Sermon #1454 Miscellaneous
Sermons
Title: "In The Spirit On The Lord's Day"
Text: Revelation
1:9-11
Subject: John's
Description of Himself on
Date: Sunday
Morning --
Tape # W-25b
Introduction:
Some years ago, a group of men met at a
local high school every Saturday night to play basketball. While they played,
the school janitor usually sat off in a corner reading his Bible, trying to
prepare for the worship of God the next day. Normally, he read until they were
done. Then he would lock up and go home. One night, one of the men asked,
"What are you reading?" The old man replied, "The Book of
Revelation." The younger man asked, with a bit of a snicker, "Do you
understand it?" The old man said, "I sure do. -- It says, 'Jesus is
gonna win.'"
That is just about as good an explanation
of the Book of Revelation as I ever read, or heard. When you read this Book,
try to remember that the message of this Book is just that. -- The Lord
Jesus Christ is going to win!
That message is delightful and comforting
to us today; but it was especially so in that horrible day of persecution in
which the apostle John was inspired of God the Holy Spirit to write these
twenty-two chapters, describing sure the triumph of Christ over all things.
The Book of Revelation was written about 95
or 95 AD. By that time the
The world is not opposed to religion. The
world loves religion. But the world is opposed to Christ and to the gospel of
his grace. The offense of the cross has not diminished. God providentially
restrains the world from exercising the violent persecutions of days gone by;
but we must never imagine that the persecutor's heart has changed. It has not.
Still, by the time the first century was
drawing to its close, persecution against the church and
·
Politically, the Romans viewed the followers of Christ as being disloyal to
·
Religiously, believers were despised as atheists and divisive sectarians, because
they refused to acknowledge the gods of their pagan neighbors.
·
Socially, God's elect were despised by the Roman elite. -- The declaration of
Holy Scripture that all believers are one in Christ (Gal.
·
Economically, God's people were considered a threat to everyone. The priests, craftsmen,
and idol makers, those who made their living in religious tom-foolery, looked
upon the message of Christ as a threat. -- You will recall that this fear was
used to stir up a riot in
Tertullian, who was a truly brilliant
scholar and theologian of the third century described this notion (still common
in his day) very sarcastically, writing on one occasion, "If the Tiber
reaches the walls, if the Nile does not rise to the fields, if the sky does not
move, or if the earth does, if there is famine, if there is plague, the
immediate cry is, 'Christians to the lion!'"
These
were the everyday experiences of God's saints in this hostile world at the end
of the first century. It is against this backdrop that John wrote the Book of
Revelation, asserting, without the least hesitancy, the sure triumph of Christ
and his church.
Open
your Bible to Revelation 1:9-11. The apostle John told us in
verse 7 that the Lord Jesus is coming back to this earth. He is about to give
us a marvelously detailed description of what the Lord Jesus Christ is now like
in his exaltation and glory as the risen and ascended Lord and King. But,
first, he introduces himself in verse 9, tells us what (in verse 10) frame he
was in when he received "the Revelation of Jesus Christ," and
then declares the message the Lord gave him in verse 11.
[Revelation 1:9-11] "I John, who also am your brother, and
companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was
in the isle that is called
Proposition: He who is the Alpha and the
Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the Ending of all things shall
be triumphant over all things and in all things.
Divisions: Let's look at these three
verses and see what the Holy Spirit here reveals about these three things:
1. The Lord's Servant.
2. The Lord's Day.
3. The Lord's Message.
I. The
Lord's Servant (v. 9)
[Revelation 1:9] "I John, who also am your brother, and
companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was
in the isle that is called
John who was the only surviving apostle,
and he one of the inner circle of the apostles, now almost one hundred years
old, describes himself as one who is our brother, our companion, and an exile
for the gospel's sake. Truly, this man is held before us here by the Holy
Spirit as an exemplary servant of our Lord.
A. First,. John describes
himself as our brother.
So averse are God's servants to taking
titles, seeking recognition, or promoting their own honor, that they genuinely
count it an honor to be counted among God's elect as one of the brethren. God's
servants are not men who are impressed with themselves. They are men who are
impressed with God! First and foremost, those who are God's servants, those men
who are sent forth to preach the gospel of Christ, are brethren in Christ. Brethren
care for one another. Brethren have common interests. Brethren look out for
each other. If we are Christ's we are brethren.
1. We belong to that family
named after Christ (Eph.
2. We are members of the
household of God and of the household of faith.
3. We have been adopted by the
same Father.
4. We have the same Elder
Brother.
5. We are all born of the same
Spirit.
My
brethren, let us ever live together in this world as brethren! As John himself
put it, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God"
(1 John 4:7).
[Ephesians 4:1-7] "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord,
beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, [2]
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another
in love; [3] Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace. [4] There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in
one hope of your calling; [5] One Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6] One
God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you
all. [7] But unto every one of us is given grace according to the
measure of the gift of Christ."
[Ephesians 4:32] "And be ye kind one to another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven you."
[Ephesians 5:1-2] "Be ye therefore followers of God, as
dear children; [2] And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and
hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a
sweetsmelling savour."
B. Second, John describes himself as
our companion.
Brethren are companions, companions in joy
and in sorrow, in laughter and in weeping, "in tribulation, and in the
kingdom, and in the patience of Jesus Christ."
1. We are companions in
tribulation.
We must
through much tribulation enter into the
[John 16:33]
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have
peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have
overcome the world."
[Romans 5:1-5] "Therefore being justified by faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: [2] By whom also we
have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of
the glory of God. [3] And not only so, but we glory in
tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; [4] And
patience, experience; and experience, hope: [5] And hope maketh not
ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost
which is given unto us."
[2 Corinthians 1:2-5] "Grace be to you and peace from
God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. [3] Blessed be
God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and
the God of all comfort; [4] Who comforteth us in all our tribulation,
that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort
wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. [5] For as the sufferings
of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ."
2. We who believe are also
companions in the kingdom of Christ.
You will notice that the
·
Christ is our King. -- He has set his throne in our hearts.
·
His Word is our Law. -- Our only Rule of Faith and Practice.
·
His will is our Rule.
That kingdom of which we are made citizens
is the sphere of God's grace. It is the community of the redeemed over which
Christ reigns as King.
3. All true believers are also
companions in the patience, or perseverance of faith.
The word here translated "patience"
would be better translated "perseverance." It means
""to remain under." This was precisely the point John was
making. We must patiently persevere in Christ and in faith, especially amidst
the onslaught of persecution and tribulation heaped upon us by a world set
against us. We must remain faithful under the pressure of great opposition
(Matt.
[Matthew 10:16-22] "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in
the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
[17] But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and
they will scourge you in their synagogues; [18] And ye shall be brought
before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the
Gentiles. [19] But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what
ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall
speak. [20] For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father
which speaketh in you. [21] And the brother shall deliver up the brother
to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their
parents, and cause them to be put to death. [22] And ye shall be
hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall
be saved."
C. Third, John describes the
circumstances and conditions surrounding him.
John could have said much about his
banishment for the gospel's sake. I am sure I would have said much, much more
than he did. But John, writing by inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, was not
seeking the pity or the applause of his brethren. He sought to encourage them.
Therefore, he writes about his circumstances in the lightest terms imaginable.
[Revelation 1:9] "I John, who also am your brother, and
companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was
in the isle that is called
He was not on some exotic
island on vacation. John was doing hard time at a Roman exile post, when he was
more than 90 years old!
John does not tell us how he
came to
John was sent to
He enforced emperor worship
rigidly, insisting that all men acknowledge him as god. He did not insist that
men acknowledge him as the only god, but as one god among many. Many were
slaughtered by the little tyrant. John was banished to
That was his crime. For this
he was sentenced to hard labor on
Yet, all he says about it is
that he was "in the isle that is called
1. John was banished to
He was not banished because he said the
Bible is the Word of God. The Bible had not yet been compiled. It had not all
been written. He was banished because of his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
who is the eternal, living Word of God.
·
For Asserting that Christ is the Eternal God.
·
For Declaring that Christ is the Revelation of God.
·
For Preaching that Christ Alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
2. This faithful old man was
banished to
He was imprisoned for preaching the gospel,
for his faithful, unequivocal, uncompromising proclamation of God's free and
sovereign grace in Christ, the sinners' Substitute.
[Revelation 1:2] "Who bare record of the word of God, and
of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw."
[1 John 1:1-3] "That which was from the beginning,
which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked
upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; [2] (For the life
was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you
that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
[3] That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may
have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and
with his Son Jesus Christ."
·
Eternal Sonship!
·
Effectual Substitution!
·
Exalted Supremacy -- Sovereignty!
·
Everlasting Salvation!
II. The
Lord's Day (v. 10)
John declares in verse 10 -- "I was in the Spirit
on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet."
Obviously, I cannot here say a great deal about any of these things, but there
are three things in this verse which must not be overlooked: (1.) John was in
the Spirit. (2.) It was on the Lord's day. And (3.) he heard a voice. What do
these things mean?
A.
John asserts, "I was in the Spirit."
I am certain that he is here describing an
experience beyond the bounds of normal human experience and understanding. He
is describing a condition in which he was utterly under the control of God the
Holy Spirit, in a state in which he was given supernatural revelation by God.
This was not a worked up state of religious, or spiritual frenzy. John
was seized by God and caught up in the Spirit.
·
This is what Ezekiel experienced (Ezek. 2:2;
·
This is what Peter experienced (Acts 10).
·
This is what Paul experienced (2 Cor. 12).
Yet, there is a sense in which John's
experience here was not unusual at all, at least not for God's people. You see,
believers are men and women who live and walk in the Spirit. Living under the
dominion of Christ our King in the
[Romans 8:1-9] "There is therefore now no
condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. [3] For what the
law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own
Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
[4] That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk
not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [5] For they that are after
the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit
the things of the Spirit. [6] For to be carnally minded is death;
but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. [7] Because the
carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of
God, neither indeed can be. [8] So then they that are in the flesh
cannot please God. [9] But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit,
if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."
B.
John declares that he was in the Spirit "on the Lord's day."
This is a very unusual expression, so
unusual that this is the only place in the New Testament where it is used. Yet,
John uses it as though it were a common expression. The fact is, it was a
common expression. There is nothing mysterious about iit. There is no hidden
prophetic meaning to it. And certainly, he did not mean to say, "I was
in the Spirit on the sabbath day."
"The Lord's day," is
Sunday. The early believers commonly called it the Lord's day, and set aside
that day as the specific day in which they would gather for worship (Acts 20:7;
1 Cor. 16:1). There was nothing legal about it. It had no connection with
sabbath keeping. This simply became the customary way in which believers
referred to Sunday, because this was the day in which our Lord Jesus arose from
the dead and upon which he appeared to his disciples after the resurrection
((Mark 16:9; John 20:19, 26).
Though John was banished from the house of
God and the people of God, he was not banished from God, or from his worship.
When the sun arose on Sunday morning and he was compelled to go out to his pile
of rocks with his sledge hammer, this faithful old man was in the Spirit,
worshipping God, gathered with the general assembly and church of the
firstborn, whose names are written in heaven (Heb. 12:18-24). If we worship God
at all, this is how we worship him.
[Hebrews 12:18-24] "For ye are not come unto the mount that
might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness,
and tempest, [19] And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words;
which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken
to them any more: [20] (For they could not endure that which was
commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or
thrust through with a dart: [21] And so terrible was the sight, that Moses
said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) [22] But ye are come unto mount
Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an
innumerable company of angels, [23] To the general assembly and church
of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and
to the spirits of just men made perfect, [24] And to Jesus the mediator
of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better
things than that of Abel."
C.
On this particular Lord's day, John heard a voice behind him, "a great voice as
of a trumpet."
It had been more than sixty years since he
had heard that voice, but was a familiar to him as it was in his youth. It was
the voice of his beloved which came leaping and skipping across the mountains
to him! While he was in the Spirit, on the Lord's day, the Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of God appeared to John and spoke to him. Oh, how I pray that he will
do that for us as we gather here in his name!
·
Somebody, reach out and touch him.
·
Somebody, call upon him as he passes by!
Now, look at verse 11 and hear…
III. The
Lord's Message.
For now, let's focus upon just the first
line of this eleventh verse. Here the Lord Jesus declares to John and to us,
that all is well.
[Revelation 1:11] "Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first
and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto
the seven churches which are in
When the Lord Jesus Christ declares, "I am Alpha and Omega, the
first and the last," He is assuring us that…
A. He is the eternal,
self-existent God (Isa. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12).
B. He is the fulness of all
things.
·
The Purpose of God.
·
The Revelation of God.
·
The Grace of God. -- God's Salvation!
C. He is pre-eminent, the
exalted Lord and King of the universe, in total control of all things.
But why did the Lord Jesus tell John to
send his message to the churches? Why not send it to the