Revelations - July 6th, 08

Date: July 6th, 2008

Speaker: Kevin Snyder

Title: The Last Word on Christ

Series: Revelation

Introduction

Garrison Keillor, Wittenberg Door

“We don’t go to church to hear lectures on ethical behaviour, we go to look at the mysteries, and all the substitutes for communion with God are not worth anyone’s time...If you can’t go to church and, for at least a moment, be given transcendence; if you can’t go to church and pass briefly from this life into the next; then I can’t see why anyone should go. Just a brief moment of transcendence causes you to come out of a church a changed person.”

We long in our time and in our churches for an encounter with the living God....those moments of transcendence..

There is a hunger for that...

We want more than dead ritual.
We want more than just recited beliefs.

Well, there is probably no book in the Bible that ushers us into that transcendence more than the book of Revelation.

And today I want us to look at Jesus as presented in Revelation.

Scripture:

Focus primarily on ch 1: 9 – 18

9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

Before we look at the specific characteristics of Jesus I want to draw your attention to a couple of things:

Preliminary Notes:

a. The number 7 (v. 12)

Rev is a book of symbols. A book coded to hides it’s meaning from the oppressors during a time of persecution.

And 7 is a significant number in this book.

It is a symbolic number, not literal one.

It occurs a lot in relation to God.

a. 7 visions of Christ in Revelations

vision of victorious Christ (ch 1 :4 – 10)
vision of the Lamb standing “as though it had been slain” (Rev. 5: 6 – 7)
vision of the birth of Christ thrown on the cosmic screen (Rev 12)
vision of Christ surrounded by the 144,000 (Rev 14:1)
vision of the Christ crowned and armed for judgment (Rev. 14:14)
vision of Christ mounted and leading the armies of heaven (Rev 19:16)
vision of the Christ of the 2nd coming (Rev. 22:12 – 17)

b. 7 attributes of Christ listed in vision in chapter 1 (don’t count the clothing)

c. Jesus is holding 7 stars

d. 7 churches spoken about Rev 2,3

e. 7 seals that only Jesus can open

f. 7 trumpets, 7 bowls, 7 plagues

g. Spirit of God is referred to as 7-fold spirit of God (Rev 5:5)

h.7 thunders (10:3,4)

This book is not just a haphazard writing. It is incredibly crafted.

Why 7?

Well, in Hebrew literature of this type (written in times of persecution) numbers had symbolic meaning.

7 for example was a sacred number meaning completeness, fullness

One can wonder if Jesus even drew upon that in his conversation with Peter about forgiveness. How much must I forgive? Jesus 70 X 7 times….completely, fully, comprehensively. To do that is divine.

Now I won’t go into this, but capture that the mark of the beast (the antichrist figure) is the number 666. One short…incomplete. One brick short of a full load.

b. “among the lampstands” (v.13)

graphic: lampstand with 7 candles, or 7 lampstands)

One of the other interesting things about Rev. is the centrality of Christ.

It is easy to lose that focus among all the visions, and happenings, and exotic characters, but Rev is about Christ. It is more about him than suffering, and history, and evil. It is about Christ.

Rev. 1:12,13 – Jesus is at the center of the church.

“middle of the lampstands”

Rev 5:11 – Jesus is at the center of worship in heaven
Rev 6 – Jesus is at the center of the action (breaking of the seals that unleash events).
Rev 12 – Jesus is at the center of Satan’s attack
Rev 19 – Jesus is at the centre of the wedding (Rev 19:9)
Rev. 21:22 – Jesus is at the center of heaven as temple and light source

John begins by describing the clothing.

1. His Clothing

graphic: picture of Jesus in such a robe

– “a long robe with a golden sash across his breast”

This is the garment of a priest that he would wear in the temple. It also has a mark of royalty. Here in his clothing we see Jesus role as priest and king.

i.e.

A police officers uniform catches our eye and creates a set of expectations and shapes our responses.

In the same way, the clothing of Christ here catches his attention and shapes his response. The priest represents God and also mediates on behalf of the people.

2. His head & hair

“His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow”

Graphic: – snow

Here we see not the role but the character of Jesus. His character fits the role.

The whiteness communicates 2 things:

Purity

Isaiah 1:18 said, “Your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow….they shall become as wool.”
The Psalmist prayed: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

Wisdom

Daniel 7:9 refers to the hair as white as wool on the picture of God as the “Ancient of Days” Speaks of his all-knowing.

3. His Eyes

“His eyes were like blazing fire.”

In Scripture fire penetrates and transforms. Christ doesn’t just look at us, he looks into us. His gaze penetrates and purifies.

As one man said, ”his fire will not burn us if we do not worship him, rather, his fire will burn us until we worship him.”

He sees beyond the surface.

Heb. 4:13

13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Example:

John 1:40 – 51

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter?

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”

44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.”

48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”

50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “I tell you? the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

He doesn’t just see the outward appearance but Jesus sees the heart.

4. His feet

His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace,

In Daniel 2:31 – 45 King Nebucchednezzer of Babylon has a dream of a “great image”

That image had a head of fine gold, a torso of silver, belly and thigh of bronze, and legs of iron, but feet were a mixture of iron and clay. The iron and clay do not make a good bond. The image is one of strength and magnificence…a true “Iron Man.” But it is on a flawed base. When struck by a rolling rock, it fell apart

No matter how wonderful the image, its inadequate base is doomed to destruction.

Meaning: Depiction of Babylonian kingdom, (and the kingdoms of man) can have all the greatness and strength, but if they are weak at the base they will collapse. A kingdom is no greater than its base.

(In ch 11 you have another vision of Daniel who sees a man in a linen robe with a sash who outlasts all these earthly kingdoms)

Here, John’s image is in contrast to the flawed feet of the image of Neb dream. Christ’s kingdom is not on flimsy earthly base. It’s not on a base of an economy, or a military machine. It’s more solid.

Bronze is alloy of iron and copper. Iron is strong but rusts. Copper lasts but is pliable. Bronze takes the best quality of each. The base is solid and tempered even by fire.

5. His voice

“His voice thundered like mighty ocean waves.”

In communication, content is a small part of the actual message. What we say is often small compared to how it is said. Much is conveyed by the tone and volume. We know at once if the speaker is timid or hesitant, bored, impulsive and angry, matter of fact or detached. We interpret all the words through this screen of sound

And so here before we are told what Christ says, we introduced to his way of speaking. Christ’s voice goes along with his appearance as awesome and commanding. He speaks as one having authority.

6. His right hand

“in His right hand He held seven stars”

The 7 stars could have 2 meanings:

the leaders/ angels assigned to churches and the churches. Great thing knowing we are in the palm of Jesus
could be the 7 planets that they believed to exist. As we pick up from when Jesus was born there were those who followed the stars. And in this picture comes a clear message – The planets do not control us; Christ controls the planets.

Regardless, the fact that it is in his right hand means they are ready for use. A sword in the right hand of a soldier means he is ready to fight.

Jesus has the church , his angels, all of creation in his hand and ready to do his bidding.

7. His mouth

“And a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth.”

Heb 4:12

12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

The Word of God is powerful.

With a word he created the heavens and the earth
With a word he calmed the winds and the waves.
With a word he healed.
With a word he commands the apocalypse.
Jesus is not pictured here with a sword but his word is pictured as a sword. His words are not limp. But can cut through the strongest resistance, and the hardest hearts.

8. His Face

‘And his face was as bright as the sun in all its brilliance.”

When Moses returned from the tent where he met with God the OT says his face shone so brightly that the people couldn’t look at it.

Numbers 6:25 says as a blessing: “The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you.”

Here we have in Christ the picture of glory, light, warmth.

We are not people of darkness but people of light. People who have had the darkness of our fears illuminated. Light that dispels darkness.

And in Jesus we see light.

Summary:

Overall, in this vision you get a picture of the victorious Risen Lord.

The first and the Last.
The One who is alive forevermore
The one who holds the keys to death and Hades.

The structure of Revelation can be divided into 5 sections.

1. Chapter 1: Description of Jesus Christ as Lord

2. Chapter 2, 3: Jesus is the Lord of the Church.

He knows who his people are.
He knows how they are doing.
He knows what they are battling.
He knows what they are doing right and he knows their sins
He speaks into the life of the church.
He challenges, he corrects, he rewards, he commands, and he rebukes his church

He is Lord of the Church.

3. Chapter 4, 5 : Jesus is Lord of Heaven

John sees through an open door into heaven and sees how all the angels, and all the martyrs, and all the saints from every nation, tribe on earth are bowing, laying their crowns, and worshipping Jesus as Lord.

4. Chapter 6 – 18: Jesus is Lord of History

He superintends it all. He controls the seals. He steers the ship of history to its final destination which is never in doubt. No matter what evil men and the forces of hell itself scheme and do, nothing threatens the outcome. Jesus is Lord of history. He ushers it to its planned conclusion despite its rebellion.

5. Chapter 19: Jesus is Lord of the Judgement

He judges and condemns Satan and his demons.
He judges the kings and nations, and all people.
He crushes evil
He restores creation
He sentences death to death.

Phil 2: 9 – 11

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father

Friends, that’s the central and overarching message and picture of Jesus.

Jesus is Lord.

John is saying:

”I may be banished to Patmos by Rome – but Jesus is Lord.
The church is flawed and warped, but Jesus is Lord and will work on or work thru his church
The world might seem to be out of control. Evil may seem to be winning and having its day. But make no mistake Jesus still has the controls
It may seem that good will never prevail, justice will never come, but there is coming a day when every knee shall bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. A day when the wrongs will be righted.The evil punished.The godly rewarded.Those who have suffered will have the tears wiped from their eyes. A day when everything will again be turned right side up.

How do we know?

Because Jesus is Lord – of the church, of heaven, of history, and of judgment.

APPLICATION

What does that say to us?

Our theme is “Shaped by God’s Heart”….

Point:

Our lives get shaped by our image of Jesus.

John knew that. So to a bunch of beleaguered, tired, down-trodden Christians he reminded them of their Lord.

He was not the whipping boy of Satan.
He was not powerless over kings and leaders.
He was not just a figurehead in the blemished church.

He was Lord.

And this picture no doubt gave courage and confidence to the troops. It gave them no doubt the strength to persevere.

It helped them to not be disillusioned.

It no doubt put a fire in the belly.

Vital question for us today is:

What is your picture of Jesus?

Have we captured this “last word on Christ?” or are we struggling under a weak and inadequate view of Jesus?

My observations are that…

Many Canadian people still picture….

Jesus on the Via Dolorosa.

That was the road to the cross.

They have a picture of a weak stumbling Jesus, falling under the weight of the cross. Pushed around by the powerful of the day. Subject to manipulative religious leaders. Allowing darkness to reign or too powerless to thrust it back.

I say that because I see many “fortress” Christians. These are Christians who …

… retreat to the fortress because they see the world and evil as too strong for them.

… are defeatist. Christians who have a big devil and a small Jesus.

… don’t believe prayer changes things.

… are so afraid of the world that they withdraw , believing it can’t be changed. Darkness can’t be thrust back.

… afraid to engage in the world for fear of being overpowered.

… live with sinful habits because they have come to believe the lie that there is no power to overcome.

… have forgotten Jesus words: “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.”

And there are some people who have a reduced picture of Jesus to that of a referee.

There concept of Jesus is reduced to one who is around to catch and punish us when we break the rules or commit a foul. They see Jesus as a moral killjoy.

He is their conscience always making them feel bad.

The only feeling they can associate with Jesus is guilt.

For them it isn’t a good sermon if it hasn’t made them feel guilty…..

For them Jesus is only Lord of my behaviour.

Some who have reduced Jesus to a Teacher

He has some good principles.

He has some good wisdom.

But they take some and leave some.

They pick and choose.

They adopt what they like, and reject what they think will crimp our lifestyle.

Some have reduced Jesus to a Sentimental loving grandparent.

They reduce love to sentimentality. They can’t accept that Jesus would rebuke anyone. They can’t comprehend that he will bring justice.

They reduce God’s love to tolerating evil.

They can’t comprehend that there be anything but heaven at the end for everyone…They struggle with hell…and so there is no urgency or motivation to engage in the battle for people’s souls because “everybody’s going to make it”. They fail to comprehend the depths of evil.

And so this last word on Jesus scares them because he should just accept everyone and everything.

Friends, these pictures are a far cry from the last word we get on Christ.

And these views affect how we live our lives. Our view of Jesus is central.

And that is why the focus of this book is not on just events to happen, on images, and tribulations…the central focus is on Jesus.

Remember that initial quote:

“We don’t go to church to hear lectures on ethical behaviour, we go to look at the mysteries, and all the substitutes for communion with God are not worth anyone’s time...If you can’t go to church and, for at least a moment, be given transcendence; if you can’t go to church and pass briefly from this life into the next; then I can’t see why anyone should go. Just a brief moment of transcendence causes you to come out of a church a changed person.”

If you have one of those reduced views of Jesus you won’t experience those moments of transcendence…because there is no transcendent Christ to capture you. But when you encounter Jesus, like John did on that Lord’s Day, as the living Lord of the church, heaven, history, and judgement….then there will be those moments when you bowl before him in awe.

Moments when you encounter Jesus as Lord of all and are a changed person.

And you will join in the awe of heaven’s worship saying:

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom

and thanksgiving and honour and

power and strength

belong to our God forever and forever. Amen!”

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