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Revelation, chapter one. Revelation, chapter one. We're 
going to read verses nine, verses nine to 20. Excuse me, verses 
nine to 20 of Revelation, chapter one. I, John, both your brother and 
companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus 
Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word 
of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the 
spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice 
as of a trumpet saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the 
first and the last. And what you see right in a book 
and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia, to Ephesus, 
to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia and 
to Laodicea. Then I turned to see the voice 
that spoke with me, and having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands. And in the midst of the seven 
lampstands, one like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment 
down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 
His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, 
and his eyes like a flame of fire. His feet were like fine 
brass, as if refined in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of 
many waters. He had in his right hand seven 
stars. Out of his mouth went a sharp 
two-edged sword, and his countenance was like the sun shining in its 
strength. And when I saw him, I fell at 
his feet as dead. But he laid his right hand on 
me, saying to me, do not be afraid. I am the first and the last. 
I am he who lives and was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of 
Hades and of death. Write the things which you have 
seen and the things which are and the things which will take 
place after this. The mystery of the seven stars, 
which you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands, 
the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the 
seven lampstands, which you saw are the seven churches. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we ask now that you be with us as we consider your holy scriptures. 
We pray, God, that we would have high thoughts of what you have 
revealed in your holy word and that we would be able, by the 
power of your spirit, to continue in this lower world according 
to your word and according to your will. We ask, Father, for 
the ministry of the Holy Spirit now, for edifying the saints, 
for building up your people in this place, and Lord God, for 
the salvation of sinners in this place. that for those who do 
not know you, they would, by the power of the Holy Spirit, 
working by and with your word, depart this place, resting upon 
Jesus Christ and singing along with us. Hallelujah. What a Savior. 
And it's in Christ's name that we pray. Amen. Well, we're going 
to be looking at Revelation chapter one verses nine to eleven this 
morning and Lord willing, this evening we'll look at the following 
verses. But the Christian ought never to shy away from a consideration 
of the book of Revelation. It is the case that sometimes 
people tend to because of the amount of symbolism, because 
of a lot of the things that are going on in the book of Revelation. 
But it is very instructive in verse three of Revelation for 
Christians as to as to how we are to approach it or to support 
the fact that we are to approach it, to read it and to love the 
words revealed within its pages. Revelation one, verse three. 
Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy 
and keep those things which are written in it for the time is 
near. Now, of course, there was a particular 
meaning or a particular application for this book written to the 
seven churches in Asia Minor. However, we can gain and Christians 
have gained much benefit from this book as we live our lives 
here in this lower world. And I just want to read one quote, 
one quote to you. From David S. Clark, he wrote 
a commentary on the book of Revelation as we look to consider it this 
morning and this evening. This is what Clark says. If we 
have been disposed to think that there is nothing practical in 
Revelation, we have not penetrated its surface. What is the whole 
book about but the trials of the Christian on earth, the doom 
of the wicked, and the glorious reward of those who are faithful 
unto death? Go and meet your fiery trials, 
as did the faithful in John's day, and you will wear the crown 
and wave the palm and sing a song that angels cannot sing. We don't 
shy away from the book, but we do penetrate its pages, and we 
consider, if nothing else, the glory of the Christ revealed 
therein, and we give him praise, him honor, and him all things. But first, what we're going to 
do this morning is we're going to look at Revelation 1 verses 
9 to 11, and we're going to consider three things, the connection 
of the author, the current state of the author and the commission 
of the author. Again, those three things, the 
connection of the author, the current state of the author. 
and the commission of the author. First off, the connection of 
the author. Notice verse nine. I, John, both your brother and 
companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus 
Christ. John, the apostle here, the writer 
of the book of Revelation, had a particular connection with 
the saints that he is writing to. He was with them, if you 
will, in their tribulation, in the kingdom of Jesus Christ and 
in the patience of Jesus Christ. Now, very often when we pray, 
and it's not a bad thing, but when we're praying for our brothers 
and sisters in Christ who are persecuted in faraway countries, 
we might have the idea that we are with them and that we share 
in the same faith. We feel for them in their sufferings 
and we are actively in prayer for them. But we do not share 
with them in that peculiar way and that we do not have daily 
the heat and the pressure of God, God haters pressing down 
upon us. We live in general and we live 
in a general liberty and a general freedom here in Canada or in 
the United States. But John, with these brothers 
and sisters in Christ to whom he is writing, he shared with 
them in these things. And we'll get to that when we 
get to when we get to the current state of the author. But John 
was also undergoing tribulation. John could speak and he could 
write to these people. He wasn't seated up in some lofty 
ivory tower. He was in the midst of tribulation 
and he could write to them in this in this particular time. 
I mean, as we read, as we read the gospel accounts, more as 
we get into the book of Acts, but as we read here in the book 
of Revelation, the Christians at this particular time were 
going under tribulation that we know nothing of. They had 
the heat and the venom and the violence and the hatred and the 
anger of the unbelieving Jews coming down upon them daily. 
They also had the force and the anger of the Roman Empire mounting 
down upon them also. So they had these dual enemies. 
They were not in a good place, in a good position, temporally 
speaking. But as we as we read this morning, 
with regards to spiritual things, with regards to the Lord Jesus 
Christ, and him reigning over them, they were in a very good 
position. And as we come to, when we approach 
the book of Revelation, we see that the book of Revelation is 
good for one party of individuals, but it is bad, if you will, for 
another party of individuals. This Christ, of whom John sees 
a vision, is a comfort and a strength to believers. A comfort and a 
strength to Christians, but to those who would oppose King Jesus, 
This Christ is one that they will call upon the rocks and 
the trees to hide themselves from. He is a one who rules and 
justice, one who rules and righteousness and one who will exercise his 
wrath for those who do not bend a knee to him. But again, what 
we see here is John relating to believers that he is writing 
these letters to. He shares in their tribulation. 
And while we may not see the tribulations of the first century 
church, we still have tribulations. Even yes, even in Canada and 
the United States, we can have our own peculiar tribulations 
as Christians in this lower world. We may not we may not be having 
our heads chopped off. We may not be getting thrown 
into prison and all of these sorts of things, but we can encounter 
deaths of loved ones. We can know or we have known 
the anguish of those who do not believe, but rather maybe vocally, 
whether inwardly or outwardly, they do oppose Christ Jesus and 
his church. They oppose us. They ridicule. 
They laugh. They say, why would you believe 
in such things? You can count your tribulations, 
I'm sure. Perhaps those of a more, those 
who have lived in this lower world longer can look back in 
your Christian lives and while you might not be those who are 
in these seven churches, you can recount times where you have 
suffered in a small or a large way for the things of Christ 
Jesus and his glorious gospel. What we need to have is a proper 
Christian ethic as it when it comes to tribulation. And one 
man has described it well, and I'm paraphrasing, but he said 
Christians very often can come to tribulation, can come to affliction, 
can come to suffering, and they can just resign themselves to 
the inevitability of it. What that means is they'll just 
they'll just be resigned to the fact, OK, I will have grief. 
It's not going to be very much fun, but I'm just going to resign 
myself to the fact that there will be tribulation. Christ promised 
it. The Bible tells us I'm going 
to endure it, so I'm just going to resign myself to it. And they'll 
count it a spiritual growth when they're able to say, OK, I'm 
going to endure coming tribulation. Well, one man has said it well, 
but that's not the proper approach that the Christian ought to have 
to tribulation. The Christian is to have a joyous response 
to affliction and tribulation. They are to know or to see tribulation. And when it comes, they are to 
praise the God of that tribulation. They are to know that it comes. 
from the hands of a gracious God, a gracious God of Romans 
828, who works all things to the good or for the good of those 
who love them, to those who are the called according to his purpose. So again, we don't resign ourselves. And I'm speaking as something 
of a 34 year old whippersnapper. Because I really haven't endured 
a lot of tribulation. Yes, I have known some of those 
smaller things, those who ridicule those who laugh and that sort 
of thing. I've endured some things. But 
when I I want you to know that when I say we are to approach 
affliction and tribulation as as a joyful response to the gracious 
God who grants us these things. Hopefully, you know that I don't 
necessarily speak from experience, but I speak as one who hopefully, 
when I endure hardship, when I endure trial, when I endure 
affliction, I will commit myself unto God as to a gracious creator, 
sustainer and redeemer who grants us these things. So, again, as 
Christians, we ought to have that ethic, not not resigning 
to tribulation, but rejoicing that rejoicing in a God who graciously 
grants for reasons we may not know, but for reasons that are 
perfect in the mind of God. Now, secondly, John here also 
shares in the kingdom of Jesus Christ. He shares in the tribulation 
of Jesus Christ. But John does not have a woe 
is me attitude. He's not exhibiting a lament 
here. Why? Because he is also a partaker 
in a partaker of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. John's approach 
to Christian living in the first century was not abandonment to 
suffering. was not abandonment to suffering, 
but it was a strong confidence in a ruling in a reigning Christ 
whom he sees here and whom he falls before as a dead man. John had confidence that he was 
a partaker of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Now, John could 
speak of this because the kingdom of Jesus Christ had come. The kingdom, the kingdom of Jesus 
Christ was a present reality. Christians at this particular 
time and John being a sharer with them, they were not looking 
forward to the kingly, the royal and conquering investiture of 
the king of kings and lord of lords. They were not looking 
forward to that. They were dwelling upon a present 
reality. We read that in the book of Daniel 
at the outset. Jesus Christ, at His ascension, 
was given dominion and power and a kingdom. At His ascension. We read that at His resurrection. We read that as a reality. Remember, 
Matthew 28, 18-20, Jesus says, All authority in heaven and on 
earth has been given to me. Also, if you want to turn, if 
you're still in Revelation there, you can turn to Revelation chapter 
12 for a moment just to realize something of the fact that Jesus 
or that Christians rather in the first century through history 
and up until our time and moving forward are still living in the 
reality that Jesus Christ is ruling and reigning as the king 
of his church and truly as the king of the entire world. Revelation 
chapter 12. Beginning at verse three and 
another sign appeared in heaven. Behold, a great fiery red dragon 
having seven heads and ten horns and seven diadems on his heads. 
His tail threw excuse me, his tail drew a third of the stars 
of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before 
the woman who was ready to give birth to devour her child as 
soon as it was born. She bore a male child who was 
to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught 
up to God and his throne. It's an allusion to the ascension 
of Jesus Christ, that male child, that child of Isaiah nine, six 
unto us, a child is given unto us, a son is born and the government 
will be upon his shoulders and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, 
Mighty God, Prince of Peace and Everlasting Father, Mighty God, 
Prince of Peace. We have here again an allusion 
to his ascension. And what happens here or what 
we see here is that this child is to be one who rules all nations. with a rod of iron. So John in 
John here in Revelation one at verse nine, when he says that 
he is a brother and companion in the kingdom of Jesus Christ, 
he was not necessarily here looking forward to a particular reality 
when Jesus Christ would usher in his kingdom, but rather resting 
upon an already an already occurring advent. resting upon the first 
advent of Christ, his death, resurrection and ascension, and 
the inauguration of his kingdom in accordance with those particular 
events. And this is a comfort and this 
is the joy of Christians in our time today. And we ought to we 
ought to have this sort of again, while we might not be in first 
century tribulation, we ought to be resting confidently upon 
the fact that Jesus Christ has been given all authority in heaven 
and on earth. It serves as a wonderful joy 
to those who are, whether persecuted or not, whether under the heat 
and pressure of God-haters in Eritrea or in Chilliwack, British 
Columbia, Christians of every type and flavor rest upon a ruling 
and reigning Christ who conquers for his own reputation and for 
the enjoyment of his people. And I think one thing that we 
need to do One thing that we need to do as Christians is we 
need a reclamation of the kingdom of Christ as far as Christians 
living and operating in our lower world. I think there is a I'm 
trying to choose the right word. There is a light. and an unheavy 
and a wimpy approach to the kingdom of Jesus Christ on the part of 
Christians in the modern world. We will grant him. We will grant 
him. Christians will grant him the 
fact that he is, yes, king in the hearts of his people, but 
in other realms and in other areas and in other spots. Well, 
he's just not king. We'll be content with the back 
of the bus, we'll be content with the back of the auditorium, 
but we won't grant Jesus Christ rule and reign over all things. Yes, Jesus Christ did say that 
his kingdom is not of this world, or he said, my kingdom is not 
of this world. But that didn't mean that he 
wasn't king, that he wasn't given authority in heaven and on earth. 
That didn't mean that he was, yes, only ruler in the hearts, 
but everywhere else. He's not sovereign. He's not 
king. It meant primarily that his kingship or his kingdom didn't 
have an earthly source. And it was not it was not it 
was not ruled by an earthly power. His kingdom came from above, 
yea, from God himself. And this is a quote, it's an 
extended quote that I want to read to you, but it's something 
that we need to get into our minds, that Christians ought 
to get into their minds, that Jesus Christ is king in heaven 
and on earth and over all things. Jesus Christ, by the gospel, 
has asserted his absolute sovereignty and dominion over the rulers 
and nations of the earth. Again, this is a long quote, 
but please bear with me. They have a choice. Either submit 
to his government and law, accepting his non-negotiable terms of surrender 
and peace, or be smashed to bits by the rod of his anger. It would 
have been much easier on the early Christians, of course, 
if they had preached the popular retreatist doctrine that Jesus 
is content to be Lord in the realm of the spirit, while Caesar 
is Lord everywhere else, i.e. where we feel it really matters. 
Such a doctrine would have been no threat whatsoever to the gods 
of Rome. In fact, Caesar couldn't ask 
for a more cooperative religion. Toothless, impotent Christianity 
focused on the clouds. But the early church was not 
aware of this escapist teaching. Instead, it taught the biblical 
doctrine of Christ's lordship, that he is Lord of all, ruler 
of the kings of the earth. It was this that guaranteed their 
persecution, torture, and death at the hands of the state. And it was also this that guaranteed 
their ultimate victory. Because Jesus is universal Lord, 
all opposition to his rule is doomed to failure and will be 
crushed. Because Christ is King of Kings, 
Christians are assured of two things. Warfare to the death 
against all would be gods and the complete triumph of the Christian 
faith over all its enemies. That's that's the Christ who 
is King, that's the Christ who was exalted at his ascension, 
and that's the Christian approach to the kingdom. Jesus Christ 
is not just the wimpy Lord of the heart who prances around 
with long hair and a beard smiling. Jesus Christ is the one that 
John sees by way of vision, the one that has all authority, all 
power, that is sovereign over all things. He's the Christ that 
we read throughout the book of the throughout the book of Revelation, 
who treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty 
God. And we need to regain that kingdom 
approach, that approach to Jesus Christ as king and that approach 
to Christianity as that faith that will have complete triumph 
over all its enemies. John here is a companion in the 
tribulation and in the kingdom of Jesus Christ. And thirdly, 
with regards to the connection of the author, he is a brother 
and companion in the patience of Jesus Christ, a brother and 
companion in the patience of Jesus Christ. Now, we need to 
consider what this patience doesn't mean. We can use patience lightly 
and when we use it in other contexts, that's fine. But what this patience 
certainly doesn't mean is is some ability on the on behalf 
of individuals just to lay around and and just wait for things 
to happen with a handful of Pringles in their hand. just having some 
sort of ability just to lay around and wait for things. It's not 
the sort of patience. Secondly, and you can turn to 
Revelation chapter 6 to consider this, it's not the type of patience 
that just lets people walk all over us. As Christians, yes, 
we are to be patient, but we should not buckle under the weight 
of God-haters. We should not buckle under those 
who are unbelievers and let them trample over us as if as if we 
were just wimpy Christians eking out our lives in this lower world. 
And hopefully you can see the connection with regards to patience 
here. Revelation 6 at verse 9. Revelation 6 at verse 9. When he opened the fifth seal, 
I saw under the altar the souls of all those who had been slain 
for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And 
they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy 
and true until you judge and avenge our blood on those who 
dwell on the earth? You see what I'm getting here, 
the brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus ought not to just be content 
with the trampling of God haters, whether trampling upon brothers 
and sisters literally and physically, or whether dumping upon the doctrine 
of Jesus Christ and the blessed word of our triune God. We don't 
stand around and watch blasphemers have their way and have their 
sway. We ought to have this approach 
to righteousness and vengeance and justice, the vengeance of 
God and giving place to God's wrath. How long, O Lord, holy 
and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who 
dwell on the earth? They didn't have that sort of 
patience. They had the proper patience, 
which we'll get to in a moment. But they cried out with a loud 
voice, pleading with God to exact his vengeance upon those who 
had it coming. It's also not, if you want to 
turn to Revelation chapter two, it's also not that type of patience 
which allows heretics to have their sway in the church. It does not entail patience here 
in Revelation one nine does not entail tolerating those who are 
God haters, who are heretics, who seek to propagate false doctrine. Jesus Christ condemns the church 
in Pergamos. for such a thing. Revelation 
2 verse 14. But I have a few things against 
you because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, 
who taught Balaam to put a stumbling block before the children of 
Israel to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual 
immorality. Verse 15. Thus, you also have 
those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which things 
I hate. Jesus condemns those who had 
patience, if you will, in enduring the heresy of those enduring 
heretics who would seek to propagate doctrine that was in opposition 
to the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's not the patience, 
of course, that John envisions here when he says that he's a 
companion and a brother with them. The type of patience that 
we have here is perseverance. It's that type of patience which 
is marked by or which is faithful endurance, enduring unto the 
end. We see as Jesus is commending 
or as Jesus is is commanding John to write to the angels of 
these churches, he rewards them as being overcomers or he rewards 
those who are overcomers, those who do faithfully endure, those 
who, when tribulation comes, they don't have that unbiblical 
anxiety that Paul exhorts against in the book of Philippians. They 
rather, with prayer and with supplication, mingled with thanksgiving, 
make the requests known to God. They have a faithful endurance. 
And we could think of an example, perhaps in Stephen. Stephen was 
an example, I think, of this sort of patience. He was undergoing 
something of a tribulation. He's brought before that council 
and he's he's condemned as as a heretic, one who's preaching 
against God, against the law and against the holy place. And 
he doesn't he doesn't, you know, try and finagle his way. He doesn't 
try and wiggle out of and try and defend himself. Rather, he 
testifies to the glory of Christ or the fulfillment of Christ, 
that he that Christ brings the fulfillment of old covenant religion. 
And then he indicts patiently and faithfully enduring the venom 
and the spitting and the teeth gnashing of unbelieving Jews. 
He indicts them for having not believed in Jesus Christ. And 
then and then he even in Acts chapter seven, he even exercises 
some of that same stuff his master exercised on the cross of Calvary, 
mercy. And he says, into thy hands, 
I commit my spirit. Patiently, and we read we read 
the one the wonderful end to Stephen in the book of Acts isn't 
one that isn't one of panic. It isn't one of lamentation. It isn't one of woe. It is a 
peaceful end to our brother in in Acts chapter seven. Lord, 
do not charge them with this sin. And when he said this, he 
fell asleep. Stephen is a wonderful, a wonderful 
example of faithful, patient endurance. And when John is writing 
here again, when John is saying that he's with his brothers, 
he's with his sisters, he's a companion with them in these things, he 
is he is marked by that faithful endurance. Come what may, by 
way of unbelieving Jews, come what may, by way of the Roman 
Empire, They will, in Christ Jesus, endure to the end. And Jesus both commends this 
and rewards this type of patience as we continue throughout the 
book, throughout the book of Revelation, particularly in Revelation 
two and three. But again, John is not a stranger 
to these three things. He is a sharer with them. He 
is with his brothers and sisters in tribulation, impatience and 
in the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Secondly, the current state of 
the author. Note verse 10. I was in the spirit 
on the Lord's Day, or excuse me, the end of verse nine. Rather, 
I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation 
and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ was on the island that 
is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony 
of Jesus Christ. We noted this just earlier. John 
was a companion in the tribulation. And we'll get to a little bit 
more of this with other apostles. But one thing that we need to 
appreciate here One thing that we need to appreciate, again, 
is that John was not on some Mediterranean island just lounging 
back and relaxing. John is writing to them and identifying 
with them. He wasn't at an all-inclusive 
resort sipping ouzo and eating white Santorinian eggplant. He 
was on the island, which is called Patmos. He was no doubt there, 
deemed dangerous by the Roman Empire for preaching Christ and 
him crucified. We see that's why he was on the 
island. Notice, on the island called Patmos, for the word of 
God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. He could relate 
to them because he was living with them. or he was living, 
enduring the same trials. And again, it is for doing something, 
not that he was guilty of. He did not have here some sort 
of legitimate criminal action against him. He was doing what 
he was supposed to do as a servant of God. He was for the word of 
God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. The apostles in 
the wisdom and in the plan of God could talk the talk with 
regards to exhortation, with regards to encouragement, with 
regards to rebuke, because they had walked the walk along with 
their brothers and sisters in Christ. Very often, a lot of 
people can talk the talk But it can just come out as it can 
just come out as, you know, as just speak because they haven't 
walked the walk. They haven't endured. They haven't 
walked in the way everlasting like those to whom they are speaking. 
Now, very often the preacher does that. The preacher can do 
that because he's asked to preach the word of God. He's asked to 
grip the pulpit and to preach the word and the will of God. 
But he doesn't do it from a position from a position of unwholesome 
command or anything like that. He does it. because that is his 
commission and his calling. John here and the apostles could 
do it. They could talk to their brothers and sisters in Christ 
because they had walked along with them in their trials. And 
for more examples, we could think of Paul. When Paul wrote to the 
Philippians in Philippians 1 29, when he wrote to them, it has 
been graciously given to you not only to believe in Christ, 
but also to suffer for his name. He was writing that not from 
the Rancho Las Palmas resort in Palm Springs. He was writing 
that first off, he was writing that in prison. He was in prison 
for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. But 
he could also write, it has been graciously granted to you to 
suffer for the sake of Christ because he because he had been 
stoned. Because he had five times received 
40 stripes minus one, he had been beaten three times. He had 
been shipwrecked three times. He had been a night and a day 
in the deep. He had endured many perils in 
many places. He endured sleeplessness, hunger, 
nakedness and coldness. He could write to them, blessed 
is it or blessed are you those who are the recipients of affliction, 
of tribulation, of trial. And he could write, it has been 
graciously granted to you. But when we when we pray for 
brothers and sisters, we do it genuinely and earnestly, I hope, 
who are persecuted for the cause of Jesus Christ and for the cause 
of his truth when we pray for persecuted brothers and sisters. 
But we can't do it necessarily from the same position that Paul 
can. We say, and we pray for them, we say that they ought 
to have that ethic, that you would give them, God, that ethic 
to consider it, that they have been graciously granted the opportunity 
to suffer for the sake of Christ Jesus. John here, though, could 
directly identify with his brothers and sisters. He had endured such 
things. He was undergoing such things. Or Peter. Peter and first Peter 
412 when he writes, therefore, that those who suffer according 
to the will of God commit their souls to him as to a faithful 
creator. Peter also could. He was a brother 
and a companion with them in tribulation. Peter wasn't preaching 
from some sort of lofty tower. You wouldn't find you're not 
going to find Peter bouncing around in a ridiculously obscene 
hat. adorned in pompous garb, waving 
his hand at the downcast and saying be well, and then hopping 
into a bulletproof popemobile and going off to his deluxe tower 
in the sky. You're not going to see Peter 
do that. Why? Because he endured the trials 
and he endured the tribulations of his brothers and sisters in 
Christ Jesus. He knew the venom and he knew 
the hatred of his countrymen. He knew the expectation of his 
own countrymen that wanted to see that desire to see his head 
on the platter. He knew that the murderous desires 
of Herod, he knew imprisonment and he knew beatings. And he 
could say, therefore, let those who suffer according to the will 
of God, commit their souls to him in doing good as to a faithful 
creator. And this is also the fact that 
that these brothers, that Paul, that Peter, that John were undergoing 
The trials were undergoing the tribulations that John was on 
Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 
This is in fulfillment to Christ's prophecy that they would undergo 
these things. And they knew that Jesus had 
told them, you will surely be baptized with the baptism that 
I am being baptized with. They were fully immersed in the 
trials and tribulations and sufferings that came upon them. They they 
knew that this not only have these things been graciously 
granted, but Jesus promised these things. Jesus said that these 
things would happen to us. And so they endured. So they 
patiently and faithfully endured these things for the cause of 
their great king. John was banished. John was on 
the island called Patmos as a banished insubordinate in the eyes of 
the empire. But according to the kingdom 
of Jesus Christ, he was a faithful servant carrying out his providential 
contributions for his king. And this is, not alone, the job 
of John the Apostle, being about the Word of God and about the 
testimony of Jesus Christ. Yes, John peculiarly commissioned 
here for these things, but it is not solely and alone John's 
job. Christians, we are to be about 
the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Turn to Revelation 
12 for a moment, if you're so inclined. Revelation 12, verse 
17. Just to see that Christians, generally speaking, also are 
to be about the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 12 at verse 17, And 
the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war 
with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of 
God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. This is something 
that marks Christians. Generally speaking, that ought 
to. We are to be those. We are the offspring. We are 
the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, who keep the commandments 
of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. We are to be 
jealous for the reputation of the gospel of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, to defend it, to proclaim it and to propagate its truth. This is what John Gill says on 
this particular verse. This they had in their hearts, 
speaking of the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus 
Christ. This they had in their hearts, 
a spiritual knowledge and saving experience of it. And this they 
had in their hands. They made a profession of it. 
They held it forth and held it fast, all which was the reason 
of Satan's enmity against them and war with them. We're going 
to have the enemies of Christ, the enemies and the enemy and 
the enemies of Christ and his church come upon us. And it will 
be because we are the church. We are Christ's ransom. And it 
should also be because we are doing what Christ Christ's ransom 
ought to do. We are keeping the commandments 
of God and we have the testimony of Jesus Christ. We do what what 
Gil here says. We make a profession of it. We 
hold it forth and we hold it fast. This is something that 
ought to mark every Christian in under God's good heaven. And one thing we ought to notice 
also here and that we all we also ought to drink in this ethic. We ought to notice John's modesty 
or silence regarding his suffering on Patmos. I know it's probably 
not always the best thing or it's it's generally speaking 
it's not a good thing to exegete the silence or the blank spots 
on the pages. But I think it's notable in this 
example because John is setting forth the glory of Christ. Not 
the glory of John or the accomplishments of John, but it is notable that 
John here just says that he was on the island that is called 
Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 
He doesn't need to outline a litany of things that he's endured for 
the cause of Christ and his truth. Why? Because revelation is about 
Christ. Why? Because Christianity is 
about Christ. We do not preach ourselves, but 
Christ Jesus, the Lord and ourselves, your bondservants for Jesus sake. Now, yes, Paul, in his letters 
to the Corinthians, would defend his apostle ship and he would 
write that he was shipwrecked, that he was that he was five 
times received 40 stripes minus one and that sort of thing. Different 
application, different example. But very often you can get those 
Christians that are very much about themselves. We all have 
pride. I have it. You have it. But you 
can get, when you get stories of conversion and testimonies 
and all those sorts of things, biographies written by 35-year-olds, 
you can often get that these things are all about them and 
there's not a whole lot about Christ first. It's me first. Let me tell you about my tribulations. Let me tell you about what I've 
endured for Christ. Let me tell you about me. Me, 
me, me, me, I, I, I. When it should be about Christ 
Jesus, the one who received or the one who gave this vision 
to John, it should be about, let me tell you about Jesus Christ. If anybody ever, autobiographies, 
in a sense, are good. We can read about a lot of godly 
men, Spurgeon, Edwards, Owen. Great. We should read them because 
properly done, and a lot of them are, they actually do point Christward. But I'd have to I think if I 
was to ever write an autobiography, it would it would just, you know, 
maybe be one page because my autobiography at this point really 
isn't all that long. It would just be Christ. Jesus 
is ruling and reigning over his enemies and subduing the hearts 
of his people unto himself. The end. We can have or Christians can 
have this sort of idea where, oh, where they're the tortured 
artist. where they just want to unload 
about how they've endured when it should be about Christ Jesus, 
Him ruling, Him reigning, Him having previous to that died 
upon that tree, bloodied and battered for guilty sinners, 
rising again and ascending to the right hand of the majesty 
on high. That's what we ought to be about. And John's notable 
silence here, I believe, is for that reason, because he gets 
to the one whom he hears behind him, that one with a loud voice 
as of a trumpet, the Alpha and the Omega. Lastly, lastly, we'll 
look at the commission, the commission of the author. And we'll close 
with this particular point, the commission of the author versus 
10 and 11. Notice, I was in the spirit on 
the Lord's day and I heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet 
saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. 
And what you see right in a book and send it to the seven churches 
which are in Asia, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, 
to Sardis, to Philadelphia and to Laodicea. The first thing 
we should notice here is the one being commissioned. John 
rewrites of himself, I was in the spirit on the Lord's Day, 
and I think it's good to dwell a little bit here upon what this 
means. You know, a couple of things 
that we can look at first off in the spirit on the Lord's Day. It is certainly true that Christians, 
generally speaking, are to be in the Spirit on the Lord's Day. John 4, 23, we are to worship 
in spirit and in truth. Jude 20, we are to be praying 
in the Holy Spirit. Christians devoid of the Spirit 
are not Christians. Christians have the spirit of 
God and endure and walk through this lower world, fellowshipping 
with and being or enjoying the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 
Matthew Henry puts it this way. Those who would enjoy communion 
with God on the Lord's Day must endeavor to abstract their thoughts 
and affections from flesh and fleshly things and be wholly 
taken up with things of a spiritual nature. So, yes, there is generally 
speaking that fact or that reality that all Christians are to be 
in the Spirit on the Lord's Day. We need the influence and the 
assistance of the Spirit in order to rightly and properly worship. 
We need the instrumentality, we need the ministry of the Holy 
Spirit in order to rightly and properly preach, in order to 
rightly and properly hear, in order to rightly and properly 
exercise and carry out our Christian lives in the lower world. We 
need the Holy Spirit. But when John writes here that 
he was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, there is something of a 
difference than what we just Consider, there is something 
special and peculiar to those commissioned to inscription rate. The word of the living and true 
God that just does not go on today anymore. And just to see 
some of this, just we'll turn to a couple of places in Revelation, 
Revelation 4 to Revelation 4 to. And we'll also look briefly at 
an Old Testament example, but Revelation 4 to immediately John 
speaking here again, a writing immediately. I was in the spirit 
and behold, a throne set in heaven and one sat on the throne. So, 
John here, again, is in the spirit, I believe in the same manner 
that he was in the spirit, of course, in Revelation 1.10. He's 
in the spirit and he's given, he beholds this throne set in 
heaven and one who sat on the throne. Also, Revelation 17 at 
verse 3. Revelation 17 at verse 3. So he carried me away in the 
spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on 
a scarlet beast, which was full of names of blasphemy, having 
seven heads and ten horns. And just one other example, Revelation 
Chapter 21 at verse 10. Chapter 21 at verse 10, and he 
carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain 
and showed me the great city and holy Jerusalem descending 
out of heaven from God. So we get the idea here that 
this in the spirit, while John certainly would have had on the 
Lord's Day that that ethic that Matthew Henry spoke of, where 
he's abstracting his thoughts from the affections of flesh 
and fleshly things, wholly taken up into things of a spiritual 
nature, that general Christian in the spirit. But also, as we 
read here throughout Revelation, John in the spirit is taken and 
he's given these visions in order that he might follow through 
with his commission to write the things that you see to the 
seven churches in Asia Minor. So there is something peculiar 
to John here or something peculiar to God's ordained and commissioned 
messengers that we do not enjoy as Christians in the 21st century. Again, we no longer look for 
or wait for visions from God because God has already spoken 
with authority through the 66 books of the Old Testament and 
New Testament. And we have them. We have them 
here with us, and John received this in the spirit. these in 
the spirit visions in order that he might pen this book to the 
seven churches which are in Asia Minor. And one other thing with 
regards to the one being commissioned is that John is in the vein of 
the Old Testament prophets. John is identified by these things 
or by the language of revelation He's identified with the Old 
Testament prophets because they, in a very similar manner, in 
fact, we could say in an exact manner, received visions from 
God and they were likewise in the spirit. You don't have to 
turn here if you don't wish to. But Ezekiel chapter two at verse 
two. Ezekiel chapter 2 at verse 2, 
just to see that John is just like the Old Testament prophets 
here, bringing a message of judgment upon enemies, upon apostates, 
and messages of encouragement for those who are truly Christ's. Ezekiel 2, 2. Then he, excuse 
me, then the Spirit entered me and when he spoke to me, and 
set me on my feet. And I heard him who spoke to 
me, and he said to me, Son of man, I am sending you to the 
children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against 
me." Again, Ezekiel, then the spirit, entered me. Also in 312, 
312 Then the Spirit lifted me up and I heard behind me a great 
thunderous voice, just like the Apostle John here, just like 
the Apostle John. Blessed is the glory of the Lord 
from his place. And then also Ezekiel 43 at verse 
five, Ezekiel 43 and verse five. The Spirit lifted me up and brought 
me into the inner court and behold, the glory of the Lord filled 
the temple. So John here, in the vein of 
the Old Testament prophets and unlike Christians today, is in 
the spirit in the manner by which God Christ, the ruling and reigning 
Christ, is communicating to him these visions and these messages 
so that he might indict apostate Israel and that he might encourage 
the church, that he might encourage the church Christians in the 
lower world to endure in the face of persecution by way of 
Jews and the unbelieving Roman Empire. Also, what we see here, 
excuse me, what we see is that this took place on the Lord's 
Day. And just a brief note, revelation again, one at verse 10. I was 
in the spirit on the Lord's Day. No doubt this was the first day 
of the week, Sunday, the Christian Sabbath. the day today that we 
are enjoying the worship of our gracious God and something that 
we ought to notice here. And this is this is interesting. 
John Gill notes this observing or commenting on this passage. 
And it's notable for us today. Now, though John was driven from 
the house in worship of God and could not join with the saints 
in the public worship of that day, yet he was employed in spiritual 
contemplations and exercises. And what we can take from this, 
brethren, John is on the island that is called Patmos. He's banished 
for preaching and teaching the word of God and the testimony 
of Jesus Christ, for adhering to Christ Jesus, for proclaiming 
that there is only one name under heaven given among men by which 
we must be saved, Jesus Christ, that he is king of kings and 
Lord of lords, not Caesar. He's there banished away from 
the house of the Lord, away from the people of the Lord. Yet he 
is still engaged in spiritual contemplations and exercises. Now, this ought to serve as an 
indictment to us. We're not on the island that 
is called Patmos. And sometimes we just don't even 
want to come to church. Sometimes we get up and whatever 
the weights of the week, the weights of the day, we're tired, 
we're lazy, whatever it might be, we're not banished for proclaiming 
Christ. And sometimes we just don't want 
to engage in the worship of the triune God. Well, John is on 
the island called Patmos being undergoing tribulation, undergoing 
persecution, undergoing suffering and affliction. And he is nevertheless 
engaged in spiritual contemplations and exercises. Were it normative 
for John, he would have come to church. He would have entered 
in with the people of God, entered within the doors, the walls of 
whatever church he would be attending, and he would be engaged in worship 
with the brethren, not forsaking the assembling of themselves 
together. But he's on the island called 
Patmos. undergoing affliction. And nevertheless, 
he does not engage in absenteeism in his own context. He engages 
in participation in the things of Christ and in the things of 
his glorious truths. Now, very lastly and finally 
here, the commission. the commission that we get by 
or that the commission that Jesus Christ gives to John and the 
authority of the commissioner. Notice that Jesus here gives 
to John a commission to write in a book and send it to the 
seven churches which are in Asia. Jesus did not forget the promise 
that he gave to his disciples during his earthly ministry. 
I think two promises here that we could see sort of in the background. 
First, he promised in Matthew 16 that the gates of hell would 
not prevail over his church. I will build my church and the 
gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Well, how is Jesus 
building his church? He's commissioning his ordained 
messengers to bring his word and his precepts to people, to 
the world, to all nations under heaven. He's commanding, in this 
case, John, to bring the message to these seven churches which 
are in Asia Minor. He is commissioning and he's 
building his church as he promised. Also, John chapter 16, I believe 
we could see here as one of those promises that are in the background 
In the background here, as we read, as we read Revelation 1, 
9 and 10. And you can turn there if you'd 
like. John, chapter 16. Maybe verse 12, John, chapter 
16, verse 12, I still have many things to say to you, but you 
cannot bear them now. However, when he the spirit of 
truth has come, he will guide you into all truth. For he will 
not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will 
speak and he will tell you things to come. He will glorify me for 
for he will take of what is mine and declare it to you. All things 
that the father has are mine. Therefore, I said that he will 
take of mine and declare it to you. And so we get to the book 
of Revelation and we we see something of that bearing out, something 
of that coming to fruition, the promise of Christ. that he would 
communicate things to things, he would declare truth to his 
disciples. And of course, they in turn put 
them to letter in accordance with their commission for the 
growth of the church, for the strength of the church. for the 
propagation of precious truth. And we see the authority of the 
commissioner here. We'll get to the vision of Christ, 
Lord willing, again tonight. But notice the authority of the 
commissioner before we finish and close in prayer. I was in 
the spirit on the Lord's Day and I heard behind me a loud 
voice as of a trumpet saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, 
the first and the last. When God's when God's messengers 
are commissioned, they're left with no mystery who it is that 
is giving the commission. And by virtue of that, the people 
of God are given the certainty and the surety that this message 
is coming from God most high. The giver of the commission or 
the one commissioning identifies himself. First off, we hear that 
John hears behind him a loud voice as of a trumpet. We ought 
to have in the back of our minds that exodus manifestation or 
that exodus presence of God who came to Moses with thunderings 
and with loud noises, thunderings and lightnings. And we ought 
to we ought to remember those times where. At those times in 
the Old Testament, where the glory of God or the glory of 
the pre-incarnate Christ is given to messengers in the Old Covenant, 
we could think of Isaiah chapter 6 here in this example of John 
1, 9 to 20, very similar to Isaiah. John here falls at his feet as 
dead. Isaiah cried out, Woe is me, 
for I am undone, for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord 
of Hosts. And we, of course, know that in Isaiah chapter six 
is identified, of course, as as the holy one of Israel. But 
here we have the authority of Jesus Christ announced with the 
loud voice as of a trumpet, but then also with the fact that 
Jesus Christ is God. We have a clear, a clear declaration 
here of the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the cultic 
God-haters, no amount of interpretative gymnastics can get around the 
fact that Jesus Christ is God, as depicted here in Revelation 
111. I am the Alpha and the Omega, 
the First and the Last. And if your Bible has red letters, 
it's That's not the reason that we know that Jesus Christ here 
is being spoken of. If we if we if we move down to 
verse 13 or verse 12 and 13, we know that this is Christ Jesus 
identified. Then I turn to see the voice 
that spoke with me. And having turned, I saw seven 
golden lampstands and in the midst of the seven lampstands, 
one like the son of man. And this same son of man then 
identifies himself in verse 17. Do not be afraid. I am the first 
and the last. I am he who lives and was dead. 
And behold, I am alive forevermore. This is Jesus Christ. And it 
is John certainly declaring and Jesus Christ certainly asserting 
that he is God manifested in the flesh who died upon the cross 
of Calvary. rose again the third day, ascended 
into heaven and now seats at the right hand is seated at the 
right seated at the right hand of the majesty on high. And just 
so we understand Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. This 
is how Yahweh identified himself. The covenant Lord identified 
himself in the book of Isaiah, Isaiah. You don't have to turn 
there. I'm going to read these for you. Isaiah 41 for who has performed 
and done it, calling the generations from the beginning I, the Lord, 
am the first and with the last I am he. Isaiah 44, 6. Thus says 
the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of 
hosts, I am the first and I am the last. Besides me, there is 
no God. And also Isaiah 48 at verse 12. Isaiah 48 at verse 12. Listen 
to me, O Jacob, and Israel my called. I am he. I am the first. I am also the last glorious declaration, 
the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ isn't something that we have 
to infer. It's not something that comes 
from the Bible as good and necessary consequence. It is something 
that is clear and explicit within the pages of Holy Scripture. 
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. Wonderful. The authority of the commissioner, 
John, is receiving this commission from God most high. He's receiving 
this commission with a loud noise, with a loud voice, rather the 
sound of a trumpet. And he will and he will put pen 
to paper and write glorious things of judgment and glorious things 
of encouragement for his people. And just very briefly, as we 
close now, Confidence in the reigning Christ is what we ought 
to take from this. And we get more of this tonight 
as we read through the through verses 12 to 20. But we are to 
have confidence in the reigning Christ, confidence in that one 
who is the king of the kingdom that John was a partaker of with 
his brothers and sisters and that we are all partakers of 
also. We are partakers of the kingdom 
of our Lord Jesus Christ and we bend a knee and we worship 
such a glorious king and such a glorious Lord. We are and we 
ought to be imitators of the apostles were to be about the 
word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. We might not 
be banished to Patmos. We might not be persecuted like 
the first century Christians, but we are nevertheless in trial 
or out of trial. to be about the Word of God and 
about the testimony of Jesus Christ. We read our Bibles. We 
know doctrine. We learn doctrine. We seek to 
grow in the grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. And 
we are to love that Word, to hold it forth and to hold it 
fast. And lastly, we are to respond 
properly to the commission in Christ. And we'll see this more 
tonight. But we are to worship. Verse 
17, And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. We are to 
have that John the Apostle ethic of falling to our feet as dead 
men before the ruling and before the reigning Christ. And if you're 
here today and you have not done that, if you're here today and 
you're not in Christ Jesus unto the saving of your souls, you 
need to bend a knee to this Jesus. You need to be you need to be 
found in him, not having your own righteousness, which is from 
the law, but that which is through Christ or by God, through faith 
in Jesus Christ. John here is the blessed recipient 
of a gracious Christ who lays his right hand on John and says 
to him, do not be afraid. But if you do not believe in 
Christ Jesus and this is for child and adult, that Christ 
won't be your Christ in the day of judgment. Your Christ will 
be the one that you will be hiding from. You will be calling upon 
the rocks and the trees to hide you from the wrath of Christ, 
because you did not believe His Gospel, because you did not bend 
a knee to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. What must 
you do to be saved? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and you shall be saved. And He will be this Christ to 
you. You will fall at His feet as dead, but He will put His 
right hand on you and say, Do not be afraid. Let us pray. Father, 
we thank you so much for Jesus Christ, for your revelation of 
him. We pray, Lord God, that we would all be found in him. 
We know that this is possible with you, Father. It's not possible 
with men, but it is possible with you. And I would pray, Father, 
because of because of your character, because of your power, because 
it is possible with you, Lord God, that every single person 
might even leave this place singing the praises of Jesus Christ. 
I pray, Father, that you would, by the power of your Holy Spirit, 
convict men and women, boys and girls of sin, that they would 
know something of their own depravity, not just something, but Lord 
God, that they might even know that they might even know just 
the amount of sin, the amount of depravity, the amount of those 
things and the number of times that they have transgressed the 
laws of a holy God, but that they might also know your holiness, 
your righteousness, your mercy and your kindness. that they 
might know, Father, even more, the Savior who is able to save 
from such a place, that they would know Jesus Christ and Him 
crucified, Him resurrected, and Him ascended to the right hand 
of the Majesty on high. I ask, Father, that you would 
work that work of salvation and that we would rejoice in this 
church, seeing those, whether young or old, believing in our 
Redeemer, believing in our victor, the Lord Jesus Christ. We just 
pray that you'd go with us, that you'd help us to order our lives 
according to your word, according to the testimony of Jesus Christ, 
and that we would live in a manner worthy of the gospel and of our 
profession in Christ Jesus our Lord. And it's in his name that 
we pray. Amen.