“What does Jesus look like?”
(Rev. 1:9-19)
Dr. Richard S. Koole
Chapel Pointe #3
April 1, 2007
I. Introduction
A. Palm Sunday
1. The Sunday before Easter
a. So much would happen in between
b. Including the crucifixion
2. The day started out on a high note
a. Disciples found a donkey
b. The Triumphal Entry
c. Making their way to the walls of the city
1. Matthew 21:8-11 The disciples brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Hosanna in the highest!” When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
2. “Hosanna”
a. “Save us”
3. “Son of David”
a. Name for the coming Messiah
4. The crowds declared he was their Messiah
d. Declared the Temple was his Father’s House
1. Threw out the money changers
2. Set the stage for the crucifixion
3. The Triumphal Entry was prophesized 600 years earlier by Daniel
a. Daniel 9:25 Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven sevens, and sixty sevens.
b. Complicated calculations; however….
4. 483 years from the decree till the Savior is publicly acknowledged
a. It happened to the very day!!!
5. We now await his second coming
a. Why I take the prophecies so seriously
B. I wonder what Jesus looked like that day?
1. Visiting the Vatican Museum
a. Works of Michelangelo
b. Leonardo De Vinci
c. Pictures the Christ
2. The Shroud of Turin
a. Does it contain the image of Jesus?
b. Has baffled scientists
1. How did it get there
c. Is it an image of Jesus in the grave?
3. We don’t know what Jesus looked like…..then
a. …but we’ve got a good idea of what He looks like…..now
B. Viewings of God in His Glory
1. Moses saw the glory of God on Mt. Sinai
a. (Ex. 24:16-17) -- “Now the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.”
b. Moses spent 40 days and nights
c. (Ex. 34:30) – “So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.”
(v. 33) – had to wear a veil
2. Paul (Saul) on Road to Damascus
a. (Acts 9:3) -- “And as he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.”
b. Blinded
c. Knocked to the ground
d. Jesus – glorified
3. The Apostle John in the Book of Revelation
a. Sees the glorified Christ twice
b. Gives a detailed description
c. Agrees with an account given by Daniel 600 years earlier
d. Fell as dead!
III. Text
A. Introduction
1. “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus” (v.9)
a. John was a “banished” criminal
1. Because of his preaching
2. Reign of Domitian
3. From AD 94 à AD 96
b. William Ramsey described “banishment”
“Banishment included perpetual chains, scanty clothing, insufficient food, sleep on the bare ground, a dark prison, work under the lash of the military overseer”
c. John wasn’t the only one suffering”
1. Their “companion” in suffering
d. God had his full attention
1. We can get too distracted to hear God’s voice
2. “on the Island of Patmos” (v.9)
a. Between Greece and Turkey (Aegean Sea)
b. 10 miles x 6 miles
c. Shaped like a crescent, with harbor facing Turkey
3. “because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (v.9)
a. Why he was a prisoner
1. John wouldn’t worship Caesar
b. John was a pastor to seven churches
c. Constantly sharing the testimony of Jesus
4. “On the Lord’s Day” (v.10)
a. Not referring to Sunday
b. Complex reason however he was probably referring to the period of time after the Resurrection – the Day of the Lord
6. “I was in the spirit”
a. Given by Holy Spirit
b. Supernatural
7. “I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet”
a. Sounded like a trumpet
b. A signal of a coming message
c. Loud and clear
8. The speaker is Jesus
a. “The Alpha and Omega”
b. “The First and the Last”
9. His instructions (v.11)
a. “write on a scroll what you see” (v.11)
b. “and send it to the seven churches:”
1. Lists them
c. Seven literal churches in Asia Minor
d. Primarily to encourage them
e. Secondary purposes
1. Seven types of churches
· See all today
2. Seven periods of church history
f. Why SEVEN?
1. Used repeatedly
2. Number of completion
3. The total Church
10. He turned and saw “seven golden lampstands (v.12)
a. Turns to see who spoke
b. Speaker is surrounded by seven oil burning lampstands
c. Made of gold
d. What do they stand for?
1. Easy!
2. (v.20) – “…and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.”
11. And somebody is standing in the middle of them (v.13)
a. “among the lampstands was someone like the son of man”
b. “like” (similar to) the “Son of Man” (Jesus on earth)
c. John recognized Jesus
d. John was there when Jesus was transfigured and taken up!
e. The Glorified Body
12. Daniel had a similar vision of Jesus 600 years earlier
(Daniel 7:13-14)
(13) In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. (14) He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
B. A Glimpse of Jesus in His Glory
1. His Clothing (v.l3)
a. “dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet” (v.13)
b. Not standard dress
c. Long-flowing robe (down to His feet)
d. Held in place by a golden (belt)
1, “with a golden sash around his chest”
e. Who wore this type?
1. The High Priest
a. With a golden thread through it
b. Held the robe
c. Jesus is the Great High Priest
2. The Prophets
a. Started with Elijah and Elisha
b. A rough robe
c. Imitated by false prophets
3. The King
a. The robe of Saul
b. Kings today
c. Jesus is the King of kings
f. Christ is Prophet and Priest and King
1. The robe and belt show His Royalty
2. His Hair and Head (v.14)
a. “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow”
b. White is a symbol of his purity and wisdom
c. Striking!
3. His Eyes (v.14)
a. “His eyes were like blazing fire”
b. Literally -- “His eyes shot fire”
c. All knowing and piercing
1. Searching every heart
d. (Heb. 4:13) – “And there is no creature hidden from His sight”
e. He knows what you are thinking!
1. Just think if people could read your mind!
2. Horrors!
3. The true battle ground
4. His Feet (v.15)
a. “His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace”
b. Fine brass (or) bronze
c. The brazen altar (Ex. 38:30)
1. Used for sin offerings
2. To judge sin
5. His Voice (v.15)
a. “His voice was like the sound of rushing waters”
b. At Niagara Falls
1. Thunders!
c. The voice of Jesus
1. Like many Niagaras
2. Loud enough to be heard throughout the whole world
3. Loud enough to raise the dead
(John 5:28) – “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice”
6. His Right Hand (v.16)
a. “In his right hand he held seven stars”
b. What are the stars?
(v.20) – “The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches”
c. One for each of the seven churches
d. There is an angel assigned each local church
1. They are battling for us against Satan’s demons
2. An incredible unseen battle is raging this morning
7. His Mouth (v.16)
a. “out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword”
b. God’s word is called a sword
1. (Eph. 6) and (Heb. 4:12)
2. It can devastate
c. This sword is the Big One
· Both hands
· To destroy!
· The purpose of His return
· Judge His enemies
8. His Face (v.16)
a. “His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance”
1. Glows like the sun
b. The shining glory
1. Happened at Mount of Transfiguration
(Mt. 17:2) – “Jesus was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.”
2. John was there!
a. Got a glimpse
c. Some day the whole creation will see His glory
C. John’s reaction (v.17)
1. “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead”
2. The response of Jesus
a. The gentle touch
b. “do not be afraid”
D. Jesus explains why (v.17-19)
1. Because of who he is (v.17-18a)
a. “I am the first and the last”
b. “I am the living one”
c. “I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever”
1. Next Sunday….Easter
2. Because of what he is going to do (v.18b)
a. He’s got something in His left hand (v.18b)
1. “And I hold the keys of death and Hades (Hell).”
b. He proved His power over death and Satan
1. “I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever”
c. He’s got the keys with Him to set us free!
d. Jesus fought and earned the keys on the Cross!
1. Earned them on the Cross
2. The game is over!
E. The outline of Revelation (v.19)
1. “what you have seen” (Rev 1)
2. “what is now” (Rev. 2 & 3)
a. The seven churches
3. “what will take place later” (Rev. 4-22)
a. Prophecy
“Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!” (Revelation 1:17-18)