Transcript

God In A Godless World-Part Two

Excuse me for my cynicism, but let me try to paint with a very large brush the general landscape of American Christianity. A prayer or a response to an altar call is all that is necessary to be assured of one's salvation. If there is a hell, our "fire insurance" guarantees we are not going there. Jesus is available if I need have an urgent need, church is cool when it fits in my schedule, but beyond that life is basically mine to do as I please. Obedience to all of Scripture, faithfully sharing my faith, engagement in righteous social causes, well, that's too much work, that's outside of my comfort zone, that's going to result in persecution.

Matthew 10:32-33, "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven." John 10:27, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." 2 Timothy 3:12, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."

Wait, did he say "persecution?" We hear that word and we're shocked. We hear that the church might go through the Tribulation and we're offended. We read Revelation and when we understand that the true purpose of the book is how we should and why we can be an overcomer when facing tribulation, we start to turn the pages a little faster. This is not the world in which we live.

But this was the world in which they lived. In the summer of 64 AD, Rome suffered a terrible fire that burned for six days and seven nights consuming almost three quarters of the city. The people accused the Emperor Nero for the devastation claiming he set the fire for his own amusement. In order to deflect these accusations and placate the people, Nero laid blame for the fire on the Christians. The emperor ordered the arrest of a few members of the sect who, under torture, accused others until the entire Christian populace was implicated and became fair game for retribution. As many of the religious sect that could be found were rounded up and put to death in the most horrific manner for the amusement of the citizens of Rome. The ghastly way in which the victims were put to death aroused sympathy among many Romans, although most felt their execution justified (http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/christians.htm).

The following account was written by the Roman historian Tacitus in his book Annals published a few years after the event. Tacitus was living in Rome during the time of the persecutions.

"Therefore, to stop the rumor [that he had set Rome on fire], he [Emperor Nero] falsely charged with guilt, and punished with the most fearful tortures, the persons commonly called Christians, who were [generally] hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of that name, was put to death as a criminal by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea, in the reign of Tiberius, but the pernicious superstition - repressed for a time, broke out yet again, not only through Judea, - where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also, whither all things horrible and disgraceful flow from all quarters, as to a common receptacle, and where they are encouraged. Accordingly first those were arrested who confessed they were Christians; next on their information, a vast multitude were convicted, not so much on the charge of burning the city, as of 'hating the human race.'"

Revelation was written shortly after these times and just before things were to get even worse for the church. Jesus said, "If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also" (Jn. 15:20).

It's not pretty, but persecution was promised us. Heavy persecution was a reality for the early church. Heavy persecution is a reality for believers in much of the world. Heavy persecution might be a reality for all of us. So how do we deal with it? How do we overcome with our faith in tact? How do we stand strong for God? How do we persevere faithfully until the end?

Encouraging, instructing and strengthening us in this regard is the purpose of Revelation. We need a constant reminder of our glorious future. We need a constant reminder that we are on the winning team. We need a constant reminder that serving God is not in vain. We need hope. Revelation, the final book in the Bible will give us that hope.

1. THE PROLOGUE (review)

Last week we looked at what I called "The Prologue."

We learned that Revelation was composed by the Apostle John late in the first century from a small rocky island named Patmos located deep in the Aegean Sea. John tells us he was exiled to this place, a tribulation as he called it, simply (verse 9) "because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus." While at Patmos, a vision was given to the aged Apostle.

The book of Revelation was not composed for anyone. It is specifically addressed, verse 1, to the "bond-servants" of God. In the first century the church was commanded to honor Caesar as Lord. Only Jesus is Lord. They refused and paid for that commitment dearly with their lives. Likewise today, Revelation is written to those who rightfully understand that Jesus Christ is their Lord or we could say His bond-servants. Submission to the lordship of Christ is the mark of all true believers. For us today, pleasure is not Lord, money is not Lord, popular opinion is not Lord, popularity is not Lord, self is not Lord - Jesus is Lord. He commands in love and we as His bond-servants do as He says with delight.

That's why verse 3 tells us that there is a blessing for not those who only read and hear this vision, but for those who "heed [who 'do'] the things which are written in it."

2. THE PRESCRIPT (verses 4-6)

With that as a brief review, let's move to the new material. The second point, "The Prescript." Immediately in verse 4, the recipients of the letter are addressed. "John to the seven churches that are in Asia." Those seven churches are listed chapters 2 and 3. I believe they are literal historical churches, not all the churches in Asia Minor, but a representation of the churches in Asia Minor. We'll examine the specific message each of them received in the weeks ahead.

In verse 4 you can see that to them the common Christian greeting is given "Grace to you and peace." These are two very interesting words when you consider the setting and purpose of Revelation. The content delivered is not intended to induce fear, anxiety or speculation. Unbelievers should fear Revelation, believers should not. The content delivered is God's grace and thus intended to produce hope, joy, encouragement and peace amongst the true bond-servants of God. Therefore if we are not walking away from Revelation with praise for God's grace and a deep enduring sense of peace, something is short-circuited in the process. "Grace to you and peace."

The author, which is God, is described in verse 4 as the One "who is and who was and who is to come." Clearly this verse defines our God who is eternal.

It's fascinating that God from the start chose this definition of Himself. When He has many designations to choose from that all flow from His glorious attributes, the one He chose to be highlighted was the fact that He is eternal. He was and He is and He always will be.

Is there anything greater that we can hear than this when facing tribulation? The agony of persecution, the cultural opinions of the day, the world leaders on the scene, all loom so large when the pressure is on us until we take a step back and realize how temporary it all is in the grand scheme of eternity. All of that comes and all of it will go. God and His truth remains. The momentary frown of the world can't replace the eternal smile from God. May we go through life keeping our eyes on Him and our minds heavenward and not on the passing trends and transient existence of this life.

We are told in verse 4 that the letter also comes to us "from the seven Spirits who are before His throne." Since John just spoke of the Father and will speak of the Son in the next verse, many believe this is a figurative reference to the Holy Spirit. There are not seven Holy Spirits, seven is a number used frequently in Revelation and is the biblical number of completion or perfection. Others believe the seven spirits are seven angels

Our Savior is now introduced in verse 5 with a three-fold description with titles that have relevance for John's readers.

First Jesus is called "the faithful witness." Why is this significant? If the goal of John's writing is to see these churches that were about to face increasing persecutions persevere without denying God as a faithful witness until the end, what greater example do we have of that than Jesus who is "the faithful witness?"

When we consider His life we can recall everything that sought to pull Him off track. He was chided by His family and misunderstood by His followers and threatened by religious leaders and challenged by governing authorities and persuaded by the crowds and scared by the demons. Everything, literally everything stood in His way to lead Him to sin, circumvent the cross, and thus deny the will of the Father. Yet Jesus never flinched.

Revelation 2:10, "You will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death." Revelation 17:6, "And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus." Revelation 12:11, "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death." And the verses continue. Revelation predicts people will die for God.

Even today, roughly one-hundred brothers and sisters in Christ, living in countries hostile to Jesus, are laying their lives down for Christ each month. The Christians in the Middle East, now commonplace on the nightly news, are told to convert to Islam or die. As you know, they are choosing to die. They are faithful witnesses.

And what is our example? It's Jesus! He was "the" faithful witness for the Father right up until the very end. He died in obedience to the Father's will.

If we leave it at that, there's not much to celebrate other than a martyr loyal to a cause. What makes the death of Jesus so amazing is the fact that He conquered death, verse 4, that He is "the firstborn of the dead." In other words, He is the first One to die and come back from the dead with a resurrection body. He has proven His victory over death.

This is the encouragement for all Christians, especially those taken for their faith. They will not die eternally. Because of their union to Jesus, they too will live. In John 14:19 Jesus said, "Because I live, you will live also." "To be absent from the body [is] to be at home with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8). Immediate presence with the Lord. And as Jesus was the "firstborn of the dead" with a resurrection body, we too will be given resurrection bodies like His.

And third, Jesus is called "the ruler of the kings of the earth."

The significance of this one is again very clear. The persecution of the church, incited by Satan, was predominately from the hands of the governing leaders. The kings of the earth threatened the Christians with death if they refused to bow to their authority or worship in their pagan temples or support their policies through the taking of a mark.

But as powerful as these authorities may appear, they are only defeated enemies of a temporary kingdom. As the verse says, Jesus is "the ruler of the kings of the earth." Daniel 2:21, "It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings." Jesus is reigning now, but the day will come when all will have to recognize His universal kingship. Philippians 2:10-11, "So that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

So the question we face is who is your true King? To whom is your ultimate allegiance? If you have yet to do so, will you bow the knee to Jesus now? The Bible says all will one day acknowledge Jesus Christ as King, but for many, it will come after they die and when it's too late. Whose wrath are you preparing yourself to face? Whose mark will you receive?

Even the mightiest of the world forces will try to overthrow Jesus Christ at the end of the age. The book of Revelation tells us, "These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful" (Rev. 17:14).

Yet beyond this stalwart warrior, sinless witness who has the power to overcome death and rule over the mightiest kings with a rod of iron, verse 5 also tells us something else about Jesus Christ. It speaks of a tenderness that He has for His people. The eternal, transcendent, omnipotent God is also one "who loves us." He loves His bond-servants. He takes notice and cares about the suffering of His people. He is personally acquainted with each of His sheep. The One that has called you to be faithful is the One who is also and always faithful to you in love!

And how did He prove that love? He went through the same suffering, even worse suffering from the same persecutors to the point of death, to the point of shedding His blood. But as we read in verse 5, it was the very shedding of His blood ("by His blood") that "released us from our sins."

What amazing love that the King of kings and Lord of lords would consider His cosmic enemies and love them enough to go to a cross, face the wrath of humans, suffer intense pain, receive our sin upon Himself, face the wrath of the Father we deserved and die in the place of all who would receive Him. We know the Bible says that "without [the] shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Heb. 9:22). We read in the Old Testament of the sacrificial animals that would be slain and have their blood split to atone for the sins of the guilty. All of that pointed to Jesus Christ. Therefore, Revelation 1:5, the Lamb of God "released us from our sins by His blood." Think about that - a total release from the guilt and penalty from all your sins before the eyes of the living God Himself!

And therefore if we are in Christ, our kingdom is not of this world, but verse 6, "He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father."

So as we move to the Lord's Table think deeply with me. Whose side do you want to be on? Where is your allegiance? Ultimately you can only serve one God and one King and one Lord. And when we consider just what we learned today, what a great God, King and Lord the Almighty One is! Is He your God and your King and your Lord? No wonder John can say in verse 6, "To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.