The Seven, part 2
Setting the Tone of Victory: The Source of our Perseverance
Revelation 1:4-8, part 1
May 26, 2013
Review: Last week I said that although Revelation poses unique interpretative challenges it is understandable by the ordinary person. It appeals to the imagination, is similar to a fantasy novel like CS Lewis', The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. It has three literary genre's - apocalyptic, prophecy, and epistle all at the same time! As apocalyptic literature it uses symbolism to describe what takes place at the consummation of all things. It's symbolism is fantastic and not meant to be taken literally. As prophetic literature, it foretells the future and foretells, calling God's people back to covenantal faithfulness. Last, as an epistle, it was a letter that circulated among several churches to address the specific historical situations and needs of seven local churches at the end of the first century. That means we will never understand what it means for us until we understand what it meant to them. Last week I said that it reveals Jesus Christ to us, the conquering king, and that it is written for obedience and not speculation.
John sets the tone of victory in verses four through eight. The church is under attack from Satan, our enemy, in three ways: First, the church is under attack through physical persecution. John is exiled because of his faithful witness, others are jailed and martyred. The whole New Testament is blunt on suffering for those who desire to be faithful to Christ. The church is also under attack through spiritual compromise. Spiritual adultery had a foothold on the church. Roman Ceasers were expected to be worshiped as Gods; to confess Jesus Christ as Lord meant defiance and the sentence of death. The result was that compromise became an fashionable, even justifiable. Last, the church is under attack through material seduction. They were compromising their allegiance and devotion to Jesus Christ with the lust for prosperity. The church in every age is always under attack – the quest for acceptance, entertainment, tolerating apathy, material comfort, accommodating to the culture, and even tolerating heresy. Our church is under attack. So John infuses us with a perspective on reality that is cosmic, transcendent, and with a promised victory from the throne. The term is key to Revelation, occurring thirty four times. At the center of everything in heaven is the throne, expressing God's absolute sovereignty and showing that things are not always as they seem. So lets look at two points in the rest of the time we have: The supernatural resources for perseverance and the supernatural source of these resources.
The Supernatural Resources for Perseverance
“John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace.” Revelation was written by the apostle John who also wrote the gospel and the three epistles. He wrote to seven churches in Asia minor, which is modern day Turkey. Seven is symbolic of completeness, representing all churches of all time. Grace and peace is the normal greeting for New Testament letters and points again to the fact that this is a letter written to churches, to those who are part of a local body that meets weekly. Contrary to popular belief in western Christianity you cannot be a follower of Christ and not part of a local church. There is a need for grace because the church is under attack and we need the supernatural resources of grace to persevere, to be faithful to Jesus Christ even when it costs us. There are all kinds of problems in these seven churches but Johns concern is their need for grace and peace to persevere. Why is this so important? It is only those who conquer, persevere in faithful allegiance to the gospel, who inherit the reward of eternal life. We persevere because God faithfully supplies us with grace for strength of heart; peace for tranquility in the midst of suffering and attack. The prize for Christ followers is not for those who enter the race but only for those who finish the race! Perseverance means to live faithfully as a Christ follower, not perfect, but faithful. God also supplies supernatural resource of his peace. But you will never have peace unless you have first experienced grace. Grace precedes peace. Peace has two aspects to it. There is objective peace that comes from being reconciled to God. But there is also subjective peace in midst of attack if you trust him. The provision for victory, persevering, is supernatural grace and peace. Let's look at the supernatural source of these resources.
The Supernatural Source of These Resources
The source of this great grace and peace is from the Father, the Spirit, and the Son.
• God the Father
We can have confidence that we will have these resources because God is the one “who is and who was and who is to come.” God is eternally present- who was and who is and who is to come is always present and available for his people. The prophets were always saying, God is coming, he is coming to save his people and to judge his enemies. But it also shows that God is the sovereign Lord over human history, fulfilling his purposes. What the church needs when it us under attack is the God who is eternally present who dispenses grace and peace to those who trust him. Grace and peace is also from the Spirit.
• God the Spirit
'The seven spirits before the throne.' Seven, again, points to fullness and completeness. The Spirit is completely able give you strength, in the form of grace and peace, to persevere when under attack. The Spirit is the one who fully and completely and effectually supplies the church with all that she needs to provide faithful witness in a hostile world. His point is that the Spirit is the supplier, the sustained, & the provider of the grace and peace needed for perseverance to the church. Grace comes through the book inspired by the Spirit, who points people to the work of the Son. That is why we teach exposition ally, explaining the text, that reveals Jesus in the text. What they needed and what we need is not steps to a better life; a better marriage; how to get a spouse. What we need more than anything else every week is a revelation of Jesus Christ. John lifts their eyes off of their situation to a vision of Jesus, elevating their view of Jesus Christ who has already secured the victory. The clearer you see Jesus and his work on your behalf the more grace and peace you will have under attack.
• God the Son
John puts God the Son last because the book of Revelation is a revelation of Jesus Christ. John describes Jesus Christ with three names. He is the faithful witness, which characterized his life and resulted in his death. Being a faithful witness may end in death for all of us. He is lifted up as the example for us but also the power for us to be faithful witnesses. He conquered death and sin by means of his own death and we do the same. His allegiance is meant to be an encouragement to the church under attack to follow him to death and there you will be safe and secure as nothing can separate you from the love of God found in Christ. He is also the first born of the dead. It was his death and resurrection that inaugurated the new covenant and secured our eternal destiny. Death could not contain him. Last, he is ruler of the kings of the earth. Christ is ruler over and sovereign over all the kings and nations of the earth. When these churches faced persecution from the Roman Empire, the mightiest kingdom this world has ever known, above all these earthly thrones there is the ultimate throne, Jesus' throne. The throne represents his absolute authority over all other ruler and kings and kingdoms. One day there will be no more opposition.
