Your Bibles, Revelation, Chapter 1.
So, Revelation, if you need a Bible, there's ones there.
And there should be some sheets for taking notes, especially those who are in secondary school.
Make sure you have one. If you haven't got one, make a fuss, make some noise, and make sure an older person gives you one, if they've taken it.
So, we're going to read this morning from Revelation, Chapter 1, verses 9 to 20.
Let us hear God's Word to us.
I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus,
was on the island of Patmos because of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
On the Lord's day, I was in the Spirit.
And I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet which said,
Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.
I turned round to see the voice that was speaking to me.
And when I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands.
And among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,
dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.
The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow.
And his eyes were like blazing fire.
His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace.
And his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.
In his right hand, he held seven stars.
And coming out of his mouth was a sharp double-edged sword.
His face was like the sun, shining in all its brilliance.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.
Then he placed his right hand on me and said,
Do not be afraid.
I am the first and the last.
I am the living one.
I was dead and now look.
I am alive forever and ever.
And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
Write therefore what you have seen,
what is now,
and what will take place later.
The mystery of the seven stars that you saw on my right hand
and of the seven golden lampstands is this.
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches
and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Well, I don't know if any of you have ever read Revelation before,
but I think we all know that it can be kind of a weird
and both wonderful book at the same time.
Well, it's a series of visions given by God to John
written down for us.
So if you have a look very quickly there at verse 11,
he says,
Write on a scroll what you see
and send it to the seven churches.
That implies it's for all churches of all ages,
including us today.
And the visions are stunning and spectacular.
Look at verse 19.
He's told,
John is told to write, therefore,
what you have seen,
what is now,
and what will take place later.
It encompasses a huge breadth of time,
what was past,
what is present,
and what is future.
It's the time frame
between the resurrection of Jesus
and the return of Jesus.
And all these visions that we're going to look at,
and we're going to look at one in just a moment,
help us to see the world and history
from God's perspective.
And despite opposition to Christ and his church,
God rules,
and the church is on the winning side.
So,
before we get into this vision
that we have before us this morning,
we're going to pray
and ask,
as we thought about this morning,
that the light of God's word
would shine in our hearts
that we might see Jesus.
Let's pray for that.
Father, thank you for your word,
spoken all those years ago
to your prophet John,
who wrote it down
so that we could read it
and hear it today.
and we ask,
Father,
that you would make these words
come alive in our hearts
so that we see
Jesus clearly.
May we come to know him
and love him
and be blessed.
We ask this for our good.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, three things
we're going to see
from our text.
We're going to look at three things.
We're going to look first
at the reality we face,
the vision we need,
and the confidence we have.
So first,
the reality
we face.
John's opening words
are like a bucket
of cold water
which is thrown
in our face.
It wakens us up
to reality.
Look at verse 9.
I, John,
your brother and companion
in the suffering
and kingdom
and patient endurance
that are ours
in Jesus,
was on the island
of Patmos
because of the word
of God
and the testimony
of Jesus.
Patmos Island,
which is still there today,
you can look it up
on Google Earth
or Google Maps,
and it's beautifully
situated between Greece
and Turkey
in the Mediterranean Sea.
But John's not there
on holiday
at his private villa
chilling out.
It was a Roman prison island
where convicts
and Christians
were put.
They were probably
mining and cutting
and carving out marble.
He's not sunbathing,
he's suffering
because,
look at the end
of verse 9,
because of the word
of God
and the testimony
of Jesus.
Look,
he's saying,
if you're a Christian,
expect
to suffer.
Verse 9,
I, John,
your brother
and companion
in the suffering.
We're partners,
he's saying,
and just as I'm suffering
for the testimony
of Jesus,
so you will.
If you today
stand up
for biblical Christianity,
if you speak out
for Jesus,
you are going to face
pushback
and criticism.
Why do you say,
well,
that's not what I signed up
for as a Christian.
I thought being a Christian
would be
a little bit easier
than that.
It would be comfortable
and worry-free.
And of course,
one way to avoid
any struggles
and to maintain
a comfortable life
is just keep
your mouth shut.
Don't say anything.
Say nothing.
and you can sunbathe
your Christian life away.
But that's not
real Christianity.
Look closely
at what the text
is saying to us.
He says,
I, John,
your brother
and companion
in the suffering
and kingdom
and patient endurance
that are ours
in Jesus.
You see,
one of the ways
to describe a Christian
is to say
they are
in Jesus.
His life
becomes
your life.
And we receive
many blessings
because we are
in Jesus.
Grace
and peace
and joy
and forgiveness
and hope.
But that's not all,
is it?
John wants
to underline
the fact
that if we are
in Jesus
we will suffer.
In other words,
we walk
the same path
that Jesus walked.
It's the way
of the cross.
But not only
will we suffer,
he says,
verse 9,
that the kingdom
is also ours
in Jesus.
To be
in Jesus
is not just
to go through
hard times
but it's to be
in his kingdom.
kingdom.
We were reminded
of that
if you have a look
back at verse 5,
the end of verse 5,
to him who loves us
and has freed us
from our sins
by his blood
and has made us
to be
a kingdom
and priests
to serve
his God
and Father.
If we are
in Jesus,
we are now
his kingdom,
the special
privileged
people of God.
We are,
you are,
Carigoline Baptist Church
are his representatives
here on earth
in this town.
And God
is extending
and building
his kingdom
through us
as we testify
to Jesus.
But his point is
it's not easy.
The world
and the devil
are actively
opposed to
God's kingdom.
And if you are
a Christian,
it's going to be
fighting against you.
So just as Jesus
suffered for the kingdom,
so you're going
to suffer for the kingdom.
But there's a third
element as well
that we share in
if we're in Jesus.
Not just suffering
in the kingdom,
but you see it there
in verse 9?
The patient endurance
that are ours
in Jesus.
Just as Jesus
patiently endured
the hardship,
and just as John
on the island
in his suffering
was patiently
enduring,
so he's encouraging
us to
patiently endure
through these
hard times.
Well,
come on,
John,
it's easier said
than done,
isn't it?
We can all talk
about patient
endurance today.
How am I
to endure
when family
resists the gospel
and their responses
are slow?
How am I
to be patient
when keeping
quiet just seems
to be so much
more appealing?
It's hard.
How am I
going to
patiently endure
as I suffer
for the kingdom?
Well,
we need something,
don't we?
We need someone
who is greater
and bigger
than ourselves.
Second,
the vision
we have.
So the reality
we face
is that we're
going to suffer
for the kingdom
and the vision
we need.
Look at verse 10.
On the Lord's
day,
I was in the
spirit.
Now,
isn't that
significant?
There he is
on this island
suffering away,
but he hasn't
lost count
of the days.
it's the
Lord's day,
the day of
resurrection,
and he
remembers.
I was in the
spirit and I
heard behind
me a loud
voice like a
trumpet.
Well,
that would get
your attention,
a trumpet
blasting behind
you,
wouldn't it?
verse 12.
I turned
round to see
the voice
that was
speaking to
me.
But when I
turned round,
I saw
seven golden
lampstands,
and among
the lampstands
was someone
like a
son of
man.
John sees
something,
he sees
lampstands.
Now,
we're going
to come
back to
them in
a minute,
but he
also sees
someone.
Do you
see it
there in
the middle
of verse
13?
Someone like
a son of
man.
The son of
man is like
a man,
like a human
being,
just like you
and I,
with flesh
and blood,
but at the
same time,
they're
different.
And a
description is
given of
what the
son of
man is
like.
We can
read it
in verse
13.
He's
dressed in
a robe,
reaching down
to his
feet.
So this
is someone
with immense
power and
royalty.
This is a
king.
He has a
sash, a
golden sash
around his
chest.
Well, that
was for the
priests who
served God.
So this
is a
priestly
king.
His hair
on his
head,
verse 14,
was white
like wool,
as white
as snow.
Someone with
great wisdom
and all
knowledge.
The grey
haireds,
never laugh
at the grey
haireds,
they're very
wise, you
know.
Their
eyes,
or his
eyes,
were like
blazing
fire,
piercing,
seeing right
into people's
hearts,
exposing all
their motives
and all
that's going
on inside
them.
Their
feet
were like
bronze glowing
in a
furnace,
reminding us
of his
strength and
unshakable
durability.
ability.
His voice
was like
the sound
of rushing
waters,
like a
thunderous
waterfall,
it was
deafening.
Verse 16,
in his
right hand
he held
seven stars,
and coming
out of his
mouth was a
sharp,
double-edged
sword,
a warrior
bringing
judgment
and justice,
the two
sides of
the double
sword.
And his
face was
like the
sun,
shining in
all its
brilliance,
captivating,
yet blinding.
This is
what John
saw.
Of course,
it's not a
literal picture,
it's imagery
that's meant to
capture our
imagination and
to stir our
emotion.
This person,
like a
son of
man,
is full
of beauty
and glory
and magnificence
and greatness
and power
and authority.
Here is a
king who
comes ruling
for God,
a priest who
is serving
God,
and he's
all-wise,
and he sees
all things,
and he knows
all things,
and he's
strong and
immovable and
unbreakable,
and when he
speaks,
his voice
alone is
heard,
and when he
opens his
mouth,
judgment
and justice
is done.
Can you
see it?
Can you
see this
person?
But there
is something
more.
Turn with
me,
please,
to Daniel,
back in the
Old Testament
in chapter
7.
Daniel
chapter 7.
The context
is important
for us
here.
Daniel,
this is
about 600
years before
John is
writing
Revelation,
and he
lived at a
time when
God's people
had been
taken into
captivity
by the
Babylonians,
and it
was a
time of
awful
suffering
for God's
people.
You know
some of
the stories
how a
great big
figure was
set up and
they all
had to
bow down
and worship
this idol,
a time of
suffering for
God's people.
And like
John,
God spoke to
Daniel at
that time
through visions.
God spoke
not of
comfort,
but of
greater
empires
that were
to come.
He told
Daniel through
the visions
that not
only were
there the
Babylonians,
but coming
after them
were the
Persians and
the Greek
and the
Romans over
the next
600 years,
each of
which,
like the
Babylonians,
would oppose
God's
people.
But in
the midst
of these
visions,
Daniel has
another vision,
and it's
very like
the vision
of John.
Let's pick
it up in
chapter 7,
verse 13.
Look out
for the
similarities
as we
read.
In my
vision at
night,
I looked,
and there
before me
was one
like a
son of
man.
Coming
with the
clouds of
heaven,
he approached
the ancient
of days,
that is,
God,
and was
led into
God's
presence.
He was
given
authority,
glory,
and
sovereign
power.
All that
belonged to
God was
given to
this one
like a
son of
man.
All the
nations and
peoples of
every language
bowed and
worshipped him.
His dominion is
an everlasting
dominion that
will not pass
away,
and his
kingdom is
one that
will never
be
destroyed.
Go to
Daniel chapter
10,
where the
vision
continues.
Verse 5,
Daniel 10,
verse 5.
I looked
up,
and there
before me
was a
man dressed
in linen
with a
belt of
fine gold
from
euphaz
around his
waist.
His
body was
like
topaz,
his face
like
lightning,
his eyes
like
flaming
torches,
his arms
and legs
like the
gleam
of
burnished
bronze,
and his
voice
like the
sound
of a
multitude.
Can you
see the
similarities?
Verse 18,
again,
the one
who looked
like a
man
touched
me
and gave
me
strength.
Do not
be afraid,
you who
are highly
esteemed,
he said.
Peace,
be strong
now,
be strong.
You see,
Daniel,
in the midst
of all the
turmoil as he
looks ahead of
all these
empires to
come,
is given
another vision
and he's
promised that
a man who
is like
God is
going to
come.
He would
be greater
than any
kings of
the past
or any
rulers to
come.
His
kingdom
would outlast
every other
kingdom.
His rule
will be
won with
absolute
power and
supreme
authority.
What
encouragement
for Daniel
and God's
people as
they went
through their
times of
suffering.
It would
give them
strength to
patiently
endure.
Peace,
be strong
now,
be strong.
Now let's
go back to
Revelation.
with all
that in
mind.
You see,
what Daniel
longed for,
what he
looked to,
has become
a reality
for John
and for
us through
his vision.
This
promised
God-man
has come.
For the
only one
who fulfills
that is
the God-man,
Jesus Christ,
whose kingdom
is eternal,
whose authority
is supreme.
No wonder
John,
Revelation 1,
verse 17,
when I saw
him,
I fell at
his feet,
though dead.
God is on
display before
him,
and it
literally
knocks him
off his
feet.
John's knees
buckle at the
captivating beauty
and the
terrifying glory.
You see,
what we need
today is a
vision of
the almighty
God,
a vision that
puts everything
and everyone
in perspective
and in their
place.
we've heard
lots of
kings and
queens this
week,
haven't we?
Long
reigns,
70 years,
over a
great
commonwealth,
many nations.
Nothing to
this,
is it?
A vision
of the
God-man,
Jesus Christ,
will strengthen
your faith
and fortify
this church.
Look what
Jesus says
in verse
17.
Then he
placed his
right hand
on me
and said,
do not
be afraid,
I am the
first and
the last.
I am the
beginning of
history and
I am the
end of
history.
I have the
very first
word and
I will have
the very
last word.
Verse
18,
I am the
living one,
I was
dead and
now look,
I am alive
forever and
ever.
I am the
eternal king,
I rule over
every event
in history and
over every
circumstance in
your life.
So you do
not need
to fear.
In fact,
he is even
over your
death,
not just
your life.
Look at the
end of verse
18,
he says,
I hold the
keys of
death and
Hades.
Hades was
the realm,
the place
of the
dead.
And Jesus
is saying,
look, I
rule that
too.
Remember,
as John
wrote,
the churches
were facing
not just
opposition,
but death
itself.
The Roman
emperors and
rulers wielded
their sword as
they pleased.
Christians were
dying,
some of them
were being
slaughtered
just because
they stood
for Christ.
Fear was
gripping the
church,
and the
comfort of the
world looked
so appealing,
how easy it
would be for
them to just
give up and
give in.
But the
voice of the
risen Jesus
comes,
do not be
afraid,
I hold the
keys of
death.
I have
defeated
death.
I have
conquered
the grave.
Look,
what's the
worst thing
that could
ever happen
to you as
a Christian?
Well, the
worst thing
is you'll
die.
But know
this,
says Jesus,
just as I
was raised
in glory and
victory,
so you
too will be
raised in
glory and
victory.
I have
the first
word over
your life,
and I
have the
last word
over your
life.
You see,
being a
Christian today,
we can feel
so small and
insignificant.
We can
tremble at
the powers
that oppose
us.
We fear
the secular
culture we
live in.
We fear
their big
arguments and
their strong
words.
we fear
friends will
leave and
misunderstand
us.
We fear
that we
might become
unpopular and
ostracised at
work.
We feel the
pull of the
world and
the comfort
of an easy
life.
How easy
it is for
us just to
turn away,
to give up
and give
in.
Well,
when fears
overwhelm
you,
what is it
that's going
to enable
you to
patiently
endure?
When suffering
comes in
whatever form
it may be,
what's going
to keep
you going?
Cheer up?
Go on,
keep going.
We need a
vision of the
glorious Christ.
We need to
hear,
we need to
read what
Jesus is
saying.
We need to
be knocked
off our feet
at the
awesome power
of God.
We need to
sense his
hand on
our shoulder
and to
hear his
words spoken
to us
today.
Do not
be afraid,
Christian.
Do not
be afraid.
Look to
Jesus and
our fears
will crumble
in the
presence of
his glory.
Listen to
Jesus and
our worries
will melt
in the
knowledge of
his greatness.
he rules
with absolute
power and
supreme
authority.
I rule
life and
death.
My kingdom
will never
end.
Have you
got that
vision
before you
today?
So the
reality we
face,
it's going
to be hard.
We need to
patiently endure,
so we've
been given
a vision.
And third,
it will
give us
great
confidence
going
forward.
As John
heard the
voice,
as he saw
the God-man
Jesus Christ,
he also saw
something else,
didn't he?
Let's go back
to verse 12.
He said,
I turned
round to see
the voice that
was speaking
to me.
But instead
of seeing
someone straight
away,
he turned
and he said,
I saw
seven golden
lampstands.
And among
the lampstands
was someone
like a
son of
man.
Verse 16,
in his
right hand
he held
seven stars.
John
sees the
God-man
Jesus Christ
and he
sees him,
picture the
scene,
walking
amongst
these
golden
lampstands.
And in
his right
hand he's
got
stars.
Lampstands
and stars,
what's all
that about?
Well,
we don't
need to
speculate,
do we?
Because we're
told what
they mean.
Verse 20,
the mystery
of the
seven stars
that you
saw in
my right
hand and
of the
seven golden
lampstands
is this.
This is what
it means.
The seven
stars are
the angels
of the
seven
churches
and the
seven
lampstands
are the
seven
churches.
Simples.
Lampstands
and stars,
they're the
churches.
they are
representative of
God's church
in all times
and all
places.
So as we
read lampstands
and as we
think about
stars,
think about
Carigoline
Baptist
Church.
What is
John's
vision of
the church?
What does
he see
going on?
How does
it give us
confidence?
Well,
first,
Christ is
among the
church.
John sees,
we're told,
seven
golden
lampstands.
This is not
a random
image.
God has
chosen it
carefully and
specifically.
The lampstand
was all part
of the
temple
furniture
and it
stood
right at
the entrance
to the
holy place
where God
was to
dwell,
his
presence.
So it
was symbolic
of God's
presence
and power.
About
500 years
before,
so we
talked about
Daniel's
600 years
and his
captivity in
Babylon and
their temple
had been
destroyed.
Well,
100 years
after that,
Zechariah,
the prophet,
was praying
to God
about the
temple and
it had been
destroyed and
how was it
going to be
rebuilt and
how would
everything be
put right
again?
And in
response,
God gives
Zechariah a
vision.
You know
what his
vision was?
Here we
have it
here.
He gives
Zechariah a
vision and
God asked
him, he
says,
what do
you see?
Zechariah
answered,
I see a
solid gold
lampstand.
What is
it?
What's this
lampstand?
And God
answered,
this is the
word of
the Lord,
not by
might nor
by power,
but by
my spirit,
says the
Lord
Almighty.
That's his
encouragement
to Zechariah.
Your
might, he
says, and
your power
is not
going to
get you
anywhere,
but by
my presence
and by
my power,
by my
spirit,
I will
be with
you and
I will
go with
you and
you will
achieve what
you need
to do.
Now, we're
not building
physical
temples or
building
physical
churches,
but we
are seeking
to build
God's
church,
aren't we?
And it's
hard.
There's
opposition.
And we're
wondering,
how are we
going to do
it?
And the
answer,
the Lord
of history,
the one
who rules
and reigns
over all
things and
all peoples,
is present
among his
church by
his power.
If we
could picture
it now,
God present,
weaving in
and out of
the rows,
I am here
right now
with you
by my
Holy Spirit,
my presence
and my
power.
you see,
we are not
left alone
to do
this battle
by ourselves.
He is
present
among the
church.
But not
only that,
the church
is in
Christ.
John
sees
not just
the lamp
stand,
but he
sees
seven
stars
in the
hands of
Jesus
Christ.
Do you
see it
there,
verse 20?
The mystery
of the
seven
stars
that you
saw
in my
right
hand
and of
the
seven
golden
lamp
stands
is this,
the
seven
stars
are
the
angels
of
the
seven
churches.
Now I
understand
that the
angels
here are
representative
of
the
church.
So
one
church,
one
angel.
We can
see this,
just have
a look at
the beginning
of the
letters,
chapter
two,
verse
one.
John
writes,
to the
angel
of the
church
in
Ephesus.
And in
verse
eight,
to the
angel
in the
church
in
Smyrna,
and so
on.
In other
words,
the angel
is
representative
of the
church.
So these
stars,
these
representatives
are in
the hands
of Jesus
Christ.
The
church
is in
the
grip
of
Jesus.
Well,
it doesn't
always seem
like that.
It often
feels like
we've fallen
out of
his hand.
And we
can feel
battered and
bruised and
isolated and
insignificant.
And we're
wondering if
we're making
any impact
at all.
And we
go to
rock,
we go to
rooted,
we talk to
our friends and
neighbours and
we go,
what's
happening?
Nothing
seems to
be happening.
But what a
vision we
have.
The
church
is safe
in the
grip
of the
Lord
Jesus.
Nothing
and no
one can
stop his
church.
Opposition
will be
faced,
the Bible
could be
banned,
believers
may be
imprisoned,
Christians
can be
put to
death,
but the
church
across the
world
today
is
growing
and
expanding.
Come to
the
Radstock
Round
Table
and meet
people
from all
parts of
the world
where you
will see
churches
planted and
people coming
to faith.
You see,
the reality
is we
do face
hardship
and the
question is
what's going
to help us
to patiently
endure?
What's going
to keep me
going?
for my
next reign
of 70
years,
if that's
what God
gives us.
What's
he going
to give
me?
What's
going to
keep me?
We need
a vision
of Jesus
Christ
in all
his
greatness
and glory.
Look at
the one
with absolute
power and
supreme
authority,
the one
who has
the first
word over
your life
and the
last word
over your
life.
He's the
ruler of
all history.
He's the
conqueror of
death.
He's present
amongst us
as he walks
through us
by his
power and
his presence
and he
has us
firmly
in the
grip of
his hand.
The world
says the
church is
finished.
God says
you ain't
seen nothing
yet.
The church
will be
established.
It will
reign
forever
and forever.
Be
confident.
Do not
be afraid.
Feel his
touch on
your shoulder
today.
Do not
be afraid.
Let's
pray.
Father, we
confess that
so often
and so
quickly we
are swamped
by our
fears and
our worries.
We
picture
ourselves
trying to
fight a
battle that
sweeps
over us
and waves
crash over
us and
we're
struggling to
catch our
breath.
Help us
afresh to
see Jesus
as we
hear his
words and
read his
words.
Fill us
with a
vision of
God
almighty
present
in power
putting his
hand upon
the shoulder
of the
church today
saying
do not
be afraid.
thank you
lord that
you are
over all
things that
the power
and the
victory
belong to
you.
In
Jesus name
amen.
all my
days
well I
don't know
how many
days I
have
I don't
know how
many days
you have
but I
hope we
can sing
this song
of gladness
Homeless
who
can
do not
use
to
be
or
,
and
you
can
hear
you