THE GREAT I AM—THE CLAIMS OF JESUS

#099                             THE GREAT I AM—THE CLAIMS OF JESUS                                              

Scripture  Revelation 1:10-18, NIV                                                                             Orig. 7/28/1963

                                                                                                                         Rewr. 1/1972; 7/1977

Passage: 10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to    Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[a] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

Keywords:        Christ             

Timeline/Series:           Revelation Letters to the Churches

Introduction

            Have you ever seen or talked with someone in the throes of God’s Providence?  A person who was facing some heart-rending experience for which there was no earthly explanation.  There are some things that happen to men that we can neither explain nor understand.  Things which if we do not learn to control, then we can only yield and be dominated by them.

            Often I talk with people who have such problems.  Some of these good folks are dominated by their own problems.  (Bro. Smith, no tears in heaven).

            Look at the Apostle John for a moment.  If any man who ever lived had the right to be discouraged it was John.  After having served God faithfully at Ephesus, God allowed him to be sent to Patmos.  That would be like sending Billy Graham to Alcatraz. But John, unlike most of us, knew that even in his suffering he was there for “the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

            Brethren, let’s listen to his testimony this morning.

I.          He is the Resurrected Lord.

            He is the only resurrected Lord.  Look at the world’s religions:

·         Moslems/Mohammedanism—put the word of one man ahead of the Word of God.

·         Buddhism—a great stone statue, the spirit emblazoned by the temples going up all over country, not the only icon worshipper;  icon in car—if statue could do more than prayer then we don’t have a chance against Buddhism.

·         Communism—a form of religion worships power; Stalin—he was the savior of the world.

            You cannot find a resurrected Lord in any of the world’s religions.

            He is the necessary resurrected Lord.  Some pseudo-Christian groups are trying to discount the resurrection.  The person who doesn’t believe in the resurrection is not a Christian.  It is His resurrection that brings Him into the context of our lives as Living Lord.

            A dozen different theories—His body stolen, He was not dead.  John 11:25.26.  “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live; and whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die.”

            Jesus doesn’t say “I give,” I teach,” “I show” the resurrection, but “I am” the resurrection.  Bro. Smith on Resurrection of dry bones—graphic description of miracle but resurrection of Jesus not a miracle—the purpose of God finding fulfillment in Christ.

II.         He is the Everlasting Lord—Resolute (Persevering)

            He is from the beginning.  John 1:10 “He was in the world and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.”  He caused it to be.  He allowed it to be.

            There is a classic passage from Colossians that should make us conscious for all time that He is everlasting Lord.  Colossians 1:15-17, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things were created in heaven, and in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.  He is before all things and in him all things hold together.” 

            He continues to work ad infinitum. In Hebrews 1, Jesus is referred to as the one “whom God hath appointed heir to all things.”  The passage read [in Revelation] refers to Jesus as alpha and omega. 1:8 God; 21:6 God; 22:13 Jesus.

            A Greek concept—Plato speaks of a God who “holds the beginning, the end, and the center of everything.”

            A Hebrew concept—Josephus calls God “the beginning and end of all things.”  Rabbis had a word for God that incorporated first, middle, and last.

            Jesus is the good shepherd—to drive away danger, to deliver from trouble, to return safely to fold.  His equipment—a bag, a sling, a rod or staff.  Hated by the orthodox—the unorthodox Christ may yet be touching lives.  John 10:2-4, [sheep were] kept for milk and wool, known by name; the shepherd led the sheep.

III.       He is the Retaliatory Lord.

            Most today interpret this as a conciliatory Lord.  “And  have the keys of hell and of death.”  Jesus is a conciliatory Lord;  He has set out to bring the peoples of the earth to God.

            Do you remember the account of David’s fighting [against] the Philistines, “the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees.” 

            God speaks a clear word today to people lost in sin.  We read Paul’s injunction to Corinthians and get confused.  That God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them. To Christians, He has given to us the ministry of reconciliation.

            The truth of this scripture is that God will lock tight the door to hell behind the unredeemed.  We cannot trust completely any human. But we can trust God to do exactly as He says.  You can trust the Commanders to do exactly as they say (if it’s feasible).

            James writes of Jesus as the judge standing at the door (James 5:9).  Peter—to Him that is ready to judge the living and the dead (I Peter 4:5).  Paul—we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, good or evil (2 Corinthians 5:10).  God judges the secrets of man.

            Parables

·         Wheat and tares---separation

·         Wedding feast—hopelessness

·         Talents—cursing

·         Rich food—only the material

·         Ten virgins

            Acts 17:31, “God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained.”