Revelation study #8

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October 12, 2011 -A STUDY OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION- (8)
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Continuing our series of lessons....through the book of Revelation:
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LETS GO TO....... Revelation 1:9,10
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Tonight’s passage....is getting us ready for John’s first big vision!
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V.9A “I John,”
-AN INTRODUCTION.....TO JOHN’S FIRST VISION–
(The first 8 verses were an introduction to this book
And verses 9-11 being an introduction to John’s first vision:
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John.....doesn’t actually see anything:
Until verse 12
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V.9B “who also am your brother,”
-A SPECIAL CHARACTERISTIC....THE LORD IS LOOKING FOR-
(In those.....who He chooses to use
“Great humility”:
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So that God.....would get the Glory!
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Regardless of Johns...exalted position:
In the fact....that He is being used by God:
To write God’s Word:
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He still sees himself.....as just a “brother”!
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V.9C “and companion in tribulation,”
-THE LIFE.....THAT EVERY ONE OF US SHARES-
(A life of tribulation
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Even though we are “God’s people”:
In a lost and dying world:
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We are allowed to suffer...more...than average people do!
Qt. 2 Timothy 3:12
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
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V.9D “and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ,”
-THE TRUE CITIZENSHIP......OF EVERY CHRISTIAN-
(We are citizens...in the kingdom of God
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And here it’s called....
“...the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ”
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-THE PATIENCE.....ALL OF US LEARN FROM OUR LORD-
Jesus.....patiently endured His Cross:
Keeping His eye on the prize:
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Just as we....learn to endure anything:
With an eye....on the next life:
Because we know it’s coming!
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V.9E “was in the isle that is called Patmos,”
-JOHN’S PERSONAL EXPERIENCE....WITH PERSECUTION-
(Being banish to a deserted island to die
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Which just goes to show:
You can’t get a Christian down:
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They can still....be used by God:
Even when there’s no one around....to preach to!
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-THE TWO REASONS.....JOHN WAS PUT ON THIS ISLAND-
(Had to do....with the two enemies he had
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➀ His religious enemies:
Who wanted.....their own kind of Christianity:
And rejected.....John’s “extreme” views!
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➁ His Christ rejecting enemies:
Who openly....hated the Lord:
And didn’t want to hear about Him!
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V.9F “for the word of God,”
-THE FIRST REASON.....FOR JOHN’S BANISHMENT-
(For His stand....on the Word of God
As being exactly....what it claims to be:
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-AN ISSUE YOU WOULDN’T THINK.....WOULD CAUSE ANY TROUBLE-
Why should it bother....anybody else:
If we believe...God’s Word to be perfect?
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-THE ANSWER......TO THIS QUESTION-
It bothers them because:
They don’t like....the authority it represents!
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Because they want their “theories”...to stand:
But a perfect copy of God’s Word:
Blows their theories....out of the water!
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V.9G “and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
-THE SECOND REASON.....FOR JOHN’S BANISHMENT-
(Because of the Gospel....he preached
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Which “boldly”....informed the world:
That the cause....of all of their problems:
Was their rejection....of Jesus Christ!
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V.10A “I was in the Spirit”
-THE SECRET HIDING PLACE....EVERY CHRISTIAN HAS-
(Where we can find...rest and peace
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Note: It’s not that we ever....have to hide:
From the world....or life’s problems:
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But...it’s a place where we can go:
To get our heads back on straight:
When the world....starts to get us down!
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-WHY WE WILL NEED.....OUR HEADS TO BE PUT BACK ON STRAIGHT-
Because we sometimes forget.....who we are:
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➀And that God....is still on His throne:
➁And that He....is in complete control:
➂And that we don’t have a thing to worry about!
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-“NOT” HAVING ACCESS TO.........THIS PLACE OF REST-
Not every Christian....is going to find this place:
Because it requires... “commitment” to enter:
See Hebrews 3:10-11
V.10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in [their] heart; and they have not known my ways.
V.11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
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Rebellious Christians....will never find it:
Until they repent of their rebellion!
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V.10B “on the Lord’s day,”
-HERE THE LORD....SETS SUNDAY APART FROM SATURDAY-
(As the day....we assemble in public worship
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It is obvious from Scripture....that Christians:
Were already....worshiping on Sunday:
In celebration of the resurrection;
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But this....further establishes it!
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V.10C “and heard behind me a great voice,”
-AN EXPERIENCE....THAT JOHN MIGHT HAVE EXPECTED-
(Hearing someone’s voice....behind him
Even though he was totally alone on this island;
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Because after all....he was “in the Spirit”:
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When we are “walking in the Spirit”:
It’s almost like.... “Anything can happen”!
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-THE WONDERFUL CLUES.....WE GET FROM GOD’S WORD-
(That point to....our Lord Jesus Christ
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Qt. Genesis 3:8 "And they heard the voice
of the LORD God walking in the garden....
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& V.12 “And I turned to see the voice”
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Jesus is Gods Word...that was made flesh!
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V.10D “as of a trumpet,”
-A MESSAGE.....THE LORD WANTED JOHN TO GET-
(So He spoke to him....loud and clear
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This is what it meant....by it being like a trumpet!
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But let us compare....Revelation 4:1A
“After this I looked, and, behold, a door [was] opened in heaven:
and the first voice which I heard [was] as it were of a trumpet talking with me;
which said, Come up hither,.....”
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One of these days...we are going to hear a trumpet:
Saying.....“Come up hither”!
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Note: An interesting point:
In Chapter’s 2 & 3, is all about the Church:
(Over and over again
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But after Revelation 4:1, you never see the Church(on Earth), again:
Because it was “caught up”!
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