11/5/17 “FULL THROTTLE: A SURVEY OF THE SEVEN” (Revelation 1) – Pastor Shane Idleman

Complete Sermon Notes

Full Throttle – A SURVEY OF THE SEVEN

Introduction: many views on Revelation.

 

Part of the mystery centers around disciples always being ready – the Word spoke to them, and it speaks to us today.

 

Revelation Literal / Figurative? Bowls, trumpets, beasts, lambs, locust, a bottomless pit, a 1000 year reign, a chained devil, John eats a book, 666…

• No credible one takes everything literally.

 

When was it written?    Where?    Why?      ⇩

Rev. 1 NKJV The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

 

Does it mean prophecy is going to begin shortly and its ongoing effects, or are the prophecies going to be fulfilled soon? A progressive fulfillment vs. immediate.

• “Past” or “future” – Local vs. Worldwide.

• Obviously to prepare them: persecution was/is going to be Full Throttle.

Greeting the Seven Churches – 4 John, to the seven churches which 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 from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

• More than 7 – they represent 5 areas of concern and 2 areas of praise.

• If you want to know what Jesus thinks about church – here you go.

 

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 

• This is the Gospel – loves us enough to tell us the truth.

• It’s important to reinforce our faith in order to live Full Throttle.

 

7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

 

• A lot of old testament imagery. Isaiah 19:1, “A prophecy against Egypt: See, the LORD rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him, and the hearts of the Egyptians melt with fear.”

Vision of the Son of Man
9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ [THE WHY].

 

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.” Map – http://bibleatlas.org/region/patmos.jpg

 

“Was in the Spirit” is led by the Spirit.

 

• Acts – “pressed in the Spirit”; “Purposed in the Spirit”

• John 4 – “Worship in the Spirit”

 

When you’re in the Spirit direction AND wisdom come –  Full Throttle.

 

He leads us down the best path: the Word, peace, godly counsel, waiting – it’s the opposite of the culture.

• You want to be filled, but do you want to suffer?

• You want wisdom, but do you want pain?

• You want direction, but do you want persecution?

 

OPPOSITE – What is “in the flesh”? Making decisions based on my flesh – what’s inside spills out!

 

THE MISTAKE – I’m still here. I have a job. I’m at church. BUT you’re going through the motions.

 

Fast-forward. . .17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.

 

• A true experience with God humbles you – Moses, Isaiah, Paul, John.

 

Cymbala:

“Only a visitation of the Holy Spirit will burn the holiness of God in you.”

1. Father sent the Son – the Son sent the Holy Spirit.

 

2. You cannot discipline the flesh.

 

Are you at  Full Throttle? OR is the engine not even on, or it’s just idling.

 

Back to Christ – BACK TO PRAYER