I Am the Living One

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

I Am the Living One

Date: Oct. 22, 2018

Passage

Revelation 1:9-20 (ESV)

9 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.”

12 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.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 1:18

and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

1. John's vision of a son of man (9-16)

John was sharing in the suffering of churches, in prison on Patmos. In worship on the Lord's Day, he heard and saw a glorious vision, which was to be written and shared with seven named churches. He saw one like a son of man among 7 lampstands. His image was hard to describe. The adjectives reveal his glory: blazing, glowing, rushing, shining. His voice and mouth were important as John listened. Jesus revealed himself to John at that lowest point.

2. The Living Jesus and seven stars (17-20)

John fell down as dead in fear. But this glorious one, Jesus, who was dead, and is now alive forever, is eternally victorious over death. So we need not fear any more. The lampstands he walked amongst were the churches, and the stars his messengers. Seven represents the whole, meaning our Living Jesus is among his church always, and he has a message for us in his right hand.

Prayer: Prayer: Father, help me worship Jesus each Lord's day with this glorious vision of Jesus in mind.

One Word: Living Jesus is with me today

The Coming of the Destroyer

Revelation 9:1-21

Key Verse: 9:4

They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Today's Question

What does the second commandment require?

See answer and references