Revelation 1:19-2:1 1:19 Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things. 1:20 As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches."
In the New Testament we see God raising up a bride for His Son, an organism that is to bear forth the good news to all the world, a people of God who are to live in this age, a called out assembly which in over 100 places is referred to as "the church". In this blog today I want to use the imagery of a battleship to aid us in understanding what John is writing here in Revelation 2 and 3. This blog post we will simply call: "God's Battleship". Why God's Battleship? In other passages such as 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 and Ephesians 6:10-18, we see the imagery of warfare and battle characterizing the nature of the church's journey through this age. Furthermore the Bible uses naval imagery at times to describe the church in passages such as 1 Timothy 1:18-19 and Hebrews 6:18. Two headings will be used to aid us in our navigation through Revelation 2-3:
1. The Battleship's Identity - The Church
2. The Battleship's Captain - Jesus Christ
The Battleship's Identity - The church
The identity of God's battleship in Revelation 2-3 is non-other than the church. In thinking of the seven churches as literal and representative churches, we see in Revelation 2-3 the church floating on God's ordained sea of time - "the church militant". This is a battleship that has been shot at, war torn and bears the marks of the ages. Though the church is shot at, she will never be sunk nor overcome. (Matthew 16:18) Its course was charted by God in eternity past and commissioned forth by Christ in the Gospel of Matthew. In Acts 2 the battleship called "church militant" was launched forth into the sea of time by the Holy Spirit.
The battleship of God, the church militant, has sailed on a sea of high waves and cross winds. Enemies from above, aside and below have attempted to sink God's battleship. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:11-18) When you look at these seven churches in the Book of Revelation, we see the trials and triumphs that come upon Christ's church, and we see seven things desired by Jesus Christ.
1. Jesus wants a loving church. 2:1-7.
The Battleship of God is to be one of love, and yet at times she has been loveless - like Ephesus. Thus Christ wants a loving church.
2. Jesus wants a courageous church. 2:8-11.
At other times God's battleship: the church militant as been brought to the brink of death, like the Smyrnans. The waves of persecution hit her prow and powers below shoot holes in her hull and yet she plows through the enemy. Though vulnerable, God's battleship will not be vanquished. Thus Jesus wants a courageous church.
3. Jesus wants a vigilant church. 2:12-17
John writes on to the third church, the church at Pergamum. In history the church there have been wolves in sheep's clothing who have attempted to teach contrary doctrines to God's Word. The most dangerous attacks on God's battleship occur not from the outside but inside. Thus Christ wants a vigilant church.
4. Jesus wants a church of conviction. 2:18-29
Fourthly we see the church at Thyatira. It was a church at the cross-roads, and at times in the sea of history as well as churches today, God's battleship has had to make a choice - conform to the world or conform to Christ. Thus Jesus Christ wants a church of conviction.
5. Jesus wants a revived church. 3:1-6
Fifthly Jesus addresses the church at Sardis. In the black of night God's battleship passes through the storms of history. No lights can be seen on its decks and the church of Sardis is depicted as the dead church. God has throughout history raised up reformers and revivalists to ring out the words of Jesus: "Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die." God's battleship - the church militant, has at times stopped dead in the water. We are reminded of the fact that Jesus desires a revived church.
6. Jesus wants a faithful church. 3:7-13
God's unstoppable grace and the Spirit's breath of His word has touched hearts, and the church has come to life time and time again. The Philadelphian church was the most commended of the seven churches. At times on the stormy seas of history, God's battleship has pressed the enemy to the shorelines. It seemed at times that evil would be vanquished. Jesus no doubt wants a faithful church.
7. Jesus wants a committed church. 3:14-22
However God has left that work of bringing the Kingdom not to the church, but to His Son when He returns. It is in that final seventh letter to Laodicea that we are reminded that God's battleship in this present age must fire the 66 cannons of God's Word. We are not called to declare "all is at ease in Zion" until God's battleship has crossed this mighty sea of time. The battle will wage at its pitch at the time prior to Christ's coming. Jesus Christ wants a white hot church and a church that can quench spiritual thirst like cold water. Lukewarm churches are to useless and worthy of nothing more than a spewing forth from His mouth.
Christ's battleship: the church militant, is depicted literally and by representation in the seven churches of Revelation 2-3. Jesus rebukes five of them, commends two of them and addresses all of them to express what He wants His church to be. Tomorrow we shall behold the Battleship's Captain....
Revelation 2:4-5 But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.
Yesterday we began looking at the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2:1-7, noting that Jesus' address to it was rebuking it for losing its "first love" and to communicate His desire for a loving church. We witnessed how Ephesus had a long history through the New Testament of exceptional Bible teachers, preachers and apostles and that she had endured conflict with heresy. Despite her many strengths, Ephesus had grown cold in the one area that is of chief importance: her first love for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Think of "first love" as a fist against apathy and unbelief
As we noted yesterday, the idea of "first love" is in reference to the "foremost" love that the believer ought to have for God. (Matthew 22:37-38) Like an opposable thumb, love for God enables the Christian to grab hold of the other types of things that the Bible commands us to love: love for neighbor (Matthew 22:39); love for the scriptures (John 14:21); loving to pray (1 Timothy 2:1-3) and loving Christ's second coming (2 Timothy 4:8). Now when you take all five of those and ball them up into the fist of faith - you will deal a knockout punch to apathy and unbelief every time. However, take away the opposable thumb of "loving God" and what do you got? No way to grip. Ephesus had over the decades defended the faith, defeated heresy and demonstrated commitment, however she was going through the motions. Ephesus was showing the wear of battle, and her worship services bore the heavy atmosphere of suffocating routine. It was the "love for Jesus" that she needed to get back if she was ever to continue as an effective church for Jesus' sake.
What Jesus told Ephesus to do in regaining her "first love"
We read these words in Revelation 2:5 "Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent." Jesus tells her to "remember" and "repent". Why do this? Robert M. Mounce in his commentary notes: "The church is called upon to remember the earlier days in which love abounded in the congregation. Memory can be a powerful force in effecting a return to a more satisfying relationship."1 Repentance comes from a Greek word meaning: to change one's mind or heart about one's sin.
Therefore in order to begin the road back to recovery, the church will have to go back to the place where it last remembers having its first love. What Jesus then does is mention a group of false teachers called "the Nicolatians". Who were they? According to Jesus' third letter to the church of Pergamum in Revelation 2:12-17, the Nicolatians held to the same doctrine and practices like Balaam did back in Numbers 22-25. Balaam had been a Pagan prophet who attempted to curse Israel but instead blessed the nation. To attain payment from the Moabite King Balak, Balaam ended up sending forth Moabite women to seduce the Israelite men and lead Israel into gross immorality and idolatry. The Nicolatians may very well had combined some form of Judaism with pagan rituals and immorality.2
Whenever you consider what the Ephesian church was up against, she was fighting for her life. She won the battle but almost ended up losing the war. Now why does Jesus refer to her rejection of the Nicolatians in Revelation 2:6 when he had just rebuked her for forsaking her first love in Revelation 2:4? Whenever you consider her not "enduring evil men" in Revelation 2:2 to what we see of her hatred of the Nicolatians in 2:6, it appears Jesus is giving her a clear way to turn around her condition.
Getting back your first love - warnings and prescriptions
Whatever had taken place in her battling of the Nicolatian sect, it had weakened her to the point of losing her first love. Has that ever happened to you? Perhaps in your "fight of faith" or experiences of intense disappointment, you have closed off the portion of your heart that you swore to yourself "never again." Churches are full of Christians who are committed, hard working people, and yet there is a corner in their heart that got hurt, and they decided to never make themselves vulnerable.
Jesus knows what is best for his people. Often we may to go back to the proverbial scene of the crime - whether it be literal or mental. Repentance in this case has to do with telling God that you regret closing your heart off to His love the day you got hurt. The moment you talk to the Lord and ask Him to forgive you for resisting His repeated attempts to heal your pain, He will. (Ephesians 4:25-32, 1 John 1:9)
Jesus warns of the increased danger we face as a church and Christians in these last days in Matthew 24:11-12 "Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12 Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold." May you and I be not among that number.
What is the solution to gaining back your first love? How can we be more loving Christians?
As we already mentioned, Jesus lays out the prescription as the Great Physician. First, remember back from whence you last recall having a passionate love for God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Secondly, repent for letting go of that first love. A third prescription Jesus gives is what we could term: "receive the word from the Spirit." Revelation 2:7 states: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God." In all seven letters in Revelation 2-3, Jesus urges the membership to heed the Spirit's voice speaking forth from His words - the words of scripture. Whenever we begin to exercise the love we had let go of, love for other things will automatically return as well: love for people, the scriptures, prayer and Christ's return. Jesus wants a loving church. May we endeavor to be a people of God who love Him, people, His word, prayer and His soon return. May we love Him first and foremost!
Endnotes:
1. Robert M. Mounce. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Eerdmans. 1977. Page 88
2. Interestingly enough, the name "Balaam" in the Hebrew and "Nicolatian" in the Greek translate nearly in the same way: "Balaam" means "mastery over the people" and "Nicolatian" refers to "victory or conqueror over the people."
Acts 3:11-12 "While he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the so-called portico of Solomon, full of amazement. 12 But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?"
Yesterday we looked at Peter's first sermon in Acts 2, noting the essential elements of a Biblical sermon. Peter was the leader of the twelve who preached the first three of roughly twenty sermons in the Book of Acts.
In today's post we want to explore his second sermon found in Acts 3:11-26 to discover the four-fold grace that made Peter's ministry a ministry of grace.
Understanding what grace is by way of the healing of a lame man
The context leading up to Peter's second sermon is set in the outer courts of the massive temple complex in Jerusalem. According to Alfred Edersheim, the temple area had 9 gates that took the worship from the outer court of the Gentiles into the formal temple grounds composed of ascending worship areas called respectively the courts of the Women, Israel and Priests.1 Eight of those gates were side gates, with the ninth and most important one called "the Beautiful Gate. It was at the Beautiful Gate that we see the miracle of the lame man healed by the power of God working through Peter and John. Edersheim describes this gate: "The gate itself was made of dazzling Corinthians brass, most richly ornamented; and so massive were its double doors that it needed the united strength of twenty men to open and close them. This was the "Beautiful Gate"; and on its steps had they been wont these many years to lay the lame man..." 2
Now what does this miracle have to do with grace? The man in question had been lame, lying feet away from a religious system that claimed to give worshippers access to God. He could not help himself, nor could the power of any man. Grace is God doing for us what we could never do for ourselves. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Further the man was a beggar, incapable of taking care of himself without the help of others. When God's grace is extended to a person, the riches of God's love and mercy are extended, meaning that in grace, God gives to us what we do not deserve. (Ephesians 2:4) The outward beauty of the brass and marble of that temple could never compare to the beauty of God's grace, for no unconverted mind has ever conceived of all that God has prepared for those who love Him. (1 Corinthians 2:9) With this miracle and its setting, Peter launches into his second sermon to deliver the ministry of grace that would result in 5,000 conversions! (Acts 4:4)
In understanding what the miraculous nature of grace is, we can now briefly by outline form consider what made Peter's ministry a ministry of grace. Note the following four-fold grace that marked his ministry:
1. The Grace of the Savior - Jesus Christ. Acts 3:11-18,20-21
As one writer has noted, Jesus Christ did not come merely to bring grace, He is grace. Grace is not a power, but the Person of Christ. Titus 2:11 unfolds the idea of the grace of God "appearing". Jesus Himself is described in John 1:14 as being full of "grace and truth." Throughout Peter's sermon we see constant reference to Jesus Christ - the Personification of grace.
2. The Grace of the Scriptures. Acts 3:18, 21-26
Grace again is God doing for us what we could never do for ourselves. Revealed scripture is God unfolding his mind to man. Apart from the Bible, no one could know Jesus Christ, who in turn reveals God the Father. The unrevealed things belong to God, and the revealed things belong to us and our children. (compare Deuteronomy 29:29) The scripture is the only instrument by which God effects salvation in the heart for saving faith (Psalm 19:7; Romans 10:17) and ongoing growth in sanctification. (John 17:17) Peter notes that Christ's crucifixion was announced beforehand by the prophets. (Acts 3:18) In the Old Testament the New is concealed, and in the New Testament the Old is revealed.
3. The Grace of the Holy Spirit. Acts 3:19
It is often common in the New Testament to see a ministry of the Holy Spirit without direct reference to Him. When we compare Acts 3:19 to Acts 2:38, there is only One Agent of grace that could convict, call and draw sinners to repentance and faith - the Holy Spirit. Peter relied ever constantly on the Holy Spirit for the power to preach and relied upon the Spirit for the results of his preaching. Grace means I am dependant upon God for everything. Peter's appeal for his listeners to repent and return in Acts 3:19 is among the clearest expressions of the Gospel found anywhere in the Bible. Only the Spirit can stir the heart to repentance, so that simultaneously the person can repent, believe and be saved. (2 Timothy 2:25; Acts 2:38)
4. The Grace of salvation. Acts 3:19
We have seen the grace of the Savior, Scripture and the Spirit. What is the fruit of grace? Salvation. Acts 3:26 concludes the sermon, however Acts 4:4 reports the results: "But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand." Praise be to God for the miraculous ministry of grace!
Endnotes:
1. Alfred Edersheim. The Temple - its Ministry and Services. Hendrickson Publishers. 1994. Page 25
2. Alfred Edersheim. The Temple - its Ministry and Services. Hendrickson Publishers. 1994. Page 24
Acts 2:14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words.
Yesterday we looked at the importance and significance of biblical preaching. In today's post I want us to take a close look at the first sermon ever preached in church history: Peter's inaugural sermon on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:14-40. In this Sermon we find identifying marks of a Biblical sermon.
1. Proclamation Acts 2:14-16
The text tells us that Peter "raised his voice and declared to them." Preaching at its very core is a proclamation and declaration to all present about what God is saying in the scripture to them about Jesus Christ and their need to trust in Him. A tone of urgency accompanies Peter as he addresses the thousands that would had been gathered in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. Like a town crier or royal page, Peter is summoning all within earshot to hear what has happened and is happening as a direct result of Jesus Christ's accomplished work and the arrival of the Holy Spirit.
2. Public reading of the text. Acts 2:17-21
After his notable introduction, Peter recites the text of Joel 2:28-32. To recite or read a scripture publicly meant the same thing in the Jewish mind. As Paul writes in Romans 10:17 "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." This is often why preachers do (or should) read whatever text they are going to preach so as to prepare the audience and themselves for the reception of God's Holy Word. Public reading of the scripture is used by the Spirit to convert sinners and stir the hearts of believers.
3. Progression of thought. Acts 2:14,22,29,37
Throughout Peter's Sermon we see the phrase "men of Jerusalem" repeated at various intervals. Like any good preacher, Peter indicates movement within his message. Sometimes a preacher will use "points" or "key headings" to communicate to their audience the next thought they are intending. Other preachers will repeat a phrase or simply repeat what they just said.
In order to reinforce in the listener's ears the key thoughts of the sermon, we see Peter employing the following components that should lie at the heart of any sermon:
a. Exposition or explanation: Acts 2:17-36.
As Adrian Rogers once noted: "tell what you are going to say, say it and tell what you just said." Peter centers his sermon mainly around Joel 2:28-32 and explains how the events of the day of Pentecost are the fulfillment of least part of Joel's text. Furthermore, Peter also shows how the sending of the Holy Spirit demonstrates Christ's Session or Kingship at the Father's right hand. Exposition is not a method or style of preaching, it is preaching. Preaching aims to "expose" the listener to the text of scripture so that they can hear what God is saying to them, hence the term "exposition."
b. Illustration Acts 2:15, 22-23
Peter chooses to use other parts of scripture to illustrate what he is saying. In other sermons in the Book of Acts, we may see occasional illustrations drawn from the culture of the day (Paul's sermon on Mars Hill), however the bulk of sermon illustrations derive from other portions of scripture. Illustration is crucial to connecting the reader's attention to the text at hand.
c. Cross-referencing
Peter uses other scriptures to bolster what he is talking about. He uses Jesus' crucifixion, burial and resurrection from the Gospels in Acts 2:22-24. We also see him employing Psalm 16 in Acts 2:25-28 and Psalm 110 in Acts 2:34-35. These three methods of moving the sermon along: exposition, illustration and cross-referencing are examples of ways Peter preached God's Word to his listeners.
4. Exhortation Acts 2:37-40
A good sermon not only engages the mind, but also the heart. Exhortation means to urge the heart and the conscience to make a firm decision and to not rest on opinion but on conviction. From what we can tell, Peter uses the latter part of His Sermon to drive home to his listeners their need to repent of their sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Any good preacher knows that the most effective word in building the bridge of application is the word "you". On five occasions in Acts 2:37-40, Peter addresses his audience with the personal pronoun "you" or by direct appeal.
5. The Holy Spirit's power Acts 2:41
As Peter exhorts his listeners to repentance, he summarizes what he just preached and quickly concludes his address. The result? Acts 2:41 states that 3,000 souls were added to the church that day. The first sermon ever preached in the church age resulted in conversions. God had moved through this Biblical sermon. It was not Peter who brought about the conversion, but rather the Holy Spirit. True biblical preaching will be marked by the attending work of the Holy Spirit, whether we are talking about conversions or the saints of God being caused to more deeply reflect on Jesus Christ or being moved to greater levels of faithfulness. Often it may take days, weeks or even months before some other types of spiritual fruit are born. Nonetheless over a period of time, any preaching ministry ought to be marked by the Holy Spirit's signature presence as lives are changed and greater love for Jesus Christ is issued forth.
Conclusion
As we have surveyed Peter's inaugural sermon on the day of Pentecost, here is what we have noted about the identifying marks of a Biblical sermon: Proclamation, Public Reading, Progression of Thought, Exhortation and the Holy Spirit's power.
Acts 2:14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words.
The Book of Acts is invaluable when it comes to learning the importance of preaching, and how the Word of God is to be preached. The Book of Acts' official title is "The Acts of the Apostles". Other writers of times past have deemed it "the Acts of the Holy Spirit" since the Holy Spirit or His "acts" are mentioned some 40 times throughout the book. In this post today I would like to consider the book of Acts from the standpoint of seeing what we can learn about those who preached and the sermons they delivered.
1. The Book of Acts is a Book of Sermons
The Book of Acts could be nicknamed "The Acts of preaching" since roughly 20 sermons or portions of sermons are recorded:
a. 1 by Jesus, God in human flesh, in Acts 1
b. 5 by Peter, an Apostle, in Acts 2,3,4,13.
c. 1 by Stephen, a Deacon in Acts 7
d. 1 by Phillip, a Deacon in Acts 8
e. 1 by James, half brother of Jesus according to the flesh and biblical author in Acts 15
f. 11 by Paul, an Apostle in Acts 9, 13,14,15, 17, 20,21,24,26 & 28.
2. The significance of preaching in the early church
In surveying all of these sermons, here is what you discover about their contents and significance:
a. 10 of the sermons focused on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
b. Many of the sermons focused on the Actor of salvation, Jesus Christ; the accomplishment of Christ's cross and resurrection and the application of salvation to all who believe by the Holy Spirit
c. All the sermons were saturated with scripture and explained contemporary situations in light of those scriptures
d. The early church as a movement did not progress nor see conversions apart from the sermons preached. The early church's central ministry had to do with the preaching of the Word that equipped it to do its main task: the great commission.
3. There was opposition to preaching in the book of Acts
Every message recorded in the Book of Acts had some type of direct or indirect opposition. Peter had to deal with many of the Jews who opposed the early church and heretics that threatened the church. In the book of Acts, we see people attempting to twist and change the message preached by the Apostles. Such oppositions and persecution drove the church to its knees and made the preaching much bolder, better and clearer. Rather than abandoning preaching, we see preaching only increase throughout the book of Acts.
Conclusions
In this brief survey of preaching in the Book of Acts, we discover that God ordained preaching as His primary vehicle of communicating the scriptures to the church at large. Jesus Christ, the head of the church, uses preaching to strengthen the church in times of opposition and urges His church to retain the practice of heeding the preaching of God's Word. The essential elements of the message of scripture and the scriptures themselves are the marks of true biblical preaching. Without the preaching of God's Word, the church would lose its direction and identity as Christ's main vehicle for carrying forth His great commission. May we all today pray for those who preach the Word. May those of us who preach the Word live the Word we preach. May all of us be faithful to the Lord and do His bidding, His way and for His glory.
Revelation 1:19-20 (19) Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things. (20) As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Over the past couple of days we have been looking at reasons to want more of Jesus. In looking at Revelation 1:12-20, the cry erupting from my heart has been: I want more of Jesus. I want more of His presence and power in my life. John has shown us thus far two reasons for wanting more of Jesus: His shining light (Revelation 1:12-16) and His strengthening love (Revelation 1:17-18). In today's post we want to consider one more reason to want more of Jesus: His Supreme Lordship.
Wanting more of Jesus means wanting more of His Supreme Lordship. Revelation 1:19-20
How much of your life and mine belongs to Jesus Christ? 1 Corinthians 6:20 states - "Therefore you have been bought with a price, glorify God in your body." It is clear then that Jesus Christ has rights to every area of our lives. When we speak of Christ's Lordship, it refers to His Authority, Dominion and Kingship. Lordship says that what Jesus says in His Word for me to do, I am to do. Second question: "How much of your life are you willing to let Christ have control?" I imagine that for every Christian, the way you answer the question is a little bit different than the first. Why? Because by right and fact Christ is Lord, however in experience we think we can give almost all to Jesus.
Whether we are speaking about individual Christians or entire churches, Christ's Supreme Lordship will test how much I really want Jesus. In Revelation 1:19-20 the Supreme Lordship of Jesus Christ is uncontested. Notice where we see Christ's Supreme Lordship both demonstrated and experienced:
Wanting more of Jesus' Supreme Lordship through His Word - Revelation 1:19
Revelation 1:19 gives what is almost universally recognized by Bible teachers as the outline of the entire book of Revelation. Once again Christ is telling John to "write these things" like He did in Revelation 1:11. If you and I are truly serious about wanting more of Jesus, we should and must desire more of His Word. This verse outlines the book of Revelation as it centers around the Revelation of Jesus Christ's Person, Power and Plans:
1. "Therefore write the things which you have seen" points us to John's initial vision of Jesus Christ in Revelation 1.
2. "and the things which are" corresponds to the seven churches in John's day in Revelation 2-3. I would also include Revelation 4-5 since those two chapters represent in a way what the Lord is doing in Heaven right now.
3. "and the things which will take place after these things." speaks to the future unfolding of events in Revelation 4-22. In this outline I see some overlap in chapters 4-5 since in eternity, past, present and future look the same to God.
Christ's supreme Lordship is revealed through His Word. The great late pastor and theologian Dr. W.A Criswell writes in his commentary on Revelation about Revelation 1:19 - "The Great Executor of this Divine plan is none other than Deity Himself. Christ is not one thing in one age and another thing for another age and another time and another country and another people. Christ is the Lord God, 'the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). So in wanting more of Jesus' supreme Lordship, I must want to be exposed to more of His Word, but notice another truth found in Revelation 1:20...
Wanting More of Jesus' Supreme Lordship means recognizing His Lordship over His church. Revelation 1:20
A Christian who is not restricted by health or circumstance or occupation needs to be with God's people whenever they meet. (Hebrews 3:12-13; 10:24-25) I dare to say that how a Christian treats their Bible and treats their church attendance will tell an awful lot of how much they want Jesus. Christ's Supreme Lordship over His church is uncontested. He is the One who stands amidst His church, providing her light to work by and live by and holding her destiny and success in His hands. Being that Christ died for His church (Acts 20:28), authored the church's design (Matthew 16-18) and gave her the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Corinthians 5:15-21), it on stands to reason that every Christian be connected to a local expression of His church.
Whenever you and I are with other Christians, they urge us onto love and good deeds until the day of His appearing. (Hebrews 10:24-25) Through the local church we experience Christ's molding and shaping of our lives by His gifted and called leaders. (Ephesians 4:1-13) Christians who willfully choose to skip the time needed to be with God's people are Christians who will never consistently want more of Jesus. (Ephesians 4:14) Does it means that there may not be the potential of hurt in the local church? No. But without the local church, no Christian can ever hope of being rightly and jointly put together with other Christians in love. (Ephesians 4:15-16)
Conclusion
We have for the past few days been exploring the idea of wanting more of Jesus. In wanting more of Jesus, what are we saying? We want more of Jesus because of His shining light in us and over us. Secondly, we want more of Jesus because of His strengthening love. Whenever He says "do not fear", it calms the heart and clears the mind. Then the third reason for wanting more of Jesus is because of His Supreme Lordship. I would rather surrender under the Supreme Lordship of Christ in His Word and over His church than to try to figure it out all on my own. May you and I be a people who want more of Jesus in our lives.
