I Have a Message For You - Revelation 1
I have a message for you Revelation 1
Can you be absolutely certain that the Lord Jesus has spoken to you directly? Not something that you are not sure about, but an instance where you can be 100% confident, Jesus Christ had spoken to you.
It seems fanciful, but I believe we can have a certainty; that even the apostle John had when he heard this voice which he recorded in verse 10 as loud like a trumpet…there’s no missing that.
It is a book with a purpose – for the church. This book is not for scholars: it’s for you and me; not a secret, no secret interpretations, some things difficult to understand. It’s the revelation of Christ to the church – Apocalyptic - (Greek apocalypto), the unveiling story, the disclosure of unseen realities – comes from people who would not cooperate with the Romans. It speaks and encourages in veiled language; the main message – enemies destroyed.
First word Apocalypse in Greek (Revelation 1:1) Blessings come as a result of study – Read aloud blessed. (Revelation 1:3)
Studying Revelation is good against the teachings, sects and cults, and leads to a steadfast hope – to endure. (1Thessalonians 1:3)
Who/Where/when/what is going on with John?
Who – John the Apostle; the one whom Jesus loved, brother of James (not Jesus’ brother), was with Peter and James on the Mount of Transfiguration, also wanted to call fire down upon the Samaritans, Sons of thunder (Boanerges), leaned on Jesus chest at the last supper, was standing with Mary at the cross and told “Behold your mother.” She then lived with John. He wrote the gospel of John and three letters - 1, 2, 3 John. He was an elder at the church at Ephesus.
Where is John? Patmos – like an Alcatraz, no boats, etc, but he had some freedom, he could write (he had papyrus - a scroll). Verse 10 – on a Sunday, first day of the week.
When? AD95. Christ arose (called the Lord’s Day) in the Spirit – not vague – fully engaged mind, John was conscious of the manifest presence of God – Holy Spirit; not a trance type state. Few have had the privilege of seeing the glory of God; Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Paul – to a certain extent – 3rd heaven, Peter, and lastly John the Apostle whom Jesus loved.
The purpose (Revelation 1:11) – written to 7 churches – AD 95/96. Opposed to Emperor Domitian who called himself a god and that all gods are acceptable. Many Christians were killed.
The scene. Beach, Island of Patmos. He saw a vision being in the Spirit (verse 10) on the Lord’s Day, the Jesus rose up, Sunday, AD95.
Many people are distracted away from the purpose, and more specifically the Person, that the book is all about. The book is the Revelation of Jesus. Look at the description John saw.
A vision of Jesus – among seven lampstands (the 7 churches); described as hair white like wool - age, glory, wisdom (Revelation 1:14), son of man, eyes a flame of fire, voice like the roar of many waters (think Niagara Falls, not Brisbane River); sharp two-edged sword – His Word; face like the Sun shining at full strength. Awesome God, of Christ is described in verse 8 - who is, who was and who is to come, the Almighty (Daniel 7:9) Ancient of Days; feet like burnished bronze, our God is a consuming fire.
What’s John’s reaction? “I fell down at his feet as though dead.” (verse 17)
That’s exactly what we see here in Revelation. John we are told was ‘in the Spirit’ (verse 10) and had been given the task of declaring to these seven churches of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) the specific message that Jesus has for those churches.
1. Ephesus – doctrinally pure, but lost their first love. (Revelation 2:2-4) story ‘give us truth’ – saved by grace alone church.
2. Smyrna – church of poverty (but rich) and blessed, trial and tribulation – 10 days. (Revelation 2: 9, 10)
3. Pergamum – faithful, yet faltering. (Revelation 2:13-15)
4. Thyatira – Tolerated false teaching/immorality. (Revelation 2:19, 20) The accommodating Church
5. Sardis - The Works church. (Revelation 3:1,2) Name alive but dead. The church of the great noise, but not great theology
6. Philadelphia – brotherly love, the faithful under trial church saved tribulation of the earth. (Revelation 3:9, 10)
7. Laodicea – The lukewarm church. Thought they were rich, but were poor, blind and naked. (Revelation 3:15-17)
3 descriptors that all seven churches have addressed to them:
1. “The words of…” from The Word
2. “He who has an ear let him hear” – spiritual tuning in. Some hear God’s voice/some don’t
3. “The one who conquers” – God’s will in the war – leads to salvation and sanctification.
The obvious question is: what would Jesus’ message be for us here at Chuwar?
But the three common statements to these 7 churches are still true for us.
What’s my church like? The answer should be that it acknowledges and submits to these three universal identifiers:
1. Words – a church is defined by its attention to and reverence for the Word of God
2. Be Conquerors - a church is recognised as persevering against and overcoming trial and temptation – the saints will persevere (we are more than conquerors)
3. Have ears to hear – wisdom and discernment – recognise what God is saying to us individually and as a church.
Hearing from Jesus directly – not a fanciful notion. Every Sunday when the Word of God is read and especially as we did this morning reading those “red letters” – they are the timeless, living and active words of Jesus directly for you, given by the messenger – which in this case is the pastor.