THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST

I have heard the last book of the Bible referred to as “Revelations.”  They mean that it is a book filled with various revelations concerning the end times. Certainly, there are those, but that is not the name, nor the theme of the book. It is “Revelation,” singular and the focus is on a Person, Jesus Christ. Hear the author himself, as he begins the book:

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,” (v. ‭1‬‬).

It is easy to become obsessed with the Antichrist, and miss the One in the Scriptural spotlight, Jesus Christ!  From start to finish, the Spirit of God moved John, the servant of God, to point to the Son of God.

The Apostle was overwhelmed by this manifestation of the Master, “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.’” (1‬:‭17‬-‭18‬‬).

From the lips of the Lord we hear of HIS ETERNITY, “I am the First and the Last.”  There has never been a time that He was not, nor will there ever be a time that He will not be. The Second Person of the Trinity is eternal and uncreated, without beginning or ending. He transcends time and is in control of it, rather than being subjected to it.  

Yet, that Eternal Word became flesh and dwelt among us. So, He next speaks of HIS HUMANITY, “I am He who lives, and was dead.”  There was a moment is history when Christ took on humanity. The Infinite became an infant. The Son of God became the Son of Man that the sons of men might become the sons of God. The Sinless One hung on the cross and died as our Substitute, fully paying the price for our sins. 

But, that was not the end of Him or that would be the end of hope, as the Lord declares HIS VICTORY, “behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen.” The grave could not hold Him. Death could not defeat Him. “Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o’er His foes!”  Because He lives, He can give those who trust in Him, life beyond death—victory over our “last enemy,” (1 Cor. 15:26).

The Risen Lord affirms HIS SOVEREIGNTY, “I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”  If you hold the keys, you have authority. He rules over the realm of the world of the dead, “Hades,” and even “Death,” itself, sitting above it. Christ is no more subject to death, but sovereign over it—and indeed over all. Our Lord is guiding all things to fulfilling His goal and for His glory. Hallelujah to the Lamb that was slain and the Lion who will reign!

JESUS IS THE TRUTH OF REVELATION

 “I am the…truth…”  (John 14:6).

That Baby born in Bethlehem’s manger was Truth Incarnate. He did not just come with the revelation of God’s truth in His teaching, but that teaching was true because He was the personification of God’s truth in His being.

The religions of the world claim to present truth concerning whatever deity they proclaim.  They claim to have heard from eternity and now declare the message on earth. Someone came to them—an angel, whatever—but, in Jesus we have one who came from eternity and declared Himself to be God on earth!

We are born brain damaged.  Sin has degraded our thinking.  Our eyes are blind to the truth.  The truth is diluted and distorted by the world.  Scripture warns of those ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

You cannot reach God on the ladder of logic or get to heaven on the rocket of reason.  It is logical and reasonable to believe the truth concerning God that is revealed in creation, conscience, and communication in Scripture. Yet, that is not enough. It takes the revelation of the Holy Spirit through the power of the Gospel. It isn’t that logic and reason don’t apply, but that God has ultimate truth that transcends all else. You must move beyond knowing about Jesus, to knowing Him personally!

Jesus did more than speak about God—He showed us God!  His whole life was a revelation of the Father.

“‘If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.’ Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, “Show us the Father”?’” (John 14:7-9).

If you ever want to know God, then come and meet Jesus!

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD REVEALED

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’” (John‬ ‭8:12‬‬)

The purpose of light is to reveal—to shine out and to show up a thing.  This revelation is the outshining of God’s very glory.

Christ shines out the person of God.  When He claims to be the Light, He claims to be God.  Is He a liar, lunatic, or Lord?  Those are the only options.  He is either a deceiver, delusional, or Deity.  John was an eyewitness to His glory revealed on the Mountain of Transfiguration and testified, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John‬ ‭1:14‬).  Paul saw that Light and said Jesus is “the image of the invisible God” (Col.1:15). Hebrews 1:3 speaks of, “the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person….”

Christ shows up the path to God.  The Lord had just attended the Feast of Tabernacles (7:2). This feast celebrated the pilgrimage of the Jews through the wilderness. You may recall the glory cloud—a pillar of cloud that directed them by day and a pillar of fire by night. This glory cloud rested above the tabernacle. When it moved, they moved. As the glory cloud led the Israelites through the wilderness, so Christ is the Light of the world to guide us to God and in the path of His will day by day until we reach the eternal light of glory.

“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Cor.4:6).

THE PATHWAY TO KNOWING GOD

Read Exodus 34:5-8.

  Moses had met God on Mt. Sinai some forty years prior to the events recorded in our text, (see Ex.3:1-15).  Last week we considered the name of God, “Elohim,” the all-powerful and ever-faithful One, and now we hear Him called, “Yahweh,” I AM WHO I AM.  It speaks of underived existence.  No human, angel, or demon can make that claim.  There was a time when I was not, but there was never a time when God could not say, “I AM,” and always will be.

What did Moses do to find God?  Nothing—God revealed Himself to Moses or he could not have known Him.  But God wants us to know Him.  God reveals Himself to us in basically four ways:

• THE SKIES.  Psalm. 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God.”  We know the Creator through the creation.  “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”

• THE SOUL.  His law is written on our heart—the sense of right and wrong.  Romans 2:15 speaks of those, “who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness... .” We are born with an innate awareness of God’s existence.

• THE SCRIPTURE. This Book is about God.  Psalm 119:15 states, “I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways.”  The ways of God are found in the Word of God. Jesus taught how all the Old Covenant testifies of Him, Luke 24:27,44. The New Testament text has been breathed out by God (2 Tim.3:15-17) and instructs us in salvation and sanctification.

• THE SON.  The Incarnate Word (John 1:1-3). Jesus said, “Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him” (Matt.11:27).

The pursuit of God becomes the passion of the Christian who comes to know Him through Christ.  We are commanded to know the unknowable (Col.1:9-10).  Paul practiced what he preached (Phil.3:7-10).  Also see Jer.9:23-24.  Even better—God knows us! (Ex.33:17).  Moses’ response and ours should be worship (Ex.34:8).

THE LAST WORD FOR THESE LAST DAYS

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son….  (Hebrews 1:1-2a)

Dr. Ben Carson was recently asked about who he would like most to sit down and have a drink with.  His answer: “Jesus.”  I don’t know that Dr. Carson will get my vote for President, but he definitely gets my vote for the best answer possible!  There is no one comparable—Jesus is the central figure of history and eternity.  The writer of Hebrews has Christ’s superiority as his theme.  Jesus is the Living Word—the last Word for these last days.

There is no one more important to know than God.  Yet, we could not know Him, had He not chosen to reveal Himself.  We are born with an awareness God is there.  Scripture never argues for His existence.  The assumption is that any reasonable person will acknowledge there is a God.  You have to work hard to deny His existence.  The reason some profess to be atheists is due to minds darkened by sin.  If there is no God, there is no guilt.  Yet, the numbers of irreligious, although a little larger and a lot louder than in the past, aren’t the real problem.  Rather, it is the religious that present the greater challenge.  I define religion as the effort to find God, know God and be accepted by Him.  It is what the Muslims do, the Buddhists and Hindus—but, it is impossible to know God that way.  Instead, God has sought us and spoken to us.  As recorded in the Old Testament, God has revealed Himself in different stages and diverse means (Heb.1:1).

Those days are past.  We are in the last days (Heb.1:2).  They began when Christ came—the transition was made from the Old Covenant to the New.  We might say today that we are in the last of the last days!  “The Word became flesh….”  (John 1:14)  The New Testament is a written exposition of Christ and what His coming means.  There is no further revelation to be given, none is needed—all will be consummated in the visible revelation of Christ in His second advent.  Everything is moving to that end.  The church is about Jesus!  Our message is about Him.  Mohammed, Joseph Smith, and the like are false prophets who bring a later revelation or so they claim.  That is impossible, for Jesus is the final Word.  

Jesus is the heir—King of kings and Lord of lords (Heb.1:3-4).  Through Him all things were made, by Him they hold together, and to Him all things belong.  His glory is that which belongs only to God, for He is God.  To see Jesus is to see the Father.  The power of His Word is Omnipotent.  He alone is the Savior and the perfect Sacrifice for sins.  He has ascended and is seated at the right hand of the Father—in a position of authority.  The angels serve Him.  Jesus isn’t a servant, but the Son.  The angels dwell in glory, but He radiates the glory!  The Bible forbids the worship of angels, but the angels worship Christ.  Eternal life is found only in Him.  Once that journey of faith begins with a spiritual birth, you grow by knowing Him better, loving Him more, and walking with Him more closely.  God has spoken and we better listen!

CHRIST, THE WORD OF GOD

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  (John 1:1)

What would the world be without words?  You could not read this any more than I could write it.  Communication would only be grunts and gestures.  Imagine no cards or calls, letters or lyrics, e-mails or text messages, no on could write a book or read one.  Words are vital.  They reveal things.  Words express thoughts.  They communicate who we are.  John, thus, has chosen to present Jesus as the Word of God.  The Son reveals the Father.  He expresses God’s nature perfectly.  Christ communicates the mind of God clearly.

Jesus is the Word in THE BEGINNING OF THE CREATION (John 1:1-2).  The first chapter of this Gospel takes us back to the first chapter of Genesis.  We find the Word to be preexistent, “In the beginning was the Word….”  When the beginning began, Christ already was.  Since He was already in the beginning when all creation things began that means He is eternal and uncreated.  There was a time on His mother’s side when He was born the Son of Man, but on His Father’s side He has always been the Son of God!  We find the Word to be personal, “the Word was with God….”  There is only one God, yet Jesus is a distinct person in the Trinity.  The term John uses means, “face to face” with God, conveying an intimacy we cannot fully grasp.  In the face of Jesus we see the face of God.  This means the Word is powerful, “and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.”  He is the great I AM, the Lord, the Almighty—all power resides in Him.  That power is available to us as we are in union with Christ!  (see Col.2:9-10)

Jesus is the Word in THE BIRTHING OF THE CREATION (v.3-4).  John uses simple terms to express sublime thoughts.  The Word has birthed the natural creation (v.3).  This material word was spoken into existence.  Scripture teaches that the Triune God—Father, Son and Spirit were all involved in that creative act.  The Word also births the new creation (v.4).  The natural creation fell under the curse—in the darkness of sin and death.  Jesus came to make a new creation and bring light and life.  In our natural birth we are sinners stumbling toward Hell. By a new birth we are made saints suited for Heaven!

Jesus is the Word in THE BATTLE FOR THE CREATION (v.5).  This verse suggests a conflict as darkness tries to extinguish the Light, and a conquest as the Light overcomes the darkness and dispels it instead.  The Light of the Word discloses Satan.  The Old Serpent would prefer to slither in the shadows and strike the unsuspecting.  John tells us the Serpent’s spawn do likewise.  Jesus, however, exposes evil and error.  The Light of the Word defeats Satan.  Christ became flesh and was subjected to all the temptations we encounter, but overcame them all. Since the Wicked One could not defile Him, he tried to destroy Him.  He moved in the hearts of his henchmen to nail Him to a cross and seal Him in a tomb.  Darkness fell on the earth as He hung on the cross.  Despair gripped the disciples as He lay in the grave.  But, on the third day, He arose—bursting through the darkness in unconquerable light!  We can enter the Light and experience liberation!

God has spoken through His Son.  Will you hear and heed Him?

THE DAWN OF HOPE

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.  And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.  (Luke 1:13-14)

They say the darkest hour is just before the dawn.  That was the condition of the nation of Israel 2,000 years ago.  Four centuries passed and they were still in spiritual darkness, without a word from God, since the last prophet, Malachi, had spoken.  Yet, he promised, “The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings” (4:2a).  That new day was about to dawn.  As the sun returns to the sky after the darkness of night, so hope would return with a fresh word. 

It came TO A SEPARATED PERSON (Luke 1:5-9)  Zacharias was a priest, set apart for service in the temple.  He and his wife Elizabeth were faithful people who let their light shine during those dark days.  They clung to hope when it seemed hope was lost.  This godly couple was not perfect, but they were pure.  God occupied the throne of their lives and directed their steps.  Their walk in public was without scandal and their walk in private was without shame.  All was done under the supervision of God who put His stamp of approval on their conduct.  You don’t have to be a gifted person for God to use, but you have to be a godly person.

The dawn of hope came AT A STRATEGIC POINT (Luke 1:9-10)   Nothing is by accident for the child of God—it is by appointment!  Paul said that it was in the fullness of time that God sent His Son into the world—in the most strategic moment, God would cause the Light to dawn.  We see His providential hand selecting Zacharias—by lot.  It wasn’t human chance, but heavenly choice.  God is directing the events of your life—even the painful ones.  God uses pressure to mold us and fire to make us fit vessels.  When the priest went in to offer incense a bell was sounded calling the people to pray.  Incense is symbolic of intercession—a sweet fragrance arising to God.  When God gets ready to move, he moves us to pray.

The word came THROUGH A SUPERNATURAL PRESENCE (Luke 1:11-12)  If God opened our spiritual eyes, we would see there are angels all around us.  We are never alone—God is near!  We are so casual and careless about holy things and sacred places.  Irreverence comes from failing to see God as He is!  If an angel could so terrify a good man, what reverence should be shown the Lord?

The dawn of hope came BY A SACRED PROCLAMATION (Luke 1:13-25)    John the Baptist would be the herald of the King!  Here is a description of spiritual awakening—in the nation, the church and the home.  We need that now!  God spoke and Zacharias couldn’t.  Unbelief can rob us of blessing, but it won’t stop God’s purposes.

Will you respond to Him?  Will you hear and heed His voice?  Today could be the dawn of a new day for you—hope could arise, even in this dark hour.

 

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

 

So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town.  And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.  And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.”  Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up.  And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.  (Mark 8:23-25)

Apart from Christ, we are in the darkness of sin—blind to the truth.  We grope along to find heaven while walking ever closer to the abyss.  The hymn writer expressed the idea this way: “The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin; the Light of the World is Jesus; like sunshine at noonday, His glory shone in; the Light of the World is Jesus.  Come to the Light, ‘tis shining for thee; sweetly the Light has dawned upon me; Once I was blind, but now I can see; the Light of the World is Jesus.”  Jesus said, “I am the Light of the World.  He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12).  This is the theme developed in our text.  There are two kinds of blindness here—and the former is worse than the latter.  The first is a blindness of the soul and the second of the senses.

There was A SPIRITUAL PROBLEM (8:13-21).  Blind Helen Keller said, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”   Jesus rebukes His disciples lack of spiritual perception in saying, ‎“Do you not yet perceive nor understand?  Is your heart still hardened?  Having eyes, do you not see?  And having ears, do you not hear?  And do you not remember?” (v.17b-18).  Jesus had warned them of the danger of false teaching: “the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”  The leaven of the Pharisees was legalism and the leaven of Herod was materialism.  The former was the belief that you had to work your way to heaven, and the latter was the philosophy that you made your heaven on earth.    This is spiritual blindness, and even the disciples were somewhat still in the dark.

But, there came A SYMBOLICAL PROVISION (8:22-26).   In the healing of the blind man, there is an illustration of how God’s light can break into the darkness.

·         There is progression in spiritual insight.  This man didn’t receive his sight all at once.  When the light of truth dawns upon us—it isn’t like a light turning on in a dark room,  but as the sun coming up.  So, we are converted to know Christ, but then all of our Christian life is about coming to know Him more fully—to see more keenly (Phil.3:4-10).  There was a time when Paul was a blind Pharisee.  He had fully digested their leaven.  Then he saw the light and asked, “Who are you Lord?” After coming to faith, there was a desire for more light.  Peter exhorted, “Grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18)

·         There is perfection in spiritual insight.  As this man came to see clearly, so would these disciples eventually.  Paul said in 1 Cor.13:12, “Now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”   Heaven will bring us into the fullness of the light of God’s glory and boundless enjoyment of His infinite Person!

THE REVELATION OF SALVATION’S HOPE

Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people,  And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began, That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us, To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.”  (Luke 1:67-75) 

Salvation is a result of the gracious activity of God.  He must take the initiative. Look at the verbs here: “visited” and “redeemed” (v.68); “raised up” (v.69); “spoke” (v.70); “saved” (v.71); “perform” and “remember” (v.72); “swore” (v.73); “delivered” (v.74).  God revealed the path of hope.  Had He not done so, we would have been blind—groping in the darkness, each step taking us nearer to the Abyss.

In Zacharias’ song, we hear THE SOURCE THAT IS REVEALED, “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people,” (v.68).   Remember that Zacharias is prophesying.  He is speaking of future events—yet speaking of them in past tense!  Such is the certainty of their fulfillment.  That surety is grounded in the unchanging character of God.  His Word cannot fail and His will cannot be thwarted.  Zacharias blesses the Lord for only the Lord can save us.  Without His grace we have no hope.  But, with that grace we have utter confidence in God’s power to preserve us.

Another great Gospel truth contained in these lyrics of life is THE STRENGTH THAT IS REVEALED.

And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began, That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us, To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear… (Luke 1:69-74). 

In the ancient world, the horns of an animal symbolized its strength.  God raised up a horn of salvation when He raised up His Son on the cross.  He manifested that further when He raised Him up from the grave.  All that the prophets foretold was fulfilled in Him.  The enemy was too strong for us (v.74),  but he is no match for God!  The King of Terror is beaten!

The Spirit of God had more to say in this song about THE SERVICE THAT IS REVEALED, “To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.” (v.74-75)  God didn’t save us to put us in a trophy case and make us ornamental; He saved us to put us in His tool chest and make us instrumental!  There is a freedom from fear when we serve Him with abandon!  Our life testifies to the reality of God’s saving work in us, “holiness and righteousness before Him.”  Grace alone accomplishes this in us and through us.

The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin,

The Light of the world is Jesus! 

Like sunshine at noonday, His glory shone in;

The Light of the world is Jesus! 

Come to the light, ’tis shining for thee;

Sweetly the light has dawned upon me;

Once I was blind, but now I can see:

The Light of the world is Jesus!” (P.P. Bliss)