Listen to the Lord (Revelation 1:1-8)
Last week, Ryan likened churches to mobile phone towers providing network coverage across a country. Local churches provide gospel coverage among the nations. Since I am older, I will use a more old-school illustration: a lighthouse. Singapore operates five lighthouses: four of them offshore and one atop a condominium facing East Coast Park. The oldest of these, called the Horsburgh Lighthouse, was built in 1851. After all these years, the basic function of a lighthouse has not changed much. It is essentially a beacon that shines a bright light visible from afar, providing a reference point for ships to safely navigate. A church is a spiritual lighthouse. God intends for churches to be glory beacons, shining the light of his glory to the nations. Churches point the way to spiritual safety by declaring and displaying the gospel. A beacon is only as useful as the light it shines. What if the light of a church’s witness dims or stops shining? Jesus, the Head of the church, will certainly have something to say about that.
Over the next two months, we will hear from Revelation 1-3 about what Jesus has to say to seven first-century churches in Asia Minor, or modern-day Türkiye. Jesus knows everything. He sees the good and the bad. He commends the faithful and rebukes the wayward. His words to these seven churches continue to echo through the ages, for all churches in all places at all times. Jesus speaks to our church today.
The Book of Revelation was not written to satisfy our curiosity about the end-times, or to tickle our ears with intriguing predictions of the future. A mistake some make in interpreting Revelation is to read current events back into the book. This has given rise to many fanciful interpretations. But that is not how Revelation is supposed to be read. We must pay attention to its original, historical context. Revelation was written to local churches to encourage God’s people to persevere in Christ amid trials and temptations. So, we must not disconnect Revelation 4-22 from Revelation 1-3. The challenges facing the seven churches are addressed by the later chapters. Lord willing, we will go through the rest of Revelation next year.
If Jesus attended Grace Baptist Church, what would he have to say about us? How would he assess our health? Would he find us faithful? Would he see us growing in faith, love and obedience? Or, would he encounter cold hearts, complacency and compromise? Like the seven churches, we too face trials and temptations. We live in a fallen world that isn’t friendly to the faith. How do we not be distracted or disheartened? How will we keep on keeping on? Revelation 1-3 shows us Christ in all his glory, so that we look and cling to him. The Lord Jesus speaks to us with the same urgency as he did to the seven churches. He calls us to hold fast to him, that we might share in his victory.
What makes a healthy church? This question becomes even more crucial as we move towards planting a church. A healthy mother is more likely to give birth to a healthy baby. Healthy churches multiply healthy churches. A healthy church listens to the Lord—not to the world, not to human cleverness, not to our culture’s pragmatism or materialism, not to our own ideas about church. May we listen to what the Lord is saying to us in Revelation 1-3.
Listen to God’s revelation of Jesus Christ.
Our passage is the prologue that introduces the Book of Revelation. It highlights key themes that the rest of the book will go on to unpack. This is the big idea: Listen to God’s revelation of Jesus Christ. We will consider this in two points: (1) Listen to the Lord, who speaks to bless us; (2) Listen to the Lord, who is the sovereign saviour.
Listen to the Lord, who speaks to bless us (Rev 1:1-3)
Look at Revelation 1:1. The opening verse tells us the book’s title and its contents: It is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Notice the singular: A common mistake is to call it “Revelations”. No, it is a single revelation—one message spoken by the one Lord. It is one revelation from Jesus. He is the source. He is also the focus and centrepiece of the whole book. It is a revelation about Jesus. Interpretations go wrong when Jesus is sidelined or ignored. To rightly understand Revelation, we need to see that all of its symbols and visions form one, unified message about the glory and triumph of Jesus Christ. Revelation is the good news of the victory of the Lamb of God. Jesus wins! And we are more than conquerors in him.
Revelation is a hope-filed book because it is a Christ-filled book.
Revelation may not be the easiest book to interpret, but we should not avoid it. Revelation is full of pastoral encouragement for Jesus’ followers, containing much comfort and assurance for the church. Look again at Revelation 1:1. It was written to (Jesus’) servants—to all who believe in Him and belong to Him—to show us the things that must soon take place. God has revealed these things because he cares for us. God wants us to know He is in complete control. Even the toughest of our trials and troubles are in His hands. He is wisely working all things for our good. His kingdom will fully come. King Jesus will reign forever. He is the Christ, the promised Messiah who fulfils God’s covenant commitments to David in the Old Testament. Jesus is living proof of God’s faithfulness. Revelation is a hope-filed book because it is a Christ-filled book. Jesus has already ushered in the last days through his death and resurrection. But the new creation has not yet come in its fulness. This present evil age will end when Jesus comes back. Will we be ready for the return of the King?
We ought to listen because this word comes from God himself. Revelation 1 says, this is “the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him”. God has made Himself known through his Son. This recalls what the Gospel of John says concerning Jesus: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth... the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” Jesus’ word is God’s word. We would do well to listen to the Lord, for he speaks with full authority. Revelation closes with a warning not to tamper with God’s word: “If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. (Rev 22:18b-19)” To disregard Jesus’ word is to forsake God himself. Listening to the Lord is a matter of eternal life or death.
This word has come to us through an unbroken chain of revelation. God gave it to Jesus, who made it known by sending his angel to his servant John. This is the same John who wrote the Gospel. Revelation 1:2 says He bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that He saw. Revelation is God’s word and Jesus’ testimony concerning Himself, faithfully written down by John and delivered to the church, for our good.
Therefore, listen to the Lord, who speaks to bless us. Revelation 1:3 says, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.” This is the first of seven statements of blessing in Revelation. How will we be truly blessed? It is by listening to the Lord and living according to his word. Hear to be happy. Trust and obey, for there is no other way To be happy in Jesus, than to trust and obey.
What does it mean to listen to the Lord? There are three related aspects to this. First, blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy. Revelation was a letter addressed to seven churches. These churches were to read it aloud when they gathered for worship. From the times of early Christianity, believers would assemble weekly in local churches to hear God’s word read aloud and preached. Churches are blessed when they committed to the faithful and clear proclamation of God’s word. If you have been to Europe, you may have visited some historic cathedrals. They are beautiful examples of architecture and engineering. Yet, for many of them, their imposing structures and impressive facades belie a tragic lack of spiritual life. Why? It is because God’s word does not sound forth from their pulpits. There can be no life in the church if the word of life is not proclaimed.
Beloved, pray that this local church will always be faithful to proclaim God’s word. Only His word, empowered by His Spirit, can give life to dry bones. May we prioritise God’s word in our life together as a church, whether in our care groups or in our relationships with one another. May God’s word be central to our Sunday worship services. When we come together as a church, let us order our gathering according to Scripture. Let us read the Bible, preach the Bible, sing the Bible, and pray the Bible. Pray for those who preach, that we will be faithful to explain and apply the Bible. Pray also that we will have ears to hear.
Blessed are those who hear. Faith comes by hearing. We are blessed when we listen to the Lord and hear his word, especially when we gather as a church. Coming together to hear God’s word read and preached is a means of grace God has given to us for our good. Do not take it for granted. Gather regularly with God’s people under God’s word. Be careful how we hear. To each of the seven churches, Jesus repeats this exhortation: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
How can we be better hearers of God’s word? We can pray, prepare, reflect and respond. Pray for our hearts to be open and humble to God’s word. Pray for God’s word to be made clear at our Sunday services, whether through the songs, prayers, readings, or the sermon. Prepare by reading the sermon passage beforehand. Prepare by getting enough rest the night before and by arriving on time for the service. During the sermon, have a Bible open so you can follow along. Stay awake. Avoid distractions by keeping your phones aside. Take notes. Then, reflect on what you’ve heard. Reread the sermon passage and review your notes. Talk with one another about what God has said to you through His word. Respond by doing God’s word. Be challenged, convicted, corrected and changed by God’s word. If the Bible disagrees with us, then we must change to suit Scripture. Encourage one another to put God’s word into practice.
This brings us to the third aspect of listening to the Lord: (Blessed are those) who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. To keep means to trust and obey. There is no other way we can be happy in Jesus. God has given us the revelation of Jesus Christ that we might know who Jesus is, what he has done, what he is doing, and what he will do. We are to know the Lord that we might follow Him. To keep also means to guard God’s word. The seven churches were tempted to follow the world’s ways and to compromise with false teaching and sin. Do not believe the lie that claims we will be happier without God. True blessing can only be found in Christ. So, keep what Jesus says to His church, for the time is near. He is coming soon. His message is urgent. Listen to the Lord without delay, for He speaks to bless us.
Listen to the Lord, who is the sovereign Saviour (Rev 1:4-8)
This word of blessing is sure because of the one who speaks it. In Revelation 1:4-8, we see the greatness of the Triune God, especially in the person and work of the Son. Look at Revelation 1:4-5a. John sends greetings to the seven churches, emphasising how grace and peace are from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ. This greeting is similar to the ones found in Paul and Peter’s letters to various churches. But what is unique about John’s greeting is that he mentions all three Persons of the Trinity: the Father, the Spirit, and the Son. John wants us to behold the glory of the Triune God, who is the only source of grace and peace. Behold our great God and be encouraged. Are we easily shaken by trials and temptations because we make too little of God? Do we think He is uncaring or unable to help? The Book of Revelation is the remedy for our wrong views of God.
God the Father is the one “who is and who was and who is to come”. The Father is. To use a theological term, he is self-existent. It is as God said to Moses in Exodus 3:14: “I AM WHO I AM.” God is the uncreated Creator of all things. He is also eternal. Therefore, the Father was. He was before the beginning because he always is. He has no beginning; he has no end. He is the first and the last. He is to come. God will bring all things to an end, to fulfil his plan and promises. God is the sovereign Ruler, who reigns from his throne.
The seven spirits who are before His throne refer to the Holy Spirit. Why “seven”? In Revelation, the number seven symbolises perfection and fulness. So, the seven spirits highlight the perfections of the Spirit. John points us back to Isaiah 11:2, which mentions seven characteristics of the Spirit. He is the Spirit of the LORD. He is the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and the fear of the LORD. Therefore, the Spirit is fully divine and glorious.
Jesus is also fully God. In Revelation 1:5, we see how the Son is central to the main message of Revelation. Setting the tone for the rest of the book, John goes into more detail concerning who Jesus is and what he has done. He is the Christ, the promised Messiah and King. He is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul encourages Timothy to “fight the good fight of the faith” by remembering the example of Jesus “who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession”. John also encourages us to press on by turning our eyes to Jesus. He has gone ahead to open the way for us to follow in his footsteps. Does the fear of man or of embarrassment keep us from speaking of Jesus to others? May the faithfulness of Christ encourage us to speak and not be afraid. He is the faithful witness, who was faithful even to death. Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before him, trusting in his Heavenly Father to raise Him up. Sure enough, Jesus is the firstborn of the dead. Through His resurrection, Jesus has defeated sin and death. We have all sinned against God. He made us for his glory, but we have lived for ourselves instead of him. Sin is fundamentally a failure to worship God as God or to give Him thanks. Because of our sin, we deserve God’s judgement against us. We deserve death, in this life and also eternally in hell, separated from God’s gracious presence.
But God, because of His grace and love, sent His Son to save sinners like us. Jesus died the death we deserved, so that we can be forgiven and reconciled to God if we believe in Jesus alone to save us. Jesus rose from the dead to give us eternal life. He is the firstborn because He was the first to be resurrected in glory, never to die again. He is the beginning of the new creation. In Christ, we will also be raised with Him. We can be certain of eternal joy and life. This sure hope that has defeated death motivates us to be faithful witnesses through trials and temptations. We can lose our life for Jesus’ sake, knowing we will find it in Him.
Some of the original readers of Revelation were suffering for the gospel. This letter was written to prepare the churches for even worse persecution. But we need not be afraid if we belong to Jesus for He is above all earthly powers. He is the ruler of kings on earth. The risen Christ has been exalted as King forever. Worldly kingdoms will come and go, but Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Why should we fear if the Lord is on our side? What can man do to us? Therefore, listen to the Lord who is the sovereign Saviour. He has laid down His life to save His people. He has risen to reign. He is our hope in life and death. Rest in Him.
The Father has lavished His grace and peace upon us through His Son, the sovereign Saviour. Jesus is worthy of our deepest affection and adoration. The truth about Jesus’ person and work moves John to praise his Lord. Theology prompts doxology in Revelation 1:5-6: To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Not only is Jesus praised for what he has done, but we are also reminded of who we are in Christ. Notice how the repeated first-person plural “us” makes the praise personal. We are loved. We are liberated. We are to live for God. Knowing our identity is vital, if we are to live faithfully in the world.
This world seeks to conform us to its wisdom and ways, either by threats or by temptations. It will play on our fears —our fear of suffering, our fear of uncertainty, our fear of losing out. It will play on our desires — our desire for more and better, our desire for control, our desire for convenience and comfort. We will be drawn to trust in this world and what it offers —success, security, a name for ourselves, money, power, possessions, pleasure. For this reason, John reminds us of our new status in Christ. Know who we are: We have a sovereign Saviour who loves us. We are beloved, not because we are deserving, but because Jesus first loved us. While we were still sinners and unlovely, Christ died for the ungodly. This fallen world hates Jesus and his followers. But be assured that we are greatly loved by the Lord, with a love that we did not earn and so cannot lose. Why burn ourselves out chasing after the world’s approval, which is so fickle and fleeting? In Christ, we have been accepted by the one whose opinion of us matters most.
This world seeks to conform us to its wisdom and ways, either by threats or by temptations. It will play on our fears —our fear of suffering, our fear of uncertainty, our fear of losing out. It will play on our desires — our desire for more and better, our desire for control, our desire for convenience and comfort. We will be drawn to trust in this world and what it offers — success, security, a name for ourselves, money, power, possessions, pleasure. For this reason, John reminds us of our new status in Christ. Know who we are: We have a sovereign Saviour who loves us. We are beloved, not because we are deserving, but because Jesus first loved us. While we were still sinners and unlovely, Christ died for the ungodly. This fallen world hates Jesus and his followers. But be assured that we are greatly loved by the Lord, with a love that we did not earn and so cannot lose. Why burn ourselves out chasing after the world’s approval, which is so fickle and fleeting? In Christ, we have been accepted by the one whose opinion of us matters most.
Jesus has set us free to live for God, for the glory of God. He has made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. God has saved us for this purpose: As priests and kings, we are to proclaim the excellencies of God, who called us out of darkness into his marvellous light. The church is a lighthouse, a glory beacon in a dark world. We are to reflect God’s light to the ends of the earth, so that sinners might be saved to become worshippers. We are to live for God, so that others might also know and follow Jesus, for the glory of God. This is why we strive to grow in health as a church. This is why we seek to multiply, by planting churches that plant churches among the nations, for God’s glory. Church, this is who we are in Christ. This is what we have been saved for. So, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by listening to our Lord. Do not give in to the wisdom and ways of the world. Do not give up in the face of trials and temptations. We are exiles now, but Jesus is coming back to bring us home to be with him forever. This world will reject us, just as it rejected our Lord. But we will be vindicated when Christ returns.
Listen to Revelation 1:7 — “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen”. Notice the two “amens” at the end of verses 6 and 7. We can be absolutely sure of two things: God will be glorified, and Jesus will judge.
Look and see that a new day is coming. Revelation 1:7 combines two Old Testament prophecies about Jesus: Daniel 7:13 and Zechariah 12:10. In Daniel 7, “one like a son of man” came “with the clouds of heaven” to the eternal God, the Ancient of Days. To this son of man was “given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him”. Jesus is this promised Son of Man who will come again to establish God’s kingdom fully and finally. He first came in humiliation, but he will come again in glory. Jesus’ return will be universal and known by all: every eye will see him. No one can run or hide from the Lord when he returns. God is righteous and just. Every wrong will be put right. There will be a final judgement and reckoning for each and every one. We have all pierced the Son, for all of us have sinned against him. But it is still not too late to turn back to Jesus. He is merciful to forgive all who repent and believe in him to be their Lord and Saviour. In Zechariah 12, God promises to pour out “a spirit of grace”. Indeed, he has opened a fountain to cleanse repentant sinners from sin. Blessed are we if we mourn over our sins now, for we shall be comforted in Christ. He was pierced for our transgressions. With his wounds we are healed. But if we refuse to repent, we will mourn when he returns. If we reject Jesus as Saviour, we will face him as our Judge. Friend, where will you stand with Jesus when he returns? Jesus said, “Whoever is not with me is against me.” (Matt. 12:30) Will you love His appearing, or will you dread his return? Stop sitting on the fence. The day of the Lord draws ever nearer. Now is the favourable time, now is the day of salvation. Will you listen to the Lord and trust in Him today?
God has spoken by His Son. This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, whose word is trustworthy and true.
God has spoken by His Son. This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, whose word is trustworthy and true. Will we listen to the Lord? Look at Revelation 1:8. Once again, we are reminded of who God is: “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” The Almighty has made himself known. The Lord God is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the first and the last. He has revealed to us how it will all end, that we might trust in him today. The all-powerful God will accomplish his plan for the world. The King is coming. So, listen to the Lord and be blessed. Listen to Lord who is the sovereign Saviour.