Who We Are—part 2

WHO WE ARE-II—Revelation 1:4-8

A man returns from a foreign holiday and is feeling very ill. He goes to see his doctor, and is immediately rushed to the hospital to undergo tests.

The man wakes up after the tests in a private room at the hospital, shuffles to the door & finds it locked from the outside!/Just then the phone by his bed rings.

"This is your doctor. We’ve had the results back from your tests and we’ve found you have an extremely nasty virus who’s progress, so far, we are completely helpless to destroy or even slow down!"

"Oh my goodness," cried the man, "What are you going to do, doctor?"

"Well we’re going to put you on a diet of pizzas, pancakes, tortillas & pita bread."

"Will that cure me???" asked the man.

The doctor replied, "Well no, but... it’s the only food we can get under the door!"

Ralph was made aware of who he was in the doctor’s eyes.

Ralph was made aware of what kind of man his doctor was.

The Doctor was well aware of who his patient(Ralph) was.

Likewise, the Church must be made aware of who she is in God’s eyes.

Prior to informing the 7 churches of the revelation of Jesus, John greeted them with encouragement & exhortation reminding them of who they were in Christ.

The revelation of Jesus Christ informs us of the Church’s identity.

Who Are We?

The Church is a Family of Unparalleled...

1. Grace(:4)

2. Peace(:4)

3. Presence(:4c)

4. Resourcefulness(:4d)

5—The Church is a family of

UNPARALLELED SALVATION(:5-7)

—Explanation:(:5-7)

:5—“& from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, & the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us, & released us from our sins by His blood,”

:6—"and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father; to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."

:7—"BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen.”

—a. UNPARALLELED MESSENGER—

“& from Jesus Christ”

“Jesus”—IhsouV—from Heb. —ewvwhy(Joshua)— meaning ‘Jehovah is Salvation’

Mat. 1:21—“And she will bear a Son; & you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.”

“Christ”—Messiah—Anointed One(of God)

—b. UNPARALLELED EVIDENCE—

“The Faithful witness”—Consistently, Faithfully represents God’s truth.

Jn. 3:31-36—JTB of Jesus—“He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth & speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. “What He has seen & heard, of that He bears witness; & no man receives His witness. “He who has received His witness has set his seal to this, that God is true. “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure. “The Father loves the Son, & has given all things into His hand. “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Always faithful to God’s word regardless of Pressures— Social, Family, Friends, Job, Religious, Civil, National...

—c. UNPARALLELED HOPE—

“First-born of the dead”—

1Cor. 15:20-23—“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,”

—d. UNPARALLELED SOVEREIGNTY/AUTHORITY—

“Ruler of the kings of the earth”—

“Ruler”—arcwn—Chief, Leader

Rev. 17:14 & 19:16—“These will wage war against the Lamb, & the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords & King of kings, & those who are with Him are the called & chosen & faithful.....“And on His robe & on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Isa. 45:5-7—“I am the LORD, & there is no other; Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me; That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun That there is no one besides Me. I am the LORD, & there is no other, The One forming light & creating darkness, Causing well-being & creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these.”

1Pet. 5:4—“And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

Mat. 28:19—“...All authority has been given to Me in heaven & on earth.”