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to you men today so you can uh read that all right this morning uh we are in Revelation we’re going to be looking this morning at verse number 4-8 and the last time I ended Revelation uh the first message I I said listen The Book of Revelation is bringing us to a place where we are to keep alert for his coming because it says in Matthew 24 42 therefore be on the alert for you do not know which day your lord is coming and then also in Matthew 24:44 we are to be ready for his coming we are to be ready for his coming for it says here for this reason you must be ready for the son of man is coming at an hour when you do not think he will I remember sitting across the table in my friend’s house and I was about 17 years old and his grandmother was there and she was talking and she says Jesus is coming back again and do you know that I asked her where’d you get that from I’d never heard that before and she says well I don’t know where I got it I just heard it and I said oh man this is uh this left me in in a in a troubled State because that never left my mind I would think about that all the time how does she know that Jesus is coming again you know and uh she had no reference to the Bible and she she couldn’t tell me and I was really disturbed by that and I thought about that a lot and when the first time I heard the gospel and then the second time I heard the gospel and then the third time I heard the gospel I received Christ as my Lord and Savior and then I was led to the Bible and I saw where that was found and it I was so relieved by that to know that Jesus is coming back again and that I knew him like we sang just now I knew him and I got to know him better over the years really really Revelation is about getting to know Jesus some of the things that are said about Jesus Christ in Revelation are said in no other book of the Bible maybe the prophets and and John is pulling from the prophets on several occasions so this morning I want you to take your Bibles because we’re looking today at really the greeting and blessing that comes from the Triune God to the recipients of those if you notice it says in verse number three of chapter 1 blessed is He who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and heed the things which are written in it for the time is near the time of Jesus coming is near and for those who are engaged in the truth of the word of God those truths are going to be a blessing to you because it is going to free your mind up from wrong thinking is going to convict your conscience of what is true and it’s going to bolster your faith to be able to live in any circumstances you find yourself for the Lord knowing that each day you live he may come that day so you’re always living before the eyes of the Lord so last time we looked at the blessing from Heaven number one for the Servants of God that was verse number 1 through 4 this morning I’m going to look at the other things laid out in this passage and the second one really is the blessing to the re recipients of the Revelation I I pray that’s you today that you are a recipient of the revelation of God that is being presented this morning in scripture so let me pray and then we’ll look at those things Lord this morning I just thank you for the great opportunity to be in U an epistle like this which really tells us things that no other book of the Bible tells us in great length and detail knowing Lord that you are the king of kings and the Lord of lords and Lord you have the last word to say no matter what happens and I thank you Lord that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is still going out you are still convicting people of sin of righteousness and the Judgment of God and bringing them to understand the gospel of Christ where they repenting of their sin and their unbelief and their turning and trusting in Jesus alone for eternal life and salvation for forgiveness of sins and Lord this is a the greatest truth that we could ever hear and then Lord you give us the word of God so we can know what you’re doing so we can know what your plan is so we don’t have to be in the dark and Lord I’m so thankful for that because it makes life a lot easier to know what’s next and that you’re in charge of it and I just pray that you would encourage our hearts today rebuke us if you need be correct us just Lord make us people who are equipped for every good work and I pray in jesus’ name amen so secondly the blessing to the recipients of the Revelation verse four and five of Revelation chapter one so if you’re in your Bibles please be looking there now immediately the immediate a audience John John the Apostle is the writer of the Revelation G he gives this Revelation to the seven churches of Asia Minor that’s modern turkey today and notice what it says in verse number four it says John to the seven churches that are in Asia now the churches are reminded of the classic greeting in the next part of the verse grace to you and peace that is a classic greeting in Scripture that all God does in Redemption for The undeserved Sinner comes to all the save from the grace of God and clearly communicated found in Titus 2:1 where it says for the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all men of which to those who believe in Jesus as their own Lord and Savior experience the next thing the peace of God which is clearly communicated in Romans 51 where it says therefore having been justified by faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ that’s where our peace comes from so until a person comes to Christ for salvation there remains no peace between them and God the UNS save person is actually at war with God while they while in their sinful re Rebel condition they remain enemies of God they don’t know that but they do when you come to scripture you understand that you were an enemy of God you were a rebel to God and you were dead to God and dead in your sin too but the recipients according to revelation who read who listen to and Obey this word especially in this book are blessed that means god is near to you for blessing for encouraging you and this particular blessing comes with a greeting from the triun god and I want you to notice what it says about him in verse number 4 it says John to the seven churches that are in Asia Grace in peace to you from him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven spirits who are Before the Throne now you would think when you read this at first that this passage of scripture is talking about Jesus here but it is not the first part of the passage where it says from him who is and who was and who is to come is talking about God the Father Here in fact this description is intended to be treated as a paraphrase to the tetragramaton from the Old Testament which is Yahweh it’s the y w uh YH wh without the vowels that is of course in other words of saying The Great I Am that’s what he is saying here see just as God told Moses uh where Moses said to God in the Old Testament in Exodus which actually Pastor Dave brought up last week behold I am going uh to the sons of Israel and I will say to them the god of your fathers has sent me to you now they may send to me what’s his name and he says thus you shall say to the sons of Israel I am has sent me to you I am who I am he says there so the god of the past and the present and the future is what it refers to the God who was with no beginning or end The God Who is perfect in all his attributes so so we are introduced to the father in this part of the verse and then notice the second part of the verse in verse number four and from the seven spirits who are Before the Throne now we know this is the holy spirit because the number seven is used to describe Perfection or completion and here it is used for the holy spirit’s perfect presence Before the Throne of God because what is the holy spirit’s job he is to communicate to the recipients of the message the things God wants us to know and God wants us to know what the truth is he wants us to know the persons of the truth and of course he wants us to know specifically the Lord Jesus Christ and what he has done because he is the center of the Gospel he is the center of the word of God from Genesis to Revelation it is about Jesus Christ and all that God has done and then notice in verse number four it says and not only from the seven spirits who are Before the Throne but it says also and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness the firstborn of the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth so here we have the father we have the Holy Spirit and we have Jesus Christ mentioned here that is the Trinity right in chapter chapter one of Revelation because God is communicating to us his full person and we know that the Trinity there is one God that he exists in three persons father son and spirit and that the three members of the Trinity always work in harmony they always work in harmony they are accomplishing one thing and so we see that this greeting is coming to us uh from the word of God so we will not be ignorant of who God is and who is communicating this message to us John is the servant but it is coming from the trium God but I want you to know the LA the last thing it says about the things it says about Jesus Christ here actually there are four things that are said about Jesus Christ in verse number four that he is the faithful Witness the firstborn of the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth so that that requires a little bit more Fuller explanation so it’s telling us what Jesus has done in his Revelation the first thing he has done is that he was a faithful witness now that the word witness is the word we get martyr from so he testifies to something he declares facts directly known to himself as one who tells what they believe and what they know and what they are to do even though the results of that witness would be being killed so in other words Jesus was the witness he was the Martyr he was the reliable one who would be crucified in behalf of those who would believe in him so he is the one and who while on his ministry on Earth from the manger to the Cross to the Ascension he was faithful to his finished work he accomplished everything and then when he ascended into heaven was able to sit down at the right hand of the father because he was done with his Earthly work never have to do it again but a second thing it says about the Lord in verse number five it says this he was not only the he was not only the faithful witness but he was the first born of the dead now what is that saying about Jesus it was that Jesus has done it’s what he has done in the resurrection he was the first born of the dead he proved that neither Moses nor Enoch who was translated and Elijah who was translated nor anyone else had resurrected in a glorified body before Christ he has victory over the tomb matter of fact in Revelation look down at verse number 18 again he says and the living one and I was dead and be behold I am alive forever more and I have the keys of death and Hades that’s a great verse right there we’ll look at next week but here it’s saying very clearly that Jesus Christ no one else has ever done this was risen from the grave he defeated Satan in death he was the only one who did that so he was crucified he was risen and thirdly notice also in verse number five the next thing of what Jesus had done in his Reign it says and the ruler of the kings of the earth now that would have been a great offense to the Roman government where everybody thought the Roman government would be an eternal government because it was so incredibly organized and beneficial to the people who live lived in Rome so this was a great affront and that could be one reason why John is on the island of Patmos in prison uh because he would not go along with uh the agenda of the Roman Empire and so here what has Jesus done he’s a ruler the glorified Christ presides over the destiny of Nations Ephesians it tells us this far above all ruled in author Authority and power and dominion and every name that is named not only in this age but in the age to come you know there’s an age to come right you know that there’s an age to come this is not the end you don’t die like a common animal and that’s it it’s over no there’s an age to come so I hope you’re living in that age to come and you have this hope because you know this is a thing that we talk about at Christmas time when we read Isaiah 9:6 for the child is born and a son will be given and the government will be will rest on his shoulders and his name will be called wonderful counselor Mighty God Eternal Father Prince of Peace it’s talking there that Jesus Christ is the ruler of the kings of the earth there’s nobody higher than Jesus Christ there’s no King as powerful as him ever in all of human history he is the one he is the only one and now in Revelation you do not see him you hear it mentioned because it’s so significant but you see him now as a reigning King as one who has Authority one who is is coming with might to the world and finishing his program and then notice also in verse number five of chapter 1 the last thing it says about him it says here it says to him who loves us and released us from our sins by his blood so this last thing Jesus is mentioned here in scripture what it mentions about him is that not only was crucified risen ruling but he is redeeming he is redeeming and that brings me to the the theme the uh third thing is that which is the second today the blessing of the theme of the Revelation now remember we’re still in the introduction of Revelation which has incredible information for us in it the theme the blessing of the theme of the Revelation and what is the theme of the Revelation the glory of Christ is seen very clearly in the greatness of the warrior lamb that there are three amazing things said about Jesus that is of great benefit for a Believers knowledge and understanding in order to bolster their faith and make them strong in this life and look at the first amazing thing in verse number five to him who loves us now I don’t know about you but we can read that over and over again that the love of Christ is the grandest fact and mystery ever revealed in Holy Scripture now why should God love us we are very unlovable we have nothing to offer him I can only say what the scripture says in reference to this in first John it says the one who does not love does not know God for God is love and then it says this in in this is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and how did he love us he sent his son to be op propitiation for our sins to be a satisfaction for our sins that’s what Jesus has done for those who believe in him that God should love us in all our pollution that the outgoings of his heart toward the Church moved him to lay aside the glory he had with the Father in heaven and then to take on the form of a servant and then to become obedient unto death even death on the cross for who for us see that is Love In Action and love is a verb in scripture because he himself addressed our greatest need and what was our greatest need our sin right our sin and how what what’s wrong with our sin well the Bible says in Isaiah 59 your sins your iniquities have have made a separation between you and your God see the sins had to be removed who can remove them could you remove them no could confessing to a priest remove them no can an ordinance remove them like baptism no nothing can remove your sin except one thing one thing can remove your sin and that’s the blood of Christ so that’s the second amazing thing in verse number five notice what it says it says and released us from our sins by his blood that that can’t be any clearer than that that’s how we’re released from our sins that is the only way we are released from our sins and this is what Christ did for us in relationship to sin which was really there there’s several theological implications that come with that thought if I perus the scripture I would say that Jesus fought the greatest battle won the greatest victory in this area of defeating our sin because Jesus saves us from our sin we are in a position of people who need to be rescued and that rescue is carried out by Jesus at the cost of his own life dead Sinners have no capacity to rescue themselves they are dead they have nothing to offer God they don’t cooperate with God to save them they’re dead God has to raise them to life grant them faith and repentance so they can believe all also Jesus wipes out the sin in Acts 3:9 19 it says therefore repent and return so that your sins may be wiped away you know ancient Inc had no acid in it it could be sponged off the surface of Vellum or of Papyrus by The Scribe did dead Sinners have no means to sponge away their sin in their case their sin is written with indelible ink with permanent ink but because of the work of Jesus the record of our sins they they’re oblit obliterated they are sponged off by Christ that’s that’s a great thought when we think about this particular point where Jesus washed us from our sins in Acts chap 22:6 16 it says our lives have been muddied and stained by sin but dead Sinners have no way of removing that stain for The Sinner is unclean and polluted as it were by the filth of their sin it is Christ that has the power to cleanse it it says in Acts now why do you delay get up and be baptized and wash away your sins calling on his name it is also said of the tribulation Saints look over to Revelation 7 verse number 18 it said there about the tribulation Saints remember we’re in the church age we are the church age Saints well when the church is taken out there will be Saints in the tribulation too but they will be the tribulation Saints and notice what it says about them in verse 14 of chapter 7 I said to him my Lord you know and he said to me these are the ones who come out of the Great Tribulation and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb even in the tribulation the power of the Cross will save those who believe in Jesus but it’s by why do they have white robes because it’s washed in the blood Christ there’s no sin there anymore also we know in scripture in God’s mercy a H is across our sins like it says in Romans 7 blessed are those whose Lawless deed Deeds have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered there is an important word in that passage and it is a word that means to cover to the point that our sorry record of past sins is never looked at Again by God it’s covered I don’t have to look there anymore the blood of Christ has covered those sins see this is what God wants us to know he really wants us to know the depth in which he has taken to save us and then we also know that in God’s mercy our sins are not reckoned against us here’s a legal way of looking at it from Romans 4:8 it says say blessed is the man whose sin whose sin the Lord will not take into account all right that that means that God does not set down set down your sin in your account anymore the idea behind it is that because of our sins we are completely and unpay in debt God’s debt but Jesus is the one who paid our debt so we no longer have to do that so because of the work of Jesus on the cross we are set free from sin as it says in our passage and released us from our sins by his blood often when someone starts learning Co Greek and they go to Baba college or seminary the first set of vocabulary words include the word luo which means to loose it’s a verb which uh with its roots is was found in the passage like Romans 6:18 where it says and having been freed from sin you become slaves of righteousness we were loosed from it by the Lord Jesus Christ so you see we have been set free to be a slave now of a good master and that good Master is the Lord Jesus Christ the removal of sin has brought us into Divine favor and fellowship with God and Christians they come to understand that they are in a new position they have been actually exalted because if you go back to Revelation chapter 1 you’ll notice in verse number six that Jesus made us he made us something he not only washed us from our sin he not only loved us but it says in verse number six he made us to be a kingdom priest to his God and Father that’s what he did that’s an amazing thing that we share in Christ’s Victory this is not just we’re not just bystanders in the work of Christ we are partakers in the work of Christ we are on the victory side and he took our place that we may share in in his triumph over Satan over sin over the world system that has all been in opposition to God and to those who are believers but if you think about his kingly office as kings we actually reign with him it shows that we are in contrast to what we were as pagans as Peter brings out in his epistle you are a chosen race of people chosen by God for act at least three things chosen for privilege through Jesus Christ there is uh offered a new and intimate relationship with God we are in a in a new group of people because we are in Christ and as I was preaching I don’t know what book I was preaching on but I I kind of coined the phrase that Christians are Honan that means we um one one commentator said it like this we’re Heaven dwellers in line with what it says in Philippians 3:20 for our citizenship is in heaven have you ever think of yourself as a Honan that you’re not home yet right you are really like a Thessalonian you’re a Honan and so that’s where you’re heading and that’s the privilege we have because we’re Priests of God also chosen for obedience his people listen to his word they desire to obey it and they desire to do it as it says in the Gospel of John and the Sheep follow him because they know his voice they hear his voice they know when Jesus is speaking they know when the word of God is speaking they perk up I know that I know those truths and those are the kind of truths you need to be telling yourself every day you be preaching yourself while you’re driving in the car these truths that I’m a king because the Lord made me one and I will be reigning with him someday and of course a k a a a priest also is someone chosen for service we are Servants of the most high God and that will be used for the purpose of God and desire to be used for God’s person purpose here and then also in the New Kingdom so Christians are set apart from this world to be God’s special people separated from the Unholy and dedicated to God that we are different people different because we are dedicated to God’s Will and to God’s service but if you notice also in Revelation 1:6 it says that we are priests to God the Father Peter says that we’re a royal priesthood and a priest is someone who serves God from the Old Testament a priest is someone who has the right access to God priests in the Old Testament were the only ones who had access to God in a very intimate way but we now in Christ have access to God also we offer up spiritual sacrifice to God remember this was restricted only to One Tribe the Levites now it’s extended to all members of the church who are a priesthood of Believers and as priests what do priests do we offer up pray prayer that’s what a priest does he prays on behalf of the people we also pursue Holiness and with a goal to keep ourselves from the pollution and the defilement of the world so we can present ourselves as holy to God also we instruct from God’s word we give instruction we receive instruction and then what else can we do as priests Romans chapter 12 daily offering ourselves to God as a Living Sacrifice every day Lord I want to offer myself to you as a Living Sacrifice and why do we do that because of God’s mercy because he didn’t have wrath on you he gave you compassion and he reached out to you in Mercy and for that I give my life over to you to be used in any way you want me to be used Lord why because I’m living out the priesthood of Believers so our royalty and our priest liness are derived from our relationship with Jesus Christ and in him alone it’s derived it was Grant Osborne in his commentary he says in Israel one could be royalty or priesthood but not both but as a Christian we could be both we have royalty and we are priests so we occupy so high a position that no man could be higher in this life and get this a royal priesthood means that we are part not of a Dying priesthood because all the old Old Testament priests did off died off we are part of an eternal priesthood that belongs to a kingly order and that’s the order of melkisedek that never passes away see that’s the truth found in the book of Hebrews it does not pass away it’s like it says in re Revelation when we get to it blessed and holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection over these the second death has no power but they will be Priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years so we Reign we serve we worship we bear witness to the kingdom of our Christ and once these truths grab a hold of your gizzard and squeeze it should cause you to break out in doxology and that’s what we see back in chapter 1 in verse number the latter part of verse number six it’s the blessing of doxology of the Revelation that means there is always a response that God requires of us once we hear truth and here in scripture what we call doxology is notice the last part of verse 6 it says to him be the glory and the Dominion forever and ever amen that’s a doxology and of course a doxology is a hymn or a form of words containing an ascription to praise God and doxologies are to help us to pay close attention to the phenomena of God’s person and work and the phenomenon that word amen also can mean that this this work of God is certain as he came the first time he will come the second time he will come the second time and the second part of the verse includes included in the doxology is yet the future work of God concerning the second coming of Christ in verse number seven notice what it says there’s two things actually it says there number one Christ’s coming will will be seen this is the second coming it says behold or pay attention verse 7 he is coming with the clouds and every eye will see him so that means the whole earth will see him now think of this for a moment in the Rapture when the church is taken out only his own will see him in the second coming every eye will see him every eye will see him and that also means that he will be seen every person in the world will see Jesus come now is that a good thing or a bad thing well it’s both for all the tribulation Saints it’s going to be a good thing because they’re crying on theath the throne Lord how long but for the rest of the world actually there’s two areas that we have to think about when we think about this that jesus’ coming will be seen But secondly in verse number seven his coming will bring mourning it will bring mourning Israel will see and understand they’ve crucified the Messiah notice in verse 7 of Roman uh of Revelation 1 it says even those in the middle of the verse who pierced him and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him so it is to be amen actually the amen can be translated that which is valid that which is true that which cannot be changed now where does that come from well he’s actually bringing a truth in from the Old Testament from the book the prophet Isaiah I mean Zechariah where it says I will pour out on the House of David and the inhabitant of Jerusalem the spirit of Grace and supplication so that they will look on me whom they have pierced and they will mourn for him as One Mourns for an only son and they will weep bitterly over him like a bitter weeping over a firstborn so Israel in the land at the end of the tribulation sees Jesus Christ coming back again but for Israel Israel will mourn and the Nations will mourn but for Israel according to also the prophet Zachariah it says in that day a fountain will be open to the House of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for impurity that means they’re going to be turning to the Messiah they’re going to realize he’s the one we pierced he’s the one that we nailed to the cross he’s the one we rejected all these years as the Messiah and they’re going to come and they’re going to believe in the land that’s going to be a glorious day and Jesus Christ is going to come and his feet are going to touch the Mount of Olives and he’s going to set up his throne there in Jerusalem and he’s going to rule over the whole earth and we’re going to be ruling and reigning with him for a thousand years that’s it’s going to be a very exciting time so Israel so long in unbelief will look towards Jesus with amazement and will look to him for forgiveness and for Sal ation also the Apostle Paul mentioned in the Book of Romans in chapter 11 I do not want you to be uh Brethren to be uninformed of this mystery and what was the mystery so that you will not be wise in your own estimation that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles come in so in other words the gospel is basically gone to all the world both Jew and Gentile but God know knows that one day the last Gentile will come to know the Lord and Bam God knows that something else is going to happen on that particular day and it says so in verse number 26 of Romans so all Israel will be saved just as it is written the deliverer will come from Zion and he will remove ungodliness from Jacob so for Israel who come to know Christ in the land that they’ll those Dry Bones will come to life as it tells us in the word of God in Ezekiel and God will put Flesh on them and they will come alive in the land to their Messiah that’s going to be a glorious day when that happens but what about the Nations the Nations that they will pound their chest in sorrow as the just and righteous Judgment of God comes upon the Earth that salvation will be open even to the Nations however if you look back to uh look at Revelation chapter 6 just turned there look at verse number 16 and 17 how did they respond to this it says in verse number 16 of Revelation 6 and they said to the mountains and to the Rocks fall on us and hide us from the presence of him who sits on the throne and from the Wrath of the land verse 17 for the great day of their wrath has come who is able to stand that’s how the Nations will respond they will realize very quickly who Jesus is that he is not the humble Sade eyed Messiah or pictures that they have of him that can’t do anything no he is a blazing Warrior that comes and splits the Eastern sky and people see him if you look at Revelation 9 verse number 21 even after the trumpet judgments and the sealed judgments the peoples of the Earth would not turn to Jesus look what it says in verse number n or chapter 9: 21 and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their theft their thefts you know it’s just it it’s showing us here how blind and how dark and how dead the human heart is even through all that they don’t turn to Jesus they don’t turn to him they re matter of fact that particular statement is mentioned SE several times of revelation after certain times of judgment come they still didn’t want to repent they didn’t want to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ they wanted to they loved their sin so much they didn’t want Christ they didn’t want to make that exchange how dead the human heart is unless God does something to it and makes it alive so the first appearing of Jesus what did he come to do take away sin he bore the entire penalty for our guilt he achieved the Eternal putting away of sin and defilement and he makes an obstacle free way to the presence of God through Christ and afterwards he appeared in heaven seated face to face with the father for us to intercede for us to prepare a place for us that where he He Is We may be also and to prepare for his second Advent or his second coming that is what what he’s doing actually right now for those who have been bought by the blood of Christ The Throne of judgment has changed to the throne of Mercy but for those who have not and do not come to Christ after they die are ushered into the Throne of judgment as we read this morning in Hebrews in as as much as is appointed for men once to die after this comes judgment and of course who holds the record books God does so he either God acquits heaven or God God’s verdict is condemnation held there’s no sorry there’s no Purgatory uh to disappoint some there’s no Purgatory in scripture and so the second coming what what happens then Christ comes the first time well in Hebrews 9: 28 which we read this morning it says will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin to those who eagerly await him so Jesus Christ will appear a second time and what’s the difference between the first coming the second time the the purpose of jesus’ first coming was for salvation Jesus will appear a second time to fill fulfill the New Covenant to come to get the rest of his children to finish salvation to glorify his son son and his people as it says in Romans all he fornew he predestined and all he predestined he called and all he called he justified and all he justified he glorified this is when our Salvation will be forever complete it will be forever complete and who does he do it for it says in Hebrews for those eagerly awaiting him are you eagerly awaiting him do you live your life as if you’re eagerly awaiting him is his presence will that be a uh a an enjoyment to you are you living each day anticipating Lord today may be the day you come get your church so of course if you think you should be thinking like that but if you think like that you also have to saying looking around and saying how am I living my life how are my relationships am I serving God do I have a secret thing going on when no one’s looking God sees it all see if we live in the presence of God we won’t have any any of those things to worry about because we know Christ is taking it all now live for him so in the New Covenant New Covenant people want to obey God because they want to because they’re given the ability to obey God and they’re given the power to obey God so what I’m talking about here is the end of History we are on the winning side as Believers but you can’t sit on the bench the game’s not over yet we have to be active and we have to be serving the lord we have to be repenting of our sin we have to be growing in Christ likeness we have to be learning how to please him in all things because the story of Revelation highlights the eternality the infinitude and the boundless life of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ so that brings me to my last thing this morning in verse number eight back to revelation chap 1 the blessing of the person and power of the Revelation notice says what it says in verse number eight of chapter 1 and this is often called by uh garans an inclusio because in verse number one we have there from him who is and who was and who is to come then right here in verse number eight notice what it says because Jesus will come in power it says I am the Alpha and the Omega says the Lord God who is and who was and who is to come but then it adds this the almighty there’s no one more Almighty than the Trinity the father son and the spirit see Jesus transcends all space and time and all history and we get to be part of that the first and the last letters there the Alpha and the Omega are the Greek of the Greek Al alphabet point to the Cent Central person who is in control over all of Redemptive history that God is the Eternal Everlasting one who always was and always will be the God who is all Sovereign with absolute power all authority full control both now and forever in this world and the next that’s Jesus Christ and when you read through Revelation you’re going to find that different groups of people in tough situations you know what they live by they live by that truth that’s within their what’s in their mind the character and person of God and what God has done and how Almighty he is that’s what keeps somebody going because if you think about the 24 the four living creatures already know this it says in Revelation 4:8 for the four living creatures each one of them having six wings all full of eyes around and within and day and night they do not cease to say holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty who was who is and who is to come they’re intrigued by the character of God in doing these things for us and then you find in Revelation 11 verse 16 the 24 Elders they already know this Truth where they say they say in verse 16 of chapter 11 and the 24 Elders who sit on their Thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God saying we give you thanks oh Lord God the Almighty who are and who were because you have taken your great power and you and have begun to Reign see they know that about Christ and then we those who have been Victorious over the Beast and the image of the Beast and the number of his name they already know that that’s what keeps them going in Revelation 15: 2 and 3 same thing is is kind of said it says and I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with with fire and those who had been Victorious over the Beast and His Image and the number of his name standing on the sea of glass holding harps of God verse three and they sang the song of Moses the bonder servant of God the song of the lamb saying great and marvelous are your works oh Lord God the Almighty righteous and true are your ways King of the Nations see do you know this God I remember my friend telling me a story about the mooch tribe I think it was in um pava New Guinea and and um they finally took seven years to get the word of God into their language and they began to teach the Bible and as they were teaching the Bible one day a large earthquake shook everything now all the mo people are are sitting on makeshift stands and they’re all around and the the missionaries were frightened to death but none of the mo people moved and so after when the teaching was done they says why why didn’t you move and this is what they said oh that’s just our God that’s just our God that’s all see they knew him see they knew him and me because they knew him there was no more fear there because they understood the beginnings of the Gospel in their their language for the first time and they were encouraged and they finally their tribe went finally went on to go win other tribes around them to the Lord It’s amazing story but the question is do you know this do you know this about Christ do you live this because if Jesus is not the God man as the scriptures describe him then you don’t have the Jesus of the Bible and if not you have a different Jesus usually the product of your own mind in imagination or someone else’s mind in imagination so you if you don’t hear understand and Obey God’s word concerning who Jesus is and what he does and what he will do you’ll not be blessed by the Lord but if you do you will be blessed and if you’re not blessed by the Lord then mean it means that you’re possibly still under the curse of sin and need to be saved and today may be the day that you come to the place where you say you know what I don’t believe I ever trusted Christ as my Lord and Savior today I want to trust in Jesus because I see what he has done I want him to make my make him my Lord and Savior I want to uh follow him uh and learn from him and walk in the waters of baptism and live for him the rest of my life that’s what a really a real believer does and God gives you the ability to do that so this morning the recipients of the Revelation are those who read hear and understand and obey the theme of the Revelation is the glory of Jesus Christ the doxology of the Revelation is for the person and work of God we praise him when we come on Sunday We Praise Jesus for what he’s done that’s what we do that’s what we sing about and then lastly the person of the Revelation is the one who comes in power as the almighty God that’s whom we serve so that’s what’s next on God’s plan his coming that’s next on his schedule are you ready I pray you are and I pray revelation will get us ready amen let’s pray Lord thank you so much for Lord the just the clarity of your word thank you Lord that we don’t have to wonder about things Lord because your word is so clear it is so uh Illuminating it’s so convicting to us I pray Lord through the word of God we may come to know Christ and if when we know him we would come to live with him for live for him with all our heart with all our mind with all our soul and with all our strength and I pray you would use each and every one of us to be the light of the world the salt of the earth and that Lord Jesus today you would booler our faith with the truths found in scripture to keep on going no matter what no matter what curveballs are thrown our way no matter what discouragements lay before us I pray Lord that we would know that we were always on the victory side and that Jesus Christ is coming again and where he is we may be also and I pray this in Christ’s name amen
