A CONVICTION FOR WITNESS—I—Revelation 1:9-20
Need:
Some of us have trouble ‘witnessing’. We allow other things to call us away from that responsibility.
The apostle John was convicted to record the fantastic images of Jesus’ revelation.
Those loyal to Christ will be convicted to bear record of Jesus’ revelation.
Who will bear witness of/to Jesus’ revelation?
17 convictions for bearing witness to Jesus’ revelation.
1—A Christian witness is borne thru
FAMILY/COMPANIONSHIP’s Authority(:9)
—Explanation:(:9) Companionship/Belonging/
“I, John, your brother & fellow partaker in the tribulation & kingdom & perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos, because of the word of God & the testimony of Jesus.”
“Your Brother”—Blood ties/kin—Common traits
“Fellow Partaker/Companion”—sugkoinwnoV— ‘With Fellow’—Joint partner
“Tribulation”—qliyiV— ‘A pressing, pressing together, pressure; Oppression, affliction, distress, straits.’
Acts 5:40-41—“And they took his advice; & after calling the apostles in, they flogged them & ordered them to speak no more in the name of Jesus, & then released them. So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.”
2Tim. 1:6-8—“And for this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power & love & discipline. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,”
Acts 14:21-22—Paul & Barnabas—“And after they had preached the gospel to that city[Derbe] & had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra & to Iconium & to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, & saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
“Kingdom”—basileia— ‘A kingdom, the territory subject to the rule of a king.’
“Perseverance/Patience”—upomonh— ‘Steadfastness, constancy, endurance.—opposite of cowardice or despondency.’
—Argumentation:
Mat. 12:47-50—“And someone said to Him, “Behold, Your mother & Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You.” But He answered the one who was telling Him & said, “Who is My mother & who are My brothers?” And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold, My mother & My brothers! “For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother & sister & mother.”
2Pet. 1:5-8—“Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, & in your moral excellence, knowledge; & in your knowledge, self-control, & in your self-control, perseverance, & in your perseverance, godliness; & in your godliness, brotherly kindness, & in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours & are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Heb. 2:11—“For both He who sanctifies & those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,”
Prov. 17:17—“A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.”
—Illustration:
Bookworms at Library or Barnes & Noble bookstore/
UPS workers/Drivers sense togetherness/Unloaders sense togetherness—Share ibn same purpose, trials & convictions/FAMILY/COMPANIONSHIP
—Application:
?Your FAMILY bear Jesus’ Authority?
?What is your Conviction regarding Jesus’ Revelation?
2—A Christian witness is borne thru
COMMUNION’s Authority(:10a)
—Explanation/Argumentation:(:10a)
“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day,....”
“In the Spirit”— ‘Transported into God’s presence &/or perfect communion(elevated devotion) with God.’
Jn. 14:16-18—“And I will ask the Father, & He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, & will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
Jn. 16:13—“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; & He will disclose to you what is to come.”
—Illustration:
Commune with nature/Get to its level/Actual communion with nature is communion with God’s creation
—Application:
?Your SPIRIT bear Jesus’ Authority?
?What is your Conviction regarding Jesus’ Revelation?
3—A Christian witness is borne thru
HEARING’s Authority(:10b)
—Explanation/Argumentation:(:10b)
“...& I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet,...”
“I HEARD”—
Prov. 20:12—“The hearing ear & the seeing eye, The LORD has made both of them.”
God has so constructed us that our hearing allows us the power of comprehending language —other’s thoughts.
Mat. 13;13—“Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, & while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”
Only those willing to hear will hear.
Rev. 3:20—“Behold, I stand at the door & knock; if anyone hears My voice & opens the door, I will come in to him, & will dine with him, & he with Me.”
—Illustration:
Me sitting in Lazy Boy/Wife says ‘Would you please transfer the clothes from the washer to the dryer?’/I continue to sit knowing someone else will do it/Selective Hearing
—Application:
?Your HEARING bear Jesus’ Authority?
?What is your Conviction regarding Jesus’ Revelation?
4—A Christian witness is borne thru
SIGHT’s Authority(:11a)
—Explanation:(:11a)
“...saying, “Write in a book what you see,...”
“Write...what you SEE”—blepw— Observe/Discern/Perceive/ Discover
—Argumentation:
Acts 1:7-8—“He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; & you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, & in all Judea & Samaria, & even to the remotest part of the earth.”
A WITNESS tells what is SEEN!
Jn. 3:3—“Jesus answered & said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
—Application:
?Your SIGHT bear Jesus’ Authority?
?What is your Conviction regarding Jesus’ Revelation?
5—A Christian witness is borne thru
MULTIPLICATION & SUPPORT’s Authority(:11-12)
—Explanation:(:11-12)
:11—“saying, “Write in a book what you see, & send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus & to Smyrna & to Pergamum & to Thyatira & to Sardis & to Philadelphia & to Laodicea.”
Each shared a common mail route.
Each a church.
“Seven”—Representative of all the church that can be. Each has a particular character, strengths & faults.
:12—“And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands;”
“Seven golden lampstands”—Candelabras—See :20—
“... & the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”
‘The stand of which a lamp is an integral part perched so that others may see its light. The church of God must uphold the light of Christ before others. The light is not ours but God’s.
Also—The Love of God continually being cunsumed/expended
The church of God is manifested in local assemblies of like believers, each responsible for upholding the light of God in Jesus Christ.’
“Golden”—Enduring/Stability—Beauty—Attraction— Precious
—Argumentation:
MULTIPLICATION:
2Thess. 3:1-2—“Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly & be glorified, just as it did also with you; & that we may be delivered from perverse & evil men; for not all have faith.”
SUPPORT:
1Cor. 12:26—“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
1Tim. 3;15—“but in case I am delayed, I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar & support of the truth.”
—Illustration:
Bridge supports/Their MULTIPLICATION yields added SUPPORT & completion of task
—Application:
?Your MULTIPLICATION bear Jesus’ Authority?
What Message do you spread?
?What is your Conviction regarding Jesus’ Revelation?
6—A Christian witness is borne thru
POSITION(:13a)
—Explanation/Argumentation:(:13a)
:13—“...& in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man,...”
“In the middle/midst”—Priestly—Watching— Responsible— Concerned
“One like a son of man”—
Heb. 2:14-16—“Since then the children share in flesh & blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; & might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham.”
—Illustration:
President/Commander in Chief/POSITION is one of watchful authority & decision
—Application:
?Jesus’ POSITION demand your Witness?
?What is your Conviction regarding Jesus’ Revelation?
CONCLUSION:
A Christian witness is borne thru...
FAMILY/COMPANIONSHIP’s Authority(:9)
COMMUNION’s Authority(:10a)
HEARING’s Authority(:10b)
SIGHT’s Authority(:11a)
MULTIPLICATION/SUPPORT’s Authority(:11-12)
POSITION’s Authority(:13a)
CHILDREN’S— ‘Multiplication’
Bag of Marbles.
Place one marble on the floor explaining that this marble is one Christian or even one person who knows God’s truth.
If one marble’ tells two marbles there are three.
If those two tell two then there are 7.
If those tell two then there are 15, etc.
God wants us to Multiply His word thru sharing Jesus with others.
Presented 02/03/02am to;
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Raod
Whigham, GA 31797
