Return to Series

Go to Sermons

Sermon Overview

Christ is no longer on the cross—He is RISEN in glory, highly exalted above all. We must think of Him as so.

Decades after Jesus ascended, as the disciples were spreading and teaching the gospel, a great vision came to John (the beloved). The Lord wanted John to deliver His message to the seven churches. However, prior to giving these messages, the Lord would reveal His glory to His friend.

As He revealed His glory to John, John fell at His feet as though dead. Though they were friends, John responded with awe, reverence, and holy fear.

Likewise, we must have a high view of God and of Christ, and regard Him in utmost reverence. He is Lord, He is King, He is Creator of all and He is our Savior. Though we experience a deep love in Him, we must not forget that He is the Exalted One.

Here is the third message from The Sovereign God series, from Revelation 1:9-18.

Dr. Ed Pilapil Jr. Senior Pastor

Full Transcript

Good day, my brothers and sisters. Long time no see. It’s been a while. 

Let us trust God with the situation. We know that He has a purpose for everything, even if sometimes we do not understand it. The only thing to do is have faith, and trust in His will, and do what we can to be careful that we may survive this crisis.

Let us pray.

Lord, thank You. Thank You for Your grace and goodness. Thank You for sending Your Son to die for us on the cross and raising Him from the dead. We thank You that You have called us into Your light from the darkness. We thank You that You give us this opportunity today to listen to Your word. Lord, we ask for wisdom. We ask for guidance. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Today’s message is taken from Revelation 1:9-18. The title is A Vision of Christ. I shall be reading. Please open your bibles and read with me.

“I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus,” (v.9, ESV)

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, ‘Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea’,” (v.10-11, ESV).

“Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength,” (v.12-16, ESV).

“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades’,” (v.17-18, ESV).

Two Sundays ago, we preached on The Sovereign God, taken from Isaiah 46:9-10. And then last week, we preached on Holy, Holy, Holy, based on Isaiah 6:1-8. The past two sermons should encourage us to have a high view of God. Not a low view, but a high view of God. And this sermon is no different. One purpose for this sermon is to show us Jesus as He revealed Himself to John, a beloved disciple.

The Romans exiled John to the island of Patmos, where he received divine revelation from the Lord. John’s situation when he received the message from Christ was one of suffering.

It says in verse 9, “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation,” 

 He was a partner in the persecution, in the suffering. Partner in the suffering or tribulation; and it says, “and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus,” (Revelations 1:9). 

He was placed in exile because of His service to the Lord. Because he preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet we know that God is not limited. That even if he was exiled in Patmos, Christ would reveal Himself to him, and give him a message to the seven churches that until today, is being read by us and which we believe to be part of His holy word.

The Lord instructed John to write the message to the seven churches. And John would write the letter, or the book, which contained what he witnessed and what he saw in the Spirit.

Verses 10 and 11 of chapter 1 says, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, ‘Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea’.”

Of course, John would obey the instructions of the Lord. But John described to us, in the following verses, what no man has seen before. The Lord wanted John to deliver His message to the seven churches. However, prior to giving the messages to the churches, the Lord would reveal His glory to his friend.

I shall read 1:12-16, “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength,” (Revelations 1:12-16).

At first glance, one might think the seven golden lampstands in John’s vision as something like the one in the tabernacle. The lampstand was a furniture in the holy place in the tabernacle, which was later moved to the temple. You can find this in Exodus 25:31-37. That was the lampstand in the tabernacle.

The whole temple, including the seven golden lampstands, signified worship. Everything you find in the tabernacle and the temple signified worship. But John’s vision is different from the lampstand we see in the tabernacle, or the temple. (It’s the same thing but it was moved to the temple.) 

Instead of the single lampstand with seven candlesticks, which was the physical form in the Old Covenant, John’s vision shows seven separate lampstands. The seven golden lampstands in John’s vision symbolizes the seven churches to whom the message of the Lord was to be delivered [Revelations 1:20].

Let us look at John’s vision.

The clothing of the Lord, a long robe with a golden sash around the chest, which signifies high status, dignified, and high priestly. 

There was a sash, or something gold that was placed on Aaron and the priests. It’s found in Exodus 29:5. The high priests wore golden threads around their chest, but the Lord wore a sash of gold. Not just threads like the high priests of old; which means Jesus is the High Priest of everyone. High above Aaron’s status. The Lord is a higher order than the high priests of the Old Testament.

His hair, white like white wool, like snow. Some see the white hair as the antiquity of His reign, or the wisdom of One who is beyond the ancients. Well, both would have a point. Since He has been before; before Adam, the word of God already existed. Everything was made by Him, and for Him. Christ was the word of God in the Old Testament. And the Word became flesh is Christ. Yet it is also wisdom. White hair may symbolize wisdom. One who is beyond the ancients, beyond the wisest ones. Yet some see it as simply the splendor of His glory.

Now, the fire in His eyes would most likely symbolize judgment. Judgment. Why? Well, fire has been associated with judgment or trial. Fiery trials that purify, that refine; or fiery judgment of suffering. 

And the feet of bronze also relates to sacrifice. And judgment as well. Judgment, yeah. But sacrifice as well. Again in the tabernacle, the brazen altar… well, was used to sacrifice the animals. And it was made of brass. (Exodus 27:1-6.) 

The voice of the Lord was like the voice of many waters. John says, like the roar of many waters. One may imagine the reverberating sound of a mighty waterfall. Can you imagine that sound, the loudness of it? Yet it’s like… majestic. 

The seven stars in His hand symbolizes the leaders of the seven churches. And it says a sword came out of His mouth, which may mean that His words were powerful and able to destroy.

John saw the face of the Lord like the sun, shining in its strength. Well, in a way, he didn’t really see the face of the Lord. Because it was like the sun. It was glorious and powerful, and too strong to look at. Who can gaze at His face for a long time? Imagine, like the sun, shining in its strength. Well, try looking at the sun. Well, don’t do that, it will ruin your eyes. And perhaps that’s what John felt. 

Like Isaiah, who felt ruined when he saw the holiness of God. The God who is holy, holy, holy. He felt undone. As if his nerves would not obey him. Disjointed, that was the feeling.

Now, let’s read what John said in verses 17 to 18 of chapter 1: “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades’.”

John fell at His feet as if he were dead. Who wouldn’t lose his nerves with such a sight? All energy from the feet up would melt, unable to hold the body upright. Yet even when one finds physical energy to stand, ones spiritual would respond in awe and worship. Thus, the inner man would tell body, “How dare you stand in the presence of the One?! Fall before Him!”

One would remember that John was a close disciple of Christ during His earthly ministry. Well, John was known as John the beloved. Yet, John didn’t nonchalantly approach Christ and say, “Hey dude, long time, no see! What’s up?” No, John did not do that. Nor did he rush to hug his best friend. His only proper response, when he saw the glory of Christ, the glory of the risen Christ in this form, the only proper response was, “I fell at His feet as though dead.”

When one thinks of Christ, one should not fixate on the cross, though the cross means much—beyond words can articulate. Yet one must also see the glorious risen Lord, as John described Him. 

After feeling like a dead man, the Lord comforted John. He said, “Fear not,” I believe the Lord comforts all who believe to fear not, for He holds the keys. But even if the Lord stoops down to comfort us, let us not pull Him down to our level. 

He is our friend and brother, yes, but He is not our equal, He is much higher than us. The Lord is way beyond His creation. He is Highly exalted. And even though God made us adopted sons in Christ, we must always remember that He is the firstborn. That we are only saved by His grace, and we do not even deserve an audience with Him! We don’t deserve anything. Yet by God’s grace, we were accepted. 

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, we must always have a high view of God and of Christ, and that high view of God, and the high view of Christ, will result in the fear of the Lord. 

The Holy Scriptures reveal the glory of Christ and the glory of God. One must understand who God is based on what the Bible says, not on personal opinion. And we have had so much of that—preachers trying to describe God. So-called believers, so-called Christians, trying to describe God in their own opinion. 

They say, 

“I think God is this way, or I think God is like that…”

“Oh, God is love, He will not make anyone suffer.”

“You see what’s happening in the world? God did not cause it, it’s the devil!”

We have to go back to Scriptures, my friends. And believe what the Scripture says. God is love, but God is also holy, holy, holy. 

Yes, the devil somehow inflicts people on the earth. But Isaiah 46 clearly states that He purposes everything. The devil is God’s tool. Because God established His purpose long ago. And it is He who creates well-being, and it is He who even creates or allows calamity to happen. We just have to trust in His will. 

Of course, we pray, “Lord, save us! Save our nation.” And we’ve seen God save a nation. He saved Israel from Egypt. Yet let us not forget that the same God who saved Israel also destroyed Egypt. It’s the same God.  Therefore, friends, we must have a high view of God. He is exalted, means He’s high above. 

Although we may cherish His great love, as revealed by Scripture, and we cherish His amazing grace, yet we must always remember to approach God with reverence. Whenever we pray, whenever we worship, we should feel reverence, fear of God, trembling. 

Of course, we should feel love. God loves us and we love Him. Yet with that love that we have for Him, must also be a deep reverence for Him. It cannot be one without the other. 

And with our reverence, we must have brokenness and humility. Isaiah was broken by God, when He revealed Himself as the Holy One of Israel. When the seraphim shouted, “Holy, holy, holy!”

Isaiah was broken when he felt the foundations quaked and trembled and the temple filled with smoke. And he said, I am undone, I am ruined. 

John the beloved fell like a dead man. Probably fell kneeling, or on his face… 

The Lord gives greater grace to those who humble themselves. And He bestows wisdom on all who fear Him. The Lord promised to make those He justified by faith as His co-heirs. It is amazing, what He has brought us into. 

Yet the justified, those justified by faith, should never in their thoughts believe that they deserved His lovingkindness nor His friendship nor His salvation. And that is what it means to understand that we are saved by grace alone. Not by good works, not by our own merit. We don’t deserve anything. 

Only by His grace, through faith, faith in His finished work, what He did on the cross to die for our sin. Rising from the dead, He defeated death, thus He offers us eternal life. 

And true faith, true saving faith, always has repentance with it. A change of perspective, a change of mind, a change of heart towards sin. Before, we follow sin. But once we repent, now we follow Christ. With all our hearts. But it is not in our repentance that we are saved; although, He led us to repentance. It is only by His grace. 

Friends, Jesus Christ died and He rose again from the dead. And He invites us to repent and believe. He said, “Follow Me.” He said to His disciples, that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins should be preached to all the nations. 

So today, we preach repentance for forgiveness. Christ is willing to forgive you if you repent of your sins. Then one must decide to follow Him. To have faith. Because if you have faith, you will follow. Faith is a strong belief. It is believing Him so much, enough to follow Him! Always. 

So friends, I invite you today, wherever you are. Repent of your sins and have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is no longer on the cross. He is glorified, He is risen. He is awesome. He is worthy of worship and praise, and He is worthy to be followed. Wherever you are, surrender your life to Jesus right now—deny yourself, and follow Him. 

Let us pray.

Father in heaven, we pray… Make us understand Your word and Your gospel. We thank You for Your word today. Thank You for making us understand that Christ is glorified. And His glory is amazing. Yet He is good and He is gracious. Teach us to trust in His grace. Yet make us understand that our sin takes us to punishment and damnation. Yet through His sacrifice, provides forgiveness. 

So we come, repenting of our sins, and receiving that forgiveness through repentance. And we believe, Lord, we believe all that Jesus has done for us.

Father, we pray, to all of us who believe, when we approach You in prayer and worship, Lord, we pray, teach us to have reverence and the fear of God. Without losing sight of Your love. And still we cry from our hearts, Abba, Father. Yet teach us never to forget, that You are holy, holy, holy.

In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

God bless you. And may the Lord bless you and keep you safe, and make you strong in the faith, and make you strong mentally, emotionally, and physically. We count it all joy when we encounter various trials.

Glory to Jesus Christ.