Vision #1: The Exalted and Glorified Christ

Recap from Last Week

Blessed are those who read His word, those who hear his word, and those who keep His word.

Jesus is the king of the universe the one who loves us and frees us from sin by His Blood.

The Book of Revelation is all about Jesus.

John on the island of Patmos.

(fly-over of the island Patmos)

The text of Revelation states that John was on Patmos, a Greek island where, according to most biblical historians, he was exiled as a result of anti-Christian persecution under the Roman emperor Domitian.

Patmos was a small 10 by 6 mile Greek Island in the Aegean Sea. It was a place reserved for many criminals and political prisoners.

Convicts were allowed relative freedom to roam the small island, but most had to provide their own food and shelter and were guarded by Roman soldiers against leaving. Many died of exposure, violent attacks by other convicts, or starvation. Tradition holds that John’s friends and followers in Ephesus sent food and other supplies to John on the island, and that is how he survived.

Revelation 1:9–11 ESV

9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

The book of Revelation may possibly be titled, “The Normal Christian Life: Prosperity Gospelers Need Not Apply.”

The apostle John had been faithful both to preach the Word of God and to proclaim the testimony of Jesus Christ

For the apostle John, service to the Lord Jesus meant suffering and even death. We will find throughout the book that the gospel demands such devotion from all of Christ’s people.

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1. The plan of Christ involves our partnership in Suffering.

Note: John begins by addressing the Church as your brother and partner.

He is calling you kin folk.

He considers you family. (we have heard from some secular writers that perhaps the Church brought him some food while on the island in order to sustain him in his suffering)

John also, considers your partnership as one of tribulation and suffering.

Look what Paul writes in Philippians 3:10

Philippians 3:10 ESV

10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Nothing else in life mattered to Paul. He was willing to lose every earthly possession and pursuit for the sake of intimately knowing Christ. He considered everything else worthless and garbage compared to knowing Christ even if it meant his own suffering and death.

KOINONIA: The concept of community and togetherness involving mutual participation in the family of God and Christ. This kind of “fellowship” is so sweet it is with God first and then with one another.

Note: We have another triad here, like last week with “who was, and is, and is to come.” We now see the interrelated aspects of tribulation, Kingdom, and Endurance.

Endurance takes place as a part of a believers share in the kingdom of God and in general terms affliction and grief fall under the tribulations we experience. The proper response to tribulations is always endurance. The central term in the three is all about the kingdom of God. In Jesus teaching the kingdom referred to the rule of God that began with his first advent but would be completed at his second coming.

As we looked at last week this kind of Christian hope has its basis in the royal reign and rule of Christ. The believer is already participating in the empire of God and Christ, although present that shared “rule” takes the form of spiritual conflict against the satanic kingdom and persecution by the world empire of this age.

Can you honestly say that if it took your suffering and death to know Jesus you would willingly submit?

(Revelation 1:9–11))

For the apostle John, service to the Lord Jesus meant suffering and even death. We will find throughout the book that the gospel demands such devotion from all of Christ’s people

*Part of the normal Christian Experience involves Suffering.

There is Pain and Privilege in suffering for Jesus

Tribulation: means pressure, trouble, affliction. It is considered a part of the normal Christian life.

Note: John not unlike that of Peter, Paul, and the Lord, received his greatest revelation and climbed his highest peak during a time of greatest oppression, persecution, and suffering for Christ.

I asked our community group that meets on Tuesday evenings at our house when was the time that you heard God’s voice the loudest in your life? I shared that for me it has always seemed to be at the times of greatest struggle and turmoil in my life. I do not think this is by accident.

God comes alongside us in our greatest our of need to provide us with the comfort that He is there, He walks this path of suffering and struggle along with you, you will never walk alone.

You’ll never walk alone (Rodgers and Hamerstein Show tune Carousel)

“When you walk through the storm hold your head up high, and don’t be afraid of the dark .....

Walk through the wind, walk through the rain, Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart and you’ll never walk alone.

We should not be shocked to encounter trials in this life.

Following Jesus inevitably will lead us to the cross. “We must be ready for - and we cannot hope to avoid - the downward path of the Crucified.” What Jesus say’s is that if you want to be a follower, the normal course of action for the true follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

There is a purpose and plan in Suffering for Jesus

Note: Endurance or perseverance means to abide under a heavy load, to stay with it, to hang in there, not to throw in the towel or drop out of the race.

PATIENCE: Patience is one of the virtues in scripture when coupled with perseverance and endurance it requires a whole new level of patience in our lives. We might be able to muster up some patience when waiting a special event like a birthday, or a going to a sporting event/concert. However, when we have to muster up some patience in the middle of our own suffering and trials it brings on a whole new meaning to the word patience.

We may think of ourselves as a fairly patient person until that patience includes our own suffering and struggle. It is at this point that most people tap out.

Suffering for Christ is a part of the normal Christian Experience.

In the early Church it was an expected way of life. Today’s Western culture either tries to avoid it by watering down the message or accommodating false teachings to appease the crowd.

All of this suffering happens according to His will, His plan. John’s exile to Patmos was not an accident. It did not catch God by surprise any more than our own tribulations and crisis we face catches Him off guard or unprepared.

Jesus provided the needed strength for John to fulfill his purpose and He will do the same for you and me.

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TRANSITION

John tells us that he was in the Spirit on the Lords day. The phrase “in the Spirit” occurs four times in Revelation. Like the prophets of old he was in a supernatural state of inspiration when he wrote.

Nothing in the text indicates that John sought out this kind of experience, it was divinely orchestrated and led by God.

It was the Lords day or Shabbat in Jewish Culture.

(1) It may refer to the eschatological day of the Lord, so that John is transported to the time of the eschaton or end. However the language appears to be more of a common day and use declaration.

(2) It may refer to Easter Sunday as the day of the parousia within the confines of Easter Liturgy; but this is highly speculative, and this view did not arise until at least a century later.

(3) Most likely it refers to Sunday, chosen by the early church on the basis of the resurrection as the day of worship.

It was SHARP, CLEAR, AND LOUD

“and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet saying, write what you see in a book...”

Note: Some say that the voice was that of an angel, however, the following text clearly identifies the voice as none other that Jesus Christ Himself.

Letter to be composed to 7 Historical Churches in Asia. Remember that the number 7 also stands for completeness in scripture. John obeyed and served his Lord even in the middle of his difficult circumstances.

Why these 7 cities Troas and Colosse were critical NT centers.

1). The most natural solution is that these 7 cities formed a natural center of communication for the rest of the province, since they were in order of sequence on an inner circular route that since Paul’s times had become organizing and distributing centers for the church.

2). Also it has been pointed out that these particular cities may have been chosen because of their relationship to the imperial cult. All but Thyatira had temples dedicated to the emperors, and all but Philadelphia and Laodicea had imperial priests and alters.

3). These churches represented the problems of the other churches in the area (note how the letter includes “Hear waht the Spirit says to the churches.”

Revelation 1:12–17 ESV

12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last,

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2. The Person of Christ should evoke a face down reaction.

Scene 1 Opens: The Church is Centered on Christ

The mountains and mines on Patmos were surrounded calculated to depress, not to encourage. The voice spoke to John in this place: John turned and the ocean view behind him disappeared behind him as a vision from a whole different reality was opened.

John Turns Around to see the voice that is Speaking to Him

I wonder what John expected to see when he turned around?

When do you sense God’s Presence the most?

Note: There is possibly there is a double meaning, with a metaphorical aspect added - John not only “turned around,” but this was a “turning point for the church,” meaning that at this moment the visions of God’s plan to end world history were to begin and had just now been revealed for the first time.

“To See the Voice” - How do you see a voice?

‘The voice’ in Rev. 1:12 is intended as the designation of a heavenly creature or divine being. The seer, that is, encounters not a disembodied voice, but a being who is visible.

The first thing that John see’s is not the voice itself but 7 Lamp stands representing the 7 churches.

Jesus is the light of the world, and He gives his disciples the same title in Matthew 5:14

Matthew 5:14 ESV

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

In the NT the lamp was normally seen as an oil lamp with a single hole through which the wick protruded. Moses is demanded in the Old Testament Moses fashioned “a lampstand of pure gold” for the Holy Place with seven branches and lamps resting on the lampstand, the sacred menorah that became a symbol of Judaism.

Remember that Zechariah was given a vision of a seven-branched gold lampstand “with seven channels.” Further in Revelation 4:10 the “seven” probably the seven lamps are defined as “the eyes of the Lord, which range throughout the earth, looking for those whose hearts are completely his.”

It would seem that the most likely interpretation is that this is Yahweh’s presence among his people, most take it as a reference to Israel shining on the nations with the Holy Spirit and the truth of God. He uses the titled “son of man” which was Jesus favorite self-designation.

So, we see basically a shining for God in the midst of a hostile world.

This is a great picture of hope and encouragement for the Church.

He is there with them.

He knows what they are going through.

He is watching and He is working in His Church.

He is in the middle of all the experiences of life.

Though they may and will fail Him at times, he will never fail them. To sense His presence would have encouraged and sustained them to patiently endure.

Do most people experience this kind of Presence in the Local Church? If not Why not?

I would say many do not because they are totally detached from His Church. We continue to read by a recent Barna research that Church dropouts have Risen to 64%. But what about those who stay?

The research goes on to show in further interviews that their is an emerging group of young people who are embracing the Church as what Kinnaman and his coauthor Mark Matlock call “Faith Exiles.” Consider the 1 in 10 young Christians for whom they have coined the term “resilient disciples.”

There are 10% of young Christians which amount to just under four million 18-29 year-olds in the U.S. who follow Jesus and are resilient in faithfulness. In spite of the tensions they feel between church and everyday life, they keep showing up.

These faith exiles are involved in faith communities beyond mere attendance on Sunday morning services; and strongly affirm that the Bible is inspired by God and contains truth about the world. What this means is that they are more concerned about how their faith intersects meaningfully and missionally with the world around them.

The Faithful Exiles would say they sense God’s presence the most when they are working for the Kingdom of God as Exiles in the World.

What Portrait of Jesus does your mind see?

This is one of the few rare times that the veil has been cracked open to allow us to look into the Holy place and see the King of Glory as He really is.

8 Descriptions of the Resurrected Christ

1. In His clothing He Rules and Reigns

He is dressed in a long robe with a golden sash wrapped around His chest. This is similar to the priestly dress worn by the High Priest in the OT, however priest did not wear a sash high up on their chest and in their case it was not a golden sash. We also see angels wearing the golden sash in this way and they are not high priests. Also, we do not read of Christ’s priestly office mentioned throughout Revelation.

The long robe and sash were also worn by dignitaries and rulers. This appears to be more symbolic of his divine judgement, rule, and reign over His creation.

2. In His Wisdom He is profound

His head and hair are white like wool - white as snow. The significance of these words and their OT connections are powerful and must not be missed.

This is remarkable, because in that same chapter in Daniel (7) where John gets this picture of “one like a son of man” (vv. 13–14), God the Father is described like this in verse 9: “The Ancient of Days took his seat; his vesture was like white snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool.” In other words John is describing the Son of Man in terms used for God himself. John wants us to see something here about the age of Christ and the wisdom and dignity that come with age—everlasting age!

In our American society today as a whole we respect the process of aging less and less. People are admired for their attempts to keep looking young, not if whether or not they have any dignity in their age.

The Bible see’s it another way. Proverbs 16:31

Proverbs 16:31 ESV

31 Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.

One reason that we do not want to grow old is that we associate age with the fading of powers that make life worth living - the capacity to see, and think, and hear clearly and move about and not have pain.

All of these things have to do with aging in a futile and fallen world of sin. Once God does away with sin and the curse, and establishes the new heaven and new earth, aging will no have any of these negative connotations. It will only be associated with growing wisdom and insight and maturity.

We should embrace the power and beauties that available in the depth of age and wisdom. This is what John saw when he saw the resurrected Christ.

3. In His Eyes burns the flame of divine insight and fierce judgment.

Most scholars contend that this pictures the extent to the divine insight that penetrates to the very core of the human existence. However, it goes much deeper than that to include also His fierce judgment of the God who knows and acts against those who disobey him.

The return of Christ is marked with “Justice as He judges and makes war against His enemies.”

4. In His Feet is his steadfast strength and absolute Purity.

The following text is somewhat more difficult to interpret. The description of feet, is problematic because the noun occurs only in Rev. 1:15 and Revelation 2:18. We do see his feet as burnished bronze mentioned in Daniel 10:6.

The kind of metal that this is speaking of most likely was an alloy of copper and zinc, used for military purposes (Thyatira was a Roman garrison town or military headquarters) and in coinage.

We have the image of “polished bronze” which emphasizes the glory and strength of Christ. We also have the picture of the refiners fire picturing a kiln used to bring metal to a white-hot heat in order to refine and purify it.

5. In His Voice He is Powerful

There is no mistaking the voice of our risen Lord. His voice is like the sound of cascading waters. It is a voice of awesome power and pervasive authority. His voice echoes His majesty and sovereignty like the waters that continually crash against the rocks of Patmos where John sat in exile.

6. In His Right Hand He Protects His Servants

Consider the place you feel most protected and secure. Perhaps its at home with your mom and dad, or a particular place that you go that feels comfortable and at peace.

The right hand throughout scripture symbolizes His power and authority. Jesus also sits at the right hand of the father in heaven which is the favored place of honor.

To hold in one sense means to “acquire” or “take possession” of the thing and in another sense to “keep” or “preserve” the thing. Most likely both ideas are correct here. To have in His hand occurs often in the book of Revelation. The resurrected Christ is in complete control. We read in John 10:27-28

John 10:27–28 ESV

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

There is no safer or more secure place to be than in the hands of your Savior.

The seven stars are explained as the ‘angels of the seven churches.’ He holds securely in his protective grasp.

7. In His Mouth comes the Sword of Judgment

We have the picture in scripture that He will “strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.” 2 Thessalonians 2:8

2 Thessalonians 2:8 ESV

8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

Here we have the sword of judgment, and the “mouth” of the Messiah from which the sword will come as a proclamation of judgment. Christ’s parousia (coming) will destroy the “man of lawlessness” with the very “breath of His mouth.”

The “mouth” was an apocalyptic symbol for judgment and waging war. In the right hand the sword strikes down His enemies but brings victory to those who are His own.

8. In His Radiance His Face shines the Everlasting Light

John would have been that at Christ’s transfiguration when his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. God is called a “sun and shield.” After Moses had been with the Lord his face was so radiant that they had to put a covering over his face it was so bright.

Revelation 1:17–20 ESV

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that 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 are the seven churches.

3. The Power of Christ should Overwhelm and Encourage us.

John’s response was to fall down as one who was dead, notice Jesus response was to place his hand gently of John’s shoulder and to say, “Do not be Afraid.”

THE PERSON OF CHRIST (1:17-18)

John’s Reaction

Remember that Moses was told that he could not look on the face of God and live so God placed him in the cleft of the rock where all that he saw was God’s back.

John’s reaction to this vision gives us greater insight into the reaction at seeing the second coming might hold for some. The natural reaction to seeing the face of the resurrected Christ in all of His Glory is to fall at His feet in fear. John is going to do this several times throughout the book of Revelation.

Remember what Paul tells us in Philippians 2:9-11

Philippians 2:9–11 ESV

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The natural reaction to all who finally see Jesus face to face will be a face down reaction.

Notice: Jesus response is “stop being afraid.” There is not need to fear the presence as long as you are a child of the king.

He Has Authority over Life and Death

Remember that Jesus is the first born of all creation, that means he holds the keys to life itself itself. He is also the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and End. So, he is the one who starts life and also the one who takes life away at the end.

The ultimate authority he has over life and death rest in his own ability to resurrect from the dead. Jesus reminds us of His ultimate power over death by stating that He was dead but behold He is now alive. Notice all of the “I” statements, “I died,” “I am the first,” “I am alive,” “I have the keys.” 1 Corinthians 15:55-56

1 Corinthians 15:55–56 ESV

55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

He Has the Cosmic Plan

In light of the contents of the vision of Jesus cosmic victory of life and death and the forces of evil, John must “write” a statement repeated from verse 11 down what God is telling him to write.

The plan that has been laid out is not merely dealing with the present situation with the seven Churches. The vision has past, present, and future aspects interwoven through the entire message.

What would John have to fear. John’s reaction appears to be one of complete Awe at the Risen Christ.

This is different than the fear that we read about the wailing of those wail on account of seeing His coming in Revelation 7. These are the ones who feared the as Jesus pointed out those who could kill the body but not the soul in Matthew 10:28

Matthew 10:28 ESV

28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Jesus was speaking to the disciples as He was sending them out to proclaim the gospel of Christ. Jesus reminds them of the persecution to come however, he comforts them in the knowledge that they are not to fear what man can do to them and that His love and care for them are secure.

I wonder if John was thinking back to when he and James were questioning even biding with Jesus who was going to sit on his right and left in the kingdom of God. Jesus responded by asking if they could possibly drink the cup he is going to drink and undergo the very wrath of God that He must endure.

Now John is face to face with His resurrected Savior and all of the questioning about favored positions has faded away. The person who is on row 700 in the kingdom and the one who is on row 3 will respond as John has face down on the ground saying this is a great seat Lord, thank you for my seat in the kingdom of God.

CONCLUSION

CULTURAL APPLICATION TODAY

What is Your Greatest Fear? What Should you fear?

Do not fear time He is the First and Last

Do not fear life. He is life itself.

Do not fear dying. He holds the keys to the grave and death.

The greater problem most people have is that either they rarely or have never had a facedown experience with Jesus Christ.

Don’t let the day you see Him face to face be the first time.