Revelatory Letter, Revolutionary Living
Revelatory Letter, Revolutionary Living
Key Bible Verses
Revelation 1:1-20
Digging Deeper
John was worshipping on the Sabbath on the Island of Patmos, a small, rocky island in the Aegean Sea, where he was exiled for his Christian faith. John reveals that Jesus gave him the revelation of events, presented by an angel, of what would take place. John faithfully wrote what he was shown.
John declared that all glory goes to Jesus, who loves us and freed us from our sins by shedding His blood for us. Jesus has made us a Kingdom of priests for God, His Father. John further emphasized that all glory and power go to Jesus forever and ever.
In the first Chapter of Revelation, John shared his first vision. He saw seven gold lampstands, seven stars, and a description of someone like the Son of Man standing in the midst of the lampstands. The Son of Man revealed to John the significance of the seven stars and the seven gold lampstands. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. We will learn more about these seven churches in the following chapters.
John testified and was clear as he set the stage for the whole book of Revelation by sharing that “God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near. This revelation is not to be taken lightly, for its time is near. (Revelation 1:3 NLT)
What Not To Miss
This significant series delves into Revelation Chapters 1–3, focusing on the profound teachings about the seven churches in Revelation.
Revelation
It is a letter.
It is a prophetic/apocalyptic (unveiling, revelatory) letter.
It encourages the Church to endure trials, tribulations, and suffering.
It exhorts the Church to repent where sin and misalignment with Christ exist.
It empowers the Church to live presently in light of the eschatological future.
It was written about 60 years after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension and addressed various ways the churches are struggling.
It was written to remind the church of the revolution Jesus started, the revolution they are a part of, and the revolution that will one day be complete.
If embraced, Jesus’ revelatory letter emboldens revolutionary living.
Three key principles about living revolutionary lives are taught in the revelatory letter.
1. Embrace the revelatory Lord and His revolutionary life.
Who Jesus is.
He is communicating to the church in this letter.
He is over all things.
He has conquered sin, death, and the grave. He has conquered Satan and every evil spirit, principality, and power.
What Jesus does.
He loves sinners.
He is living and active in the world, revealing Himself to the world, thus saving/redeeming a people for Himself from all peoples on earth.
He will bring either blessing or curse, salvation or judgment.
What Jesus deserves.
Glory and power and communion forever and ever.
2. Embrace revelatory leaders who exalt our revolutionary Lord.
Principle:
Jesus selects leaders to shepherd and strengthen God’s people for God’s purposes in the world.
Things go well when God’s people listen to and follow His leaders; things don't go well when they ignore and rebel against His leaders.
That doesn’t mean that God’s leaders are infallible, error-free, or perfect; it just means that God has always chosen to use imperfect people to lead His imperfect people.
Revelatory leaders whom we are to follow in revolutionary living:
Never cease serving and giving witness to Jesus.
Are loyal to Jesus and His Church.
Have a posture of worship and should be led by the Spirit.
Have encountered and experienced the reality of Jesus and exclaim that reality to others.
Serve at His feet, being directed by His right hand.
3. Embrace the revelatory letter and the exhortation to revolutionary living.
Jesus writes to the seven churches of Asia Minor.
Christ's message to His church: You are my lampstand in this dark world.
The light was fading for most of these churches, as only two out of seven were in good health, and five were struggling.
How do we maintain the light in this dark world?
To maintain the light, our distinctiveness, and our faith in this dark, difficult, pain-stricken world, Jesus must be the center! We need Jesus in our midst.
In letters to His church, if Jesus is not the center of their church, He will remove their lampstand. We practice Gospel centrality.
Here’s the good and bad news of these churches in Revelation.
Good news. The revelatory letter did lead to revolutionary living. About 250–300 years after this letter, Jesus used His faithful lights to bring incredible transformation to the empire. In 381 AD, Emperor Constantine made Christianity the Roman Empire's official religion.
Bad news. Over the next 1,000 or so years, the lights in these and other churches died to the point where the church now is virtually nonexistent in this region. At some point, they failed to keep Jesus as their center, and as a result, Jesus took out His lampstand.
How do churches keep Jesus in their midst and thus keep the lampstand intact?
Principles:
Churches should read, hear, trust, and obey, for the time is nigh.
When we HEAR and HEED, we will SUCCEED.
Let me summarize the introduction to Revelation this way:
Embracing this revelatory letter emboldens revolutionary living and expands Jesus’ Gospel Revolution in the world.
Northland, this is the kind of church we want to be!
This series will teach us what we need to be this kind of church.
Life Application
Revelation was revealed to John so he could faithfully record and report what he saw, so we can live revolutionary lives. This week, engage by drawing a picture or pictures of what God has impressed on you, visually representing what John wrote in Chapter 1 of Revelation. Make this drawing as elaborate or simple as you wish. As you draw, reflect on what you discovered and how it applies to your life and faith.
Small Group Discussion Questions
Describe something wonderful that has been revealed to you.
Why was the revelation given to John?
How does John greet the seven churches he is writing to?
In Revelation, Chapter 1, what is the vision that John sees and records?
What do we learn about living a revolutionary life from Revelation, Chapter 1?
Daily Devotional Bible Passages
Day 1: Prophecy-Joel 2:28; 2 Peter 1:21; Amos 3:7
Day 2: Tribulation- Romans 12:12; John 16:33; Romans 12:12
Day 3: Fear Not-Philippians 4:6-7; Proverbs 3:5-6; James 1:12
Day 4: Coming of Jesus-Matthew 24:27; Matthew 24:42; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
Day 5: Everlasting Life-John 14:1-3; Philippians 3:20-21; Revelation 22:20
Prayer
Lord, my heart is full of gratitude and wonder as I embrace the truth that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I am awed by how the Bible reveals that Jesus is everlasting. I am thankful that Jesus is my Lord and Savior during this life, and I am comforted that He will be with me as I take my final breath on earth and spend eternity with You. I pray that as I go through life's challenges and uncertainties, I will always remember that You hold my future — and that of the whole world — in Your hands. As I contemplate the things taught in Revelation, I pray for Your strength and guidance as I follow Jesus and live a revolutionary life. Give me the wisdom to see, understand, and embrace Your eternal presence. May I be comforted knowing that whatever circumstances and situations I face, You are in control of all things, and Your love is unchanging and unfailing.
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