All right, thanks, Martin.
Yep, great song.
Emma says, me too, for favourite Colin song.
It's great to know that the Lord is not just in and among his world,
but this is his world.
It's a really encouraging thought, good reminder.
So I forgot to say in the hustle and bustle of me changing computers,
we're going to have the Lord's Supper after the sermon.
So if you don't yet, you may want to quickly grab some food
and drinks so that we can share that together.
So, yeah, try and have that ready.
But what we're going to do now is hear God's Word read to us
and then we'll have the kids talk after that.
So we'll go to Catherine for the Bible reading in Revelation 1
and then we'll cross to Don for the kids talk.
Okay.
Hi, everybody.
We're reading from Revelation 1.
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,
who bore witness to the Word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ,
even to all that he saw.
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.
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
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness,
the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of kings on earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom,
priests to his God and Father.
To him be glory and dominion forever and ever.
Amen.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God,
who is and who was and who is to come.
The Almighty.
I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom
and the patient endurance that are in Jesus,
was on the island called Patmos on account of the Word of God
and the testimony of Jesus.
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day and I heard behind me
like a loud voice, like a trumpet, saying,
write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches,
to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira
and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.
Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me
and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands
and in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man,
clothes with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.
The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow.
His eyes were like a flame of fire.
His feet were like burnished bronze refined in a furnace
and his voice was like the loud roar of many waters.
In his right hand he held seven stars.
From his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword
and his face was like the sun, shining in full strength.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.
But he laid his right hand on me, saying,
fear not, I am the first and the last and the living one.
I died and behold, I'm alive forevermore
and I have the keys of death and Hades.
Write, therefore, the things that you've seen,
those that are and those that are to take place after this.
As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand
and the seven golden lampstands,
the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches
and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
So, after 11 weeks of churching online,
how are you feeling about it?
Perhaps you've been surprised how your thinking has changed
over the 11 weeks.
I certainly have.
So, initially, I was really quite fearful
that we would not even survive going online.
Everything that was familiar and comfortable was lost
in our face-to-face physical meeting.
But at some point, I'm not quite sure when,
but at some point I decided I quite like things as they are now.
And the reason, once I started to think about it,
is because it gives me so much control.
I realized that I can be at church on my terms,
engaging only with the bits I like or think worthwhile,
and then just getting up and doing other things
if I want to at other parts,
and speaking only to people I choose to speak to.
So, now I have changed, and I'm now quite fearful again.
I'm quite fearful that many actually won't want
to go back to physical meeting.
It's quite nice being in control, isn't it?
And doing just what you want.
So, the elders believe that the COVID-19 pandemic
has been a God-given opportunity
to reset our thinking and practice of church.
And so, what we want to do today through this series,
we want to start a church family conversation
shaped by the teaching of Revelation 1-3.
Going online was hard.
It was new territory for everyone.
None of us had experienced it.
None of us knew what it should look like.
And we had to decide quickly what was essential
and what wasn't.
I think resuming face-to-face meeting
will be even harder.
Because we all have experience.
We all have a personal bias
about what it should or could look like.
So, it's another opportunity to have a conversation
directed by God's Word.
So, the question then is,
will we be happy to resume physical meeting
simply by returning to what we've always done?
To what's familiar?
To what's comfortable?
If we do that,
that's actually resurrecting a culture of churching,
which might actually be quite mindless.
Now, of course,
some of our commitments and practices and thinking
may have been really good in the past,
and we need to be fighting for them into the future.
We don't want them to go.
But, likewise,
some of them may have been quite wrong
and need to be abandoned.
Over the next seven weeks,
we're going to zoom into the seven churches,
the letters of the seven churches.
But, imagine Jesus was zooming into our church today.
Of course, we know he is,
but let's just use the imagination for a minute.
What would Jesus have to say
about the shape and practices of our church?
What would Jesus have to say
about the passions and priorities
of individuals within our church?
What are our blind spots
in regard to what Christ calls us to in church?
You know, the things we don't want to do
because of the personal
or perhaps the financial cost.
The things we just don't like to do
because we don't like them.
The points at which maintaining
our personal autonomy
will override what Christ calls us to
as a church.
Those are big questions, aren't they?
They're confronting questions
to ask of ourselves
and to have others ask of us.
Or, again,
is it possible to have a vibrant spiritual life
that is to move closer to God
while only having loose attachment
to this community of Christ's people?
So, the question, in other words,
is what part does God mean
our church to have
in our spiritual growth?
Now, the way you answer these questions
will reflect your thinking.
Not a doubt about that.
But far more important
is what Christ thinks of his church.
And so we need to hear his thinking.
And on that,
let's turn to God's word in Revelation
and see how he answers these questions.
Now, moving into Revelation,
we need to get our bearings
by letting the text speak for itself.
Dave's already taken us well down this pathway
in his introduction.
So, the introduction makes clear,
the introduction to Revelation
makes clear that Revelation
is not a weird,
futuristic writing,
as many suggest today.
It's very plain.
In these first four verses,
how were to approach it?
How were to read it?
Verse one,
as Don said,
it's the revelation of Jesus Christ
which God gave him
to show his servants
the things that must soon take place.
The Greek word is apocalypse.
And that means,
as Don quite help,
it means to uncover
or reveal something
that was previously hidden.
Verse three,
we have this joint communique,
as it were,
from God the Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
delivered by supernatural inspiration
through John the Apostle.
So, putting that all together,
what is it?
Well, Revelation is the story
of God's unfolding word
and plan of salvation
in Jesus Christ
and the gospel.
It's the story
of God's unfolding plan
seen from God's perspective.
It's what I'm calling this morning
the inside story.
Now, look at verse two.
Why was it written?
Well, it was written specifically
for the benefit of Christians
struggling to live faithfully
in a hostile world,
including verse nine,
as Don's referred to,
John's own imprisonment.
So, it's meant to benefit now.
It's not some sort of futuristic formula.
And promises, therefore,
verse three,
immediate blessing and comfort
for all who read it
and take it to heart.
So, it's a letter,
but it's more than just a letter.
Look at the introduction
that John gives
in verses four through to eight there.
It's a picture book love letter
from Jesus
to his beloved people.
And his beloved people,
verse 11,
are described
as the seven churches
and the list of them there.
And seven in Revelation
always denotes completeness
or perfection.
So, this is a way of Jesus saying,
I'm writing a love letter
from me
to my whole church,
my complete church,
represented as it is
through these seven churches,
real churches,
in the time
that John was writing.
And when we look through
the way John
brings the introduction
and introduces Jesus to us,
as it were,
through the introduction,
it's easy to feel
the calming influence
of Jesus' reassurance.
Look at the words there
in verses four and five.
It's as if Jesus is saying,
I loved you
before the world began.
I died for you
to make you my special people.
I will always be
a faithful witness of you.
I will never abandon you.
I know your pain.
I know your suffering.
I will come to you soon
and your trust in me,
verse seven and eight,
will be vindicated before all.
Now, we delight to get letters.
We delight to get those
sort of love letters,
those reassuring,
calming words,
calming to us
on paper.
And that's what this letter is.
It's a picture book love letter.
Picture book because there's
lots of images.
A picture book love letter
from Jesus.
Now, with that sort of introduction,
let's jump into the first picture.
And the first picture is
the Lord Jesus Christ
and his church
as seen from God's perspective.
So, come with me
just for a minute
in a bit of imagination
because I think this will help us
get a handle
for what's happening in Revelation.
I want you to imagine
you're a news reporter
and you're covering the launch
of a massive new architectural plan
for the CBD of Newcastle.
So, there you are in the room
and the future Newcastle CBD
is under a large white sheet.
What would you expect
when the unveiling finally happens?
Well, you would expect
multiple aspects
and components to the design
which are integrated
around an existing
key feature of the city.
All these things
would tie together
or unite
or give form
to the overall design.
And you would immediately see
that every part of the design
is important
and interesting
but you can't possibly
write about them all at once.
And so, the designer
helps you
by immediately
directing your eyes
to the most dominant feature
in the design
from which
all other parts
take their shape.
Well, friends,
that's exactly
what happens
in the book of Revelation.
Verse 10 and 11
the Spirit says to John
start writing.
Start writing
as God
starts to roll
back the sheet
and reveal
his word,
his plan
as the inside story
from God's perspective.
And what immediately
captures John's attention
is the centerpiece
of God's plan.
And what is it?
Well, Jesus
and his consuming passion
his church.
In verse 10
John startled
and pushed into work
by a commanding voice.
Get writing, John.
And in verse 12
when John turns
to see
who the voice
is coming from
he sees
verse 12
a circle
of golden lampstands
seven lampstands.
Now that's
Old Testament imagery
symbolizing
Christ's
complete church
represented by
these local
seven local churches.
and in the center
of the church
is none other
than the Lord
Jesus Christ
described here
as one like a son of man
emphasizing again
in Old Testament imagery
his unlimited
power
and wisdom.
Now this is the same
Jesus
that John
introduced us to
in verses 48.
John introduces
us as
Jesus
God's
King
and Savior
Jesus
who controls
every detail
of his universe
sweeping away
with a word of judgment
any who dare
to oppose him.
This Jesus
who ultimately
everyone will
recognize
verse 7
as he truly is.
So John
starts to see
what's at the center
of God's plan
and purpose
for his world
the unlimited
power
and wisdom
of Jesus
but it's
more focused
than that
because his
total focus
of the Lord
Jesus
is on his church
the community
of his
died for
people.
In verse 16
in his right hand
he held
seven stars
from his mouth
came a sharp
two-edged sword
and his face
was like the sun
shining
in full strength.
again
picture language
upon picture language
Jesus
holds
his church
his community
of died for
people
in his hand
securely
and their
object
their purpose
in life
to reflect
his light
their stars
reflecting the light
the beauty
and the hope
of the sun
into
the darkness
of the world
and his
every word
this two-edged
sword
his every word
is designed
to protect
them.
It's a wonderful
picture
of this
unlimited
power and
wisdom
being totally
focused on
and applied
to
and available
for
the community
of his
died for
people.
That's what
Jesus is about.
It's a beautiful
picture and yet
there's another
aspect to the
picture.
This Jesus
is so
awesome
so
confronting
that he's
not to be
messed with.
Look at verse
17.
As soon as
John even
gets a glimpse
of this
awesome Jesus
he collapses.
He just
cannot
stand
in front
of this
person.
How's it
going to go
from here?
Well
look at the
tenderness.
This same
Jesus tenderly
helps John
back to his
feet.
Not just
helping him
back to his
feet but
speaks to him
reassuringly.
Fear not.
Get on
with the
job that
I've set
you to
do.
Get on
with the
job of
writing down
the inside
story as
I peel
back the
layers and
let you
see the
world and
God's
purpose from
God's
perspective.
Friends,
the message
is simple
but profound
in all
its imagery.
Viewed from
God's
perspective,
it is the
Lord Jesus
and his
church that
is central
to God's
purpose in
this world.
Put it in
different words.
I don't think
it's too much
to say that
nothing is
more important
to Jesus
than his
church.
Put it in a
couple of
questions.
What was
Jesus doing
when he
came into
this world?
Well, if you
go back
through the
Gospels,
it's very
clear that
Jesus came
to establish
and build
his church.
Then we
ask, well,
what's Jesus
doing now
that he's
returned to
heaven in
all his
glory?
Well,
Revelation
tells us
he is still
building his
church.
He's totally
focused on
building and
protecting his
church.
The base
of operations
for Jesus
has changed,
but the
operation
remains the
same.
And woven
into all
that imagery
is our
identity.
If you look
at verse
20,
as for the
mystery of
the seven
stars that
you saw in
my right
hand,
the seven
golden lamp
stands,
the seven
stars are
the angels
of the seven
churches,
and the
seven lamp
stands are
the seven
churches.
Now,
verse 20
is a sort
of strange
verse.
There's an
intense
cluster of
imagery.
For what
purpose?
Well,
it actually
shifts the
spotlight onto
Christ's
church.
So far,
it's been on
Christ himself
in the center
of the
church.
Now,
it spotlights
or highlights
the church
itself.
It's a
transition
verse into
chapters two
and three.
Now,
the word
angel here
in verse
20 is the
word messenger.
So,
to be honest,
it's not
entirely sure
how we
should read
this imagery
in all
its detail.
It may
be the
completeness
of Christ's
church,
including the
leaders or
the pastors
of those
churches.
In other
words,
the angels
might be
the pastors
of the
church.
Or,
it may
be imagery
that speaks
of the
importance
of Christ's
church,
so that
even the
heavenly
beings,
angels,
taking the
angels at
face value,
are tasked
with guarding
and protecting
Christ's
church on
earth.
Now,
I favor that
second option
personally.
I think it's
an easier way
to go with.
It means there's
lots we don't
understand,
but what it
does give us
is that sense
of importance.
Even the
heavenly
beings are
reflecting
Christ's focus
and sense of
importance in
the church,
because they
too have been
assigned to
guard and
protect Christ's
church on
earth.
Either way,
it doesn't
really matter.
Either way,
the focus
moves to
Christ's
church on
earth,
the community
have died
for people,
his renewed
resurrection
community that
we saw in
John's gospel
just a few
weeks ago,
a community
already greeted
so warmly
in verses
48.
And what
does the
spotlight
emphasize?
Well,
it emphasizes
our identity.
Now,
hear this
really,
really carefully.
We,
as Christians,
are not
simply part
of the
church.
We're not
simply
involved in
church.
We are
the church
of Christ.
How so?
By virtue
of being
in Christ.
When we're
converted,
when we come
into Christ,
we come
into church.
We are
the church
of Christ.
The two
are inseparable.
The connection
is inseparable.
And here's
how it works.
You see,
God's
purpose,
contrary to
what we
often think
these days,
God's
purpose was
never simply
to save
individuals.
His purpose
was always
to save
individuals
into a
new kingdom,
a new
community
of people
reflecting
the character
of their
king and
savior,
reflecting
their high
priest,
Jesus.
Friends,
we are
defined by
our relationship
with God
through Jesus.
We're
defined by
being in
Christ.
We are
defined as
the church,
the resurrection
community of
the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Now,
let's get
some enormous
confronting
implications.
We should
never allow
ourselves to
think of
church as
a responsibility.
that is,
we should
never allow
ourselves to
think of
church as
something
Christians
have to
do or
have to
be involved
in.
Church is
what defines
us, the
resurrection
community of
Jesus, who
by identity
reflect the
light of
Jesus into
our dark
world.
So,
we pursue
the implication
of this.
well, it's
no surprise
that the
Lord Jesus,
the head of
the church,
that like
the Lord
Jesus, the
head of
the church,
we also
are to
have one
consuming
passion,
and that
is to
reflect
Christ's
passion for
his church.
And that's
what Revelation
2 and 3
is about,
and we're
going to
see that
over the
next seven
weeks.
We're
going to
look at
each of
these
churches
individually.
And with
the same
commanding
voice,
Jesus speaks
to his
church.
He speaks
to the
churches
in chapters
2 and
3.
What does
he have
to say?
Well, just
very, very
briefly, and
we'll dig
into the
details over
the next
seven weeks.
He demands
that his
church reflect
his own
character in
terms of
witness,
purity,
and maturity.
That is,
he demands
that his
church reflect
his own
character,
both in
proclaiming
and modelling
the mind
of Christ.
As he is
the faithful
witness to
us, back
to chapter
1, verse
5, so
he demands
his church
should be a
faithful witness
to him as
king and
saviour in
God's world.
As he is
pure and
holy, so
he demands
his church
should aspire
to be pure
and mature
in action,
demonstrating
truth and
unity.
Remember,
so that
repeatedly
through
John's
gospel,
truth and
unity within
the church
and before
the watching
world.
Friends,
therefore,
it is never
enough to
say we are
Christians.
We need to
demonstrate
that we are
Christ.
and as we
demonstrate
that, then
we are the
church
reflecting the
passion of
Jesus into
his dark
world.
We'll see
over the
coming weeks
that Jesus
knows all
about the
external trials
as people have
to face daily.
They're in the
middle of serious
persecution from
the Roman
authorities at
this particular
time.
And Jesus
is well aware
of that.
We'll see
that as we
look into
these letters.
But here's
the rub.
Jesus sees
an even
greater danger
facing his
church.
Something even
more dangerous
than persecution
and loss of
life.
What's that?
Well,
Jesus sees
the danger
of compromise.
Compromise on
the inside,
in attitudes
and desires
and thinking
which drive
their actions.
So at one
point in
chapters 2
and 3
as Jesus
speaks into
his church,
at one
point he
doesn't hold
back.
He's
confronting
and exposing
bad attitudes,
wrong desires.
He's calling
out shallow
displays of
loyalty,
lacking true
substance in
the heart.
And friends,
over the next
seven weeks,
we need to
make sure that
we are in
a position
to hear
his word
speak to
us and
speak to
our heart
and that
we are
willing to
have Jesus
speak to
us and
speak to
our hearts.
Otherwise,
nothing will
change.
But at
another point,
Jesus speaks
into his
church,
offering words
of encouragement
and hope,
and he calls
his people to
press on in
truth and
unity,
in spite of
genuine
hardships in
this world.
words of
encouragement
and
encouragement.
And friends,
we need to
make sure we
hear both
equally,
words of
encouragement,
but words of
confrontation and
exposure also.
And there's
another thing we
need to be
aware of.
We need to
be aware of
reading Jesus'
words to the
seven churches
comparatively.
So our
temptation, I
think, is
that we'll
identify with
the circumstances
or failings
of one
church and
then dismiss
the other.
So in other
words, we'll
try and see
G-E-C-N as
one of those
seven churches.
But that's
not how they're
to be read
because they're
typical, they're
representative, so
we should read
them as
representing the
typical sin which
might pop up in
any church at
any time,
including ours,
in 2020,
unless we stay
focused on what
we're meant to
be as Christ
Church.
There's a real
problem if we
read them
comparatively.
And what will
happen if we
read them
comparatively is
that the level
of passion we
are aiming for
will be one
we set for
ourselves.
And it'll
work because
we'll allow
ourselves to
feel good about
ourselves relative
to other
churches.
Well, we
might have this
particular sin
that we need
to deal with,
but boy, we're
sure not guilty
of those things
that those other
churches were
guilty of.
And so we
set the bar
according to
how we think
we're performing
in relation to
other churches.
Rather than
looking for the
bar of Christ's
passion and
his demand for
unity and truth
and authentic
living as
Christians in
community.
It's Christ's
word that needs
to inform and
direct and shape
our conversation
moving forward
as a church.
But let me
leave you with
this thought as
we begin to
transition back
to physical
meeting.
And it's
two options
for asking
the question.
Each option
reveals something
quite severe.
Here it goes.
Do you ask,
where does
God and the
church fit into
my life or
work or
leisure?
I'll repeat
that.
Do you ask,
where does
God and the
church fit into
my life or
work or
leisure?
When the
real question
should be,
how does my
life reflect
Christ's passion
for his church
as the
defining point
of my
existence?
How does
my life reflect
Christ's passion
for his church
as the
defining point
of my
existence?
Well,
friends,
I hope the
conversation opens
up over the
next few weeks
directed by
God's word.
But in the
meantime,
thank you very
much for
listening to me.
Back to Dave
again.
Thank you.