Motivated by the Risen Jesus | Revelation 1:9-20
Series: Revelation: The Best is Yet to Come
Title: Motivated by the Risen Jesus...
Scripture: Revelation 1:9-20 NIV
Main commentary help:
Exalting Jesus in Revelation by Daniel Akin
Revelation by Jim Hamilton
Last week’s title: “The Best is Yet to Come”
This week’s title: Motivated by the Risen Jesus...
Last week’s Main idea: “Those who hear and obey God‘s word will be blessed by the Lord.”
Summarizing some of my thoughts lately...
We see the risen Jesus in all his glory and are motivated to trust and obey. (Rev 1:9-20)
When we trust and obey, we’re blessed beyond imagination. (Rev 1:1-8)
And finally, we’re blessed to be a blessing to others around the corner and around the world. (The Bible)
We’ll focus on 1 today.
This week’s main idea: “The risen Christ in glory summons forth obedience from his churches. The incomparable glory of the risen Christ motivates John’s audience to heed what John has been commissioned to write. The matchless splendor of Heaven’s King attracts the attention and compels the obedience of the churches John addresses.” -Hamilton
My Bottom line: When we (the Church) see the risen Jesus today, we’ll be super motivated to trust and obey.
Illustration: (Cf. With Isaiah’s reaction in Isaiah 6:1-8) Isaiah went from “Woe is me” to “Here I am” in a very short time. How long would it take for you to surrender all to Jesus and let him send you wherever to do whatever? How long would it take for you to give Jesus a blank check? Not long if you see him as he is today.
I hope your motivation for trusting and following Jesus will recalibrated today. Checked against the standard. The standard is truth and God’s word.
Why are you following Jesus?
Why are you following Jesus the way you are following Jesus? (Half-heartedly vs wholeheartedly)
I. Introduction: Story + Summary (Doignetus)
II. John’s situation and Commission to write (1:9-11)
III. John’s description of the risen Jesus (1:12-16)
IV. Jesus asserts his authority and commissions John to write (1:17-20)
V. Conclusion: Summary + Story + Application + Vision
Opening story/illustration
Diognetus about Christians to Mathetes (Hamilton, pp. 32-33, 37)
1:9-20 “John’s vision of the risen Christ”
I. “John’s situation and commission to write”
“Unlike the Roman Empire, which is promised peace but delivered brutality and fear, the Kingdom of God promises tribulation and delivers peace and confidence and eternal salvation to those who patiently endure.” Hamilton, Pp. 43-44
“Make no mistakes about it: Your best life is not now. Your best life will begin when the skies are split by the shout of the archangel.” Hamilton, p. 44
Churches listed in order an itinerant preacher would visit them beginning at Island of Patmos (where John was exiled) and moving around Asia Minor.
These cities seemed to be natural centers of communication for itinerant ministry and 7 focal cities with respect to the church’s organization and distribution.
all but Thyatira had temples dedicated to emperors
all but Philadelphia and Laodicea lead imperial priests and altars
Note, though an apostle, John shared in the suffering of the church.
John shares why he writes Revelation: Because Jesus told him to!
Read 3rd paragraph in Hamilton, p. 45–it’s powerful!
This is meant to motivate the Church to gladly submit to the word of the risen Christ! This will become clear in chapters 2-3.
1:12-26 “John’s description of the risen Jesus”
Jesus described in priestly terms
References to Zechariah 4
7 lamp stands point to the presence of God in the tabernacle and temple; hence priestly terms
Like a priest, Jesus calls the churches to repentance (Chs 2-3)
Jesus’ clothing points to a heavenly high priest
Jesus described in kingly terms
References to Daniel 7
“Like a son of man” is kingly/messianic term
Jesus receives an eternal kingdom (Dan 7 & 10); cf. Rev 1:6 & 9
2 major influences on John’s first vision:
The letters to the churches—When you compare Revelation 1 with Revelation 2-3 you see Jesus described the same way
The vision of Daniel in ch. 10.
Revelation is fulfilling Daniel’s vision in Daniel 10
When you compare Revelation 1 with Daniel 10 you see Jesus described the same way
Jesus is unveiled as deity in Rev 1:14 in describing like Ancient of Days (reference to God the Father)
“Eyes like a flame of fire” 1:14
3 implications of his blazing eyes:
No sin that we commit will escape his notice,
He will see every faithful thing his people do, and
He will note every injustice done to his people by their enemies.
“Feet like burnished bronze, refined” points to the absolute purity of Jesus.
“Powerful voice” = communicating authority this is to be obeyed. His voice is to drown out other voices that would call you away from true faith and holiness that marks those who truly know God.
Sometimes he does speak in a still, small voice. But there are times when he wants to drown out everything else.
Are you listening? To whom?
3 more...
7 Stars - messengers of 7 churches (Angels, not pastors). Jesus holds in right hand = he is in control
sword in mouth - symbolically Jesus will speak decisive words of judgment.
“Face like the sun” - painful brightness of the sun shining full strength, on which we can’t look
“The risen Christ in glory summons forth obedience from his churches.”
1:17-20 “Jesus asserts his authority and commissions John to write”
John literally blown away by God’s glory in Jesus. No power on earth does this.
Jesus doesn’t leave John. He tells him not to be afraid. Why?
Because he lives forever and holds the keys of death and hell. That is, he defeated death and the cross as seen in the resurrection.
Jesus is terrifying in his holiness. We should tremble, humble ourselves and repent of our sin before him. But no need to fear for our own lives if we repent and we trust him for he empowers us to live with him forever.
Jesus among 7 lamp stands = Jesus is present in and with his church.
Conclusion:
John’s situation and commission is to write down this vision (Revelation), which includes this powerful description of Christ himself in all his glory so that we will rightly be motivated to 1) Worship Jesus, and 2) Obey him.
“Jesus reveals himself to John the way he does to compel John’s audience to
Heed the 7 letters he is about to dictate to John about the present, and to
Convince them of the truth of...the end of history in Chs 4-22.” -Hamilton
What is God saying to you right now?
What are you going to do about it?
These are not rhetorical questions. Take some time to stop and pray right now.
Let’s pray. Amen.
Trust God to Put Things Right
Pippa and I enjoy doing crosswords together. When we are stuck on one clue we don’t give up, we move on to the next clue. Every time we find an answer it helps us in resolving some of the other clues. In the end, we are sometimes able to solve most of the puzzle.
In a way, reading some of the difficult parts of the Bible is like trying to solve a crossword puzzle. Rather than getting bogged down in a tricky section, you can use the passages you do understand to help you resolve some of the more difficult ones.
Often I find it hard not only to understand some of the difficult passages in the Bible, but also to understand why certain things are happening in our world. There seems to be so much injustice. There are no easy answers.
I love the second great rhetorical question from yesterday’s passage, ‘Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ (Genesis 18:25). One thing that you can be sure about is that on the last day, when all is revealed, you will see God’s perfect judgment – and everyone will say, ‘That is absolutely right.’ Each of today’s passages tells us something about the fact that, in the end, God will put things right.