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May we not live in temptation and worry, and may we be able to offer thanks before God without asking too much, and may we not be made poor. >> Amen. >> I pray in Jesus' name. >> Amen. >> Amen. >> Today, the word of God we want to look at together is Revelation 1:9-17. Revelation 1 Let us read the verses from 9 to 17 together.

I, John, am your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus. I was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 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." Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 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. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 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. 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, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. 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." Amen.

Please be seated. Everyone, the Apostle John, as you all know, was a martyr during a time of tribulation and persecution and also a prominent leader of the early church. He was the last of the twelve disciples of Jesus. The Apostle John can be said to represent the spirituality, intellect, and reason of the early church. He was an elder who represented the early church and seemed to be responsible for it. However, the Apostle John is now suffering on the island of Patmos. The church is in decline, and so Jesus shows the Apostle John a vision of what is to come. Through the vision he discovered in today's text, even in what seems to be a situation where no one is left, Jesus provides answers about what ministry He is performing and what He is doing in a situation where no one remains. Today, I hope that all the members of our Dream Church can discover the vision that John saw and find Christ who works within the church. >> Amen.

Introduction of John

Let us look at verse 9. "I, John, am your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus." John refers to himself as a brother. What kind of person was John originally? He was the disciple who received the most love from Jesus among the twelve disciples, and he confessed this without hesitation. Among the twelve disciples, he was the youngest but received the most recognition from the Lord. Therefore, the Apostle John is an influential leader who could represent the early church and is introduced as the only witness who witnessed Jesus Christ among those who remain. Despite being someone who seems to be far above us, he introduces himself as your brother. He is nearly 90 years old at this time. Just looking at the fruits of influence he had on the early church, he would have earned respect and honor perhaps even more than the current Pope of the Catholic Church. Yet, the Apostle John humbly introduces himself as your brother.

What do you think when you hear the word brother? Even in a small church, when someone becomes a pastor or a deacon, they introduce themselves as such. However, the Apostle John introduces himself to the saints as your brother. One of the reasons I really like the denomination we belong to is that when pastors gather, they refer to each other as Brother Kim. Brother Kim. This is quite acceptable in American conferences, but when I go to a Korean conference and call another pastor Brother Kim, it feels awkward. It really feels awkward. And some saints next to that pastor might say, "That person is not a brother; he is our church's pastor." They say this as if to question me. You see, it's not just pastors; when deacons or sisters introduce themselves, they might say, "I am not a sister; I am a deacon." In this culture of face-saving, we fail to understand the beauty of the name brother. We also find it difficult to grasp the meaning of the name sister. Why do we become brothers when we have different mothers and fathers? It is because, through the blood of Jesus Christ and by the conception of the Holy Spirit, we have become the same children of God. >> Amen. >> Amen. >> We want to recognize that we are brothers and sisters conceived by the blood of Jesus and the help of the Holy Spirit. >> Amen.

The time when the Apostle John was active was under a secular Roman emperor, and there was a strict class system, wasn't there? Below the emperor, there was the Senate, which corresponds to the upper house, and below that, there was another class system called the magistrate. In such a classist society, it was Christianity that first proclaimed equality through Christ, making everyone equal, whether they were sinners or slaves. Therefore, the church is where we are all one brother in Jesus. >> But aren't you trying to revert to the secular Roman Senate and magistrate system? Even though we are all equal before God, and we are all forgiven sinners, some act as if they are the highest authority, like the end of the Senate. If not that, they create authority structures like the magistrate below them. You see, we are brothers. And because we are brothers, John introduces himself as one who participates in the tribulation, kingdom, and endurance of Jesus. I cannot just watch my brothers suffer. Like all the early church believers who were suffering persecution under Emperor Domitian, the Apostle John confesses that he too was a partner in tribulation, kingdom, and endurance.

And the reason they suffered tribulation was not because they stole or committed robbery, but because they testified to the word of God and Jesus. He participated in the ministry of preaching the gospel and suffered tribulation along with many saints, and at the time of writing Revelation, he was imprisoned on the island of Patmos. I would like to visit there. Patmos is one of the 50 islands in the Mediterranean. Just like the United States imprisoned Islamic terrorists on the island near Guantanamo, Rome also made Patmos a notorious prison for political prisoners and Christians, equipped with conditions suitable for confinement. Once you enter there, you cannot come out alone. It is about 45 miles from Ephesus, like a Roman place of exile. Exile, like Korea's Chuja Island or Jeju Island. However, the Apostle John mentions three commonalities that we, as brothers and saints, share: we have participated in tribulation, kingdom, and endurance. This kingdom is participation in the kingdom of God, and we suffer tribulation for God, and we participate in endurance for God. In particular, he is waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ as King in the kingdom of God, and we are enduring even in tribulation.

Why did he introduce himself this way? Because many people in the early church, who were enduring tribulation, could not withstand the tribulation, kingdom, and endurance and returned to the world. Many began to appear in the early church who denied their faith and said they did not know Jesus. In this situation, John is saying, "No, I am still one who endures tribulation, kingdom, and endurance, and I am your partner and brother." The reason he could say this today is that John's humility comes from the vision he saw, discovering where Christ is even in the midst of the church's situation.

In the time of persecution, the Lord is coming soon. So the disciples thought He would come while they were still alive. Among the twelve disciples, eleven have already gone to heaven. The only one remaining is John. Even though the church is in such difficulty and suffering, Jesus has come. The kingdom of the Lord is coming, and even in the midst of the increasing persecution by the Roman emperor, the Apostle John sees a vivid vision of Christ, showing what He is doing even now. Even in this time when the church is declining, and pastors are decreasing, and people are reluctant to come to church, we need today's vision.

On the Lord's Day

Let us look at verse 10. "On the Lord's day, I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 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.'" What is the Lord's day? We usually refer to the Lord's day as Sunday, like today. Why is attending church on Sunday important? It is precisely on that Lord's day that the Lord shows visions and tribulations. Do not take the Lord's day lightly. >> On the day Jesus rose, He witnessed a great vision with a loud voice through the Spirit. Notably, he is recording not the past Lord's day but the present Lord's day. I believe that this Revelation 1 given to us today is not just a message from the past for the early church believers who read this letter 2,000 years ago but a current message for us living today. >> Amen.

On the Lord's day, I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches." You are to send what you have seen to the seven churches in Asia. The seven churches were not the only ones in Asia. The recipients of Revelation, the seven churches, do not only refer to the seven churches in Asia. At that time, there were many churches in Asia besides the seven churches, and particularly the number seven symbolizes completeness, representing God's sufficient message, a perfect message, and thus God's revelation. These seven churches represent all churches, and through these influential seven churches that can represent the early church, God's current message is being delivered.

What is amazing is that from the island of Patmos, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea form a path for evangelism, like a pilgrimage route. If given the opportunity, I would like to follow this route and see these seven churches starting from Patmos. This special message given to John is God's perfect message for us today. The voice of Christ is pouring out a vision along with the church. This is because there is an inseparable relationship between Christ and the church. The church is not just any organization in the world. It is not a human-made organization or structure. The church is the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, and we are ambassadors of Christ, belonging to Christ, who purchased the church with His precious blood. >> Amen.

Jesus cherishes the church very much. Just as He loved the church, He desires for the church to be sanctified in His name, to be made whole, to grow, and to mature. Jesus Christ is still the master of church ministry. He continues to teach us the mature attitude of learning about the right church. Everyone, in the time of the early church, it seemed like Jesus was not present, and it seemed like He was doing nothing. But what is Jesus doing for the church now? First, Jesus gives strength and power to the church. Let us look at verses 12 and 13. "Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 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."

When John saw the seven lampstands, Jesus was among the lampstands. The term "son of man" does not refer to our son-in-law but to the Son of Man. Yes, the Son of Man. This expression refers to Jesus. Although Jesus has died and risen again, He is not doing nothing; He is still walking among the seven golden lampstands, working within them. The lampstands represent the church, and the church is established to spread the light of Christ in that region. The lampstands are like Jesus carrying them around, shining light into the darkness, seeking lost souls from the established places. >> Amen.

All the labor, endurance, service, and ministry of the saints working within the church ultimately testify to the light of Christ's glory, the light of the gospel, that we are hoping for. The golden lampstand, you see, was the most precious metal at that time, wasn't it? Like the most precious metal, the church is the most precious creation and shining body to Jesus. The saints within the church are shining the light of the gospel in the world, and you and I are precious beings before God, like gold. God cherishes the church. That is why He established the church with His precious blood. >> Amen.

The Apostle John saw Jesus Christ shining even brighter among the seven golden lampstands. When we are persecuted and suffer tribulation, the Lord does not remain silent; rather, He is still working among us. As their light shines brighter, just as our faith shines like jewels the more darkness prevails, the Lord continues to give us strength and power. >> Amen.

Furthermore, Jesus is still receiving glory and honor among the churches. Jesus has given us a promise: "I am with you always, to the end of the age." This promise is found in Matthew 28:20. But Lord, is it true that You are with us? It does not feel like it. Why do we not feel it? Because you go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. It is because we do not maintain the presence of Christ in the church, we do not go out to make disciples, we do not baptize, and we do not teach and observe. That is why the Apostle Paul says in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." You see, Jesus is with the church. >> Amen. >> Amen. >> Amen.

Jesus is still the owner of the church and all that belongs to the church. >> The reason we live, the reason our church lives, is not because we have smart talents or powerful wealthy people or authorities among us, but because our Lord is still leading us, shining light upon us, and being our strength and power. >> Amen. He walks among the lampstands, and I believe He has given us the power, strength, and leadership of the gospel to shine the light. >> Amen.

mindmap
  root(("Jesus is still working for the church"))
    ("Introduction of John")
      ("Revelation 1:9")
    ("On the Lord's Day")
      ("Revelation 1:10")
    ("Jesus' Prayer")
      ("Hebrews 4:14")
    ("Jesus Purifying the Church")
      ("Revelation 1:14")
    ("The Words of Jesus")
      ("Revelation 1:16")

Jesus Prays

Secondly, Jesus prays for the church. >> Amen. >> When we are in tribulation, Lord, what were You doing? You were praying. In today's text, we see in verse 13, "clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest." This is how Jesus is witnessed. The one who wears a robe that reaches to the feet is only a king and a prophet. Kings and princes wore these robes to flaunt their royal authority, and prophets wore them to symbolize that they were messengers from God. But today, Jesus is doing something beyond that of a king and prophet; He is also our High Priest. The one who wears the golden sash around His chest, Jesus Christ, is the High Priest for the people of Israel and for all redeemed saints, praying on our behalf and for the church. In Hebrews 2:17 and 4:14, we have a High Priest, namely Jesus Christ. He is atoning for the sins of the people. Even now, the Lord, who is clothed in the priestly garment, walks among the church and prays. Even if the prayers of the church cease, the prayers of Jesus for the church continue. >> Amen. Even if the prayers of the saints are weak, the intercessory prayers of Jesus among us continue. The Lord has made our church a lampstand, and He is still praying for us to obey God's will. The blessed thoughts we have are the results achieved through the Lord's prayer. Intercessory prayer is our participation in the groaning prayers of the Holy Spirit and Jesus for us. Lord, what prayers are You praying for our Dream Church? Jesus, I want to participate in the prayers You are praying for us. >> Amen.

When we pray, we often think that if we gather a lot of people and pray, the Lord will listen to us because we have gathered many. But that is not the case. In a cartoon, a character named Charlie tells his friends, "When I shoot an arrow, I always hit the bullseye." His friends ask him, "How can you hit the bullseye when you have never learned to shoot?" He explains, "First, I shoot the arrow, and then I draw the target around it with 10 points, 9 points, 8 points." Ultimately, intercessory prayer is not about creating a target where you want it to be and marking it with 10 points and 9 points. It is about participating in the prayers of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, who are praying for us even now. >> Amen. >> Jesus prays for us. >> Amen.

Jesus Cleanses the Church

Thirdly, Jesus cleanses the church. Let us look at verse 14. "The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire." Jesus does not want His body, the church, to be defiled or dominated by other purposes and reasons. He does not allow it. If the church is unclean, He desires to cleanse it sometimes through discipline. Cleansing means that there are no spots or blemishes, ultimately governing His body to be pure. The one who desires the bride to be holy and pure the most is the bridegroom. The bridegroom, Jesus, does not want His bride, the church, to be reproached or slandered by the world. The term "to cleanse" means that He helps us maintain a state where we are not blamed by the world or people.

Today, this world tries to say that drugs are okay to some extent. In this liberal world, they say that as long as you do not go overboard with things like smoking and gambling, it is fine. But if I were to do it, would you allow it? No, right? If the church is reproached by someone, it should not do that. This is the freedom we find in Christ and the freedom of the church. I can do it, but I resolve not to do it for the sake of Christ. The suffering and disgrace that saints endure in the world also reflect the suffering and disgrace of the church. Jesus knows all the sins of the church and its shortcomings. However, He does not leave the church's defilement as it is. In verse 14, "The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire." With His fiery eyes, like laser eyes, He reveals the sins of the saints and the shortcomings of the church, leading them to repentance and the path of forgiveness.

And let us look at verse 15. "His feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace." The feet that are like burnished bronze, like the red-hot bronze just out of the furnace, signify that we will feel fear. What does this mean? When we are lacking before the Lord, when there is sin, we will stand before the judgment seat of Jesus, who is the judge, with those fiery feet. Although He walks among the seven churches now, later, He will stand before us as the judge, the authority of the church, the king, and the adjudicator. Therefore, we will realize our wrong actions, words, and thoughts before Him. And there will be times when we stand before Jesus with great shame and fear. Today, let us remember the Lord who cleanses us. >> Amen.

If we are believers in Jesus, we cannot continue to repeat and commit sins. Even now, the church leaders and the lives of the saints are being watched by His fiery eyes. And that Jesus desires to wash away our sins and grant us forgiveness. What must we do? We must confess and repent. If we do not, what will happen? In 1 Peter 4:17, it says, "For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" Judgment will not start with the world but will begin at the house of God. Perhaps I will be the first to be changed. There are many things in our church that may not please God's heart. Moreover, this is why we must not forget to have a reverent heart toward God. The church does not leave the dirty and ugly things as they are. That is why Ananias and Sapphira were killed in the early church, and among the saints of the Corinthian church, some were sick and some had died even after being saved. Therefore, we must silence our voices and pray in silence before God, saying, "Lord, have mercy on us." >> In the church, we should not act like elders. The standards of the world are different. The voice in the church should only be the voice of the Lord, and the authority of the church is not the pastor but the Lord. >> It is not the saints either. It is the Lord. >> Amen.

God has allowed the church in the world, but He observes the church with fiery eyes and the feet of bronze, and later, He will judge it. The Lord is still cleansing the church and watching over it with fiery eyes.

Jesus' Words

Fourthly, what is the Lord doing? Let us look at verse 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." The seven stars are in His right hand. Jesus holds the messengers He has established and decides the words to be proclaimed. Among scholars, there are various interpretations regarding the seven stars. Some argue that the seven stars are angels, while others claim they are messengers, and some scholars believe they are pastors. Most scholars believe that if the seven lampstands are the churches, then the seven stars are the leaders established in the church, namely the pastors. Ultimately, the pastor is a servant of the Lord and is created by His hand. In the end, the Lord controls and governs the church leaders. The Lord decides and governs the pastors, reminding them of the words He wants to give and making them proclaim those words.

Some churches believe that they choose their pastors and make decisions, but the one who determines the words to be proclaimed is not the pastor or the congregation but Jesus. >> Amen. The one who proclaims the words is ultimately held in the hand of Jesus. >> In today's text, we see that the voice of the Lord is loud and clear, like the sound of many waters. The message of the words to be proclaimed is being clearly delivered and governed. The voice of many waters is like the majestic sound of a waterfall that we cannot deny; the clear message and voice of the Lord are being conveyed to us. No, I did not hear it then. I did not hear it well at that time. It is all heard. The message in our hearts is directed at us. However, if that message is not conveyed, then today's sermon, today's message, is nothing to be gained. It is because the star has lost its light or is a dead star. A church leader must know that he is held in the hand of the Lord and must deliver a message that does not compromise. That is why if ministry is treated as a profession rather than a calling, it becomes a tragedy of being a hireling, and the pastor must proclaim only the word of God, only the message of Jesus Christ. >> Amen.

The relationship between the seven lampstands and the seven stars is truly important. The church that is the first lampstand may seem to be the one the Lord has used throughout history, but in reality, it is the stars that He has used. You may remember the 18th-century pastor Jonathan Edwards, but does anyone remember which church he pastored? In the 19th and 20th centuries, do you know the church where Charles Spurgeon served? The same goes for Billy Graham and John Wesley. History remembers the names of the stars more than the names of the churches. Therefore, the lampstand lives or dies according to the star. The pastor is therefore as important as the name of the church. It is not the person that is important, but the gospel message delivered through that person. That gospel message must be heard as the voice of the Lord so that you and I may live. >> Amen. >> Amen.

Therefore, we must pray for our pastors. It is not just for them to live well and be healthy, but that the message to be proclaimed through our pastor's lips may be heard. >> Amen. When you move or change places, you should ask, "Pastor, please introduce me to a good church." So the question has changed. "Please pray that I can meet a good pastor." This should be the first thing, so that there you can also hear God's message. >> Amen.

Finally, Jesus protects the church. In verse 16, it says, "From his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword." Why does the sword come out? It is to fight against the adversaries who try to destroy the church. The Lord's words are the sword that protects the church. >> Amen. This does not only refer to the fight against adversaries from outside. The sharp two-edged sword is the most fearsome weapon, representing the fight against all enemies from both outside and inside. Jesus has already established the church, and it is not just a peaceful church. In Matthew 16:18, it says, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The gates of hell challenge the church, fighting against it, and they are still attacking. However, the reason they cannot prevail is that the Lord is protecting and guarding the church with the sword that comes from His mouth. >> Amen.

The Lord actively fights against those who threaten the church and the saints and against all teachings that corrupt the church. In Revelation 2:16, it says, "Repent; if not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth." Again, the term "the sword of my mouth" appears. This time, who is He going to fight against? Against the saints who do not repent. Isn't this a fearful voice? Therefore, Jesus shows that His face shines like the sun in the church. Jesus continues to give power and strength to the church, intercedes for the church, cleanses the church, establishes His great words, and protects the church with the sharp two-edged sword, revealing His glorious face to the church. >> Amen.

Today, this is the glory of Jesus that John saw. John, who thought Jesus had abandoned him in tribulation, now sees the ministry of Jesus among the church and realizes, "I was wrong. Jesus is not absent; He is still walking among the churches and performing these great works." I thought I was an elder of the early church, that I was the one who built the church, but in the eyes of the Lord, my contributions to the church were nothing. That is why he fell down when he saw the vision of the Lord. No, he could not help but fall down. The one who works and acts in our Dream Church is not us. It is the Lord. >> Amen.

Therefore, the pastor can disappear without any merit. If he has fulfilled his mission as a pastor, that is the end of his mission. And after that, we pray for the messenger to deliver the message. We are nothing. We simply thank God for being alive today and for the opportunity to be used today, giving glory to God. >> Amen.

The important thing is that the church is where the Lord works. >> Amen. The church is accomplished in the plan of the Lord, in the will of the Lord, and by the power of the Lord. >> Amen. The vision that knocked down the Apostle John will also bring all the members of our Dream Church to their knees, and I earnestly hope that we can stand before the Lord in fear and reverence, cleansed and pure, as He works within the church. >> Amen.

Jesus did not only walk among the early churches, did He? Even today, He is watching over Dream Church, Jeil Baptist Church, Sonah Church, Lighthouse Church, and all worship services. He knows our tears, remembers our dedication, and reproaches us when we have sin. This is the Lord who holds us until the end. >> Amen. Amen.

Let us pray together. >> Lord, we have thought that You have left us, that You are not with us, and that You have abandoned us. Yet, You have worked among us. Even now, more than anyone, You protect, guard, cleanse, give messages, and sanctify us. Help our souls to go out as a holy bride before You today. >> God, do not let us live lives that are the opposite of this. Help us to remember You today, wherever we stand, and let us be a Dream Church that worships You and remembers You. >> Amen. >> I pray in Jesus' name. >> Amen. >> [Music]