005 m1-641 Revelation 1:7-18 04-10-2013

let's get right to it why don't you turn with me to Revelation chapter 1 racing through Revelation that's what I'm gonna title this study when he was three years old his father was murdered his mother remarried but did not like the child so she poisoned him with mushrooms at the dinner table he became violent at 12:00 one of his friends crossed him to be stabbed in the back at 15 he was married but could not stand his wife so he strangled her he married a second wife liked her no better so he had her murdered his third wife before they were married he found out that she was already married so he killed her husband married her and finally ended up killing her as well his mother was getting uptight about all this violence she was seeing in her son but she did not like her and he did not like her intrusion into his personal life so he drowned her in their bathtub he was a short man with a potbelly bad skin complexion and history tells us there was a horrible stench about him at the age of 31 he was sentenced to death by flagging so I ran down the stairs into one of his servants quarters grabbed a knife and slit his own throat his name Caesar Nero horrible horrible character in history was Caesar Nero but more than just killing off his wives and mother and family members he was perhaps most notorious for murdering millions maybe millions for sure tens of thousands hundreds of thousands of Christians around his time and was one who killed people all the time that was part of his deal maybe in history you heard about how he fiddled when Rome burned we're not even sure that's true historically it might be but it what is in fact true is he was one who persecuted the church horribly so that when he finally kicked the bucket slicing his own throat the church breathed the sigh of relief because they knew that the one who is persecuting the church that very early church would be it would be done with but the problem was Caesar Nero well he looked like mr. Rogers compared to the next guy who came in line a guy by the name of Domitian Flavius Domitian the next Caesar if you would of Rome and donations persecutions some people say as many as 6 million people were killed under his horrible reign it was donation who would try to boil John the Apostle and would ultimately exile him to the island of Patmos if you remember that as they tried to boil John and by the way that's not in the Bible that's that's the you read that in early very early church history Eusebius writes of John being boiled but he didn't die some say he was close to 100 years old when they tried to boil him but he didn't die somehow miraculously protected so this guy donation said listen if we can't kill him there let's little exile him to Patmos now Patmos was an island that was about 50 miles off the shore from where John was at that time probably near Ephesus and so they took him to that rocky island and dumped him off there was a barren exile for him to be at a place where there wasn't much to do or see maybe not even a tree to be found for shade it was a very barren place more perhaps than even it is today but it would be there at that place John under great persecution and tribulation if you would he had to just be there for several years but it would be at that place that John the Apostle would write this book and I believe this book or the vision of Jesus Christ given to John the Apostle would be also meant to encourage the persecuted Church and you know it really does do some people say revelations no fun at all man's doom and gloom but they miss the whole point it's a vision of Jesus Christ and it's a reminder that he's gonna come and he's gonna rule and reign and make the wrongs right I believe the church today needs a bit of that reminder as we're seeing so much in this in this world that's so gloomy and so sad and man y'all just watch the news and see the horrible discussions and the horrible things that are being brought up and and you think man I find myself more and more as I see what's going on around the world just saying Lord come quickly now some people criticize that and say you shouldn't be wanting the Lord to come back so quickly you should be wanting to make things right and engaging and bringing in the kingdom of the Lord and and the problem with that is that's not what the early church Christians they'd say Lord come quickly it's almost like we've had it too plush too cushy for so long that we just want to stay here but I believe that one of the things we should not do is become so comfortable with living in this world that we don't long we have no desire for Christ's return we should be looking waiting watching ready excited about reminding each other even as the early church would remind each other the Lord's coming quickly they would say that they would talk about it even in in sort of a way of greeting they'd say Maranatha in in that sense of that the Lord is going to return and a lot of the church has lost that because some of the church believes as we ended up last week there in verse six talking about Dominion theology where man we got to bring in the kingdom of God and it's our doing so we better get busy and elect Christian officials and get engaged and try to save the world oh sure we preach the gospel share the love of Christ but ultimately the answer is the return of Christ and those who believe in the return of Christ Christ aren't lazy they're not just sitting around saying we're just gonna wait and do nothing but we are excited about we're encouraged to know that Christ is going to come people ask well if God is loved and why does he allow bad things to happen well the thing is if you read your Bible and read the book of Revelation there's there's a time coming which I believe is short where the Lord is gonna come and do just that he's gonna intervene and he's gonna make the wrongs right well why is the Lord wait why doesn't he do it right now well do you understand what that means that means that those who've rejected Christ when Christ returns his second coming when he returns it's gonna be a time where his wrath is poured upon a christ-rejecting sinful world so anybody who's rejected the the free gift of salvation through the cross of Christ that's gonna be the end I believe there's perhaps many in this room who would say I'm so glad the Lord didn't come back back like in 1982 his return the rapture of the church didn't happen in 82 so the reason I say 82 is I remember that was in one of those years where this is the year where Christ is returning always a bad a bad move naming the year or the day or the hour I think that's a bad mistake because no man knows the day or the hour could be this year could be next year could be 100 years from now I believe there's signs that point to the sooner return of Christ than the later but at the same time if the Lord came back in 82 many of you would not have been saved at that time and you would have gone through some real tribulation literally in your life and so for that to say you know the Lord is gracious and kind and long-suffering toward humanity that's what Peter told us the Lord is not slack concerning his coming or lazy's the idea but he is patient long-suffering not willing that any should perish that's why the Lord delays his coming seemingly is because there's more work to be done more people to be saved so we're not going to usher in the kingdom however the Lord is waiting patiently for many to be saved so every time we see people saved on a Sunday morning I get excited maybe that's the last person on the list you might wanna hang on to your hat that person says I I confess Christ rapture the church we're all out that'd be great probably not likely here at Athey Creek because there's a lot of Christians around the world but who knows something to think about but all that to say we pick up here in where we left off in Revelation chapter 1 having first scene the greeting and the introduction if you would in verses one through three and then in verses four five and six we saw that John is addressing the seven churches to Asia Minor and he gives a introductory explanation of Jesus Christ and you saw in verse five and six that he's called faithful witness first begotten of the Dead Prince of the kings of the earth which means he's next in line to rule and reign I loved he loved us past tense which is speaking of the Cross we looked at that and he's washed us from our sins in his own blood and have made us kings and priests unto God and that's where we left off at the big Amen there at the end of verse six so we begin in verse seven where we're gonna see where John's gonna make a reference to the second coming of Christ now let me just review because I believe there's a timeline of events that I see in the scriptures that might be helpful for you people confuse the rapture of the church with the second coming of Christ I believe those are two separate events what are the main difference they're differences well the rapture of the church first Thessalonians chapter 4 tells us how there's going to be a trumpet that will sound the dead in Christ shall rise first but we which are alive and remain it says shall be caught up now those that are critical of the idea of the rapture biblically they say the word rapture is not even in the Bible correct nor is the word Trinity that I hope you believe in the Trinity that is an essential doctrine of the Christian faith the rapture is not but it is funny those words rapture and Trinity or not in the scriptures but it doesn't mean they're not true or described the word there in the King James is those which are alive and remain shall be caught up and meet him in the air that's the rapture of the church caught up the Greek word there is harpazo the Latin word is where we get our word rapture so is the Latin Vulgate translation if you would of the New Testament where the concept of the rapture came from so you can call it whatever you want I don't care you can call it being caught up or the rapture or our puns owed if you want to be weird you can call whatever you want but we will meet him in the air now as a pre millennialist one who believes that there's a literal Millennial Kingdom the Bible says there's gonna be a thousand-year Kingdom or Christ rules and reigns on this earth I take that literally the AH millennialist says there's no Millennial Kingdom at the premillennialists usually those are the people who believe that Christ is going to return in his second coming before the Millennial Kingdom kicks into gear where Christ comes rules and reigns that's the pre-trib the post-trib the mid-trib the pre-wrath people they all premillennial they believe that the Christ will return before that Millennial Kingdom kicks into gear it's the pre-trib rapture people believe there's going to be a rapture the rapture of the church then there's a seven-year period of tribulation on earth and what are we doing during that Tribulation I believe will be taken up to be with the Lord and it's gonna be a great sort of marriage the church is raptured we're called the Bride of Christ there's going to be a seven-year marriage reception or you know celebration as the Jews did and the in the ancient times they'd have the seven-day celebration for weddings I like how that tradition would go if you ever want to do an interesting study maybe we'll do this as we get into the book of Revelation the the marriage of the Jewish tradition is very much linked to the idea the way it all comes down is the way Christ is going to come for his own bride so we're going to be in heaven with the Lord I believe raptured out the four tribulation and there's plenty of illustrations examples of that we'll get into it when I get into later about the pre-trib rapture and why I believe that but there's good people who have different views on that and how the timing and how that's all going to come down but all that to say the rapture of the church is where we meet him in the air we're not he's not going to set foot on the earth the Bible doesn't put put that it down at all with the rapture so it's not really a coming we have two comings of Christ the first Advent was when Christ came the first coming was when he came in Bethlehem born as a baby and lived among us that was the first coming his second coming is that time we will put his foot down on the Mount of Olives and the Bible explains out of the Mount of Olives is gonna split right in two when he puts his foot down there what's interesting is when we go to Israel in November I'm going to show you we're gonna stand right there and you'll notice that Jerusalem's built up everywhere there's buildings all over the place except for this one particular area of the Mount of Olives and it's it still continues to be unbuilt on and the reason is because they've found this massive fault line that goes right through the Mount of Olives and it's huge and they don't want to build on it building codes have not allowed them to build on it because of the fault line that's there I find that interesting that that fault line goes right down through the mount of all is right through where the eastern gate is into Jerusalem for your Bible prophecy buffs that's an interesting tidbit of information about the way it's all going to come down there's even gonna be a river opened up but that I'm getting ahead of myself all that said Christ is going to put his foot down he's gonna is his second coming there on the Mount of Olives and that's where he will subdue the nations of the earth and those that have gone against Israel and it's gonna be radical that's gonna be the second coming of Christ that's where things kick into gear where Christ begins to rule and reign and I believe he will rule and reign from Jerusalem so all this television news stuff that you're seeing about the arab-israeli conflict and how they want to divide Jerusalem and whose is it at the end of that question we know we know whose Jerusalem really who owns Jerusalem Jesus he owns Jerusalem and in fact the the the only city that God claims to be his in the whole Bible is Jerusalem isn't it an interesting thing that the world argues over who's who gets Jerusalem in our current administration's map of the Israeli issue they just showed this one map and Jerusalem wasn't even on the map even though the Jews say that it's their capital the United States has yet to fully recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish people even though they say it's their capital America say no it's technically Tel Aviv but the Jews and Tel Aviv's not our capital Jerusalem is and we're like no it's not because because there's tension and the Palestinians claim Jerusalem and so it's this huge problem that the Bible says God's going to settle that discussion when Christ comes and rules and reigns from Jerusalem so that second coming that's when Christ comes he'll rule and reign and for a thousand years there's gonna be a reign here on earth and and then we'll see how that all comes down even as we get in later into this chapter but all that to say that's really where verse 7 he's going to point us to us not the rapture of the church but he's gonna make reference here to the second coming when Christ comes to rule and reign let's take a look first 7 it says there behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all Kindred's of the earth shall wail because of him even so amen again the word Amen means so be it that's all it means let it be so in other words this is all coming down and and and John puts in here that's gonna happen let it happen the way God wants it to happen so notice what it says he's gonna come with clouds that's kind of interesting for even in the book of Acts let me read to you the book of Acts chapter 1 there's an interesting reference there it says there it says in Chapter 1 of the book of Acts verse 2 until the day which Jesus was taken up after through the Holy Ghost had given commands to the apostles that he had chosen to him also he showed himself after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God and being assembled together with them commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father which saith II you have heard me for John truly baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence hence when they therefore will come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom of Israel what seat are they there asked him when are you coming again to restore the kingdom and he said to him it is not for you to know the time or the seasons which the father hath given put in his own power but you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea Samaria and to the outermost parts of the earth and when he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight interesting when it comes to their question when he gonna come and take the kingdom he says it's not for you to know but but go out into all the world and preach the gospel to where it spreads even to the ends of the earth I love that because you know we have really seen that happen first Jerusalem then all of Samaria jesus said and then even to the ends of the earth you know Athey Creek in our small little way we've we've been able to do that one of my favorite letters I got was from a gal who I never really knew very well here at Athey Creek but she several years ago was attending here and and she was apparently some kind of a scientist and she and a group of 30 other scientists were shipped down to the South Pole where they were living in one of those dome things you know or one of those scientific research stations and she said that she was the only Christian she wrote this letters and I'm the only Christian down here and she says the satellite goes over the end of the earth there so they can get as the satellite comes over they can download stuff and you know and send let email and stuff like that from from the ends of the earth but she said she wrote me the letter just say it's so great because every time it comes over I'd download a few more Bible teachings in Athey Creek and I can study the world at the end of the world you know the Scriptures and I thought wow even the ends of the earth getting the gospel quite literally with this gal down there and what a cool thing that a theory got to be a part of what Jesus said would happen even to the uttermost parts of the earth that's that's happened and as I've traveled around the world I've been able to travel to some pretty remote spots I've been to places where I was the first white man that people had ever seen and they thought were all white men this ugly no so there's a lot much nicer looking ones but but the funny thing is I remember talking to a guide he says were you from in his language and I said the United States of America and said what's that like but what's amazing is this man was a Christian he was out in the middle of the bush not far from the Sahara Desert and just he just heard had heard the Gospel message but he didn't even know what America was I thought that's really cool that even to the outermost parts of the of the earth that has come to pass but what's great about this scripture in Acts chapter 1 is the way the context was his setting up his kingdom before that could happen the gospel has cover the globe but then Jesus ascends into heaven and it says and a cloud received him out of their sight see the way that he ascended is the way he's gonna descend when he comes his second coming he's going to descend in a cloud now what's interesting is that could be a literal cloud the second coming of Christ maybe that's gonna be Portland that's a lot of clouds here but but but what's interesting about it is it says here in our text of the book of Revelation he's going to come in a cloud or with clouds but could it be that those clouds are the cloud of witnesses that will be with them when we see the description of Jesus is coming the second coming of Christ when we get to the end of the book of Revelation we're gonna see him come with ten thousands of his Saints could that be the cloud of people and we're gonna see that there the Saints are arrayed and fine white linen what does linen speak of white linen in the Bible speak of purity righteousness we are robed in his righteousness we're wearing white clean linen because we've been forgiven washed in the blood of the Lamb and we're gonna come as a cloud of witnesses with Christ ten thousand of his Saints are gonna come with him so maybe that's the cloud could be but we do know that's the way he ascended into a literal cloud that took him up so interesting stuff just as far as imagery goes John's telling us that he's going to come with a cloud but the idea of where he's gonna come we know it's not Portland he's gonna come and set foot in Jerusalem but here's the deal every eyes gonna see it that's interesting now you say oh that must be Fox News right breath they're gonna see it on the TV and they're gonna be able to watch it well that could be but what's interesting is it's much larger in scope than just people watching their television set in fact it says all Kindred's of the earth are gonna see it and they're gonna wail because of him every eye shall see and they also it says in verse 7 those which pierced him so what we have to understand is this is everybody even the people who have died in the past in history they're all gonna see Jesus in a second coming even those who pierced him I believe that's literally those who pierced him the Roman soldiers that were there on the hill of the skull Mount Calvary those very men that speared him that nailed the nails I think they're gonna see it the Jews that were the ones who were condemning him and convicted him to death they're gonna see it and all of us who really are a part of Christ dying on the on the cross see you don't blame the Romans nor do you blame the Jews you blame yourself because we're all sinners Christ died for the ungodly he died for us something you got to be careful of when you watch the Jesus movies as man I can't believe those horrible Jews killed Jesus no you are the horrible person and so am i that put Jesus Christ on the cross we need to accept that my sin your sin is that which nailed Christ to the cross and we are as guilty as anybody so everybody's gonna see when Christ comes how he does that don't know but I believe that's just what John's telling us here so it's gonna be interesting now by the way on this it's what they're gonna do they will they which pierced him and all Kindred's of the earth shall wail because of him why will there why will there be wailing there we don't know for certain why everybody's going to wail but there's gonna be some serious wailing especially those it seems that were the ones who perhaps were not repentant see we're going to be coming with Christ I believe that's a different group those that are coming with Christ to rule and reign with him versus these who are gonna see him the Kindred's of the earth by this time because of the rapture of the church those of us that are pre-tribbers we're not necessarily part of this group that's going to see him come and wail because of him something for you to think about why because we're gonna already have been sort of married if you would well we'll come back this is after our honeymoon for seven years with the Lord in heaven the marriage Feast of the Lamb if you would seven years so the coming of Christ is going to cause people to well listen to this I'm gonna read you from Zachariah he gives a prophecy about the second coming of Christ listen this is a cried 12 verse 9 it shall come to pass that in that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem by the way just free before you should the United States state support Jerusalem so we should support Israel you know it's amazing how many churches even whole denominations have started saying you know the Palestinian statehood let's divide Jerusalem in half even though Zechariah says don't do it in the last days don't try to split Jerusalem in half and the nations that do it will be handling a cup of trembling and right here says the Lord will return and seek to destroy the nations that came against Jerusalem that's why I pray we continue to support Israel and that's something or I should I say continue currently we have not really supported Israel we are pretty much holding back Israel frankly with our current position but all that to say no this is what the Lord's going to do he's going to destroy the nations that come against Jerusalem and I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the spirit of grace and supplication they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn as one mornin for His only Son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn in that day shall there be great mourning in Jerusalem as the morning of hey Dad Rimland in the valley of megiddo and the land shall mourn every family apart the family of the house of David apart and their wives the family house of Nathan apart and their wives the family house of Levi and all the parts of Israel What's it saying when Christ returns he's going to come back to Jerusalem and it says they're all going to wail and mourn now later on in chapter 13 of Zachariah when things sort of calm down they're gonna say in Zechariah thirteen six and one shall say to him what are these wounds in thy hands and he shall answer those which I was wounded in the house of my friends you see the Jews to this day don't believe Jesus as the Messiah many Jews if you go to Jerusalem today and you talk to them they don't really care about Jesus they don't think about Jesus if anything they try to downplay the whole Jesus thing because he wasn't their Messiah in their mind when Christ comes they're gonna see the Messiah come in his glory a second coming putting his foot in Jerusalem and when things finally calm down they'll say where did you get those wounds oh yeah that the cross where they pierced him and that's where they're gonna mourn see I believe that John is describing for us in the single verse what Zachariah is referring to that they will weep and mourn over all the earth when they see him what an interesting thing what does Jesus gonna look like when he comes in glory if you were with us on Sunday you saw maybe a little bit of the glorified Christ but it's only a snapshot but B that doesn't made this verse seven is speaking of the second coming of Christ don't confuse that with the rapture of the church well verse eight it says there I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the LORD which is which was and which is to come the Almighty which is which was which is to come Ecclesiastes 3 it says there in verse verse 15 it says that which has been is now and that which is to be have already been and God requires that which is past oh you're saying what again listen to this this is the Lord speaking that which hath been is now and that which is to be have already been and God requires that which is now or that which is present what's what's the Lord saying that which that which hath been is now past is now and the future has already happened what the point is I believe God exists outside of time some theologians call it the eternal now that God is living in an existence that doesn't have linear time as we know it time is an interesting study time and space and the various you know you know scientists have talked about even you know Albert Einstein talked about these different levels of existence and all this stuff and we only just time a tiny bit of knowledge about really what that means but but God seems to indicate that we really don't have a clue but the Lord knows the beginning from the end why because that which has been is now and that which has not yet happened has already been God exists outside of time and that's why a day with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years with Lord as a day time is a different thing to God if you so when we die and go to heaven or if we're raptured and go to heaven I believe we will be with the Lord and we will sort of step into his what we would call clumsily time or lack thereof lack of time the more of that eternal now existence the implications of that if you think about it starts to sort short-circuit your brain if you really think about it you know think of that loved one who went to heaven years ago and you think man I've got an investment in heaven and I can't wait to see my loved ones in heaven I really do look forward to seeing those who I've known friends of mine who've gone on to be with the Lord I look so forward to seeing them but could it be just something to think about when you die and go to heaven or the rapture of the church happens and bam you're there will it be like your friend will go hey welcome to up man I've been here for years let me show you around or will it be this existence that you've already been there and so and they and you've been there for what we would think of maybe as eternity an existence that's outside of time it's so hard for our brains to to leave linear time and think about what an existence might be like but you know some people think oh it's gonna be so sad they're up there in heaven alone but I don't believe so it's possible if if if we can really think outside of the box that we are gonna be with them Jesus talked about how the kingdom of God is among you what does that all mean there's some interesting things when you start thinking those implications but the point is God exists outside of that now with all that said I am the Alpha the Omega the beginning and the ending which is which was which is to come that is speaking of the eternal quality of God now not only that is it speaking of the eternal quality it's also speaking of the exclusivity of God when you say something if you were talking of the Greek letter alpha the Omega you're thinking the beginning the end the first and the last the a through the Z if you would it's like when Moses was standing at the burning bush who do I tell him is sending me and there are right that's Cecil B DeMille Charlton Heston God sounds like that I don't think that's how God sounds but that's how it was with him the point is I am that I am you are what you know Moses is like thinking what am I gonna tell them I am sent me you are what now what's great about this is when you think about it God's name Jehovah which is the great I am it's that egg ome statement it means I am and you can fill in the blank I am Oh everything I am everything that you need I am all that needs to ever be in existence I am fill in the blank Jesus helped us out a lot when Jesus came and said if you've seen me you've seen the father and then he started telling us about who the I am really is he would start saying if I am the way the truth and the life he'd say I am The Good Shepherd I am the door of the sheepfold I am the bread of life I am the light of the world you know and on and on it goes Jesus starts filling in that blank of saying the I am is everything you need he's the A through Z the beginning and the ending the point is exclusivity there's nobody like the great I am there's no other Alpha and Omega beginning and ending it's the Lord alone that's the idea so when you think of the Alpha and Omega you have to think of its exclusivity that it's God alone only God could be the Alpha and the Omega there is no other there's no beginning ending other than God God is it that's important exclusivity but also it speaks of his all fulfilling everything that you would ever need he's you're all and all of you would he's the a through the Z of everything you need he was and is and is to come the Almighty that's one of God's titles Almighty God there is no one other like he am the great I am now this is an interesting description of who God is God alone can lay hold that title the Alpha and the Omega now just for your Bible students something to think about and I don't know the answer this but in the oldest of manuscripts and really the manuscripts of the New Testament that we have which are plenty and number they would write the word alpha phonetically out but when they came to the the Omega they would just write the letter for the last letter of the Greek alphabet the Omega just the letter they wouldn't write the word out why did they did John just get tired said okay I'm not gonna write that word out everybody knows what I'm talking about or was there some kind of meaning there that that's an interesting thing to think about the Alpha was written out but the Omega was just the letter and some argue that there was reason for that maybe because God is the open-ended Alpha and Omega there's still more than we even can the a through the Z can't even contain all that is God there's some interesting implications of that but this idea of the Alpha and Omega should not be new to the Bible student this is a phrase that God often would employ for himself the beginning in the end the eighth of the Z keep your finger here and turn with me to the Book of Isaiah because I want to show you something that is important I like to take my Jehovah's Witness friend and my Mormon friends to this discussion of who is the Alpha and the Omega the one who was and is and is to come the Almighty take them there to revelation 1:8 and say hey who is this this being talked about and they will say the jovis with us well that's Jehovah and you can say right and ask the Mormon they'll say that's God right good and then take them to Isaiah chapter 41 because this is an important title a delineation that God gives us of himself in Isaiah 41 verse 4 it says in Isaiah 41 for who hath wrought and done it calling the generations from the beginning I the Lord the first and with the last I am he very very important I by the way look at verse 25 of that same chapter to whom then will ye liken me or shall I be equal say if the Holy One you know there's no one equal to God that's very important to know that well flip over now just turn the page to Isaiah 44 so we see God saying I am the first in the last ask them who is that speaking the one who's calling himself the first they'll say oh that's the Lord it's Jehovah right then go to chapter 44 of Isaiah and go to verse 6 isaiah 44:6 says thus saith the lord the king of israel and his redeemer the lord of hosts I am the first and I am the last beside me there is no God yeah that's pretty that's pretty clear wouldn't you say who's the first of the last it's the Lord there is no one else there is no other God decide the Lord very very important now turn the page to isaiah 40:8 just kind of hopping through isaiah you ask them okay who is that in isaiah 44:6 they'll say it was java right and then you got isaiah 40:8 and there we read in verse 12 hearken unto me o Jacob and Israel my called I am he I am the first I also am the last who's that anybody want thinking yes God right it's Java and see right now they're all it's only agreement okay good good now now here's where the best commentary on the Bible is the Bible why are you bringing the job as witness in the Mormons to this discussion of the Alpha the Omega the first floor it's real simple because of those two specific groups and there's others as well the Christian Scientists and others who don't believe in the same Jesus as we believe that's why people say what's the big deal come on Mormons are nice people but they believe in a very different Jesus see the Jesus that the Church of Jesus Christ believes in the true Christian faith this is just me talking this is just all of true Christianity for centuries and millennia have said that Jesus is God they're the same jesus said if you've seen me you've seen the father so they picked up the rocks and wanted to kill him because they said he makes himself equal with God and so Jesus that's what he was saying the Bible teaches that Jesus is God in the flesh Emmanuel God with us the Mormons say no that's not true Jesus was not that he's the brother of Satan or if you're the Javas witness he's Michael the Archangel just the New Testament version of that that's not the same Jesus that I believe in I don't believe Jesus is Michael the Archangel he's not an angel he's not a good prophet he's God now with that said you see you got him here there okay I agree this is God talking the Alpha the Omega the beginning in the end okay now with Isaiah you've got those three scriptures of the Old Testament now go back to the book of Revelation with me we read in verse 8 of chapter 1 I am the Alpha Omega the beginning and the ending saith the LORD which is which was which is to come the Almighty and you ask them who that is and they'll say it's Jehovah but here's where it gets interesting go with me to Revelation chapter 21 you can jot some of these scriptures down maybe because this is a helpful discussion in trying to decide who is Jesus who do you say that Jesus is was he just a good prophet or does he claim to be God in the flesh because in Revelation 21 you look at verse 6 and he said unto me it is done or it is finished I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely he that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my son and you ask the Mormon Jove who is this and they start being a little nervous but they say that's Jehovah now you could argue this point with him because you could say well you know the point is really Jesus is the one who said I will give unto him that is thirsty the fountain of water of life really who said that Jesus was always talking about the water of the fountain of life that would gush forth out of the belly torrents of living water it was Jesus we talked about that and also in it the one who inherits all things and he says I will be his God so this was starting to look kind of like Jesus but what if they say Brett we don't like that we don't care we still think that's God saying I will give you wherever life okay I'll give you that one then just turn the page now go to Revelation 22 but you gotta admit that's very jesus esque chapter 21 but I'll give that to you if you want revelation 22 starting in verse 12 it says in revelation 22 verse 12 and behold I come quickly question who is it that says I come quickly Jesus and he's the only one who says that in the Bible Jesus behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according to his work shall be I am the Alpha the Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last last blessed are they that do His commandments that they may have the right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the gates in the city for without our dogs and sorcerers whoremongers murderers adulterers and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie I Jesus have sent my angel to testify unto you these things in the churches I am the root of the offspring of David the bright and morning star and spirit and the bride say come and let him that heareth say come and let him who that is athirst come and whoever will let him take of the water of life really who's talking there it's very clear isn't it verse 16 I Jesus hello and what did he say of himself I am the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the end the first and last the reason I go through this is not just to try to you know be goofy or whatever this is really important that you understand the Alpha the Omega the beginning and the end it's speaking of God yes Jehovah God the Father but it's also speaking of God the son so you got a problem there's either two Alpha and omegas two beginnings and endings which the whole point of that is that there are none other no other Alpha and Omega there can't be that's the point of that little sort of idiom the Alpha and the Omega you have to have two of those which is kind of beside the point or there's two in one that is that Jesus is God and I've not really heard a good answer when you take them through these Alpha and Omega as the beginnings and the endings because the Bible is so clear God makes the claim to be the Alpha the Omega the beginning in the end Jesus makes the claim to be the Alpha the Omega the beginning in the end but if they don't even like that one if that's not good enough let's go back to our text in Revelation chapter 1 because that's going to come up again and I think it's also going to be more clear that Jesus is God because he's called the Alpha the Omega will see as we continue it says there in verse 8 I am the Alpha the Omega the beginning in the ending save Lord which is which was and which is to come the Almighty that's God and then he says in verse 9 I John who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ was on the island of that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ okay so tuck away the Alpha and Omega thing just for a second and he says I'm your brother and companion in tribulation you know if they any bigwig in the early church at this point it's John he's the only living apostle he's the only guy that was the friend of Jesus that hung out the early church is blowing up because it's huge the persecution of the church only cause there to be multiplication so tens of thousands of Christians are just spreading like wildfire all over Asia Minor and even into Rome and really to all the world by the time John's an old man there's there's tons of Christians in that region of the world so John he's the only living dude now I mean he's he's kind of outlasted everybody he's sort of the big bigwig but notice they don't call him most holy Reverend Father nor do they call him right Reverend such-and-such he says man ID John not not even pastor John not even you know you know Reverend I always can tell when people don't know me or they've never been to our church they say hello Reverend I'm like where are you from man you've never been here before have you because the word Reverend that well it's it's I don't get it I really don't get I understand that people are trying to be respectful towards men of the cloth but I don't even want to be called a man of the cloth what is that all about that I just don't get that stuff that's just church history then I don't really embrace I want to be like John and say man I'm just one of you guys we're brothers and sisters in the Lord there's there's a weird thing now we tend to try to elevate certain people or men sure the Lord has called certain people to be teachers and pastors and leaders for sure but I think we have to be extremely careful when we start promoting those guys and thinking that there's this and that the other thing always a big goof man Jesus is the one who gets all the exaltation man John here calls himself the brother and companion and fellowship and suffering of tribulation that's that's what how he wanted to be known not the Most Holy right Reverend John none of that stuff watch out for that I think that's a goof that the church traditionally has done is started to esteem pastors with fancy titles but he says man I'm just one of you guys going through suffering on the island of patmos and notice it says for the word of God now there's so many ways we can look at this literally for the word of God because he was about to write down on paper the Word of God in the book of Revelation on the island Patmos but I also wonder if John even knew he was about to write the Bible he was told to write the vision for sure but but he writes it down not really knowing oh this is gonna be the back of the Bible man Azumi last book of the Bible the thing that I'm just personally learning from this is that you know I believe that the tribulation that you and I go through the suffering and the trouble it really can fit this as well in that sometimes you and I suffer for the Word of God what's that that the Word of God might be made manifest in your life that is when people see you go through suffering through tribulations or trials - troubles you can be in that place of opportunity as is John he could either be pouting on Patmos or it can be in the spirit on the Lord's Day receiving the word and letting the word flow through his life you can be the same way you can say man lord I know I'm going through trials and troubles but maybe your word can be lived out in my life so that people can see this is what a Christian person believes and what they do when trial and trouble comes III think it's wise like Paul when he says man I rejoice in tribulation because tribulation brings about patience and patience hope and hope experience and man Jesus talks about that even the the persecution that the church would feel but Paul would say we have fellowship and suffering with Christ John just said men the suffering it so that the Word of God can come out I think that's true for us as well literally true for John as he would write the book of Revelation and for the testimony of Jesus Christ when do you see Jesus in people's lives - when they're going through fiery trials like Shadrach Meshach and Abednego they're thrown in the fiery furnace when did they see Jesus it was when they were in the firm when did John see the vision of Christ it's when he's exiled after being boiled then exiled on Patmos man may that be true for the Word of God and the testimony of Christ when you go through suffering well it says in verse 10 I was in the spirit on the Lord's Day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet in the spirit on the Lord's Day we talked a little bit about this last week but man the Lord's Day was probably in this case Sunday now some people say no it wasn't it was Saturday others say knows Friday night people get all weird out about this topic when's the Lord's Day well I'll tell you when the Lord's Day really was and it's funny because this gets to be a very contentious point you Christians are meeting on Sunday and so you are taking up paganism as some of our seventh-day adventists friends say they say we've taken up paganism by worshipping on Sunday because they worshipped the Sun and that's what you're doing well yeah but if you worship on Saturday worshipping Saturnalia Saturn so so careful on the sudden thing and none of us are worshipping the Sun at least I hope not if you're coming and worshiping the Sun s you and raw or whatever don't do that that's paganism but we worship the Sun Jesus Christ and why on the first day of the week see that's the funny thing Sunday was the first day of the week we say Monday is the first day of the week but in those days the first day of the week was Sunday and Saturday was the Lord's Day to the Jewish people and the Sabbath it was the Sabbath or Friday night you should say as far as from sundown Friday night until sundown the next day would be the Sabbath but all that to say people get all weirded out about this the early church why did they start according to you again do you Eusebius and others wrote about why the church started to meet on the first day of the week and it's really I believe quite simple it was because Jesus rose from the grave on the first day of the week there was Sunday and there's evidence that the church really opted Sunday as their day and there's evidence of that I like the book of Acts chapter 20 great little story there where it says that you know Jesus or pardon me that Paul called all the disciples together and it says let me just read you says verse 7 and upon the first day of the week is acts 20 verse 7 the disciples came together to break bread which is communion and Paul preached to them ready to depart in the morning and continued his speech until midnight and you think I go along man midnight and there were you know there were many candles going it says and there was a young man named eutychus sitting in the window just kind of get some fresh air and listening to Paul wax on and on this lengthy sermon and and you know the story Utica started to doze off and started to lean back and fell out the window let that be a warning to you he felt two stories and died so no dozing during church let that be a warning to all no I'm just kidding here because he falls out dies of course is raised back up from the dead it's great story but the point is that the church would meet and you'll see evidence throughout the New Testament of meaning in the first day of the week but here's the main thing Colossians 2 tells us that we are to not judge anyone let no man judge you concerning the new moon the feast the festivals the the Sabbath days these rules that people try to impose on others about the Sabbath or the keeping of festivals or feats don't let any man judge you concerning those things make sure you don't make a big deal out of it I do believe in taking a day setting in a sign for the Lord and that's a blessed time it's something that we're called to do but for some people that might be Friday or Thursday or Sunday or Saturday but don't let any man judge you concerning that Colossians 2 says but John is in the spirit on the Lord's Day I like that he even though he's exiled to an island he still is in the spirit well I pray that we would be in the spirit we are - we're called to worship in spirit and in truth I worry that Athey Creek sometimes we're good at the truth part because man we love Bible study and in some ways I do worry that when everybody gathers here on a Wednesday night or a or a Sunday morning and and I know there's a lot of you that are worshipers in spirit and in truth but especially on Sunday morning I love leading worship on Wednesday night I'll tell you why because you guys tend to sing it out in fact this is the funnest time for me to lead worship because you guys sing and there's people who lift hands you're not afraid to lift hands this is just a little different different group this wins in that group but on Sunday morning men sometimes if you ask the worship band you know they'll they'll back me on this one sometimes Saturday night and the two Sunday morning services maybe it's because there's people coming and checking it out maybe there's people that aren't saved maybe there's people to just start a little more opposed to the idea of lifting hands singing out with voices clapping hands you might sense a little bit irritation for me sometimes I try not to let that show but it does because here's what happens all I'll say hey you guys let's clap our hands Bible says clap your hands all you people shout on the other let's try and I'll say that I'll read the scripture so we're gonna clap our hands and inevitably there's an entire row of people you know 20-somethings or whatever and they're just standing like this and in my heart I just gave me a little bunch of nerds I mean it's like yeah they just don't want to clap what's the - cool - cool - clap yeah and and I have to check my own attitude but but I'm not really interested in having a chosen frozen church I really am NOT I think that we need to sing out with loud voices and clap our hands and be in the spirit we need to maybe check our own hearts on that because we can go to U of O game and scream and paint our bellies yellow and green and you know be little crazy but you come to church and man it's like yeah we're worshiping God so be really quiet no the Bible says loud cymbals loud voices with a celebratory kind of attitude and heart and men the lifting of hands I don't I'm not interested in being good Baptists I like Baptists in their theology a lot of it it's great stuff but man if you're not careful you can become pretty chilly pretty cool toward the things of God I'm counting on you Wednesday night hers to come Sunday morning and let's change the whole vibe I really I'm serious about this man by the way when we started Athey creek years and years ago 17 years ago now I remember there was all these new people coming in I remember this one Sunday we had 20 people I was like wow 20 people but I was really struggling because at that particular time there were very few of the 20 that would actually sing or lift hands or it was like people it was so new a lot of people are just kind of looking around and I'm kind like what do we do I think Tracy was the only one there that kind of knew what to do and my wife Debbie they were there and I could count on those two but everybody else was kinda like well I'll never forget one of my buddies from Southern Oregon came this one Sunday and he sat right in the front chair right in the front row front chair and I started singing worship you know and man his hands went up and he was like swaying back and forth doing that way if you know and all the twenty-eighth the creatures were there going but that you got understand this guy this friend of mine he had just a real heart for Jesus and I remember thinking yeah somebody really likes this kind of Express you know and I'm not the waver dude you know the guy that does all that stuff but but the fact that he was there and it was so contrary to what everybody was kind of used to it what the Lord kind of did something that Sunday and there was a few people you know I'm talking about it's like that little you know you're those are the hard ones you know where they just barely lift their hands you know and people ask me why do anything Kriegers do the one-handed what you know thing it's cuz we're carrying our Bibles in the other hand that's my excuse but one thing to think about not to be overly weird about the hand lifting thing but it says lift up your hands it's okay to lift one hand that's all right you could do that but but it is interesting that says lift up your hands in the sanctuary and bless the Lord kind of interesting just a free before it but when that guy showed up that one Sunday and just worship God told and he didn't know he was the only guy really singing out but it actually was a jump start and it was kind of cool because that was sort of the beginning of some of the neat worship that's started to come from this fellowship honestly I remember that very Sunday where people like oh you mean you can lift hands here it was kind of cool we need a little bit of a shot of adrenaline spiritually in that and and I think that we can teach the rest of the congregation what it means to be in the spirit on the Lord's Day just something to think about I need you guys to be fired up prayed up ready to come with a heart to worship Christ with an attitude and a countenance that is really befitting to standing before the throne of God amen amen oh man see we're starting to eat acosta right out I testify okay oh we need to hurry yeah so he's in the spirit on the Lord's Day he hears the voice saying I am Alpha Omega the first of last and verse 11 I am the Alpha the Omega the first and the last does that ring a bell now this is a voice that John heard saying I am the Alpha the Omega so now we have to say well who is this and the Mormon the job is witness testing that's that's the Lord Jehovah because he's saying he's the Alpha and Omega at the beginning the first of them the last right but check it out the voice says in verse 11 says what thou seest write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia to Ephesus to Smyrna to Pergamos to Thea Tyrel to Sardis to Philadelphia and unto Laodicea and I turned to see the voice that spake with me and being turned I saw now pause for a second we know from Sunday if you were with us on Sunday we looked at this this person and we see that it's none other than Jesus Christ so the voice that he kurz is the this a resounding voice of Jesus speaking to John and we know this is the revelation of Jesus Christ given to John and here's where the rubber meets the road it's Jesus speaking to John who calls himself the first and the last the Alpha the Omega you can't get around it here so all you really need is Revelation chapter 1 to show that Jesus is God because we saw in verse 8 I am the Alpha the mega the beginning then it said the Lord that's Jehovah which is which was which is to come the Almighty no question that's Jehovah father God but then you say verse 11 the Alpha and Omega the first and the last that is none other than Jesus Christ I believe it's as clear as a bell you don't even have to try to work that out it's just there so the point is Jesus is God you say bro what's the big deal about that well you got understand that's not an essential doctrine of the Christian faith if you deny that Jesus has gone in the flesh you do not know Jesus and don't don't be sucked into some of these cults that try to take away from what Christ claimed to be John talked about that in first second and third John he called that the spirit of Antichrist those would try to take away from Jesus and not declare him to be God in the flesh very very important part of Christianity so we saw this on Sunday what did he see he saw seven golden candlesticks and verse 12 and in the midst of the seven candlesticks ones one like unto the Son of Man clothed with the garment down to the foot Girt about the paps with a golden girdle and his head with hairs which were white like wool and white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire his feet like fine brass as if they burned in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword and his countenance was as the Sun that shines in its strength and when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead and he laid his right hand upon me saying unto me fear not I am the first and the last there it is again this is Jesus now we looked at this on Sunday if you missed it I really recommend that you catch up with us on that one because this is setting the tone the pace the whole thing for the book of Revelation the the vision of Jesus that he sees here it's it's huge huge in verse 18 he says I am he that liveth and was dead that's Jesus who resurrected and behold I am Alive for evermore amen and have the keys of hell and death Jesus is the one who has the keys of hell and death some people say that's Peter at the golden gate they're in in heaven you know you're all these jokes about the pearly gates or the gate where Peter sitting you know filtering people whether they can come in or not and those are all funny little jokes and everything however Jesus is the one who holds the keys of death and hell and it's only through Christ can you be saved there's no other name under heaven by which men can be saved and that is Jesus Christ he's the one who holds those keys of death and hell and by the way I kind of wonder you know is this a lock to let people out or let people in sure I thought about that see I you know it's it's like when it says I am Alive for evermore amen and have the keys of hell and death I believe we were all headed for death and destruction and Christ has the key to let us out of the pickle that we were in you hear stories of the Titanic and how the people in the lower decks were actually literally locked in to those lower decks and there were people that saw them there but they were locked in so that they wouldn't cause trouble for the people that had made it if you would that's us we're the ones going down with the ship because of sin man we've all sinned we've all fallen short there's no one righteous but Christ has the keys and he opens up that gate if you would or that the to be let free to be set free to be saved man I'm so thankful for Christ cuz it'll open for anyone that's willing to follow him anyone who's really to repent from their sins well verse 19 and verse 20 I'm gonna save I don't want to run through those two verses as they are key verse 19 is going to be a huge huge key to understanding the book of Revelation when people say they don't understand the book of Revelation or they say it's too difficult to understand we can say that's incorrect if you just follow what revelation 19 is telling us and and then also verse 20 great stuff that will cover perhaps next week we're out of time tonight so let's pray together how thankful we are Lord that you are the Alpha the Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last that we have Savior who is not just a good man or a great teacher or prophet but Lord we know that you lowered yourself and became humanity made yourself of no reputation took upon yourself the form of a servant became in the likeness of man even was a servant you know obedient even to the death of the Cross Philippians 2 tells us what an amazing thing it's hard for us to fathom a God who is outside of our time and space and our own existence would come into our humanity and really put yourself in that place where you died for the sins of the world how thankful we are lord I pray that this congregation would be a group of people that fully are appreciative and thankful so much so that we too would be in the spirit on the Lord's Day as was John Lord those that would be worshiping in spirit and in truth coming with an attitude to celebrate and to worship father I pray that we'd be ready for that at that time where we stand before the throne and worship you in your holiness Lord that we would be a worshipping people even here now not waiting for that time when we all will stand in the sea of the nations before you but until then that we'd be right here in this little warehouse giving glory and letting your spirit just move freely in this congregation that the manifestations of your spirit would be seen and that we wouldn't quench the spirit but rather be open to and ready to move in the power of your spirit Lord I pray that you'd breathe life into this church Lord and that you do a great work that not only here in this room but as we go out and all the world and preach the gospel even to the uttermost I pray that we'd be effective that we'd have the message of Jesus on our tip of our tongues Lord that we would be able to give you all glory you

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Length: 69min 12sec (4152 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 18 2020