10-24-13. Revelation 1:9-20. ONE LIKE THE SON OF MAN-my devotional

Key Verse: 1:16                                                                                                       Kevin E. Jesmer
“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.”

  Dear Lord, heavenly Father, thank you for being my ultimate coping mechanism. I see so many people who have reached the end of their coping mechanisms and rely on huge amounts of medication and also those who can not cope and suffer from emotional breakdowns. But I thank God that you are there for any who believe. You are there to comfort and strengthen our hearts so that we can stand strong in you love and grace and truth. Thank you Lord Jesus Christ. I want to depend on you fully, the best and most healthy coping mechanism. I pray that people, en masse may make Jesus their coping mechanism. Please grant me your word in my heart today. I thank you and I pray in Jesus’ holy and mighty name. Amen!

Part 1: To The Seven Churches (9-11).

Verses 9-11, “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. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 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.”

John was a very sincere worshipper of God. Look at verse 10, I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day…” He was worshiping the Lord in Spirit and Truth. These are the kinds of worshipers the Father seeks. (John 4) And when John was sincerely worshiping the Lord revealed himself to John. Verse 10b, “…and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet.” When John was engaging in such heart felt worship, God blessed him with a vision of the Risen Christ.There are times when my worship on the Lord’s Day is not so sincere. Every second Sunday I go to church with 20 minutes of sleep. I worship and listen, but it I remain in survival mode, trying hard to stay focused. It is when I have a good night’s sleep that my heart and my mind can be fully engaged in worship. Some of my greatest moments of worship have been in nature, at a Bible conference or on vacation, or more recently on an exploratory trip to NW Ontario. There I just pulled out a chair and worshipped at the edge of the forest with a Bible and hymn book and lots of nature. It was a wonderful time in the Spirit of God. And it is times like this that the Spirit of God whispers in your heart. You receive epiphanies of truth from the word of God. You learn things deeply, things that change your life and strength your resolve and your faith. I pray that God may help me to always worship him in spirit and in truth.

In his vision to John, Jesus spoke through John to the Christians suffering because of Roman persecution. God is very concerned about his church. He is concerned about his suffering church. John was also concerned with the suffering church. John shared in the fellowship of suffering for the sake of the Gospel. John was their companion and brother in “the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus.” He was in exile on the Island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. John was to concern about the spiritual welfare of the Christian churches of the time. Look at verse 11, “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.” The seven churches of the Asia Minor represent the whole church of Jesus Christ.

I am concerned about the small Christian fellowships in Northern First Nations communities. They definitely need support and encouragement. I am concerned about the churches in America that they may be filled with a desire to seek and save the lost just like our Savior Jesus. I pray that all believers may adopt Jesus’ heart for his church in this world.

Part 2: Jesus Stands Among The Churches (12-20).

Verses 12-20, “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 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. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 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. 17 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, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that 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.”

This is a glorious vision of the risen Jesus as high priest and this Jesus is among his suffering people. Look at verses 12-13, “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 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.” Jesus is there in the midst of his suffering people to encourage and strengthen them and to give them the assurance of victory He sees all our suffering and is with us in all of his power and majesty. I thank God for being with us in the midst of our suffering. In our community there is not much physical suffering or persecution. But there is suffering. I struggled within my interpersonal relationships. Depression was a very real “inner” persecution. But Jesus was always with me, untangling my heart, and leading me into convergence in my life. He literally delivered me in a very personal way. It is like the dawn of a new day in my life and ministry. Jesus is with his people in Northern Canada. Jesus is with his people across America. He is growing his kingdom among us.

The vision of Jesus is very a very powerful one. We are used to seeing Jesus as a humble and quiet shepherd, holding lost sheep or hugging children. But the reality of Jesus is seen here in this passage. Look at verses 14-16, “The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 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.” Jesus is powerful and awesome. Our Savior sees, speaks, and acts powerfully. His eyes penetrate the heart and see everything hidden by man. The double-edged sword coming out of his mouth is the word of God. He is the first and last, the beginning and the end. He was dead and is alive forever. He holds the keys of life and death, of heaven and hell. And he walks among his church in his hand with his angels at his dispense to serve his faithful people.

We need eyes to see Jesus in his glory and dwelling among his people in the midst of suffering and persecution. When we are suffering it is not easy to see Jesus. Most people say, “Where is God in all of this?” But to be certain Jesus is with us. He is working things out in his time and in his way. Nations that were once closed to the gospel will one day be changed to be missionary sending countries. People, who were once resistant to faith, will be changed to be ardent Christians. Nothing can stop Jesus from fulfilling his perfect will. He is unfolding his perfect will. We just need eyes to see it.

What a privilege it is to be a child of this God. What a privilege it is to be part of Jesus’ kingdom. Though there may be suffering, this powerful Jesus is with his people. Jesus is with me and Julie and our family. I thank God for his grace. He is untangling our hearts and setting us free by his love, power and grace. This powerful Jesus is working in the hearts of all the people in our local church to help us engage this world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is conquering the world with his love and truth. Lord, thank you for helping me to be part of your team, family and kingdom. May the whole world see you for who truly are…the Almighty King, Lord and Savior.

Prayer: Lord, open my eyes to see you in glory.

One Word: A glorious vision of Jesus