The Vision of the Glorified Lord (Rev. 1)
When John was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, what did he see? This message breaks down the wonder of Jesus—the Son of Man—and why He calls us not to be afraid.
Transcript
A grocery store. A church. A nail salon. A McDonald’s. An elementary school. These are all places that should feel safe. But right now, they don’t.
As with many of you, this week I’ve felt sorrow, anger, even despair. Sorrow at the tragic loss of life. Anger at those who refuse to acknowledge that guns are a problem in this county. Despair that this will happen again—months, weeks, even days from now—because nobody can agree to do anything about it.
My guess is that you’ve experienced your own set of emotions, maybe similar to mine maybe different. Whatever your emotions, one thing is for sure—this has been a heart-wrenching week.
Right now, this week, Revelation is just the book we need. It offers hope amid hardship, security amid sorrow, and anticipation amid anxiety
When John wrote this book, around 90 AD, Christians were under attack. They were being imprisoned, beaten, and even killed under the Roman emperor Domitian. It was a terrifying time to be a Christian, but the church was strong, and it was growing.
Where did these early believers find this strength? This week, between the murders and the church abuse scandals, I was ready to give up on it all. What did they know that we desperately need right now?
Well, the answer to that can be found in the very first chapter of Revelation. But before we dive in, I want to remind you of the 5 principles I talked about last week for understanding The Book of Revelation.
It’s centered around Jesus Christ.
It uses lots of symbols and images.
It uses numbers symbolically.
It draws heavily on the Old Testament.
It’s difficult to understand.
We’re going to need all five of these today in order to understand this first chapter and the hope the early Christians had.
We’re going to start in verse 9 but really focus in toward the end of the chapter.
“9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
John is an old man, probably in his 90s, and the last of the 12 apostles, exiled for his faith to an island called Patmos in the Mediterranean. On a Sunday (“the Lord’s Day”), he was praying so deeply he described that he was “in the Spirit.” And a voice told him to write down what he was about to see and send it to seven churches in the nearby province of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
Here’s a map of the Mediterranean. That’s Italy on the far left, Greece in the middle, and Africa on the bottom. Patmos is the small island with the red label. The yellow labels represent the 7 churches that he is writing to. We’re going to talk about them next week.
Remember that seven represents divine completeness, so yes, this was a letter written to 7 very real churches. It’s also a letter written to God’s complete, whole church, which includes us.
One last thing. Right above the label “Mediterranean Sea”, you see the island of Rhodes. See it? It has nothing to do with the passage. I just like that I have an island named after me. Let’s move on.
For this next part, there is no passage in the whole New Testament that exalts Jesus more than John’s vision of the risen and glorified Christ presented here.
“12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.”
Now, this is where it starts to sound like the Book of Revelation. If you were here or you watched last week’s, this is not where you want to go, “Eagles where hats?!?” If you did, you might think Jesus looks like this.
Instead, we’re going to look at Jesus through symbols, numbers, and the Old Testament. So, let’s talk about what this passage means:
Revelation 1:13 - “someone like a son of man…” Old Testament reference: Daniel 7:13 - “In my vision…there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven.” Meaning: Divine Messiah
Revelation 1:13 - “robe…with a golden sash…” Old Testament reference: Daniel 10:5 - “there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold…around his waist.” Meaning: Exalted King, Priest
Revelation 1:14 - “The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow…” Old Testament reference: Daniel 10:5 - “there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold…around his waist.” Meaning: Purity
Revelation 1:14 - “his eyes were like blazing fire.” Old Testament reference: Daniel 10:6 - “His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches.” Meaning: Penetrating Insight
Revelation 1:15 - “His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace…” Old Testament reference: Daniel 10:5 - “there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold…around his waist.” Meaning: Strength, Stability
There are other descriptions that we don’t have time to dive into
Voice like running water = God’s power
Sword out of his mouth = God’s truth and judgment
Face like the sun = God’s glory
Are you starting to see the picture? Jesus is way more than a carpenter from Nazareth. He is God, in all his incredible power, glory, and majesty.
How would you respond if you saw Jesus in his fullness of everything?
Divine Messiah
Exalted King
Priest
[who is] Pure
[with] Penetrating Insight
Strength
Stability
Power
Truth
Judgment
Glory
Here’s how John responded? “17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.” Maybe he fainted, passed out, or just fell on the floor with awe. But he was so overwhelmed that his mind and body couldn’t take it all in.
And then, Jesus did the most amazing thing.
But before we read it, we have to visit two more images that I haven’t talked about yet—the lampstands and the stars. Let’s go back to a few verses.
v12-13 – “And when I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man…”
v16 – “In his right hand, he held seven stars…”
Sometimes, the book of Revelation explains the book of Revelation. It’s kinda nice. It’s like me leaving a review of RiverLife saying, “That Lead Pastor is a great preacher. And he’s pretty easy on the eyes.” Okay, nobody would believe that.
If we jump ahead to verse 20, here’s the explanation.
“20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”
Remember that seven represents completeness. So, these lampstands aren’t just the seven churches in Asia Minor. It’s all of God’s churches. That means us too. Jesus is literally walking among his churches. The one who is returning soon is already here among us.
And the seven stars are the angels that are guiding and protecting God’s churches. And Jesus is holding these stars in his hand. Church, no matter what we go through, no matter what you go through, Jesus is literally holding us in the palm of his hand.
That Jesus, who walks among his churches and holds us in the palm of his hand, did the most amazing thing for John.
“Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”
Don’t be afraid. That is something we need to hear today. Jesus is the reigning Lord of the universe, the beginning and the end, the one with the power over life and death.
John was writing to persecuted Christians, reminding them that God was bigger than their trials. And he’s bigger than yours.
Don’t be afraid.
Does it mean that there won’t be more school shootings? No. But Jesus holds the power of life and death. No child is lost without breaking his heart.
Don’t be afraid.
Does it mean you’ll never be lonely again? No. But Jesus is walking alongside you.
Don’t be afraid.
Does it mean there won’t be any more racist attacks? No. But Jesus is holding you in his hands.
Jesus Christ has the power and desire to be with you in the midst of your fears. Remembering this will enable you to take your next step of faithfulness. How? Because Jesus is with us—no matter what is, what was, or what will be.
I remember the night George Floyd was killed. As I watched the video, just horrified by what I was seeing, in anger and despair, I said to myself, “Let it all burn.”
I said the same thing a few nights ago when I heard about Uvalde (you-val-dee).
Another senseless act of violence. And another round of spineless politicians who won’t do anything. I was angry. “Let it all burn.”
Then, a good friend and mentor reminded me: No. That’s not goodness or justice.
There will be times Revelation is going to feel like: “Let it all burn.” But that’s not how God works. That is not the Jesus who stands among his churches and holds our future in the palm of his hand.
In prepping this sermon, I needed to be reminded that death does not win. Whether that’s at a grocery store in a black neighborhood or an elementary school filled with Hispanic kids.
Death does not hold our future in his hand. Jesus does.
