Made White With Blood

Revelation 7

So, where are we at this point in the story?  In Revelation 1-3, John has a vision of Jesus.  Then we read about the letters that were to be sent to the seven churches.  Then John shares another vision in Revelation 4:1 which says, “After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.’”  

Whereas the first 3 chapters talk about something in the present during John’s time, he seems to switch his focus to some future time.  “The voice” told him that something would take place “after this.”  We don’t really know how far in the future he’s talking about yet.  We just know that God is about to share prophecy about some future events.  In Revelation 4, God gives us a picture of what worship is like or what it will be like in heaven. 

Who is Worthy?

Revelation 4:1-5:14

Welcome! Today we continue our series in the Book of Revelation. I want to start by looking at the big picture of what we have seen so far. In Chapter 1, we begin with brief prologue, a statement that this book is a revelation, a revealing, an unveiling from Jesus Himself, given by His angel or messenger to His servant John, and it says that all who hear this message and take it to heart will be blessed. The book then opens with a greeting from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia. John states a greeting not only from John himself, but also from God; he then praises God and quotes Him as the Alpha and Omega.

John then explains that he was on the island on Patmos when he was “in the Spirit,” and a messenger with a voice like a trumpet told him to write down what he would see and send it to the seven churches. John was then given a vision of seven golden lampstands, representing the churches, and Christ among them, awesome in appearance, glowing, afire, holding seven stars in his right hand, with a sword coming from his mouth. Jesus in this vision identifies Himself and instructs John to write what he has seen, what is now, and what will take place later. Bible interpreters and commentators wrestle over what this means, trying to decide if parts of the vision refer to the past, even John’s past, part to the present, and part to the future, but I think this is not the plainest meaning of what is going on. Perhaps all Jesus meant is that John was to write down his initial vision, that of the messenger, then this vision, and then the vision or visions that would follow.

...Let Him Hear

Revelation 3:1-22

Good morning!  We’re going to continue today on the series in Revelation.  I have to confess that am still a little bit in shock that we’re actually doing a series on Revelation.  Carl had said enough times in the past that he wouldn’t choose to do a series on Revelation.  In March, when he read through the whole book of Revelation in a single morning, he said it might happen, that the Lord was opening that door as it were.  Then, we put it on the schedule, but I still didn’t really think about it.  We announced it to the church.  It seemed more certain, but it hadn’t happened yet.  Then, two weeks ago Carl opened the series.  Then, it should have hit me right?  We’re really doing it now.

But for me, it wasn’t until I sat down and started preparing this message that a wave of shock came over me again.  We’re really going to do it.  We’re going to do a series on the entire book of Revelation.  We’re not going to pick and choose.  We’re not going to skip over stuff.  We’re going to go through every verse in the book.

It is such a good thing for us to do.  As Carl already shared that first week, “Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it.”  (Revelation 1:3)