Scripture
Revelation 1:9-20 NIV [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.” [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. [17] When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. 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 for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. [19] “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. [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.
Introduction
Easter lets us know that Christ’s death on the cross was not a disaster. Easter tells us that love is stronger than hate and life is stronger than death.
Today we recognize that Easter is what gave us a living Christ, who is with us in our hearts all of the time; and he is to be with us in a special way when we come together for worship. He told his disciples;
Matthew 18:20 NIV [20] For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Our scripture this morning came for the book of Revelation which was given to the Apostle John, while he was in exile on the Isle of Patmos and he wrote what is our text for today
Revelation 1:10-13 NIV [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.” [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.
The word translated “among” in verse 13 of our text is the same Greek word translated with them in the scripture we read where Jesus said ;
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20 NIV)
Easter is not some memorial to a nice, good religious teacher who lived 2,000 years ago. It’s a celebration of the fact that he is alive today!
Today we need to recognize and respond to the promise of this living Lord to meet with his people when they come together, for prayer, praise, confession, and proclamation, just like us today.
Jesus is here as the Holy Spirit, who is in everyone who believes.
The New Testament teaches that the indwelling of Holy Spirit is something that takes place immediately upon believing in Christ as Savior. All those who believe in Jesus Christ instantaneously receive the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:13 NIV For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Romans 8:9 NIV You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV [13] And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, [14] who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
It is my desire today that you have ears to hear and eyes to see the spiritual reality of Jesus’ presence.
Because
I. Our Lord is alive from the dead.
Luke 24:1-7 NIV [1] On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. [2] They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, [3] but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. [4] While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. [5] In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? [6] He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: [7] ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’
Jesus Christ is not merely a historical figure to whose great deeds we look back with admiration. He is alive, and we call him Lord and Master. He is alive and has authority over death and the grave.
Revelation 1:17-18 NIV [17] When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. 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 for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
Jesus is the one who was, but he is also the one who is. Jesus Himself said
Revelation 1:8 NIV [8] “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
His time on the earth was only one part of his existence. His life did not start in Bethlehem,
John 1:1 NIV [1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
and it didn't end when he died on the cross.
Luke 24:5-7 NIV … Why do you look for the living among the dead? [6] He is not here; …
Yes, Jesus is the Living One.
John, in his vision” saw our Lord “among” the churches.
Revelation 1:10-13 NIV [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.” [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.
He is not separated from us by a wide canyon., He is right among us, quite near to us; he is accessible every second. He can see our every action. In the fullest sense, he is with us.
Hebrews 13:5-6 NIV [5] Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” [6] So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
John saw Jesus among the churches as the ruling Lord. During his earthly ministry he exercised authority over disease, over the demonic, death, and natural events. Today we need to recognize the sovereignty of our Lord who displayed Himself as love, and we should become the channels for that love to reach others.
II. Yes, our living Lord came to church today.
As we read the seven letters to the churches in Asia Minor that John wrote after his vision of the Lord, we can discover the purpose Christ has for coming to church today. I urge you to read these letters in Revelation chapters 1-3.
A. Christ came to church to commend us.
Revelation 2:1-3 NIV [1] “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. [2] I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. [3] You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Christ wants to commend you in every area in which you are seeking to do good. He wants to affirm you and encourage you. He sees and knows about your faithfulness and endurance, your generosity, kindness, and helpfulness.
B. Christ also came to church to correct us.
He wants to correct us, not condemn us.
Revelation 2:4-7 NIV [4] Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. [5] Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. [6] But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. [7] Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
All of us need to make adjustments in our attitudes, ambitions, and actions. Jesus wants to help us do that.
John 3:17 NIV [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
C. Christ came to church to cleanse us.
Ephesians 5:25-27 NIV [25] Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her [26] to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, [27] and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
Jesus grants forgiveness to those who believe. Remember I said a couple of weeks ago that believing equals salvation and eternal life.
Every time we come to God’s house, we need to do some heart searching and put forth a sincere effort to confess and turn from our every sin because Jesus is more eager that we experience the joy of cleansing than we realize.
1 John 1:8-10 NIV [8] If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
D. Christ came to church to comfort us.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NIV [3] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, [4] who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. [5] For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
The idea of “comfort” implies at least two parties: one who gives the comfort and one who receives it. It also implies a need—one that Scripture speaks of exclusively for humans. Animals have no capacity to receive spiritual comfort. The holy angels have no need for comfort. Satan and his demons are eternally beyond it. Only humans, were created with the capacity to receive and give comfort, and we live in a world where we need it.
Some of us are greatly discouraged today. Some of us are lonely. Some of us are experiencing the pain of grief. Jesus Christ will comfort us today if we will listen to him.
E. Christ came to church to commission us.
He has work for us to do, ministries for us to fulfill.
Matthew 28:18-20 NIV [18] Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
A needy world needs to know about the love that took our Savior to the cross
John 15:13-17 NIV[13] Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
And the world needs to know about the power that raised him from the dead.
Romans 8:11 NIV [11] And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
Conclusion
Yes, Christ came to church today. and if you have already trusted Christ as Savior, he is here not only to minister to you, but to use you in ministering to others.
If you have not yet trusted him as Lord and Savior, he is here to come into your heart and bring you the gifts of forgiveness and newlife.
It’s time to stop living your life trying to be acceptable to God and to other people. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, you are acceptable.
A personal relationship with God is not as hard to find as we might think, and there is no mysterious formula for getting it. As soon as we become children of God, we receive the Holy Spirit, who will begin to work on our hearts.
Romans 10:9-10 NIV [9] If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Let’s pray:
Jesus,
Thank you for Easter. Thank you for a yearly reminder of your death, burial, and resurrection. Thank you for Winter and how it shows us the death necessary for Spring and new life. Lord, you know how desperately we need reminders because we often get fixated on temporary circumstances. We allow things that don’t go as planned to zap our joy and belief and cause us to despair. But that’s not what you want for us! You re the God of hope. Lord, forgive us when we forget and unbelief takes over. Or when we make having hope insignificant. Jesus, renew us with your hope. Fill us with your joy and peace. Lord, this Easter, may the significance of the gospel become the best news to us again in a fresh way. May we never grow weary of hearing and sharing what you did for us! Lord, may we abound in real hope despite all circumstances. Teach us to be okay, even when it looks like things are not okay. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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