Christ’s Care For His Churches | Revelation 1:9-20

Scripture

• Revelation 1:9–20

About this sermon

Introduction: Are we prepared to SUFFER as Christians? Are we preparing our families and our churches to REALLY suffer? Not preparing in a way that looks like the world’s fears. As you know, things have never been more bizarre in our land, and that has many people who DON’T KNOW CHRIST alarmed. So, I’m not talking about just a general sense of alarm. Not prepared in a way that we are constantly trying to read the cultural tea leaves. Not in a way that abandons a biblical view of God’s sovereignty over our lives and the nations. Not in a way full of fear, suspicion, and survival strategies. I mean, prepared to suffer in a way that you see in the Scriptures — that you see in the 1st century church. WE ARE COMMANDED TO DO THIS. NAS 1 Peter 4:1 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. To be armed for suffering is to lock your mind and heart in on doing the will of God. It means recognizing that sin only offers passing pleasure, and to set your heart on eternal treasure. I think about this on this Easter Sunday, because of what Easter has been like for most of us, and for most of our lives. WHAT IS A JOYFUL DAY FOR CHRISTIANS is somewhat celebrated in the surrounding culture. Special clothes, special candies, are found in public stores. Maybe we have come today in a nice new set of clothes. We will go home today and enjoy a special lunch with our families or with friends. Maybe something fun has been organized for the children. This is the way it has always been for my lifetime. But for many people around the world, it isn’t like that today. And it’s not guaranteed that it will be that way for the rest of OUR lives. Do we rightly conceive of the potential cost of following Jesus, and do we EMBRACE THAT COST? And even now, do we recognize our FELLOWSHIP with those who are ALREADY SUFFERING? When the book of Revelation was communicated to the apostle John, the church was not in favorable circumstances. John, himself, was in difficulty. He had been banished to a small island, the little Island of Patmos (where tradition says he was forced to a prisoner’s labor). And when you read the letters to the churches in this Revelation — 7 churches mentioned by name that first received it — persecution was being felt all around and more was on the horizon. As just one example, to Pergamum we read: ESV Revelation 2:13 "'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. WHAT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE TODAY IS THAT THE BOOK OF REVELATION WAS A CARE PACKAGE FOR SUFFERING CHURCHES. It obviously serves the church for the rest of time — it is God’s inspired Word — but it had a very practical purpose at the time it was given. It was a reminder of the ultimate victory of the cause of Christ. It was a reminder of the secure care found in that same Savior. It was an apocalyptic, panoramic, view of the rest of time, stretching into eternity. It is a book that considers things that had already happened, things that were presently happening, and things that would come in the future. And its PRIMARY comfort is the revelation of Christ Himself. As Christ is revealed, His care for His church is revealed. THIS BOOK WAS COMMUNICATED BY THE ONE WHO HAD DIED, AND WAS NOW ALIVE (vs.18). It is the resurrected and glorified Christ, who KNOWS His church, is PRESENT with His church, and is COMMUNICATING with His church. AND AS HE BEGAN, HE GAVE VOICE TO WHAT ALL OF HIS PEOPLE HAVE A SHARE IN. HE REVEALS WHAT BELONGS TO OUR FELLOWSHIP, IF WE KNOW JESUS AS LORD AND SAVIOR. On this day when we celebrate the resurrection of Christ, HEAR the resurrected Christ. This morning we consider four areas of fellowship communicated by Christ as He gives us a vision of Himself. • GOD’S PEOPLE HAVE A FELLOWSHIP IN SUFFERING (vs.9) John the apostle was chosen to communicate the risen Christ’s message to the churches. He introduces himself in verses 1-2, and then refers to himself again in verse 4, and now in our text in verse 9. John is on the island called Patmos. Patmos is a small island, off the coast of Asia Minor, only about 8 miles by 4 miles. It was a location where Rome exiled political criminals. ESV Study Bible — “Assuming (with church tradition) that John had been officially banished to Patmos, he may have been granted some freedom of movement on the island (even if, as claimed in later tradition, he lived in a cave) and may not actually have been in a prison, though he would have been barred from leaving Patmos.”

Topics

• Bible Study
• Jesus Christ
• The Church
• Prophecy & End Times