Blessings of Revelation

“Blessings of Revelation”

REVELATION 1:1-8

I struggled with what to preach tonight. I kept trying to get to a sermon preaching on testimony, but while I was trying to get it put together, I was struggling with the organization.

What did happen was that while I was studying I kept coming back to another word that is similar and means essentially the same thing.

The word testimony as I was using it refers to telling something that you know to another person.

For example, when we have testimony services we are testifying to God’s goodness. The Scripture I was preaching from was

Revelation 12:11 (ESV)

11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

The idea being what has God done for you that you would tell the world anyway, even if the penalty for doing so was death?

While I was trying to get this put together, I kept ending up back in Revelation 1!

This book that this verse came from is literally a testimony in and of itself. SO, I said all of that to tell you I am going to read and preach from Revelation 1 tonight.

There are typically a few different responses you get when you say you are going to be preaching or doing a study on the book of Revelation.

1. Interest and curiosity. Most people are at least curious about the future.

a. Jetsons

b. Psychics

c. Horoscopes

2. Fear. It’s too hard to understand

Regardless, as we will read here in just a minute, there are blessings that come from reading, hearing, and living the words that are in this book!

Revelation 1:1–8 (ESV)

Prologue

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.

Greeting to the Seven Churches

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.”

PRAY

Jesus is both the Revealer and the One being Revealed!

This evening I want to look at 3 points of Revelation regarding what Jesus says about Himself. In doing so I hope to show that everyone of us has at least a jumping off spot of things to testify about.

I. THE FIRST TRUTH. “WHO HE WAS.” Rev. 1:5.

A. He is the Faithful Witness.

1. A witness is one that tells. The Lord Jesus as a witness tells out, or reveals unto us God. John 1:18 with John 1:1, 2, 14.

2. Christ testifies to us the:

a) Power of God. This is seen in His miracles of feeding the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21), healing upon healing upon healing, exorcisms, raising the dead (Luke 7:11-17, Jairus’ Daughter, Lazarus, HIMSELF), etc. (His miracles were done in His own name, because He was God.)

b) The love of God. This is seen in His death. John 3:16; Rom. 5:6-8.

c) The wisdom of God. This is seen the means of redemption—The just dying for the unjust. 1 Corinthians 1:18-21.

d) The hatred of God for sin. This is also seen in his death. Rom. 6:23 with Rom. 8:32. (God will not let sin go unpunished.) Either the sinner must be sent to the lake of fire to pay for his sins, or accept Christ who on the Cross paid for the sinner’s sins.)

B. He is the First Begotten from the Dead.

a. He was raised never to die again. Rev. 1:17-18.

b. This testimony must be believed to be saved. Rom. 10:9, 10.

C. He is the Prince (Ruler) of the Kings of the Earth.

a. Psalm 89:27

b. Revelation 19:16

II. THE SECOND TRUTH. “WHAT HE DID FOR US.” Rev. 1:5-6

a. He loved us. Cp. Phil. 2:5–8; 2 Cor. 8:9.

b. He washed us from our sins in His own Blood. Eph. 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18, 19.

III. THE THIRD TRUTH. “WHAT HE HAS MADE US” (THE SAVED). Rev. 1:6.

a. Kings. Royal Sons of a Holy God. John 1:12; Romans 8:14-17

b. Priests. Intercessors with God for man. 1 Peter 2:5, 9.