening Prayer. And the Holy Spirit working through each other to speak to one another
Conclusion: