Point of Grace International
PGI - August 21, 2022 Sunday Service
In our church we aim to make it feel like a home, where strangers feel they are part of the family, where smiles are overflowing and hugs are natural, because we believe that life is a journey, and that we are simply channel of blessings. In our church we value three things, gratitude because it's the proper response to God, excellence because God expects nothing less, and grace because we all need it.
Locations & Times
Point of Grace Church
15601 Sheridan St, Davie, FL 33331, USA
Sunday 9:30 AM
https://www.facebook.com/PGIFortLauderdale
LYRICS FOR TODAY'S SONGS
CCLI License # 1613304
CCLI License # 1613304
Sermon Notes
August 21 | Revelation 1:1-20
Literary Analysis
(ESV) 1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
9 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 11 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.” 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 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. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. 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, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Text in Context
“The Book of Revelation begins with an elaborate prologue that borrows from both prophetic and epistolary traditions. The foreword (1:1–3) is similar to several prophetic introductions (e.g., Hos. 1:1; Joel 1:1; Amos 1:1) and leads naturally to the author’s claim that this is Christian “prophecy” (1:3). There is also inclusio with the epilogue (22:6–21), which borrows several features (see that passage). Major themes that will define the book (e.g., the imminent eschaton, the authentication of the work as revelatory prophecy,[1] the necessity of perseverance, the identities of the Godhead) are introduced in 1:1–8 and concluded in the epilogue. The prescript (1:4–6) follows Hellenistic epistolary conventions and is similar to Pauline introductory formulas, especially in the combined Greek and Hebrew “grace and peace to you.” The section concludes with a confession or “motto” (1:7–8) that affirms the basic perspective of the book. From this the Apocalypse might be characterized as “a book of prophecy functioning as an apostolic open letter and address to the communities of Asia Minor” (Schüssler Fiorenza 1985: 170). With the epilogue reiterating the prologue, Revelation clearly addresses itself in prophetic style to the problems of the churches in Asia Minor, calling them to “hear and keep” (1:3; 22:7–8) the exhortations of the book.”
Excerpt From: Osborne, Grant R. “Revelation (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament).” Apple Books.
Main Point
“The Lord gives us this “revelation of Jesus Christ” and of what will “soon take place” (1:1) so that we can know and enjoy him by living in light of reality and in light of the way history will be brought to its consummation. More specifically, God wants us to know the glory of his mercy and his justice, and that is what we see in Revelation: history culminates in climactic demonstrations of the glory of God in salvation through judgment. To say it another way, God has given us the book of Revelation so we can know him in his glorious justice and mercy and live worshipfully by faith.”
“This book is a circular letter addressed to Christians in churches. That means it is written to encourage Christians. The whole book was probably intended to be read aloud, in one sitting, in a worship gathering of the local church.8 In writing to seven churches, seven being a number of completion and wholeness, John writes to all the churches.9 Being an apocalyptic prophecy, this letter reveals the future to us; it pulls back the veil and lets us see the world as it truly is. The book of Revelation is meant to help us see reality. And the truth about this world is that it is a world in which the glory of God will be seen in his justice, which in turn will highlight the gracious and free character of his mercy. Knowing that it is God’s purpose to display his glory in these ways is one of the blessings of reading and studying this book.”
Excerpt From: James M. Hamilton Jr. “Revelation (PTW).” Apple Books.
Reading Tip: Intertextuality
What is intertextuality? The term refers to our detecting words in a given text that can be found in another text (broadly speaking). In the Bible we see this happening all the time whenever a New Testament author references or alludes to a person, place, or thing from the Old Testament. And of course, this also happens whenever New Testament authors quote something from the Old Testament.
A famous example of this is when Jesus made his famous cry on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you have forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). To a person who is not well informed, this cry sounds like an expression of disappointment with God. But to the person who is sensitive to intertextuality, and knows Scripture well, Jesus is quoting the beginning of Psalm 22. That Psalm speaks of a righteous sufferer whose opponents deride him and gamble over his garments; things that were happening right there and then.
Moreover, the Psalm continues more optimistically. It speaks of all the ends of the earth returning to the Lord and nations worshiping before him. All this is missed by those who do not detect Psalm 22 behind Jesus’s words!
Excerpt From: BJ Oropeza patheos.com (why-should-i-read-the-bible-intertextually-five-reasons)
August 21 | Revelation 1:1-20
Literary Analysis
(ESV) 1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
9 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 11 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.” 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 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. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. 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, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Text in Context
“The Book of Revelation begins with an elaborate prologue that borrows from both prophetic and epistolary traditions. The foreword (1:1–3) is similar to several prophetic introductions (e.g., Hos. 1:1; Joel 1:1; Amos 1:1) and leads naturally to the author’s claim that this is Christian “prophecy” (1:3). There is also inclusio with the epilogue (22:6–21), which borrows several features (see that passage). Major themes that will define the book (e.g., the imminent eschaton, the authentication of the work as revelatory prophecy,[1] the necessity of perseverance, the identities of the Godhead) are introduced in 1:1–8 and concluded in the epilogue. The prescript (1:4–6) follows Hellenistic epistolary conventions and is similar to Pauline introductory formulas, especially in the combined Greek and Hebrew “grace and peace to you.” The section concludes with a confession or “motto” (1:7–8) that affirms the basic perspective of the book. From this the Apocalypse might be characterized as “a book of prophecy functioning as an apostolic open letter and address to the communities of Asia Minor” (Schüssler Fiorenza 1985: 170). With the epilogue reiterating the prologue, Revelation clearly addresses itself in prophetic style to the problems of the churches in Asia Minor, calling them to “hear and keep” (1:3; 22:7–8) the exhortations of the book.”
Excerpt From: Osborne, Grant R. “Revelation (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament).” Apple Books.
Main Point
“The Lord gives us this “revelation of Jesus Christ” and of what will “soon take place” (1:1) so that we can know and enjoy him by living in light of reality and in light of the way history will be brought to its consummation. More specifically, God wants us to know the glory of his mercy and his justice, and that is what we see in Revelation: history culminates in climactic demonstrations of the glory of God in salvation through judgment. To say it another way, God has given us the book of Revelation so we can know him in his glorious justice and mercy and live worshipfully by faith.”
“This book is a circular letter addressed to Christians in churches. That means it is written to encourage Christians. The whole book was probably intended to be read aloud, in one sitting, in a worship gathering of the local church.8 In writing to seven churches, seven being a number of completion and wholeness, John writes to all the churches.9 Being an apocalyptic prophecy, this letter reveals the future to us; it pulls back the veil and lets us see the world as it truly is. The book of Revelation is meant to help us see reality. And the truth about this world is that it is a world in which the glory of God will be seen in his justice, which in turn will highlight the gracious and free character of his mercy. Knowing that it is God’s purpose to display his glory in these ways is one of the blessings of reading and studying this book.”
Excerpt From: James M. Hamilton Jr. “Revelation (PTW).” Apple Books.
Reading Tip: Intertextuality
What is intertextuality? The term refers to our detecting words in a given text that can be found in another text (broadly speaking). In the Bible we see this happening all the time whenever a New Testament author references or alludes to a person, place, or thing from the Old Testament. And of course, this also happens whenever New Testament authors quote something from the Old Testament.
A famous example of this is when Jesus made his famous cry on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you have forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). To a person who is not well informed, this cry sounds like an expression of disappointment with God. But to the person who is sensitive to intertextuality, and knows Scripture well, Jesus is quoting the beginning of Psalm 22. That Psalm speaks of a righteous sufferer whose opponents deride him and gamble over his garments; things that were happening right there and then.
Moreover, the Psalm continues more optimistically. It speaks of all the ends of the earth returning to the Lord and nations worshiping before him. All this is missed by those who do not detect Psalm 22 behind Jesus’s words!
Excerpt From: BJ Oropeza patheos.com (why-should-i-read-the-bible-intertextually-five-reasons)
ISG Material
Study & Reflection Guide
1. Summarize. Read the passage Revelation 1:1-20. What stuck while reading the passage? What clues do you see to determine how to read the book?
2. Identify. Author (1:1, 4, 9), date, recipient (1:4, 11), subject and circumstances (1:1, 3)
3. Markers. What characterized the seven churches in Asia? What might be the reason why they are singled out?
4. Symbolism. How is Jesus presented in this passage? (1:5, 7) How is God presented in this passage? (1:5-6)
5. Identity. How did John describe what he saw about the “one like the son of man”? (1:12-16) Intertextuality: Zechariah 4:1-14
6. Identify. How did the “one like the son of man” describe himself? (1:17) Intertextuality: Daniel 10:5-6, 7:9, 13; Zechariah 12:10
7. Symbolism. What is a golden lampstand? (1:12) What does it look like? (Exodus 25:31-40) And what does it represent? (1:20) What are the stars?
8. How do you think this book is relevant to our life today? What reality is reflected in the announcement of Jesus that he received “all authority” in Matthew 28:18?
Study & Reflection Guide
1. Summarize. Read the passage Revelation 1:1-20. What stuck while reading the passage? What clues do you see to determine how to read the book?
2. Identify. Author (1:1, 4, 9), date, recipient (1:4, 11), subject and circumstances (1:1, 3)
3. Markers. What characterized the seven churches in Asia? What might be the reason why they are singled out?
4. Symbolism. How is Jesus presented in this passage? (1:5, 7) How is God presented in this passage? (1:5-6)
5. Identity. How did John describe what he saw about the “one like the son of man”? (1:12-16) Intertextuality: Zechariah 4:1-14
6. Identify. How did the “one like the son of man” describe himself? (1:17) Intertextuality: Daniel 10:5-6, 7:9, 13; Zechariah 12:10
7. Symbolism. What is a golden lampstand? (1:12) What does it look like? (Exodus 25:31-40) And what does it represent? (1:20) What are the stars?
8. How do you think this book is relevant to our life today? What reality is reflected in the announcement of Jesus that he received “all authority” in Matthew 28:18?