Revelation 1:4-7

Simply Christmas

Week 1: Hope
Week 2: Peace
Week 3: Joy
Week 4: Love

Revelation 1:4-5b

“John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.”

Trinitarian Shape

a. The Father

“…him who is and who was and who is to come.”

b. The Holy Spirit

“the seven spirits”

7 = Number of God
6 = Number of Satan (Rev. 13:18: “666”)

Isaiah 11:2 – “And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.”

The Spirit

• …proceeds from the Lord
• …is wisdom
• …is understanding
• …gives counsel
• …is mighty
• …gives knowledge
• …gives fear of YHWH

c. Jesus Christ

• The faithful witness (Is. 55:4)
• The firstborn of the dead
• The ruler of the kings of the earth

Jn. 13:34

Revelation 1:5b-6

“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

I. The Person of Love

1 John 4:16 – “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”

Truth: You cannot truly love someone apart from God.

II. The Price of Love

v.5b – “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood.”

III. The Power of Love

a. It freed us from our sin

“loves us,” Gk. ἀγαπῶντι = present tense
“has freed us,” Gk. λύσαντι = aorist tense

b. It gives us a new identity

Ex. 19:6; 1 Pet. 2:9

1. Kingdom

Rom. 8:17; Rev. 22:5; Col. 1:13

2. Priests

Heb. 10:19-20 – “…we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh.”

• A sacrifice of obedience (Rom. 12:1)
• A sacrifice of praise (Heb. 13:15)
• A sacrifice of mercy and good works (Heb. 13:16)

IV. The Promise of Love

Revelation 1:7 – “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.”

Summary

1. The person of love is the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
2. The price of His love was paid by taking on flesh and pouring out His own blood on the cross.
3. The power of His love is that it transforms us into priestly citizens of His kingdom.
4. The promise of His love is that He has not abandoned us.