Revelation 1:9-11

The Testimony of Jesus

Text - Read Rev. 1:9-11

The testimony of Jesus (vs. 9)

Rev 1:9 I, John, both your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

√ John identifies himself as the writer of the vision and calls himself...

"your brother and companion"

John was of course well known by the churches to which he was writing - as an apostle, a pastor, a teacher etc. However, here John chooses to call himself...

...a brother. That of course is a reminder that in Christ we are all of the same family by our faith in the Jesus.

Jesus defined His family as…

Mat 12:49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!

Mat 12:50 "For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."

John was also a companion; in the trials which the church was facing at that time under the attack of Domitian.

But not just in trials, John was also a companion in the “kingdom and patience.”

“patience” = hypomone, literally…

"cheerful endurance" J

That cheerful hope born of faith which is produced only through trials.

Can’t go to school for it, no short cuts, it comes only through first hand experience.

Ex. Long distance running - can’t practice 50 yard sprints for a year and expect to run a marathon. The strength to run with endurance comes only by long distance training.

Long distance runners come to experience a "joy" that the sprinter never realizes.

Ap. In the same way, deep abiding unshakable joy comes only through waiting on God in the midst of trails.

Ex. The joy of ministry - my own experience

√ John was in a trial!

We note that he had been exiled to Patmos for....

“...for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” - Vs. 9

Domitian was the first to implement the worship of Caesar as a deity.

Romans required once a year to burn incense to his idol and confess…

"Caesar is Lord"

John wasn’t about to! He continued to testify that Jesus is Lord and to proclaim the Word of God.

So, Domitian tried to kill him by boiling in oil, didn’t work, so they exiled him to this prison island to shut him up!

√ Companions in suffering - for His sake

Why is it that kings, despots and dictators throughout the ages have tried to shut down God’s people?

Nebuchadnezzar

Caesar

Stalin

Mao

Rulers have tortured, harassed, banished and killed God’s people.

Not because they represented a military threat; or that they were a rebellious people.

Rather, because they recognized that the only people they could not control were those who gave God first place in their hearts and minds.

So, the wicked try....

To destroy the testimony of God by destroying His people.

To destroy the Word of God so that the next generation will not know God.

To indoctrinate the youth in the ways of the world so that they might snuff out any knowledge of God and so win the hearts and minds of people.

They do so by enacting laws that make it illegal to share God's Truth, and by spreading false accusations against God's people.

Ex. The Biblical example - Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach & Abed-Nego.

Its still going on today!

Ex. Arab TV - The Blood libel (read article)

Ap. Christians in the USA today

What if a law was enacted which was clearly contrary to the Laws of God…

…would you like John, Daniel, and Esther be willing to defy them because your first allegiance is to God?

That day may not be far off!

Ex. Anti-Christian bias

In my short life time I've watched as our society has changed its attitude toward Jesus and His people.

Text books - from B.C./A.D. to B.C.E./A.C.E.

Public schools - from "Easter break" to "Spring break", now instead of family meals and church service college kids flock to Florida and Palm Springs for a week long orgy.

Christmas - people used to send Christmas cards, now its hard to find anything except "seasons greeting" cards in the store.

N.Y. state now prohibits displays of Nativity scenes in schools and government buildings; but does allow the display of the Koran in the lobby of the NYPD!

While we may not be able to stop societies slide into the Pit, we are called to stand for our faith and if God wills it…

…to be a companion with John in suffering for Jesus.

Ex. Fight the good fight - CC Fort Lauderdale & Broward County

The Lord's Day (vs. 10 & 11)

Rev 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,

√ Having finished his introduction (vs. 1-9) John begins to share how it was that he received the Revelation.

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day"

Some believe this to be a reference to Sunday.

While it is true that today we call Sunday the “Lord’s Day” - nowhere in the Bible does it refer to Sunday that way.

Instead it’s always referred to as the “first day of the week.”

Better interpretation is to understand this as a reference to the Day of the Lord spoken of in both the Old and New Testaments concerning the period of time when God judges the earth and establishes His Kingdom.

In fact, some translate this to read...

“I was in the Spirit unto the Lord's Day”

That is, John was taken in the Spirit to the Day of the Lord and shown by Jesus the final culmination of His prophetic plan.

√ While in the Spirit John heard a voice as a trumpet! Not in the sense of being musical, but rather, as a call to attention.

Trumpets used in scripture to call the people to worship, to war, to move, to stop, to direct.

The symbolism, John heard a voice that he could not ignore!

Rev 1:11 saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."

John is given specific instructions to write down all that he will be shown and to distribute it to the seven churches mentioned.

So, John is called to attention and to duty that he might record the Words of Jesus and distribute them to the Church.

Close

√ Companion

Remember, we are all called to be "companions" in the Kingdom of God.

Sometimes that will mean that we are called to endure hardship for the cause of Christ.

Yet, Jesus has promised that we will receive an enduring joy as we wait patiently for Him to do His work in and through our lives.

√ Your testimony

Like John, we are all called to stand for Jesus. Settle in your heart that you will serve Jesus faithfully no matter what silly laws the world enacts.