Revelation Sermon - 1

Revelation: An Introduction

Revelation 1:1-4

1. Introduction – I want to start out this morning by playing a little word association game.

a. When I say the word “Revelation” – what comes to mind? Don’t be afraid, say it out loud. There’s no wrong answer.

2. Why Study? – Now you may be wondering, why study this book? It’s so confusing, the imagery is crazy and its difficult to interpret…why study it? Isn’t it better to let sleeping dogs lie?

a. I have 4 quick reasons why I think its important to read, study, interpret and apply this book.

b. First, no other book in the Bible gives as complete a picture of Jesus as he is now as Revelation does.

i. We have the stories in the Gospels about Jesus’ birth, the events of his life, his death and resurrection.

1. We have recorded for us scenes of his post-resurrection appearances and his ascension back into heaven.

a. But what is Jesus like now? What is he doing?

i. What will he do in the future? Revelation lets us in on those answers.

c. Why read and study Revelation? Revelation 1:3 states explicitly that God blesses those who reads the words of this book.

i. He blesses those who heard the words of this book. And God blesses those who obey what it says.

ii. Why read it? To experience God’s blessings. What kind of blessings have we missed out on because we’ve keep this book closed for so long?

1. We aren’t to keep this book closed, hidden for no one to understand. Revelation is to be an open book, read often, studied often, explored – and look at this, we are blessed when we do!

2. Maybe it’s a ploy of the enemy to make us afraid of this book, he’s afraid of this book, so he wants us to be too.

a. What have we missed out on? I want to experience God’s blessing in my life for reading these words to you.

i. I want you to experience God’s blessing as you hear them read.

1. And I want us all to experience God’s blessings as we obey the words that are written in this amazing book.

d. Why study this book? Because it is inspiring. This book has inspired countless artists and musicians.

i. Listen to the list of songs that find their source in the Revelation.

1. “Crown Him with Many Crowns”, “Holy, Holy, Holy”, “E’vn so Lord Jesus, Come Quickly”, Parts of Handel’s “Messiah” most notably the “Hallelujah Chorus.”

a. A song we sing around here, “All Who Are Thirsty” and of course “Revelation Song” – just to name a few.

i. Pretty much any song with the words “Worthy is the Lamb” find their source in Revelation.

ii. When we read, study, interpret and apply this book correctly, we will be inspired by its content.

e. Why study Revelation? Because, in Revelation, we learn to follow Jesus amid turbulent times.

i. We’ll see in a bit and in the coming week, that Revelation was written to 7 real churches, with real people in them, with real problems – and they were experiencing real persecution.

1. There was pressure from all sides for them to worship this god or that god – or go to the market place, pinch some incense and declare Caesar to be lord.

a. Revelation teaches all Christians of all generations – from the 1st to the 21st century and beyond, this book teaches us to be faithful to Jesus in spite of what the world around is doing.

ii. It is said that we human beings are natural born worshippers. We all worship something. The question Revelation asks is “who or what are your worshipping?

1. Or, in the language of Revelation – will you worship the beast with its seductive promise of power and wealth? Or will you worship the Lamb, with his promise of life?

a. Where is your allegiance? To the kingdom and power of this world? Or to the kingdom being brought to fulfillment by Jesus?

f. Revelation teaches us that when the world is saying ‘Worship this, worship that” – when it is seducing us or lulling us into complacency, Revelation reminds us how to follow Jesus and it inspires us to remain faithful in turbulent times.

i. I’ll let you know right off the bat, I do not believe that Revelation is an escape manual for Christians. I don’t believe in tells the story of how to escape suffering and hardship and persecution.

1. I believe that Revelation is a manual on how to stay faithful to Jesus, in the midst of the suffering and hardships and persecution that the world throws at us.

3. What are we studying? – So, we’ve looked at why we need to study this book, now I want to focus on what it is we’ll be studying.

a. The book of Revelation is a difficult book to read and interpret because it is a combination of different literary styles. I know, sounds like English class, but this is important.

i. In fall 2016 we did a Bible study on how to read the Bible and in that study, we looked at the different genres of biblical books. How a book is written dictates how we interpret it.

1. We interpret the poetry of the Psalms differently than we interpret the stories of the Gospel.

a. And we will interpret Revelation differently than we interpret that historical books of the OT. If we want to properly understand and interpret Revelation, it is imperative that we understand how it is written.

ii. We naturally do this when we read. We read fiction differently than we read a history text book.

1. We read romance novels differently than we read biographies.

a. So, in order to understand and interpret this book properly, we have to know how it is written. And in his providence, God spells out for us just what kind of literature this book is.

b. But what makes Revelation more confusing is that it is actually a combination of 3 different biblical literary styles.

c. The first literary style comes right out of the title. In the Greek text, the very first word is the word apocalypsis – or in English, apocalypse, or more commonly – a revelation. Revelation is a piece of apocalyptic literature.

i. Now, when you hear the word “Apocalypse” what comes to mind?

1. Well, in the ancient world, apocalypse was a style of literature. It’s marked by it’s use of symbols and numbers and colours.

a. People are often depicted with animalistic features, current events are depicted through natural phenomena, and colours have certain meaning.

d. So, if apocalyptic is a type of literature, we have to grasp its meaning and purpose.

i. I say apocalypse, modern English translations use the word Revelation – it’s all the same meaning. What does it mean?

1. I’ll tell you what it does mean – it doesn’t mean catastrophic events or the end of the world as we know it.

a. Often natural disasters or extreme weather is said to be of apocalyptic proportion. Wrong word. Catastrophic, yes, but really, not apocalyptic.

b. Apocalypse, much like our word Revelation, means to reveal something. It means to unveil. An apocalypse means a pulling back of the curtain – an opening of a box.

i. It’s like unwrapping a present. When you tear into the paper, you reveal, you unveil something that was previously hidden.

e. So when you think Revelation – when you being to read it, don’t think end of the world doomsday scenarios.

i. Think unveiling. See each scene, each chapter, each verse as revealing something that has previously been hidden.

f. And right off the bat, we have to take note of who or what this revelation, this apocalypse, this unveiling is about.

i. And please, I want to get this out of the way quickly. Please note that the title of the book of Revelation, NOT Revelations.

1. And more particularly it is “THE” Revelation.

a. It is one single Revelation, not one of many, it is THE apocalypse, the unveiling, one unveiling, one unboxing, one unwrapping of who???

i. It’s definitely not the Revelation of John – wrong title.

ii. We are told in the first verse and reminded over and over again throughout that this book is the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

1. But notice more specifically that this unveiling, this Revelation is of Jesus Christ, by Jesus Christ and it is about Jesus Christ.

a. This Revelation, this book – it is not about end of the world stuff, it is not doomsday scenarios ‘this is how the world is going to end.” This book, from beginning to end us about Jesus. It is the opening of Jesus Christ, by Jesus Christ, about Jesus Christ.

i. Keep this in mind throughout and we will not go astray.

g. Right from the very first words of this book, I see something incredible. If we read this book correctly, we will end up at the feet of Jesus.

i. If we end up anywhere else, we’ve read it wrong.

1. If after reading this book we’re preoccupied with 666, or the battle of Armageddon, or the tribulation of literal 1000-year reigns – those are all things to explore – but…if we are preoccupied with those things, we’ve read the book wrong.

a. This book, from beginning to end is about Jesus. It is unveiling, unboxing and unwrapping Jesus as he presently is.

h. As you read this book, focus on Jesus; see him unveiled before your eyes – after all, this is his Revelation.

i. From Jesus, by Jesus about Jesus – keep that in mind as we progress and we’ll end up where we should – worshipping at the feet of the revealed Jesus.

4. Prophecy – But Revelation falls into another category of biblical literature. On 5 occasions, Revelation refers to itself as a prophecy.

a. Look at 1:3 again – the word of this…prophecy. Now, prophecy is a genre that should be familiar to us, but unfortunately, we miss the boat on prophecy sometimes.

i. Many people assume that Revelation is a prophetic book in the sense of predicting, in rather explicit detail, the way the world will end.

1. But that is a misapplication and a misunderstanding of the world prophecy.

b. Because in the biblical tradition, prophecy isn’t exclusively or even primarily about making predictions about the future.

i. In the biblical tradition, prophecy is speaking word of comfort and challenge, on behalf of God, to God’s people – in their own historical situation.

1. Yes, there are futuristic aspects to prophecy, but, primarily, prophecy is about helping God’s people in the present – both with words of judgment and salvation.

c. In the biblical sense, prophecy doesn’t mean prediction as much as it means declaration.

i. The heart of biblical prophecy is not ‘look at what is going to happen at the end of the world.” The heart of prophecy is ‘thus says the Lord, now.”

1. When Revelation calls itself a prophecy – it means that God is now revealing something that requires a response…not in the future, but at that very moment.

d. Yes, there are futuristic elements to prophecy and to Revelation, but it’s primary goal, prophecy in general and Revelation in particular – is to call God’s people to repentance and comfort them in the present.

5. Letter – But Revelation is also a letter. Look at the beginning of verse 4. It is the longest letter in the Bible. It follows the same form as Paul’s letters. It is a letter from a pastor to his flock.

a. A letter, we have to understand, is a deeply personal form of communication.

i. But since it is a letter, we must understand that Revelation has a specific historical context – 1st century Asia Minor.

b. Revelation was written at a specific point in time, by a specific person, to specific people, living in specific cities, at a specific time in history…and it was written to meet specific needs.

i. This letter was written in order to teach, rebuke, correct and train Christians in 7 specific churches.

c. Since this is a letter it will greatly impact the way in which we understand and interpret this book. We have to take seriously the historical context of this book if we are going to rightly understand its message.

i. Any interpretation we make would have to make sense to our 1st century brothers and sisters as well.

1. Understand that yes, John is an apocalyptic seer, he’s also a prophet speaking on behalf of God, but first and foremost John is a pastor – writing a pastoral letter with pastoral concern for the spiritual well-being of his flocks.

6. How to Study - So how are we going to go about studying this incredible book. Well, I’ll tell you what we’re NOT going to do.

a. We aren’t going to have the Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other.

i. Because if today’s newspapers are the necessary key to interpreting this book, then no generation until our own could have understood and obeyed this book.

1. The danger of interpreting Revelation in light of the news is that the interpretation changes every decade or so based on which political figure is in power or which country is acting up.

a. But the interpretation of God’s Word never changes.

ii. Instead of reading Revelation in light of news, we would be better served to learn some history and find the historical context of these 7 churches.

1. The original audience would have found hope and comfort in these words – so we must too.

b. Also, we aren’t going to study these words as a timeline for the events leading up to the end of the world.

i. The reasons we aren’t going to read it this way is because the vision itself isn’t chronological.

1. One puzzling thing about this book is when you come to a place where you think you’ve come to end – the whole thing starts over again.

a. Then you come to another place and think “This has to be the end…” only to have the vision start again.

ii. Upon careful reading, we see that the events in Revelation aren’t a chronological timeline, we’ll look at this in detail next week – the events are cyclical. We actually come to end 6 times in the book, only to have the vision start again.

1. So, as we read through this book, avoid building a chronological timeline – I don’t believe that is a faithful, accurate or appropriate use of this book.

c. We will, however, study this book carefully. We will seek to understand it the way our 1st century brothers and sisters understood it.

i. We will make modern day analogies when appropriate, but we will NOT read our modern-day ideas into this 1st century document.

1. And we will seek to understand this book, not as a book about doom and gloom and destruction, but as a source of hope, comfort and challenge.

7. Conclusion – Remember, this is the unveiling, unwrapping and the pulling back of the curtain of Jesus Christ.

a. It is his revelation, so that means any interpretation we make must enlarge our vision and understanding of who Jesus is.

i. We are going to keep Jesus at the centre of this study, after all, this is his Revelation. From him, by him and about him.

b. As we close, let’s play word association again, and if I did my job correctly, your answer should be wildly different from the beginning of the sermon. I’m looking for a one-word answer.

i. When I say “Revelation,” who or what comes to mind?

1. The answer is Jesus.

a. Next week we’ll continue with a broader introduction to the book, looking at some of it’s major themes, it’s structure and I’ll introduce what some of the signs, symbols, numbers and colours mean.