Revelation 1:9-20 Jesus, His People, the Local Church
3/5/17 D. Marion Clark
Introduction
Who are you? How you answer that question guides how you live your life. In our text this morning, John lays before us the identities of three parties: that of fellow Christians, of Jesus, and of the local church.
Text
The People of Jesus
I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”
John, in identifying himself, identifies the Christians to whom he writes. Together they are partners in “the tribulation, the kingdom, and the patient endurance that are in Jesus.” Out of three identifying contextual marks, two have to do with suffering: tribulation and patiently enduring the tribulation. The first, they have no control over. Tribulation is forced upon them. It has become a way of life for them as members of a minority religion that is held in suspect by some, in disdain by others, and even as dangerous by legal authorities.
No, they do not have control over the tribulation forced upon them, but they do have control over their response to its hardships. They can face it through patient endurance. And this is the reason why John is writing his letter – to encourage his fellow followers of Christ to patiently endure the afflictions that they face for their faith.
Between “tribulation” and “patient endurance” is another identifying context that explains the reason for the tribulation and that gives the motive for the patient endurance. John and his readers are partners in the “kingdom.” It is the kingdom that is “in Jesus,” that belongs to Jesus. John’s readers are suffering in tribulation because they belong to this kingdom. They might on earth be counted as citizens of the kingdom of Rome and of whatever local land where they live, but their ultimate and true citizenship is in and of the kingdom of their Lord Jesus Christ. That makes them suspect to the world.
Why? Because the values of the kingdom of Jesus Christ are opposed to the values of this world which belongs to the kingdom of “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2). Two remarks by the apostle Paul illustrates this conflict. In his first letter to Timothy, he instructs Christians to pray for government leaders, “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Tim. 2:2). In his second letter to Timothy he observes from his own experience that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). It goes with the territory – with a Christ-kingdom citizen living in an earthbound kingdom.
But with such territory also comes the power to live in such a predicament – for we live under and in the power of Jesus Christ. We face tribulation for and in Jesus; we patiently endure by and in Jesus; we live under the rule and in Jesus, that is, by his power given to us through the Holy Spirit. Indeed, we do not merely survive but we conquer, as Jesus will speak of and commend to each of the seven churches.
What does it mean to conquer? It means to conquer the temptation to compromise one’s faith – whether that be from persecution by the world or enticements by the world. It means to keep the faith.
An interesting window into this whole context of tribulation, kingdom, and patient enduring can be found in a letter written by a Roman governor to the emperor, asking guidance as to how to handle the ongoing problem of Christians. Listen in to Pliny the Younger as he addresses the Emperor Trajan in 112 A.D.
I interrogated these as to whether they were Christians; those who confessed I interrogated a second and a third time, threatening them with punishment; those who persisted I ordered executed. For I had no doubt that, whatever the nature of their creed, stubbornness and inflexible obstinacy surely deserve to be punished….
Those who denied that they were or had been Christians, when they invoked the gods in words dictated by me, offered prayer with incense and wine to your image…and moreover cursed Christ--none of which those who are really Christians, it is said, can be forced to do--these I thought should be discharged….
They [those who repented] asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so. When this was over, it was their custom to depart and to assemble again to partake of food--but ordinary and innocent food….
Accordingly, I judged it all the more necessary to find out what the truth was by torturing two female slaves who were called deaconesses. But I discovered nothing else but depraved, excessive superstition….
For the matter seemed to me to warrant consulting you, especially because of the number involved…. For the contagion of this superstition has spread not only to the cities but also to the villages and farms. But it seems possible to check and cure it. It is certainly quite clear that the temples, which had been almost deserted, have begun to be frequented, that the established religious rites, long neglected, are being resumed, and that from everywhere sacrificial animals are coming, for which until now very few purchasers could be found. Hence it is easy to imagine what a multitude of people can be reformed if an opportunity for repentance is afforded.
Pliny was not a violent man, and, indeed, would have been considered quite reasonable for his day. And yet, he has few qualms with executing these stubborn Christians and even torturing them, who, the best he can tell, have done nothing offensive and are even exemplary in their morals. This is what came with the territory of living in Roman territory.
Did you note the two heroes? They are the two female slaves tortured simply to gather information. They endured, they conquered for the kingdom of their Lord Jesus Christ. That is what Jesus is seeking in his people. Now, let’s turn to Jesus.
Jesus
Before we read the passage describing Jesus, be reminded of the context. Added to the struggles of the new religion to keep its toehold in the Roman empire is the matter that their religion is based on humility. Their Savior was rejected by his own people. He died on a Roman cross. Yes, he rose from the dead, but that is by now a claim of faith. As the apostle Paul admitted, the message of the cross is folly (1 Cor. 1:18), and the claim of resurrection is, as Pliny was likely referring to, “excessive superstition.” Such is the Savior and such the salvation of the followers of Jesus who seem to be taking a beating. Jesus is now ready to reveal to John just who their Savior really is.
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
We know that John is drawing on the prophets Daniel and Ezekiel for his language in describing the Jesus that he sees. He is not merely fishing for words as with a thesaurus, but is taking language that identifies Jesus as the Anointed One prophesied long ago, the one who is identified with God himself.
But the real matter is the reason why Jesus reveals himself in such a way to John. If a picture is worth a thousand words, an experience that overwhelms the five senses accomplishes more than words can ever convey. When John experiences Jesus in his glory, he falls at Jesus’ feet as though dead.
This is the Jesus who is head of his Church, who rules over his kingdom, who is the “ruler of the kings of the earth.” This is the Jesus who is the Savior of his people, and however much his kingdom on earth is dressed in humility, however humble the gospel may seem, however humble the Savior may be depicted – he is the God of glory. Do not doubt it.
His glory is such that to behold him is to directly behold the sun shining in its full strength. To come under his gaze is to feel flames of fire. To hear his voice is both deafening and piercing to the heart. No wonder we see the resulting reaction of John.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
Fear not, John. Do not fear to be in the presence of Jesus. For though his glory is overpowering, he remains the Savior who died for John. But if there had been any doubt, it is clear that Jesus is not merely the once and future king, he is the living one who is alive forevermore and reigning forevermore. He who died now possesses the keys of Death and Hades. Not only could they not hold him in the grave, they must submit to his authority. This is the Jesus of John and of all who are patiently enduring the tribulation as members of his kingdom.
Local Churches
We now come to the local church, as represented by the seven churches to whom the letter is sent. We learned of their names in verse 11 and know of their locations in Asia Minor. Of particular interest is how they are depicted in John’s vision.
19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Why are the churches represented by lampstands? Because of what they are and do. Lampstands bear light. They are not light itself, but bear light. Churches bear the light of Jesus Christ, not their own.
To whom or what do they bear light? Let’s look to Jesus for that answer in his Sermon on the Mount.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16
The Church and each local church are lights of, for, the world. How is the local church the light of Christ? By its people (the church by definition is the collection of people who follow Christ) living out the gospel. The church must faithfully proclaim the gospel of Christ. All the more essential, then, for the church to demonstrate the change that the gospel effects.
Let’s go back to those Christians living under Pliny’s rule. From Pliny’s own testimony we know that 1) they worshipped Christ as God; 2) real Christians did not deny Jesus; 3) as to their lives, they were bound not to commit crime or immorality, and to keep their word and to be depended on. As such they showed the light of the one they worshipped and proclaimed as Lord.
But someone might object that their light was ineffective. Pliny certainly was not converted. No, but Pliny’s concern was that many people were being converted. That was the reason for the persecution – to “check the contagion.” And that is why Pliny’s hope of doing so would be dashed, as this superstition would eventually conquer the Roman Empire.
One other thing to note in the depiction of the churches. The stars are the angels of the churches. It is to these angels that Jesus will have John address. Who are they? Are they guardian angels, and why would Jesus in each letter address them as though they were the churches to be rebuked? Evidently, these angels represent their respective churches before God in heaven.
Think about that. The angels impress upon us that the local churches are more than they seem. Local churches are not merely earthly congregations: they belong to the supernatural fellowship and worship taking place in heaven. They have their own star in the heavens.
Application
Let’s move now to the present. How do these identities of Christians, of Jesus, and of the local church apply to us at LOPC?
I don’t think we have to worry about the governor of Georgia having us tortured to find out what is going on in our church services. Is there tribulation? To a degree. It is likely at some time or other that you have experienced some form of ridicule or bias based on your expressed faith. Clearly our society has moved into a post-Christian era, and advocating Christian beliefs, especially in moral matters, is becoming increasingly unpopular and has already cost believers their jobs.
The issue before us, as it was with the Christians to whom John wrote, lies in how we identify ourselves. Do we identify ourselves as citizens of Christ’s kingdom before all other earthly kingdoms and countries? If so, what matters then is how well we represent our King Jesus Christ. What matters is how well we patiently endure whatever comes. What matters is how well we show forth the light of Jesus Christ to the world.
The apostles expected tribulation. Jesus had told them to expect it. Because the world hated him; the world will hate them (cf. John 15:18ff). What mattered to Jesus and to the apostles was that his followers neither falter in their faith nor shame the gospel through giving in to the ways of the world – whether by yielding to temptation or by reverting to hatred.
Peter’s first epistle models this view. He writes to Christians facing suffering. What does he tell them? They are exiles in the world but also the elect of God. They possess the inheritance of glory. They were redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb. They are the people of God, a kingdom of priests.
And so, they are to live holy lives. They are to proclaim the excellencies of God. They are to live honorable lives before Gentiles, that is, unbelievers. They are to be subject to the civil authorities and honor the emperor. Slaves are to serve even harsh unbelieving masters mindful of God. Wives are to win over their unbelieving husbands through their gentle conduct. They are all to repay evil and reviling with blessing. They are to patiently endure suffering so well that they will be asked to give the reason for the hope that is within them, and even then to do so with gentleness and respect to the very persons slandering them. They are not to be surprised at fiery trial, but are even to rejoice that they share Christ’s sufferings.
We have entered into complicated, unsettling times as American Christians. Most of us grew up in environments that supported our faith and values. Do we simply concede that we have lost or do we fight to keep that heritage? I think what John or Peter or any of the other apostles would say to us is that, however we may think God would have us act within our political system, we must, as Peter exhorted Christian slaves, be “mindful of God.” Indeed, live with the understanding that we have been called to suffering:
because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Peter 2:21-24).
We need to review whether our words and our manner reflect whether or not we belong to Christ’s kingdom or to the world. I’ll give you an assignment to help you with this. If you post on Facebook or Twitter or forward emails, take a look at the last ten postings or emails you have sent that are not about family or cute pets. How many would lead a reader to ask about the hope you have in the gospel? How many would lead a person who differs with you politically and culturally to ask about your hope?
I am not diminishing the importance of the present culture war. But the cause of Christ’s kingdom transcends all other matters. The ultimate battle for Christians is not about making America great again, but about being lampstands for the glory of Christ to shine in this dark world. The day will come when his glory will shine directly upon this world, and everything and everyone be judged rightly. Until that day, whatever light is now seen is seen in Christ’s followers and Christ’s churches. Let that light shine in you.
