Not Just Surviving, but Thriving

Island vacations

Favorite spots

Love for island spots

Fantasy Island

Survivor

However, not every island vacation is a vacation

John’s case

It was punishment

Write This Down

John had been serving in the church located in Ephesus on the mainland of modern-day Turkey

When he was apparently taken into custody

Banished to a remote island

Revelation 1:9

Revelation 1:9 NKJV

9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

John had been sentenced to Patmos

Because of his work in making Jesus known in his world

While it would appear that he had been defeated

When it comes to serving the Lord Jesus, we are never defeated when we are obedient

So John introduces himself again to his readers

The seven churches located in Asia Minor (Turkey)

But as he does, he shows us that he is not just surviving on his island, but thriving

While you and I may not necessarily be banished to a remote island because we have been following Jesus

We may find ourselves

Feeling alone

Isolated

Excluded

Feeling like the cost for following Jesus is just too great

Or feeling like our lives just don’t matter or don’t count

“You Matter”

That truth (which John fully knew) enabled him to not just survive, but thrive, regardless of our predicament

Not Just Surviving, But Thriving

Every Christ follower can not just survive on his/her island, but thrive on that island, by focusing on the following realities:

1. The Mission

“for the word of God”

“for the testimony of Jesus Christ”

For John:

All of what he was experiencing was a result of the Mission

Making disciple-making disciples

By the word of God

By the testimony of Jesus Christ

Know Jesus

Make Jesus Known

Regardless of how we might feel

The mission remains the mission

Has not changed

Know Jesus

Make Jesus Known

Every single day

Those two parts of the mission must be our obsession

When you rise in the morning

Know Jesus

As you go through your day

Know Jesus

Make Jesus known to someone

As you end your day

Know Jesus

Make Jesus known to someone

Examples

2. The Process

“the tribulation”

[θλίψις]

“distress brought about by adverse circumstances”

“the kingdom”

Refers to the kingdom in that moment

Being controlled by the Holy Spirit

Surrendering life control to the Spirit

Refers to the goal of the kingdom in the future

When Christ reigns

The faithfully enduring believers reign with Him

This was John’s “finish line”

The Kingdom of God in his own heart

The Kingdom of God advancing in the hearts of others

This needs to be your “finish line”

Jesus Christ

ruling in your heart

ruling in the hearts of as many others as are willing

“the patience”

[ὑπομονή]

“remaining under”

pressure

thlipsis

tribulation

The process then

Involves remaining under the pressure of affliction and hardship in the moment

For better things

Here

Hereafter

The Kingdom

3. The Resources

Your family

John identified himself as “your brother”

Not “the Apostle”

Not “the Disciple whom Jesus loved”

Not “the Elder”

He understood the church to be his family

Which is why we call this your church “family”

We all have been adopted into the same family

Your “partners”

Companion

Those who are going through similar stuff

These people were the resources the Lord gave to John so that he would not be doing life alone

What you take from this

Regardless of where you might be on your “island”

You are not alone

You are not deserted

Others are there

Who are going through stuff as well as you

Now What?

If you are serious about following the Lord Jesus

Not a question of if you find yourself on an “island,” but when

Because following the Lord is not an easy journey

That cruise ship might land on an island, let you off, and leave you there

Feel alone

That is when you need to remember a few things

The Mission

Know Jesus and Make Jesus Known

The Process

Affliction

Keeping Christ in charge

Hanging in there

The Resources

Your family in Christ

Your fellow “islanders”

If you have not been thriving

Now you have some help

Don’t do this alone

Church was instituted by Jesus in part so that we might do life together

What do you need to do?

Get back on track?

Get on mission

Spend time each day this week alone with Jesus

Reading His word

Listening to Him

Responding to Him

Make Jesus Known

To those in your world

To those in your family

Word of encouragement

Pray for someone

Get on track?

Commit to following Jesus wholeheartedly

Believe in Jesus to give you everlasting life