Sermons on Revelation (Page 5)
“Worthy Is the Lamb” (Revelation 5:8-14)
Worthy Is the Lamb (Rev. 5:8-14) We talk about coming before God in worship with reverence and awe. He is holy, majestic, and worthy to receive our praise. But, we are sinful, defiled, and unworthy in and of ourselves. The first thing we need is the cleansing blood of Christ to make us worthy. Then we need the enabling work of the Spirit to empower our worship. And when you have both, you will engage in worship with your whole…
“The Lamb Is Worthy” (Revelation 5:1-7)
The Lamb Is Worthy (Rev. 5:1-7) John’s vision in chapters one through three begins with the son of man in the midst of the lampstands. He shepherds his flock by sending letters to the seven churches, which includes both promised blessings as well as warnings to repent of a growing indifference and wickedness that threatens to destroy the church from within. If their rebellion persists, Christ will remove the lampstand of their church. In chapter four, John is brought up…
“Holy, Holy, Holy” (Revelation 4:6b-11)
Holy, Holy, Holy (Rev. 4:6b-11) We have transitioned from the first section which included letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor (1:1-3:22), to the second section which includes the opening of seven seals (4:1-8:1). Upon ascending into heaven in his vision, John sees the throne of God—a throne of glory, grace, and judgment. The principle is that our worship must be God-centered. In the rest of chapter four John continues his description of what he sees, including the worship…
“Behold Our God” (Revelation 4:1-6a)
Behold Our God (Rev. 4:1-6a) Apocalyptic literature is oftentimes used like a kind of treasure map. If we can unlock the mysterious riddles we will discover when and how the world will end. That approach can certainly make for an exciting reading of the text, but it rarely finds the author’s central meaning. Revelation was not written to satisfy our curiosity about the future. Revelation is about God! It describes the glory of God, the power of God, and the…
“Dear Lukewarm Church” (Revelation 3:14-22)
Dear Lukewarm Church (Rev. 3:14-22) Introduction We have arrived at the final letter to the seven first-century churches located in Asia Minor. Although the situations in each of these churches was in many ways unique to their time and location, the contents of each letter have proved to be relevant to every church in every age. Last week we considered a church that received no condemnation from Christ. This week we consider a church that received no commendation from him.…
“Dear Faithful Church” (Revelation 3:7-13)
Dear Faithful Church (Rev. 3:7-13) Introduction In his novel The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck provides a harrowing illustration of the pressure families faced during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. Due to poor farming techniques and severe drought, tens of thousands of families were forced to migrate to California. But the recession had such a widespread impact that few people were better off. In their weakness, families had to rely upon the kindness of strangers, which oftentimes resulted in…
“Dear Dead Church” (Revelation 3:1-6)
Dear Dead Church (Rev. 3:1-6) In his book, Drunk Tank Pink, Adam Altar points out the curious phenomenon known as “nominative determinism”. It’s the idea that our names can often have a profound effect upon how we live. Our name predetermines the outcome. He shows how people are often preoccupied by ideas related to their name. The Chief Justice of England and Wales from 2008-2013 was Justice Igor Judge. His colleague, Justice John Laws, was on the court of appeals…
“Dear Compromised Church” (Revelation 2:18-29)
Dear Compromised Church (Rev. 2:18-29) We now come to the fourth in this series of seven letters written to churches in Asia Minor. It is a mixed community that represents the makeup of the broader visible church in all times. It’s the longest letter, positioned right at the center of the bunch, so we would do well to pay attention to its message. Expository preaching forces me to address all kinds of sin. If I always focused on pet sins,…
“Dear Worldly Church” (Revelation 2:12-17)
Dear Worldly Church (Rev. 2:12-17) Chapter one concludes with the vision of the son of man as our Prophet, Priest, and King. Chapter two transitions to letters written to seven church. There is an interesting relationship between the letters that follows a familiar pattern. A. Ephesus – Loveless B. Smyrna – Only Commendation C. Pergamum – Worldly D. Thyatira – Immorality E. Sardis – Dead ‘B. Philadelphia – Only Commendation ‘A. Laodicea – Lukewarm We will cover the escalation in…
“Dear Suffering Church” (Revelation 2:8-11)
Dear Suffering Church (Rev 2:8-11) John has been commissioned by Christ to write these letters to the seven church in Asia Minor at the end of the first century AD. What he writes addresses the specific needs of these particular churches, but Jesus also has in mind the broader, universal Church which spans time and place. The Lord is informing the churches of persecution that they will face. Some of that tribulation has already begun, but a more intense form…