Vision for the church
Notes
Transcript
what threatens your faith?
what threatens the life of the church?
Politicians and government
individuals… family, unfaithful christians
nothing… many have said the same, even preachers
In these last days...
In these last days...
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
What vision do we need?
3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”
What vision do we need?
1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
What vision do we need?
Revelation
Revelation
Revelation is addressed to seven churches in Asia Minor (1:4, 11), in the Roman province of Asia (now part of western Turkey).
11 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.”
Each church receives rebukes and encouragement in accord with its condition (2:1-3:22).
Persecution had fallen on some Christians (1:9; 2:9, 13) and more was coming (2:10; 13:7-10).
The beast...
7 It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear. 10 “If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed.” This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.
Heretical teachings and declining fervor tempted Christians to compromise with pagan society (2:2, 4, 14, 15, 20-24; 3:1, 2, 15, 17).
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you,
John wrote Revelation to assure these churches that Christ knew their condition and was calling them to stand fast against all temptation.
Their victory had been secured through the blood of the Lamb (5:9, 10; 12:11).
9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
Christ would come soon to defeat Satan and all his all who oppose him (19:11-20:10), and Christ’s people would enjoy everlasting peace in His presence (7:15-17; 21:3, 4).
15 Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 16 ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”
These lessons, however, were not only for the first-century church but apply to every generation of believers until Jesus returns.
So, for us now…
If we are going persevere to the end amidst suffering; if we are going to see the day of the Lord and welcome its coming; if we are going to faithfully serve our Lord, no matter what is going on around us, no matter what we see rear its ugly head among us, no matter what tempation might come… what vision do we need?
Grand buildings, with great architecture; massive congregations meeting together; strong political influence; an ideology that ‘fits’ with the world around us, that moves with the times; leaders that look good, sound great, and stand a head taller than everyone else… what vision do we need?
In the midst of suffering...
In the midst of suffering...
9 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.
Jesus says we need to see him!
10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 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.” 12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
lampstands… 1:20; right hand he held seven stars (16)...
lampstands… 1:20; right hand he held seven stars (16)...
20 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.
13 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. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 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.
One like a son of man...
One like a son of man...
13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
As the OT priests tended the lamps and lampstands, so Christ is pictured here as a heavenly priest who tends the churches (lampstands) by correcting and exhorting them (chs. 2; 3).
dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet...
dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet...
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
golden sash around his chest...
golden sash around his chest...
4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, 5 I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
hair on his head white like wool, white as snow…
hair on his head white like wool, white as snow…
identifies Christ with God in wisdom and purity
9 “As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
his eyes were like blazing fire…
his eyes were like blazing fire…
holiness of Christ… piercing
feet like bronze glowing in a furnace...
feet like bronze glowing in a furnace...
see above Daniel 10:6; picture of strength and stability, rather than the crumbling kingdom mentioned in Daniel 2.
6 His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
voice like the sound of rushing waters…
voice like the sound of rushing waters…
vision of the Lord Almighty
1 Then the man brought me to the gate facing east, 2 and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory.
out of his mouth was a sharp double-edged sword…
out of his mouth was a sharp double-edged sword…
The “sharp two-edged sword” coming out of Christ’s mouth is based on the prophecies of Is. 11:4 and 49:2, both speaking of Christ in His role as Judge.
4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance…
face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance…
The glory of Jesus revealed to his people
1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
19 The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. 20 Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.
2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.
As though dead...
As though dead...
17 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. 18 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.
the first and the last...
the first and the last...
Essentially the same as the Alpha and the Omega (v. 8 note; 2:8; 22:13; Is. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12). The Son of Man describes Himself as the “first and last,” using the same words God attributes to Himself in Is. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12 and also in Rev. 1:8.
1 “Be silent before me, you islands! Let the nations renew their strength! Let them come forward and speak; let us meet together at the place of judgment. 2 “Who has stirred up one from the east, calling him in righteousness to his service? He hands nations over to him and subdues kings before him. He turns them to dust with his sword, to windblown chaff with his bow. 3 He pursues them and moves on unscathed, by a path his feet have not traveled before. 4 Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord—with the first of them and with the last—I am he.”
So. this phrase refers to the complete sovereignty of God over human history from beginning to end, and its use by the exalted Christ here shows that He, too, is Lord over history, thus removing any doubt that He is divine.
the living one...
the living one...
Christ’s resurrection and new life provide for the new life of His people (2:8; 5:9, 10; 20:4, 5) and the renewal of the world itself (22:1).
9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
keys of Death...
keys of Death...
This phrase anticipates 20:14.
If we are going persevere to the end amidst suffering; if we are going to see the day of the Lord and welcome its coming; if we are going to faithfully serve our Lord, no matter what is going on around us, no matter what we see rear its ugly head among us, no matter what tempation might come… what vision do we need?
Jesus.