Sunday LinkUp – April 27, 2025 – Revelation 1:4-8

In the 2008 musical comedy Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog the titular character, Dr. Horrible struggles to explain his motivation for being a villain and wanting to disrupt society.  He tells the viewers of his vlog: “And by the way, it’s not about making money, it’s about taking money.  Destroying the status quo because the status is not … quo.  The world is a mess and I just need to rule it.”

Like Dr. Horrible we can also have difficulty explaining exactly how to fix or change the world.  All we know is that the “status is not quo” and something needs to change.

In first-century Jerusalem, the political and religious leaders of the time found themselves dealing with a gang of agitators who sought to change the status quo.  This upstart group of fishermen and tax collectors had the nerve to accuse their leaders of an absurd crime: murdering God!

Since they were obviously dangerous malcontents, the leaders placed them under lock and key, warned them to be quiet, and considered the matter resolved.  But the next day, the men were at it again — they’d escaped from prison without a soul noticing, and there they were in the courtyard, talking about this man Jesus who had been crucified.

Led by Peter, freed by an angel, and guided by the Holy Spirit, the apostles had entered the temple courts and begun preaching the Gospel boldly!

But the Gospel confounded the Pharisees who were defined by the status quo.  When a group came declaring an exciting and hope-filled message of redemption, they threw them in jail to maintain their power and influence. They could not comprehend the inverted world order implied in Peter’s words:

“… We must obey God rather than human beings!  The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead — whom you killed by hanging him on a cross.  God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins.” 
Acts 5:29b-31

Peter chose his words carefully, by referring to the Crucifixion as Jesus being hung on the tree, he brought to mind Deuteronomy 21:22-23 where we are told that such a man is cursed.  For the Jewish rabbinical leaders this was inconceivable, here was this man Jesus, who should be cursed by the death he died – yet this man is now raised and exalted by God?  Such a thing should not be!  Who are these men that they would make such extraordinary claims?

Peter and the apostles were the great disruptors, the forerunners of every Christian since who has endured imprisonment, torture, and deprivation even to the point of death for the sake of the Gospel.  For the sake of obeying God and not man.

Christians today are no strangers to acts of social disruption designed to bring about societal change.  Yet in the clamour of opposing voices, the solutions being put forward usually aren’t much better than Dr. Horrible’s desire to rule.  Unlike Dr. Horrible, Christians have been given insight into what needs to change.  We are called to be great disruptors to the status quo by pointing to the solution – Jesus.  We acknowledge the world’s a mess but we also acknowledge the mess is because we humans are trying to rule it without God.

Peter reminds us to obey God and not man.  When we do, we bring a message of hope that can transform the world.  We share the good news that God has exalted Jesus.  He is the prince and Savior who brings about repentance and forgiveness.  He is the great disrupter.  Disrupter for the good!  He is the solution to the messes we see around us.  He is the gospel.  Let’s participate with him in disrupting the status quo and bringing beauty out of our messy world.

I’m Greg Williams, Speaking of Life.

SPECIAL MUSIC

SERMON

• This is the first of a five–week sermon series from Easter to Ascension Sunday.
• We will be focusing on passages from the book of Revelation. 
• Today’s sermon is based upon Revelation 1:4-8 …

The One Who Is and Who Was and Who Is to Come

Revelation 1:4–8  NIV

This Easter season we have five Sundays between last week’s Easter celebration and the conclusion of the season on Ascension Sunday.  The Easter season obviously is a time when we take a heightened focus on the risen and reigning Lord, Jesus Christ.  This Easter will be no different, except we will spend all five Sundays exploring this theme in dramatic fashion.  We will be visiting a few chosen passages from the Book of Revelation.

Today, we will simply look at how John, the author of Revelation, chooses to introduce the central figure of the book, Jesus Christ.  But before we do that, we should lay some groundwork on this amazing piece of literature.  It’s one of a kind to say the least.

Because of the unique nature of the Book of Revelation, it has also become one of the most misunderstood books of the Bible, often leading to some rather eccentric teachings that John never intended.  We will try to establish early some broad exegetical parameters to help us avoid these false starts and misguided conclusions.  [Exegetical parameters refer to a set of facts and principles that establish or limit how a text is critically interpreted to discover its intended meaning.]  We will look at five general rules to keep in mind for starters.

1.  Revelation was written as a letter of encouragement for Christians living under the rule of the Roman empire during the late first–century, a time when severe persecution of the church was ramping up.

• It is vital to remember that this book aimed to encourage some specific Christians, congregating in seven specific churches, in a specific time and place under some very trying circumstances.  It was not written as a gloom and doom message for some other people at some other time.  However, it does still hold the same encouragement for all Christians, at all times, who find themselves living in this present evil age.  The Church has always been the evil one’s primary target.  He hates Jesus Christ who sealed his defeat, and he sets that hatred on the destruction of Jesus’ bride, the Church.  Our daily lives may not look exactly like the circumstances of the first recipients of John’s letter; however, we too still need the encouragement offered in this book.  When it seems like evil is winning against God’s kingdom, if you fear the world is going to “hell in a handbasket,” this book has some wonderful encouragement for you.

2.  Revelation has its own literary style that needs to be considered for proper understanding.

• One literary device used in Revelation is apocalyptic writing.  This type of literature was understood by those who first heard John’s message.  The style consisted of fantastic images of a multi–headed, multi–horned beast along with mystical symbols and numbers used to illustrate an epic battle between good and evil played out on a cosmic scale.  As strange and foreign as much of this writing is for us today, it was not written with an intent to hide its meaning.  John knew what he was writing about and wrote in a way his intended audience would understand.  We do not need some additional secret key to unravel the mysteries of Revelation.  We just need to understand how to read apocalyptic writing.  In addition, John also uses two other literary styles of writing — the prophetic and the ancient form of letter writing.  So, the letter will, at different times, begin using one or another of these three writing styles.  In short, we could say Revelation is a letter of apocalyptic prophecy.  And it will help to know when the letter has moved from one style to the other.  If you are reading a newspaper, you know that what you are reading is to be read literally, and about current events.  However, once you get to the comic section, if you do not know the style has changed, you will walk away with a very strange view of the world indeed.  So, we must be aware of the three styles of writing that occur in Revelation and read accordingly. And to make matters worse, John doesn’t always stick to all the rules that typically apply to each literary style.  Thankfully, we have many good scholars who can help us sort out some of these issues.  We will not have to worry about that in Revelation 1:4–8.

3.  As odd as the Book of Revelation may appear when compared to most of the other books in the Bible, its main message is consistent.

• It is included in the canon of Scripture because it carries the same proclamation of good news that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, and his followers are called to live in faith and patient endurance as they wait for the soon coming kingdom of glory.  We can trust that when we get to the last book of the Bible, we are not reading something different, out of line with all that went before.  The Bible is good news from beginning to end.

4.  The reason the Bible is good news from beginning to end is because its central character is Jesus Christ, the Alpha and Omega.

• Jesus is still the central character in Revelation.  We will read of Jesus in the book of Revelation as the slain and risen Lord who is victorious over the world, the flesh, and the devil.

5.  Finally, Revelation has as its central theme the secure and full salvation of the saints.

• If we can keep these five guidelines in view as we read Revelation, we will fare much better in hearing the encouragement the letter has for us.
• For the next five sermons, we will not wade too deeply into the more challenging apocalyptic symbols and cataclysmic images portrayed in much of the book.  The lectionary passages give us the opportunity to get our feet wet without getting in over our heads.  However, I will encourage you to read the entire book, maybe even more than once this Easter season. After all, Revelation is the only book in the Bible that promises a blessing for those who read it (Revelation 1:3).  If you do, try keeping in mind the five guidelines we just discussed.  That will enable you to get more out of these sermons and hopefully, these sermons will enable you to get more out of your reading.  Either way, we are in for some much needed encouragement during our rocky times.  Let’s begin our Easter journey through Revelation.

TODAY’S READING

Revelation 1:4-8

⁴ John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: 

Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.  

To Him who ^[a]loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,  ⁶ and has made us ^[b]kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.  Amen.  

⁷ Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him.  And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.  Even so, Amen.  

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega,^[c]the Beginning and the End,” says the ^[d]Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”   

Revelation 1:4 —  John …

Let’s stop right there. One word in and we need to take note of the author of this fantastic book.  He introduces himself as “John.”  There is some debate to whether this is the same John who authored the Gospel of John and the epistles of 1, 2, 3 John.  We won’t concern ourselves with that debate except to say that the evidence is weighted toward the Apostle John who wrote the Gospel of John.  The early church seemed to lean this way so we will as well.

However, what should be noted at this point is that John has been exiled to the island of Patmos “because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 1:9).  John himself is suffering persecution by the Roman empire because he follows and proclaims  Jesus as Lord.  That was a message that was attracting some heat from those who were in power and did not like a message that exposed them as not being gods.  Patmos was most likely being used as a penal colony for those who did not fall in line with the empire’s narrative.  You could say, this was Rome’s attempt to censor free speech.  However, what was intended to silence John’s message only served to give him a megaphone.  While alone on this rocky island, John would look out over the raging sea and write a book that continues to challenge the power brokers, not just those of Rome and their puppet kings around the world, but of all nations of all times.

Ultimately, John’s voice is amplified to reach and liberate many from the deceptive propaganda of the evil one, and those who have co-opted in his sinister ways.  That alone can set us up to expect some great reversals in an otherwise dismal situation with little evidence that things will turn around.  By worldly accounts, the Christian movement should have been stomped out easily considering it was a small, peaceful band of outcasts who claimed to be following a messiah the Empire had already put to death.  On top of that they were up against one of the greatest world powers history had ever produced; Rome was at its peak.  The David vs. Goliath story finds an echo.

Now we can continue:

Revelation 1:4 —  To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Hold up!  Let’s take one more brief pause.  We were introduced to the writer and now we are introduced to the recipients.  Revelation is a letter written to some specific  believers, namely the ones who belonged to the seven churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.  These were real churches in real places at a real time in history.  They are not to be understood as symbols of something else.

We are not reading any apocalyptic writing at this point and when you read the messages to each of these churches, we are not reading a description to use as labels for our church or others.  John is writing to his co-laborers and partners “in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus” (Revelation 1:9).  So, we must first understand that John is writing directly to his own during a time of suffering that they shared.  He is writing to encourage and prepare them for the escalation of persecution he sees on the horizon.

John has been inspired to prophetically see in the martyrdom of Antipas, who he calls “my faithful witness” (Revelation 2:13), a harbinger of darker times coming for these churches.

However, this does not mean the letter is not for us as well.  In fact, all seven churches received the whole letter.  So, each church was able to read what John wrote to all the others.  That may have been a bit embarrassing at some points.  But it was meant to be a circular letter that went out to all.  Add to that the fact that John takes full advantage of the significance certain numbers held for those aware of Israel’s history.  The number seven for the Jewish mind came to represent the idea of wholeness, completeness, or fullness.  By designating this letter to the “seven” primary churches, John has found a way to address the complete Church.

So, each address to a specific church is part of the full address to the whole Church, including yours and mine today.  Each message to each church can speak to us at different times in the life of our church.  And a recurring message is echoed throughout, namely, to continue turning to the Lord in faithfulness.  Even when we fail in the many ways addressed to the seven churches, we are always called to repent and turn to the Lord who is gracious to forgive and restore.

OK, now we can hear what John wants to lead with in addressing the “complete” Church.

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.  

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father — to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.  Revelation 1:4–6 NIV

• The first thing we see is the blessing of “grace and peace” that comes from the triune God.  Grace  can only come to us as a gift of God. He is Grace and the source of all grace.  Grace then is understood as all the blessings of God’s goodness given to his people.  “Peace,” on the other hand, can be understood as a resulting benefit of God’s grace given to us.  God’s goodness poured out on us leads to peace overflowing to others.
• Our current world can be hostile; it is a good reminder to us that it is God’s grace given to us that will ultimately lead to peace.  As such, we can be encouraged to respond by receiving the grace of God given to us in Jesus Christ.  Real and lasting peace does not come by direct force or power like the Roman empire imagined.  It only comes by humbly receiving the grace that is given by God.
• John also structures this section in such a way as to indicate that grace and peace are the nature of our triune God.  John tells us that grace and peace come to us “from him who is, and who was, and who is to come ….”  That’s John’s reference to the Father.  Then he adds, “and from the seven spirits before his throne … ”  There’s that number 7 again, which scholars believe serves as imagery to represent the Holy Spirit.  This is the “full” and “complete” Spirit the Father and Son share.  Lastly, John is straightforward by identifying the Son with the name Jesus Christ.
• After designating Jesus Christ along with the Father and Spirit as the source of grace and peace, John will now use three phrases to elaborate a bit more on who this Jesus Christ is.  These three phrases serve to connect us with the “revelation” that will follow.
  • The first phrase is “the faithful witness.”  Remember, John has been exiled to Patmos for being a “witness” of Jesus, and these seven churches are being persecuted for the same thing. But John wants us to know that it is Jesus himself who is the “faithful witness.”  We are not called into something the Son is not already doing.  Our witness of him is a participation of his witness to the Father.  And Jesus is faithful to complete his witness at any cost, even death.  That is why the word for “witness” is translated from martyrus where we get our word for martyr.  Jesus faithfully witnessed to the Father’s love and character by dying on the cross to save his people.
  • The second phrase, “the firstborn from the dead” is an important follow–up to the first phrase.  Jesus’ faithful witness that culminates on the cross is not in vain.  It ends with a victorious resurrection and an Easter celebration.  Jesus is the “firstborn” of this resurrection meaning there are more yet to be born.  As we participate in his witness, even with the persecution and suffering it will bring, we are guaranteed to also participate in his victorious resurrection, entailing all the vindication and glory Jesus shares with us.
  • The last phrase John uses is “the ruler of the kings of the earth.”  With this phrase, John reminds us who is truly in charge, especially when all indications are that the worldly powers will have the last say.  Not so!  Even those who are using their earthly thrones to defy God are still under God’s sovereignty.  This would have been a needed reminder for those who were living under the tyranny of Roman rule during the time of Revelation’s writing.  It seemed during this time that Rome was unstoppable and truly the ruler of the entire world.
• We also may encounter times where evil and those who dishonor their given authority by wicked intentions and actions appear to have complete control.  This can leave us feeling powerless and hopeless, but John wants us to see beyond what is temporary.  There is a deeper power and rule governing the cosmos and this Ruler cannot be thwarted in his victory over sin and death.

But John is not done in filling out a little more of who Jesus Christ is as our hope of vindication and victory.  If Jesus is the true ruler of the world, we may be tempted to believe he is not a very good ruler.  Why would he allow so much suffering as he has?  Perhaps John knew his brothers and sisters in the seven churches would be having that internal conflict.  So, John focuses our attention on the character of the one who truly rules the “kings of the earth.”

• First, Jesus is the one “who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood.”  Not only does John remind us that Jesus loves us, but he fills out what that love looks like.  It’s a love that would not leave us imprisoned by sin.  If Jesus is truly for us, he must also be truly against all that is against us.  He doesn’t love us with an empty love that only says, “I love you” and walks away as we destroy ourselves.  Rather, he shows us the Father’s love by giving his own blood to redeem ours.  This is a love we can trust, even when we don’t understand why he allows all that may be going on in our broken world.  We can trust that he sees further and deeper into all things than we could ever possibly see.  We can trust that he will not allow anything that his redeeming love cannot heal and bring glory from.
• What’s more, John lets us know that this Ruler has “made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father” who has all glory and power forever.  The glory and power of any earthly “ruler” in this evil age will pass away.  Only the Lord God has an eternal glory and power that will never fade.  To this, John says “amen.”

Notice that John tells us two things we are made to be.

• • A kingdom.  This means we are to be those who live in such a way that is a real witness to the kingdom that Jesus has already established and will bring to its fullness at his return.  We are ambassadors of this kingdom and witnesses to it.
  • Priests.  This means we are made to worship.  And worship itself is the most direct witness we can make.  When we worship, we proclaim from the rooftops that it is Jesus who is Lord and Savior and not Caesar,  Herod, Nero, and all the other rulers from times past to times present or future.
• This is what you and I are called to be as the Church — witnessing worshippers and worshipping witnesses.  So, if there is ever a time to celebrate Easter it is now.  In doing so you join John’s efforts in proclaiming to the world that the tyrannical ruler’s days are numbered.  We are called to participate in that glorious revelation that will be and already is the final word of all world history.  It may take longer than we like, it may cost us everything.  But we know in the end there is victory over sin and death, a victory that will never cease or decrease. We will continue to be a kingdom and priest serving God forever.
• Now that John has given us the reminder of who is in charge and the character of this one who loves us, he has a concluding proclamation he wants to make on this second Sunday of Easter.

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen.  Revelation 1:7  NIV

• John doesn’t hold back.  Here is a servant of the Lord who knows the Lord’s faithfulness.  He will not be intimidated by those who have the power to exile, imprison, censor, or kill him.  He still shouts from his isolated island in the sea through the ink in his quill, “Look, he is coming with the clouds.”
  • We could paraphrase John as shouting, “The One you wanted me to keep quiet about, well he’s coming with a power you can’t lock up or lock down, manipulate or control.  The Revelation is coming, and then every eye will see him, even those of you who wanted him dead.  None of your deceitful lies used to blind the world to the truth will have any effect.  Then your rule will come to an end and for those of you who prefer your own rule over his — well, there will be nothing left to do but mourn.”  Amen.
• John began his letter with quite the dramatic proclamation. Now, we have a twist to conclude this first sermon on Revelation for Easter.  Out of nowhere, after John utters “amen,”  God speaks directly to us with his own proclamation.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”  Revelation 1:8  NIV

• This word from the Lord God alerts us to another key to properly understand Revelation.  Human language is not sufficient in conveying the glory of God and his glorious plans for us.
  • God himself will have the final word.
  • From A to Z, he alone must transcend all our limitations in knowing him for who he is.
  • There is no way to grasp one “who is, and who was, and who is to come.”
  • The “Almighty” is beyond our language of expression.  This is one of the reasons Revelation employs such fantastical images and symbols.  John is given “visions” that he must try to relate to us using human language.  There is no straightforward, literal way to express something that transcends our very existence.
• We are summoned to think beyond our words, to stretch our imaginations to gain a meager glimpse of the glory and majesty of the one we are called to worship.  We are only at the beginning of this amazing book.  But in the end, we will come to see more fully, that it is Jesus himself who is a true and lasting Revelation.

As we conclude our worship on this second Sunday of Easter,

• may we go out with the boldness and joy of proclaiming through worship and witness the incredibly good news that Jesus is Lord.   This is a world that sorely needs to know who he is as their true King.  This world belongs to him, and he does not intend on losing it or abdicating his throne.
• May we also serve as a revelation of God’s soon coming kingdom, a kingdom full of grace and peace.  Amen.