Welcome to another posting of the Weekend Sermon. I'm so glad to be able to preach the Word of the Lord once again this week.
One week ago, we began a new series of messages on the first five chapters of the book of Revelation. This book is very important because it contains the very words of Jesus.
We looked at the authorship of the book last week, and we saw that while there is some debate as to who wrote Revelation, the consensus is that it was written by the Apostle John while he was in exile on Patmos. We also saw that those who read the words of the book of Revelation will receive a blessing from God.
Today, we begin with chapter one verse four that have John addressing the churches with the words, "Grace and peace to you from Him who was, and who is, and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne." The phrase, who was, who is, and who is to come is interesting. This verse speaks of the eternal existence of God. It is a difficult thing for the human mind to grasp that God has existed forever. He exists at the current time and He will exist forever into the future.
John goes on to say that Jesus is a faithful witness, firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. First of all, Jesus faithfully presented the message of His Father while on earth. Jesus told the world that they needed to turn from sin and turn to God. He taught and lived the message of God's love. Jesus never committed a sin or did anything apart from His Father's will.
Jesus was the firstborn from the dead. By His resurrection, Jesus defeated death and hell. Because Jesus is risen, He is the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Jesus will be raised to new life and will live with Jesus in the place that He has prepared.
Jesus said that He would come again. When He returns, He will rule and reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
John goes on to say that Jesus loved us and washed us from our sins with His own blood. Because He loved us, Jesus was willing to come to this earth. He lead a perfect, holy and sinless life as our example. Because of His great love, Jesus shed His blood on the cross and bore our sins in His body. When we place our faith and trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross, we are washed in the blood of the Lamb. Though are sins are as scarlet, they are made white as snow.
Those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus have been made kings and priests to God. We are the servants of the Lord. We owe Him our allegiance and our obedience.
Once again, John will tell his readers that Jesus is coming again. Every eye on planet earth will behold the Lord at His coming. Some won't be glad to see Jesus come back. Those who practice lawlessness and unrighteousness will face the judgment of the Lord at His Second Advent.
Then in verse eight we read the words of Jesus that say, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
What Jesus is doing here is proclaiming that He is God. He is the Almighty God. This verse teaches the eternal existence of the Second Person of the Trinity. Jesus has existed from eternity past, He exists now and He will exist forever. All of history is under His control.
These are great words. I know that I have placed my life in the hands of Jesus. He is my God and King. No matter what happens, I am eternally safe with Him. He is the powerful God of the universe. There in no greater place wherein I can put my trust.
Verse nine tells us that John was on Patmos when He heard a voice telling Him to write to the seven churches in Asia. Jesus instructed John to write His words in the book of Revelation. The seven churches are in present day Turkey.
There are just a couple of things I want to say about this. At one time, all of what is now Turkey and the Middle East was Christian. There were churches everywhere. Now, there are very few Christians is Turkey and the Middle East. The last figure I saw stated the number of Christians in Turkey at 0.2 percent.
We may have many professing Christians in the Western World, but it doesn't mean that it will always be that way. We must stay faithful to the Lord and spread the gospel where we are.
May God bless you. Amen.
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