A. GOD VISITED AN ISLAND
1. A political prisoner. “I was on the island of Patmos, exiled there for preaching the Word of God” (1:9). The arrest papers read, “Testifying that Jesus Christ is King.”
2. Island. “Ten miles long, six miles wide. Mt. Elias is 800 feet, and John lived in a cave.”
3. Who was John? The beloved disciple when following Jesus (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20) who leaned on his breast (John 13:23), who didn’t run away, who brought Jesus’ mother to the cross (John 9:25-27), who wrote the 4th gospel, and 1, 2, 3 John.
4. What was important about this day? John experienced Jesus. “Revealed these things to His servant John in a vision” (1:2, NLT) and the appearance of Jesus. “I turned to see ... one standing ... like unto the Son of Man” (1:12-13).
5. Jesus’ many names revealed Himself:
What His Name Means:
Jesus – human
Christ – Anointed One
LORD – Deity
Jesus Christ, (v. 1) earthly designation
Who is, who was, and who is to come, (v. 4) eternal
Faithful witness, (v. 5) truth teller
First begotten from the dead, (v. 5) resurrection life
Greater than any king, (v. 5, NLT) preeminence
Him who loved us, (v. 5) eternal love
Washed us from our sins, (v. 5) Redeemer
He cometh with clouds, (v. 7) Return
Alpha and Omega, (v. 8) Creator and Judge
Beginning and end, (v. 8) Infinite
Lord, (v. 8) Deity
Almighty, (v. 8) the El Shaddai, sufficient one
A great voice, (v. 10) commands attention
The first and the last, (v. 11) He’s everything
Son of Man, (v. 13) humanity
Countenance as the sun, (v. 16) glorified
Alive forever more (v. 18) infinity
6. What was John’s passion? Jesus’ return. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (22:20).
B. WORSHIP IN A CAVE
1. Jesus, what is the focus of worship? “I turned to see who was speaking to me” (1:11. NLT).
2. His Word. What is the basis of worship? “I heard a loud voice behind me saying ... I am Alpha and Omega (1:10-11).
3. Preparation. How shall I worship? “I was in the Spirit” (1:10).
4. Responsibility. Why should we worship? “He has gathered us into His kingdom, and made us priests of God His Father” (1:6).
5. Time. When shall I worship? “I was in ... the Lord’s day” (1:20).
6. Bible reading. What gets you ready for worship? “Read this prophecy out loud to the church and you will receive a special blessing” (1:3, NLT).
7. Urgency. What motivates you to worship? “For the time is near when these things will all come true” (1:3).
8. Don’t neglect. What warning do we get from worship? “He cometh with clouds and every eye shall see Him, and they who pierced Him ... shall wail because of Him” (1:7).
9. Your body reflects your heart. “I fell at His feet as dead” (1:17).
10. Spiritual response. “I fell ... as dead” (1:10). John’s physical response suggests our spiritual response. “The world is crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14).
11. Not our physical experience, but Christ who we worship.
a. Glory. “His face shone like the sun, in unclouded brilliance” (1:10, NLT).
b. Purity. “His hair was white ... as snow” (1:14).
c. Omniscience. “His eyes ... like flames” (1:14).
d. Omnipresence. “His feet gleaming like fire brass” (1:15).
e. Omnipotence. “His voice thundered” (1:15).
C. HOW JOHN THOUGHT ABOUT THE DEATH OF CHRIST
1. Look back. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
2. Remember the quality of Christ’s love. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
3. The source of demonstrated love. “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (1 John 3:1)
4. The process of love. “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:9).
5. The recipient of love. “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end” (John 13:1).
6. The results of love. “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” (1 John 3:2).
7. The confidence of love. “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24).
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
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