The Joy of Who He Is - Revelation 1
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Intro
Intro
Good morning, well here we are, this is were our time with you began, on the first Sunday in October 17 years ago.
What has happened in the last 17 years? Well to begin with we have gotten a little older, our children are not children any more and are grown up. We have endured some hardship and some battles along the way but physically and spiritually. And we have seen over and over again that the Lord is faithful.
The Lord our God is sovereign, trustworthy, faithful, majestic and absolutely wonderful, with an abundance of love and mercy.
How do I know this… look around, we are the sheep of his pastor. He has saved us, blessed us and calls us everyday to join Him. He is good.
I even remember the first sermon I preached here 17 years ago on my first Sunday morning as your new pastor, “Get out of the boat” The joy of that message was Peter walking on the water… and you have to get out of the security of the boat if you are going to walk on water.”
But we are not going to revisit that text today… Today we are going to visit the text of Revelation chapters 1 and 2 over the next couple of weeks as we consider all that John witnessed as God called him to take a message to those 7 churches in Asia minor.
Now here is a great question, did you bring your Bibles with you today? I hope so , you need the word in your life every day, especially this day.
I want to encourage you to tell your kids, take your Bibles to school, take there everywhere they go… it it be their search engine for life’s questions, let it be their guide for the tough questions of life. And it be the rule and guide of their life and faith in all that they do or hope to do...
Here is the idea… it it did all of this… we would see lives lived remarkable different, we would see less marital problems, we would see less fractured lives, we would see healthier families and a love that the whole world would be chasing after.
Now get you some of that.... We need less of the Kardashians and more of Jesus, We need less of 50 shades of grey and more of By His Stripes we have been healed… I could go on.. but you get the picture.
Lord God of the heavens, give us more and more of Jesus, that we might know Him in the power of the resurrection and yes even in the fellowship of His sufferings.
this morning and lets look at verses 8-16
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
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.”
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.
So as we walk through this text there are a few things I want us to recognize and point about the the message the Lord is giving John to share with the 7 churches but us as well, the body of Christ.
Now remember John is imprisoned on the isle called Patmos on account of the word of God. Literally Paul has been imprisoned for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The world ( and its leader, the devil) as always tried to stop the word, but it cannot not.. The word of God will always be preached and spread until He comes again.
Now John is sharing the Revelation of Jesus Christ, revelation meaning it was something that was previously hidden but not has been revealed for our good, for our edification.
Verse 1 makes it clear, this was the message God was sending, not John’s. and with the opening verses those who read it, the servants of Jesus are given a promise, the first of 7 beatitudes… maybe I will walk you through all of them in the next couple of weeks, but the first of them in found in verse 3.
3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
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And we know also where John is as the Lord speaks these words to him, he is on Patmos, a small island in the Mediterranean sea, a place where those enemies of Rome were sent to hard labor, until death or the emperor who sent them there died, in which case they could be freed.
We know that John is freed while greatly advanced in years, and we know through the testimony of our early church fathers that he returns to Ephesus to live and teach until the Lord calls him home.
But for now, he is on the island and the Lord is speaking to Him, in fact it is the first day of the week and in the Spirit, he hears from the Lord.
And I want to share a few things with you...
So the first thing I would like for us to consider is His identity.
His Identity
His Identity
There is a wonderful joy in knowing the Lord and understanding just who He is and what is identity means to us today.
The Lord himself makes it perfectly clear there is no misunderstanding, He wants John and those who will hear this message to know it is Him, the Son of the living God who is speaking.
So lets look back at the text and see what is being said...
Right at the very beginning of our text, Jesus says ...... “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” verse 8
This my friends is a unchanging declaration of who He is… for Jesus to say I am the Alpha is to remind all humanity that prior to creation, He was there. He has always been.... in fact in the latter part of who verse * Jesus says ...“Who is”… most literally the one who as always been …
It reminds me of that Moses was told there in the wilderness, on the back side of the dessert as he tended the flocks of his father in law, Jethro. Moses asked God, who should I say has sent me....
God gave Moses His personal name YHWH, which is a verb ...”To Be...” He has always existed, before the creation of the heavens and the earth and all who are in it.. He was there and remains unto this day.
And He says Omega, the end, the last… He has no end. The declaration that while this world will come and go, governments, peoples, and yes tings, He will remain the same.
He continually exists, no beginning or ending, He has always been there and will remain… man, that is a concept that is difficult for us, for God has created us in a linear time line.... we have a start and a finish physically… But he doesn’t not.
Listen to
12 “Listen to me, O Jacob,
and Israel, whom I called!
I am he; I am the first,
and I am the last.
13 My hand laid the foundation of the earth,
and my right hand spread out the heavens;
when I call to them,
they stand forth together.
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And finally here in this statement, Jesus rounds out the whole statement in the truth that He is the Almighty.
What does that mean, for Jesus to say that He is the Almighty? In contrast the temporary rulers of this world, He is supreme, Sovereign, all powerful and over all things…
Think about this… everything has its beginning and ending in the one who does not, who is the sovereign creator of the entire universe, who sustains us, has loves us with an everlasting love… and prepared a place for us to be with Him.
That’s great my friends,
Now, besides this great truth… being the almighty… look at his work., lets look back two verses, verses 5-7 here in ...
5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
Considering His identity more fully, know that we are told 5 more points of detail..
A. He is a faithful witness… Being the second person of the Trinity, and the Incarnate Christ He has bore witness to work of God in this world. Jesus came and told us of God’s great love, revealed it to humanity in both word and deed.
Listen to what John tells us in verses 4-5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
B. He is the firstborn from the dead… Jesus is the first person to experience the resurrection of His own body. He lived, died on a cross, was buried in a borrowed tomb and one the third day rose from the dead never to experience death again. In His death did he not only reveal his love for us, but revealed his place as the Lamb of God, the one who is worthy to be praised. Because He lives we too shall live.
C. He Ransomed Us from Sin… He became a living sacrifice, He offered up His own live as the ransom, the Redeemer of all mankind. He loves us, saved us and freed us from the penalty of sin.
1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
No longer am I guilty before God, think of that my friends, before Christ came into our lives, we stood condemned, guilty, but Jesus paid our debt with his own blood satisfying the righteous requirements of the law. and thus we have been set free.
He took my place…
D. He made us a Kingdom and Priests.... He has made us to be conformed into His image, co heirs of the wonderful things of God, . We are a kingdom, a family together ministering, reigning with Him in His future Kingdom. Listen to Revelation 5:10...
10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”
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E. He is coming Again… Do you remember the promise of the angels in … as the disciples watched Jesus as he was taken up into the clouds, they said..
11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Wow… He is coming again and His return will be missed by no one… John declares that every eye will see Him. The whole earth will know of his coming, and not everyone will be happy to see him, even the dead, those who pierced him, those who have been long dead, they will know of His coming and understand the immense loss they are enduring because of their sin.
But we will rejoice at His appearance, for we will see Jesus!
Hallelujah what a Savior, Redeemer and yes Friend!
My friends His identity is wonderful and we have our identity because of Him. We have been made whole because of who Jesus is and we have our very life in Him.
Give thanks to Him today as you pray and worship the Lord.
And as we move through this text today, understand we are told of His Appearance...
2. His Appearance...
2. His Appearance...
As John is in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, He has this wonderful opportunity to see our Lord, in His majesty and glory. In a way that perhaps He has never seen Him before...
His appearance is not perhaps as we expect here, but reveals much to us… lets look back at our text again...
Verses 12-16
6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
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.
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.
Rev 1:12-16
As we look at the text, John turns to see who is speaking to Him. and right off the bat I just want you to take notice of the truth that he is allowed to see Him. He is not kept from seeing or knowing Christ there in his midst.
Now as John turns and two things are presented to him. 7 golden lampstands. and in the midst of the lampstands was one like a Son of Man.
Now lets stop right there and just unpack what John has encountered here.
Lets begin with the 7 Lampstands - The 7 lampstands are literally 7 menorah’s.
The 7 lampstands are literally 7 menorah’s. In the temple, there was no light apart form the sunlight that made its way into the inner chambers, but in the main sanctuary there was a giant menorah that cast off light for the priests.
In the temple, there was no light apart form the sunlight that made its way into the inner chambers, but in the main sanctuary there was a giant menorah that cast off light for the priests. It was on the left as you entered the main room that sat before the Holy of Holies.
So in this room of the temple, here we find the Menorah on the left, the table of the presence or the table of show bread on the right and back in the center in front of the veil was the altar of incense. And behind the veil would have been the Ark of the Covenant. So the Menorah was a item of great importance to the people. It represented the light of God...
Now that you’ve had a little history,
These 7 lamps, or menorahs will represent the 7 churches of Asia Minor to whom this message is being addressed in Chapters 1 and 2.
Verse 4 and 11 makes this abundantly clear..
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,
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.”
Next to come to the one John says is like the Son of Man..
He is standing in the midst of the churches, This person is Jesus.. My friends that is indeed precious, He stands in the midst of the churches… if there was ever a more beautiful picture for the church to see apart from their own redemption, here it is...
He is standing in the midst of those lamp stands… He is in the midst of our churches.
And look at his appearance..
A. Clothed in a long robe… golden sash around his chest.
The robe signifies that he is both judge and king, dressed in His royal garments.
Daniel chapter 7 verse 9, Daniels vision says that He was dressed in a white robe, a symbol of his purity and honor. The the write of Hebrews recognizes his deity, He is both King and priest after the order of Melchizedek.
His attire reveals his office and position....
B. His Hair was like white wool/snow....
B. His Hair was like white wool/snow....
The hair is a picture that links two thoughts together, one being his eternal existence, The color first reveals that Jesus, the Son of God has always existed even as the Father has exited, He is the ancient of days…
Again the color speaks to his holiness and purity. He is without spot or blemish and this qualified Him to be the perfect sacrificial lamb to redeem man from the sins of the world.
C. His Eyes are like a blazing fire....
He is omniscient, the all knowing God, able to see, to comprehend and to know even the things hidden in the hearts of men. He is the righteous judge. He is the one who no one can avoid, He is faithful and true.
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
D. Feet as Burnish Bronze…
They are glowing hot, fine and pure. The priests were to be holy and pure before the Lord, they were to walk barefoot in the temple, for the ground they stand is holy. He is holy and the steps He takes are as well, and he ministers on our behalf as a King and Priest...
E. Voice like Many Waters…
The voice has been described as the sound of a trumpet and here like many waters. It is the voice of authority! He is the King of Kings and Lord or Lords.
And then there is just one last picture we are allowed to see here in text...
F. Right hand....Mouth....
His right hand held 7 stars… The seven stars represent the 7 ministering Angels, that serve the churches of the living God. And the mouth reveals a sharp two edged sword, which represents the Word of God. He fights using the Word of God
Listen to Hebrews chapter 4, verse 12....
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews
His word is piercing, cutting, separating and revealing…
G. His face like the Sun....
His face is seen as the brightest sun… revealing the glory of God, His radiance, the awesome presence of almighty God standing there in front of John.
Do you remember Jesus on the mount of transfiguration, . Oh how wonderful, do you remember Peter and He, James and John witnessed this he suggested they set up three tabernacles… They were in so much awe standing in His holiness...
Here we see the joy of His appearance, as John stood in His midst he was allowed to see the stunning glory of the Son of God.
And consider this… one day we will stand in His presence! And my friends can you imagine the absolute joy of His presence...
We will see Jesus!
Did you hear that… we will see Jesus.
Now there is just one last thought.... I want to share with you today.
3. His Power....
3. His Power....
One of the greatest truths of Revelation is the undeniable supremacy of the Lord against all the enemies of the cross. While the devil has greatly influenced this world away from God in the lostness of humanity, still yet the Lord is in control.
Without a doubt, John knew and believed Jesus was all powerful, that there was no other like Him.
Return to the text to me one last time and lets look at one aspect of his power in verses… 17-20
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.
John is humbled and reverent in His presence, He falls down to the feet of Jesus and wonderfully and lovingly, Jesus touches him, removing any fear or hesitation...
And in doing so Jesus tells John, now remember this is John the beloved, the one who laid his head over on the chest of Jesus. And Jesus tells John to fear not...
Now we know that sounds easier than it sounds, but Jesus has been in His presence for so many years and when they walked physically together some 60 years before, we remember Jesus telling his disciples to fear not?
I think of Mark chapter 4, the disciples are crossing the sea of Galilee, Jesus is asleep in the bow of the boat, they come to him in the midst of the storm, “Master, do you not care we are perishing...” He gets up and says, Peace be still and the wind and waves go calm.... and Jesus asks them “Why are you afraid”
They had nothing to fear… and here, John is uncertain in all that he is witnessings but The Lord tells him to fear not,,,,
How comforting is that my friends.... But look, not only that, the Lord touches his servant.
If there is a wonderful thought my friends, its to know the Lord cares enough to comfort us, to touch us and reassure us.
Now, listen to what else Jesus says to him… right after the “Fear not...”Jesus says....
Verse 17b “...I am the first and the last…”
I am the eternal one who has always been, no beginning and no ending my friends. The Lord is describing Himself as the one who lives continually.
He was the one with the Father from the very beginning, He came into flesh and was made like us in every way, yet without sin, the God-man. He gave up his life as a sacrifice for sin, and redeemed us, was raised from the dead on the third day through the power of the Father. He is now alive and lives forever...
And then Jesus says to John...
Verse 18b.... “....And I have the keys of Death and Hades. “.....
Listen my friends, the One who is in authority is the one who has the keys… Jesus has the keys to death and hades.
Friends, the Devil once thought that death meant the game was over, listen death has no boundaries when held up into the light of Jesus Christ. Death as Paul said has lost its power, its sting...
Death isn’t the end, it isn’t for anyone, listen you (every person) will spend an eternity in heaven or hell depending on the decision you make concerning Jesus Christ. If you are his child, the reward is truly wondeful.
But Jesus says here I have the keys to death and hades… He overcame death! But then there is the word hades or the grave. Now when Jesus uses this word He is not speaking of the grave in the midst of what lies out here in our cemeteries… No.
He is talking about the death state, the abode of the dead. It is the state of the continually dead.
Do you remember the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Both died, death came to them and one lifted his eyes in hell and the other in paradise, in the company of Abraham. This i a great illustration because it speaks to the righteous of God before the cross.
Jesus having the keys, the authority to change the destinations of all, but these being the righteous are about to gain the most wonderful place of all, they have been liberated.
Remember Abraham, his faith was counted as righteous. these people Jesus has liberated from paradise, from the abode of the righteous dead and given them a new place and a new destination.
He has unlocked the grave.. they know have the joy, the blessing of where he is, they are as well. He has set them free..
:18-19
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.
The power and authority of Jesus are absolutely wonderful that save humanity...
Im glad he changed those before me, and will keep working until that great day of the Lord for those after me,
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,
In all this, we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.
So right here we have seen His Identity, His Appearance and His Power… And seeing how wonderful the Savior is, do you know Him today.....
I hope you have trusted in the one who is above all things.....
And when you think about these truths, how do they impact your life?
What do you think about and how do you respond when he calles your name...
Lets pray...
H. Face...
C.
D.
1 Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that
“ ‘they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.’ ”
13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
21 And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
26 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
mark 4
1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
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.”
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, 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.
1 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2 for his judgments are true and just;
for he has judged the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her immorality,
and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
3 Once more they cried out,
“Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”
4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5 And from the throne came a voice saying,
“Praise our God,
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
small and great.”
6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.