Christ & His Bride

Introduction

[Prayer]

Well, good morning!

If you have your Bible, I invite you to turn with me to the Book of Revelation. We’ll be finishing up the second half of chapter 1 this morning…and then, I’m just gonna warn you, starting next week…we’ll be moving much faster through this book.

And listen, I shared this last week…we’re not necessarily in a rush…we’re not trying to hurry through this book…I just want us to remember what this book is…who it was written to…why it was written. We have to remember that Revelation, it was a letter meant to be read and heard in a single setting. It wasn’t meant for them to over analyze all the signs…it wasn’t meant to inspire the Left Behind series…it wasn’t written to satisfy our curiosity of the timing for Jesus’s return. It was written to a heavily persecuted church that needed comfort and hope, and it was meant to strengthen their confidence in Christ, in His work, in His promises.

And so, starting next week…we’ll be covering multiple chapters at a time…just so that we can kind of keep the overall picture of what John’s communicating to us about this revelation that he received from Jesus. And listen, if you were unable to be with us last week…I encourage you, take some time this week listening to that sermon…I don’t normally recommend my preaching to anyone..but we covered some foundations for this book that I think are essential to understanding Revelation. So if you have the chance, maybe go online…download our app and just listen and catch yourself up.

For the sake of time this morning…we’re gonna read our Scripture as we walk through each of our points together…so we won’t stand and read it at the start…we’ll get back into the habit of that as we jump back into Genesis later on in July…but as I mentioned last week…please, please be reading our passages on your own throughout the week. Take notes…be apart of our Sunday schools…there’s only so much we can cover on Sunday mornings…and remember I only have time to preach this book in the way I’m convicted and the way I feel the Spirit’s leading me to preach it.

Listen, today, as we dive back into chapter 1…we’re still, in a way, building the context around the book of Revelation…and listen, our passage, it provides what might possibly be the most majestic portrait of Jesus that’s ever been written down on paper. And the point of this passage…its to be a reminder to these Christians in the 1st century church who Jesus is and what He’s done…and because of those things, what He’s capable of doing. His person and work, they’re put on display here and its a reminder of who we now are in Christ. That’s the point of this section of Scripture. It’s meant to be an encouragement…its meant to be comforting.

We have to remember the original readers of this letter…who John was writing to…why Jesus inspired this letter. We have to put ourselves in their shoes and remember that this was written to them.

And listen, when we do that, we’ll understand how God’s using it in our lives today. Maybe you’re feeling sorrowful this morning…maybe you’re feeling confused…maybe you’re struggling with some kind of sin. This passage, its meant to comfort…its meant to give clarity…its meant to give hope. Jesus wanted this letter to empower and embolden believers. That’s the point of this passage…and my prayer this morning, its that as we walk through this…the Spirit of God, He’ll use this text to do the same exact thing in your life this morning.

And so, listen…as we dig into the rest of chapter 1, I have three points to kind of guide us through this passage…Number 1, we’re a people united in the same battle…number 2, we’re a people inspired by the person of Jesus…and then finally, number 3, we’re a people empowered by the power of Jesus.

And so, if you’re there with me…let’s dive into this first point together.

I. We’re a People United in the Same Battle (vv. 9-11)

We’re a people united in the same battle.

Look at verses 9 through 11 with me. John writes, “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.

And so, hopefully you’re taking notes…whether you’re marking in your Bibles…using the Scripture Journals…but listen, the first thing I want you to notice here…it’s how John begins by identifying himself. He says, “I, John, your brother…”

And so, from the very beginning, we’re getting a picture here of the church. John, a disciple of Jesus…most likely the last living apostle at this time…he’s writing to the churches and he’s saying we’re a family of brothers and sisters.

Listen, that’s what we are in this room this morning. We saw that as we went through Ephesians several years ago…we saw that when we went through Philippians…Paul said the same thing to the Thessalonians when we went through that, right? It’s why we call ourselves a faith family. Members of FBC, other followers of Christ that might be visiting with us from other churches, we’re brothers and sisters in a singular family unit. And listen, this is important for us to understand here…John, who’s writing this letter, who walked with Jesus, he’s our brother.

Listen, you guys have heard my testimony…I struggled as a teenage boy…especially after my parent’s divorce. I wanted a family. I wanted a mom and dad and siblings that looked like everyone else’s that I knew. I longed for that. When I came to Christ, He gave me that.

Other’s around the world…they’re actually cast out of their biological families for coming to know Christ. Those from Muslim backgrounds and Hindu backgrounds…their families actually forsake them. I think that’s why Jesus said in Mark 10:

Mark 10:29–30 (ESV)

“Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.

Listen, Jesus said this…because the cost of following Him, its great! When you come to know Jesus, you’re coming to a family of brothers and sisters united under a Father who loves us and cares for us in ways we’ve never experienced before.

But listen, pay attention to the rest of John’s introduction…He says, “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus…”

Now remember what we covered last week…the context of Revelation. John says he’s writing to the 7 churches of Asia…Now, I believe…because I think John meant for most of this to be interpreted symbolically…I believe he’s referring to the entire church…past, present, and future here…that number 7, it means completion…fullness all throughout the rest of Scripture…but regardless, understand that his audience, they’re experiencing severe levels of persecution. They’re losing their lives…they’re being executed…they’re being burned…crucified. John himself was just dipped in boiling water. This is a suffering church. And John says here, “We’re in this together…we’re in this tribulation and this affliction and this suffering together in Jesus.” And don’t miss this…he says, “Together, we share in the suffering of Christ.” Literally, “I’m your partner in suffering in Jesus.”

If you’re an grammatical scholar in the room this morning, unlike me…what you would see, its that the Greek article, it precedes the three words we see here…tribulation, kingdom, and perseverance…which is conveying this idea that all three are part of the same reality. One can’t exercise kingdom rule except through tribulation and endurance. This rule, it begins and it continues with faithful endurance through a promised tribulation or suffering.

Now, a couple of things here as we talk about this suffering. First and foremost, this suffering that John’s talking about here…its a suffering that believers experience as they obey Jesus…its not a suffering that we experience as a result of disobedience or as a result of sin. The consequences of sin, those are destructive, disastrous…those are things intended to wake us up…things God allows in His gracious discipline of us. But listen, that’s not the kind of suffering or tribulation John’s talking about here. He’s talking about a suffering that comes as we walk in obedience to God…a suffering that comes as we live faithfully in and for Christ.

Which leads to the second thing…all over Revelation…all over the Bible…we see that when we become Christians, suffering isn’t promised to cease. If anything…what we see…its that suffering actually increases, right? Guys, that false gospel message that’s spreading across our country right now…the health, wealth, and prosperity gospel…its heresy…its blasphemous. Don’t buy it. We don’t follow a health and wealth Savior. We follow a homeless and wounded Savior who said, “When you follow me, I’ll send you out like sheep among wolves. People’ll hate you because of me. They’ll flog you and persecute you. Following me,” Jesus says, “it involves picking up a cross, an instrument of torture and death.”

In the opening chapter of Philippians Paul tells his reader that salvation wasn’t the only thing granted to them…but that suffering was as well. Philippians 3, he said, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings” (Phil. 3:10). In Colossians 1, he says, “we’re filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions” (Col. 1:24). 2 Corinthians 1:5, “We share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings.” 1 Peter 4:13, “Rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings.”

I’ve heard people ask throughout my ministry, “Why do Christians suffer?” I’m sure that’s what these 1st century believers were asking, “Why are we suffering? Our family members…our friends…they’re all being imprisoned…and beaten…beheaded…crucified. What’s happening here?” And John says what’s said all over the New Testament, “It’s expected!” He says, “I’m a fellow-partaker in this!”

Jesus, He stepped off His throne in glory…the Bible, it says He lowered Himself by taking on the form of a man. And listen, it teaches us that Jesus’s life…from the moment of birth, it was one of pain and suffering…all the way to the cross. He suffered so that many could come to Him. He experienced death so that it wouldn’t have defeat over us…He wore the weight of our sin, so that God’s wrath could be poured out on Him. His life was one of suffering. And He tells the Father in John 17:18, “Just as you have sent me into the world, I also sent them into the world.” He tells us in the gospel accounts that if we’re to follow Him, we have to pick up our cross.

Guys, we’re a family united in the same battle. We’re not afflicted because of disobedience…we’re afflicted because we live in a world plagued by sin and darkness…and it hates light…it hates righteousness. But guys, how are we to proclaim to the world a suffering Savior if everything in our life goes right? Our sufferings, they proclaim the great riches of Jesus…they proclaim the message of the gospel. As believers, we’re expected to experience persecution and affliction…we’re expected to experience suffering.

Which leads to the third thing…and I believe this kind of helps us continue building the context around Revelation. If we understand our call to suffer as Christians…if we understand the nature of sin…if we truly open our eyes and look around…we’d realize, our world…our American world…its not one of suffering or affliction. I can’t tell you how many American Christians on a daily basis go out and say, “Well, Jesus must be coming back because our world’s just so much darker than it’s ever been before. It’s the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah.” Guys, I’m not saying our nation’s not dark and sinful. It is…but listen, it’s always been that way. Our world in America, has it gotten worse these last several decades? Absolutely! We’ve been pushed on and criticized. But guys, we’re not afraid to come to church…we’re not losing our lives…we have freedoms that every church age before us wishes they had…but yet we fail to use it. I’m not saying, it won’t get worse. It will, we live in a dark world…and the Bible tells us we’re gonna experience suffering as believers.

Guys, Jesus said, the end, its gonna be like the days of Noah…which if you remember…none were righteous…they were all wicked. Noah’s the only one that found favor in the sight of the Lord. Our world hasn’t reached that point yet…it has you…we’re the lights, the lampstands as we’ll see in just a moment.

Guys, we’ve been privileged to grow up in America and we should be beyond grateful for that…but we have to recognize that this Christian lifestyle in our country, its the exception not the norm…And because of this privilege, we have this unique opportunity to share with people today that no other Christian people had throughout the history of the church. They were persecuted for sharing Jesus, they gave their lives to share Jesus. It doesn’t cost us anything to do that today in America…maybe a few broken relationships…maybe a little rejection…but that’s it. Your world, its not any worse than any other Christian before you.

Tell the people in the Middle East, getting their heads chopped off, that our world’s worse off than theirs. Tell the people in the 1940s that were put in concentration camps, tell them your world’s worse off today. Tell Africans in the 1800s that racism, it’s worse today. Tell the Christians during the Inquisition that your world’s worse off today. Every single believer that’s ever lived, across every century, they’ve experienced the same or even worse suffering than us. Let us not be selfish…let us not be ignorant of what’s expected of us as we follow Christ. We’re to be fellow-partakers in this tribulation or this suffering as we obediently follow Jesus…all with the goal of proclaiming the good news of Christ.

Which if you’re paying attention to John’s statement here…that’s why he’s a partner in this suffering…because of the Word of God…the testimony of Jesus. You catch that here? As we walk through this book, John’s gonna show us over and over again, there’s a price for proclaiming the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus in our world today. If you do it, you’ll be attacked…you’ll be rejected…you’ll be persecuted. And John’s writing this letter to say, “Yea, it’s not easy…but don’t stop proclaiming…don’t lose hope…don’t give up.” And he’s says, “Here’s why…” in the next sections of our passage…”because of the person and power of Jesus.”

Which leads us to our second point.

II. We’re a People Inspired by the Person of Jesus (vv. 12-16)

We’re a people inspired by the person of God.

Look at verses 12 through 16 with me. John writes, “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.”

And so, John here…he gives us this glorious vision of Jesus. Which we see all kinds of characteristics of Christ here…there’s actually 16 in total…but to simplify it…what we see in this passage its the person of Jesus…and what we see in the next section, its the power of Jesus. These are the things that inspire us and empower us to endure this suffering he’s writing about.

If you remember, I told you to pay attention to when it said things like, “John saw…or John heard,” right? And so, immediately in this passage, we see that here. He says, “I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man.” The lampstands…according to the way I interpret this book, its to see where else we’ve saw this referenced in Scripture…which if you’re familiar…Zechariah he refers to this in his book, chapter 4, verses 2 through 6…and in that passage, he talks about these lampstands with 7 lamps, and he uses that as a metaphor to show that part of the temple furniture, it represents the whole temple…which by extension represents faithful Israel.

And so, in the tabernacle and temple, the lampstands, with its 7 lamps, they stood in the Holy Place before the very presence of God in the Holy of Holies…and listen, the Jews, they understood this light that came from these lamps to represent the presence of the Lord. And so, in Zechariah’s vision, the 7 lamps, they represent the power of the Spirit which gives the people of Israel (the 7 lampstands) the power to rebuild the temple.

And so, John, here in our passage, he sees these 7 lampstands, each one representing one of the 7 churches, which of course I believe represents the universal church…the church, as the continuation of true Israel…and this church, like Israel, it draws its power from the 7 lamps which represent the Holy Spirit as it seeks to build the new temple of God through His people…remember the New Testament, it speaks about us being these individual stones that make up this new temple. Our bodies, they’re temples together for the Lord. That’s part of the reason our gathering together’s so important. We’re not rebuilding a physical temple…His church, it is the temple…and our power, it comes from the Holy Spirit in us. John’s comment about us being priest in last week’s passage, I believe it supports this interpretation.

We’re lights in this dark world…and though we face suffering…we stand in the midst of Jesus and we bring light and hope to those around us.

And so, these lampstands, the church, we stand in the midst of Jesus. And what John shows us here, its that we’re to find inspiration from the person of Jesus as we endure tribulation.

And so, the first thing we see here about the person of Jesus…John says, “He’s like a son of man.” Jesus, He’s man. John knew this to be true…He walked with Him for over 3 years…He watched His life…He saw Him die on the cross…He was there as they buried Him in that tomb. Jesus was just as much man as he was. And that inspires us because Jesus understands our afflictions…He knows our suffering…He paved the way…He went before us.

John shows us that Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecy. He says, “He was clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.” Write this down: Daniel 7 and Daniel 10. In both of these prophetic passages in the Old Testament, we see a vision of a son of man clothed in linen with a belt of fine gold around his waist, with eyes like flaming torches, with arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, whose voice echoes like the sound of a multitude. This is the picture of a son of man ushering in the kingdom of God. Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecy.

Realize that these images, they’re not intended to be literal. This is not John’s answer to the question, “Well, what’s Jesus wearing in heaven?” No, these are images that would’ve been familiar to John’s readers, images that would’ve triggered in their minds the words of the prophets, images that would’ve evoked in their hearts awe and wonder at a vision of the One Scripture had spoken about centuries before. His fulfillment, it’s meant to inspire us.

John shows us He’s also the final high priest. “Clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.” Six of the seven times a long robe like this is mentioned in the Old Testament, it refers to the clothing of the high priest who would enter into the most holy place to offer sacrifices for the sins of God’s people.

And so, Jesus here, He’s pictured as the final high priest who’s entered into the presence of God and who’s offered full and final, once and for all, sacrifice for the sins of God’s people. A golden sash high around his chest signifying his dignity and royalty.

John shows Him as infinitely old here. “The hairs of his head are white, like white wool, like snow.” Its a deliberate picture of age. Like I mentioned just a second ago, this is the description Daniel gives of God as the Ancient of Days in Daniel 7, and now its applied to Christ. Jesus has existed forever. He didn’t begin. This knowledge about Jesus’s infinite age, it should inspire us.

We see He’s also infinitely wise. In ancient culture, white hair, it was clearly a symbol of accumulated wisdom through years of experience. The experience and the wisdom of Christ, it knows no end.

John shows us, Jesus knows all things. “His eyes were like a flame of fire.” He knows everything about us. With eyes like fire He searches every area of our hearts. Jesus sees through all pretense. He sees the purity of our hearts, He sees the stains of our hearts. He searches every area of our hearts and He sees everything we’d like to hide. Nothing escapes the all-searching, all-knowing, pure gaze of Jesus.

We see Jesus’s holiness here. His feet they’re like burnished bronze. Its a picture of glowing purity and power. His purity, it has no error. Bronze metal, it would’ve purified in a furnace so that it might glow in purity. Jesus, He’s absolutely pure. His purity has no error, His power knows no equal. Burnished with bronze, its a picture of glory and strength.

His voice, its authoritative…it sounds like a trumpet in verse 10…its like the roar of many waters. From His mouth, comes a sharp two-edged sword. On hand He declares eternal salvation but on the other, he decrees final judgement.

His person, it demonstrates His glory. That’s why John says his face was like the sun shining in full strength. It comes with judgement and glory…which is why John falls at His feet in the next verse.

But guys, this picture of Jesus…of His person…its meant to inspire us!

That’s why John writes it…its why Jesus gives him this vision…its to remind us of who we follow!

That’s the second point.

III. We’re a People Empowered by the Power of Jesus (vv. 17-20)

And then the third and final point…we’re a people empowered by the power of Jesus.

Look at verses 17 through 20 with me. It says this, “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.”

Again, at the sight of Jesus…John falls to his face…as though he were dead…the one whom Jesus loved, right? He fell before Jesus…that’s the power of Jesus. No one will stand when they face Jesus.

His word, it demonstrates power. He tells John, “Fear not, I am the first…” Jesus had the first word in creation…”Let there be,” He said, and it was. Colossians 1, it tells us that “By him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16—17).

Jesus says, “…He’s the last.” Meaning He’ll also have the last word in creation. He’ll usher in a new creation. He alone’s able to begin creation and He alone can judge creation and He alone will make a new creation.

John shows us here that Jesus was dead…for a time…I love this. Jesus says, “I died and behold I am alive forevermore.” What power! He says, “I hold the keys to Death and Hades.”

Jesus, He’s alive…He controls death and life…for all time. He’s the living one who’ll never, ever die again. Those books that have come out about people who supposedly die and go to heaven and come back and share what they saw. Don’t buy them.

That book about that boy who died and went to heaven…don’t buy that stuff. No! These books, they’re written by sinful people who’ll all die, who’ll all succumb to death one day. Why would we even start to listen to them about things like heaven when we can hear from the King who’s conquered death forever? His Word, its trustworthy, His testimony, its true. And the picture He gives us about Him and eternity, its all we need.

Also, the image of keys here…its always a symbol of complete authority in the Jewish thought. Meaning, Jesus…He’s completely authoritative over death and life. Only through Him is power found over either of those things. Satan might be the prince of this world…but he doesn’t determine when you die…he doesn’t have authority over your life. Jesus does and because Jesus has that kind of authority, only He has the authority to turn your death into gain.

Listen, John’s showing his reader here that nothing compares to Jesus. He says, “Just shift your gaze toward the only One worthy…focus your gaze on the person and power of Christ. As the lampstands, as you stand in the midst of this Jesus…endure your suffering with inspiration…be empowered as you’re reminded of the power within you through the Spirit of God.” The point of the lampstands…its to bring light into the darkness.

Which means if you’re on the outside…you’re looking at this image of Jesus that John presents here…you’re seeing these lampstands…you’re seeing His church…you’re hearing this message of salvation and this message of future judgement. It’s not a message of inspiration and empowerment for you…its a message of fear and remorse. A picture of your need for repentance…your need for a Savior.

Closing

And so, as we reflect on this passage this morning…reminded of the person and power of Jesus…would you bow your head and close your eyes with me?

Listen, if you’re here this morning…you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior…are you finding rest in Him? Are you finding peace and comfort in His presence? This world, it’s dark…and we have to walk through some really difficult things sometimes…but His message to us…its the same message He gave to these 1st century believers…be reminded of the person of Jesus…be reminded of who He is…remember that He gets us…He’s walked in our shoes, and He overcame it all. Remember that He was there in the beginning…He’s the beginning and the end. Be reminded of His power…remember that He holds the keys to death and Hades…Be reminded of the power in His voice.

We serve that Jesus! We serve the One that’s capable of all things! We serve the One that has dominion and the One whom all things proclaim. You might be walking through a valley now, but be reminded that nothing can rob you of the life and joy that Jesus has given you! Even death can’t separate you from Him. Be comforted in the fact that Jesus knows you and that He’s bought you by His blood.

But listen, if you’re here this morning…and you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior. This picture, this image of Jesus that we see here this morning…it’s not one of comfort or peace…its one of judgment. Again, He alone holds the keys to death and Hades…He alone has the right to judge the unrighteous. And according to the Bible, we’re all unrighteous…we all fall short of God’s glory…and without a Savior…without something taking on the penalty of our sin, we’ll stand before Jesus, we’ll fall just like John does here in this passage…but the difference is, we won’t rise again to walk with Jesus…we won’t rise in His forgiveness and atonement…instead we’ll remain separated…guilty…we’ll live in that shame…and we’ll experience what’s meant for us…what was poured out on Jesus at the cross…we’ll experience God’s wrath against our sin. And listen, we’ll experience that without Jesus because that’s what we each deserve.

But the Bible tells us that God loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, into this world to save us…to take on the penalty of our sins. He lived a perfect life…a holy life…He went to the cross where He was beaten and tortured…His hands and feet, they were nailed to the cross so that He could experience the death meant for us. And listen, the Father’s wrath, it was poured out on Him…the wrath meant for every one of the world’s sins, it was laid on Jesus. And He died our death. But the Bible tells us that God raised Him up on the third day…and it tells us that if we simply repent and believe in Jesus…if we turn from ourselves and turn to Jesus…if we confess with our mouth and believe in our hearts that Jesus is Lord and that He rose from the dead…by His grace, we’re saved. That’s as simple as it is.

And so maybe that’s what you need to do today…maybe where you’re at…you just need to seek the Lord, ask Him for His forgiveness, turn to Him, and confess that you believe!

And so listen, whatever the Lord’s putting on your heart right now. You respond…our praise team’s gonna play and then I’ll close us in prayer in just a moment. And so you take this time.

[Prayer]