A Vision from God

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Good morning Chapel family. Great to see you all today. I want to start by giving you a quick update on my health. Most of you know I was diagnosed with prostate cancer this past fall. So I have been busy getting second and third opinions, and doing lots of research, and talking with my family and praying. Thankfully, the cancer I have has not spread, and it’s likely that it won’t spread for years, so I’ve decided to take an approach called “active surveillance.” Which means I’ll be seeing doctors regularly, keeping a close eye on it, and the minute it starts acting up, that’s when I’ll take more aggressive action. So I’m at peace with that approach; I’m feeling fine physically; and I really appreciate the cards and calls and prayers from all of you. Norma Jean and I feel truly loved by the Chapel family. So thank you!

So today we begin a series on a book of the Bible that I have read countless times, but never preached: The Book of Revelation. I recently heard that Revelation is the book of the Bible that church members want their pastor to preach on the most, because they don’t understand it. AND, it’s the book that pastors want to preach the least, because they don’t understand it! There may be some truth to that—it is not a simple book to understand.

But I think the main reason I haven’t preached it is that I’ve seen it misused so often. I’ve seen people become obsessed with matching up the prophecies of Revelation with current events. Back in the 1980s, I remember people saying that Mikhail Gorbachev was the Antichrist—remember the birthmark on his head? People said that was the mark of the beast. A little later, they said the end times are here because Saddam Hussein was supposedly rebuilding Babylon. When the European Union was formed, people said those first ten nations were the 10-horns on the beast of Revelation chapter 17. (Now the European Union is up to 27 nations, so I’m not sure what beast that is). Then they said Revelation predicted Y2K, and that was going to be the end of the world. I’ve seen expert after expert predict dates when Jesus would return, and when that date passed, they would come up with another one. So it seems like every time Revelation came up, people went down these rabbit trails that were really unhelpful, and I just didn’t want to be part of that.

But a few months ago, I decided it was time. And here’s the main reason: Revelation was written to a group of churches in the first century. Did you realize that? It contains a lot of prophecy, but it’s a letter addressed to a group of churches. And if I had to summarize the message to these churches, here’s what I would say: The world is getting darker. Opposition to Christ and his church is getting stronger. But God is in control, and in the end God wins. So stand firm in your faith. Let me say that one more time—here’s the message of Revelation: The world is getting darker. Opposition to Christ and his church is getting stronger. But God is in control, and in the end God wins. So stand firm in your faith.

That’s the message God gave to the churches through Revelation back in the year 95AD. And a few months ago it just hit me: this is what we need to hear today. Over the course of my lifetime, and especially in the last ten years or so, I have seen our culture grow darker. I see it taking a strong turn toward secularism. Toward scientism—not science, which is a wonderful thing, but scientism—the belief that everything can be explained through science, and therefore we don’t need God or faith. Toward radical individualism: in other words, I’m not responsible to God or even to other people; I’m

only responsible to be true to myself and express my true identity. I’ve seen our culture continue to turn toward rampant materialism and pursuit of comfort. And the list could go on. And as those shifts are taking place, I’ve seen levels of anxiety and depression skyrocket; opioid addiction and suicide are way up…I mean, we’re a mess! And in the midst of all these changes, churches and Christians—who used to be looked at as sources of wisdom and encouragement and part of the solution to this world’s problems—now, more and more, Christians are perceived as part of the problem.

The world is getting darker. Are you feeling any of that darkness in your own family, or in your personal life? Opposition to Christ and his church is getting stronger. So don’t be surprised when that happens! But here’s the good news: God is in control, and in the end he wins. And Revelation lays out how that victory will happen. And therefore…stand firm in your faith. Don’t get disillusioned; don’t compromise; don’t give up and blend in to the darkness. Stand firm! We need to hear that today. On the surface, it’s going to look like the church is losing ground, but Revelation reminds us that Jesus is continuing to build his church, just like he promised. On the surface it’s going to look like we are on the wrong side of history. Revelation reminds us that God is the one who’s writing history. So stand firm in your faith. Hold on to Jesus, and get ready for a wild ride.

We need to hear that. So between now and Easter, we’re going to walk through Revelation together. Not just in the sermons—I know a lot of our small groups will be diving into this, and as always our discipleship team has put together some great resources, which you can find on the small groups page of our web site. Obviously, in ten weeks we will not cover every detail of Revelation—not even close. But my hope is that you’ll walk away knowing this book better than you do now, and mostly that you’ll be less intimidated by the darkness around you, and more amazed with Jesus Christ.

So, let’s read today’s Scripture: Revelation chapter one, and we’ll read he entire chapter. In invite you now to hear the Word of God…1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

4 John,

To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

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 The hair on his head was 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 coming out of his mouth was 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 now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. This is the Word of the Lord.

Let’s break this down into two parts: The Hero of the Story, and The Vision that Changes Us. The hero of the story, and the vision that changes us.

So, first: The Hero of the Story. Revelation chapter one, verse one starts out like this: “The revelation from Jesus Christ.” Literally, the Greek says, “The revelation OF Jesus Christ.” If you think about it, that phrase could have two meanings. It could mean that this book is FROM Jesus—like, he’s the one who’s revealing this knowledge to us. Right? But it could also mean this is a book ABOUT Jesus—it’s “of” him—it’s “about” him. So that simple phrase, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” could either mean Jesus is the giver of the revelation, or he’s the actual content of the revelation. OR…it could mean both. I think it means both. What we are about to read these next ten weeks is from Jesus, and it’s about Jesus. In other words, the hero of the story is Jesus. If we’re going to be less intimidated by the darkness and more confident in our faith, we have to be clear on who the hero is.

Let’s keep reading: The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. So there’s a definite future orientation to Revelation. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw… So it was written by John the Apostle. The same John who was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. The brother of James. And by this time, John was an old man. Now—look ahead to verse 9 for a minute: 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. So John wrote this letter as a prisoner, living in exile on a tiny little island off the coast of Turkey called Patmos—it’s actually part of Greece today. John was sent there because he chose to give his allegiance to Jesus instead of to Cesar. Some people believe he was forced to work in the mines on Patmos. But whatever he did, he was isolated from the people he loved, and he was personally experiencing the world’s darkness and opposition to Christ. So he needed this message of encouragement as much as anybody.

So John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Verse 3: Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are

those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because (listen) the time is near. There is a sense of urgency that runs through this whole book: the time is near. Don’t get complacent. Don’t say, “I’ve got plenty of time to get right with God.” We have no idea how much time we have.

Verse 4: John, to the seven churches in the province of Asia… And down in verse 11, he names the seven cities where those churches are located. Now: out of all the churches in Asia, why those seven? Well, the number seven symbolized completion. So I believe those seven churches represent every other church. And we’ll talk more about that next week, when we look at the specific letters addressed to the churches. But here’s what you need to know: these churches were living through a horrendous time. It started in 64AD—Rome burned, and Emperor Nero blamed it on…guess who? On the Christians. And persecution broke out. In the years after that, Christians were thrown to lions; they were covered in tar and publicly lit on fire; they were forced to make sacrifices to Roman gods under threat of death. You know, we get bent out of shape when someone says “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”; we have no idea. So the people in these churches desperately needed to hear what this letter had to say. And as things get darker around here, we’re going to need it too.

Continue in verse 4: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come. Isn’t that an awesome phrase? It covers the present, the past and the future. And for the next few verses, it talks about how Jesus is the hero of the story in the present, the past, and the future.

So, first of all, Jesus is the one Who is. Look at verse 5. It says Jesus is the faithful witness, the firstborn from among the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. That last phrase was so significant, because the readers of this letter lived in constant intimidation by kings of the earth, especially the Roman Emperor. The Emperor when this was written was probably Domitian, who, when he came into power, first he killed his own brother, and then he unleashed brutal persecution against Christians. So it was very tempting to recant your faith, just to save your own life. And John is saying, “Listen: Jesus rules over the kings of the earth. He rules over Domitian. It might not look like it, but his rule is temporary, and he will answer to Jesus for everything he’s doing. Don’t fear him. Hold your ground.” And Jesus would say to us, “Whenever you feel threatened by Vladimir Putin or Kim Jong Un or Phil Murphy or anyone, remember who the real ruler is, and fear him alone.”

It also says Jesus is the firstborn from among the dead. The reason we should be more impressed with Jesus than the Emperor is that Jesus conquered death. We’re going to see that reiterated all through Revelation, because when you believe Jesus is alive, it changes everything. I heard a story about a Muslim college student who came to faith in Christ, and his family asked him why he would do such a thing and dishonor the family. And he said, “This is how I think about it: if I were out walking and I came to a fork in the road, and I didn’t know which way to go, and there were two people there: one dead and one alive, which one do you think I should ask for directions?” The aliveness of Jesus sets him apart from every other ruler on earth.

So that’s who Jesus is. But it also talks about who Jesus was—in other words, what he did in the past. Verse 5 says he freed us from our sins by his blood. When you look around, and you see the world getting darker, it’s easy to start thinking the problem is out there. Right? It’s all those bad people doing all those bad things. But the fact is, our primary problem is in here (heart). We struggle with guilt and self-condemnation and self-image and anxiety—all kinds of internal battles. And our deepest problem is that we are sinners, and we don’t know what to do with that. And that’s why this is such amazing news: Jesus is the hero of the story not just because he rose from the dead and rules every king of the earth; it’s much more personal. He freed us from our sins, at infinite cost to himself. When

you wrap your heart around that truth; when you start basing your self-image on that truth, then you can stand firm in this dark world.

And then Jesus is the one who is to come. You know what’s fascinating to me? More and more, people realize this world probably won’t go on forever. For example: what do all these movies have in common: War of the Worlds; This is The End; The Road; The Day After. What do they all have in common? They’re all about the end of the world, and I could name 20 more. And maybe you say, “Well, that’s just movies—people don’t really think that.” I think they do. I think they look around, and they see environmental disasters; they see crazy world leaders; they see pandemics; etc., and they realize there may be an endpoint to all this. It’s a sobering thought. And the Bible actually validates that belief: the world as we know it won’t go on forever, but because of Jesus that’s actually a good thing. Verse 7: Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him…” When Jesus walked this earth, he promised over and over again was that he’s coming back. And when he does, he will establish his kingdom of peace and justice and shalom. So as you see the darkness growing, remember Jesus is coming back to set everything right.

So we have to get this right: the hero of the book of Revelation is Jesus. From the very start, he is held up as the one who is and who was and who is to come. So the only way to not get discouraged and defeated and overwhelmed by the darkness is to put our hope in Jesus. That’s how John starts this letter…and then he tells a story.

Point number two: The Vision that Changes Us. From verse 9 through the end of the chapter, John describes an experience he had on this remote island, that led to the writing of Revelation. He says, “It was a Sunday, and I was in the Spirit—I was praying, and all of a sudden I heard this voice behind me, saying, ‘Write down everything you’re about to see.’ So I turned around to see who was talking to me, and I saw seven golden lampstands (which we find out later represent the churches). And there among the lampstands—there among the churches—was someone like a son of man” (which, in the Bible, always means the Messiah).

And then John does the best he can to describe this vision of Jesus: his hair was white as snow; his eyes were like blazing fire; his face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. And you get the idea that John was stretching the capacity of human language, doing the best he can to try to describe something that’s really indescribable.

And in response to this vision of Jesus, John did the only thing that made any sense: in verse 17 he says, “I fell at his feet as though dead.” Just like Daniel did, when he received a similar vision. Just like Isaiah did, when he saw a vision of God—he said, “Woe unto me—for I am an unclean man.” Just like Peter did, when he saw the awesomeness of Jesus—he said, “Go away from me, Lord—I’m a sinful man.” When you truly get a glimpse of the glory and holiness of God, it’s devastating. You realize you have no right to be in his presence, and it’s terrifying. That’s how John felt.

But then look what happens: John says, “But then he placed his hand on me and said, ‘Do not be afraid.’ Which is the same thing he said to Daniel, which is the same thing he said to Isaiah, which is the same thing he said to Peter. This God who has the power and the right to vaporize us with his judgment, instead touches us gently and says, “Don’t be afraid.” I am the first and the last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. He says all of that with his hand lovingly placed on John’s shoulder—as if to say, “Yes—I’m holy and powerful, but I’m also full of mercy and grace, and I love you.” And then he gives John his commission: I want you to write down everything you’re about to see.

John was changed by that vision. How could he not be, right? The terrifying, powerful, resurrected Jesus Christ…who’s filled with kindness and compassion and love. The lion…who’s also the lamb. In order to carry out his mission, John needed to see that vision. And here’s the last thing I want to say: in order for us to carry out our mission, we need to see that vision. Because this world is tough; this life is hard, and it’s getting harder. So in order for us to be true to our calling and live our mission, we have to see this vision of who Jesus really is.

When my kids were small, we took them to Dorney Park one summer. And we went to the wave pool—do they still have the wave pool? It’s a big cement pool, and it makes waves—they’re not that big, but they’re fun to play in. And I remember, the first time my kids stepped into it, they were scared! They were holding onto my hand, hiding behind me, running away from the waves. They were clearly intimidated. So the next summer we went on vacation in North Carolina, and my kids spent a week in the Atlantic Ocean. And at first it was overwhelming—the waves were violent; the undertow was strong; you could rip up your knees on broken shells; you could get salt water in your eyes. It was a scary place! But they learned to respect it, and we taught them how to ride the waves, and they grew to love it. It was a memorable vacation.

And then later that summer, we decided to go back to Dorney Park. And we went to the wave pool. And I said, “Alright now—you have to be ready when the waves come—are you guys going to be okay? Guys?” And they were already out in the deepest part, laughing and riding the waves like they were nothing. What happened? What changed? They had experienced the vastness of the Atlantic ocean. And compared to the ocean, the Dorney Park wave pool is nothing.

Listen: compared to the living Jesus Christ, whose eyes blaze like fire and whose face shines like the sun in all its brilliance, the rulers of this world don’t look so intimidating. For John, when he thought about the emperor Domitian, who had sent him to this island, and when he thought about the Roman slave driver who was making him work the mines of Patmos, suddenly those guys lost some of their terror. Suddenly they were just men…because he had seen Jesus.

I don’t know how you’re experiencing the growing darkness of this world. Maybe it’s a bully at school. Maybe it’s a family member who laughs at your faith. Maybe it’s a powerful addiction that has control of someone you love. And it’s making you feel weak and discouraged and overwhelmed. Maybe you’re finding it hard to persevere in your faith. And what you need is a vision of Jesus. Because when you’ve seen him, you see everything else differently. The bully at school suddenly looks like the insecure person that he is. You realize that aggressively atheistic family member is empty and has absolutely no meaning in his life. And yes—that addiction is powerful, but you’ve seen a greater power, so you pray for the addict to change, and you don’t let the addiction control your life or your family.

We need to see Jesus, just like John did. So every time you worship; every time you meditate on Scripture; every time you pray; every time you pause during the day to remind yourself of his presence—in other words, every time you spend time in the ocean of his greatness, the more everything else will look small and weak by comparison.

Over these next ten weeks, as we walk through Revelation, we’re going to see all kinds of visions. World rulers rising and falling; wars breaking out; famine and disease; natural disasters; dragons and beasts that represent Satanic powers. We’re about to see some pretty crazy visions. But none of them are more important than this very first vision that John had: the glorious Son of Man, walking among the churches. He’s here with us today, in our church. He’s the Hero of the Story. So whatever else happens, hold on to Jesus, and you’ll be alright.