Have No Fear, Jesus Is Here

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Jesus Unveiled

Have No Fear, Jesus Is Here

(Revelation 1:9-20)

 

INTRODUCTION

“The first summer that my wife and I were dating, she worked as a temp at a bank. In the first two weeks that she had the job, she quickly noticed some extremely unprofessional behavior among the team of four people that she worked with and their supervisor. The supervisor, who was a generation older, was very friendly with the younger staff, taking long coffee breaks with them. College-aged staff would sit on her desk to chat and gossip.

 

The supervisor and her team were so friendly that the group's behavior toward one other new member of the team was a stark contrast. This person, a woman in her 30s who had come on staff just a week before my wife, was shunned. If she walked up and tried to join the conversation during a coffee break, the conversation ended. The group, including the supervisor, made jokes about her behind her back and laughed at the way she dressed. They rolled their eyes and winked at each other when she was present. It was obvious that this middle management worker was perceived as an unnecessary intrusion.

 

Two weeks into the temp job, my wife walked into the office on Monday morning and was surprised to find a much different scenario. No gossiping, no kidding around, no long coffee breaks. All the workers had their eyes riveted on their work. The previous supervisor had been replaced. The cliquish team addressed the new supervisor with formal, businesslike respect. My wife thought she even saw fear in their eyes.

 

The new supervisor was not a stranger. It was the 30-something woman who had been shunned and mocked. It turned out the bank had hired her to be the new supervisor from the first day she came on the job three weeks before, but the bank had concealed her true identity so she could observe the work style of the team.

 

In some ways, this situation resembles the coming of Christ to earth. In his first coming, Jesus Christ revealed his true identity and glory to his true followers, but to those who did not believe, his glory was largely hidden by his humanity. Following his resurrection, Christ ascended to the right hand of God, where he rules all things. One day he is coming again to the earth to establish his glorious kingdom over everything. At that time there will be no mistaking who is in charge.

 

[Craig Brian Larson, editor of PreachingToday.com; http://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2010/august/1081610.html]

 

BODY

  • ME

    • As a son

        • When I first started playing baseball as a child I’m certain my parents went with me and stayed for the practice, because it was something new and I was scared/nervous

        • As I got older, I remember riding my bike into Shippensburg by myself for baseball practice and then riding home afterwards – the fear I had about going to baseball practice was no longer there

        • Every new thing I experienced growing up brought some fear with it (going hunting; going to high school; driving a car; moving to Birmingham, AL; going to college; etc.)

        • The great thing is that I was able to do all of things, because I knew that my parents were right there with me

    • As a father

        • I’ve gotten to experience this from the other side now, as a parent

        • Whether it was going to public school, going through the hunter’s safety course with Wade and Seth, playing basketball at Carlisle Christian Academy, preparing for their permit and driver’s tests, going through the motorcycle course with Seth, filling out the FAFSA form for financial aid, filling out college applications and work applications, and eventually living on their own

        • Those things can be scary when you do it for the first time, but our boys know that Judy and I are right there with them through each of those life experiences to support them and encourage them

 

  • WE

    • Every one of us probably remembers having someone right there with us to go through our life experiences for the first time – their presence provided the strength we needed to do something that scared us or made us nervous

    • As parents, we know what it’s like to be on the other side and to be the one who provides support and encouragement

    • Take a moment to remember the person or people who walked with you through your scary life experiences – thank God for them!

    • Also, take a moment to think about those you will walk alongside of to support and encourage as they go through the same experiences you did

 

John expresses that he is a brother and companion to those who are experiencing suffering, but he also wants us to understand that . . .

 

BIG IDEA – Jesus’ victory guarantees a fear-free future.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Revelation 1:9-20)

    • Suffering for Christ (vv. 9-11)

        • John’s circumstance

          • Brother

            • John felt close to those he was writing to, because of their common bond in Jesus Christ

            • They were brothers and sisters in Christ and were experiencing the same things

            • 1 John 3:13, Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.

            • John 15:18-21, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ​​ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. ​​ As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. ​​ That is why the world hates you. ​​ Remember the words I spoke to you: ​​ ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ ​​ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. ​​ If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ​​ They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.

            • Just because John was one of the Apostles, it didn’t make him any better than the other 1st Century followers of Jesus – it didn’t give him a free pass from suffering, persecution, or being hated by the world

            • In fact John was a companion with the other followers of Jesus Christ in three specific ways

          • Companion

            • Suffering

              • The word means pressure, affliction, or distress in general terms, but also encompasses the tribulations of the last days

              • As Christians, we will experience difficulties and afflictions because of the Biblical principles we faithfully live by

                • John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. ​​ In this world you will have trouble. ​​ But take heart! ​​ I have overcome the world.”

                • 2 Timothy 3:12, In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted

              • “With it, John insists that he shares with Christians in Asia Minor the tribulations of the end time, which consist of possible exile, imprisonment, social ostracism, slander, poverty, economic exploitation, violence, and the constant threat of judicial action.” ​​ [Schussler Fiorenza cited by Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 80]

              • Tertullian recorded one saying of Jesus that was still circulating in his day: ​​ “No one can obtain the kingdom of heaven without first passing through testing.” ​​ [Tertullian cited by Keener, The NIV Application Commentary, Revelation, 81]

              • PRINCIPLE – As followers of Jesus Christ, we will experience suffering.

            • Kingdom

              • This refers to Jesus’ reign that began during His first advent on earth and will be fulfilled when He returns the second time

              • It’s because of Jesus’ kingdom and obedience to it that we suffer difficulties and persecution, but it’s also the hope of His future kingdom that enables us to patiently endure right now

            • Endurance

              • “‘Endurance’ or perseverance means to abide under a heavy load, to stay with it, to hang in there, not to throw in the towel or drop out of the race.” ​​ [Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, 21]

              • PRINCIPLE – God provides the strength for His people to patiently endure suffering

                • John’s exile to Patmos did not catch God or Jesus off guard

                • The suffering, the kingdom, and the patience to endure are all ours in Jesus

                • He knew just what John needed to endure

                • James 1:2-4, Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ​​ Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

              • Perhaps you’re experience suffering or persecution because of the Biblical principles you faithfully live by (family members, coworkers, neighbors, classmates, friends)

                • God is aware of what you’re going through – He is not surprised by it, nor is He caught off guard

                • He will give you the strength to patiently endure

                • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Trust God to give me the strength to endure the suffering or persecution that I am currently experiencing.

          • The reason for John’s current location

            • We know that John was currently on the island of Patmos

              • This little island was about ten miles long and six miles wide

              • It was located in the Aegean Sea about 40 miles west-southwest of Miletus

              • It’s terrain was rocky and mountainous

              • Those exiled there were used for hard labor in the rock quarries

              • The island was not deserted, it included a Greek gymnasium and a temple and cult of Artemis

                • I know what you’re thinking, “being exiled on an island with the peaceful sounds of the sea lapping against the coastline doesn’t sound too bad.”

                • “Hey, they had a temple for worship and a gymnasium to work out – it doesn’t sound much different than our prisons today.”

                • John had it made – he didn’t have to pay a monthly gym membership, because it was provided by the Roman government

            • We also know why he was there

              • It was because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus

              • He was preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and as a result had become a criminal against the state

              • Eusebius records that John was exiled in AD 95 during the reign of Domitian

              • John MacArthur gives us an idea of what John may have been experiencing while exiled

              • “According to the Roman historian Tacitus, exile to such islands was a common form of punishment in the first century. ​​ At about the same time that John was banished to Patmos, Emperor Domitian exiled his own niece, Flavia Domitilla, to another island. ​​ Unlike Flavia Domitilla, whose banishment was politically motivated, John was probably sent to Patmos as a criminal (as a Christian, he was a member of an illegal religious sect). ​​ If so, the conditions under which he lived would have been harsh. ​​ Exhausting labor under the watchful eye (and ready whip) of a Roman overseer, insufficient food and clothing, and having to sleep on the bare ground would have taken their toll on a ninety-year-old man. ​​ It was on the bleak, barren island, under those brutal conditions, that John received the most extensive revelation of the future ever given.” ​​ [MacArthur cited by Akin, 20]

          • We know the day this took place

            • It was the Lord’s Day – by this time it would have been the first day of the week, which represented the day of Jesus’ resurrection (it’s what we refer to as Sunday)

            • John was in the Spirit this particular Lord’s Day

              • John was probably worshiping the Lord when he received the revelation

              • Mounce refers to it as “a state of spiritual exaltation best described as a trance.” ​​ [Mounce, The New International Commentary of the New Testament, Revelation, 55]

              • This same phrase appears in Revelation 4:2; 17:3; and 21:10 and means that John had a vision that was inspired by the Spirit of God [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 17]

          • Two of John’s senses are used while he is in the Spirit – hearing and sight

        • What John heard

          • A loud voice like a trumpet

            • This simile simply helps us understand that when Jesus spoke to John it was clear, unmistakable, and intelligible

            • John would not have misunderstood what Jesus was telling him to do

          • The command from the Jesus

            • John was to write on a scroll everything he was about to see and then send it to the seven churches

            • While John mentioned that his letter was written to the seven churches in the province of Asia (Rev. 1:4), we now know the specific churches we was talking about (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea)

        • In verses 12-16 we see that John uses his sense of sight

    • Characteristics of Christ (vv. 12-16, 20)

        • John turned around to see who was speaking to him and he saw several things

        • Seven golden lampstands (vv. 12, 20)

          • The first thing that John identifies when he turns around are seven golden lampstands

          • We don’t have to wonder what the seven golden lampstands represent, because Jesus reveals the mystery as we see in the second half of v. 20 – they represent the seven churches in the province of Asia Minor to whom John is writing

          • The imagery of the lampstands are significant

            • The lampstand was designed to be placed in the center of a room in the 1st Century and a lamp or lamps were placed on them so that it would give light to the entire room

            • The imagery of the churches being represented as lampstands is a representation of their function within the various cities – they were to be shining lights in the dark and evil world

              • Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. ​​ A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ​​ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. ​​ Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ​​ In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

              • As a body of believers, who are followers of Jesus Christ, we are to be shining lights in our dark and evil world

              • Are we doing that?

                • Yes! ​​ (Upper Adams Food Pantry; Gettysburg Soup Kitchen; Ronald McDonald House; Service projects; Hallelujah Party; Children’s Easter Breakfast; etc.)

                • Can we improve? ​​ Yes!

                • Show Video – Becoming a Welcoming Church, Book Trailer

              • It’s more than just serving and being welcoming

                • It is also sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with those in our sphere of influence

                • The women’s Bible study is currently going through the curriculum, Tell Someone, by Greg Laurie that provides the Biblical background and urgency with which we should be sharing the Gospel

                • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Commit to share the Gospel with one person this week.

                • There are many resources available to share the Gospel with someone – we have some tracts available in the foyer today for you to take and use

          • Before we look at how John describes the characteristics of Jesus, we see that Jesus is standing among the lampstands

            • We don’t want to miss this very important aspect of what John saw

            • After Jesus’ resurrection, we know that He ascended to heaven and is sitting at the right hand of God, but as He is unveiled here in Revelation, we seem Him standing among the churches who are experiencing persecution

            • He is right there with them caring for them

            • “When John says he saw Christ in the midst of the lampstands, he wants to let us know that Christ is not an absentee landlord. ​​ On the contrary, he is in the midst of his churches supporting them during trials and persecutions.” ​​ [Metzger cited by Osborne, 87]

            • That’s a wonderful image of what Jesus is still doing in His churches

              • We can have comfort in the fact that Jesus is right here with us caring for us and supporting us when we experience trials and persecutions

              • Hebrews 13:5b-6, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” ​​ So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. ​​ What can man do to me?”

          • John now uses incredible word pictures to describe the characteristics of the risen Christ

        • Vision of Jesus

          • We see Jesus unveiled here as John writes down what He saw

            • He was putting into human terms the glory and majesty of Jesus Christ

            • He was also identifying multiple characteristics of Jesus Christ that revealed His authority as the Son of God

          • Long robe and golden sash

            • Priest

              • Most scholars see the long robe and golden sash as representing Jesus as our High Priest

              • Exodus 28:4, These are the garments they are to make: ​​ a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. ​​ They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests.

              • The Greek word used for long robe is only found in this verse in the New Testament, but it is found seven times in the Greek translation of the Old Testament (LXX) – six of the seven references refer to the attire of the high priest [Mounce, 58]

              • We know that Jesus functions in the role of our high priest

              • Hebrews 4:14-16, Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ​​ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. ​​ Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

            • King/Ruler

              • The long robe and sash were also worn by dignitaries and rulers

              • This imagery of Jesus also fits with who He is

              • Revelation 1:5 refers to Jesus as the ruler of the kings of the earth

              • Revelation 19:16, On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: ​​ KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

            • John moves from the clothing to different parts of the body

          • Hair was white like wool, as white as snow

            • This imagery is also found in the book of Daniel

            • Daniel 7:9, “As I looked, ‘thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. ​​ His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. ​​ His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.

            • That description is of God the Father, but we see in Revelation that it is attributed to Jesus, which strengthens the idea of the unity between the Father and the Son

            • The white hair was an indication of Jesus’ wisdom and dignity

            • Proverbs 16:31, Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.

            • PRINCIPLE/TRUTH – Jesus is full of wisdom.

              • This is great news for us, because we can turn to Him in our confusion and when we don’t understand what is going on in our lives

              • He can provide wisdom for the circumstances we are going through

              • That wisdom may come from family, friends, coworkers, the Bible, the Holy Spirit while in prayer, pastors, preachers, etc.

            • John remains looking at Jesus face and focuses on His eyes

          • Eyes like blazing fire

            • Daniel also saw a vision of a man with eyes like flaming torches (Daniel 10:6)

            • The characteristic of Jesus that we see with blazing eyes, is that He sees and perceives everything that is unfolding in humanity

            • It is a penetrating and divine insight that provides omniscient (all-knowing) intelligence

            • Nothing is hidden from Jesus

            • Some children believe their mothers have these kind of eyes – they don’t say she has eyes blazing like fire, but rather eyes in the back of their head (they seem to know everything that’s happening)

          • Feet like bronze glowing in a furnace

            • “Since feet in the ancient world portrayed the direction of one’s life, the image here depicts Christ’s life in both its strength or stability and its absolute purity.” ​​ [Osborne, 91]

            • We can know that Jesus is standing strong and He stable – He will not stumble, fall, or waver

          • Voice like the sound of rushing water

            • Have you been to Niagara Falls and taken the boat to the edge of the falls?

              • What was the sound like? ​​ (deafening)

              • Were you able to talk over it?

            • The imagery here is that Jesus’ voice is powerful – it cannot be ignored

          • Seven stars in Jesus’ right hand

            • Throughout Scripture the right hand symbolizes power, authority, and honor

            • The idea that Jesus is holding the seven stars in His hand represents two things

              • He has acquired or taken possession of those seven stars

              • It also has the idea that Jesus is keeping, preserving, and protecting those seven stars

              • It reminds us of what Jesus said as He compared His followers to sheep

              • John 10:27-28, My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ​​ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.

            • We don’t have to guess what the stars represent, because Jesus explains it in verse 20

              • The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches

              • The Greek word used is angelos and can be interpreted as angel or messenger

              • I don’t want us to get caught up in trying to determine whether or not it is an actual angel or a pastor/leader within each church

              • Mounce believes it “was a way of personifying the prevailing spirit of the church.” ​​ [Mounce, 63]

              • Either way, Jesus is holding them and protecting them in their role

          • Sharp double-edged sword coming out of Jesus’ mouth

            • The sword that is represented by this imagery is a long sword used for battle and not a dagger

            • What we understand from this is that Jesus has the authority to judge

            • “In His judgments He is perfect (v. 16) . . . The sword is the Word of God, divine in judgment, power, and authority. ​​ It both cuts and cures, hurts and heals.” ​​ [Akin, 24]

            • Hebrews 4:12, For the word of God is living and active. ​​ Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

          • Face like the sun shining in all its brilliance

            • This wasn’t the first time that John had seen Jesus’ face like this

            • At the transfiguration in Matthew 17:2, John saw Jesus’ face shining like the sun

            • This represents Jesus’ brilliance, glory, holiness, and majesty

            • This is Jesus in all of His divine glory

        • We see Jesus unveiled as the divine authority, who has infinite wisdom, perceives everything, is strong and stable, cannot be ignored, is a powerful protector, and who judges correctly

        • When we recognize those characteristics in Jesus there is only one response

    • Power of Christ (v. 17-20)

        • John’s correct response to seeing Christ

          • He fell down at Jesus’ feet as though he was dead

          • That should be our response when we truly recognize who Jesus is and the power and authority He possesses over all humanity

        • Jesus’ encouragement

          • Jesus touches John with that powerful right hand and tells him to stop being afraid

          • Jesus explains why John doesn’t need to be afraid (Easley outlines it very well)

            • He has power over time (I am the First and the Last)

              • Jesus was there at creation, He is here now, He will be there at the end of time, and He will be in eternity

              • Jesus is eternal

            • He has power over life (I am the Living One)

              • This is a powerful description of Jesus that separates Him from every other spiritual leader

              • “In the OT the title is in antithesis to the idols/pagan gods that have no life or power.” ​​ [Osborne, 95]

              • In the pagan temples in the ancient near-east they had priests who would go in each morning and dress the idols and prepare food for them, because they were incapable of doing it themselves (they were not alive). ​​ They would prepare them for bed in the evening

              • Jesus is alive! ​​ God restored life to Him at His resurrection

            • He has power over sin (I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!)

              • Romans 3:10-12, As it is written: ​​ “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. ​​ All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.

              • Our sin separates us from God (Rom. 6:23)

              • God had a plan from the start (Rom. 5:8)

              • Jesus lived a sinless life and then willingly gave His life for ours – He took our place on the cross (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

              • God accepted Jesus’ perfect sacrifice and allowed Him to come alive again winning over sin and death

              • 2 Corinthians 5:21, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

                • It is by believing in Jesus and receiving Him into our lives that we become the righteousness of God

                • Through the blood of Jesus Christ, God sees us as righteous – without sin

                • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Claim the righteousness of God by believing in Jesus and receiving Him as my sin substitute.

            • He has power over death (And I hold the keys of death and Hades)

              • “In ancient palaces, the one who held the keys was an important official, able to admit or shut out people from the king’s presence.” ​​ [Keener, 97]

              • The person who holds the keys is the one who has power and authority over those things

              • Jesus has power and authority over death and the grave (the place of all the dead)

          • Jesus is all-powerful!

          • Jesus’ victory guarantees a fear-free future.

          • Jesus commands John to write a couple of things down

        • Outline for the rest of the book

          • Most scholars see verse 19 as an outline for the entire book of Revelation

          • There is debate over whether it has two or three points

          • The majority of commentators see three distinct parts

            • What you have seen is referring to all of chapter 1, including John’s vision of Jesus in His divine glory

            • What is now is referring to chapters 2-3 and the seven churches in Asia Minor

            • What will take place later is referencing all of chapters 4-22

            • This is certainly a viable outline

          • Mounce posits that the first statement is the essential one and the two relative clauses develop the essential one

            • So the verse could be translated this way, “Write, therefore, the things you are about to see, that is, both what now is and what lies yet in the future.” ​​ [Mounce, 62]

            • For us in the 21st Century this helps us think about what is happening right now and what is still to come in the final eschatology

 ​​​​ YOU

    • When we realize who Jesus is, our response should be to fall down at His feet

        • I want to give you that opportunity today

        • Perhaps you’re going through some difficulty or suffering right now and you need to trust God to give you the strength to patiently endure – the altar is open for you today to fall down at the feet of Jesus

        • Maybe you need the strength to share the Gospel with one person this week and you need to be reminded of the urgency of doing that and the transformation that Jesus provided for you when you turned to Him – the altar is open for you today

        • We saw through the vision that John had that Jesus is unveiled as the divine authority, who has infinite wisdom, perceives everything, is strong and stable, cannot be ignored, is a powerful protector, and judges correctly – when we think about those characteristics our only response is to fall down at Jesus feet, so that may be your response of praise to God today – the altar is open for you

        • Maybe you realize for the first time that you need to claim the righteousness of God for yourself by believing and receiving Jesus as your sin substitute – your act of submission to Jesus today is to fall at His feet – the altar is open for you

  • WE

12

 

/by

God’s Plan From Beginning to End

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Jesus Unveiled

God’s Plan From Beginning to End

(Revelation 1:1-8)

 

INTRODUCTION

How many of you are familiar with J. R. R. Tolkien’s series of books, Lord of the Rings? ​​ Perhaps you’re more familiar with the three movies that were produced. ​​ The premise behind the books and the movies is that there is a battle between good and evil.

 

At the end of the third book we read these words, “When Aragorn arose all that beheld him gazed in silence, for is seemed to them that he was revealed to them now for the first time. ​​ Tall as the sea-kings of old, he stood above all that were near; ancient of days he seemed and yet in the flower of manhood; and wisdom sat upon his brow, and strength and healing were in his hands, and a light was about him. ​​ And then Faramir cried: ​​ ‘Behold the King!’”

 

Kendell H. Easley in his commentary says, “This excerpt suggests that Tolkien knew the true King of kings. ​​ He knew that human history is all about a real battle between good and evil. ​​ He knew that the true King has not yet been revealed in his splendor, but will one day.” [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, 11]

 

Aragorn was with the Hobbits and the other characters as they fought their way to the mountain where the one ring would be destroyed. ​​ He was known to them as Strider, but He was with them nonetheless.

 

Jesus was physically with humanity for a period of time. ​​ He is with us now through the Holy Spirit that lives within every believer. ​​ We see through all of Scripture that God’s sovereign plan continues to unfold throughout history. ​​ It is His redemptive plan that was set into motion when Adam and Eve sinned. ​​ It continues today and will one day be fulfilled when Jesus Christ returns.

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Past

        • I’ve seen God’s redemptive plan at work in my life in the past

        • I was four years old when I believed in Jesus Christ for salvation

        • I didn’t understand all that a relationship with Jesus meant at that age, but God continued to work in my life as I learned more and more about His Son

        • As a teenager, I felt the call to missionary work, but didn’t know when or where

        • It wasn’t until three years after graduating college that I began to serve with Child Evangelism Fellowship

        • God’s sovereign plan for my life continued to unfold as I was obedient to His call into pastoral ministry

    • Present

        • I’ve seen God working in my life even now

        • As a family we’ve been reading through the Bible and praying for the nations this year

        • It has been an incredible time of bonding as a family and it’s brought up good conversations and some laughter

        • God has also been working in my life through several books I’ve read recently

          • Not A Fan and Radical have challenged me to deny myself, take up my cross daily, and follow Jesus Christ

          • I’m still working through what that looks like for me

    • Future

        • I recently started reading Visioneering by Andy Stanley and that has been challenging me to think about the future and the vision God has given me in several areas: ​​ career, finances, spouse, children, ministry, etc.

        • I’m looking forward to developing and praying about those visions

        • I don’t know when some of them will come to fruition, but I know that God’s sovereign plan will be revealed and accomplished in His time

​​ 

  • WE

    • How have you seen God’s sovereign plan at work in your past? ​​ (spouse, job, career, salvation, etc.)

    • How do you see God’s sovereign plan working in your life right now?

    • Do you believe that God’s sovereign plan will be accomplished in your life in the future?

 

As John begins his letter to the seven churches in the province of Asia, he wants us to understand that . . .

 

BIG IDEA – God’s sovereign plan is seen in the past, present, and future.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Revelation 1:1-8)

    • Theme

        • The theme for the entire book of Revelation is “Jesus Unveiled”

          • The very first word in the original Greek text is ʹΑποκάλυψις and it means “the act of uncovering, unveiling, revealing, revelation.” ​​ [Rogers & Rogers, The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament, 610]

          • The book of Revelation is the unveiling of the culmination of God’s plan to redeem humanity

          • That plan includes Jesus Christ at every step

          • We’ll see Jesus unveiled in multiple ways throughout this book

          • If you remember, I told you that I would give you the greatest teaching of Revelation that isn’t found in most commentaries – “right before the final judgment, God is still wooing the people of this world. ​​ His judgments are designed to call everyone to repentance. ​​ God may do His greatest act of evangelism at the very end. ​​ This may be why believers are still here.” ​​ [Dr. Douglas Buckwalter, lecture at Evangelical Seminary]

        • Apocalypse

          • Most movies today that portrait the apocalypse make it look scary and something that should be feared

          • Yet, that is not how we should look at the Apocalypse

          • This is God’s fulfillment of His sovereign redemption plan

            • We saw His sovereign redemption plan in the past

              • He promised Adam and Eve that He would send a Savior

              • He made a covenant with Abraham

              • He promised David that someone from His line would always sit on the throne – it is Jesus!

              • He sent Jesus over two thousand years ago to be the perfect Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world

            • We see His sovereign redemption plan in the present

              • The presentation we showed during halftime at the “Super Game” Night from Sports Spectrum and Football Sunday highlighted interviews from NFL players talking about what Seeking, Surrendering, and Serving looks like for them

              • This past year, the Philadelphia Eagles team saw several players give their lives to Jesus Christ and be baptized

              • It’s not just through NFL players that we see God’s sovereign redemption plan at work in the present, but also through every individual who surrenders their life to Jesus Christ

            • Through Revelation we have a glimpse into His sovereign redemption plan for the future

    • Introduction (vv. 1-3)

        • Transmission of the revelation (vv. 1-2)

          • John gives us a little introductory explanation about how the revelation of Jesus was transmitted to him

            • The revelation that John receives is not his own revelation, but rather Jesus’ revelation

            • There is great discussion about whether the revelation is about Jesus or from Jesus

            • Most scholars believe the original Greek within context favors the subjective genitive meaning – from Jesus – instead of the objective genitive – about Jesus

            • But the meaning of the Greek can be both of/about and from

            • It is definitely from Jesus, but I believe we’ll see that this revelation is an unveiling of Jesus as God’s fulfillment of His sovereign plan

          • There was a chain of communication that took place

            • The revelation was transmitted from God to Jesus

            • Jesus then shared it with an angel who in turn shared it with His servant John

            • In writing this book of the Bible, John then shares it with Jesus’ servants, the congregations of the seven churches in the province of Asia and of course with all believers down through history (that includes us)

          • What must soon take place

            • This phrase has caused some confusion and controversy over the years

            • How can this revelation be something that is soon to take place, if it has been two thousand years since John wrote these words?

            • How is John defining “soon”?

            • The Greek word means “speed, swiftness,” but with the preposition can mean “quickly, suddenly, soon.” ​​ Walvoord explains that the word indicates rapidity of execution [Rogers & Rogers, 610]

            • “It’s the same Greek word from which we get the word ‘tachometer’ – the instrument used to determine the speed of an engine. ​​ Thus, the Lord is telling us in this verse that when end-time events begin to happen, they’ll increase their rpms and happen with greater rapidity.” ​​ [Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary New Testament, 1663-1664]

            • We also have to remember that God works outside of our time/space continuum

              • Jesus’ return is always imminent in prophecy

              • Chronological sequence is always a secondary concern when speaking about prophecy [Mounce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, 41]

              • We should have a sense of expectation and responsibility when we read that the end will soon take place [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, 55]

              • Live each day as if Christ is returning today

          • Testifying to everything he saw

            • John is letting us know that what he wrote down is everything he saw when he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day (Rev. 1:10)

            • He also clarifies that what he saw was the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ

            • Those two statements are one in the same

        • Beatitude (v. 3)

          • This is the first of seven beatitudes that we will find in Revelation (14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14)

          • The same Greek word is used here as in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:1-12 and Luke 6:17-26

          • It can be defined as “happy”

          • Two groups can count themselves blessed/happy

            • Those who read it

              • There weren’t many in the 1st Century church who were able to read

              • So, it’s not hard to understand why those who could read and did read Holy Scripture were blessed or happy

              • They were sharing the very words of God to those who couldn’t read

              • This is how the Gospel was spread throughout the Roman world

            • Those who hear it and take it to heart

              • To take it to heart meant to “keep” or “observe”

              • Both the reader and hearer were to obey what was read

              • Jesus expresses in Luke 11:28 almost the exact same words as here, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

              • The theme of listening continues throughout Revelation, especially when addressing the seven churches

              • In each letter we hear these words, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22)

              • Even though each church is addressed individually, all of the churches are to listen and obey what is being said to the other churches

          • PRINCIPLE – God will bless His people who read His word and those who hear it and obey it.

            • We have the opportunity to experience God’s blessing in ​​ our lives – to be happy

            • There are individuals in our culture who cannot read (children, the elderly, the illiterate)

              • What greater privilege than to read God’s Word to them, so they can hear and obey His Word

              • Through reading Scripture to others, we allow them to experience God’s blessing – to be happy

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Commit to reading God’s Word to someone who is unable to read it.

            • We also have the opportunity to be blessed by God when we hear and obey His Word

              • James 1:22-25, Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. ​​ Do what it says. ​​ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ​​ But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.

              • Is there some way God has been challenging you to obey Him through the reading or hearing of His Word?

              • Have you been obedient?

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Experience God’s blessing and be happy by being obedient to His Word.

          • The reason why they are to listen and obey is because the time is near

        • After explaining how he received the revelation of Jesus, John shares the traditional greeting of the 1st Century

    • Greeting (vv. 4-5a)

        • He identifies himself as the sender – John (the beloved disciple of Jesus)

        • The recipients are the seven churches in the province of Asia

          • This region would have been western Asia Minor

          • Today it is western Turkey

          • “Furthermore, the seven cities were located ‘on the great circular road that bound together the most populous, wealthy, and influential part of the Province.’” ​​ [Mounce, 45]

          • The letter would start at Ephesus, which was closest to the island of Patmos, and would end at Laodicea after completing the circular route

          • Each church probably hand-copied their own, so they could read it again and again

          • The other cities and villages within Asia Minor would learn of this great revelation from those seven churches

        • The greeting

          • Grace and peace

            • This was the standard Christian greeting in the 1st Century

            • We see Paul using this greeting in his letters to the various churches

            • Grace is God’s unmerited favor (unconditional and undeserved kindness)

              • This would have been the traditional Hellenistic greeting

              • The Greek word is chairein

            • Peace refers to wholeness and well-being

              • This would have been the common Hebrew greeting

              • The Hebrew word is shalom

            • It is through Christ that Christians can experience true grace and peace in their lives

          • The source of grace and peace – threefold

            • God

              • John doesn’t say God directly, but we understand that’s who it is from his description – from him who is, and who was, and who is to come

              • This is the first of two times that John uses this description of God – the other is in Rev. 1:8

              • A similar form is also used in Rev. 4:8; 11:17; and 16:5

              • “This paraphrase of the divine name (YHWH) stems from Exod 3:14-15 and calls attention to the fact that all time is embraced within God’s eternal presence.” ​​ [Mounce, 45-46]

              • Exodus 3:14-15, God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. ​​ This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ​​ ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” ​​ God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you.’ ​​ This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.

              • PRINCIPLES – God is eternal and sovereign

                • Eternal – God has no beginning or ending. ​​ He is not affected by time. ​​ He has already lived your tomorrows (Because He is eternal we see His sovereign plan in the present, the past, and the future)

                • Sovereign – God has the right to plan my life. ​​ He has the right to rule and make any decision He wants to. ​​ He has the right the change things. ​​ “He has the right to rule and He rules rightly.”

              • Grace and peace don’t just come from God, but also the Holy Spirit

            • The Holy Spirit

              • The description John gives of the Holy Spirit here seems confusing

              • The seven spirits before the throne

              • Most translations have the seven spirits, but some put in a footnote, the sevenfold Spirit

              • Some scholars think it refers to seven angels, but that doesn’t seem to hold true within the context and how the seven spirits is used elsewhere in Revelation

              • Using Zechariah 4:2-6, some scholars believe that the seven spirits are talking about the Holy Spirit, since the angel explains to Zechariah that the seven lamps on the lampstand represent the work of the Holy Spirit and not might or power

                • “While there is but one Holy Spirit, he does not invest himself incrementally in the churches but is always available simultaneously, in his fullness, to all seven congregations.” ​​ [Patterson, New American Commentary, 59]

                • We see this spelled out in the individual addresses to each church to hear what the Spirit says to the churches

              • There is one final source of this grace and peace and it comes from Jesus

            • Jesus

              • John describes Jesus in three ways: ​​ the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth

              • Faithful witness

                • Jesus faithfully passed on to the angel the revelation from God

                • His life on earth was a witness to the truth from God

                • John 3:11, I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.

                • We see Jesus saying it again in John 3:32-33

                • Jesus was the model for the Asian churches who were about to go through a time of persecution

                • 1 Timothy 6:13, In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession . . .

                • He wasn’t just a faithful witness, but was also the firstborn from the dead

              • Firstborn from the dead

                • This simply expresses that Jesus was the first One to rise from the dead

                • This is significant for followers of Jesus Christ, because His resurrection guarantees that we will also be raised from the dead

                • 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ​​ For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. ​​ For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. ​​ But each in his own turn: ​​ Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

                • John describes then the future of Christ

              • Ruler of the kings of the earth

                • This is a reference to His sovereign role as King

                • This expression looks forward ​​ to Rev. 19:16

              • “There is a sense in which Jesus may be observed in his three ministries as prophet (faithful witness), priest (conquering for man the wage of sin exacted against man through his victory over death), and king (ruling all other kings).” ​​ [Patterson, 60-61]

        • John moves from the greeting to a doxology

    • Doxology (v. 5b-6)

        • John listed three titles for Jesus in the ending of his greeting and now he lists three works of Jesus

          • He loves us

            • Jesus’ love for us was manifested in His death, burial, and resurrection

            • John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life

            • Read Romans 5:5-8 [Bible marker #2]

            • Galatians 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. ​​ The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

            • It was through His perfect sacrifice that we are freed from our sins

          • He freed us from our sins

            • Sin

              • Anything we think, say, or do that displeases God

              • Our sin creates a separation between us and God (Rom. 6:23)

              • This separation comes as a result of our own choices

              • We try to bridge the gap that our separation has created with good works, religion, philosophy, morality, and many other things

              • There is only one thing that can bridge the gap of separation – it’s the blood of Jesus Christ

            • Blood

              • Hebrews 9:22, In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

              • 1 John 1:7, But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

            • Become God’s child

              • John 1:12, Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Become a child of God by believing in Jesus name and receiving Him into my life.

            • “John reminds his audience that salvation is not just what God saves us from (our sins, 1:5), but what he saves us for – for a destiny as his agents and worshipers (1:6).” ​​ [Keener, The NIV Application Commentary, 71]

          • Made us to be a kingdom and priests

            • Exodus 19:5-6, Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. ​​ Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

            • 1 Peter 2:9, But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

            • These words for Israel in the OT and for us in the NT are to encourage us to remember that we are God’s special people – The Israelites and the Christians in Asia Minor were experiencing persecution and these words would have brought them comfort

            • We are to continue what God initially charged the Israelites to do – to show those around us what a relationship with Jesus Christ looks like

        • Praise for Jesus

          • John concludes this doxology with glory and power to Jesus

          • Amen means “so let it be”

        • Before John begins to share the vision he had, he reminds the churches about Christ’s promised return

    • Promise of Christ’s Return (vv. 7-8)

        • This promise comes from two Old Testament passages

          • Daniel 7:13, “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven.”

          • Zechariah 12:10, “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. ​​ They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”

        • Jesus return will not be missed

          • It will be seen by everyone

          • Every eye will see Him

          • Everyone will recognize who Jesus is

            • This is obviously a reference to those who crucified Jesus – they will realize that they pierced the Messiah

            • But it is much broader than just the Jews who crucified Him

            • It also encompasses all fallen humanity – there are individuals from every generation that have rejected Jesus, marginalized Him, and have not believed that He is the Son of God or the only way to the Father

            • They will mourn when He returns, because it will be clear to them who Jesus is

          • It’s imperative that we recognize who Jesus is now and not when He returns

            • It will be too late when He returns – we will be one of those who mourns because we will understand who Jesus is and recognize that we have rejected Him

            • 2 Corinthians 6:2, For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” ​​ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

          • John affirms this message from the prophets of old – so shall it be! ​​ Amen.

        • There are three principles that God highlights about Himself in v. 8

          • PRINCIPLE – God is omniscient [all-knowing]

            • Alpha and Omega were the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet

            • Alpha and Omega also represent all of the letters in between

            • God was there at the beginning (creation) and He will be there at the end

            • God is also right here with us now

          • PRINCIPLE – God is immutable [unchanging]

            • He is continuing to fulfill His sovereign plan through the past, present, and future

            • God doesn’t change – He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)

            • God’s sovereign plan is seen in the past, present, and future.

          • PRINCIPLE – God is omnipotent [all-powerful]

            • Almighty simply means that God is all-powerful (omnipotent)

            • There is nothing He cannot do

 ​​​​ 

  • YOU

    • Jesus’ return is imminent – it will happen!

    • Are you reading, hearing, and obeying God’s Word until Jesus returns?

    • Have you prepared for Jesus return?

  • WE

    • We have a responsibility as followers of Jesus Christ to share the good news of Jesus Christ

    • We will be blessed when we read God’s Words to those who can’t read

    • Those who hear and obey God’s Word will also be blessed

 

CONCLUSION

There are many ways that people are preparing for the Apocalypse. ​​ Here is one example.

 

“Are you ready for the end of the world? If not, a company named Vivos can help you and your loved ones get prepared. The Vivos website says, ‘Whether we want to believe it or not … we are on the cusp of an increase in number and magnitude of events that may, in the twinkling of an eye, change the world, as we know it.’ They list a range of possible cataclysmic disasters, including Armageddon, plagues, a solar kill shot, a super volcanic eruption, major earth changes, killer asteroids and comets, mega tsunami's, an economic meltdown—not to mention manmade threats, including nuclear explosions, a reactor meltdown, biological or chemical disasters, terrorism, and widespread anarchy.

 

But for a mere $35,000 per person, you can co-own an underground Vivos shelter in one of their airtight, fully self-contained, impervious complexes designed to survive any catastrophe. Their website advertises:

Our [complexes] comfortably accommodate community groups from 50 to 1,000 people, in spacious living quarters, outfitted and stocked for a minimum of 1 year of autonomous survival to ride out the potential events. Every detail has been considered and planned for. Members need to only arrive before their facility is locked down and secured from the chaos above.

 

Their website warns that ‘millions will perish or worse yet, struggle to survive.’ But they also boldly promise, ‘Vivos is your solution to ride out these catastrophes, so you may survive to be a part of the next Genesis!’ They also offer this reminder: ‘It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.’”

 

Matt Woodley, managing editor, PreachingToday.com; source: Douglas Rushkoff, Present Shock (Penguin Group, 2013), p. 245; Vivos website (accessed on April 10, 2013).

 

There is only one way to be prepared for the Apocalypse and John is unveiling that truth in the book of Revelation. ​​ He is unveiling Jesus as God’s sovereign plan that we see in the past, present, and future.

13

 

/by

The Star: A Journey of Hope

, ,

1st Sunday of Advent

The Star: ​​ A Journey of Hope

(Isaiah 7:14; 9:2; Revelation 7:9, 16-17)

 

INTRODUCTION

VIDEO – Hope Bumper video

 

Welcome to the first Sunday of Advent. ​​ Today begins our journey to Christmas. ​​ It’s only four weeks away! ​​ Of course the retail stores have been prepared long before this first Sunday of Advent. ​​ The word advent is a version of a Latin term which means “coming.” ​​ So we use these weeks leading up to Christmas as a chance to look forward to our celebration of the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, the light of world, our Savior. ​​ Advent is a season of great expectation, and I’m glad you’re here with us today as we embark on a journey – actually join in an epic journey that began more than two thousand years ago – and follow the star and discover the light of the world. ​​ It’s a journey of the heart and soul, but it’s also a journey that will realign our expectations and experience of the Christmas season. ​​ And it’s a journey that will explore the gifts of Christmas delivered by and through Christ: ​​ hope, love, joy, and peace. ​​ We will need hope in the storms of life and love that never gives up. ​​ We need fresh joy on our journey and peace no matter what we’re facing or dealing with.

 

We’re going to be focusing on the star as our guiding light. ​​ It guided the Biblical characters to the place where Jesus was and it can guide us to Jesus, the light of the world, even today.

 

BODY

  • ME

    • I have been looking forward to this Christmas season more than in the past couple of years, because of hope!

    • Hope

        • Home

          • I’ve experienced hope at home as Judy and I have continued to deepen our relationship as husband and wife as we move into a new phase of life (almost empty nesters)

          • I’ve also experienced hope at home as I’ve watched our boys develop into fine young men

            • Wade has become more independent

            • Seth is finishing college this year and getting married in June to a wonderful young lady, Emily

            • Levi has matured this past school year and is working more independently on his school work

        • Church

          • I’ve also experienced hope at church

          • There are more people participating in small group Bible studies than in the past couple of years

          • We have vision for the future and faith to move forward

          • God has been challenging us as a congregation and I see Him working powerfully in your lives

          • That brings me great hope!

    • While I’ve been experiencing hope at home and at the church, I realize that not everyone is experiencing hope, especially during the Christmas season

 

  • WE

    • Are you struggling to experience hope right now?

    • There are numerous struggles you may be experiencing today that are stripping you of hope

        • Financial stresses (you want to make Christmas special for your family, but finances are tight)

        • Relational dysfunctions (you’re not looking forward to the family gathering, because of tensions in your family)

        • Memories of loss (perhaps the Christmas season is difficult, because you’re remembering a loved one that has passed away – this may be your first Christmas without that individual)

        • Commercialized expectations (maybe you’re feeling the pressure to keep up with Jones’s)

    • We’ve all been there at some time or another

    • We may be there right now in some form or another

    • We’re not alone

        • Those who were part of the journey toward the first Christmas – Mary, Joseph, an innkeeper, a jealous king, some wise men, common shepherds, angels, and so many more didn’t even understand what was happening all the time

        • Mary and Joseph placed their firstborn son in a manger, because there wasn’t room in the inn

        • Herod wasn’t feeling hopeful when he learned of a king who had been born in Bethlehem

        • The wise men had a long journey to take in order to see Jesus

        • The shepherds were afraid when the angels appeared to them

        • While there were hardships along the journey, most of the characters answered God’s invitation to come and see the arrival of His son, the light of the world and the Savior of all

    • Questions

        • Will you say yes to the journey?

        • Will you peer through the darkness of your life, no matter what that may be, and look for the glimmer of hope?

        • Will you step toward the light of the star even if your vision seems cloudy or muddled?

        • Will you journey toward Bethlehem, drawn by hope for the love, joy, and peace that await?

 

Through this journey of hope God wants us to know that . . .

 

BIG IDEA – Jesus brings hope in the dark times of life.

 

Let’s pray

 

How do we follow the star on a journey of hope? ​​ How can we purposefully live this season of anticipation in light of hope? ​​ Let’s look at three key components – acknowledging the darkness around us, embracing the wait, and committing to the journey.

 

  • GOD

    • Acknowledging the Darkness

        • VIDEO – Methanol – fire (1) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZEEuCHdWFA]

          • In the video we saw that a methanol fire is very hard to see in the daylight, but burns a beautiful blue color in the dark

          • In the darkness the flame is visible and gives off light

        • The same is true of stars

          • We aren’t able to see them during the daytime, but at night (as long as the sky is clear) we can see the stars

          • In fact the darker the night, the better we can see the stars

          • If you live in the country as opposed to the city, you will see the stars more clearly, because there are less light

          • When the moon is that tiny sliver instead of a full-moon we are able to see the stars more clearly

          • The darker the setting, the brighter the starlight

          • Just because we can’t see them in the daytime doesn’t mean they aren’t still there

          • This is the wonder of God’s creation and He chose a star to guide the wise men to Bethlehem

        • Throughout the Bible, we see how God uses His own creation to reveal Himself to us

          • Psalm 19:1-4, The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. ​​ Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. ​​ There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. ​​ Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world (NIV)

          • Psalm 8:3-4, When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? (NIV)

        • Masking the darkness

          • It’s easy for us to mask the darkness that we see in the world around us and in our own hearts, especially during the holidays

          • We allow the holiday glitz to artificially light our lives, but the darkness within us is still there

          • But facing darkness and calling it what it is allows us to see true light

          • Sometimes we have to experience the darkness in order to see the light clearly

            • If you’ve ever heard the testimony of someone who has come out of an addiction, many times you’ll hear the same thing

            • They had to hit rock bottom before they were ready to ​​ acknowledge the darkness within

            • It was only when they acknowledged the darkness that they were able to see the light of hope and kick their addiction

          • There is darkness all around us in our world

            • The recent news stories of Hollywood executives, newscasters, and politicians who are losing their jobs as a result of inappropriate behavior with the opposite sex or with children

            • The shooting that took place in a church in Texas

            • The use of a box truck in New York City to kill individuals

            • The shooting that happened during a concert in Las Vegas

            • We don’t have to look far to see that there is darkness all around us

        • The Israelites were experiencing a dark time also when Jesus showed up

          • There had been 400 years of silence from God between the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament times

          • They were also experiencing Roman rule in Israel

            • They didn’t like having the Romans as their authorities

            • Their belief about the Messiah was that He would come and set them free from Roman rule

            • They were looking for a political savior

          • I’m sure the Israelites felt like God had abandoned them, yet if they remembered the words of the prophet Isaiah they should have been hopeful

          • Isaiah 7:14, Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: ​​ The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (NIV)

            • The time was coming when God would be with man in the flesh

            • Immanuel means, “God with us”

          • Isaiah talked about the coming light and the present darkness, and that darkness continued to grow through the centuries

          • Isaiah 9:2, The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (NIV)

          • Isaiah was foretelling the future

            • Both of these verses were spoken long before Jesus was born

            • The people of Israel lived in that space between promise and fulfillment

            • They were desperate for a deliverer

        • Application

          • Today we share that common experience of darkness and desperation

            • Every one of us wants to be set free from the darkness we are experiencing

            • Jesus brings hope in the dark times of life.

            • The greatest darkness we all experience is the darkness of sin in our lives

              • We are all born with a desire to sin, a desire to have our own way, to be our own boss, to not submit to anyone else as our authority

              • It is the heart condition of every person

              • Romans 3:23, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (NIV)

              • Romans 3:10-12, “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. ​​ All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” (NIV)

              • The darkness of sin is found in every one of us

              • When we choose to do wrong in our families, school, workplace, or community, there are consequences

              • The same is true with God, who is holy and just

              • Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (NIV)

              • This verse talks about the consequences of our sin, but it also gives us hope

              • God had a plan to deal with the darkness of sin in our lives

              • It was sending Jesus from heaven to earth to die on a cross so we could be purified from the darkness of sin in our lives

              • Romans 5:8, But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: ​​ While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (NIV)

              • 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: ​​ that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (NIV)

              • This was God’s plan and promise, through the prophet Isaiah, fulfilled

              • 1 John 1:5-7, This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: ​​ God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. ​​ If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. ​​ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (NIV)

          • Perhaps the darkness you need to deal with today is the darkness of sin in your life

            • Nothing can rescue you from the darkness of sin except God

            • Jesus entered your darkness that first Christmas, so you could have hope

            • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Acknowledge the darkness of sin in my life and accept Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to purify me of my sins.

              • The beginning of the purification process is talking to God and admitting that you are sinner, that you are sorry for your sin, that you believe in Jesus’ perfect sacrifice on the cross, and that you choose to be purified

              • Sanctification is the ongoing process of purification where we deny ourselves and take up our cross daily and follow Jesus

              • It’s a lifestyle change that comes through the transforming power of Jesus Christ living within us

              • Repentance is a 180 degree turn from pursuing sin to pursuing Jesus

              • Total sanctification will come when Jesus Christ returns, but we are still in the waiting process

              • We have to learn to embrace the wait

    • Embrace the Wait

        • Questions

          • Who likes waiting?

          • Does anyone like waiting?

          • How many people waited in a line during Black Friday shopping? ​​ (Did anyone enjoy it?)

          • I remember having to wait on Christmas morning to open presents

            • We didn’t have the tradition of opening one present on Christmas Eve

            • We were allowed to open our stockings before my parents got up, but we couldn’t open any of the presents under the tree

            • We’ve continued that tradition with our boys – they are allowed to open their stockings before we get up, but nothing under the tree

            • The older I’ve gotten the earlier I’ve been getting up, so they probably won’t have to wait as long this Christmas

          • Waiting

            • Children can’t wait for their Birthday or Christmas morning to arrive

            • Students wait to hear if they’ve been accepted into a college or graduate program

            • Other students wait to find out if they got the part in the school play/musical or made the team

            • Adults wait to hear if they got a job or promotion

            • Parents wait for the birth of their child or children

            • Other couples wait to hear about adopting a child

            • If you go to Chick-fil-A, though, you won’t have to wait very long

        • Israelites

          • The Israelites knew all about the long wait

          • Since Genesis, in the very first book of the Bible, when sin entered the world, we see that God offered the promise of hope

          • Genesis 3:14-15, So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! ​​ You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. ​​ And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (NIV)

          • God was talking about Jesus, the source of hope from the very beginning

          • God had a plan of hope from the start

          • But constrained by the time of our world, the waiting seemed like forever

        • Illustration

          • Imagine a farmer standing on the dry dust of a parched field and looking up to the sky. ​​ Years of drought have taken everything from him, and he has lost hope. ​​ But then, in the distance, he hears the rumble of thunder – the promise of rain

          • That is the image John the Baptist gave of himself when people asked if he was the Messiah. ​​ No, he was not, but he was announcing the arrival of the long-awaited One. ​​ He was the herald of hope.

          • John 1:23, “I’m thunder in the desert: ​​ ‘Make the road straight for God!’ ​​ I’m doing what the prophet Isaiah preached.” (MSG)

        • Advent is a time of waiting

          • While we struggle with waiting in our culture, there is great benefit in embracing this season as we anticipate the coming of Jesus

          • The waiting reminds us of where our hope is set

          • It allows us the time and focus to hear the distant rumble of thunder, the promise that our hope will be fulfilled

          • God keeps His promises and He has promised to send Jesus a second time

          • As we wait to celebrate Jesus’ birth, we also wait for our true hope to be fulfilled – our complete and total sanctification – the perfecting of our souls

          • The apostle John describes it for us in Revelation 7:9, 16-17

          • Revelation 7:9, 16-17, After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb . . . Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. ​​ The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. ​​ For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. ​​ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. (NIV)

          • We still live in the space between the already and the not yet

            • We have to embrace the waiting just like the Israelites did

            • They were waiting for the arrival of the Messiah the first time

            • We’re waiting for the arrival of the Messiah the second time

            • Hope is what fuels our faith as we wait, because we know that eternity with God will far outweigh what we have experienced here on earth – the darkness that we are currently experiencing, that is stripping us of hope

            • 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Therefore do not lose heart. ​​ Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ​​ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ​​ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. ​​ For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (NIV)

            • Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (NIV)

        • Application

          • Will you allow this Advent season to serve as a reminder of the confidence we have as we wait in hope for what we do not yet see?

          • Will you seek the light of the star, no matter how faintly it might first appear to you, and draw hope from its growing light?

          • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Wait with hope for Jesus’ second coming and for my complete and total sanctification.

        • We normally define waiting as an inactive process, but it can be an active process – we have to commit to the journey

    • Commit to the Journey

        • The concept of waiting throughout the Bible is one of active waiting

          • It is not just sitting around, doing nothing

          • We wait with expectant hearts, but we are constantly moving forward on our journey

        • “Active waiting means to be present fully to the moment, in the conviction that something is happening where you are and that you want to be present to it.” ​​ [Henri J. M. Nouwen, Waiting for God]

          • What an excellent description of Advent!

          • Wait means being active, present in the moment while still anticipating where we are going

          • It not’s easy!

          • It takes strength and courage, but we can receive that from the Lord

          • Psalm 31:24, Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord (NIV)

        • So what does that look like in real life?

          • The apostle Peter gives us great words of wisdom that apply to our real lives – he speaks about being holy

          • 1 Peter 1:13-16, Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. ​​ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ​​ But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ​​ “Be holy, because I am holy.” (NIV)

          • Hope is about waiting, but that waiting involves a commitment to being present in our journey of obedience

          • Preparing our minds means that we are alert, it involves expectation and active anticipation

          • Being self-controlled is also an active process as we wait

          • Each of us is perhaps at a different place in our journey with God

            • That’s natural and normal

            • Don’t compare with those who are also on the journey, but are at a different place – keep following God’s light

            • Advent is not about finding all the answers or checking all the boxes

            • It’s about preparing

            • You just have to show up and be willing to follow God’s lead

            • He wants to fill you heart with hope and healing as you seek His Son, Jesus

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CONCLUSION

VIDEO – “Advent_1_-_Hope_English_Version”

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