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The Living One (Revelation 1:17-18) - Pastor Jonathan Williams · Fairview Presbyterian Church (PCA) Sermons

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Well, I invite you to turn with me in your copy
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of God's Word that you've brought with you or
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in the purac in front of you to Revelation. We
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are going to be in the book of Revelation chapter
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1 today looking at the exalted and risen Jesus.
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Looking at the exalted and risen Jesus. Revelation
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has been characterized as a picture book and
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in many ways it is a picture book. sort of like
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a graphic novel, less photography, and if you're
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into art, more impressionism. As we look today,
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we will not see a photograph of what Jesus looks
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like. We will look at a picture of what Jesus
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is like in his character and his essence as the
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risen and exalted Christ and see why and how
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that is so good for us today. So, Revelation
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chapter 1. Look with me beginning at verse 12,
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and we will go through verse 20. Revelation 12,
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1. Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking
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to me. And on turning, I saw seven golden lampstands.
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And in the midst of the lampstands, one like
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a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with
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a golden sash around his chest, the hairs of
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his head were white like white wool, like snow.
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His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet
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like burnished bronze refined in a furnace, and
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his voice was like the roar of many waters. In
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his right hand he held seven stars. From his
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mouth came a sharp two -edged sword, and his
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face was like the sun shining in full strength.
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When I saw him I fell at his feet as though dead,
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but he laid his right hand on me saying, Fear
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not, I am the first and the last and the living
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one. I died and behold, I'm alive forevermore.
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And I have the keys of death and Hades. Write
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therefore the things that you have seen, those
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that are and those that are to take place after
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this. As for the mystery of the seven stars that
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you saw in my right hand and the seven golden
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lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of
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the seven churches. and the seven lampstands
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are the seven churches. Well, on Palm Sunday,
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we beheld Jesus gentle and lowly and humble.
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And just as much as we needed to see our humble
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Savior, coming to lowly needy people like me
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and like you. We also need to see that very same
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Savior high and lifted up, resurrected in power
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and glory and authority as we see Him here. For
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His glory is the great end for which we were
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created and this image of glory actually answers
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all of the distress. that you're experiencing
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in life right now or tomorrow? Yes, indeed, whether
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going through personal trials, temptations, or
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griefs, or troubles, or if you're just bothered
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by all of the plagues of our society that seem
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to be new every time you turn on the news, this
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picture of the exalted risen Savior is the answer.
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As we behold Christ in this passage, what we
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should feel and think is both a sense of consolation
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and confidence. As we behold the exalted risen
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Christ, He gives us His consolation and confidence
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to live for Him. So let's see that. Let's see
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this picture of Jesus, the risen. ruling king.
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You remember the context of the book of Revelation
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written by the Apostle John? Where is John? John
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is on the island of Patmos. Why is he on the
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island of Patmos? Well he's exiled. He is exiled
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for the cause of Christ, and he is in the Spirit
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on the Lord's Day. The Lord's Day is Sunday,
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the Sabbath, the Christian Sabbath, moved to
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Sunday in celebration of what? The resurrection
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of Christ from the dead. And though John is unable
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to gather with the saints, because he's alone
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on Patmos, he's not really alone, is he? No,
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not at all. As he turns, hearing this voice like
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a trumpet, he sees this awesome sight never beheld,
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well, the most awesome sight ever beheld by a
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mortal man. It's an impression of what Jesus
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is really like and it should reside deeply. This
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image of Christ must reside deeply in our hearts
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and our minds if we are to feel that sense of
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comprehensive comfort that he brings us. We behold
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His Majesty beginning in verse 13. What do you
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see here? What impression does this visualization
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create? As I read these words again, He's one
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like a son of man, clothed with a long robe,
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a golden sash around His chest. The hairs of
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His head are white like wool, like snow. His
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eyes, flames of fire, feet like burnished bronze
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refined in a furnace. His voice like the roar
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of many waters. Seven stars. He holds the stars
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in his hand and out of his mouth comes what?
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A double -edged sword. And his face is shining
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like the sun at full strength. When was the last
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time you tried to look at the sun and not be
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in a solar eclipse? It's almost impossible to
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look at the sun for more than an instant. And
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this image. is one of the majesty of God, and
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more specifically, the divine sovereignty of
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God. The divine sovereignty of God. John is overwhelmed.
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This is almost too much for him to take in. In
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fact, he is knocked over by this image as the
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Son of Man stands before him. This description
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of the Son of Man draws a lot of language from
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the Old Testament. Most of Revelation is made
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up of images from the Old Testament. And this
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harkens back to Daniel. In Daniel chapter 7,
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the prophet has a vision of the Son of Man. And
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that vision in Daniel, bottom line, that vision
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in Daniel taken with this vision here in Revelation
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is showing us that this one is the Divine Lord
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of Glory. He's the divine King of kings and Lord
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of lords. He is God, and He is King. This Jesus.
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He's the Lord of everything. And in a day, the
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day in which Revelation was written that day,
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this would have been an immense comfort. to Christians
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who are being forced in various places in the
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empire, particularly towards Rome, to bow down
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to Caesar as a god, Caesar as a lord and as divine.
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One far greater than Caesar is here. One far
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greater than any president or premier or prime
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minister is here in this passage. in all the
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chaos of this world, in whatever we're going
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through day in and day out, amidst all the clamor
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or the text messages that you get throughout
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the week that compete for your attention for
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a moment here this morning. And for many moments
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throughout your week, we need to be captivated
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by this picture of reality if we're gonna hold
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everything else in its proper perspective. Otherwise
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we'll be dominated by the chaos in this world
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rather than seeing the one who controls and is
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risen far above the chaos and clamor of this
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life. We need to behold this son of man. No matter
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what trial we are in, no matter what administration
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is in the White House, no matter how the nations
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vainly rage against God's people, you and I are
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not captive to the world. We are not captive
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to our sin or to Satan. We are living right now
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under the dominion, under the reign of this sovereign
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King who is absolutely, absolutely in charge
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of your today's and your tomorrows. That's who
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the resurrected exalted King Jesus is right now.
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And this image brings consolation to John because
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we see he is sovereign Lord and he is all -sufficient
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Savior. And that all -sufficient Savior is depicted
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in the various pieces of the garment that he
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is wearing. We get little glimpses of the fact
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that Jesus as our Savior is a prophet and a priest.
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and a king, and what each of those prophet, priest,
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and king ministries means to us. We see in verse
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13 some priestly aspect of our exalted king's
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ministry. The robe and the sash around his waist
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remind us of the garments that the priests wore.
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And we see also as we look at this picture that
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Jesus is tending these lampstands in verse 12
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and 13. That reminds us of the work of the high
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priest back in the Old Testament. The work of
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the priest in the Old Testament was to keep the
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oil in the lampstands, to keep them burning,
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to keep them bright. The priests themselves would
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offer sacrifices for the sins of the people.
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And this particular aspect of the priestly work
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applied to this image of Christ is so powerful
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because we realize that Jesus didn't just offer
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a sacrifice. He was the great high priestly sacrifice
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for our sins. And he's a high priest who's able
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to help because he's present. Oh, you see back
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in verse 13 that he is among the lampstands.
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He's in the midst of the lampstands. What great
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assurance to John, even though John is exiled
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on this island and he probably doesn't get much
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news of what's happening to the church on this
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island. What great assurance to see that Jesus
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is among the lampstands. which represent the
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church. And so John sees, ah, Jesus is with His
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church. He's among His church. He's with His
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people. He's not going to abandon His people
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in their moment of need, but He's going to tend
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them, care for them, fan them into flame. Dear
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ones, if you are in Christ today, He is with
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you. And we also see not only the priestly ministry
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of Jesus and how He is present with us, but He
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is present with us as a prophet as well. How
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do we see that prophetic ministry of our all
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-sufficient, consoling Savior? Well, we see that
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as we see what comes out of His mouth. Out of
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His mouth comes a double -edged sword. What does
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this signify? Well, Jesus Himself, who... proclaims
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that He is the Word, also uses the tool of God's
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Word, which is described like a sword. And so
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God's Word, the sword of the Spirit, comes to
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us. As Hebrews says in Hebrews chapter four,
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the Word of God is living and active, sharper
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than any two -edged sword. It penetrates, dividing
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soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges
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the thoughts and the attitudes of the heart.
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And so Jesus, with His Word, comes in His prophetic
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ministry, His speaking ministry, to purify us
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with the sword of His Word. And in some way,
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He's both a King and a prophet in this way because
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His Word judges us. Now, that doesn't mean that
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His Word condemns you, Christian, because we
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know that the Scripture says that there is no
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condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
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But His Word does come to rebuke, to admonish,
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to correct. Why? Because He doesn't want to leave
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and He will not leave any vestige of sin in you.
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He won't leave any vestige of sin in His church
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because He has saved you to be a holy people
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for Himself. So He won't let anything in the
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church hinder Her relationship with Him. Let
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any sin remain in your life that will harm you.
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He loves you too much. And so, in his speaking,
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in his prophetic ministry, he comes with this
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sword, so to speak, to root out all that is harming
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his people and displeasing to him. But you also
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see his kingship. in the description further
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there in verses 14 through 16, all of that mighty
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imagery of His power, of His might, eyes like
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flames of fire, et cetera. And you see here,
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not only the priest that sacrifices himself,
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the prophet who speaks words of life, but also
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a king. Who's in charge of Fairview Presbyterian
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Church? Jesus. This king. He is absolutely in
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charge. And if you read on through Revelation
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what he is going to do, he's going to speak words
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of love and critique to his churches. And as
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he comes, he is the one to say, this is going
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well in your church and these are areas where
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you need to repent in your church. He is the
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one who defines her worship, her work, her belief,
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her practice. He is the one who gives shape to
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and protects and defends his church. You saw
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that imagery of the seven stars, the seven stars
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which correspond. to the seven angels. Oh, He's
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protecting His church. He's defending His church.
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And He's subduing you to Himself. That's a good
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thing. Our catechism says that He executes the
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office of a king by subduing us to Himself. He
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wins us to Himself. He brings us to Himself.
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He rules, defends, and protects. But he doesn't
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just do this one time. No, he is the all -sufficient
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Savior. And you see that sustaining sufficiency
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as you realize that he is working and laboring
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among the lampstands. He's not just distant in
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heaven, but he is at work in his church now by
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his Holy Spirit putting oil in the lamp, so to
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speak, giving power to the church. as it were,
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by His Spirit, sustaining her, guarding her,
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protecting her, defending her, teaching her,
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leading her. Christ will not abandon her. He
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is actively at work right now in this church,
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sustaining His people, sustaining you. That's
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an incredibly encouraging thought in a day where
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the church sometimes seems very small in a big
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world. It seems opposed to Christ and opposed
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to His people. No. No. Christians then were not
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in the grip of Caesar. Ultimately, they were
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in the grip of grace. And so are you. And so
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am I. That's the picture. The all -sufficient
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savior, prophet, priest, and king, the one who
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is in charge of all things, sustaining and ruling
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and defending his church, providing for all of
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her needs. We're in this picture too. Fairview
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Presbyterian Church is in this picture too. He
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provides for us, he rules and defends us. We
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need not think that Our faithful gospel witness
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in this place has lasted for the last 239 years
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because of sheer self -determination. No, we
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are here today because of Christ's preservation.
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That's the great consolation that comes to John,
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and it's great consolation to us to know that
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we have a priest who has opened the way to the
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Father by his shed blood, a prophet that speaks
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wonderful words of life to every situation, and
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a king that rules, defends us, and conquers all
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of his and our enemies. He is an all -sufficient
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Savior for you. It's a comprehensive Savior who
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touches every hurt. And He gives faith and repentance
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to every one of us who are wounded by sin. And
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so in the light of all that you've heard this
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morning and all that we've sung and what we're
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hearing now, if you today realize that you don't
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know this Savior King, that you've never turned
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from your sins. to trust in Him alone for salvation.
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The Bible says that He is the only way to salvation.
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He is the way, the truth, and the life. If that's
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you today and you realize you don't know Him
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as Savior and Lord, today is the day of salvation.
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Let resurrection day be the day of repentance
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and faith for you. Come to Christ, believe in
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Him, and you will be saved. Jesus provides us
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that divine comprehensive consolation but he
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also gives us confidence and this is where his
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victory over the grave and death give us great
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confidence and dispel our fears. Notice here
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in verse 16 or rather verse 17 that John sees
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Jesus and what happens? Verse 17, he falls at
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the feet of this figure as though dead. Now,
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when you behold the incomprehensible picture
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of this divine majesty, it's only natural to
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be frightened and afraid. I've told you before
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about the first time I read the book of Revelation
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to Briley, and Briley maybe can remember this.
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I got through the description of Jesus in this
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passage, and do you remember what my daughter
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said to me? She said, Daddy, Jesus sounds scary.
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And I said, you were paying attention. You're
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paying attention. But I did not read Revelation
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to her to frighten my child with some sort of
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terror. When we read this book, there should
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be a sense of holy awe that comes upon us as
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Christians. If we're not Christians, there is
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a sense of terror, but John is not left in terror.
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Jesus doesn't leave him there. No, he dispels
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John's fear. Before the unveiled majesty of the
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Lord of hosts, it's only natural for those to
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see that image to fall in utter terror and feel
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as though they are about to be utterly destroyed
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because in light of Christ's awesome holiness,
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the disparity between. Christ and His creature
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and His people is so great that it leaves us
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keenly aware of our unworthiness and sin. Daniel
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had this experience, the prophet Daniel had this
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experience in Daniel chapter 10, and you remember
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Isaiah. When he saw the Lord high and lifted
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up, he also said, what, woe to me, I am undone.
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In the face of the Lord Jesus, sinners. naturally
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prostrate themselves, yet Jesus comes to us in
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tenderness. He comes to us in tenderness, and
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what does Jesus say here? He says, fear not.
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Don't be afraid. Oh, how tender Jesus is. He
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bids our sorrows to cease. He comes to us and
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encourages our hearts. Why? Why does Jesus say,
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fear not? Why? Why does the Bible say to us over
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and over again, Do not fear. Well, in this passage,
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Jesus says, fear not, verse 17, for I am the
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first and the last. Oh, what good news to know
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that Jesus is in charge of history. Jesus is
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in charge of current events. He's the first,
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he's the last, and he's in charge of everything
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in between. And so, dear ones, verse 17 really
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begs us to ask the question, what is shaping
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my worldview? What is shaping my worldview? Is
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it the news? Is it my favorite podcast? What
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is it that tells me how to think about the world?
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Am I going to let the world shape my worldview?
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Or am I going to let the Lord Jesus, the first
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and the last, who is in charge of history, who
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is shaping all things for the good of His church,
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show me how to think about my world? No matter
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what you read in the news or see on the world
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stage, the main headline is this. This is what's
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going on right now. God is working out his purposes
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through the Lord Jesus Christ as year proceeds
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to year for the good of his church. And if you
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read through Revelation, you will see the end
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of the story. And the end of the story is this,
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Jesus wins and his people triumph with him. That.
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It's a reason for confidence. That is why Jesus
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can say to you today, fear not. I'm the first
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and the last. He's the Lord of history. But why
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else should we fear not? Oh, on this great resurrection
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day, we shouldn't pass over this. The other reason
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we should not fear is in verse 18. I am the living
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one. I have died and behold, I'm alive forevermore.
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I have the keys of death and Hades just as Jesus
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paid for our sins at the cross. He also conquered
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death by rising from the grave. And dear ones,
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if he has dealt with your greatest reason for
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fear, and if you really dig deep down, the base
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fear under all other fears is that fear of death.
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If he has dealt with that greatest fear and the
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reason why we are doomed to die because of our
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sin, the wages of sin is death. If he has dealt
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with all of that Then we really have no other
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reason to fear, do we? He took God's wrath upon
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Himself for our sin at the cross, and He took
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the wages of our sin all the way to the grave,
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and He rose from the grave, triumphing over death
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on our behalf. He conquered Hades and the grave
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which means that in the resurrection when Jesus
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comes again he is going to unite soul and body
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together and we are going to live in a real physical
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and spiritual existence in heaven that is beyond
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all we could ask or imagine. That is a certain
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and sure hope that we have because Christ has
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died and because Christ is risen indeed. As Paul
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has said, we who have died with him will also
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rise with him because we were united to him in
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a death like his, we will be united to him in
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a resurrection just like his. We are so connected
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to Christ. You have to understand that you are
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in Christ, that he is in you. Your life is so
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bound up with Christ's life that you could know
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more, you could no more be separated from God
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the Father's love than Christ could be separated
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from God the Father's love, because you are in
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Christ. And he can no more deny you than he can
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deny himself. So see today, see today just as
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verse 17 says, that Jesus placed his hand, this
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mighty sovereign Lord places his hand gently
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on John's shoulder to reassure him. See him placing
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his hand on you today and saying this, fear not,
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I am the living one. It's easy to say, isn't
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it? Don't be anxious, don't be afraid. Easy to
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say, hard to believe. And so when Monday comes
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or Tuesday comes and those worries and renumeration,
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ruminations, not renumeration, ruminations, worries,
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cares, frets, just start bombarding you, come
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back to this word. Proclaim to yourself the truth
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that Christ proclaimed to John. Pick up this
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book, read this passage, preach to yourself Jesus
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died, Jesus rose. Jesus lives. Jesus died, Jesus
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rose, Jesus lives for me, and I have nothing
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left to fear. And as you proclaim the truth of
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the risen Savior to your heart, you'll know the
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assurance of God's love, you'll know confidence
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in Christ, and you'll speak boldly for Christ.
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I think it's interesting that when you have the
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vision here of John and Jesus' reassurance and
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strengthening to John, of his resurrection power,
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John is then commissioned to do what? To write
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Revelation. And when you see that vision that
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Isaiah has, very similar vision that Isaiah has
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in chapter six of Isaiah, and Isaiah's picked
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up and cleansed and reassured of his relationship
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with God, he is commissioned. And then Daniel,
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is also strengthened in his own experience with
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a vision of the resurrected or exalted Christ.
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You remember the disciples, when they behold
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the Lord of glory after he's risen, Jesus pronounces
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peace upon them. He reassures them and he sends
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them out to be witnesses for him. And so that's
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the effect of this passage on us. Not only should
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it console our hearts to know that Jesus is the
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everything savior for me and for you, The word
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today also gives us confidence to go on mission
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for Him, to be His witnesses, to proclaim the
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good news that Christ has died, Christ has risen,
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He's coming again. He strengthens us to go and
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sends us out from this place to proclaim the
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good news that He has risen.