Revelation, Part 1
Revelation 1:5-11
Introduction
Open your bibles to Revelation, Chapter 1
Last week we looked at the year in advance, and we discussed the joy of living the life that John mentions in 3 John Verse 4 and examined and defined that as a church, our mission will be to be able to always give an answer for our actions – and most importantly, answer why we believe the way we do.
2 Tim 4:2 says “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”
I believe there is no more important time than right now to be involved in God’s ministry and the calling each of us has on our lives, and I want to say up front that this series scares me. I am not a prophet and do not claim to be – but I have read the works of great prophets whose words, given divinely from God, have come true long before I was born.
Starting today, we are looking ahead to one more great prophecy, the prophecy of Jesus Christ’s return, and how important that is to not only us, but to all of humanity who may pass from this world without Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Pray
Read Revelation 1:5b-8
I. Who do we serve?
- We have been freed by blood (v5b-6) ** Most important reason **
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ at Calvary gives us the ability to serve. It is because of the shed blood that we can proclaim our own freedom. Because Jesus paid with His blood – we are called to do one thing, preach the word!
- The Prophecy of His return (v7)
While John is in the midst of revealing who he serves in this life – we get a preview of what will happen one day. Jesus Christ will descend, and we shall see him. Just as the angel of the Lord proclaimed in Acts 1:11 when Jesus ascended to Heaven, here is the confirmation – that we shall see Jesus return.
- Who is Jesus? (v8)
Alpha and Omega
The Beginning and the End – Present Tense!!
Given authority over everything (discuss this more in coming weeks)
(Make a mental note that His authority cannot be overlooked, but we will look further in that in the coming weeks.)
Read Revelation 1:9-11
II. Who is John and why is he important?
He was just a fisherman – lowest paid workers and no one here is a millionaire
John had one thing in common with us, he loved Jesus
This is the same John who sat with Jesus at the Last Supper, the same John who was at Calvary, and the same John who was called “the disciple that Jesus loved”
John was an ordinary man, but he was a sold-out, servant of God
You are an ordinary man – Are you sold out for Jesus?
You are an ordinary woman – Are you sold out for Jesus?
- Being sold out means that no matter what it takes, God’s will comes first in your life. (God first – Family Second – Everything else is third)
We are just average, ordinary people – no different than who John was
Are you sold out today? Are you willing to do whatever it takes?
He was banished for loving God, with everything that was in him. Because John loved Jesus and proclaimed him, he was banished from society. He was cast out because He would not conform. Romans 12:2 – “Do not conform …”
Fact: 11 of the 12 disciples were killed for their faith – yet John was spared to continue living on – God had a purpose for him to continue being alive, and now we are seeing it.
Remember, God will use anyone who is willing to serve to fulfill His plan! And that plan, is very simple – 2 Peter 3:9 “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”.
III. What was John told to do?
To write what he sees – word for word – as the Lord laid it out before him
To ensure that the vision got into the hands of those who would come after him
John plays a very important role in prophecy
We have seen all there is to see in history minus the return of Jesus Christ.
And we see in Verse 7 as well, what that will look like
IV. Why is the mission important?
One reason: It was given by the Spirit of God!
2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correction, and training in righteousness.”
Pastor Jimmy Dillon – This was the second verse I had to learn in discipleship (first was 2 Tim 2:2 – gospel into the hands of faithful men) – and this lesson is vital.
We must understand that the message of the Word is God breathed – God inspired – and because of that simple fact, our purpose is only to act … nothing more.
“God said it, so I just did it.” (David Kane, Pastor)
The scripture in Revelation is given the same way – God’s Spirit has given it to John, so that we may understand.
The spirit is direct, straight-forward, and uncompromising!
When you are told to do something by the Spirit, you do it. There is no praying about it – the Great Commission did not tell us to pause and pray, it tells us to go about making disciples – just as Jesus did for us.
Taking into account our mission statement here at Bethlehem Baptist to evangelize the lost, this means that just as John was given a word for all believers, we ought to be able to give that same word to those who sit next to us, or follow behind us.
(Invite Singers)
Conclusion
- Who do we serve?
Jesus Christ
- What was John’s mission?
To write what he saw, ours is to do what has been written
- Why is that mission so vital?
This prophecy lays out the future of the world, the future of the world created by God – and it is that same God that we serve today.
- Who is John?
A servant of Jesus Christ
The most important question in this: Who are you, today?
Pray
