I have often heard Christians say what they would do if Christ were to show up today. Let me tell you something, don’t kid yourself, if God really showed up today, nobody would be reacting in any of the ways they think they would, it's going to be frightening. Just like the disciples who fell over as dead when they saw the transfigured Christ. John fell over, Ezekiel fell over, Isaiah fell over, just like Paul fell over. In the presence of the holy and righteous Lord, you will quickly recognize your own inadequacy.
Open your Bible with me to the book of Revelation chapter 1. As we return to the study of God’s Word in the marvelous book of Revelation, we come to the end of the first chapter. Christ is already empowering, interceding, purging, teaching, commanding, controlling, evangelizing through His church. Are we going to be faithful believers that He can use?
I
invite you to follow along with me as I read to you from verse 17-20 to set the text in our minds, as we prepare our hearts for what the Spirit is saying to each of us. Revelation 1:17-20. "When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Therefore
write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the
things which will take place after these things. As
for 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 are the seven churches." Let's pick up at verse 17, "When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades."
"And He laid His right hand on me," this would be a familiar touch for John. Here Jesus reminds John of Who He is to Him. His Hand is so large that
it can hold the constellations with all of their glory and splendor and
size, yet He lays that same hand upon the One who had laid on His chest
at supper sixty years before. He reminds Him that although He is
powerful and Holy, He is also tender and gentle. When a person is in the presence of God, they are completely and totally overwhelmed.
Saying "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades." It's as if the Lord is telling John, you don’t have to worry about your sin and inadequacy. I already died for that, you have nothing to worry about. I’ve already covered your sin. These are words that John needs to hear at the beginning of his visions. This is just the kind of person God uses, someone who’s totally overwhelmed at the majesty of His plan.
"And I have the keys of death and of Hades." He is not merely making a statement of possession, He is stating that He has authority! Death and Hades are virtual synonyms for the realm of the dead. "Death" refers to the condition and "Hades" refers to the place where
the dead would go. What comfort it is to the believer, that our Savior has both access and authority over death; He controls both life and death.
Jesus said in
John 11:25, "
I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies."
There are no greater words than can be offered than this truth: because Jesus is alive, we shall live with Him. These are the words that we need to hear today, as we face covid-19 and the wars and rumors of wars. As we
face the loss of loved ones to a dreaded plague. Fear not! He is laying
that powerful but gentle hand upon you this morning and speaking those
same words to you, "Fear not!" We need not fear is because of Who He is. We must not forget that Jesus made it very clear that He presented His life as a sacrifice for fallen man. While Christ's propitiation for mankind’s sin cannot be fully explained; it can, however, be experienced. The redeemed have nothing to fear from Jesus because He has conquered death.
The redeemed cannot be enslaved, we have been freed! What then can the wicked do to the redeemed, threaten to take his gold, and he will tell you he has treasures laid up in
Heaven where neither rust not moth destroys and where thieves do not
break in and steal. Threaten to take his life, he will testify, "My life is hidden in Christ." Christ’s assertion that He holds the keys of Death and Hades, then becomes the divine emancipation proclamation.
In Romans 5:6-8, Paul writes, "
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
The faith in which we stand is truly Good News precisely because the Son
of God has conquered death. Thus, the Risen Lord testifies to John, "I am the Living One." And the reason He can lay claim to this title is
that though He died, He is able to say, "Behold, I am alive
forevermore."
It’s important for us to remind ourselves that John is writing to the first century Christians, who were struggling to reconcile the risen Lord with the persecution. Christ Jesus, the sinless Son of God, experienced separation from the
Father. Because He is the infinite Son of God, the separation He
experienced was infinite. In fact, Christ the Lord experienced hell for
all mankind. In His death, the Lord experienced your hell, your
separation from the Father. For this reason, no mere mortal will ever be
able to reduce what the Lord
experienced in His death.Too many of us are looking at the things that are happening around us in the world today, rather than looking to Jesus.
Then, the Lord tells John in verse 19, "Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things."
It's as if He is saying "Don't be afraid, dust yourself off, and let's get to work. Write these things down." There's work to be done, the only question that remains, is who is He going to use. It's reassuring to realize we have nothing to fear, even in the face of duty. What an honor and privilege it is to be used by God, to put our hand to something that Christ is doing.
Jesus personally reveals Himself peacefully to His local churches. What a picture of comfort and peace. God is a personal God who speaks to us through His written
word—the Bible. He speaks through His living Word—His Son. Just like
He did here to John. Though Jesus personally reveals Himself plainly and clearly, He never reveals Himself completely and exhaustively. The more I study God's Word, the more I realize how much I've yet to learn. The more you dig into it and the more you mine its depths, the deeper and richer it becomes. Notice that Jesus didn’t just leave it as some high and lofty thing that John couldn’t understand.
Verse 20, "As for 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 are the seven churches."
With this vision, John is commissioned to write of
things to be shown him.
He reveals Himself so clearly, so simply that even a child can understand. Now, He calls on all people to believe this message. I know that when I see Him face to face, I too, will fall down at His feet as dead. If you have trusted Him as your Lord and Savior, what a glorious day that will be. And, if you have not, you’re going to hear the most frightful words you can imagine., "I never knew you; depart from me."
In Closing..
When persecution comes, many people may flee, people may want to leave the church, leaders may try to compromise with the world. But the Lord will always have His faithful leaders through whom He controls His church. He is always present to intercede for His church, to purify His church, to speak authoritatively to His church.
Even you as a sinner, have nothing to fear, all you have to do is confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart
that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart
one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is
saved. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved! Then, turn away from your sins and turn to Him in faith believing. Trust Him. Obey Him. And serve Him.
All you have to do is call out to Him today, and He will answer.
May it be so..
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
Copyright © 2019-2021 All Rights Reserved
