From Rocky to Revelation

Tonight we conclude the “Out of the Wilderness” series with perhaps one of the strongest messages the world ever received from within a wilderness.

Every message thus far we have studied remarkable stories of miraculous turnaround. You might call them God-sized transformations of impossible situations!

Our wilderness journey ends today with a look at a book about the end of all things. Well, the end of all things as we know them know!

How far are you willing to go for your faith in God? What kind of sacrifice or suffering would you endure? Does your faith have limits? Does your faith have boundaries? Could it be bought off with the right amount of pain or sorrow?

Imagine persecution of faith that not only includes being in captivity, but imagine being taken to a place of exile. This place of exile is an inescapable island that is desolate, lifeless, rocky, and rough. In fact, scholars believe that while in exile on this island, the island of Patmos to be exact, prisoners were forced to work in slave type camps. Doesn’t sound like a weekend getaway I would want to experience!

John has been exiled to the island of Patmos. John’s faith has landed him there. Not because he decided to evangelize the indigenous people, but because he was being persecuted. He was there to be punished. He was there because the governing authorities disagreed with his faith! John was deep in a wilderness he could not escape from because of his belief in Jesus!

Now, it is no secret that in John’s day people were hostile to the message of Jesus. In fact, hostility towards the gospel continues to rise today! Jesus’ message is serious business! It is a message of love, it is a message of truth, but never forget, it is a message of… repentance!

This message is sometimes not well received. Why? Because there are some, as crazy as it sounds, who would rather hold on to their sin instead of embrace the Savior. They resist the message of Jesus and sometimes become hostile to the messengers of Jesus.

John didn’t back down. John is now a resident of Patmos doing what the residents of Patmos do, slave labor. What possible good could come out of this? What message of turn around could possibly be formulated. The turnaround message of… wait for it… Revelation.

What is the book of Revelation? We know it is the closing book of the Bible. We know it speaks of things to come. We know it contains stories of God’s wrath. While the book does contain such information we see at the very beginning of chapter one what the book is all about. Revelation 1:1-3

Revelation 1:1–3 NIV

1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

This is a revelation from Jesus! The central theme of this entire book is Jesus! Now put yourself in John’s sandals for a moment. You’re exiled on Patmos, a nasty island made of rocky and dry terrain, and suddenly an angel appears before you with this message about Jesus. Talk about reaffirming your faith! John held on. John stayed true. And now John was about to see the pay off, if you will, for all who stay true to their faith in Jesus, even when exiled to the wilderness.

John is about to see a vision of amazing turn around. And from the wilderness of Patmos will come a book of tremendous victory!

This evening we are going to take a quick glance at this amazing book that came out of the wilderness This is a book of hope, a book of things to come, that can be looked at in three parts.

First we will see the revelation of Jesus’ plan.

Next we will see a Revelation of Jesus’ power.

Thirdly we will see a revelation of Jesus’ promise.

These three areas remind us of why it is important to stay true to our faith in Jesus. From out of the wilderness comes an amazing revelation from Jesus!

The Revelation of His Plan

Jesus came to this earth with a plan. This plan was unlike any plan this world had ever seen. Mark 10:45 gives us insight to the details of this plan. Jesus said,

Mark 10:45 NIV

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

What was the point of the giving of His life? What was this level of service an answer to? It was an answer to the universal sin problem of man! Remember the message that Jesus gave the enemy in the wilderness after His baptism, “Devil, your days are numbered.” This is the plan that would not only end the power of sin, but also silence the devil once and for all! Jesus’ plan is to eradicate sin!

Jesus gave His life so that all who call upon His name could be forgiven of sin. All who choose to believe in Him will not perish but have everlasting life according to John 3:16!

Jesus carried out this plan under the compulsion of love for His Father’s creation, for you and me! His love for us is beyond measure, and beyond our understanding! He came to serve us in this remarkable way!

After His ascension into heaven, the church, the followers of Jesus, became the messengers of Jesus.

The church is to be the continuation of Jesus’ ministry on earth. His mission: to seek and to save the lost has now become our mission. This is, again, a part of Jesus’ plan.

The beginning chapters of Revelation we see Jesus speak to this plan. We see Jesus write instruction to seven churches speaking directly to their unique settings and situations.

These seven letters are understood to be:

Directed to the seven churches

Applicable to all churches.

As you read through these letters you re going to see Jesus urge these churches to do one thing: stay on the plan. STAY ON MISSION!

The enemy is working hard to distract and destroy churches all around this world. Many are locked in internal struggles that are keeping them from reaching out as God intended them to do.

Five of the seven churches listed in Revelation are dealing with their own troubles. Troubles that are taking the churches away from God’s intended mission.

The church in Ephesus is struggling with the loss of their first love. They had taken their eyes off Jesus according to Revelation 2:4

The church in Pergamum had allowed worldliness to invade their hearts according to Revelation 2:14-15

The church at Thyatira was listening to false teachings according to Revelation 2:20

The church at Sardis was facing death, spiritual death according to Revelation 3:1-2

The church at Laodicea was called out to be lukewarm in Revelation 3:15-16

These churches had forgotten the plan! These churches had lost sight of love, holiness, truth, life, and fire!

Jesus reveals to these churches that His plan remains. It hasn’t changed, it hasn’t been watered down, it has been shifted or revamped. He instructed these churches to get back online with His plan, to repent of sins, and to be refined by “fire” (holy Spirit fire that is).

The two churches that did not receive correction instead received praise for their faithfulness.

The church at Smyrna had suffered, but they had suffered well. They stayed on mission. They stayed on the plan according to Revelation 2:9

The church at Philadelphia learned how to persevere. They knew how to hold on no matter what according to Revelation 3:10-11.

Like John himself, exiled to an island to suffer for his faith, two of seven churches had remained on point.

We, the body of Christ, the continuation of Jesus’ ministry on earth, must never forget the plan Christ has set before us.

We cannot afford to become distracted by worldly things. We cannot afford to lose sight of righteousness, to settle for half-truth, to preach anything but life in Christ, or to become lukewarm!

We must remain faithful no matter what! We must learn to persevere, to suffer well, to stay the course honoring the Name of Jesus the whole way through!

Imagine the impact such a letter had upon the congregations. These letters were written under the instruction of Jesus, penned by a man exiled for his faith saying stay on the plan. Remain faithful to Jesus and His ministry. Stay faithful to the revealed plan.

The Revelation of His Power

We know that we serve the all-powerful God! We know when it comes to God, the word impossible isn’t even in His vocabulary! Impossible you say? Not for God it isn’t!

The book of Revelation speaks of the Lord’s power in many ways. Soon after the writing of the letters to the churches, we begin to see the revealing of God’s wrath upon unrighteousness. All will have been given the chance to repent at this point. Matthew 24:14 is where we find that truth tonight.

Matthew 24:14 NIV

14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Everyone will have had the chance to come to Jesus. Not all will jump on that opportunity. Many will choose to reject Jesus and His love. His the deal: God, through His Son, has given us the opportunity to be redeemed by grace… but there is coming a day when those who reject His grace will be redeemed through wrath.

Moment after moment, judgement after judgement we begin to see the wrath of God unleashed upon the earth. Those who rejected the Savior now face the great tribulation. At certain points, Satan looks to have complete control over the situation, but this illusion doesn’t last very long. Jesus is about to reveal His power over the situation.

Recall that when the people were awaiting the arrival of their Messiah, they were waiting for, in their minds, a conquering king - someone who would overturn the political situation.

They hoped that this deliverer would free them from the hands of the Romans and set the world back on a path of righteousness They expected a warrior of sorts who would ride in and wipe out any ungodliness.

Jesus came, and wasn’t exactly what they expected. He was better! He came to give all a chance to repent of their sins. He came to give His life, to conquer sin, death, and the grave. He came to usher in a new era not of law, but of grace. Jesus truly changed it all!

The world was resistant to this change. In fact, the world is still resistant to this change! Jesus came in love and truth to deliver the good news, and after two thousand years the Name of Jesus is STILL INTIMIDATING PEOPLE! There is power in the Name of Jesus!

Revelation shows the world what will come. Yes, the judgement will be powerful, and yes the effects they will have on this earth will be powerful. But for me, nothing speaks more of the power of Jesus than a text we find in Revelation 19:11-16

Revelation 19:11–16 NIV

11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.

He is coming! Riding on a white horse with the armies of heaven following Him! He is coming to bind the devil and to reign for a thousand years! Talk about a revelation of power! Nothing and no one can stand in His way!

Jesus comes as the conquering king. Jesus’ power is unmatched, and unrivaled. He has power over sin! He conquered through the shedding of His blood while upon the cross. And church, make no mistake about it, we can experience His power in our lives today! We don’t have to wait for His second coming to experience His power in our lives. His Spirit is in you!

Christ has the power to bring dead things to life! That’s what we’re talking about! We can live in that power today because that power lives within us!

The Revelation of His Promise

And along with this revelation of power comes a revelation of promise. Suddenly, the world has been cleansed of unrighteousness, but one more great transformation is yet to occur: the creation of the new heavens and new earth. Revelation 21:1-4 tells of what is to come.

Revelation 21:1–4 NIV

1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

No more corruption, no more hurt, no more pain. The old has truly gone, the new has come! A world without sin! A world with God now dwelling among the people. It’s as if everything has been reset back to the way God had intended it! Jesus’ promises a world WITHOUT sin! He promises a world free from corruption, perversion, the enemy and his ways of darkness!

This promise, this blessed hope, had to be a very refreshing vision to the man who had been exiled to the wilderness for his faith. In fact, this promise should do the same for us today!

Everyday we face wilderness type situations. There are many things out there that try to zap the life out of us. There are many situations that leave us dry, leave us drained, and sometimes leave us down. John was certainly in such a place physically. John received from the Lord a message that certainly lifted his spirits.

Church, we need to stand on the promises of God. We need to place our hope and faith in what the Lord has promised… not in what the world has presented. Our current circumstance is but a season… The Word has made clear of what we can expect in the end.

Because His promises have been revealed, we have hope reassurance as we know that God will forever remain true to His promises.

Jesus IS coming back. The devil’s day ARE truly numbered. The season we find ourselves in WILL come to an end. The key is to remain steadfast in our faith and our resolve to stand on His promises.

This message, a revelation of plan, power and promise, is there for us as we navigate the wilderness situations we face.

Yes we may find ourselves not knowing what way to go. Never forget, His plan remains.

Yes we may find ourselves facing impossible odds. Our enemy is strong, but our God is stronger! Never forget, His power in unmatched!

Yes we may find ourselves in a world that is rough, rocky and dry, but His promise of eternal life remains!

Conclusion

The message that came out of the wilderness of Patmos is a strong reminder to remain faithful no matter what!

Endure, persevere, stay true to Jesus! Do not allow the temporary circumstances of this world take your eyes off the eternal plan, power and promise of Jesus!

The book of Revelation is all about our Lord and Savior! He is coming soon this we know! The time is truly drawing near! As we wait I pray we remain faithful to the Lord and to the mission He has set out before us.

This wilderness, this world as we know it, will one day cease to exist and in its place will be the new heavens and new earth. THIS IS TEMPORARY but the love of Jesus, and His promise of life is eternal!

So from out of the wilderness of Patmos we hear the voice of the Lord cry out to His people, “HOLD ON! REMAIN FAITHFUL! STAY ON COURSE FOR I AM RETURNING SOON!”

Hold on people of God! We know His plan and it’s a GOOD plan! We know His power and it’s a STRONG power! We know His promise and it’s an ETERNAL guarantee!

But the enemy doesn’t want you to hold on. He wants you to stumble while in the wilderness and to lose hope. Jesus sends his reassurance to us in the form of His love, in the form of His truth, and in the form of His promise.

Walk according to His plan, live under His power, look forward to His eternal promise. REMAIN faithful no matter what.

If you find yourself in a season that is leaving you spiritually dry look to Jesus.

If you find yourself in a place of suffering look to Jesus

If you find yourself losing hope look to Jesus.

Don’t allow the wilderness of life to overcome you! Remember the life we have in Jesus and allow His power to strengthen you and to encourage you!

Prayer

Maybe you are listening and you are doing your best to hold on… but at times you have felt your grip give way. Tonight, I want to pray for God to strengthen you and to help you in your walk with Him.

As things get tough, our resolve must get tougher. We will not abandon the faith. We will not lose sight of our first love. We will not water down the truth. We will not allow for worldliness to creep in. We will not allow for false teachings and we will not become lukewarm.

We will stand strong for the Lord… NO MATTER WHAT!

Breakthrough – Day of refreshing. Allow the Spirit of God to speak to you today. Allow Him to refresh you. Allow Him to encourage you as you hold on, and remain faithful.