THE LAST PICTURES OF JESUS [#1]

REVELATION 1

 

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I considered titling this sermon “Baby Jesus has Left the Building” but I though some might think I was mocking our Lord. I would not be mocking Jesus but I would be mocking the idea that He is still the babe of Bethlehem. When I was communicating with a family member some years ago about their salvation they told me that they were okay because “I love the baby Jesus”.

Listen, I love that Jesus left Heaven’s glory and became human by way of Mary’s womb and Bethlehem’s manger and I rejoice that I get to preach about that monumental event in history but my friends, Jesus grew up. He did not stay a baby any longer than any normal human being. It’s alright to visit the past but you can’t live there.

Suppose someone was curious what my daughters look like now and I showed them their baby pictures from the 1980s. When a person is missing the authorities often ask for a recent picture that they can use to aid in finding them. Suppose a man went missing and his wife gave them his baby picture. They would probably assume she was not interested in him being found.

So it is with the Bible. The last book of the Bible is the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ- both physically and chronologically. The Holy Spirit of God gave John the task of closing out the Holy Writ and during that task he gives us several of the last portraits of Jesus given to us. Rather than look solely at His baby years, which, while important cover a few years out of the approximately 6000 years of human history let us see the Saviour we are still worshipping today in His glory and majesty.

 

I. THE PICTURE CHRISTIANS SEE [v. 1-6]

 

1. The Word [v. 1-3]

 

2. The Witness [v. 4-5a]

 

3. The Washer [v. 5b-6]

 

II. THE PICTURE THE WORLD WILL SEE [v. 7-8]

 

1. The Coming King [v. 7a, 19:11-16]

 

2. The Crucified Conqueror [v. 7b]

 

3. The Almighty Concluder [v. 8]

 

III. THE PERSON JOHN SAW [v. 9-20]

 

1. John saw Christ as Never Before [v. 9-16]

 

2. John Saw Christ as God Incarnate [v. 17-18, Isaiah 41:4]

 

Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.

 

3. John saw Christ as the Head of the Church [v. 19-20]