So, turn with me please in your Bibles. If you haven't got a Bible, there's plenty just at the stand there.
It will help you if you do have a Bible, and it will help you to see that what I am saying is also from the Bible.
So we're going to be looking at the letter, the book of Revelation.
We're also going to be studying it in our home groups, and the way we're doing it in our home groups,
we're looking at the passage that we're going to be looking at on a Sunday.
So, on Wednesday just past, we looked at the first part of the first chapter.
So hopefully, if you came, some of these things will be fresh in your mind, and you'll understand them.
If you missed it, don't worry, all will be made clear. Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Now, I don't want anybody reading it. I want you to be listening.
But there it is. If you didn't pick up your copy, there's plenty as you came in through the door this morning.
So let's read Revelation, chapter 1, verses 1 to 8.
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, who testifies to everything he saw.
That is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy.
And blessed are those who hear it and take it to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
John, to the seven churches in the province of Asia, grace and peace to you from him who is and who was and who is to come,
and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,
the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
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.
To him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him,
and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him.
So shall it be. Amen.
Amen.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
Let's pray.
We are created.
You, Almighty God, are our creator.
And we need you.
We need your help.
We need the power of your Spirit
to take the words that we read and think about together
and push them deep into our hearts and lives
so that we are filled afresh
with the vision of the Almighty God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
so that we live lives
that are faithful towards you
and honour you.
Help us now, we pray.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
I recently received an urgent message from a friend in India.
Johnny,
please pray for six young mothers
who've been arrested at a birthday gathering in a nearby village.
Their crime?
They were all followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Imagine, for four weeks,
they were denied bail,
left in a cell,
separated from their husbands and children.
Thankfully, I received another message to say they've all been released.
But it's a reminder of what to expect in some parts of the world
when you follow Jesus Christ.
Now, you and I may not fear arrest or prison this week.
But if we are Christians and if we're part of this church,
we do face an increasing opposition and persecution.
Being a Christian today is tough.
It's not easy.
The voice of the church is silenced
while a secular agenda is promoted.
Christianity, we are told,
has had its day.
It's finished.
It's over.
Our views of sexuality and gender are outdated.
Our message of a gospel about repenting and turning in faith
is completely irrelevant.
It's time to move on.
You see, it's hard, isn't it,
to be a witness for Christ.
It's costly.
You may feel isolated at work,
perhaps ignored by friends
or even misunderstood by family.
It can be lonely.
Christianity is for losers.
Christ and his church are finished.
That's the message we get.
And of course, this is nothing new.
As John, the author of this book of Revelation,
as he wrote,
Christians at this time in the first century
were living under the rule of the Roman Empire
and the emperor,
Nero.
A great fire had broken out in Rome
and Nero blamed it on the Christians.
He found their beliefs
anti-social
and it was an excuse to get rid of them.
Hundreds were arrested and convicted
for a crime they never committed.
One historian at the time,
a Roman historian,
Tacitus explained it like this.
Mockery was heaped on them in their deaths.
They were covered in the skins of wild beasts,
torn to death by dogs,
crucified or set ablaze,
so that when night time fell,
they lit up everything like torches.
Human street lamps ablaze.
Nero opened up his own gardens for this spectacle
and gave a show in the arena
where he mingled with the crowd
or stood in the garb of a charioteer in a chariot.
Being a Christian is hard.
And that's why
we've been given the book of Revelation.
This book has been given to
encourage believers
today who are facing
trials and struggles.
Rather than a Christian manual
to predict the future,
it is a pastoral letter
to strengthen
the church.
That's an important phrase.
We'll say it much
through our studies.
It isn't a manual
to predict the future.
It's a pastoral letter
to strengthen
and fortify the church.
So,
let's get straight into Revelation
and see
how we can be strengthened
and encouraged.
Three things we're going to look at.
God's perspective revealed,
God's servants blessed,
and God's victory assured.
God's perspective revealed,
God's servants blessed,
and God's victory assured.
First then,
God's perspective revealed.
Now, I'll admit,
if you've read it or flicked through it,
Revelation can be confusing.
There's a lot of strange creatures.
There's a lot of blood.
There are colourful visions.
And it can be hard to understand
what's it all about.
In fact,
some teachers,
if you were to listen to them today
and read their books,
it's presented like
they've been given
a special code
to unlock its hidden meaning.
And we're like,
what's the special code?
Well,
Revelation hasn't
been written
to confuse
or conceal.
It was written
to ordinary believers
just like us.
And it's meant to
reveal
and
unveil.
Look at verse 1.
The revelation
from
Jesus Christ,
which God gave him
to show his servants
what must soon
take place.
Revelation
simply means
to
reveal.
It's in the word itself
to reveal
or
make known.
It's like
the pulling back
of a curtain
in the morning time
where you just go
whoosh
and the sun
comes blazing through.
Well,
we hope it does
anyway.
It unveils
what is hidden.
Now,
this unveiling
comes to us
through the word
of God.
There's a chain
of communication
that helps us
seize it.
Follow with me
in verse 1.
Follow this chain
of communication.
The revelation
from
Jesus Christ,
which God
gave
Jesus
to show
his servants
what must
soon take place.
He,
that's Jesus,
made it known
by sending
his angel
to his servant
John.
So,
we can follow
the chain,
can't we?
God
revealed it
to Jesus
who revealed it
to his angel
who revealed it
to John
who wrote it
all down
to reveal it
to God's
servants.
That's us.
Christians
today are
God's
servants
and he's
made known
his word
to us.
He's revealed,
he's unveiled
what was
concealed.
That's how
all scripture
should be seen.
It's God's
word
unveiled,
revealed
to us
by him.
So,
what's the
great revelation?
what is God
revealing
to us?
What is being
unveiled behind
the curtain
as it were?
Well,
we get a glimpse
of heaven's
perspective.
Let's look at
verse 1 again.
The revelation
from Jesus
Christ
which God
gave him
to show
his servants,
that's us,
what must
soon
take place.
Now,
that little
phrase,
what must
soon
take place,
is what
scripture
refers to
as the
end times
or sometimes
called the
last days.
It's the
period of
time between
the resurrection
of Jesus
and the
return of
Jesus.
Nearly
2,000 years
ago,
Jesus was
raised from
the grave.
He hasn't
yet returned,
but one day
he will
return.
But it's
that period
of time,
what must
soon take
place is
this period
of time
between the
resurrection
of Jesus
and the
return of
Jesus.
And we're
somewhere along
that line.
We're living
in that age
today.
Jesus has
been raised,
but he hasn't
yet come,
and we're
living somewhere
along that
line,
because we
don't know
when he's
coming back.
Look at
verse 2.
John testifies
to everything
he saw.
as we
read through
Revelation,
we'll see
that John
receives a
series of
visions that
enables him
and us to
see what
is going on
in the world
and what we
can expect to
happen.
Of course,
we're not
given all the
minute details.
We aren't
given kind of
like what's
happening next
week or next
year or in
ten years'
time or on
such and such
a date.
But we are
given a big
picture.
But this is
where we need
to be very,
very careful.
Revelation
isn't to be
used as a
manual to
predict the
future.
It's not
like kind
of a
Christian
version of
reading your
cards or
going to a
palm reader
and predicting
what your
future is.
That's how
many people
do.
They flick
through all
kinds of
things.
Oh, a
blood-red moon.
Do you know
what that
means?
Oh, a
plague.
There's been
a virus.
Will I
tell you
what that
means?
No, it's
not this
kind of
picture of
the future
and we
know all
the details
of what's
going on.
No, it's
showing us
what is
happening in
history and
in the
world from
God's
vantage point
because he's
the maker
of the
world and
he sees it
all from
the beginning
to the
end.
Sometimes
John will
see into
heaven.
Sometimes
he hears
a voice
from heaven
but each
time God
is revealing
to us
what is
happening
from God's
perspective.
You see,
every time we
turn on the
television,
every time we
scroll through
our social
media,
what do we
get?
We're getting
a view,
an opinion
of the world
from an
earthly
perspective.
Every news
program,
every tweet,
every post,
is just a
commentary from
somebody's
limited,
self-focused
life.
But when we
read Revelation,
God is
inviting us to
see the world
from heaven's
perspective.
It's as if God
is saying to
you, look,
pull back the
curtains, let
me show you
what is really
going on.
You think the
world's leaders
run this place?
Putin and
Biden and
the UN and
everybody else?
Well, you
read this and
let me show you
who is really
in charge.
You think the
church is
insignificant,
that the world
has rubbished
the church and
there's no place
for it?
Well, let me
show you what's
going to outlast
every single
kingdom.
You think
Christianity has
had its day
that it's for
losers?
Well, let me
show you who's
going to win.
You think this
world is all
there is that
we just live
and we die
and that's it,
end of story?
You ain't seen
nothing yet.
Let me show
you the new
creation where
everything is
put right.
You see, as we
read Revelation,
it's like one of
those unveilings
where somebody
gets to pull
the cord.
I'd love to be
the one to do
that.
You pull the
cord and the
curtains wish
open, don't
they?
Well, this is
what Revelation
is.
God is pulling
the cord,
the curtains
unveil, what
was hidden and
concealed is now
unveiled and
revealed.
We are
invited to
come and see
the world from
God's perspective.
and if you
want to know
what's going
on in the
world and
what we can
expect,
well, come
back next
week and
the week
after as we
continue to
look through
Revelation.
So, God's
perspective
revealed.
Second, God's
servants
blessed.
You see, the
purpose of
this unveiling,
this revelation
is to bless
God's people
who are under
attack and
feel they're
losers and
nothing's
happening and
nothing's
working.
Verse 3,
blessed is
the one who
reads aloud the
words of this
prophecy and
blessed are
those who hear
it and take
it to heart
what is written
in it because
the time is
near.
To be
blessed,
is to
know and
experience
God's
favour in
our life.
It's to
enjoy all
of his
blessings.
In other
words, reading
Revelation is
not to be
used to
speculate about
the future.
We are to
go away, we
are to leave
this building
blessed and
encouraged.
As we see
what's going
on from God's
perspective, yes,
there will be
parts that we
will find
difficult.
But if we
persevere in
reading it and
studying it, we're
going to come
away blessed.
We are going
to experience
God's favour
in our lives.
So rather than
look at
Revelation and
go, you know
what, I don't
know what this
is about, what's
the point, I'm
not coming next
week.
It's too
complicated.
Not getting
into it.
rather than
ignore Revelation,
see the
promise of
God.
Verse 3,
blessed is the
one who reads
aloud the
words of this
prophecy and
we will read
aloud the
words of this
prophecy each
week so that
we can be
blessed.
But how this
blessing is
experienced is
crucial.
You see, it's
not just a
mechanical reading
of Revelation that
we kind of turn
up, we read it
aloud, we hear the
words and we
think, oh that's
it, I'm blessed
now.
No, look what it
says.
End of verse 3.
Blessed are
those who hear
it and what?
Take to heart
what is written
in it.
We're to take
it to heart.
It's another way
of saying we're
actually to reflect
on it.
Not just to
listen to it on
Sunday morning,
but through the
week, reflect on
it, meditate on
it, study it,
come along to
home groups and
explore it a bit
further.
We are to obey
the words of
this revelation.
And as we
listen to it, it's
going to shape
our lives and
transform us to
help us to live
life in God's
world.
As heaven's
perspective is
unfolded before
us, it's going
to strengthen
you.
It's going to
encourage you to
live your life as
a Christian, at
work, in school,
in your family.
It will enable
you, when the
hard times come,
to persevere and
to push on
through.
It's going to
bless you.
You see, reading
Revelation is not
an intellectual
exercise to gain
more information
or to batter
somebody over the
head with some
wonderful meaning
of the future.
God's
love.
It's going to
fill you with
peace and
grace and
hope and
confidence and
assurance.
That's what I
need today.
That's what the
church needs
today.
We need the
blessing of God
and we have
been promised
it.
So, the
revelation which
comes to us
is going to
bless us
because,
number three,
the big
blessing is
God's victory
is assured.
This revelation
given to John
has been written
down.
Look, verse
four.
John, to
the seven
churches in
the province
of Asia.
That's modern
Turkey.
Now, we'll
get to these
seven churches
over the next
few weeks.
They're in
chapters two
and three.
If you just
turn a page,
you'll see to
the church in
Ephesus, to
the church in
Smyrna and
so on.
We'll look at
these seven
churches.
But what was
written to
those seven
churches then
in the first
century is
written to
the church
today in
all times
and in
all places,
including
Carigoline
Baptist
Church.
It's God's
word to
his church,
to his
believers.
This letter
then, from
John, he
wants us to
see who is
the ultimate
author.
It's a
letter from
God to
us to
strengthen us.
Look at the
rest of
verse four.
grace and
peace to
you from
him who
is and
who was
and who
is to
come.
It's a
message, a
letter from
the sovereign
father, from
him, from
God the
father who
is and
who was
and who
is to
come.
This is
the self
existing
God.
No one
created
God.
Someone
created you,
God created
you, but
no one
created
God.
Nobody
thought up
God.
He has
no beginning
and he
has no
end.
Get your
head around
that one.
Verse eight.
He says,
I am the
alpha
and the
omega.
the
A to
Z, says
the Lord
almighty, who
is and who
was and who
is to come, the
almighty.
He is the
first in
history and
he is the
last in
history.
There was
never a
time when
God was
not there
and there
will never be
a time when
God is not
there.
He is,
verse eight.
The almighty.
He owns
all things.
He rules
all things.
He endures
over all
things.
He is
over every
nation and
every kingdom
and he
outlasts
every person
and ruler.
This is
my world,
says God.
This is
my
universe.
I am
over your
life and
over every
single thing
that happens.
you may
feel it's
out of
control,
but I
am in
control.
I know
what you
will face
and I
know what
you will
need.
I am
working out
everything for
your good
and my
glory.
I am
your
sovereign
father.
This is
who it's
from,
but not
just from
the sovereign
father.
look at
end of
verse 4.
Grace and
peace to
you from
him who
is and
who was
and who
is to
come,
and who
else?
From the
seven
spirits
before his
throne.
Well, I
thought there
was just
one spirit.
Why are
there seven
spirits?
Well, turn
with me.
We looked
at this,
I hope you
did in your
home groups
at least
anyway,
Isaiah
chapter 11.
Just have
a flick
back to
Isaiah
chapter 11.
It's
almost in
the middle
of your
Bible.
Isaiah
chapter 11.
Here the
prophet Isaiah
is speaking
about the
coming
servant of
the Lord.
and it
tells us
something
about him.
We'll
pick it
up in
verse 2,
chapter 11
verse 2.
When the
servant of
the Lord
comes,
look at
what we're
told.
The
spirit of
the Lord
will rest
on him.
The
spirit of
wisdom and
the spirit
of understanding.
The
spirit of
counsel and
the spirit
of might.
The
spirit of
the knowledge
and the
spirit of
the fear
of the
Lord.
And he
will delight
in the
fear of
the Lord.
In other
words,
the fullness
of the
spirit will
be on
this
servant.
So it's
not seven
different
spirits.
It's the
one Holy
Spirit in
all his
perfection
and
completeness.
let's go
back to
Revelation.
And that's
John's
point here.
He
introduces us
to the
one Holy
Spirit in
all his
fullness to
say to us
that the
Holy Spirit
is for
us.
All his
wisdom,
all his
understanding,
all his
counsel,
all his
might,
all his
knowledge,
all his
fear of
the Lord,
the spirit
of the
Lord,
who knows
all things,
who sees
all things,
and is at
work in
all things,
is for
you.
You may
feel alone,
hopeless and
helpless.
You may
struggle and
lose heart,
but I am the
eternal spirit
before the
throne.
I am
ensuring that
God's rule
in heaven
will be done
on earth.
I will
not abandon
you in
your struggle.
I will
not leave
you in
your
suffering.
I am
present with
you in
all my
fullness
and
completeness.
So this
revelation is
from the
sovereign
father,
the eternal
spirit,
and third,
it's from
the,
whoops,
we missed
out one,
the conquering
son.
Verse
five,
it's
from
Jesus
Christ,
who is
the
faithful
witness,
the
firstborn
from the
dead,
and the
ruler of
the kings
of the
earth.
Jesus
is the
faithful
witness.
He lived
his life
in perfect
obedience to
the father.
Despite
all his
sufferings
that he
went through,
he faithfully
followed.
And
through his
work,
he defeated
the fear
of death.
He is the
firstborn
from the
dead.
He destroyed
the powers
of darkness.
He is the
conquering
son,
who,
look at the
end of
verse five,
is now the
ruler of
the kings
of the
earth.
He's the
one in
charge.
He's the
one who
sits on
the throne.
Now,
says Jesus,
I want you
to know
what I've
done for you,
and what I've
called you
to be.
This is
what my
suffering has
achieved for
you.
Do you see
what it says
in the middle
of the second
part of
verse five?
To him
who loves
us and
has freed
us from
our sins
by his
blood.
Jesus has
died for
us and
dealt with
our sin
once and
for all.
verse six,
and has
made us
to be a
kingdom
and priests
to serve
his God
and Father,
to him be
glory and
power forever
and ever.
Amen.
Jesus is the
faithful witness
and now he
turns to his
church, to
people like
us, and he
says, I've
freed you.
I've dealt
with your
sin so that
you today
become a
kingdom
and priests
to serve
God
and Father.
You
are now
my faithful
witnesses.
I know
it's going
to be hard
for you.
I know
that as you
be my
faithful witness
you're going
to suffer.
I know
that for
some of you
following me
it's going
to cost
your life.
But just
as my
suffering
ended in
victory,
just as I
was the
firstborn
to come
through
death,
so you
will follow
me and
come through
death and
your suffering
will end
in victory.
Building the
kingdom of
God will be
costly,
but it will
end in
glory.
There's going
to be blood,
sweat and
tears, but
victory is
assured.
You might
feel like your
efforts are
useless.
You may
feel you
make little
impact, not
even a
dint.
You can
think, what's
the point?
We're on the
losing side,
nothing's
happening.
But remember
Jesus, I
am over
death and
darkness.
I have
won the
battle and
you are
on the
winning side.
I am the
all-conquering
son.
You see,
being a
Christian is
hard.
Look at
us for a
minute.
Look around
you.
Go on,
look around.
We're just a
tiny bunch,
aren't we?
We often
say it,
rattling
around in a
big hole.
Nothing
special,
grand.
No one's
making the
headlines in
the newspaper.
Nobody's
banging on
the door
saying, can
I come
in?
Can I
join too?
No one's
giving us a
platform to
say, would
you please
come and
share with
us the
gospel?
We're not
flavour of
the month.
We're not
getting award
for community
of the year.
In fact,
in multiple
ways every
day, we
are subtly
ignored,
quietly
hushed.
The church
has had
its day.
Christianity
is finished.
Go home.
Do something
useful with
your life.
Well,
says God,
pull back
the curtains.
Let me
give you
my perspective.
Verse 7,
look, and I
want us to
do this.
You go
outside through
those doors
and I want
you to look
and look up
and I
guarantee
there'll be
clouds.
There's never
blue skies.
Look at the
clouds and be
reminded of
this.
Look,
he,
Jesus,
is coming
with the
clouds.
The all
powerful,
all-conquering,
victorious
champion
is coming.
And every
eye will
see him.
Every
person.
Even
those who
pierced
him,
his enemies.
And all
peoples on
earth will
mourn.
All those
who opposed
Christ and
his church
will bow
down before
the King
of Kings
and the
Lord of
Lords.
and we
will be
on the
victory
side.
Revelation
is not a
Christian
manual to
predict the
future.
It's a
pastoral
letter to
strengthen
the church
and what
we read
in Revelation
will show
us what we
can expect
to happen.
There will
be opposition
but let us
not lose
heart.
Victory
is assured.
God is
for you.
He is
with the
church,
the
sovereign
father,
the
eternal
spirit,
the
conquering
son.
We are
not losers.
We are
winners.
Let's
pray.
Amen.
Father,
forgive us
because we
see life
from our
limited,
self-centered
perspective.
We busy
ourselves
with all
kinds of
things.
We can't
even see
in front
of the
next day.
and yet
we pretend
as if we
are in
control
of
everything.
Forgive
us
and cause
us to
lift our
eyes
to see
the
almighty
God,
Father,
Son and
Spirit.
Help us to
see his
perspective,
that he
will
and
will
and
will ensure
that we
go to
victory
and to
glory.
Encourage us
today,
fortify us
and help us
in Jesus' name.
Amen.
There's a
mystery
about much
of what we're
looking at.
That mystery
will be
unveiled in
part.
But part
of that
mystery is