TUNSTALL APO AM 15 MAY 07 A Glimpse of the Glorified Christ. PART 1.
Place: Tunstall Apo. Date: Sunday, am 13th May, 2007.
Text: Revelation 1:4-20. Theme: A Glimpse of the Glorified Christ, Part 1.
Introduction: Reading: Revelation 1:4-20.
Revelation means: Unrevealing, it is God pulling back the veil. There are many descriptions of Christ in the Old Testament and the New Testament, but none like this one here. It is the only time we see Him in His glorified, unveiled presence. We will all stand before Him someday, and we will all see Him in His radiant splendour.
The overall theme of Revelation is the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ, the literal, bodily return of our Lord to this Earth. At the 2nd coming, every eye will see Him, even the Jews “which pierced Him,” and all will wail. I cannot wait to see Him; I do not have to wait. God in His infinite wisdom has given us here in chapter 1 a glimpse of the glorified Christ!
He is the beginning of all things; He is the ending of all things, the alpha and mega. It has been 60 years plus since John has seen or heard from Jesus, yet He still believes, and is still preaching, and that is why he is in prison now! John is in exile on Patmos, undoubtedly with ordinary, common criminals. But what happened next is anything but common or ordinary.
In verse 10 John is having his daily devotions when he is interrupted by the Lord.
Verse 12 “he turns to see.”
Verse 17 “he falls on his face!”
Verse 19 “write this down for Me!”
This is not an ordinary day! John paints us a picture now of what Jesus looks like, in the only terms his language can handle. He not only tells us what He looks like, but what He is like. What did John see?
1ST POINT: JOHN SAW A HUMAN CHRIST.
Revelation 1:13 “And in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man.”
In Bethlehem, Jesus took on human flesh. Amazingly, He retained that form, though glorified, even after He ascended back to Heaven. Jesus came as the God-Man. 100% God - 100% Man, as much God as if He had not been man, and as much Man as if He had not been God.
Born as a man - crucified as a man - resurrected as a man - ascended as a man - will return as a man in a literal, glorified body. Throughout all eternity He exists for us, the God-man.
At the Lord’s Supper, we remember what Jesus did for us. In His Scars, these will remind us for all eternity what He did for us. The first thing John saw was a resurrected, glorified Christ, in human form.
2ND POINT: JOHN SAW CHRIST THE HIGH PRIEST.
Revelation 1:13 “One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.”
These are the garments of the high priest, in Exodus 28. What has Jesus been doing since He left this earth? Resting? No! He is busier today than He was while on earth, fulfilling the role of High Priest for you and for me. The High Priest had THREE jobs.
A. Intercession.
Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
I am glad I am “saved to the uttermost!” By the intercessory prayers of Jesus on my behalf! I am not only saved, I am completely saved! Eternal life began for me at the moment of my salvation, and the way I got it is how I am keeping it, by nothing other than the work of Christ!
B. Intervention.
Our Great High Priest, constantly in the holy place, applying His blood to our sins, now steps out of the holy place, and approaches the brazen laver, and there He washes the feet of those that belong to Him, on a daily basis.
It was John in 1 John 1:9, who said, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” That is not talking about salvation, but rather the daily confession, repentance, and forgiveness needed in the life of a believer.
C. Inspection.
In verse 13 Jesus, the high priest, is in the midst of the 7 golden candlesticks. In chapter 2:1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.”
He is walking around in between them. What are they? His churches! What are the high priest’s duties in the Old Testament as it pertains to the candlesticks in the temple? Two things:
1. Pouring in the oil.
2. Trimming the wicks.
1. Pouring in the oil.
Nothing of any eternal value will ever be accomplished here or in any church apart from the power of the Holy Spirit, represented in the Bible by “oil.” Jesus is the one who pours in the oil.
2. “Trimming the wicks.”
This is Christ, the high priest, doing His job, purging us. He purges us of sin. Sometimes the wicks get burnt and spent, and the priest has to trim them, so they will burn more brightly.
3RD POINT: JOHN SAW CHRIST, THE HOLY ONE.
Revelation 1:14 “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire.”
Purity, Holiness, and Righteousness. One glimpse at Him caused Isaiah to say, “Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips”! Jesus is speaking to John, the one that leaned casually on Jesus’ chest in the upper room at the last supper.
But when he had a glimpse of the glorified Christ, he did not walk up and shake His hand. He did not pat him on the back, or even try to speak; he fell on his face as dead! For you and me, a glimpse of Jesus and His glory would be nothing less than paralyzing!
But look at Jesus’ first two words to John: “Fear not.” Why did Jesus tell John he did not have to be afraid? Because John was prepared to meet Him. John was a believer, who had been born again.
CONCLUSION:
If you do not know that you have been born again, and you think for a second you are prepared to meet God, you are grossly unaware of two things:
1. How Holy Jesus is.
2. How unholy you are.
Every person in this room has a date with deity. All will see the glorified Christ, face to face. Will you have reason to fear?