Grace Fellowship Church
Dear Church | Revelation 1 | A Vision for the Present
Join us as we kickoff our series titled Dear Church: Letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation.
Locations & Times
Grace Fellowship Church
735 Buth Dr NE, Comstock Park, MI 49321, USA
Sunday 9:30 AM
Revelation 1:1-3 & 9-20
“A Vision for the Present”
Revelation 1:1-3 English Standard Version
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.
Welcome to the introduction to Dear Church, this is a series where we’ll explore the letters Jesus gave to the seven churches in Revelation (not the entirety of revelation).
Together, we’ll reflect on what Christ highlights to these churches as characteristics worth celebrating and compromises that call for repentance.
As we reflect we should notice that these letters still speak to His Church today—this will be a calling for us to listen, reflect, and respond.
Why do I have us going through one of the most heavily debated books in our scriptures as our first real series together?
I’m glad you asked! First, I believe these letters are designed to bring revival to the heart of the church and the individuals therein.
With that in mind, you’ve heard me say at least 5 times that I am a football coach. If you’re sick of it, I promise this isn’t something I will say every week but I have been intentional with my reasoning.
The reason I have said this over and over is because I want us to understand as a Pastor/Shepherd that is how I lead. As a coach, working to unify our team, to help us focus onandexecute the assignment(s) the Lord has given us in present day.
In football there are three phases of the game as we say; offense (try to score), defense (try to stop scoring), and special teams (try to score/stop the score).
When I say I am a coach, I need to note that I am an offensive minded coach. I am NOT a manager of the game. We are trying to score!
I do not play the game on my heels but I would rather be in the other teams face, I try to play the game with a mentality that takes the fight to them. I want us to ALWAYS be a threat.
The goal of this series is to get us living this ‘life’ with the mentality of taking the fight to our opponent.
It is to create “a vision for the present” where we become a threat to the kingdom of darkness.
As a coach it is imperative for me to know our weaknesses and how we are supposed to subdue those in order for us to always be a threat.
In the letters to the seven churches Christ gives us a great rundown of the idolatry we need to avoid to maintain the “mind of Christ” and avoid the cravings from the “mind of the world.”
We will do this by listening, reflecting, and responding to what Christ highlights for these churches to be aware of.
When we are in offensive meetings we always begin the meeting with what the opponent does best. We tell our team what to be careful of and then we get into how we plan to attack them.
So as a good offensive minded coach I have to warn us as we journey into this book of Revelation.
Sometimes in reading revelation we can become mesmerized by the thought of what we label “future visions” and miss the present motivations.
These written ‘things’ about the future are not so much meant to gratify our curiosity of what is to come as it is tostimulate our watchfulness for the present day.
This idea of gratifying our curiosity is a great manipulation of the mind which can lead to a mindset of complacency and kill the aggressive nature to which we need to attack our pursuit of christ-likeness.
Revelation 1:1-3 English Standard Version
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.
This book of revelation is constructed with three styles. We can see it here in the first three verses.
Revelation = Apocalyptic
Prophetic
Epistolary: A Letter
We often get stuck gratifying our curiosity in the first (apocalyptic) and the second (prophetic) and forget that it is a letter written for practical purposes.
It is not meant for our speculation alone it is meant for practical purpose.
…and blessed are those who hear (practical), and who keep(practical) what is written in it.
John’s “letters to the churches” warn us against ideologies as we participate practically in the mission of God here and now.
Before we get into the importance of the letters I want to take a moment to define the other two styles of writing because they are laced throughout the letters to each church.
Again looking at the first three verses.
The revelation of Jesus Christ.
Revelation translated is Apocalypse.
What do we think about when we hear Apocalypse?
As we translate the word in english that most closely resembles the intention in the greek.
It is to show/reveal through , both present and future circumstances.
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show (visual) to his servants the things that must soon take place.
These are letters written for us but not to us. I will expand on that in a moment.
Prophetic
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy
You have to understand the beginning to truly understand the end.
We often think future but much of the prophetic found in this book is rooted in Old Testament imagery and only makes sense when you read it through the lens of the Old Testament.
Revelation references the tree of life, serpent, Jezebel, Temple, Twelve Tribes, plagues, and many more.
There are hundreds of references in the book of revelation to imagery understood within the writings of the Old Testament.
Prophetic is all encompassing; moments that have already happened, moments that were happening, and moments yet to happen.
Let’s not get caught only looking at the things yet to come.
Now let us take a look at the portion this series will actually touch on.
These letters were circulated amongst the seven churches, real people, both to be read by one church but also for all the churches to read each others mail.
Some commentators note this based off the text “hear what the Spirit says to the churches (note the plural).”
It is said, John was the apostolic elder to these specific 7 churches Christ is having him write to and were located on the western seaboard of Turkey known as Asia minor (picture).
These churches were relatively new to their faith in Christ and were all under attack by the anti-christ in three ways. Ways in which the devil still attempts to sleight of hand us today.
Those three areas are:
Persecution - real life/death circumstances
Intellectual - false teachers, prophets, cults.
Moral - a sway from the teaching of Christ toward the day.
These letters are designed to revive the heart of the church away from the 3 items listed and back into the “mind of Christ.”
Each church shares the hope promised to the other churches if they ‘overcome’ the manipulation of the devil.
WHY MUST WE HEAD THIS WARNING?
These people and those of us who would read them later need to understand through whom’s authority were these letters being written.
For example: let’s take the revelation of what Jesus Christ looks like in verses 9-20 here.
This section is a visual, a showing (revelation) of Christ as the High Priest proclaimed prophetically throughout the Old Testament.
Clearly demonstrating that the thing giving instructions to John was the one who was, who is, and who is yet to come (Christ).
Revelation 1:9-20 English Standard Version
Vision of the Son of Man
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.
What we see here coming into picture or visual revelation is a prophecy that is laced throughout the old testament which presents the authority of the Christ.
This is similar to the revelation (vision) Daniel had in the OT.
in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man (Daniel 7),
clothed with a long robe with a golden sash around his chest (Exodus 28; Daniel 10:5)The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow (Daniel 7:9; Isa 1:18) .His eyes were like a flame of fire (Daniel 10:6), his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace (Daniel 10:6), and his voice was like the roar of many waters (Ezekiel 1). In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword (Isaiah 48), and his face was like the sun shining in full strength (Daniel 10:6; Ezekiel 1:7).
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. (A common response when individuals from the Old Testament were in the presence) 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. (A recognition of Christ)19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. (He is commanded to write these items down) 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.
Now we know whom’s authority these ‘written things’ were under, so we MUST consider them.
These written ‘things’ about the future are not so much meant to gratify our curiosity as it is to stimulate our watchfulness for our present. - Unknown
Each church shares the hope promised to the other churches if they ‘overcome’ if we do.
Our hope for this series is we hear the warnings and they become a reminder to us how easily churches can reflect the characteristics of their culture if we don’t become watchful against idolatry.
Being on guard against these issues and attentive to the things Jesus blesses will be the way we become and remain a threat to the kingdom of darkness.
TRANSITION TO COMMUNION
One way to remove a focus of idolatry is for us to come to the table…& turn our focus toward the King
Part of this fight & the war that has been waged is in what we are about to partake in as a group.
COMMUNION
For communion we must make sure we are not lost in the symbolism and are focused on our savior who did have His body broken and His blood spilledfor our sins.
This is a way of us acknowledging this was GIVEN & SHED for you and I.
“A Vision for the Present”
Revelation 1:1-3 English Standard Version
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.
Welcome to the introduction to Dear Church, this is a series where we’ll explore the letters Jesus gave to the seven churches in Revelation (not the entirety of revelation).
Together, we’ll reflect on what Christ highlights to these churches as characteristics worth celebrating and compromises that call for repentance.
As we reflect we should notice that these letters still speak to His Church today—this will be a calling for us to listen, reflect, and respond.
Why do I have us going through one of the most heavily debated books in our scriptures as our first real series together?
I’m glad you asked! First, I believe these letters are designed to bring revival to the heart of the church and the individuals therein.
With that in mind, you’ve heard me say at least 5 times that I am a football coach. If you’re sick of it, I promise this isn’t something I will say every week but I have been intentional with my reasoning.
The reason I have said this over and over is because I want us to understand as a Pastor/Shepherd that is how I lead. As a coach, working to unify our team, to help us focus onandexecute the assignment(s) the Lord has given us in present day.
In football there are three phases of the game as we say; offense (try to score), defense (try to stop scoring), and special teams (try to score/stop the score).
When I say I am a coach, I need to note that I am an offensive minded coach. I am NOT a manager of the game. We are trying to score!
I do not play the game on my heels but I would rather be in the other teams face, I try to play the game with a mentality that takes the fight to them. I want us to ALWAYS be a threat.
The goal of this series is to get us living this ‘life’ with the mentality of taking the fight to our opponent.
It is to create “a vision for the present” where we become a threat to the kingdom of darkness.
As a coach it is imperative for me to know our weaknesses and how we are supposed to subdue those in order for us to always be a threat.
In the letters to the seven churches Christ gives us a great rundown of the idolatry we need to avoid to maintain the “mind of Christ” and avoid the cravings from the “mind of the world.”
We will do this by listening, reflecting, and responding to what Christ highlights for these churches to be aware of.
When we are in offensive meetings we always begin the meeting with what the opponent does best. We tell our team what to be careful of and then we get into how we plan to attack them.
So as a good offensive minded coach I have to warn us as we journey into this book of Revelation.
Sometimes in reading revelation we can become mesmerized by the thought of what we label “future visions” and miss the present motivations.
These written ‘things’ about the future are not so much meant to gratify our curiosity of what is to come as it is tostimulate our watchfulness for the present day.
This idea of gratifying our curiosity is a great manipulation of the mind which can lead to a mindset of complacency and kill the aggressive nature to which we need to attack our pursuit of christ-likeness.
Revelation 1:1-3 English Standard Version
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.
This book of revelation is constructed with three styles. We can see it here in the first three verses.
Revelation = Apocalyptic
Prophetic
Epistolary: A Letter
We often get stuck gratifying our curiosity in the first (apocalyptic) and the second (prophetic) and forget that it is a letter written for practical purposes.
It is not meant for our speculation alone it is meant for practical purpose.
…and blessed are those who hear (practical), and who keep(practical) what is written in it.
John’s “letters to the churches” warn us against ideologies as we participate practically in the mission of God here and now.
Before we get into the importance of the letters I want to take a moment to define the other two styles of writing because they are laced throughout the letters to each church.
Again looking at the first three verses.
The revelation of Jesus Christ.
Revelation translated is Apocalypse.
What do we think about when we hear Apocalypse?
As we translate the word in english that most closely resembles the intention in the greek.
It is to show/reveal through , both present and future circumstances.
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show (visual) to his servants the things that must soon take place.
These are letters written for us but not to us. I will expand on that in a moment.
Prophetic
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy
You have to understand the beginning to truly understand the end.
We often think future but much of the prophetic found in this book is rooted in Old Testament imagery and only makes sense when you read it through the lens of the Old Testament.
Revelation references the tree of life, serpent, Jezebel, Temple, Twelve Tribes, plagues, and many more.
There are hundreds of references in the book of revelation to imagery understood within the writings of the Old Testament.
Prophetic is all encompassing; moments that have already happened, moments that were happening, and moments yet to happen.
Let’s not get caught only looking at the things yet to come.
Now let us take a look at the portion this series will actually touch on.
These letters were circulated amongst the seven churches, real people, both to be read by one church but also for all the churches to read each others mail.
Some commentators note this based off the text “hear what the Spirit says to the churches (note the plural).”
It is said, John was the apostolic elder to these specific 7 churches Christ is having him write to and were located on the western seaboard of Turkey known as Asia minor (picture).
These churches were relatively new to their faith in Christ and were all under attack by the anti-christ in three ways. Ways in which the devil still attempts to sleight of hand us today.
Those three areas are:
Persecution - real life/death circumstances
Intellectual - false teachers, prophets, cults.
Moral - a sway from the teaching of Christ toward the day.
These letters are designed to revive the heart of the church away from the 3 items listed and back into the “mind of Christ.”
Each church shares the hope promised to the other churches if they ‘overcome’ the manipulation of the devil.
WHY MUST WE HEAD THIS WARNING?
These people and those of us who would read them later need to understand through whom’s authority were these letters being written.
For example: let’s take the revelation of what Jesus Christ looks like in verses 9-20 here.
This section is a visual, a showing (revelation) of Christ as the High Priest proclaimed prophetically throughout the Old Testament.
Clearly demonstrating that the thing giving instructions to John was the one who was, who is, and who is yet to come (Christ).
Revelation 1:9-20 English Standard Version
Vision of the Son of Man
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.
What we see here coming into picture or visual revelation is a prophecy that is laced throughout the old testament which presents the authority of the Christ.
This is similar to the revelation (vision) Daniel had in the OT.
in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man (Daniel 7),
clothed with a long robe with a golden sash around his chest (Exodus 28; Daniel 10:5)The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow (Daniel 7:9; Isa 1:18) .His eyes were like a flame of fire (Daniel 10:6), his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace (Daniel 10:6), and his voice was like the roar of many waters (Ezekiel 1). In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword (Isaiah 48), and his face was like the sun shining in full strength (Daniel 10:6; Ezekiel 1:7).
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. (A common response when individuals from the Old Testament were in the presence) 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. (A recognition of Christ)19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. (He is commanded to write these items down) 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.
Now we know whom’s authority these ‘written things’ were under, so we MUST consider them.
These written ‘things’ about the future are not so much meant to gratify our curiosity as it is to stimulate our watchfulness for our present. - Unknown
Each church shares the hope promised to the other churches if they ‘overcome’ if we do.
Our hope for this series is we hear the warnings and they become a reminder to us how easily churches can reflect the characteristics of their culture if we don’t become watchful against idolatry.
Being on guard against these issues and attentive to the things Jesus blesses will be the way we become and remain a threat to the kingdom of darkness.
TRANSITION TO COMMUNION
One way to remove a focus of idolatry is for us to come to the table…& turn our focus toward the King
Part of this fight & the war that has been waged is in what we are about to partake in as a group.
COMMUNION
For communion we must make sure we are not lost in the symbolism and are focused on our savior who did have His body broken and His blood spilledfor our sins.
This is a way of us acknowledging this was GIVEN & SHED for you and I.