 Today we're in Revelation chapter 1. We're continuing a series. We just began in the book of Revelation We'll be looking at verses 9 through 20 And so I'll begin reading here in Revelation chapter 1 at verse 9 and Let's see I didn't didn't note to myself how far I'd take it again. I'll just read to verse 20 verses 9 through 20 John chapter 1 I John both your brother and companion in the tribulation in kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ Was on the island that is called Patmos For the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day and I heard behind me a loud voice as Of a trumpet saying I am the Alpha and the Omega the first and the last and what you see right in a Book send it to the seven churches which are in Asia to Ephesus To Smyrna to Pergamus to Thyatira to Sardis to Philadelphia to Laodicea and to Chino then Just seeing if you're listening then I turned To see the voice that spoke with me and having turned I saw seven golden lamp stands and in the midst of the seven lamp stands one like the son of man clothed with a garment down to the feet and Girded about the chest with a golden band his head and Hair were white like wool as white as snow his eyes Like a flame of fire his feet were like fine brass as if refined in a furnace his voice As the sound of many waters He had in his right hand seven stars out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword And his countenance was like the sun shining in its strength When I saw him I fell at his feet is dead But he laid his right hand on me saying Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last I am he who lives and was dead behold I am alive forevermore Amen, and I have the keys of Hades and of death write the things which you have seen And the things which are and the things which will take place after this The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand in the seven golden lamp stands the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and The seven lamp stands which you saw are the seven churches So last time we were together Let me lay a foundation for you before we enter into this portion by reminding you of the fact that last time we were together John reminded us that Jesus Christ is returning remember verse 7 how he had said behold these coming with clouds and every eye We'll see him even they who pierced him and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him even so Amen. He had said I am coming with the clouds Now I mentioned to you that when Jesus says behold when he hears the word rather behold That's a word that is is used a number of times I mentioned to you that behold is a word intended to draw our complete attention to something It's a word that encourages us to consider closely what is being said And it's a word that is mentioned often in scripture. You might find this interesting just that word behold is used around 581 times in the new king James version 25 times in the book of Revelation alone One of my favorite verses used in that word is found in 2nd Corinthians I mentioned this in the last time we were together in 2nd Corinthians 517 where where Paul had said if anyone's in crisis a new creation old things have passed away Behold all things are become new and so behold is intended to draw your attention and with that said John wrote behold he is coming with the clouds in other words This is something that is certain and that would mean you need to be prepared You need to be prepared now not next week not next month not next year But you need to be prepared now. That's the point. He's making he's coming soon You see the knowledge that crisis returning is intended to intended to cause us to be inspired Concerning the way that we're living we're to live in anticipation of seeing him We're to live in anticipation of being with him This word is intended to encourage us to be ready because he's coming soon in First John 3 2 and 3 John said it like this. He said beloved now We are children of God and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be but we know that when he is revealed We shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself Just as he is pure you see his his return is to cause us to be Anticipating and ready to live a life that is holy and it's also intended to give us hope in First Thessalonians 4 16 through 18 it says the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout With the voice of an archangel with the trumpet of God the dead in Christ will rise first Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air And thus we shall always be with the Lord Therefore comfort one another with these words be prepared and be encouraged So when John writes the Holy's coming He's not speaking only of his return. He's also speaking of the one who is returning. He's speaking of Messiah When you read your Bible, you'll see various words that are used to speak of Jesus who is Messiah You'll see that he had different titles. He's called the prophet. He's called the branch He's called the Christ. He's called the bridegroom. He's the son of man But he is also called the coming one the word coming speaking of the expected one You see that in the gospel of Matthew the Messiah was also referred to as the coming one Because in Matthew John the Baptist was in prison and he sent disciples to question Jesus It's found in Matthew 11 2 through 3 and it says when John heard in prison about the works of Christ He sent two of his disciples and said to him. Are you the coming one? Or do we look for another? The coming one was another title for Messiah. So when they asked are you the coming one? Are you Messiah? So John uses his picture when he's speaking of Jesus coming with the clouds This is a reference to the Messiah to Jesus and his return This is something as mentioned earlier his return is referred to throughout the old as well as the New Testament It's spoken of often But there are those who reject that he'll ever do such a thing There are those who say he's never going to come back. He's been saying that for a long time He hasn't come yet. That's a sign that we're in the last days And second Peter 3 verses 3 and 4 it says most importantly I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come mocking the truth and following their own desires They will say what happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again From before the times of our ancestors everything has remained the same since the world was first created That's happening right now. I Mentioned to you that Approximately one out of every 25 New Testament verses promised the return of Christ Jesus repeatedly spoke of his return. He encouraged followers to be ready Matthew 16 27 the son of man will come in the glory of his father with his angels Then he'll reward each according to his works In Matthew 26 verse 64 Jesus said it is as you said nevertheless I say to you here after you will see the son of man sitting at the right hand of power coming on the clouds of heaven And so we were speaking concerning that he is coming with clouds every eye will see him Even they who pierced him all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him They will mourn these tribes of the earth because it's too late Because he's returned and it's too late for them to be right with God Don't wait Don't wait until the last minute because you never know when that last minute is You never know when your last opportunity to receive Christ is and That's what's going on as we enter into verse 9 You see God has assured us of the return of his son and we had seen in verse 8 that he's the Alpha and the Omega He's the all-knowing one and that makes this promise solid and Seeing that he inhabits eternity He knows that this promise is certain and as he's made that promise John writes in verse 9 I John both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ Was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ so this records his vision the vision of Jesus and it also records his commission to write to seven churches and These churches are enduring tribulation and persecution again Tribulation and persecution guys never forget this as Something that we believers have been prepared to expect Sometimes I think in our day we've forgotten that we think that somehow we're supposed to always have sunny days and no affliction or problems But in John 16 verse 33 Jesus said I've told you these things so that in me you may have peace In this world you'll have tribulation but take heart I have overcome the world So he speaks of himself here notice how he speaks of himself as a brother and companion in tribulation And he's on a place in an island called Patmos if you were looking at a map. It's in the Aegean sea It's it's off the Turkish coast about 30 or 40 miles He's on if this is happening he says on the Lord's day What day is that that's Sunday which was a customary way of speaking of Sunday? He's been arrested He's been exiled noticed because of the word of God and for his testimony And when it says that he's on the island called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ By the end of the first century Christianity had already become a hated religion in Rome The faith of Christians was regarded as superstition It was It was something that was held fast to by the uneducated masses. Does that sound familiar? Because that's being said today that only the people who cling to bibles and their guns That's being said today guys. Some of you haven't noticed that but there is an antagonism To Jesus Christ and Christianity that is it the mask is being taken off even as i'm reading this to you Well, it was already a hated religion in Rome Christians were already regarded as superstitious people. They were uneducated That's because the majority of those who are coming to faith in Christ Were of the common people many slaves and and and many people who were called common were coming to faith Paul mentioned that in 1st Corinthians 1 26 through 29 When he said you see your calling brethren that not many wise according to the flesh not many mighty Not many noble are called But god has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise And god has chosen the weak things of the world To put to shame the things which are mighty and the base things of the world And the things which are despised god has chosen And the things which are not to bring to nothing the things that are That no flesh should glory in his presence There are not many noble not many mighty not many people who are philosophers and all who are followers of Christ It was true then it's true today When you read your history the roman governor Pliny said christianity is a depraved and extravagant superstition The roman historian tacit has said christians are a class hated for their abomination Rome was opposed to christianity Romans considered believers disloyal because we would not acknowledge Caesar the government as all powerful Christians would not burn incense before his image and declare him to be a god And thus they were persecuted Christians met at night And because they met at night they were accused of plotting to overthrow government Christians were considered atheists because they rejected Rome's many gods Christians were falsely accused of cannibalism Because they had communion services remembering christ They were accused of incest Because they called each other brother and sister and therefore brothers were marrying sisters So their incestuous They were they they were persecuted for the disruption of business Because they interfered with the sales of idols They were anti-family Because they were loyal first to jesus christ. They were accused of causing natural disasters Because christians would not worship their idols and what bad things happen the christians were blamed And because believers did not attend festivals and other pagan events. They were anti-social does any of that sound familiar? Because that's what took place in the early church You see by the time of john persecution against christians had become common In revelation chapter 2 verse 13 will see antipas a faithful pastor had been martyred john had been imprisoned Under the emperor demission governmental persecution formally began And john was a victim of this persecution Paul had said in second timothy 3 verse 12 all who desired to live godly in christ jesus will suffer persecution And that's what takes place to those who love the lord And those who truly believe in him if you don't think so post something about christ on your facebook page And then wait for the trolls to come out It's true In verse 9 john says i john both your brother and companion in tribulation he said and in the kingdom I john this is the third time he refers to himself by name But he identifies himself as as a brother and a companion in tribulation. He's saying i'm suffering alongside of you But the suffering is for the word of god and it's for the testimony of jesus Suffering isn't something that should come as a surprise. That's what he's saying now in first peter 4 12 and 13 The apostle had said dear friends don't be surprised at the fiery trials You're going through as if something strange is happening to you instead be very glad For these trials make you partners with christ in his suffering So that you'll have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory When it's revealed to all the world instead of kicking against the prods and and wondering why i'm going through this He says realize it's preparing you as you see the lord jesus christ He speaks of the patience of jesus He's holding fast And he's enduring And he's not giving up This is not patience for jesus by the way This is not the patience of jesus It's the kind of patience that draws its life and endurance from jesus This is patience that jesus gives me strength to have And again in verse 9 he's on the island for the word of god and the testimony of jesus christ He's exiled because of his uncompromising stand for the gospel Now this persecution had a very early origin in the mission of the church In the book of acts chapter 3 verse chapter 3 and chapter 4 Peter and john were jailed for the healing of a crippled man at the beautiful gate In acts chapter 8 steven was martyred for preaching that jesus is messiah In acts chapter 12 king herod martyred james and imprisoned the apostle peter So very early in the history of the church the apostles were persecuted you see them being jailed In acts chapter 5 they had been ordered to cease teaching in the name of jesus they had been told you can't proclaim the name of christ And peter gave a classic response in acts 5 29 peter and the other apostles answered and said we ought to obey god rather than men That's why we're here right now by the way Because we ought to obey god Rather than men that's what we do And today amen Pastors need to continue preaching and teaching Even when threatened with jail We ought to why because we've been commanded To preach the gospel we've been commanded And we should expect Though we americans have been very spoiled and blessed by god But we should expect The things that are taking place right now. I see some pastors who are willing for their people to go to jail But i'm not sure that they're willing to go themselves But we need to be ready And we need to be prepared Because we've been called To preach the gospel of jesus christ and that's what happened to him. He was jailed or Exiled actually on the aisle called patmos for the word of god and the testimony of jesus christ Not because he was breaking some law that god had given to us But because he had been effective in his proclamation of the gospel and rome was upset with him And that's what he's speaking about And notice what he says in verse 10 when he says i was in the spirit on the lord's day I heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet So when he says i was in the spirit, that's another way of saying i'm under the spirits the holy spirits influence And this was on what he called the lord's day Which is for those who take notes, this is a minor thing you may think but it's really important There's many who argue we're supposed to be meeting on shabbat or sabbath But the lord's day speaks of sunday the first day of the week christsum was an arch bishop to constantanople In the fourth century and he said it is called the lord's day Because this is the day that the lord rose from the dead and was devoted to him So the church would meet on the first day of the week I remember a lady approaching me after a church service many years ago now and how she had said to me She said you know the lord is blessing this fellowship and i said amen amen He is and she said but he has a word for you that i'm to give to you and i says that right well speak on say on And she said she kind of cleared her throat a bit and she said thus say out the lord I am blessing you now, but if you met on saturday, I would bless you more I said god didn't say that you did Because that's not what the bible teaches You know and the church from the earliest would meet on the first day of the week This is what's taking place here where he's on this in the spirit on the lord's day the first day of the week The day of the resurrection of jesus christ And as this is taking place first tense he says i heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet It's not the actual trumpet. I want you to notice that it says as of a trumpet That's a picture. That's a picture of an announcement announcement of royalty And this is occurring During a time of prayer and worship and here's what the voice is speaking verse 11 I am the alpha And the omega the first and the last And what you see right in a book Send it to the seven churches Which are in asia To effaces to smirna to pergamos the thayatira To sardis to philadelphia and alea desia Notice how he says what you see right in a book Not just some loose notes I want you to write this in a book. I want it to be preserved This is another way of him saying this is scripture that i've given to you therefore preserve it And he says in verse 11 send it to the seven churches in asia Now when it speaks of asia, this is not the far east as we know it This is what has been called the roman provinces of asia minor And it speaks concerning seven churches for those who take notes Number seven is the number of completeness or perfection These seven churches are to represent all churches and each one of the churches as we'll see in chapters two and three Have a particular significance So he said write this and send it to these seven churches And I have had the opportunity of visiting the seven churches on two different occasions the first time I was able to to to visit the seven churches was with my pastor chuck smith About 30 years ago or so And he took us and gave us bible studies in each one of these churches It's a memory that i'll i'll never forget. It was a great time and i've shared this with you recently But i'll see it briefly it was one of the most enjoyable times i've ever had But it was raining it was raining every day And anybody here who's ever been in a bus for six or seven hours when it's raining And it's not a really comfortable thing as a matter of fact it gets a little boring because you're just kind of In the rain and you can't see anything you get off very briefly and get back on because we're driving From point a to point b visiting each one of these churches and it was taken uh a long time and so what happened is I and I was with rawl were all recent and ron wilkins and randy walls and several of us who were about Nine or ten pastors in the very back of this huge bus We were in the very back and it was a big old bus. It was so big. It even had a bathroom In in the bus. That's how big it was and and chuck was up there in the very front and And and the tour guy was sharing about different things about turkey because that's where all of this takes place and We got kind of bored and we started laughing with one another and before you know it We were making a commotion didn't realize it, but we were laughing so much And and it was very fun And then so we got on the bus again on the next day on tuesday And we started up very early just laughing and laughing and laughing because we we were bored Now it's the third day and karen johnson jeff johnson from calvary downy karen johnson came and said chuck wants you up in the front And she did it like the angry mother, you know the scolding kind of thing Chuck wants you up in the front And we go oh man. We're in trouble. We're in trouble dad wants us in the front And so we all had to go up in the front of the bus And so there's chuck right here right he was one row in front of me. Raul was right next to me And then a couple of the other guys were all around there. We all had to sit there and everybody was quiet nobody was saying anything and Raul opened up his bible And when raul reads opened up his bible I looked at him and chuck was right here and I looked at raul and he said that's the first time Raul, that's the first time you've opened your bible all week You don't read that and you know it. You're just trying to make chuck impressed with your spirituality Chuck starts laughing and before you know it. We're laughing with chuck for three days Telling stories laughing crying with one another You had a great time and it's okay. His wife talks to us later on talked to us and said You thought chuck was mad at you. He wasn't mad He wanted to laugh with you and he could hear you laughing in the back and it bothered him He wasn't part of it And that's how that worked, you know So I this one of my fond memories of my time with my pastor all the time I thought that he was mad at us when in fact he wanted to laugh at us Which he did and she said that is the best trip they'd ever taken before But we've been there these seven churches. I've seen them I've walked on the grounds where the churches used to be in the different cities These if you looked at a map these seven churches are in about between 30 and 50 miles apart in a circular route And uh, they were postal districts They were the central points for disseminating information and that's why he's speaking to the seven churches And so he sees these seven now notice He says I turned verse 12 to see the voice that spoke to me and having turned I saw seven golden lamp stands And in the midst of the seven lamp stands one like the son of man Clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band Seven golden lamp stands These are seven lamp stands that are forming a circle The seven lamp stands are the seven churches Again seven Representing completeness That would speak of the churches throughout the world And god is speaking concerning and I want you to see this there seven lamp stands of gold golden lamp stands Gold reveals the value that god places on the church in other words Though our government may not consider us essential god does And he says these are seven golden lamp stands because they have a value The church is the most valuable community on earth because this church has been paid for with the blood of jesus christ And these represent the kinds of churches that exist throughout church history We'll see that in chapters two and three and we're going to look at each one of those individually Now it speaks of the lamp stand the lamp stand is the menorah It's a symbol of israel the light of the world in the old testament In isaia 42 verse 6 it says i the lord have have called you in righteousness and and will hold your hand I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people as a light to the gentiles The menorah was a light that was to represent god It was representing god and it represents israel who is the light so Somebody wrote the sages emphasize that light is not a violent force israel is to Accomplish its mission by setting an example and not by using force So this symbol Spiritually represents the church as jesus taught us in matthew 5 14 When he said you are the light of the world the city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden That's what paul made clear in philippines 2 when he wrote in verse 15 That you may become blameless and harmless children of god without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation Among whom you shine as lights in the world Or first aslonians 5 5 when he said you're all sons of light and sons of the day We are not of the night nor of darkness And so he begins to speak concerning that now notice verse 13 in the midst of the seven lamp stands One like the son of man Clothed with a garment down to the feet girded about the chest with a golden band In the midst of the seven lamp stands in the midst of the church He's not walking about it At this moment. He's standing still It emphasizes his constant action in the midst of his church And he is the son of man The term son of man is what is called a messianic title It's first used in daniel chapter 7 verse 13 The son of man is used twice here And then later on in chapter 14 verse 14 The son of man a title of messiah emphasizes his humanity as well as him being messiah And so i'm gonna I'm gonna introduce this as in a moment I'm gonna share some things that we find in these these verses of description, but let's let's begin by asking a question When you Think of jesus In your mind When I say jesus And you have in your mind not an idolatrous image, but when you have a thought about christ What is it about him that you think he might have looked like not necessarily facially? But what what do you think he may have looked like see when I when I think of jesus very often I think of him as he looked on the cross. I I in in my heart I I see a broken and and bloody man. That's that's that's what I think of Isiah 52 14 Just as many were astonished at you So his visage was marred more than any man his form More than the sons of man I think I think of isiah 53 verse 2 he shall Grow up before him as a tender plant as a a root out of a dry ground He has no form or comeliness when we see him there is no beauty that we should desire him So very often when I I I meditate on the lord I I remember his death for me and and the fact that he was He suffered in such a way So I can think of him that way, but many think of him as Yes, he was as he ministered Amongst the people a soft gentle kind of man Sometimes they may even think of him in the pictures you get in parables and stories That he's like carrying a lamb in his arms We think of him as as as meek and we think of him as mild Like isiah 40 verse 11 says concerning messiah he will feed his flock like a shepherd He will gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom Gently lead those who are with young for some may think of christ They may think of christ as the one who died on a cross for others They may think of jesus as that gentle loving teacher that that cared for people held children in his In his hands that that john could rest his head upon his bosom They may think of him in that way And and these these thoughts of christ, of course are accurate Jesus is gentle and jesus is kind and and jesus is loving And jesus also laid his life down for us as the lamb of god and and that's accurate also But we we can forget that that he's also holy And and we can forget that he's also the righteous judge of the whole earth We can forget that though. He gently held children. He also drove money changers from the temple Ezekiel 34 16 says i will seek what was lost bring back What was driven away bind up the broken strengthen what was sick But i will destroy the fat and the strong and feed them in judgment And so we we we sometimes have only a partial picture of messiah And we can concentrate on on jesus as he walked on earth And we can fail to realize his real glory And here john is giving to us a glimpse of the risen christ And as he does so notice what he says in verse 13 He says he would clothe with a garment down to his feet and girded about the chest with a golden girdle with a belt So the robe that he's wearing is describing him as the great high priest This robe represents his dignity his judgment. It's like erin the high priest robes the first high priest of israel In exodus 28 verse 2 it says make sacred garments for your brother erin to give him dignity and honor And that's what you see with christ You see dignity and honor it speaks of the golden girdle the girdle is a belt It's like the girdle of the high priest This belt was worn by the high priest to remind him that he was a servant So jesus christ this great one still came and gave us life for all Notice verse 14 his his head and his hair were white Like wool as white as snow his eyes like a flame And this is the risen christ It's a picture of majesty of glory holiness It's reminiscent of the transfiguration remember in matthew 17 when jesus is up on this hill and Is with some of his men matthew 17 verse 2 says he was transfigured before them his face shown like the sun His clothes became as white as light And so he's seeing something he didn't see on earth Remember in john 17 verse 5 jesus had prayed and he had said father glorify me together with yourself with the glory Which i had with you before the world was In john 17 24 father i desired that they also whom you gave me may be with me where i am That they may behold my glory Which you have given me for you loved me before the foundation of the world and john is seeing something He's seeing jesus's purity. He's seeing his holiness. He's seeing his eternality It reveals that jesus christ is the judge. He's the judge of the whole earth as it says in psalm 9 verse 8 He shall judge the world in righteousness. He shall administer judgment for the people in uprightness Is like daniel 7 verse 9 as i look thrones were set in place The ancient of days took his seat his clothing was as white as snow The hair of his head was white like wool his throne was flaming with fire And its wheels were all ablaze when you think of jesus you need to remember that that he was the lamb of god But he is also the lion of the tribe of juda And we fail to realize that sometimes In verse 15 his feet were like fine brass as if refined in a furnace Brass is a picture in scripture that is a symbol of judgment. It's also bronze And the old testament the brazen or the brass altar was connected with sacrifice for sin In exodus 38 30 they used it to make basis for the entrance to the tent of meeting The bronze altar with its bronze grading in all its utensils So it's a picture of judgment That's reminiscent of what you read in isaas 63 their messiah's question as to why his garments are so red In isaas 63 verses 3 through 6 he says i've trodden the winepress alone And from the peoples no one was with me i have troddened them in my anger trampled them in my fury Their blood has sprinkled upon my garments and i have stained all my robes For the day of vengeance is in my heart And the year of my redeemed has come i looked but there was no one to help and i wondered that there was no one to uphold Therefore my own arm brought salvation for me And my own fury it sustained me i've troddened down the peoples in my anger Made them drunk in my fury and brought down their strength to the earth That's not the picture of meek and mild jesus is it that most of us are used to His voice according to verse 10 is the sound of many waters It's a voice of depth authority It's a voice that's important for all to hear. That's what the trump represents and that's what the waters represent His voice is not going to calm a troubled sea It will call down judgment on the wicked In verse 16 He had in his right hand seven stars Out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword And his countenance was like the sun shining in its strength So in his hand he had seven stars again seven stars Speak of the messengers the angels of the churches. You'll see that it says it in verse 20 Notice he is holding on to them That means that the pastors are under his security and his protection What is it that gives you strength and gives you courage today? What gives me courage is the fact that i'm held by jesus That i'm in his hand and he has said that he holds us in his hand and that no one can take us from his hand So it gives us a sense of security and it gives me a sense of protection The lord is on my side In verse 16 he says out of his mouth when a sharp two-edged sword When it speaks of a two-edger or double-edged sword it's speaking of his word Out of his mouth goes his word. Hebrews 4 12 the word of god is living powerful Sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the division of soul and spirit of joints and moral Is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Ephesians 6 17 says take the sword of the spirit, which is the word of god So god's word is going to be active when he brings divine judgment What takes place is exactly what he said is going to take place and there will be no excuses You know when when the lord brought judgment on the earth and Closed the the door of that ark so that none could enter in I think that people don't realize that when god brings his judgment. It's going to be sudden. It's going to be final And this is the picture that jesus we're getting introduced to in the first chapter of revelation That jesus is bringing judgment and and it's it's a sure thing the word of god is sure and his judgment is sure He has declared it It says in revelation 19 verse verse 15 out of his mouth comes 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 It says his countenance was like the sun shining in its strength which speaks of his brilliant Glory now. How do you think you would act if you were brushing your teeth? And jesus was behind you and you saw this Well, what did he do verse 17? When I saw him I found that his feet is dead He laid his right hand on me saying do not be afraid For I am the first and the last no longer Is john just kind of palling around with jesus No longer is he placing his head on jesus's bosom to listen to the heartbeat of god No longer is he comfortable Because glory has been revealed and I want you to see this in verse 17 Because this vision caused him great fear. Why he saw the glory of jesus christ And he has a fear. It's a holy fear It's a fear that causes you To resist sin It's like when isaias said woe is me. I am ruined I'm a man of unclean lips. I live among the people of unclean lips for my eyes have seen the king The lord of hosts You know, there have been times when I don't do this anymore. I don't watch these channels anymore But there was a time when I would watch what was called christian tv and you would have some Uh evangelist normally some Some person who liked to stir up the emotions and passions of people with stories and things and And I I've heard these things and I've read these things where people have said like for example somebody was speaking to a well-known pastor and and he said to him Uh every morning when I'm shaving he says jesus appears to me And uh, we have a conversation And he told this to this well-known pastor and he said to the well-known pastor. Do you uh, Do you believe this? He says every morning when I'm shaving jesus appears to me and we have a conversation And he said do you believe this and the well-known pastor says no, I don't but what makes me afraid is I think you do you know because Because we have taken the holiness of god and we have cheapened it We've taken the glory of god And we've cheapened it you have to understand something and it'll help us here as we get into revelation john knew jesus for a long time Jesus was john's cousin He knew him over a lifetime john ministered alongside of jesus on earth. He he heard his teachings He had as mentioned a moment ago. He had laid his head on his bosom He knew him. He was familiar with him But now he sees him For who he really is By the eye of faith. He had seen him. He knew christ was messiah But now he's seeing him He's seeing him and it causes humility to come Which represents a deep faith You see he had seen jesus when jesus was was on that cross. He had seen jesus when He was taken off and and when jesus was buried he'd seen jesus when jesus was resurrected He saw jesus when jesus ascended. He has seen all of these things, but he hadn't seen this He had a familiarity with christ over a lifetime He had ministry experience for the three three and a half years or so that he walked with him He saw the ascension of christ. He knew who he was He was there at the at the mount transfiguration and for a moment when christ was was transfigured before him And the conversation was was taking place in all that he was overhearing. He saw all of that But now he sees him for who he is Listen when you get a glimpse of jesus for who he is humility occurs in your life One of the things that you this is so important and i can't say it properly I know i can't one of the things That you will see you will know and this can also and i i don't mind you applying this to me When you're listening to someone talk about jesus christ Not only are there words to be accurate and true they are to be accurate and true But what is the attitude of the person giving you those words be careful about that because arrogance And pride is not of the lord And the person who's been in the presence of god is going to have a different demeanor than the one who just likes to talk about Keep that in mind because sometimes you'll put on the tv and you'll see some guy parading up and down that platform Telling you stories of glory. He's usually the hero Giving you stories of glory what he's done what he's seen who he is And if you don't walk out of that Church service or you don't walk out Turn the tv off and walk out of that room saying i know jesus better than you got to know something you don't need to know The one you need to know Please understand me when i say this i know it's not making sense to some Is not that pastor or not that preacher The one you need to get a glimpse of is jesus christ That's who you need to see Understand that that's why i have what's behind me That's why look at the the dove and look above the dove. We would see jesus Pastors come and go but he lives forever the one that you want is jesus christ Keep that in mind and you don't need Heroism and you don't need a heroic pastors. You already have a hero and that's my that's our lord And that's our savior and remember this john knew him very well Of course he did But now he sees him And now as he sees him He gets a glimpse of that glory and when he sees him he sees himself and when you see god, that's that's by the way That's the root of of humility is you want to have humility? You see when you see jesus you see yourself in comparison that humbles you and that's what happens And so the lord has to speak to him and the lord has to say do not be afraid. I am the first and the last I am the one who lives verse 18 was dead behold. I live forevermore amen I'm the one who once was alive and is now alive, but I have always been alive I'm alive And I give life to all who trust in me. I have the keys to hades and death Hades is the invisible world. I have authority over it And and death has been defeated. I am sovereign over death and I am sovereign over existence after death I am the lord is what jesus is saying and the king of over all things I am the one who was alive I'm the one who died, but i'm alive forevermore I have the keys of hades and of death. I'm the one who stripped death of its power I'm the one who died was resurrected and I give life to those who have relationship with me and therefore Write verse 19 write the things that you have seen the things which are the things which will take place after this Write those things which have you have seen which are contained here in in these verses Write which the things which are which we're going to see in chapters two and three And and write concerning the things to come which we'll see in chapters four through 22 And then he finally says the mystery verse 20 of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lamp stands The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches the seven lamp stands which you saw are the seven churches He explains once again what these are now One last thought for you When you read the book of revelation the book of revelation contains references or illusions from um around 28 out of the 39 old testament books in other words there 28 of the 39 old testament books are referred to in the book of revelation There are over five hundred and five citations Some say as many as 635 That are contained in 404 verses of this book Around 325 are from prophetic books of the old testament. Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel and Daniel The minor prophets references to Zechariah Joel Amos and Hosea are most common The books of the first five of the books of the pen it took the first five books of the old testament The greatest use is made of exodus and the poetics sections The the greatest use is found in the book of psalms and and the reason i'm saying that to you is if you want to understand Revelation somebody said this and i liked what they said Then then you need to know the old testament you need to read your old testament Because you can read the newspaper and you'll see that things today are unfolding just as scripture says But the better way to understand is to compare scripture with scripture What did god say in the old testament because in the new testament you're seeing the things god said in the old Would be fulfilled. You're seeing it now revealed in the book of revelation in other books of the new testament I like to look at the at the news Sometimes they fast from it. It's so negative And you know sometimes my wife and I just won't watch it for a day or two because it's Because it feels like everything's going to hell in a handbasket every day, right? So i'll tell maria if I want bad news i'll read one of my books know Where's the good news come from? comes from scripture Because if you only see what appears to be taking place right now then you would think That we end up losing But if you read through the book read the last chapter read the last couple verses We win because in jesus christ we're more than conquerors We're on the winning side During world war two the the japanese had a Woman by the name of tokyo rose some of you have heard of this who was a propagandist Who would come on and she would speak to the gis and she'd say Japan has taken this island japan has taken this place here And she would say you need to give up joe you need to give up because You're losing it was total propaganda the things she was saying were not true But it began to to despair it the the gis And so when you heard tokyo rose Saying the things that she was saying it caused the men to lose hope Listen don't listen to the voice of of the enemy Don't listen to the voice of the enemy. I I I don't want to hear his voice I want to hear the voice of the spirit And john john was in the spirit on the lord's day and jesus spoke to him I want to be in his word because through his word. He speaks to me through his word He he communicates when I pray I speak to him. But when I read his word, he speaks to me And as I read his word He gives me hope If I read the newspaper or watch the news That gives me despair I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that jesus christ is lord and I have no doubt in my mind that the church is Triumphant that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church And I know that jesus christ is the conqueror and the victor and so I keep my mind on him because in christ I am more than a conqueror in christ I am a victor white because he has won and I am on his side And so as you read this Keep that in mind when john saw jesus he fell at his feet as one who is dead This is a man who knew christ from the time he was a he was a little boy. He walked with christ He before jesus announced himself as messiah. He knew who jesus was his mother was jesus's sister He grew up with him But when jesus revealed himself as messiah for those three years or so he walked with him He heard things that had never been said before He saw things that had never been done before he saw jesus walk on water He saw jesus raise the dead. He saw jesus cast out demons He's heard the words that were marvelous things that that people would wonder where did this man learn such things He's never gone to seminary. Where did he get all of this information? The rabbis would come and debate with christ and jesus would shut him down. He called him hypocrites White wash tombs. You don't know go and learn what moses meant when he said this that was jesus He walked with this man and yet he had not seen him in glory And the first time he sees him in glory he hears this voice of many waters the sound of a trumpet And write these things down and he sees jesus and when he sees the glorified christ, that's it for him That ought to be it for us too. Don't you think? Get a glimpse of jesus Because when you get a glimpse of jesus humility becomes part of your life Uncertainty becomes part of your being Because jesus christ was once dead, but he's alive and he lives forever more And jesus christ the one who raised christ from the dead Also Has raised us in christ. We have the power of the holy spirit dwelling in us. So we have no reason to fear We have no reason to fear. Why what's the worst thing that can happen to me? I go to heaven. Is that bad? Is that bad? I go to heaven. Oh, that's you christians. You think that you're gonna die and become food for worms. Okay, that's fine That's fine But until that moment i'm still blessed And I still have joy and if you if you think i'm a fool, that's fine join me be a fool for christ too Because you know what in christ, I have hope And without christ there is no hope I have hope in christ He conquered the grave He is the risen lord and he dwells in us the church and in him we have victory What house could you want? What house could you want? And so we'll be looking at this as we go through revelation Those are your introductions. We'll move into chapter two this next week