Learning From John on Patmos | Revelation 1:9-11 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Revelation Series)

We have now arrived at the entry point of the very first striking vision in the book of Revelation. And this vision is not about catastrophic events, nor is it about religious or political establishments that have risen and fallen. It's not about demonic entities or spiritual domains that parallel our world. This revelation is about the Lord Jesus Christ. We have seen him before, haven't we?

He has made appearances throughout the Hebrew scriptures before his incarnation. He is hinted at in types and shadows throughout the old covenant. We've seen him walking amongst us in the gospels, and we even caught glimpses of him after his resurrection. But if you have never read the book of Revelation before, I can assure you that you have not seen Jesus like we are about to see him. In fact, the very one who narrates it, who is one of Jesus' closest followers, had not seen him this way before this moment.

And I want us to turn there together in Revelation one, Beginning in verse nine, if we're not careful, this manifestation of Christ could be mistaken as a future depiction of his glory at the consummation of the age. That's not what's happening here. What we have here is this description concerning Jesus defines his present exaltation and his majesty. And so significant is this experience that John is led to provide a detailed backdrop about it. In other words, he wants to tell his readers and he wants to tell us about the timing of this experience, the setting, so that we would understand that this really really took place.

And as eager as we might be to look at this vision, we're actually gonna spend most of our time considering John's preparation for it. As he now wants to tell us how and when this took place, we're going to linger there. So our time together in this book will be in verse nine to verse 11 and let's read it together before we unpack it. 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. 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.

Father, we ask. Help us with these verses. Open our eyes. We've been singing it and praying it since we began this time, and we believe that you will. And so, Lord, even in these two verses, we trust that you have much to say to us, and we pray that we would have ears to hear what the spirit says to the churches.

Lord, we look to you now in faith. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. I'm not sure if you noticed it, but this is now the third time that John's name appears in the first nine verses of the book of Revelation. Did you catch that?

It comes up in verse one when he is referred to as God's servant. And then it appears again in verse four where he identifies himself as a transcriber of the content of this book. Right? John to the seven churches. And then in verse nine, he reintroduces himself once more.

Why the repetition? I believe it's because he wants to make absolutely clear the credibility of the eyewitness accounts that he's about to unpack. He wants to let the readers know with absolute assurance that this is coming from a reliable source. And so he says, it's me, John. And this indicates also that the churches knew which John was writing to them.

And you and I understand from last week that this is John who is the same one who wrote in the gospel of John and the epistles with his name on it. But he doesn't reinforce his authorship in those other writings like he does here. Right? It's me, John. It's John.

It's John. And again, it's not to say that the gospel account is not important or his letters have no value. But it does say something about the great significance of the epic prophecy of this book that demands such autographs. And we looked last week briefly at how he provides so many clues throughout this book to show, to authenticate that he was the one who in fact penned it. And the two main ones that we saw was how he refers to Christ as the lamb.

The lamb. The lamb. That's emphasized in John's gospel. And also the title, the Word of God, also found in John's gospel and the first epistle. But there are other subtle hints that we didn't look at, but I'm compelled to provide you at least one more.

So scroll back to verse seven and let's see it together. At least one example. Remember when he said in verse seven, behold, he is coming with the clouds and every eye will see him, even those who pierce them. And all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him, even so. Amen.

John makes an allusion to the prophecy in Zechariah twelve ten when he says, even those who pierce them. That's an identity that belongs to the Jewish people. And interestingly, there is only one other place in the entirety of the New Testament where there is reference to Zechariah twelve ten. Can you guess what book it is? John, when he's standing there and witnessing his beloved master, his Lord, his savior being crucified and finally he is pierced, and then he writes this.

Turn with me to John 19 in verse 35. He who saw it has born witness. His testimony is true And he knows that he is telling the truth that you also may believe. For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled. Not one of his bones will be broken.

And again, another scripture says, they will look on him whom they have pierced. Only in John and that illusion in Revelation one do we have a connection to Zechariah twelve ten, which again underscores that it was the Jewish people who are responsible for the murderous rejection of their Messiah. But then it's brought back up here in Revelation one. Why? Because the Holy Spirit wants to remind us that although this people did pierce their Messiah, they will one day grieve over their past sin.

And they will lament over having rejected their savior. That's a day yet to come where the people of Israel will hail Jesus as the anointed one. All that to say that the Holy Spirit really wants us to know that this book comes from a reliable source. But credibility is not the only thing that we're supposed to be impressed with. I believe that the Holy Spirit, by bringing up John in the way that he introduces himself again, is to allow us to get the inspiration for humility, not just credibility.

Out of all the things that John could have said about himself, especially when you factor in that he was very likely the last living apostle when he wrote the book of Revelation, what does he say? How does he relate himself to these readers? I, John, your brother. Your brother. Your brother.

Yes. Your brother. I could think of 10 other ways that a man like John could have introduced himself. But he says this. We're talking about the same John who not only rested his head on Jesus's bosom, but was given a series of revelations concerning the last moments of human history.

Think about it this way. Imagine being granted the privilege of writing and compiling the final book in the Bible. That's an impressive resume. John had it. And yet, he instinctively writes about himself to these Christians that are struggling, that are distracted, that are compromising in many ways.

And he says, greetings. It's me, John, your brother. One of the marks of a maturing Christian is humility. One of the evidences that you are growing in the Lord is that despite the authority, the testimonies, or the insight that the Lord might grant you, you grow in humility. And a mark of humility is that over time, you do not view or carry yourself as more significant than others, especially fellow believers.

And that was not true just of John. That is true for every saint that is truly in the spirit and we find it even in the life of the Apostle Paul. And I want you to see it with me, because humility is not about you despising yourself. Humility is about you recognizing more and more your unworthiness and your need for God's grace. It's this dependency that you walk in.

And John was not the only one who demonstrated it. He he's not the only one who displays what the spirit can do in a man who longs to be like Jesus. If you follow Paul's writings carefully, and if you consider the timing of his epistles, you will discover a certain progression in how he perceives himself. It's it's so worth skipping to. And so let's begin in first Corinthians chapter 15.

This is believed to have been written between fifty three and fifty five AD, one of his first letters. Some believe that he wrote it from Ephesus. But I want you to see what he says in first Corinthians 15 verse nine as a starting point. Paul says, for I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. Highlight that.

I am the least of the apostles. Out of all of them, I'm the lowest ranking one. Out of all of them, I'm the least deserving. Out of all of them, I am the most. Understanding in terms of the grace of God bestowed on me, not that the others didn't recognize it for themselves.

But he's trying to make a point. I'm the least of all of these other ministers. But he doesn't stop there. He's only getting started. But you have to go to Ephesians to see it.

In Ephesians chapter three, notice what he says about himself now. This is written while he was under house arrest in Rome. Remember the end of the book of acts, Paul went to Rome and he was under house arrest for a few years. And he wrote four prison epistles. One of them is in the book of Ephesians around sixty one to sixty two AD.

So a few years after Corinthians. Look what he says here in Ephesians three verse eight. To me, though I am the very least of all, not the apostles, but what? The saints. Highlight that.

This grace was given to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. Never mind the least of the all the apostles. I'm the least of all the Christians. Doesn't even end there. Go to first Timothy.

And here in first Timothy, we have one of Paul's final letters before he was martyred. A few brief moments after some of his prison epistles, we have Paul addressing personal pastors, one of them being Timothy. Notice what he says in first Timothy one fifteen. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the foremost. So in the span of a few years, as Paul's advancing in his walk with Christ, he says, I am the least of all the apostles.

Then he says, no. No. I'm the least of all the saints. Then finally, he says, I'm the worst sinner I know. Question.

Do you think Paul walked around in life feeling guilty and condemned as a Christian? You haven't read Paul carefully if you believe that. No. Instead, what you have here is a man who as he got closer and closer to Jesus, he was humbled. He grew in his revelation of the mercy of God that was required to sustain him and that brought him in to begin with.

That's something that he accumulated as he advanced. And it obviously impacted the way he viewed others and treated others. And so we see here that both in Paul and even in John, regardless how how the Lord uses you, regardless of what he reveals to you, if the Holy Spirit is really working in you, you'll be more and more convinced of your need for him. And you'll find yourself praying prayers like this. Lord, I don't deserve this.

Lord, I recognize that this is your energy, that this is your power, that you've made these opportunities available, has nothing to do with me. And Lord, I realize that apart from your hand on my life, I will fall apart. I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord.

And the more you discover his holiness, the more it will reflect on your lack of holiness. And this will not make you again living in a sense of condemnation. It will make you just appreciate his grace all the more. You're gonna cling to him. You're gonna worship and adore him with greater intensity as you grow in humility.

And I believe John in in a subtle way shows how he was walking in the same direction as Paul. I'm your brother. We're the same. We're equal at the foot of the cross. The same Holy Spirit that you need, I need.

And I believe here that this is for us, but it's not the only thing that he said. Go back to Revelation one. He says, I, John, your brother, not just brother, and partner and partner. Now he's saying I'm a fellow companion. I'm somebody here who participates and shares in something with you.

But what is he speaking about exactly? Three things. There are three things that John says that he is a partner in. The first is the tribulation. The second is the kingdom.

The third thing is the patient endurance. Now here's an important qualifier. The tribulation, the kingdom, and the patient endurance that he says that he is a partner in are in Jesus, That are in Jesus. Which means what for us? That you and I, who are in Jesus by faith, can expect to share in these same things.

There's a particular tribulation, there's a particular kingdom, and there's a particular patient endurance that is ours as well. It's not exclusive to John or these early Christians. What does he mean by the tribulation? He's talking about the general trials and difficulties and distress that we inherit because of our faith. The economic turmoil, the relational strain, the persecution, the difficulties that come because of what you stand for as a Christian.

And so if there's any strain in any area of your life because you are in Jesus, you are in the will of God. We will share in the tribulation. He's not talking about the final tribulation. Here again, he's talking about the general scope of trials and trouble that we have because we walk with Christ. And he's telling these believers, look, I'm John.

Yes. The apostle. Yes. Who's giving you this final revelation, but I also know tribulation. I'm there with you.

I suffer as well. I'm not treated any differently. That's helpful for us to know because if you think for a moment that God loves somebody more because they have less problems in their family or with their bodies or their finances, you got it all wrong. You have Jesus who is declaring these amazing truths and secrets to John, and yet John says, yeah, but I still go through things. I still suffer.

But he goes from tribulation to the kingdom. What kingdom is he speaking about? You know this well. Again, you have to connect it to what he says at the end. A kingdom that is connected to Jesus.

He says, I'm a partner in the kingdom as well. And there are two elements of this kingdom that we all share in. The first one is a spiritual reality of this kingdom. One that we enjoy presently. You see the moment that you crown Jesus as Lord by faith, when you receive his gospel, you essentially submit yourself to his governance.

You inherit, yes, his grace but also his law. But you also have his protection and his power and his commission. You and I as Christians are citizens of this kingdom. And we live under this lordship. We govern our lives according to what Christ our king makes known to us day by day until the second element of this kingdom is realized, which is what?

The material manifestation. And that is to come when Christ physically returns and he will rule and reign on this earth. And we as his fellow heirs will also, to some measure, rule and reign depending on our faithfulness here with this one life that we get to live. So John says to these believers, we have a kingdom. Now, when I was reflecting on this I thought, I I pray, and really with every message, I pray that it would make an impact on all of our hearts, but there's a fear that being Christians here in the West, really, America is a Disneyland of the world, may not be moved by this as much as the original readers would have.

I think about it really as Christians. What do we really struggle with here in America? What do we struggle with the with the church? Let me give you a hint of what these churches struggle with. Go to chapter two briefly.

Revelation two ten, he writes to one church, do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold the devil is about to throw some of you into prison that you may be tested and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life. So imagine now, next week we come to church and a third of the people here are missing. And one of the elders comes up to the platform and says, I know that, many people are missing today.

I wanna inform you that, they're all in prison. And by next week, we'll know if they'll be here again or they will die. Go here to verse 13. Here's another church. Jesus says, I know where you dwell where Satan's throne is.

Imagine your church was in the same neighborhood of Satan's headquarters. We'll talk we'll talk about this when we come to the churches in chapter two and three. I know where you dwell where Satan's throne is, yet you hold fast my name and you did not deny my faith even the days of Antipas, my faithful witness who was killed among you where Satan dwells. Very likely that Antipas was a leader in this church. So imagine coming to service one day and learning that one of the leaders has been killed.

He was there last week giving the announcements, but this week now he's in heaven. So that's what these churches, at least most of them, were thinking about as they gather as a church. Not the parking situation. Oh, I gotta walk extra five minutes. That's not what they were struggling with.

No. No. No. I wonder if the so and so family will be at church today or if the government got a hold of them as well. I wonder if pastor so and so will be in service today because we've been hearing then other cities, they're coming after them.

So hopefully, that gives you some kind of insight of what it would meant to these believers when when John says, we are partners of a kingdom. And no matter what kingdom is harassing us now, it's not an everlasting kingdom, you have an everlasting kingdom. Whatever the government says about you, the smear campaigns on the news, that's not your identity. You're part of a kingdom. I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom, and lastly, in the patient endurance.

Now he goes from identity. Right? This is your identity. This is your inheritance. He goes from identity to ability.

What does he mean by patient endurance? He wants to let them know that they have received something for being in Jesus. And that is to remain steadfast regardless of the circumstances that would challenge your faith. Regardless of the impairments, you have this patient endurance. Here's the picture, that you have in Jesus received a certain energy that enables you to cross the finish line in this race of faith.

There has been something that you have access to now because of your faith, because of the goodness of God, that assures you that you can finish well if you want to finish well. There's this patient endurance. There's this strength. And the same Paul who told the Colossians that we've been transferred from this domain of darkness into the kingdom of his beloved son, prays one of my favorite prayers in the New Testament. He says in Colossians one nine, and since the day we have heard, we have not ceased to pray for you.

He's talking to the Colossians. Then he lists all these things that he prays for. It's so glorious. Then Then he mentions something at verse 11 of Colossians one. You don't have to turn there, but listen to what this mighty man of God prayed for Christians.

Said, oh, I've been praying consistently you, Colossians. In verse 11 of chapter one, that you would be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might. To what end? For all endurance and patience with joy. Notice the connection between his glorious might and it affecting us to know endurance, but not just any kind of endurance.

An endurance with joy. So it's hard with a verse like this to imagine that our great God expects us, as followers of his son, to drag our feet throughout life miserable because we just wanna be faithful. That's not the image that we have here. Is that we would have our shoulders rolled back, our chins lifted up, not in arrogance, but in boldness and in trust and faith that we can endure anything with joy because of his glorious might. We partner in that.

We share in that. And John's reminding these churches, this is yours. No matter what you're going through, this is yours. Now why is John sharing this? Well, it's obvious.

Right? It would have brought immense comfort to these believers. So here they're receiving this at the introduction of this book and they're learning, hold on. John is saying he's a partner in the tribulation? And if John is suffering, why should we complain about ours?

And if John is saying here that he is a partner in the patient endurance, he's not just suffering, but he's also enduring. How much more can we if we also are in Christ Jesus? So again, he's he's reminding he's being very pastoral here to these churches. I'm with you in this. And here's what we can learn for our own lives.

It's very difficult to see any value in our suffering. Very challenging. But if there's any gift that comes from any kind of suffering, based on what I read here about John, is that if you respond to it in faith, if you receive it appropriately and allow it to do its work under God's sovereign care, it will make you and me more effective ministers. It will. That's one of the glorious byproducts of it, that it will make you a better counselor.

It will make you a better instructor. It it will make you a better comforter. It would be very strange for John to write this from some ivory tower, some Roman resort untouched by the raging problems that were affecting these churches. But because he's a partner in them, I'm sure that it that it felt different for these people to receive such things. He's with us in this.

He knows what it's like. And suffering guarantees you a certain authority, Insight, care. There's there's something that happens to you and I when we're forging that kind of a fire that is able to rescue others as they are trying to endure this kind of suffering. They they can't seem to to shake free from it. God uses those who suffer to help others be set free in their suffering.

I believe that's what's happening here with John. God was very strategic in using him. Yes, he's an apostle, but he's an apostle in a certain circumstance with a certain practical resume that made a greater greater impact than what he had to say. And so we see here, he says, I'm your partner. I'm your brother.

And, again, he didn't write this from an all inclusive European vacation spot. He reminds him here, I'm your partner, yes, in these three things, and I was on the island called Patmos. What and where is the island called Patmos? Well, you already get the impression that this is not a good place because he says, I was on this island on the count of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. In other words, there's something about my faith that brought me to this place.

And historians and church fathers tell us that this island, that's still in existence today by the way, is located in the Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey. It's about 10 miles long, six miles wide, and we have historical documents that tell us that this was a place where people were banished by the Roman government when they were seen as a political threat. And it was an isolated place. It was a rocky place. It was a destitute place.

It was a miserable place. And they would have to work there. And they would have to suffer there with labor. They didn't have access to the world at least the way you would enjoy and what way you would want it. So he says here that I'm on this island, this penal colony.

And we we read here that he was sentenced there because of what? Obviously, his effect, his impact with the gospel of Jesus Christ was seen as a problem to the Roman political institutions and religious authorities of that time. So they took this man and they dropped him off here. This is where you're gonna be. And this is where he wrote from.

But something happened on a particular day. He says, I was on the island called Patmos, but I was also in the spirit. Did you see that? I was in the spirit, verse 10. Now don't confuse that with what we read in other parts of the New Testament where we're called to walk in the spirit.

We're called to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We're called to keep in step with the Holy Spirit. Something that we must seek to and strive for every single day. The phrase in the spirit in the book of Revelation appears a total of four times. And every single time it's mentioned, it describes a supernatural experience that John has.

So when he says here that I'm in the spirit, that's why context is so important. He's describing something that happened to him, where he's been transported by the spirit of God beyond human senses to perceive something. And so this is an experience that is not normal. This is something unique. And this is something that he's telling them so that they can know that this came from a a a heavenly source.

I was transported. I was this is like an out of body experience, so to speak. And we read here that though this was a unique experience, and though we don't have access or revelations that determine doctrine don't belong to us anymore. Don't belong to us at all. It's done here with the Bible.

There are still things to learn from this. Don't you love here number one, that although John is secluded, he is isolated. He doesn't have the comfort of fellow ministers. He doesn't have the compassion of his congregation to help him. God was with him.

The spirit of the Lord was there with him. And he comforts him, I'm sure, but we have here the almighty sovereign God who visits John. Not that he wasn't with him before, but he makes it so clear that I'm here and I'm gonna show you some things. And it's a blessing for me to know that no matter where I am, no matter who I am with or who I'm not with, I have God. I have the Holy Spirit of God and he's not a thing, he's not a surge of power, he's a person.

And he's there. That's what I take from this. Yes. This is an indication that something amazing is about to happen, but it's also an indication that there's an omnipresent God with this man. But I also see something else.

I don't just see the Holy Spirit surprisingly manifesting himself to John. I see something in John. Because he says, I was in the spirit on the Lord's day. On the Lord's day. There's debate about what John meant by this.

Is he talking about the Sabbath? Is he talking about the day of the Lord, which is a common expression to describe God's judgment? You see it throughout the Old Testament, the day of the Lord. Is that what he's saying here? The spirit took me to see the day of the Lord.

Or is he talking about Sunday, the first day of the week? Now most would say John is saying, I was in the spirit on Sunday because it was customary for Christians in the early church to refer to that day when Jesus rose from the dead as the Lord's day. People fight that, because they say you can't get that from scripture. Fair enough. But what you have is extra biblical sources of early Christians like Ignatius of Antioch, who in his writings refers to Sunday as the Lord's day.

It was a practice for believers to talk about it that way. So it's likely that he is speaking about being in the spirit on the first day of the week when the church gathered. And if he is speaking about that, then it shows that he was mindful of this special day. He knew that it was the lord's day even though he was in prison. Check this out.

Shouldn't this challenge you and I to reflect on the value that we place on the lord's day? It should. Because here you have a man who is separated from the church, and yet you get this indication that he recognized still the significance of this time. We don't know what he did on the Lord's day, but he he knew this was when we worship and recognize and celebrate that Christ resurrected. In prison, he's thinking about the Lord's day.

How much more you and I how much more you and I should we understand with the freedom and fellowship that we get to enjoy of the gift of this day, of pausing and taking time out of our schedules to love and adore and worship him as a church. I see a man here who has devotion, and it's quite impressive. He's away from his life, his comfort, and yet he is he's there. I I'm mindful on the Lord's day. Lastly, I see one more thing with this.

When he says that I am in the spirit on the Lord's day, I see God who had a ministry for John, the most unlikely place, the most unlikely chapter of his life. You know, it's believed that John at this point was between 80 and 90 years old. 80 and 90 years old. And as he's here, he's being used. There are many people who have different fears about aging.

Can I share one of mine? To be transparent when the thought comes to me that if the Lord tarries or unless he wants to bring me home early, we we all know where we're headed with these bodies. Lord, I don't want there to be any limitations in my service to you. I don't wanna be hindered in any way. And then I come to examples and observations like this, and then my heart fills with so much hope.

Because here you have John, the latter portion of his life, being visited by the Lord. And Jesus telling him, I have something for you to do for my church. What does he tell him to do? Write what you see in a book. I'm not done with you yet, John.

I still have things for you to accomplish for my glory. Isn't it wonderful to know that as long as you have breath in these lungs, God still has a plan for your life? God still wants to use you to make a contribution to his church. You know, when I first got saved, I was excited about many things. One of the things that I was thrilled about when I came to church was looking for people who were crowned with gray hair.

You know, young people, when they usually come to church, they want to find other young people. Rightfully so, I wanted the same. I wanted to fellowship with people that I knew. But for just a small portion of that Sunday, I love to find people with suits, nicely combed hair, a little limp to their walk, a Bible in their hands, because I wanted to know what it's like to walk with Jesus for decades. So after the service, on a regular occurrence, I would I would find people, I would get to know their name, and I would just interview them a little bit.

Can you tell me I mean, how long have you been a Christian, brother? I've been a Christian since 20 years old. Now they're in their late eighties. Here you are, you're still serving. Yes?

Still loving the Lord. Absolutely. Then you hear what they endured. I lost my wife to this and I lost my child in that and I was suffering here and just faith faith faith. And even in those small conversations, obviously, you can tell the Lord used these seasoned saints to bless my faith.

There is a unique prayer in the book of Psalms, many unique prayers, and and there's one that relates to what I'm speaking about now. There's no evidence that John prayed it, but I like to think he is the fulfillment of it. Turn to Psalm 71. And notice what the psalmist says in verse 18. So even to old age and gray hairs, oh God, do not forsake me until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Many fears that people have about growing old, being lone, not being able to do basic chores. You know what the psalmist was thinking about? Lord, if you're gonna allow me to grow old, I'm asking that you do not forsake me for this one purpose. I wanna testify of who you are to the next generation. Think about that.

That's this guy's retirement plan. I wanna be able to stand before a whole new generation. And this isn't just limited to preachers, my brethren. You grandparents, do you have that vision for your grandchildren? Do you have that vision for the younger people of this church?

That you would carry yourself in such a way, that you would live for the Lord in such a way, that the Lord would use you and move in your life in such a way that you can bless an entire generation? Those next in line. In include that, please. Let that dominate your hopes and your desires for the days to come. I see John here, an old man, and the Lord recruiting him saying, I have something for you to do.

They'll bear fruit in their old age. Do we not read that in the Psalms as well? I was in the spirit, verse 10, 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. And he lists them. Let's read them again.

To Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea. There are significant churches that we read of in the bible. There's a church in Jerusalem. There's a church in Antioch. They played major major roles in development of the early church.

Why aren't they mentioned here? What about the ones that we read of in the epistles? Why these specific seven churches? I think there are a few reasons and there's one main one. Obviously, these churches were strategic.

We read about one where they were in the same neighborhood as Satan's throne. That sounds like an important church. And we see here that there are these geographical concerns, perhaps. But I believe if there's one thing that you should leave with, it's this. The conditions of these particular seven churches are something that are reflected of the church in every age.

So the circumstances of these churches, the temptations of these churches, all these things that we find in these seven churches are things that are relevant to every church of every period of human history. And that sacred number seven confirms that. He's speaking to the church in general, though he is speaking to these specific assemblies. And when you look at each of these churches as we will in the weeks to come, you're gonna notice many similarities including the way Jesus ends each of them. He makes this statement.

He makes this call. Let's look at Revelation two verse seven, in the first part at least. He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. He says that to every single one of these congregations. Notice that he didn't say, he who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the church.

Churches, plural, which tells you and me this, that although this book, the book of the revelation was given to these churches, there are letters within the letter. Because Christ is not just concerned about granting these people detailed insight and foresight of what's to come in the world. There are practical addresses for the church to prepare for the return of the Lord. And he expected that what was written to Ephesus would also be read in Pergamum. And what was said to Smyrna, the Laodiceans would read.

And what the Laodiceans received personally would also be attributed to Thyatira. So he's speaking to the churches. There are lessons in each of these churches that these seven could share in and no different for us here today. So as we go through this, especially chapter two and three, here's what we have to understand. Christ is speaking to Maranatha Bible Church every single time.

And here's what we have to ask ourselves. Questions that were addressed there and then for us. Have we lost our first love? Are we so caught up in the mechanics of ministry that our hearts are not in it really for the Lord anymore? Are we more passionate about calling out false teachers?

Did you see so and so said this from the pulpit? Did you see what this ministry is doing? But we don't really have worship towards Jesus Christ. Are we willing to hold on to our faith even unto death? Are we tolerating false teaching?

Are we allowing people in our church to teach things that they shouldn't be teaching? Do we have a reputation of seeing God do wonderful things and living so passionately for the Lord while still being spiritually dead today? Are we lukewarm and unfazed by it? This is what Christ is preparing to speak to the churches, not just these seven historical real places, but of all time. But it's more than that.

It's more than that. Lest we think that Christ is just speaking to us in general, lest we think that he's just speaking to the leaders of these churches. Go back to Revelation two seven. Notice what he says in the beginning. He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.

What's the first part? That's singular. That's personal. That's to the individual member of the church. So it's not just us thinking, okay, what is the church saying?

Or what is Christ saying to the church? This is us receiving from Christ personally. What is he saying to you? Have you lost your first love? Do you entertain erroneous teaching?

Do you rely on your past spiritual vitality while you are shriveling up in your soul day by day? Are you lukewarm and okay with it? He who has an ear, let him hear. And as we go through these churches, what we're gonna realize is as much he is confronting these congregations, he's gonna hold every member of the church accountable. So it's not just in bulk.

He's gonna look at every member and say, what about you? In other words, with every letter that we read, Christ is gonna grab us lovingly by the shoulders, look us in the eye and say, are you listening to what I'm saying? Are you hearing me? I'm I'm talking to you. Well, John heard something.

He said, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, write what you see in a book. And here's what's so interesting. He hears this voice. These are the first recorded words of Jesus in the book of Revelation. And what happens in verse 12?

Then I turned to see the voice and what that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands. We know that voice is Jesus. But when John turns to see the voice, he doesn't see Jesus, at least at first. He sees seven golden lampstands. That's not on accident.

How is it that when Jesus speaks and John turns, he doesn't see Christ right away, but he sees these symbols? Well, you have to come to church next week to find out. Let's pray together. Lord, how we need you. How can we retain all these things without your help?

How dangerous it is to take a sermon like this and make it into a lesson instead of an appeal. So, Lord, with the weakness and the limitations that we have from the pulpit down to the pew, we pray that you have mercy on us and that you would take these truths and apply them in our hearts and drive them into our hearts and change our hearts only the way you can. We thank you for what you've said. Give us ears to hear what the spirit says to us. Help us grow in humility, lord.

Help us rely on you day by day. Help us remember that we are all partners in the tribulation, the kingdom, the patient endurance. And help us, oh lord, be eager to you be used by you all the days of our lives. And for those who might have wasted many years, may they hope and trust that you have something for them now, that it can change, that you can use them. We all want that, Lord, as long as we have breath.

And what we pray for your special strength and grace in each of our lives for that purpose, that we might tell of your might to a new generation, that we may declare your gospel to a dying world. So Lord, make this church strong. Help us, oh God, even as we are ready to see a vision of Christ next week. May it change us. We give you all glory and thanks together in Jesus' name.

Amen. Let's stand and worship the Lord, shall we?