THE MINISTRY OF THE RESURRECTED CHRIST
REVELATION 1:9-20
1. Illus. of Sunday School class
• Teacher asked four-year-olds, “what were the first words Jesus spoke after resurrection?”
• One little girl raised hand and said, “tah-dah!”
• In my private thoughts, I often think of the resurrection as the “Grand tah-dah!”
2. Our world is filled with hurting, desperate people. You may be one of them. You try to put on a façade and smile in all the appropriate places, but inside something is broken. The symptoms may vary from person to person: greed, anger, rebellion, booze, drugs, promiscuity, materialism, lying, bitterness. The bottom line is the same: there is something broken inside you that you cannot fix. Would you listen carefully? The answer you are looking for may be found in the Grand Tah-dah!
3. In our text, John is worshipping on the Lord’s day (Sunday). He hears a voice, and when he turns he sees a vision of the glorified and resurrected Jesus.
• Not the Jesus of the manger, a tiny helpless infant.
• Not the Jesus of the cross, the gentle Lamb dying for the sins of the world.
• Jesus as He is today, in all of His power and authority!
4. Text: In this vision, Jesus revealed to John the offices that He occupies as the resurrected Lord.
5. Today: By understanding the offices that the resurrected Christ occupies, we can understand the ministries He has in the world today.
6. What are the ministries of the resurrected Christ?
I. AS HIGH PRIEST, JESUS HAS A MINISTRY OF FORGIVENESS
1. See vss 12-13. Jesus is wearing the garment that the High Priest was to wear!
2. What was the ministry of the High Priest? Hebrews 9:2-3, 6-7. On Yom Kippur he was to offer the blood sacrifice that purchased forgiveness for the people. Why is Jesus dressed like a High Priest? Because on the cross He offered the blood sacrifice that purchased forgiveness for the people!
3. The resurrected Jesus offers you forgiveness today based on His death on the cross!
4. Illus. of woman at my first church
• Old man and wife, married daughter visiting with them. Told them old story of Jesus love and forgiveness.
• Old man and woman seriously considered the claims of Christ. When I turned to daughter, she burst out in tears. “God doesn’t love me, and God can’t forgive me.”
• Began to tell heart-wrenching story of her life, cataloging list of foul and degrading sins, sins that had eventually led to tragic death of her 9-year-old son. “Jesus cannot forgive this!”
• I swallowed hard and told her, “Jesus can forgive even this!”
5. Did you notice the articles of clothing that are missing from Jesus high priestly outfit?
No inner linen robe- (God’s righteousness) Jesus perfectly righteous.
No belt around midsection- (used to get ready for fast movement or hard work). No work left to do. Resurrected Jesus already done everything that needs to be done.
No ephod (an outer “apron” necessary for making sacrifice) No sacrifice left to make. The death and resurrection of Jesus full and complete sacrifice for all our sins.
6. What’s the point? Because the Priest is perfect, and the sacrifice is perfect, then the forgiveness must be perfect!
7. I don’t care what you have done, the resurrected Jesus offers you perfect forgiveness today. You could leave this building with a fresh start, a new beginning, the slate wiped clean!
II. AS ANCIENT OF DAYS, JESUS HAS A MINISTRY OF JUDGMENT
1. See vss 14-16. When a Jew read this description, would immediately think of ancient of days. Daniel 7:9-10. Ancient of days always associated with judgment!
2. The resurrected Jesus wants to deal with us in mercy and forgiveness. If we will not allow Him to do so, then He will deal with us in judgment!
3. Illus. of tv commercial
• Advertising a national chain of automobile service centers
• Man who wouldn’t come in to have oil changed regularly was now in for an expensive motor job.
• Tag line for commercial was, “you can see me now, or you can see me later!”
• You can see God now in forgiveness- later in judgment. Salvation- sentencing. Lamb of God- Lion of God.
4. You might say, “I’m not too worried about this judgment thing. I think I can manipulate it to my advantage.” Better look closely at this description of Jesus as judge:
A discerning judgment (vs 14c). He has eyes of flame that can pierce the darkness. You cannot fool Him nor conceal anything from Him.
A divine judgment (vs 15a). Brass = divine judgment. This is not human judgment with its errors and mistakes, its perfect, divine judgment.
Overpowering judgment (vs 15b). Idea is great power. Think of roar and fury of Niagara Falls.
5. As Ancient of Days, the resurrected Jesus has a ministry of judgment! If you will not allow Him to change your life in mercy, then He will judge your life in holiness!
III. AS CONQUERING CAPTAIN JESUS HAS A MINISTRY OF VICTORY
1. See vs 17-18.
I am first and last… He was before all things, He shall be after all things. He transcends time and eternity.
I was dead…. I am alive forevermore… I have the keys [authority] of death and of Hades [the unseen realm, the grave].
“I am Almighty God come to earth in the flesh, and by virtue of my death and resurrection I have conquered death and the grave!”
2. Then Jesus gives the most unusual command to John in vs 19: write the things that you have seen… and send it to the seven churches! Why would He say that? Because His victory is also our victory!
3. Illus. of James Gilkey
• Was a Christian leader in Portland Oregon not too many years ago.
• Told by his physician that he had a terminal disease that could not be averted or even long delayed.
• He went to his house in the mountains outside the city. He looked at these mountains that he loved, at the majestic river streams, and later at the stars.
• Then he went inside and wrote in his diary these words: “I may not see you many more times. But mountain, long after you have sunk down to the plains; and river, long after you have dried up; and stars, long after you have fallen from your orbit, I shall be alive!”
4. This is the victory that Paul referred to in I Corinthians 15:55, 57
5. All of us are going to age, going to grow infirm, going to die. When we approach the end, it can be with fear, or it can be with the calm assurance that our conquering captain has beaten death for us!
CONCLUSION
1. High Priest- forgiveness. Ancient of days- judgment. Conquering captain- victory over death.
2.
