​Introduction
Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Contrary to popular thought, it is not a countdown to Christmas.  Advent is a time dedicated to waiting. It is, as author Timothy Paul Jones writes, “(It is) the proclamation of the sufficiency of Christ through the discipline of waiting.”  Most of us would agree waiting is definitely a discipline.  I, like many, have fallen into the trap and lie of busyness, chaos, and hectic schedules.  Hence, I, like many, do not like the words “anticipate,” “patience,” and “wait.”  But this is what Advent is all about.  It involves slowing pace… waiting… preparing… and anticipating.  This morning I would like to invite you to join me during this season of Advent learning or re-learning the discipline of pause and patience.  Join me in preparation and anticipation for the coming King Jesus.  May it be a time to celebrate and declare that God Himself has come to the world in the flesh, He dwelt among us, and He showed us the way to the Kingdom.  Let us prepare for and anticipate His return in full glory to establish His Kingdom here on earth for all eternity.
 
So, what is Advent?  I am glad you asked… The word “advent” is taken from the Latin word Adventus which means arrival or coming. It is the Latin translation of the Greek word parousia, which the New Testament most often points to Jesus’ second coming (advent).  It is believed that Advent started sometime around or after the 4th century. It was originally observed as a time of preparation for Epiphany (also known as Three Kings Day) which is a celebration and observance of the visitation from the Magi and the baptism of Jesus.  Thus, Epiphany is a time new Christians were baptized and received into the faith.  It was during this time the early church instituted a 40-day period of fasting and repentance.
 
Advent was not a celebration of the first coming of the Christ-child, but rather, a time of anticipation and preparation for the Second Coming of Christ. By the 8th Century, the church adopted what western Christianity today observes as Advent.  From that point on Advent has become the celebration of the Christ’s birth in Bethlehem, the anticipation of his second advent, and the remembering his presence (dwelling) among believer through the Holy Spirit.
 
Everything about Christ’s first advent points us to humility and in the same manner it is a celebration of our humble Savior reigning as the sovereign King of all Creation.  We see in the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus that even though he is the King of all he lived a life of a servitude and humility.  One would think that when God himself came to this earth it would have been a magnificent spectacle as He sets up his Kingdom, establishes his authority, seeks to straighten humanity out from corrupt humanity, and set things on a right course. But that is not what or how it happened. 
 
Luke 1:32
Jesus was called to be great, and he is called the Son of the Most-High, who will receive the throne of David, reign over all of Israel, and there will be no end to His kingdom. But, before we can recognize Him as the Prince of peace and King of Kings, we must recognize that He came and dwelt among us, He was God in human flesh who lived a life of humility in obedience to the father and pointed all to the pathway of the Kingdom of God.  In order for us to recognize this, it is important to go back to the beginning.
 
John 1:1 - 18
Vs 1 – 3: “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Since the beginning of time the Word (Jesus) was present with the Father.  There has not been a time when the Word did not exist.  We read later that the Word is Jesus, and he is eternal, He was not created, and He has always been. The Word (Jesus) was with God… this does not mean he was in close proximity, but he was in an intimate personal relationship with the Father.  He was one with the Father. Not only was the Word with God but the Word was also the very essence of God Himself.  I like the way The New English Translation reads, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God.
 
Vs 4 - 5: The Word gives life… Jesus didn’t just possess life; he is the source of life… He is the source of the physical and the spiritual life.  He is the Creator of all physical life and through his death, resurrection, and ascension He is the source of Spiritual life to all who believe. 
 
Jesus is the light.  He is the light that dispels darkness.  Darkness is synonymous to death, wickedness, and evil and the Word (Jesu) who is the light casts away the darkness.  Darkness, death, and evil will try to overcome Jesus (as we will see in the Gospel) but to no avail.  Christ defeats death and brings light to the world!  F.F. Bruce writes in his commentary, “Light and darkness are opposites, but they are not opposites of equal power.  Light is stronger than darkness; and darkness cannot prevail against it.”
 
Vs 6 – 8:  John is referring to John the Baptist.  Apostle John (who incidentally is not John the Baptist) says that John is not the light but the witness to the light.  His job and purpose in life was to prepare the way and testify of the coming Messiah who is Jesus.
           
Vs 9 – 13:  Jesus is the true light.  Others may have made this claim but Jesus is the real deal.  He gives light to all who believe in Him.  He came to the world to bring the light and the world (namely his own people) did not receive Him, instead they crucified him and left Him for dead.  However to those who did receive Him He gave them the power or right to be called children of God. He has given us Spiritual re-birth!  We are not born again of humans but are born again through the Spirit of God and declared His children.  To those who believe we are now considered members of God’s family.
 
Vs 14- 18: I consider this to be the climax of the Christmas story.  In these verses we have looked at today we discover seven essential truths about Jesus.  These truths give us an overall view of our Savior and Lord as we celebrate his first advent.  
1.Jesus is the Word
2.Jesus is God.
3.Jesus is eternal.
4.Jesus is Creator of all things, and all things were created for Him.
5.Jesus is life
6.Jesus is the true light that dispels darkness. 
7.Jesus became a man and dwelt among humanity, was rejected, crucified, and rose from the dead. 
 
The Word became flesh:  This is called the incarnation.  This means the eternal God, Creator of all, and the light of the world became human and dwelt among us.  John, the author of this gospel, was an eyewitness to the Word as he walked with, talked to, and touched the living God in human flesh.  
 
Conclusion
The observance and celebration of Advent is important because it is a time for us to observe that God came into the world as a human to show us the way to the Kingdom of God.  It was imperative for Jesus to become human because as Hebrews 4:15 states (in reference to Jesus), “So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.”
 
We should take comfort in this because we know that the one we serve and worship has been in our shoes.  He has experienced what we have experienced.  He can truly say, “I know what you are going through.”  Jesus experienced anger, hunger, exhaustion, sadness, pain, suffering, poverty, anxiety, temptation, etc. as a human and was still lived a life without sin.
 
We can take comfort in knowing that Jesus since Jesus is our perfect High Priest, He will never leave us ill equipped to face the difficulties in life. Whatever difficulties we have faced in life Jesus has been through as well. Thus, this makes him an approachable Savior who can empathize with our earthly struggles.
 
On the other hand, he is fully eternal God.  Colossians 1:15, 16 states, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.”

Only God creates and this shows that Jesus is also Creator making him equal to God. 
The Savior, Jesus, who is without beginning or end, took on the form of a man and experienced life on earth as a human.  He gave his life up as an offering to God, rose from the dead and ascended to the Father so that all who believe in Jesus (in faith) can also share in the resurrected life. Truly this is a Savior who is worthy to follow in obedience in faith and to proclaim to all the nations.

 
Introduction
There is much that happens between Revelation chapter 1 and chapter 20.  A considerable amount is abysmal, some of it is cautionary, but all of it points to the holiness, sovereignty, and magnificence of the Almighty God.  Unfortunately, I cannot cover all of it as it would take weeks to delve deeply into this letter.  We will dive into that pool sometime next year.  So, today we will conclude our year long series God’s Story from Beginning to End as we look at the end of the God’s story. 
 
The final two chapters of Revelation (21 & 22) are the fulfillment of Isaiah 65:17 “Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore.”  This final vision contains some major components of the Apocalypse (unveiling) which is the renewed fellowship, it is in these passages we read about how God dwells amid His people. This encourages the recipients to see in the final section a re-formation of God’s perfect paradise, the garden of Eden.  It shows how everything comes full circle.  The Bible begins with God’s fellowship with his creation, then it documents the fall and separation of humanity and God’s desire to restore fellowship with His people.  It also highlights the restoration of God’s children through Jesus Christ and concludes with a restored and renewed eternal fellowship with his creation.
 
Revelation 21
Vs 1 – 2:  In this final vision heaven and earth are replaced by a new heaven and a new earth. The concept of a New Jerusalem that comes down from God is a common teaching in Jewish apocalyptic tradition.  Some hold that the New Jerusalem is a physical city, but many suggest it is symbolic of the church in its perfected and eternal state.  Regardless, Jerusalem is and always has been the site of the temple which is the place where the presence of God dwells.  This New Jerusalem is adorned as a bride for her husband.
In Chapter 19 we see the people of God are presented as a bride; thus, it could be equated with the heavenly Jerusalem. The major difference between the earthly city of Jerusalem is that it is described as a prostitute and the heavenly city is described as a bride.
 
Vs 3 – 4:  The voice from heaven declares that the dwelling place or the home of God is with His people, and He will live among them.  When John writes that God’s home or tabernacle of God is with us, he is saying that God in his glory has come to dwell with his people. This does not suggest a temporary dwelling, but a permanent one.  From this point forward God will dwell with his people forever.  It is the presence of God, and the fellowship with him of ALL believers, that comprises the fundamental trait of the coming age. Death, sadness, and pain are all part of the “old way” and has now passed away.
 
Vs 5 – 7:   God’s silence is broken when he declares, “I am making everything new!”  The throne upon which He sits represents his sovereignty and splendor. It is from this position of tremendous power that he announces his intention of creating the new order.
 
God proclaims, “It is finished!” He then declares that He is the Beginning that not only refers to the first in point of time but also, he is the source and origin of all things. He is the end in the sense that he constitutes the goal or aim.   He also allows those who are thirsty to drink from the spring of the water of life. Scripture often employs the figure of thirst to depict the desire of the soul for God.
 
Those overcomers/victorious will receive these blessings. In the letters to the seven churches, we learn that the overcomers would eat from the tree of life, would not be hurt by the second death, would be given hidden manna and a white stone, would receive authority over the nations, their names would not be blotted from the book of life, they would be a pillar in the temple of God, and they would sit with Christ on his throne. All of this is the inheritance of those who remain faithful to Jesus Christ during their time of trial and persecution. Those who deny Christ and are seduced by the solicitations of the prostitute (the world) will have no inheritance in the family of God.
 
Vs 8:  The cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars will receive their destiny… the second death… burning sulfur and hellfire.  The same fate as the Beast, False Prophet, and Satan.
 
Vs 10 – 14:  John is taken in the Spirit to a great mountain to see the Holy City descending from heaven.  As the holy city descends from heaven, it shines with a brightness that shows the presence and glory of God. It is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel that in the restoration the glory or presence of the Lord will rise upon them, and he will be their everlasting light.
The city is surrounded by a great wall with twelve gates, which are guarded by twelve angels. The wall is not needed for security reasons. It is simply a detail of an ideal city as conceived by ancient peoples accustomed to the security of strong outer walls.
 
Vs 14:  The mention of the “Twelve apostles” is a reference to the disciples without specific mention of Judas.  In Ephesians 2:20 Paul teaches that the house of God is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Historically, the church rests upon the apostles and prophets, this means it is built upon the faith and efforts of those who first proclaimed the gospel message. The combination of the twelve tribes and the twelve apostles shows the unity of ancient Israel and the NT church.
 
Vs 22 - 27: John notes that there is no temple in this new city.  There is no temple because the symbol of God’s dwelling place (the temple) has now become a reality (God dwells among his people). There is no need for a temple because it has been replaced by “the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb.”  The reason John tells us there is no temple is not so much to describe the manner or design of heaven but to speak significantly to a people for whom the temple equated as the supreme dwelling place of God’s presence.
 
Vs 23: The New Jerusalem does not have a sun or moon to shine because everything is illuminated by the glory of God.
 
Vs 24 – 26:  The gates of the New Jerusalem are open because with the destruction of evil there is no need for security. Day continues forever without interruption because darkness never comes. Thus, there is no need of closing gates.
 
Vs 27:  Everyone who enter the city are not evil or wicked, only those whose names are written in the book of life.  Only those who dwell in the new city have access to it.
 
Chapter 22
Vs 1 - 5
Vs 2: In the New Jerusalem the river in the street is pure and gives life. It is a sign of blessing.  On each side of the river grows a tree of life and in the early chapters of Genesis we read that if Adam had eaten of the tree of life, he would have lived forever.  Thus, the tree of life was a regular feature in Jewish portrayals of Paradise. To eat of its fruit would give eternal life. The tree bore twelve kinds of fruit and there was both an abundance and the variety of fruit that are emphasized. This is seen as God’s provision is new and plentiful.
 
The tree also has leaves that bring about healing. Is there need for healing in this New Jerusalem?  This is intended to show that in the restored Eden everything has been reversed: originally eating of one tree brought the curse—now eating of this tree brings eternal life.  The healing leaves signify the complete and total absence of physical and spiritual want. The life to come will be a life of abundance and perfection.
 
Vs 3 - 4: There will be no more curse of humanity. The curse that humanity brought upon itself in the Garden of Eden will be removed for all eternity. In return the greatest of all eternity’s blessings is reflected in the one phrase, “They will see his face.” Remember Moses, the great lawgiver was not permitted to see the face of God because God had declared, “No one may see me and live”.  To see God’s face means direct communion with him.
 
On the foreheads of God’s servants will be stamped the name of God. His name stands for his character.  The followers of the beast bore the mark of the beast upon their foreheads, contrarily the faithful will bear the name of God upon theirs. This metaphor emphasizes ownership and likeness.
 
Vs 5:  In the New Jerusalem God’s presence, and his glory makes all other sources of light unnecessary and pointless, thus there is no darkness or night.  Revelation ends with the promise of the restoration of all things.   In Romans Paul teaches creation is currently in bondage to deterioration, at it groans as it eagerly awaits the time when it will be freed from its captivity of death and decay. This takes place when the children of God are brought into the eternal glory that God has prepared for them. The Revelation of John is the final chapter in God’s eternal plan for his children. It brings us full circle to the original intent of God in his creation of all that is.
 
Epilogue
Verses 6–21 of chapter 22 form the Epilogue of the book of Revelation. 
Vs 6 - 10
Vs 6: The angel verifies that this revelation is authentic throughout the whole vision. These words that relate the visions are trustworthy and true. The angel confirms that he was sent by God to show John all the things that must come to pass.
 
Vs 7: The speaker is now Jesus, and he informs the reader that he is coming soon.  He announces a blessing to those who stand fast in the great persecution about to break upon the church. They are those who keep the prophetic commands of the book.
 
Vs 8 – 9:  John now attests that he has heard and seen all the things that are recorded in the book.  John once again falls to worship the angel but is prevented from carrying out his intention by the angel, who explains that he is a fellow servant with John, the other prophets, and those who keep the words of the book.  The angel’s urging, “Worship God!” puts in the most concise form of the theme of the book of Revelation.
 
Vs 10:  The angel now tells him that it is important is that the visions should not be sealed up and all that John has seen is prophetic and should be shared, heard, and understood.  Since “the time is near,” the message of judgment and hope is to be proclaimed among the churches.
 
Vs 11 – 22: Jesus announces again that he is coming soon and when he comes, he will bring rewards to repay the deeds of the people. 
 
The chapter closes out with another blessing to those who remained faithful to God during this time as they will have access to the eternal city.  Those who denied him will be left and thrown outside the gates with the dogs.
 
The revelation concludes with a stark warning against adding to or taking away from this message. This warning is not addressed to scribes who might be tempted to corrupt the text (but to “everyone who hears,” (the members of the seven churches of Asia) where the book was to be read aloud. The caution is against malicious alteration of the message.
 
The Apocalypse closes with Christ speaking again and informing everyone that he is coming soon to which John says, Yes Lord come soon.
 
Conclusion
The apocalypse or Revelation is now complete. It is intended to inform the readers of the day (and for us) that God is and remains sovereign, and his eternal plan will come to fruition. However, until that time there will be aggression and resistance, but it all must come to pass. People will be faced with the choice of pledging their allegiance to the beast or to the Lamb. Those who choose the mark of the beast will eventually share the same fate. The great city Babylon will fall. Those who choose to follow the Lamb, will be brought into eternal fellowship with God in the city of New Jerusalem. The end has been explained to the recipients of Revelation. Believers are encouraged to remain faithful and wait eagerly for the return of Christ, who will forever destroy evil and bring in the eternal state of blessedness.


[1] Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), Re 4:11.

​Introduction
There have been times in my life where I have had an overwhelming sense of God’s presence.  These encounters are vivid, life-changing, and transformative.  There are at least three times that I can recall when my surroundings faded away and I sensed the presence of God.
 
My first occurrence was in Bible College.  I was in a Chapel service, and one specific evening I was feeling convicted that I had allowed pride to creep into my life.  I was not only convicted of pride, but I also had a conviction of unrepented sin in my life.  I began praying as the music played and I prayed for brokenness and repentance.  I prayed… and I prayed… and I prayed...  Suddenly the music of the praise band started to fade in my mind, and I had a sense that I was alone in the presence of God.  I spent what felt like a lapse of time in the presence of God repenting and crying over my sinfulness.  It was beautiful, it was transformative, and it was scary but freeing.
 
The second time was at a staff meeting at a church in Erie, PA. Every Monday the Pastoral staff would gather for lunch.  We would eat, talk, and pray together.  One afternoon when we had finished our lunches, we entered a time prayer like we always did; except this time nobody started with prayer.  We were silent for a few moments. At first it felt a bit awkward.  Then a few seconds turned into minutes and minutes turned into about a half an hour.  We were in complete silence. I prayed and sought God and his plan for my life, ministry, and family.  I cannot begin to explain this time in the holy presence of God.  When we ended, we all just looked at each other and didn’t really say much to each other but we all knew that we had spent time in the presence of the King.  It was refreshing.  
 
The third time was at my friend Thom Potts’ funeral service.  It may sound strange to have an encounter with God at a funeral, but it was a funeral like I had never attended before.  The service began with a time of praise and worship.  As soon as the few men began playing the songs the presence of God was sensed by us all.  Carrie and I both recall the amazing time of worship we experienced.  In our time of grief and celebration Jesus showed up and ministered to us all.
 
Encounters with God are special, life changing, and transformative for individuals who enter the presence of God almighty. Today we will look at an encounter the Apostle John had with Jesus Christ that not only changed his life but changed the face of Christianity.  
 
Revelation
Today and the next couple of weeks we will spend in the book of Revelation. This letter is full of symbolism, visions, and strange occurrences (i.e., multi-headed beasts emerging from the sea, stinging locusts, false prophets, and angels).   

• Thus, it is not surprising that Revelation can be interpreted in differing ways.
• Since it was written at a specific time for the persecuted church we can assume that the recipients of the letter understood the central message without much difficulty. 

1. Title – Revelation (or the Apocalypse): The supernatural unveiling of what is about to take place.  The book of Revelation belongs to a class of literature referred to as apocalyptic.  Many consider Revelation to be the NT counterpart to the OT apocalyptic book of Daniel. 
2. Date – Written between AD 64 (persecution under Nero), and AD 70 (the fall of Jerusalem).
3. Author – John the Apostle, the beloved disciple of Jesus.  He is banished to the island of Patmos “on account of the of the word of the Lord.”  
4. Purpose – It was written as a testimony of God’s plan in Christ for his world, and to disclose by a series of a series of visions the fulfilment of his salvific purposes, through his judgment, both in history and in eternity.
   • The background is one of conflict between the demands of a totalitarian secular power (Rome) and allegiance to the Christian faith (Jesus).
   • The author writes to encourage to be steadfast in faith and endure hardships of persecution.
   • John encouraged the believers to direct their faith and hope towards the worship of Jesus Christ and not of Caesar even if it leads to martyrdom.
5. Audience – It is commonly held that this letter was written to congregations in Asia Minor, and the church in general because the church was facing persecution and oppression.

Prologue
Revelation 1:1 – 3
Vs. 1: “This is a Revelation of Jesus Christ” – The Greek word for Revelation is “apocalypse” means unveiling, more specifically unveiling of something that was once hidden.  This means that this is a revelation given to John by Jesus as the Father revealed it to Him.
 
“the events that must soon take place.” – History is not a random sequence of unrelated events, but divinely orchestrated events that must come to pass.  Now, many have an issue with the word, “shortly” or “soon to take place”.  According to theologian Robert Mounce, “One solution is to understand ‘shortly’ in the sense of suddenly, or without delay once the appointed time comes.” (Mounce p. 65). However, some also believe that John is speaking of the persecution of the church that did, in fact, take place shortly.  And some hold to taking the word in a straightforward sense.  This means that in the prophetic or futuristic view of the word, the end is always impending or imminent.
 
Vs 3: “God blesses the one who reads…” A blessing is pronounced on those who read this letter.  Not only to those who read it, but those who read it aloud.  Reading scripture aloud publicly was a Jewish practice.  At first, someone from the congregation was chosen to read and this person probably had proficiency in the art of reading.  The ability to read well was not something that was a common trait.  The position of Scripture reader became an official office in the early church. 
 
“the words of this prophecy…” We also understand that John sees this work as prophetic literature that on par with the OT prophetic books thus possessing an authority which required the obedient response of all believers.
 
“he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says…” Not only are those blessed who read it, but also to those who both hear (by faith) and keep (obedience) to all that is written in the letter
 
Revelation 1:4 - 9
Verse 4: “Seven Churches in the province of Asia” – Normally the NT refers to Asia as the Roman province that is known as Asia Minor or as it is known as modern day Turkey. It is not clear why Revelation is addressed to these seven churches.  There were other churches in Asia Minor other than the seven mentioned here and they are of equal importance. 
 
One of the reasons it is believed that the letter was written to seven churches is because the number seven represents completeness.  In Judaism seven has a specific significance because of the Sabbath.
 
“Grace to you and peace from him who is, who always was, and who is still to come.”  Grace and peace come from a threefold source…. “who was, who is, and who is to come.”  John paraphrases the divine to remind his readers that God is eternally existent… He has no beginning or end.  It is written at an appropriate time where the church was in the shadow of impending persecution.  The future is uncertain, so they needed to have hope in the one who is sovereign over all humanity.
 
“Sevenfold Spirit…”  Some interpret this to represent the complete manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s being.  Some see this as a reference to the seven archangels of Jewish Tradition.   In Enoch 20:1 – 8 these angels are named Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Saraqael, Gabriel, and Remiel.   However, this is unlikely since it would be a strange intrusion of Jewish tradition into Christian thought.  There is uncertainty as to what these seven angels represent conclusively but we can deduce that they are part of a heavenly entourage that has a special ministry in connection to Christ. 
 
Verse 5:  Grace and peace proceed from the eternal God, the seven Spirits, and from Jesus Christ who has the threefold title of …

1. “faithful witness” – Jesus bears witness to the truth. From God.  
   1. Witness – Gk “martys” – where we get the English word martyr, which means one who has suffered death because of allegiance to a cause.  Through Jesus’s death he showed himself to be a faithful witness to the truth of God.
2. “risen from the dead” – Since Jesus, the faithful witness resulted in a martyr’s death, the result is him being the firstborn from the dead (resurrection)
3. “the ruler of all the kings of the world” – Vindicated by the resurrection, he is thus acknowledged as supreme leader.

Once again, the threefold title was intended to encourage and sustain believers about to enter severe persecution.  They are reminded of the death, resurrection, and supreme victory of Jesus.
 
Verse 7:  cf. Daniel 7:13 & Zech. 12:10. Jesus will be returning as the victorious Christ and when HE returns his sovereignty will be openly manifested “every eye will see him, even those who pierce him…” The wailing will not be the same as in Zech. Instead, it will be a wailing because of impending judgment.
 
Verse 8: “Alpha and Omega…”  This represents the Hebrew Aleph, and Tau, which is regarded not only as the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet, but also including all letters in between.  Thus, God is the sovereign Lord of all human history.  As the sovereign Lord he is the “the Almighty”.
 
Verse 9:  The Apostle John writes this letter from the island of Patmos.  It was a rocky island located in the Aegean Sea.  It was an exile island where people were sent who banished for religious or political reasons.  The Apostle John tells us he was sent there for preaching the Gospel.
 
Revelation 1:10 - 16
Verse 10 - 11: “It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit.”– Some have suggested “In the Spirit” meant that John was taken from the Island of Patmos and transferred to the throne room of Heaven (we see this in Chapter 4).  Others suggest and probably more rightly that John was in a trance like state, or he had a holy vision or revelation.  
 
Early Christians recognized Sunday as the day Jesus rose from the dead thus the Lord’s Day was recognized as Sunday.  Pagans would also set aside a day to honor the emperor, and in response Christians chose the first day of the week to honor Christ.[i]   
 
John hears a loud thunderous voice telling him to write down what he is told and send it to the seven churches.  
 
Verse 12 – 16:  John turns around to see the person who is speaking to him, and I am certain he is not prepared for what he is about to see.  
 
In the next few verses John gives the reader a vivid description of the risen and glorious savior.  These verses are filled with symbolism and give us a glimpse of our Savior in his full glory in the heavenly places.
 
The number 7:  The number seven is significant in this passage and in the Bible for that matter.  In this passage there are seven lamp stands, churches, stars, and angels.  Seven is the number of completeness.  This is something we should keep in our minds as we continue along.

• Seven Lamp Stands represent the seven churches.  This represents or is symbolic of the complete church.  The Church universal (thus this letter is certainly applicable to the church today).
• Amid the lamp stands is Jesus.  This is very significant.  It tells us the presence of Christ is in the ancient church and he is in the center of the church today regardless of the state the church may be in.  
• Clothed in a long robe – This points to the priestly character of Jesus.  He is our high priest who makes intercession for us.
• White hair – Purity
• Eyes of fire – Eyes that penetrate and burn to the heart and is the one who judges.
• Feet of bronze – Strength and stability.  Jesus is our fortress and our solid foundation who will not be moved.
• Voice of rushing waters – The mighty and powerful voice of God.
• The seven stars – The seven angels of the Churches.
• The double-edged sword – The power of his word (Hebrews 4:12)
• His shining face – The shekinah glory of God

 
Revelation 1:7 - 20
Verse 17:  John’s response was no different than yours or mine would be if we encountered Jesus in His full glory.  He falls at Jesus’ feet as if dead.  In fact, his response is similar to the reactions of Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel when they had visions of Jesus as well.  
 
Verses 17b – 20:  Jesus reassures John.  “Do not be afraid…” These are words Jesus uses repeatedly to comfort his people.  We must remember John was living in a time of persecution and it was going to get worse, and Jesus tells him not to be afraid.  He comforts John and restores his confidence so he can hear the words that he is about to speak.  He assures him that he is the one who was at the beginning, has no end; and he has conquered death.  He lived, he died, and he rose from the dead.  He holds the key to death and Hades which means he has the power over death and Hades and the Bible is clear that this power belongs to God and God alone. 
 
John is then commanded to write down the things he has seen (the vision of Jesus), the things he is about to hear (the letters to the church) and the things that take place after this (the future and heavenly glories). 
 
Conclusion/Application
So how does all this translate for us today?  For starters it should stir up in us a sense of awe and wonder because of the greatness of our savior.  It should pique interest in what Jesus has to say to the Church.  On a personal level it should speak to you about the magnificence of Jesus.  In Revelation we see He is sovereign over the world.  He is present in the Church today.  He is our high priest who makes intercession for us.  He is our judge.  He is the head of the Church.  He is pure.  His Word is powerful.  He has all power and authority over death and Hades.  He was once dead but is now alive.  He is the King who is seated on the throne in heaven.  If you skip ahead and read the conclusion, you will see Jesus is victorious over evil and because of this we are as well.
 

[i] The New International Commentary on the New Testament: Revelation (1977) Mounce, Robert:  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdman’s Publishing.  P. 76