https://www.bible.com/events/49101140
Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg
The Seven Churches of Revelation
Revelation Chapter 1
Today we begin our new summer teaching series called “The Seven Churches of Revelation”
Over the next several weeks we will seek to understand the importance and relevance of this text in our lives today.
Just like the rest of our Bible, we believe that Revelation is valuable and integral to our faith- It’s there for a reason.
Through this study we want to hear and understand the warnings and instructions to these churches. As we do that, we also want to discern how we can learn from these warnings in our lives and through our local church.
It would be a mistake if we believe that this was only about something back then- 2000 years ago.
Our desire is to renew and refine our vision of life and what the church should be.
What we know about Revelation:
-This entire book is a vision, given by God to the apostle John.
-John is in exile on the Isle of Patmos. He has been exiled to Patmos to try to keep him from preaching the Gospel in the Roman Empire.
-John’s banishment is a form of ‘the death penalty’. They sent him away to die.
-While in exile, the Lord chose that experience to reveal world-changing truths to John. And He writes them down here, in the book of Revelation.
Revelation 1:1-20
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, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 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. 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, 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, 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. “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. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” 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. On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 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.” I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 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. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 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. 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. 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. “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 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.
The focus of the letter comes immediately: Revelation is a Jesus letter.
Consider some of the ways Jesus is described here:
-“him who is, and who was, and who is to come,” (verse 4)
-“the faithful witness” (verse 5)
-“the firstborn from the dead” (verse 5)
-“the ruler of the kings of the earth” (Verse 5)
-“who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood” (verse 5)
-“has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father” (verse 6)
-“I am the Alpha and the Omega” (verse 8)
-“who is, and who was, and who is to come” (verse 8)
-“the Almighty” (verse 8)
1. These words are relevant today
Our tendency is to take anything complicated, thought-provoking, or potentially challenging and excuse it or minimize it. The temptation may be to make these words only applicable to the churches in Asia Minor 2,000 years ago. But these words are relevant today.
2. These words are for you
One of the biggest dangers we can make in reading Scripture is applying it to everyone else, and not ourselves. In the coming weeks, as we journey through Revelation, believe that there will be specific wisdom that you need right now, encouragement for the season you are in right now, a challenge for you that may not be easy but a challenge from the Lord that you need. These words are for you.
3. Jesus is your past, your present, your future
We see it from the very beginning: Revelation is a Jesus book. Jesus has been there since the beginning. He’s right here in the beginning of Revelation and He’s been there, seated at the right hand of the Father, long before this moment. No matter what you face today, the picture we see of Jesus, the picture John writes down so vividly, is the picture of Jesus for you, right now.
Revelation 22:17
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
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