Yeah, you can familiarize yourself with what the others have to say, but the bottom line is you cannot familiarize yourself with everything. But you can know the word of God. And it is a sword. And if you know what you believe based on scripture, you will know what doesn't belong, what is false, and you can call them out on it. Or you learn these other c words at these Well-meaning Christians come up with and you can debate each other.
But you won't be using scripture. This is Cross Reference Radio with our pastor and teacher, Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Revelation. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross-reference radio, specifically, how you can get a free copy of this teaching.
But for now, let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Revelation chapter 1 as he begins his message: the ultimate hero. Revelation chapter 1 verses 12 through 17. Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me and having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, And in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and And hair. were white like wool.
as white as snow, and his eyes like a flame of fire, his feet were like fine brass, as if Refined in a furnace, And his voice As the sound of many waters He had in his hand seven stars in his right hand, Out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword. and his countenance was like the sun shining. In its strength. And when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead, and But he laid his right hand on me, saying to me, to not be afraid. I am the first and the last.
The Ultimate Hero. That is the title of this morning's message. It is said, never meet your heroes. Because you know, you have them somewhat on a pedestal, perhaps, and you get to be around them, and you find out that. They've got issues.
and things about them you don't care for. Maybe they I whatever it is, I don't want to name anything, I might get somebody. But I think that it's better to say Don't be naïve. Around your heroes. They're going to have faults as a rule.
There are going to be things about them that may fall short of your. Expectation.
So that part I think is true, but John, he meets his hero. And he's not disappointed. This is the ultimate hero. There is nothing in Christ that is a letdown. and all confused life with God, with Christ, are not identical.
So, since we have so much material, let's get right to it. Verse 1. I, John. Your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ was on the isle island that is called Patmos. For the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Well, everybody knows John. He names himself again in the twenty second chapter. He was a handpicked man of Jesus Christ. To be A human authority in a ch in the church, an apostle. He himself is a lifelong churchgoer.
But he's a commoner. within the flock. He's not an elitist. He's one of us. even though he has this awesome assignment.
In the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ.
Well, we are subjects of Christ. He is our king. This Tribulation that he refers to here is not the coming great tribulation. These are the tribulations of living in a fallen world. During the church age, and that's when we're living.
We're living in the church age right now. Jeremiah said there would be a time of trouble for Jacob, unlike ever before, in Jeremiah chapter 30. Jesus warned the tribulation will be unmatched. such as never has been nor ever will be But Jesus also said, in the world you will have much tribulation. But be of good cheer I've overcome the world.
We struggle with that when it's outturned to be under a heavy tribulation, but it is true nonetheless. We are not exempt. from persecution or trouble. But of course the revelation once we get past chapter 3 is going to be heading forward into the future at an accelerated pace. Paul, encouraging Christians, said to them in Acts 14: We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.
We are spared the great tribulation because when it unloads. It will be like nothing ever before. And everything in the world with all the technology and all of the human this and that is all setting the stage. For something that you don't want to be here to see. You don't want to be here to say I told you so.
when the wrath is unleashed.
Now patience. I'll get to this. Just be patient. Yeah. Uh power to weight, yeah.
Power to endure, yep, that too. But there's a third feature before it is complete. The patients in Christ is that patience that will still work. that still functions for Christ. Not just suffering.
and enduring. As a believer. but suffering and doing as a believer. Which would include prayer, opportunity to preach, study of the word. I know when you're under heavy pressure, you don't want to study many times or sometimes, or maybe not have the strength.
To pray, but the scripture says, lift up the feeble hands, you know, push forward.
So, that is the kind of patience that is being spoken of here on the island that is called Patmos. Oh, this is in the Aegean Sea. It was not a prison colony, and it's kind of important to know what's going on. There was a fairly developed Cosmopolitan Island. which means there were other peoples there and you know they developed the island somewhat.
And that likely indicates to us That while John was banished. to this island He couldn't leave. It wasn't hard service. He was not in prison. It may have been free to move around the island.
I know a lot of you say, I've never heard that before.
Well, now you can't say that.
So just to understand, and he's a very old man. Physically, you're not going to get much out of him. Anyway. He's in his 90s, either almost or a little bit over. Anyway, early church historians tell us that he was exiled.
About 95 years after the birth of Christ, under Emperor Domitian, and he stayed there until Domitian died. Which is a they say about eighteen months after John was on the island. The historians tell us. And we can see some of that. No no need to dispute it.
But afterwards he goes to Ephesus and seems to finish out his days on earth there. He says he was on this island of Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Well, he's not banished. or exiled to Patmos, For Or to proclaim the word. In other words, he didn't say, Well, I'm going to go to Patmos and I'll preach there. No, he was banished there, but it was for preaching the word, and now he's going to be given even more to preach. when he leaves the island.
And that we call it the revelation of Jesus Christ. published when persecution was increasing. with a lot more to come. Jesus said, These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.
Well, you can say that.
Now, he said that in John's Gospel. But here in the Revelation, it certainly applies. I'm saying this to you, Christians. are suffering persecution and tribulation or not.
so that you don't stumble. I'm giving you more information. I'm letting you see I am sovereign, I am in control, I have a plan, and you will be part of it. Be patient. Endure.
So, exiled. for Bible preaching and Christian living. Deemed as a threat. in opposition to the culture of that world. The Christians would not.
worship the Caesars or the pagan gods. And this put John in fellowship with the sufferings of Christ.
so loyal to his master, that his faith landed him in trouble. like Joseph. in Egypt. Question to you young teens. you younger Christians, Do you stand firm when everybody wants to go opposite Christ?
Do you get in trouble for upholding your faith? for looking them in the eyes and say, I'm not doing that. I'm going to follow Christ. Never mind what my flesh wants to do, never mind how much I'm intimidated by you pressuring me. I want to be more pressured by Christ.
Have that speech ready for them. You might convict them to be interested in Christ themselves.
So John's Christianity Drew trouble. Big lesson for us. And his influence against state religion gained the attention of Christianity's enemies. But they were reluctant, evidently, to kill him. likely fearing that they would lionize Christianity with yet another martyr, so at this point in history they decided to just stick him on the island.
In verse 10, He says, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. And I heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet.
Well, he's under the influence of the Holy Spirit. he is not under the influence of his own false inspirations, which is very easy to do if not careful. reminded of When Samuel went to anoint David under God's instructions. Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of Yahweh came upon David from that day forward.
Well, John receiving these revelations, A single revelation. with many visions on one day. A Sunday. And he says it, it's the Lord's Day.
Now, some commentators would disagree with that. I only mention that if you come across it in your study Bibles, not everybody agrees with that position. It's unmistakable to me. The Christians knew the Lord's Day had become by this time in history, almost 100 years after the birth of Christ.
Some, what, 70 years after the crucifixion almost, the Lord's Day had become the day that the Christians gathered, and that would be Sunday. And so the revelation is singular, not plural. He is awake and writing. He is not dreaming. There's no indication of that.
In fact, at one point in chapter 10, he's told not to write this down. He was told to write 12 times in the Revelation, and again, with one, don't write that one down. We're just giving you that as a bonus. The word right shows up more. In the book of Revelation, than any other book in the Bible is because God wanted us to know these things.
But one of the important things about He's in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, He's not in a trance, He's not having a dream, He's not being creative, it's not His imagination, He's not speculating, this is being given to Him.
Now the mediums, the spiritists and the soothsayers, they were in trances and they did say what they wanted to say because of their own inspiration which came out of hell. John is not saying, hey, I need peyote to have some spiritual hallucinations. And then I can blame the Great Spirit. He's not saying, I want some psychedelic drugs to induce an altered state of consciousness.
So I can share things that You're not going to get anywhere else. Not demonically inspired with baseless assertions, as were the founders. Of the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons. They were just inspired to say things, they just made stuff up. And it cannot be.
Not only is it not supported by Scripture, it is condemned by Scripture. That gives me a chance to say. You can spend your time figuring out all these theological words people come up with. I don't know where they come up with. There's got to be some sort of a machine and a crank where it just spits them out.
You do better memorizing scripture. You do better memorizing whole paragraphs, whole psalms. You will be armed against false teachings of every kind if you know the true teaching. Yeah, you can familiarize yourself with what the others have to say, but the bottom line is you cannot familiarize yourself with everything. But you can know the word of God.
And it is a sword. And if you know what you believe based on Scripture, you will know what doesn't belong, what is false, and you can call them out on it. Or you learn these other c words that these Well-meaning Christians come up with and you can debate each other. But you won't be using scripture. Well, you will be a little bit all right.
I'm gonna get off my I don't like it when I hear other people say what I'm saying.
Well, I don't mind when I say it. I heard behind me a loud voice as a trumpet.
Well, that means you couldn't ignore it. We're going to come across this phrase loud voice 20 times in the Revelation. It is the Holy Spirit's way of saying, I want you to get this. I want it written down. that this was said loudly.
Verse 11. And this is what he heard, saying, I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last. And what you see write in a book. and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia. To Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Bracamus, to Philip.
Diatira to Sardis. to Philadelphia. and to Leo de Sia.
Now the revelation begins to unfold. And it begins. He's been prepped up to this point. But it now begins with An affirmation of the deity of Christ. If you take that deity away of Christ, Christ, you've messed with his identity.
You're denying who he says he is. To talk about the Trinity is everything. to talk about who Christ is. matters supremely. And this is why Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons are classified as as heretics and cults because they deny who Christ is.
So it's not a little thing to come across this 11th verse. and dismiss it. But listen to what Isaiah says. Thus says Yahweh.
Now remember, Yahweh in the Old Testament is Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Thus says Yahweh, the king of Israel and his Redeemer. Yahweh of hosts, I The first And I the last. Besides me, there is no God. That's doctrine.
From the Old Testament, that shows up repeatedly in the New Testament.
So don't be bewitched. Understand that Christ is saying. I am the beginning and the end. I am the alpha and the omega. He repeats this three other times.
He already did it in verse 8. He's going to do it twice more as we go through Revelation. What you see, write in a book.
Well, this is the process of inspired Scripture. All scriptures given by God, God breathed, inspired by God. And is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped. You see, that's what you need, the scripture to be thoroughly equipped, to be able to.
Know your doctrine. to reprove, to correct wrong doctrine, For instruction in righteousness. It's all here. Occupy your time with studying the scripture and. With those who study the scripture.
There's great benefit. And if they were, listen, preaching is so important. These stars that are in the right hand of Christ. Those are the preachers. Those are the angels of the church.
And we'll get to that eventually. And send to the seven churches.
Now, collectively, these will typify all churches. Revelation 22, verse 16. I, Jesus, have sent my angel, messenger. Angel's not always one of the spiritual beings. He continues To testify to you these things in the churches.
That's the assemblies. Critical doctrine. Don't sidestep it. This because people can be a problem in churches. Doesn't mean that's the whole story.
Don't be one of them. Within the seven churches come several distinct characteristic. Characteristics of people. behaviors of people unto churches. as individual assemblies.
Through the church age. that started at Pentecost and is continuing. will continue until the church is raptured. There are traces of History in the seven churches. You got to be careful here, but you can't dismiss it on this other side, too, I don't think.
For example, The Laodicean Church is clearly the apostate last days church. The church at Ephesus was the beginning church, the darling church, but after the apostles died off, she began to drift from her love. And then comes the church at Smyrna.
Well, persecution wasn't far behind.
So there is a historical pattern there also, and we'll get to some of that as we go through the churches. That's what will slow us down some. It's so rich. with vital and helpful information. What if the church left the places where she was founded Worse off.
Then before she got there. That happens. Don't be surprised if we come across corrupted churches. The seven churches of Revelation point that out. Jesus is telling us right up front: don't be surprised.
But don't be on that side either. the side of wrong. What if a church? ruin their environment. Made everybody feel good about themselves.
inspired them to do human things. But we're not mindful of the things of God, but of the things of men. That would be satanic. That's what Jesus said. Get behind me, Satan.
You're not mindful of the things of God, but of the things of men. And when a church holds true, and thank God there are enough churches still holding the line. to the scripture. When she holds true, she will impact her environment. They'll either look to snuff that church out.
Will there be more converts? Verse 12, then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me, and having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands.
Well, Moses also turned to see the burning bush or the bush that was flaming but wasn't being consumed by the Fire.
Well, John turns to hear a voice. Same Lord in both cases. He saw these seven golden lampstands.
Well, there's a New Testament link to Old Testament scripture, the Temple of God. Which we said are too numerous in Revelation to really identify. You can do many of them, but they're all over.
Now the most splendid piece of furniture in the tabernacle of Moses and Solomon, was the Ark of the Covenant. Which had on top the mercy seat. Without the mercy seat, The lampstand would mean nothing. Everything would mean nothing. Without the mercy of God, what use would any of it be to us?
We'd be dead in our sins. But there is a mercy seat. There is grace and forgiveness with God. And all these things have life then breathed into them by the mercy of God. The lampstand was the most beautiful article of furniture outside of the holiest of holies.
You could say it was the second most beautiful piece of furniture. Israel was to be a beautiful light to the world.
Well These golden lampstands represent the churches. We're told straight out in verse 20. We are supposed the church is supposed to be. the beautiful light to the world. A beautiful bride.
Now of course evil will try to flip that around. But not everybody will side with evil, and that's how converts are made. It's now what we're seeing here in Revelation is not one sevenfold lampstand, but we're seeing seven sevenfold lampstands. Each lampstand Had seven lamps on it. You could say seven candles.
Solomon had ten in his temple. But these are representing the completeness of the church. Thus the seven.
Now the church is not a source of light, but it is to bear that light. Christ is the source. And All that the church Needs It's available to her. Through the Holy Spirit. Through Christ who is in her midst.
the scriptures that we have. The doctrine, the fellowship. communion and prayer. We've got everything we need, thus, the seven. To the seven churches, to the seven lampstands.
You got it. But the church often behaves as though she does not have it. Colossians chapter two Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit. This is the philosophy of the world. When the world comes up, well, let's guess about this.
I think this. The great awakening that was experienced in the 18th century was the church responding to man's age of enlightenment. where they felt that they outfigured God.
Well, coming back to this in Colossians, beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of men, whether that's religion or not. According to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ. For in him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily, that would be the Trinity. and you are complete in Him. who is the head of all principality and power.
This has been Cross-Reference Radio with Pastor Rick Gaston. This program is a radio outreach of Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville, in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Pastor Rick has been teaching through the book of Revelation, but if you're interested in learning about a different book of the Bible, we have hundreds of past episodes available to listen to on demand. Just visit us online at crossreferenceradio.com and you'll find an archive of Pastor Rick's past teachings. While you're there, you can also find links to follow our program on your favorite podcast app, as well as links to get connected with us on Facebook and YouTube.
There's also an interviews tab where you can learn more about Pastor Rick's heart for ministry.
Well, we hope you'll join us next time here on Cross Reference Radio. Yeah.
