R sbc
December 9th , 2007
Sunday morning
Series: Christ Is The Sum & Substance of The Bible”
Subject “ When I Saw Him”
Intro: Through out the Bible Christ has revealed himself in many ways and on many occasions. This is no different, John is face to face with Jesus Christ. This no doubt was a great and eternal blessing to John.
The Christ that he was called to serve in life, and in tribulation, is now risen from the dead, and ascended on high, and now comes back. Two other men saw Jesus after he went to heaven....
Steven: Ac 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Saul of Tarsus: Ac 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And now John. We cannot see Christ in person this morning but we can see him in this text. Clearly he is revealed. Look at with me and let us glean from it as the LORD would have us to do.
I..IDENTIFICATION OF CHRIST : VS 11
This is so real. He describes him... and what a marvellous description of our LORD here identified.
(1.) The eternal Christ:
This is seen by the usage of the words “I AM” The first person that ever heard these words was Abraham: Ge 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
The most familiar of these usages was when the Lord appeared to Moses. Ex 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
So when Christ speaks of himself as the I Am he is saying in essence I am the self existent one. The language here is rendering itself to the one and only true GOD, Jesus Christ. Isa 41:4 Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.
(2.) The description of Christ: 12-16
a. He sees the Lord’s Church: vs 12
Keep in mind this is not actually candlesticks, this is a vision and the candlesticks are symbolic of the Lord’s churches in Asia. Here John describes what he sees and who he sees.
b. He sees what gives light and existence to his church: vs 13
Is not this exactly what Christ promised us. Mt 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Mt 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Christ himself said I am the light of the world, ye are the Light of the world, if we are in him we give light and do not walk in darkness.
c. He sees his person and his dress: vs 13-15
Another one of the LORD’S servant saw him like this in a vision. Dan 7-9 ¶ I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
Dan 10-6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.
d. He sees the power of Christ also: vs 16
Who are the stars? These are not literal stars, these are the pastors of the churches. Christ makes this clear down in verse twenty. What we are seeing in reality and what John saw is the power of Christ to rule over his churches and use his ministers in the churches to who will and choosing.
How does he do this? Good question but it can be answer.
1. What is the twoedged sword?
Ps 149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; It is the word of the LORD Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
In the midst of tribulation that the churches and their leaders were experiencing from the Roman Empire, the only weapon they need is the twoedged sword, and Christ in their midst.
The radiance of Christ is also seen. Shines as the sun in it’s strength. Wow. He shines through his churches as the sun shines through the universe and gives light at day.
When Jesus took Peter, James, John what did it say about him. Matt 17-2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. Saul saw this light also, suddenly a light from heaven shined about him...
2.Combine Christ and the sword and the light and what do you have?
Christ for comfort, the word for instructions, the light for understanding, Christ for power, the word for discipline, the light for direction in the word. Christ for our authority, the word for our rule, the light for driving out the dark days of our life.
II..INABILITY OF JOHN. VS 17
And when I saw him... I fell as dead. This my friends clearly speaks of inability. All who saw him was captured by him and they reacted to it. Let me show a few examples of this.
Joh 11:32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
It does not say that Thomas fell but we must think that if the reaction was such as John in the Revelation of Christ to him, certainly it is no different here. John 20-26 ¶ And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
Let me remind you once again what John sees.... When Jesus was on the earth listen to what they saw of him and then I will remind you what John saw... Matthew saw his Kingship revealed, Mark saw his Heirship, Luke saw his Mediatorship, John in the gospel saw his judgeship.
John sees the Christ uncovered: Rev 1-1
John sees him as the one who loves us: Rev 1-5
John sees him as the one died for us: Rev 1-5
John sees him as the one who made us kings: Rev 1-6
John sees him as the coming one: Rev 1-7
John sees him as the almighty one- Rev 1-8
John sees him as the patient one- Rev 1-9
John sees him as the great one- Rev 1-10
John sees him as the stately one: Rev 1-11
John sees him as the redeemer and the risen one: vs 12-15
John sees him as the powerful one: vs 16
John sees him as the ever living one: vs 17
John sees him as the ruling one: vs 18
John sees him as the one who reveals vs 19-20
Conclusion: In this first chapter cannot you see who this book is really about, it is about our Lord Jesus Christ. He is in all it’s pages, he is in all events, he is in all it’s judgements, he is in all it’s symbols, he is in all his churches, he is in all that is saved, no wonder John fell as a dead man, no wonder Paul said: Ro 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Ro 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence
Can you trust such a Christ this morning, has he given to you the ability to come to him then come right now in Jesus name, come just as you are without one plea, come bankrupt for you are, come wanting to be saved from what you are, come to Christ he is the saviour this morning...