ResponsiveReiding

Eclipses in the Christian Life

June 23rd, 2017

In 1983, the raspy-voiced Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, rocked the airwaves with her hit song “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” (Remember the hair?) Jim Steinman’s attention grabbing lyrics helped the tune stay stuck in the music zeitgeist of so many. That place where, once you hear it, you keep singing it to yourself over and over.

Once upon a time I was falling in love

But now I’m only falling apart

And there’s nothing I can do

A total eclipse of the heart

Once upon a time there was light in my life

But now there’s only love in the dark

Nothing I can say

A total eclipse of the heart

What Steinman wrote and Tyler sang about, however, was not merely a common phenomena of human relationships. Utilizing the universal human experience of the eclipse, they also describe one of the most ubiquitous experiences every Christian faces in their relationship with Christ. And isn’t it curious how the design of our solar system communicates such truth in the essential makeup of our material world? One might even think it was planned that way.

Eclipses are what happens when one celestial body moves into the shadow of another celestial body. So here on earth, we have two kinds. A solar eclipse occurs when our moon passes between Earth and the Sun and temporarily blocks out the Sun’s light. A lunar eclipse happens when Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, causing the shadow of the Earth to block the Sun’s light from hitting the Moon.

And both beautifully illustrate various ways in which the normal state of affairs in the Believer’s relationship with Christ can suffer.

The simply pictures are these.

Mankind was made to bear, to reflect the image of the Living God. Like the Moon, we are not meant to be light generating bodies – producing our own light, but those who – when there are no obstructions, beam with the reflected light of the God who made us. Reflecting the “Light of the World.” It is in this capacity we become too, the light of the world. But not out of ourselves, out of Him.

But just as in the case of a lunar eclipse, there are times when the World gets in the way. When the things of life, of this Earth and its lures, demands, kingdoms, desires – even GOOD things given to us by God family, work, etc., can take a position such that the light of the Son is blocked out.

When this happens, we no longer reflect anything. Our light goes out too. For we make no light of our own, it all comes from Him.

When this happens, we are no longer witnesses of Christ to the World, since the World now occupies space it was not meant to. Things are out of whack.

In truth, the Sun’s diameter is 109 times that of Earth. You could put well over a million earths inside of the Sun. But in these moments, in these seasons, proper perspective is lost. This World and the things in it, the things of life, have blocked out the light of the larger. And our souls plunge into darkness. Nothing of His light bounces off us to illuminate the World. We go dark. We fail in our mission.

But then, there is the solar eclipse model. This happens when the Moon, an even smaller object than Earth, blocks out the light of the Sun.

It is when we ourselves get in the way of the Gospel. When there is so much attention on ourselves, that the plans and purposes and goodness of God are blocked out from others – because we’re in the way.

Our opinions are more important than His truth. Our personalities eclipse the beauties of God incarnate in Christ Jesus and His cross-work. Our personal concerns, woes, cares, griefs, and priorities take such a place, that the message of the Gospel is lost in our darkness. Indeed, darkness falls over the face of all the earth. For the very ones created to reflect His glory, and redeemed from the Fall, so as to once more make Him known, fill the landscape and block out His light.

No, nothing has fundamentally changed in the universe. The Moon remains smaller still than even the Earth. The Sun is just as large and shining still in all of its strength. But we are in the way. In our own minds, and to the observation of others, we have taken center stage. And when this happens, darkness falls. Once again, we fail in our mission.

Eclipses of both sorts come and go are part of the natural order of our solar system. God made it so. But we are meant to live supernaturally, in Christ. We are meant to live in the light, walk in the light, and make His light known. At all times and in all seasons.

Christian, make sure the World has not blocked out the glory of Christ for you. For if and when it does, you give no light to a lost World either. And then, beware that you are not the source of blocking out the Light of Christ by making your life and circumstances, your joys or your woes, your plans and purposes nor your disappointments somehow occupy the space meant to let the World live in the light of God’s glory, goodness, grace, mercy and redeeming love. Make sure in all things, Christ may still be seen.

Philippians 1:20–21 “as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
A thought on 1 Corinthians 10:13

June 6th, 2017

God the Father is so good and gracious to His blood-bought ones, that He never allows them to be subjected to any trial, temptation or tribulation – but He is omnisciently confident we can overcome and benefit from: Through the counsel of His Word, the power of His indwelling Spirit, and the exercise of our in faith in utterly depending upon Him.
As I was Reading Today – A Tasty Bit of Newton

June 6th, 2017

John Newton wrote hundreds if not thousands of poems. During his tenure pastoring in rural Olney, England, he compiled many of his own compositions and those of William Cowper into a collection known as The Olney Hymns. He wanted them to reflect the great themes and truths of Scripture in the common tongue of his people, and sung so as to be memorable.

Part of his endeavor included writing poems on almost every book and/or major event or theme in the Bible. The one I read last night struck me both because of its familiarity, its context, and additional content.

Newton wrote but one poem in regard to the book of 1 Chronicles; The theme of which Newton picks out as God’s abiding and amazing grace toward His People, and especially through the Davidic kingship and line. Hence we have the strains of – Amazing Grace.

Note especially the last two verses. New to me, and sweet as sweet can be. They need to be resurrected and sung once more.

AMAZING grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

2 ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believ’d!

3 Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

4 The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures:
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

5 Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the vail,
A life of joy and peace.

6 The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be for ever mine.

John Newton and Richard Cecil, The Works of John Newton, vol. 3 (London: Hamilton, Adams & Co., 1824), 353.
What Prevents Me from being Baptized? Sermon notes for 6/4/2017

June 4th, 2017

What Prevents Me from Being Baptized?

Isaiah 53

Acts 8:26-38

Matthew 28:19-20

AUDIO FOR THIS SERMON CAN BE FOUND BY CLICKING HERE

The doctrine and practice of baptism has fallen on hard times in our generation.

The whys behind it may be many, but among them is surely the fact that baptism is more often practiced as an archaic and disconnected ritual. It isn’t seen as central to Christianity any more.

Old things and especially symbolic things need explanation.

People today – and I lay the fault of this at the feet of Church leadership – fail to see baptism as profoundly central to being a Christian as the 1^st century believers did. As the Bible does.

The early Church knew nothing of someone claiming to be a Believer, a follower of Jesus Christ apart from obeying Him in being baptized.

Additionally, we have the peculiar tendency of our culture to atomize virtually all thought – a recipe for baptism losing any real psychological impact.

Let me explain what I mean by atomizing thought.

Webster defines atomizing as:

1: to treat as made up of many discrete units

2: to reduce to minute particles or to a fine spray

3: DIVIDE, FRAGMENT (an atomized society) also: to deprive of meaningful ties to others (atomized individuals)

Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003).

In religion this can manifest itself in what used to be termed: Cafeteria Christians or Buffet Believers.

Approaching Christianity as though it lays out a smorgasbord of truths, and you just pick and choose what you like and leave what you don’t.

Try doing that with something as basic as water.

Water is H₂O. And if someone were to say: “I don’t like being forced into having to always have hydrogen and oxygen mixed this way in order to be hydrated – I prefer to have a glass of hydrogen here and there, and then just a sip of oxygen when I like” – you’d call them a couple of fries short of a Happy meal.

But it’s no more crazy than trying to separate anything else that needs to be constitutionally bound together in order to be of use in the way God intended it.

Sexuality w/o marriage

Christianity w/o Church

Or gathered worship

Or prayer

Or the preaching of the cross and the substitutionary atonement of Christ

Or Bible reading

Or holiness of life – and abandoning sin.

It is why so many professed Christians can’t seem to sort out ethics or sexuality in our day. We approach them as though we can hold views on such matters without reference to the teaching of the whole of Scripture as authoritative for our lives.

We pick and choose what we want from the Bible, like its comfort or hope, and leave behind its demands and responsibilities. And imagine that is Christianity, and that it somehow too, is salvation.

It is not.

And it is why we can’t have Biblical Christianity without baptism as a necessary part – especially in the face of commands like that of Jesus in Matthew 28:18–20 “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The Church MUST go – preaching the Gospel in calling men and women to become disciples of Jesus; baptizing them with reference to the triune God; and teaching them to obey Christ!

These things cannot be atomized – separated from each other. They go hand in hand in Biblical Christianity and form an integral whole.

Now that takes us back to the narrative we had read for us in Acts 8.

As we saw when it was read for us, Philip, was one of the 7 who were set apart to take care of the ministry of the Church in Jerusalem. They were to see to dispensing the Church’s resources to the needy in a compassionate and equitable way. This Philip was prompted by an angel to head south out of Jerusalem.

As he went, he encountered an Ethiopian eunuch – a court official of Candace, the Queen of the Ethiopians.

This man was probably a “God fearer”. This was a designation for those who had adopted the Jewish God and who wanted to worship Him with them. He had been to Jerusalem to worship at the time of Passover to Pentecost. But as a eunuch – emasculated – he would not be permitted to be a full proselyte and considered “A Jew”.

As Philip nears the man’s chariot, he hears the man reading aloud out of Isaiah 53.

Philip approaches him, and asks him if he really understands what it is he is reading – to which the eunuch humbly replies, no. I need someone to interpret it for me.

He was reading vs. 7-8 of Isaiah in particular: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.”

Then he asks Philip – was the writer saying this about himself, or someone else? He is practicing a good Bible study method – asking the who, what, why, when and where questions.

And the text says: Acts 8:35 “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.”

Which then leads to what we might think is a surprising turn of events: Acts 8:36 “And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

The question we ought to be asking ourselves in reading this is: How did the Eunuch make the leap in logic from Isa. 53 – and how it applies to Jesus – to asking to be baptized as the next step?

Was this simply the outcome of a part of Philip’s instruction not recorded for us here?

Or is there something in the Isaiah passage that lends itself to getting the Eunuch to think that way?

I am going to argue that the Isaiah passage brings up the principle that led the Eunuch to that conclusion – especially when coupled with what the Eunuch most probably observed on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. And certainly – what he was forbidden to experience as a full proselyte – even though he wanted to serve the True God.

We need then to go back to Isaiah 53 and take a quick look at what was written there to make the connection for ourselves.

Isaiah 53 is one of 4 portions in Isaiah labeled “The Servant Songs.” Places where Isaiah’s prophecies are specifically messianic and portray the Messiah not as a reigning King – as all the Jews wanted and expected, but also as a suffering servant.

This particular song is startling in its explicitness and content. And it is here the Eunuch was confronted with ideas he desperately needed to be unpacked.

So the text begins:

1 “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?”

We have a most amazing report to give – and we wonder who has actually believed it?

To whom has God seen fit to open their eyes – to see the arm of the Lord in action in what we have reported? To see God’s power on display in the things we are about to discuss.

The Arm of the Lord is used elsewhere in Scripture to identify God Himself – God acting in power. And here, it will be used in a most interesting way.

Who has believed our report? is a good question, for Isaiah will lay out 12 astounding things to be considered. All of them vital to understanding the person and work of the Messiah.

1: 2 “For he grew up before him like a young plant,”

Though “HE” is the arm of the Lord – the One who IS God’s power, nevertheless, HE grew up before God. He was incarnate. GOD, BUT SEPARATE FROM GOD IN SOME WAY. The “Arm of the Lord” grew up – before or in the sight of The Lord.

2: “and like a root out of dry ground;”

HE is The Arm of The Lord incarnate, but in a dry, unfruitful and unproductive place. A place where fruitful life was not going on. Israel was in horrible spiritual condition when HE came.

Jesus didn’t come the first time because the Jews were all cleaned up and in a good place – He came into darkness, spiritual decline and faithlessness.

3: “he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.”

He did not come like unfallen Adam – in all the glory he had before the Fall, nor as a King or Nobleman nor as strikingly handsome. He didn’t stand out in attractiveness to the natural man.

In fact, this says so much about us too!

We would not be attracted to the eternal, glorious, divine beauty manifested in the radiance of God’s being, the very image of the invisible God.

What an indictment!

What a disclosure of our fallen state.

How blind must we be that God in human flesh would not be the most sweet, attractive, desirable of all.

How this exposes us.

Would you know your fallenness and the depth of it? Then note how much more attractive almost everything and everyone else is compared to Him – especially in our moments of temptation.

No, we would not see Him in His incarnation as naturally desirable.

4: 3 “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

Not only would He not be attractive to us, He would be despised – thought little of, and rejected.

Far from being the toast of the town, the Bon Vivant – most would cross to the other side of the street when they saw Him coming.

5: 4 “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;”

All this – and yet it is HE who was weighed down with weight of how sin had ravaged us. It was He who would stretch out His hand time and time again to heal and to relieve the suffering our own sin brought into the world. He would weep and grieve over us, at the very same time we would be rejecting Him.

6: “yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.”

And while He was healing and blessing and feeding and preparing to die – we would take the opinion that His low estate and suffering were because of HIS sin! That in His death – God was judging HIM rightly.

7: 5 “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.”

BUT NO! THAT IS NOT THE CASE. HE WASN’T JUDGED BY GOD FOR HIS SIN – BUT FOR OURS!

OUR SIN? WE HAD ALL STRAYED FROM GOD, EACH OF US LIVING LIFE AS UNTO OURSELVES – FOR OUR PLEASURES AND PURPOSES WITHOUT REGARD TO THE ONE WHO MADE US FOR HIMSELF.

HE SUFFERED ALL IN OUR PLACE. HE TOOK OUR GUILT. WILLINGLY AND SILENTLY. WITHOUT DEFENDING HIMSELF IN ANY WAY.

8: 10 “Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief;”

AND NOTE THIS – IT WAS THE LORD’S WILL – OUT OF HIS LOVE FOR US THAT HE AFFLICTS HIS OWN SON ON OUR BEHALF. UNBELIEVABLE LOVE AND GRACE!

9: “when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;”

YET IN HIS DEATH – THAT WILL NOT BE THE END. HE SHALL RISE TO SEE HIS OFFSPRING. THOUGH IN THE CROSS IT WILL ALL APPEAR TO BE LOSS, THE WILL OF HIS FATHER WILL PROPSER – AND THE FATHER WILL BE SATIFIED ON OUR BEHALF IN THE ANGUISH OF HIS SON’S SOUL.

10: “by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.”

AND BY BELIEVING THIS REPORT OF HIS SUBSTITUTIONARY DEATH – MANY WILL BE ACCOUNTED AS RIGHTEOUS WITH HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, EVEN AS HE WAS ACCOUNTED GUILTY WITH OUR GUILT.

11: 12 “Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death”

AND IN HIS OBEDIENCE EVEN UNTO DEATH – SO HE WILL INHERIT ALL THE FATHER HAS TO GIVE – AND SHARE IT WITH THOSE WHO BELIEVE!

12: “and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”

AND THIS THEN – IS THE FINAL WORD AND THE KEY TO THE EUNUCH’S RESPONSE: HE – JESUS, WAS NUMBERED WITH THE TRANSGRESSORS. THE SUFFERING SERVANT, THE ARM OF THE LORD, IDENTIFIED WITH THOSE IN WHOSE PLACE HE SUFFERED.

It is this identification with us in our sin, that calls us then – if we believe – to be identified with Him – to be marked out as His.

And the way He has asked us to do that – is to be baptized in His name.

So natural is this impulse to be identified with the One who died for us, that the Eunuch immediately says to Philip: Acts 8:36 “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

No doubt he connected this with what he was not allowed to do previously. For when a Gentile became a proselyte – a full convert to Judaism, he would go through a ritual washing – a baptism as part of being identified with the Jewish community.

This Eunuch evidently wanted to be a part of that, but due to his physical defect, would never be allowed. But how different this would be in Christ. All obstacles are removed in Jesus. He now asks if he can be fully identified with Christ in a way he could not be part of the Jewish community. And Philip says – YES!

When we add all to this Jesus’ command as we saw in Matthew 28 – we might well ask any who profess that Jesus has died for their sins – if you have believed the report – if you have received the revelation from God that this Jesus is the Arm of The Lord, crucified for your sins: “What prevents YOU from being baptized?”

From God’s side – NOTHING. Every sin and short coming has been met in Christ. EVERY ONE!

No, baptism does not save you. And some for various reasons have been prevented from being baptized by circumstances beyond their control.

Such are just as saved as any others who believe.

But it is the natural and Biblical response both of having believed the revelation of Jesus Christ; God incarnate, dying a substitutionary death under the wrath of God for YOUR sins and risen for your justification – AND of wanting to wear the name of the One who died for you – to be numbered with those who are His even as He was numbered with the transgressors.

What a high gift and privilege this is. And what a command for all those who profess saving faith in Him – and claim to be His disciples.

He, this Lord Jesus identified with you in your transgression – so completely, that He died in your place on the cross, taking the wrath of God due to you – upon Himself.

And now, He calls you, if you believe in Him, to enter the waters of Baptism and to be identified with Him – marked out as His. In this most simple and profound act of obedience to Him as your Lord.

If you believe, what prevents you – from being baptized?
Bad Reid. Bad, bad, BAD Reid. It’s OrtlUnd – with a U, not an A!

June 1st, 2017

That’s the last time I post while suffering from jet-lag.

Thanks to my friend Jack (John T) Jeffery, my blunder has been pointed out and corrected.

Thanks Friend.

But once again – that is the last time I post while under the influence of jet-lag. Bad bad bad.

Bad Reid.

Bad, bad, BAD Reid.
Gavin Ortlund’s review of William Paul Young’s “Lies We Believe About God”

June 1st, 2017

I was planning to write a review of this book myself (and may still) but Gavin Ortlund’s review for the Gospel Coalition’s website is already here. Take advantage of it.

GAVIN ORTLAND’S REVIEW

In short, those of us who thought we saw the seeds of all kinds of heretical views in The Shack get our worst suspicions confirmed and witnessed in full bloom in Young’s “Lies.” Perhaps better titled “Lies I Believe and Tell about God.”

For me, Young’s book boiled down to these main problems:

1. An exercise in selective proof-texting. Taking one text as the whole on any view he holds without regard for the immediate context, nor that of the balance of the Bible.

2. An exercise in mutilated word studies. Almost as bad (perhaps even worse) than concluding butterflies have something to do with butter and flies because of the name.

3. An exercise in applied eisegesis. If you do not know, eisegesis is the opposite of exegesis. In exegesis, you do your best to dig out what is actually in the text. In eisegesis you pour into the text the meanings you want. Young does this over and over and over.

4. An exercise in agenda driven theology. Young’s ideas about God inform his understanding of Biblical texts, instead of the text informing what he OUGHT to know about God. It is wholly upside down.

5. It is an exercise in refusing to incorporate the greater storyline of the Bible. Like plucking 10 sentences at random out of a Shakespearian play, and then stringing them together to tell the story you want to tell. The result is incoherence and utter confusion.

Enough of my stuff – read Ortlund’s review for yourself.
My Annual Mother’s Day Poem for 2017

May 14th, 2017

Mother’s Day

2017

Mary, bending down to kiss

The face of her sweet Son

Pressed her lips upon the cheek

Of God’s anointed One

And every mother since that day

Gives birth to those who may

By faith in Christ’s redeeming blood

Be sons of God one day

As Mary raised her blessed child

To serve the God of all

May each dear Mother in her day

Take up the same high call

Young mothers now, or yet to be

Think much of this your care

To raise them in the fear of God

His grace and good to share

To make them know upon your breast

How Christ loves, even more

And waits to pour out love and grace

From Heaven’s boundless store

How born in sin and brokenness

And helpless in our guilt

Yet in the cross of Christ’s own death

A cleansing flood was spilt

To those with sons already grown

And daughters adult too

It’s not too late to pour in grace

Your day is not yet through

For every moment spent in prayer

In pleading for their souls

Will not be disregarded

By The King who hears and knows

Each tear you shed in soul’s distress

To see them saved by grace

Is noted yet in Christ’s own book

And kept before His face

Who knows the errant ones that yet

Will come to saving faith?

By means of answered mother’s prayers

Will enter Heaven’s gate?

And those who in God’s providence

Will find no children here

Do not in vain imagine

That your God and Christ don’t hear

What if those – miscarried, lost

Or by abortion or neglect

Become your sons and daughters

When from death we stand erect?

What if, in Heaven and Earth to come

Those babes are yet to grow?

And you bereft of children here

Will have them there bestowed?

The motherless and childless both

In resurrection blessed

And given to each other there

As part of God’s great rest

We rise and call you blessed all

Who’ve nursed and taught and prayed

We thank you for your sacrifice

For all that you have paid

For mothers now, and yet to be

We give our thanks and praise

Before the throne of Him who thought

To give us mothers – by His grace
Revelation Part 3 – Sermon Notes

May 14th, 2017
Revelation Part 3

Revelation 1:9-20

The way I want to proceed this morning is quite simple:

I hope to go back and make 3 Observations on the same text we looked at last time – then add a small number of uses for the information given.

The 3 Observations are:
1. Jesus’ Glorification and that of the Believer.
2. Jesus as the Faithful and True Witness.
3. Jesus Surveying His Church.
Let’s look at them individually.

1.0 Jesus’ Glorification and that of the Believer.

We’ve already looked at the wonder – what we’ve called the soul-shattering vision of Jesus that John received in this portion. And I hope something of the sense of what one commentator called: “the overmastering awe” of seeing the glorified Christ – remains with us all.

1.2 As we cited from A. W. Tozer last time: “The fear of God is … astonished reverence. I believe that the reverential fear of God mixed with love and fascination and astonishment and admiration and devotion is the most enjoyable state and the most satisfying emotion the human soul can know.”

1.3 This vision of the glorified Jesus is also meant to give us some sense, some shadow of what we are to expect in our own resurrection and glorification.

No, we won’t possess all of these mind-melting attributes of the glorified Jesus – but the Apostle Paul DOES note: 1 Corinthians 15:35–44 “But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.”

There is meant to be some sort of connection here for the Believer – that we will still be ourselves in the resurrection, nevertheless, we will also be magnificently, staggeringly different once Christ’s redemptive work has been fully wrought out. So staggering that a reasonable comparison is almost impossible to communicate.

This is part of the underlying message of this entire book: Christian! Yes, now is now with all of its cares and worries and woes, but keep your eyes on the resurrection! Unimaginable glory is just ahead! Live consciously so as to possess it in all of its available fullness!

Don’t get bogged down in TODAY. Live in light of what is to come.

That said, there is much about TODAY, that still needs to be wrestled with – we’ll see this in the 7 churches, but wrestle with today’s issues in light of the coming fulfillment of Christ’s promises in the resurrection – and the New Heavens and the New Earth.

Little is more destructive to the soul, and lends itself to sin and compromise on every plane than to live with only the present in view – failing to be striving after all that is to be ours in the resurrection.

Sin thrives in its most virulent form in the hearts and minds of those who live only for the comforts of today, without regard for the coming judgment and glory of Christ’s return.

We get a startling example of this in the Old Testament in the life of King Hezekiah.

Hezekiah was one of the “good” kings of Judah – 700 years before Jesus. He was a godly man.

We’re told in ch. 20 of 2 Kings that Hezekiah had become ill, and the prophet Isaiah was sent to tell him to get his house in order, because he was going to die.

Hezekiah pleaded with God to spare his life. And Isaiah is sent back to tell him that God heard his prayers and would add 15 more years to his life.

During those 15 years, Hezekiah was visited by some Babylonian dignitaries, who had come to see if Judah was worth conquering and plundering. Hezekiah, a bit puffed up with God’s goodness to him and the reprieve on his life decided to show off the kingdom and everything they had – not knowing this was the very recon they were after.

Isaiah comes to the king and asks what the visitors wanted and what Hezekiah had shown them. He said “I showed them everything!” in his boasting: “I’m a blessed man! God has miraculously delivered me several times before, and now supernaturally extended my life. I’m invincible!”

Isaiah then tells him what a grave error that was. The text reads: 2 Kings 20:16–19 “Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD: Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD. And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

The shocking response of Hezekiah to this gives us a window into what is often in our own hearts, even if we do not vocalize it: “Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?”

As long as it is well with me now. As long as I am safe, I am comfortable, I am prosperous, I get what I want now – so what about the future.

It is this caving to the desires of, and regard for – the immediate – that will come back and play a role in the condition of the 7 churches we’ll examine in the weeks to come. It forms an important backdrop for the rest of the book.

And it calls each one of us to think about our own situations today.

How are we living?

Are we living in light of the coming judgment of God and the eternity that comes after? Or are we allowing the pleasures, the desires or even the fears of today regulate what we choose to do or not to do.

Are we living for eternity, or for now?

So Jesus cautions in Matthew 6:19–21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

One old writer I read tells the story of a godly young woman who was being relentlessly pursued by a wealthy man for sex. Once, when cornered she said “Alright, I’ll yield, on one condition.” “Name it!” her pursuer said. “Only hold your hand in the flame of this candle for 10 minutes.” “Preposterous!” he responded, “I could not endure it!” “You could not endure this small flame for a mere 10 minutes, when you would ask me to endure the flames of Hell for eternity for the sake of a few moments of physical pleasure? Preposterous indeed!”

Go to the 11^th chapter of Hebrews and read over and over and over the record of those who “lived by faith” – which the writer there equates with making present day decisions in the light of God’s Word regarding eternal realities. Living with revealed eternity in view is what the Bible means by living by faith. And as the scripture records, “whatever does not proceed from faith IS sin!” (Rom. 14:23c) Whatever discounts the reality revealed by God’s Word – is to live apart from faith. And it is by definition – sin.

2.0 Jesus as the Faithful and True Witness.

Not only is this the resurrected and glorified Christ – back in v. 5 He is denominated: Revelation 1:5a “Jesus Christ the faithful witness.”

This tells us at least 2 very important things.

2.1 He remained faithful, even though He became a martyr – a witness in the fullest sense.

He lived out the purpose and plan of the Father, no matter what the opposition, or lure to do otherwise. Remember His temptations in the wilderness?

There He was tempted to gain His inheritance by some other means than the cross: “Bow down to me” Satan said, and I’ll give you all the kingdoms of this world.

And, He was tempted to act at the behest of Satan due to His immediate need after fasting 40 days: “Turn these stones into bread.”

And again, to defend His estimation in the eyes of others by acting apart from God’s directions: “IF you be the Son of God – cast yourself down.”

Variations of these will be seen in the 7 Churches as well as in every temptation you and I face.

2.2 His witness was always faithful and true. He was always accurate, and always truthful. This has great import in the passages which follow. His assessment of each Church is accurate, and He is faithful to deliver it in His goodness. He will not pull punches with them. He will be forthright and truthful even where it hurts – but not in order TO hurt, but in order to bring healing and restoration.

3.0 Jesus Surveying His Church.

Which brings us to the 3^rd observation we need to make from this passage today – as a sort of overview of what we’ll be examining in individual detail in regard to each of the 7 churches in the weeks ahead.

Jesus tells John to send this revelation to the 7 churches He lists here: Revelation 1:11 “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

3.1 Note at the outset that all of the conditions of the various Churches are occurring simultaneously.

Somewhere at all times, these various conditional prevail in some churches.

To turn them into specific ages which characterize the whole church at the same time is to err.

We must hear what the Spirit says to ALL the Churches.

This, in the final analysis is where the Church’s ills always lay – and thus to call to each one: BACK TO THE WORD!

Listen to the Word.

Go back to what HAS has said, is saying, and will say. Forsake your Bibles and hope is all gone.

3.2 Each Church had and HAS it’s unique temptations due to its context: culturally, geographically, historically, politically, economically, etc. We’ll see how these various features impacted the 7 churches and then how they may impact ours and others.

Culture: China vs US vs Australia vs. France

Geographically: Upstate NY – Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnessism, Spiritualism, Intellectualism.

Japan – Shintoism, Europe – Secularism,

As we’ll see, to each Church there will be 4 elements:
- A Declaration of insight
- An Appeal to the revelation of Jesus in ch. 1
- A Call to something
- A Reminder to hear everything Jesus says, not just what He says to each particular church in its context.
3.3 Ephesus: Orthodox and active, but loveless in some way. And near to being extinguished for all its solid foundation.

3.4 Smyrna: Beat up, persecuted, hopeless in this life, but is sweetly encouraged.

3.5 Pergamum: Urban, compromised by the culture, dependent upon structure.

3.6 Thyatira: Socially active, but morally compromised by listening to un-Biblical authority.

3.7 Sardis: Outwardly vibrant but inwardly dead to the Spirit of Christ.

3.8 Philadelphia: Diminutive but alive and dependent and faithful.

3.9 Laodicea: Impactless through the deception of prosperity and loss of intimacy with Christ.

Well what do we do with all of this?

4.0 Putting these 3 Observations to Use.

4.1 Christ is in the midst of His Church, even in her weakest and most compromised state, just as He is when she is doing well and suffering persecution with patient endurance.

4.2 Christ knows His churches intimately. Indeed, He knows us better than we know ourselves.

4.3 The Church is not monolithic in its challenges, weaknesses, tendencies, victories or experiences. The Church – the true Church of Jesus Christ often looks very different when healthy or ill, pure or compromised, etc.

4.4 Christ loves His Church even when she is sorely in need. As with Laodicea, He reaffirms His love even as He announces His discipline.

4.5 His great and precious promises remain true for all who will hear and respond. He promises good things even in the face of our poorest showing.

4.6 Christ still tends His own flock. He was in the midst of the candlesticks then, and so He is even today. This has not changed.

4.7 Christ is the faithful and True Witness, who will be as brutally honest as He is immeasurably merciful and compassionate. And He will not fail to extinguish a flame if need be, while still unwilling to crush the bruised reed, or quench the smoking flax.

He is faithful to give us all we need.

Faithful to call us into account when needed.

Faithful to attend His Church in all of her conditions – healthy or sick.

Faithful to all of His promises.

Faithful to judge sin.

Faithful and JUST to forgive us our sins, when we confess and repent.

And this is as true of the unbeliever today even as it is for the Believer – to whom this passage is primarily written.

Jesus is just as faithful to call you into account for your sin and unbelief.

He is just as faithful to forgive and cleanse and save you if you own your sin, confess it, and forsake it in running to Him as your Redeemer.

And He will be faithful to execute final judgment upon all who reject Him and His Gospel.

He never fails to discharge any of His offices in even the slightest degree.

Won’t you come to Him today and be saved from the penalty and the power of your sin?
Revelation Part 2 – A Soul-shattering Vision of Jesus

April 30th, 2017
Revelation 1:9-20

Daniel 7:9-14

AUDIO FOR THIS SERMON CAN BE FOUND HERE

Last time, in vv 1-8, John gave us a sort of prologue to the entire book. He set the stage for us.

Now, in vv 9-20, John goes on to give his first readers and us, a personal introduction to the book. How it came about. His understanding of what he is doing in writing it and sending it to this particular audience etc., And it is powerful.

It breaks down into 3 parts.

I. (9-10) A Patiently Enduring, Tribulating Kingdom.

II. (10-11 & 19) An Urgent Commission.

III. (12-20) A Soul-shattering Vision of Jesus.

I. (9-10) A Patiently Enduring, Tribulating Kingdom. “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet”

As John is about to send to each of these Churches Jesus’ concerns, rebukes, admonitions and encouragements – he wants his readers to know he is with them – he’s not a disinterested outsider.

He is a brother to these believers – whatever their spiritual state, and he is their partner – he shares in three things with them:

He shares in their tribulations. His and their sufferings are connected.

He shares in the kingdom – as a fellow heir and one who also reigns with Christ.

And he shares in the great need of the church in every age: Patient endurance.

Tribulation for the Church & Christians is not foreign, but common.

In John’s case here, he is experiencing tribulation in his exile to the island of Patmos “on account of the word of God” – because of preaching God’s Word.

We, like John, are part of the coming Kingdom of Christ NOW;

And so we, like John are waiting for the consummation of the Kingdom, which requires the same patient endurance.

While Christians rule and reign with Christ in some measure even now (v 6), it is only in as much as we do so by patient endurance IN our tribulations. Christianity is not escapism.

This is the counter-intuitive framework that John is writing from: “Reigning” in this life, is our continuing IN patient endurance THROUGH our tribulations.

This is NOT the kind of “reigning” the Jews were anticipating with the coming of the Messiah, and it is not the kind many who would call themselves Christians today are willing to embrace either.

Some will follow Jesus if it means they’ll get what they want.

If their desires are met.

If their happiness – as they perceive it – is fulfilled.

If their dreams and goals and ambitions are realized.

They have no idea that reigning with Christ means patiently enduring their tribulations as a cosmic testimony to being joined with the Suffering Servant of Isa. 53 – until He comes to put an end to all sin and its effects.

Tribulation here does not refer to just religious persecution, but all the trials and woes which attend us while we are still in this fallen world, living among fallen people, in fallen bodies, and in a natural order which groans under the stress of the Fall as well.

We all “tribulate” – We endure hardness and disappointment and sadness, loss, physical pain and suffering, torn families, accidents, disease, etc., etc., ad infinitum ad nauseum.

What a contrast John’s announcement is to the prosperity Gospel of our day, which promises those who follow Christ financial riches, physical health, familial bliss and situational pleasure. It is a false Gospel of the most seductive and destructive kind.

Acts 14 reminds us that when Paul and Barnabas were on their missionary trip through Lystra, Iconium and Derbe, they were: 22 “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

The question before us today will be: How do we enter into this reigning with Christ now in patiently enduring our tribulations?

We’re about to find out in this preface to the 7 letters John will write in chapters 2-3.

II. (10-11) An Urgent Commission. “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

Revelation 1:19 “Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.”

Little needs to be said as this is a simple recounting of how John’s vision began.

He was “in the Spirit” – whether that means in prayer or in some ecstatic state we aren’t sure and John doesn’t elaborate.

And it was on “The Lord’s Day” – an early church reference to Sunday – since Sunday morning is when Christ rose from the dead. Early on, Believers, especially Gentiles Believers gathered on Sunday because of the connection with Jesus’ resurrection.

III. (9-20) A Soul-shattering Vision of Jesus.

Then, we come to the vision proper.

The language here is largely picked up from Daniel’s vision in Chapter 7 of his book, as we just had read for us.

We won’t go back to look at that now, you can do that on your own.

The connection we need to make is that much of the language used to describe “The Ancient of Days” in Daniel. i.e. God – is now transferred without qualification to Jesus.

It is to make the reader comprehend that Jesus is not some tame, milder lesser-god of the fearful God of the Old Testament – but that they are in fact co-extensive. Jesus IS God. The same God.

So John says: 12 “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.”

The various features John notes here are not incidental. They are massively informative – and that for a specific end.
1. Long robes with sashes like this are indicative of 3 ideas:
– Royalty wore long robes with sashes that showed their high standing.

– Authority: In the Roman army, the longer the robe, the higher the rank.

– The robe and sash combination is particularly reminiscent of the High Priest’s clothing in ancient Israel.

In this last regard, we remember that it was the Priest’s responsibility in the Temple to tend the 7-branched lampstand, to be sure its light never went out. Here, it’s likely that Jesus is being pictured in that very role to His Church even now. He is seen in the midst of the lampstands.
1. 14 “The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow.”
As in Daniel 7 – This is the Ancient of Days – This Jesus ALWAYS WAS. The Son of God is eternal, and existed before His incarnation.
1. “His eyes were like a flame of fire,”
He needs no outside source to see and perceive and know – He knows all from His own light. It is flaming, piercing and powerful.
1. 15 “his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace,”
A picture of moral purity. Historical sources tell us this substance – burnished bronze – was of the most exceptional quality, and considered more valuable than gold.
1. “and his voice was like the roar of many waters.”
Massive – and all pervading. Inescapable.
1. 16 “In his right hand he held seven stars,”
We’ll see that in v 20 below
1. “from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword,”
Judgment is rendered at His word. And it cuts both ways. Unsparing and sure. We’ll encounter this image again in Revelation 19:15 where its depiction as judgment is clearly defined for us: “From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.”

And one cannot help but think of Jesus’ words in John 12:48 “The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.”
1. “and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.”
So glorious – so overwhelming, He cannot be directly looked upon. It would bring the one familiar with the OT back to Isaiah 6:1–3 “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”

19 “Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.”

“Therefore” – i.e. Based upon what you have just seen of the resurrected Jesus – WRITE!

Because I am both the King and the High Priest of my people…

Because I am the Ancient of Days…

Because I am the One who sees all by my own light so nothing can be hidden…

Because I am the thrice holy one in all moral purity…

Because it is MY voice which is informing and filling all of creation…

Because the whole of the Church is supernaturally superintended in MY hand…

Because I am the One who will personally utter judgment on everyone in creation in due time…

Because I am so glorious I cannot be fully beheld or comprehended – WRITE WHAT I SAY, TO WHOM I SAY IT! And omit NOTHING!

And I’ll give you two more reasons to write:
1. 20 “As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches,”
This is a controversial passage, but angels here most likely does not refer to the pastors of those churches, since there is nowhere else in the Bible that designation is ever given to pastors – whereas angels AS angels are prevalent throughout the rest of this book.

This is more than likely a reference to how God uses angelic beings to attend His churches in the world.

We’ll come back to this in more detail next time.
1. “and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”
We do not have time to dig into this imagery deeper this morning, but it comes from Zechariah where in a series of visions there regarding God’s ultimate restoration of the Temple – Joshua as High Priest and Zerubbabel as the installed “king” by the Babylonians stand as two olive trees, supplying oil to the 7 branched lamp of Israel – and in THIS vision – both Priest and King are wrapped up in Christ who supplies the Spirit to the Churches Himself.

What is the point of all this? So – John – Send them a vision of me that is so shattering, that it shakes them out of lethargy and compromise, and that the fear generated by the vision can only be alleviated by Me personally extending my grace to them – purchased at the cost of my own blood.

John’s great, paralyzing fear at this moment isn’t because he doesn’t know Christ – it is because he DOES!

He is seeing Jesus as He really is – in unveiled wonder.

And it is not a sight easy to bear for fallen human beings – or as we have seen – even for the most exalted holy angels.

So let me ask you – Believer or un-Believer today:

Have you heard all this “Jesus stuff” before?

Has He grown old-hat?

Is there nothing surprising in Him anymore – nothing that can still astound you or capture your imagination?

Have you grown so familiar with all this, that it almost makes you yawn, because you know it all?

Then you too – Like John & the churches need a fresh revelation of Jesus Christ.

One that takes a John, the “disciple Jesus loved” as he is styled in John 13 – and brings him to his knees in such overwhelming glory that even he – who leaned on Jesus’ chest, cannot stand, but trembles in fear.

Lenski: “This was not fear in the sense of fright or terror but fear in the sense of overmastering awe.”

We need to ask ourselves today – is there anything of such an overmastering awe of Jesus in any of us today?

Have you anything of THAT sense of Jesus? Or is He now just a distant religious figure – even tho you would claim to be redeemed by Him?

People love the Baby Jesus – soft, cuddly and cooing at Mary’s breast. No challenge, no intimidation or fear there.

People love the gentle carpenter, blessing children on His knees and turning water into wine.

People love the crucified Christ – hung on a cross – where He will not invade their lives but merely be gazed upon.

But this sight of Jesus – this is disturbing, soul-shattering. He must be reckoned with in power and glory and judgment.

This vision can’t be romanticized and doesn’t give rise to songs that sound more like we’re singing to a boyfriend or girlfriend.

This is the vision of Jesus that stops us in our tracks and makes us really think twice about continuing in the sins He suffered and died to free us from – and will return to judge without mercy.

If He no longer – or never has AWED you beloved – It is because you do not KNOW Him.

This is key to what had happened to the 7 Churches John is writing to – and it so easily happens to you and me today.

It is the reason we compromise with sin and the world so easily.

When contemplation of the glory of Christ has either faded, or virtually disappeared from our present experience at all, compromise on every front is the inevitable result.

Don’t worry about it – because the Baby/Carpenter/Crucified one just loves us and nothing else matters.

The distressing truth is, there is a right and proper fear of God that can elude even the most sincere saint.

As we’ll see, each of the 7 Churches written to needs to recover some aspect of awe at the glory of the risen Christ to meet their particular spiritual need.

And so do you and I.

To many of us, Jesus is the Lamb of God alright, but He is no longer the Lion of Judah.

We imagine that if we were to see the risen Christ today, we wouldn’t collapse in fear like John did.

But as I said before, John didn’t fall in fear because he didn’t know Jesus, or because he doubted his salvation or had no faith in the atoning work of Christ – he fell because Jesus is FEARSOME! Terrifying! So glorious and so powerful and so holy and so transcendent that no other response is appropriate.

To put it in the most plain terms I can: The primary reason we find it so easy to sin, is that we have no proper fear of God.

So David prays in Psalm 86:11 “Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.”

And Paul picks up on that very same theme in 2 Corinthians 7:1b “let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”

Did you catch that? Essential to cleansing ourselves AS CHRISTIANS from every defilement and bringing holiness to completion or maturity – is that it is done in the fear of God!

For the Christian – this is not the fear of an enemy who seeks to harm them – but the overwhelming awe of a Jesus who too is “the Ancient of Days” with the God of the OT.

Whose eyes as flames of fire search out and know every hidden thing.

Whose feet are ablaze as the burnished bronze of moral purity tolerates NO moral compromise.

Out of whose mouth comes perfect judgment cutting both ways: Judging our direct disobedience and our neglect of holiness.

But for you today if you do not know Him savingly – this is the God who WILL judge you on your own merits – and you will not stand in that day.

Given this astonishing vision of Christ Jesus then, on what possible basis then can John or WE or anyone else have any comfort at this point?

Blessedly, the text shows us Jesus giving us that relief in vs. 17:

17 “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying,

“Fear not”. Fear not? Why not? After all of this – fear is the only thing left!

Fear not because:

1 – “I am the first and the last,” Why would this phrase be of comfort to John in this moment? For John – it would be because his mind would run back to the 3 times in the OT that phrase appears.

Isa. 41; 44; and 48. And in each instance, it is God announcing the twin realities of His absolute judgment on sinners – but also the unfailing nature of His promise of redemption, preservation and restoration for His people.

The 1^st one is especially poignant. God announces His intention to judge all of the nations – then says to His People: Isaiah 41:1–10 “Listen to me in silence, O coastlands; let the peoples renew their strength; let them approach, then let them speak; let us together draw near for judgment. ² Who stirred up one from the east whom victory meets at every step? He gives up nations before him, so that he tramples kings underfoot; he makes them like dust with his sword, like driven stubble with his bow. ³ He pursues them and passes on safely, by paths his feet have not trod. ⁴ Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he. ⁵ The coastlands have seen and are afraid; the ends of the earth tremble; they have drawn near and come. ⁶ Everyone helps his neighbor and says to his brother, “Be strong!” ⁷ The craftsman strengthens the goldsmith, and he who smooths with the hammer him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, “It is good”; and they strengthen it with nails so that it cannot be moved. ⁸ But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; ⁹ you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”; ¹⁰ fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

In all of the terrible judgments John is about to reveal, and how the Church will see it and be terrified by it, perhaps in some measure go through it – nevertheless, He will still keep His people.

2 – “the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore” – I am God, who came to earth and fulfilled all the righteousness of God; who died a substitutionary death in your place at Calvary – taking all of God’s righteous wrath against sin; and who rose from the dead to justify all those who put their faith in me alone.

3 – “and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” It is an allusion back to Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

– And I am the One – the ONLY one, who has the authority destroy both body and soul in Hell, or, to free all those who put their trust in me from the sentence of eternal death.

A. W. Tozer: “The fear of God is … astonished reverence. I believe that the reverential fear of God mixed with love and fascination and astonishment and admiration and devotion is the most enjoyable state and the most satisfying emotion the human soul can know.”

As John fell upon his face as a dead man at the sight of the resurrected Jesus in His soul-shattering glory – Jesus extends His hand and says “Fear not: I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”

Jesus alone, is the only hope we have.
As I was reading Today – From John Newton

April 25th, 2017