Perspective on Today with the Long View

Transcript

GR 1979
10/16/2016
Today in Perspective of the Long View
Revelation 1:9
Gil Rugh

We have begun a study of the Book of Revelation in your Bible so if you would turn there. The last book of the Bible, the last revelation given by God to His people is the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

You know many people live their lives giving little thought to how it’s all going to end; I mean serious thought. Where will you be at the end of life, how will things conclude for you? You know if you don’t know where you’re going there’s a lot of confusion along the way. Life becomes somewhat aimless, meaningless. Oh we set short-term goals and I want to do this; you know, I want to get through school, I want to graduate from college, want to get this kind of job, want to retire by the time I’m…….., but what about the ultimate end and goal? Where are we going? If you don’t have any assurance on that then you end up, well you live for the pleasure of the time. Why shouldn’t you do whatever you can to make yourself happy? If this is all there is then eat, drink and be merry because tomorrow we die, but then what? And that’s the ultimate message of the Book of Revelation.

Revelation is going to tell us how it is all going to end. We’re being told by the only one who can tell us. We have all kinds of speculators but only the living God can tell us how it is all going to end. For some it is going to end terribly. We don’t like to talk that way, we don’t like to think that way but that’s a reality. It’s a train wreck, just down the track. For others it is going to end more wonderfully than can be imagined. God’s intention is that we, as His people, have a proper focus on where things are going. If not we become somewhat like the unbelieving world, moving along, somewhat confused.

Turn back to the Book of Psalms with me. We will go to the 73rd Psalm. What God is clear in His word is we are to enjoy life, we can appreciate the good things. “Every good and every perfect gift comes down from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variation or shadow caused by turning,” James tells us. The Book of Ecclesiastes tells us to enjoy life, take advantage of the benefits God has provided but in it all remember you will have to stand before God to be judged. Now the writer of the seventy-third psalm, a man named Asaph tells something of his experience and how he got confused on the way and it could have been a disaster. He says in verse two of Psalm 73 “But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, my steps had almost slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant, I saw the prosperity of the wicked. There are no pains in their death, their body is fat. They are not in trouble like other men, nor are are they plagued like mankind.”

Sometimes you look around and it seems like the ungodly are doing so well. Life is going good for them while I’m trying to live a godly life and I’m struggling and things are difficult and pretty soon if I’m not careful, this is what Asaph says, I begin to envy the ungodly people. Those who weren’t living for the Lord. It seemed like life went better for them than it does for me.

Down in verse 12. “Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they have increased in wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and washed my hands in innocence; for I have been stricken all day long and chastened every morning.” What good is it? So if I get my eyes off of the ultimate focus and look at the world around me, then boy they have a good life. They seem to do well, they enjoy life, they talk about the enjoyment they’re having, they take the best vacations, they do the most fun things and I’m trying to live for the Lord and every day can be a struggle. Verse 16 “When I pondered to understand this, it was troublesome in my sight” then “until I came into the sanctuary of God;” then “I perceived their end.”

The danger we face, even as the people of God, is we get short-sighted. What’s going on now in the near future comparing what we have and how life is going for us compared to those who don’t know the Lord. What’s going on in their life? And sometimes it seems like they’re doing much better but things get in perspective when I look more long-term. Verse 23: What does he say after he talks about the end for the ungodly is destruction and doom? And verse 21 “When my heart was embittered, and I was pierced within, then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.”

We’ve talked about this in our study of 2 Peter 2. The unbeliever is like an unreasoning animal; he can’t function in the spiritual realm. And if I allow my focus to become on the things of this world I lose the perspective that comes to someone with spiritual sight. I become senseless and ignorant. I begin to think that I’d like what they have. I’d like to enjoy life like they enjoy life. I’d like to prosper like they prosper and in that sense I was like a beast before you or like Peter says in 2 Peter 2, like an unreasoning animal without any spiritual sense. But now he’s got his focus adjusted.
Verse 23 “Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand.”

What a beautiful picture of God’s care for us. Just like you take your little child and lead them along by the hand. You say, take my hand here. They hold on and their walking while you’re leading them along. Verse 24, “With Your counsel You will guide me, and note this, afterward You will receive me to glory.”

Where is this all going? Verse 25-26, “Whom have I in heaven but You? Besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

We have a long view not a short view. It’s true that the godly may be having more difficulty, more struggles, less prosperity, less of the good things of this life as the world looks at them. But in the long view the unbeliever has nothing and we have everything. The world is constantly pressing in on us because this is the only view they have. You know, live for now.

I get a retirement magazine. I don’t know why being so young. But I look at it and the pictures are almost artificial. Everybody in the magazine is smiling or laughing and it’s telling you, you can have have this kind of retirement. I mean you know they don’t have any pains. They’re playing tennis, they’re on the beach. I’m 73. I’m missing out if I don’t get there soon they will have to wheel me to the beach. But I begin to think pretty soon you get drawn down I want life like they have and I lose any spiritual perspective.

What a beautiful picture. I’m privileged to live my life with God taking hold of my right hand to walk me along and, ”Your counsel will guide me.” It’s like He is holding my hand, walking me along, just giving me instructions as we go along. Like you might see a father with his little child. And what’s the end of it? He will receive me into glory and so Asaph can say, Vs 25, “I don’t want anything else but this.”

Now come back to the Book of Revelation. This is what the Book of Revelation is doing. It’s putting life in perspective. Where we are and where we’re going and God’s telling us more in detail than He has anywhere else in the Word so that we can be sure that we don’t lose perspective. And it is a constant adjustment. You know it’s like you go get your eyes checked. I went here in the last couple of weeks to get my eyes checked to see if they need an adjustment. Sometimes they get out of adjustment and I don’t see things as clearly as I once did. Spiritually that happens to us and we constantly need our perspective adjusted by the Word of God to sharpen our focus, to see things clearly again.

And so we come to the Book of Revelation. The first eight verses have been something of an introduction to the book. They have given us some basic background material. John’s writing to those who are believers who are professing believers who have been brought together in the local churches. At the end of verse five he gives an ascription of praise to Christ. “To Him who loves us,” present tense. Who is loving us and that connects in my mind to what we read in Psalm 73. It’s like the Father taking us by our right hand and guiding our steps along the way. He’s loving us. He is the One Who is loving us. Here Jesus Christ and He “released us, loosed us from our sins by His blood—“ Writing to people who have been brought into a unique and awesome and wonderful relationship with the living God. A relationship that is unbroken. Day by day walking in relationship with Him, fellowship with Him, hand in hand with Him, if you will, because we’ve been freed from our sins.

The theme of the book is verse seven. Somebody tells you sometime the Book of Revelation that’s a confusing book. Say, “oh I can summarize it for you in basically one sentence.” Read or quote verse seven. “Behold, He is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.” That’s what the Book of Revelation is about. The ultimate coming of Christ back to this earth. Not as He came the first time, born humbly in a little town called Bethlehem but coming in power and great glory so all the earth will see Him. And it is sure. Note the end of verse 7. “So it is to be. Amen.” This is true, it’s settled. There is no doubt. That’s what we’re going to be looking at so with that John is ready to talk about what he has experienced.

He is going to begin with the revelation he gets of Jesus Christ Himself but first he reintroduces Himself. You know it amazes me as you read commentaries on John how many commentators have the arrogance to say the Apostle John didn’t write this. Somebody taking John’s persona wrote it or maybe a disciple of John reflecting John’s thinking. How many times does it have to be said? This is the third time, verse nine: “I, John, your brother,” the one writing this. Look at the end of verse one: “God gave this revelation to His Son Jesus Christ who gave it to the angel who communicated it by the angel to His bond-servant John.” Verse four: “John to the seven churches that are in Asia” Verse nine: “I, John, your brother.” And if you don’t believe that the Spirit of God has moved and directed in the writing of this, then it is a meaningless book to you. I don’t see how you can believe that God inspired this and He inspired a lie. He moved an imposter to pretend he was John to write this book. So you can’t have it both ways. John the Apostle is the writer of this book.

Now just stop a minute. We noted this book was written about 95 A.D. It’s been over 60 years since Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead. The Apostle John had been part of that intimate fellowship of twelve disciples, apostles who walked with Christ during His brief three year earthly ministry. He was part of an inner circle of that inner circle. Those special three, Peter, James and John but he’s the only survivor. He’s the only survivor of the twelve. Well if he was 25 or 30 when he walked with Christ during His earthly ministry, John is somewhere around 90. Now 90 years of age.

Keep that in mind when John goes on to tell us he’s been exiled to a penal island where prisoners of the empire were exiled. This is what’s happened but he has seen many come and go. Peter is gone. He was executed under the persecutions of Nero close to 30 years earlier. We’ve seen that in the letters of Peter where he said his martyrdom was imminent. So we know he was martyred some 30 years earlier. Paul has been gone for about the same amount of time. James, remember Peter, James and John those three special men. James was the brother of John. John and James were brothers.

Come back to Acts Chapter 12. In Acts Chapter 12 you find out what happened to John’s brother James many years ago, early in the church’s history. In Acts Chapter 12 Herod the King and this is not Herod the Great obviously but this is the family of Herod’s descendants. He’s arresting believers. This is Herod Antipas and he had James, the brother of John put to death with the sword. He beheaded him. John knows something of suffering for Christ. We lose track of him in scripture obviously with the passing of time but we pick him up where we have him now recording this revelation given to him. Here is a man who knows the fire. He has lost family, his brother James. We have walked with the Lord together and that wretched Herod had him beheaded. Peter that we ministered together so long in the early chapters of Acts. You find Peter and John serving together. Peter is gone, been martyred but now John the aged apostle, faithful but suffering.

So come back to the revelation of John here, the revelation of Christ to John. I John, your brother, fellow partaker. He doesn’t identify himself as the apostle. He’s not exercising personal authority here as an apostle. That authority is there. He made clear, what I am recording here comes from God the Father through God the Son by means of an angel to me to you. It doesn’t get any more authoritative than that. So the authority is there but he’s identifying with the people that he’s writing to. I am a brother as he is with those at the end of verse five who have been released from their sins because of their faith in Christ and His death and resurrection for them and so an object of Christ’s love.

Now he is writing as a brother, a family bound together by their relationship with Christ and with the Father. I am your brother and fellow partaker. I am sharing together with you. Quite a few years ago some of you who are younger missed it. We talked about koinonia a lot. Koinonia, all the churches had Koinonia groups. That’s just the Greek word for fellowship and that was one of the fads and emphasis that came along. Well this is that word with another preposition on the front emphasizing together. I am your sharer together, so a fellow partaker, a fellow shipper together. You and I are in this together. We are bound together as God’s family and He has three areas that they are sharing together in; tribulation, kingdom, perseverance. And this is by virtue of their being in Christ. That’s why we said that the end of verse five explains the tie to them. “Fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus.” So this is relationship and a fellowship that is enjoyed by believers, not unbelievers.

It’s written to seven churches who are addressed as each being a fellowship of believers even though it is possible in those churches there are some unbelievers. But the basic relationship among believers is clear. A fellow partaker in the tribulation and the first word here, tribulation is the main word and the kingdom is tied to the tribulation and the endurance to the kingdom and the tribulation. But the tribulation becomes the key word here. We are “fellow partakers in tribulation;” a word that means pressure. So tribulation, suffering, difficulties. Now the Book of Revelation from Chapter 6 to Chapter 19 is going to be about what we call the Great Tribulation that will come upon all those on the earth. That’s not what John is talking about here. We will talk about that before we go into Chapter 6 before we go into Chapter 4 really. He’s talking about the general tribulations that comes to believers. John was suffering it during this time, right now. He is a fellow partaker in tribulation with these other believers in the seven churches that he is writing to in particular; tribulations, suffering, trials.

It’s a concept in the New Testament that is viewed as normal for God’s people. Now important to keep this in mind. This is where we have to make sure our vision is adjusted correctly or we get off track. Sufferings, tribulations, trials are normal. What did Jesus tell those who would be His followers when He walked the earth? “You must take up your cross and follow Me or you can’t be My disciple.” Now that’s not a call to the easy life, the comfortable life, the trouble free life. “Take up your cross and follow Me.” Everybody of that day knew what that meant. It was a life of scorn, rejection, humiliation. So through the Scripture right down to the last piece of revelation we have from God to His people, John, that beloved disciple is saying, “I’m a fellow sharer with you in tribulation in Christ; the difficulties, the trials, the suffering.”

Come back to 2 Corinthians. We studied 2 Corinthians not too long ago. You know we study the Scripture together but I’ve observed as a pastor over many years that much of what we learn and is true in my life as well as yours, that the Scripture often doesn’t really grip hold of us until we’re in a situation where that particular Scripture is particularly relevant. Course we take in the Scripture, we agree with it but somehow when we get into certain situations I find myself having to go back and refresh my mind and be sure I’m focused and that can be true with trouble.

You know we live in a day where at least currently that could change rather quickly in light of the way things are moving. But we in our country at this time are relatively free from overt persecution and suffering. The kind for example that John is suffering where the emperor of Rome has had him exiled to this island. The kind of situation where Peter, Paul and James could be beheaded just because they gave testimony for Jesus Christ. We don’t have that kind of tribulation and suffering today.

We want to be careful. Not all tribulation, suffering, and trial is that overt. We are reminded in scripture that “the devil roams about as a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour and that we are in battle against principalities and powers, the spiritual forces of this wickedness.” We are in a constant war against the enemy of our souls. We can’t forget that. Otherwise we get confused when trial and conflict comes. Job’s trials when the roof fell and killed all of his children at one time. That’s just a natural disaster. No that was a work of the devil under the oversight of God. Nonetheless, you might not immediately recognize it when it comes. So we want to be careful otherwise we get mired down in, why this is happening why that happening? Why are we going through this trial now? Why me? Why is this happening to me?

Well that is what the Psalmist in Psalm 73 said, He almost slipped. He lost his perspective so Paul writes to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians, Chapter 1. Look at verse three. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of all mercies the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction.” There’s our word translated tribulation ‘thlipsis’ the Greek word. Some of you are taking Greek. All the pressures, the trials, the tribulations “so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort we are comforted by God.” Now you know how it is. You can help someone. You said, “I’ve been through that”. Every situation may be a little different but I’ve been through that. I know that kind of pain, that kind of suffering and God uses you to bring His comfort to that life. What a blessing. God’s bound us together as a family. We are in this together. That’s what John is talking about. “I’m your brother, I’m a fellow sharer with you in tribulation.” Paul is telling the Corinthians, I’ve experienced God’s comfort in trials and you’ll experience it and we can comfort one another. But in verse six, “if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort,” and you see God has a purpose in it and Paul primarily in the focus for him and for John will be on their testimony for Christ. But underlying this is all the afflictions and trials that come to God’s people. Why doesn’t God just clear things up for us, clear the way? And all of us as believers have had these questions. “Lord, why is my life so difficult, why am I going through this? I’ve been trying to live for you, I’ve been trying to be faithful to You. I’ve been trying to do what I believe You would have me do. And the person who’s not even giving a thought to God, he’s not having that trouble. Their not going through; so Lord you could take this away. Do it.” Somehow I get the idea that if I trusted Christ and to the best of my ability I am endeavoring to live faithfully to Him, somehow that means God should smooth the road for me. But you don’t have to study very much Scripture to realize that’s just not the case.

In fact Jesus said what to His followers? “Woe to you when all men speak well of you.” Look at the prophets, which one of them had a life that didn’t involve suffering? Now we have the apostles and we can look back, it didn’t end well for any of them. Now John, we don’t know how he is ultimately going to die. Evidently he died from old age and tradition but when he is about 90 he’s imprisoned on an island and I think I should have a nice life. Paul says and encourages the Corinthians, “affliction is part of life as a follower of Jesus Christ.” I can’t always identify where it comes, naturally there are things in life that come but you know we have behind the things the opposition of the devil. That’s why I want to be careful and see “God, your hand is in this. I am in this situation.” Remember He has taken us by the right hand. He’s counseling us as we walk along so whatever is going on, whatever the trial as long as I’m holding on to Him I am in good stead. A child holding on to his father’s hand doesn’t have to be afraid. Oh where am I going? What’s going on, Oh this is…. It’s alright, everything is under control.

One more passage, 1 Peter, Chapter 4. Since we’ve been studying the epistles of Peter of late. 1 Peter, Chapter 4:12 “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing.” Don’t lose your joy because of trouble, trial, whatever the ordeal or fiery ordeal. Well I don’t think this is something different. This isn’t because I’m a Christian. This is something that has come because I had a mean boss, this came because of this… no, no, no. Nothing comes into my life but that My Heavenly Father has ordained that for me. Job didn’t lose all his children in one fatal swoop of a storm and it was just too bad they happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. No, remember, He’s taken you by the right hand, he’s walking you along with His counsel so don’t be surprised. You know the devil’s not saying “let go of His hand” but the Lord doesn’t let go of my hand but I can turn my eyes off it and I lose sight and I’m looking around and saying, ‘something strange is happening to me’. This is the lot of a believer. Verse 13, ”keep on rejoicing.” Isn’t it nice to know you can have that kind of life as a believer. All I have to do is walk according to His word. That song, “He holds my hand”. I mean He does and you note here’s where we are going in 1 Peter. “Keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.” This is the key. This is what the next thing for John. I am your fellow sharer in tribulation and kingdom because remember the suffering and trials are part of the road to the kingdom. Not the Great Tribulation for everyone but the trials of life.

Back up to Acts, Chapter 14. This is early in Paul’s missionary journeys and in Acts, Chapter 14 he’s traveled through some of the region of Galatia where later the letter to the Galatian church would be written and now he is retracing his steps revisiting some of these churches. So at the end of verse 21, “they return to Lystra and to Iconicum and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith,” and saying, note this “Through many tribulations,” here’s our word again “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

The ultimate goal, the ultimate end is found in Revelation, Chapters 20, 21 and 22. With Chapter 20 talking about the first phase of that eternal kingdom and then the eternal kingdom. So he is telling them, don’t get discouraged. Keep your eye on the goal we are going toward and as God’s children we walk by faith with Him holding our hand. We’re sure we’re going to get there. That’s what you keep in mind so the tribulations are not something unexpected, that are out of the ordinary. The tribulations are part of the road to the kingdom for the child of God.

Come over to Romans, let’s see, I should, go to Romans and then leave your finger there and come back to Revelation. Let me pick up this in Revelation and then we will come back to Romans and we can put some of the verses together and it will be quicker for time.

You see in Revelation, Chapter 1:9 “I am your brother, your fellow partaker in tribulation and kingdom.” The kingdom he is talking about is where we will get to at the end of the Book of Revelation. That’s where we’re going. That’s where we end up and particularly when you consider Chapters 21 and 22 in the eternal glory of that kingdom, awesome and wonderful. So I’m a fellow partaker, sharer in the tribulation which is what we just read in Acts 14 prepares us for the kingdom. Jesus told His followers; “In the world you have tribulation be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” You know the victory in kingdom and perseverance. So it goes together for good. Tribulation being the focus but the kingdom being the goal and endurance which tie the other two together because under tribulation you must endure so you go to the kingdom. That’s the end.

Now come to Romans and we will go to Romans, Chapter 5. Then he talks about those who have been redeemed. You know the unbeliever has nothing. His future could not be more bleak, more horrid, worse, sad that all he has, the best he will ever have are the few transitory pleasures and good feelings of this life. I mean it doesn’t get any better. God is honest. He tells the truth. The end of the unbeliever is the “lake of fire forever and ever. The smoke of their torment will ascend into the ages of the ages.” It gets no worse, it gets no better than what they have now. What do they have? I mean you read about this great person, this rich person died. What do they have? Nothing.

Chapter 5 of Romans. Chapter four ended talking about “Christ was delivered over for our transgression, was raised because of our justification.” Romans 5:1 “So we have been justified by faith and so we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” That’s it, there is no other way and there are no other options. That’s it. But it’s plenty, its enough. It is “through Christ we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand.” That grace we sang about which finds us. Once we have entered into that grace in Christ that grace is ongoing never ending, “We exult in hope of the glory of God.” That’s our hope, the glory of God.

Now note this. “Not only this but we exult in our tribulations.” There we go again, tribulations, pressure, trials, difficulty. Why do we exult? Not just, you know it’s not a matter of, just like a little bit of pain in my life it motivates me. No for the believer we can glory in our tribulations “knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance” and that’s the word that we have in Revelation, Chapter 1. I am your fellow-shipper in tribulation, kingdom, perseverance, and tribulation develops perseverance. That compound word, it means to live or abide under so that steadfastness, that stick-to-itiveness. That persistence doesn’t mean the pressure goes away. It means you stick to it and through it.

Like you do with your kids. You try to raise them and certain pressure is good in their life. You don’t have them exposed to so much pressure at a young age that it would crush them but by the same token you don’t want to shield them from all the pressure. How are they going to develop any ability to stay with it? You know when they are very young you have projects that hold their attention just for a short time but they have to learn to give their attention over a longer time. To do things so I don’t want to go to school today, I don’t like school. OK don’t go to school. You don’t tell them that. Why? There are certain things you have to do because they’re important for where you want to go and that’s simply the process.

So tribulation helps to develop perseverance. You know if we as believers, the first time trouble comes, difficulty comes we’re looking for an escape route. Well wait a minute. Maybe there is no escape. I don’t have any choice but to go through this. Oh that’s bad. No, because He holds my hand, He walks me through. Like the Psalmist said, “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I’ll fear no evil”. Why? I’m in it alone. No, You are with me. That’s it. Isn’t that it? And what’s He doing? Why would He do this? Well some of you who have walked with the Lord for years and years you know why. He develops stamina, perseverance, endurance and a part of what Paul talked about.

We can comfort one another and help those who are going through trials, maybe who are less experienced with the trial and it is well but you can. No that’s alright. This is normal. Oh no, that doesn’t mean God doesn’t love you. It doesn’t mean He doesn’t care for you but you are learning to trust Him in a way you haven’t had to before. You’re learning to rely on Him in a new way and every trial brings that little different twist and none of us are ever to the point we’re complete. Now I don’t need to go through trials. No. We need them.

Think perseverance. Perseverance does what? Improves character. That’s it. Character that has passed some tests, that has gone through the furnace, the fire. I used to share with you that I worked at the steel mill. Part of my job was to keep track of the temperature. You put the egrets, big rectangular blocks of steel in a furnace and heat it up till the point the steel becomes pliable and you’re burning off the impurities of the steel and preparing it to be pliable so it can be rolled and made useable. Make automobiles or whatever. You have to watch the temperature because you get it too hot the steel melts and that’s no good. A puddle of steel can’t be used. But until the impurities are gone and it’s pliable it’s no good either. It’s just a hunk of useless metal.

That’s what God does with us. He is taking us through the trial, gives us character that has passed the test. Paul told the Corinthians there must be divisions among you in order that those who pass the test become evident. That goes on in our lives all the time. That is what God is doing. Not because God is mean. Just like if you don’t make your kids do what needs to be done for them to develop as they should. You do it because it is for their good. That’s what God is doing, proven character and that word proving character that gets you hope fixed more firmly. Proven character helps to develop the hope and the hope does not disappoint. And we have the Holy Spirit within us who confirms that to us. But you know what? If you don’t have the trials then you don’t develop the perseverance, you don’t develop the perseverance you don’t develop the proven character. You don’t develop the proven character if` you don’t have your attention focused on the hope.

Come over to Romans 8:24. They have been talking here about suffering. How much of the scripture, why? Because we forget from one day to the next and every trial comes in a little different way. It hits us a little differently. The devil looks for the weak spot. He “roves about as a roaring lion seeking someone to devour” and he finds a weak spot and he’s on it and he hits us where we least expected it and its like oh, I have the wind knocked out of me. Oh, I didn’t expect this. The devil just doesn’t hit you at your strong point. He is looking for where you are weak, where you’re not ready. So he says in verse 24. “For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope;” the world lives for what it sees.

They have an advertisement on TV for precious metal and you invest in something you can hold onto. I’m not into saying you should invest here or there, just an example here. But that’s how the world does. You have to be able to see it. So its tangible, that’s what’s secure but that’s all that the world has. How secure is that? We have a hope but hope by definition is something you don’t see. “For who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance”

So you see what God has done with the tribulations? He’s developed endurance so that we can stay the course. So things come up and difficulties and trials and conflicts and pressures of all kinds. We keep our eyes on the goal, the hope. Now we see immature Christians and they’re getting distressed, drawn off here, drawn of there. Sometimes even a mature Christian. For all of us there are times when I just have to stop, go into a room, sit down and say, “Lord, I’ve got to get my attention and focus sharpened again. I’m starting to get confused. I’m starting to get distracted.” I need to come back and come to the word and look at these portions and say, “Lord I need to put this into practice.” We are never done; we’re never done growing.

What God is doing our hope is become more sharply focused because we developed endurance. You can’t develop endurance without the heat, without the pressure, without the trials. So that is why we can rejoice in it. We as believers understand this is not just something meaningless. That as frustrated what is best for me. Remember God has still got us by the hand. You know He walks through even the valley of the shadow of death with us. It’s His counsel so I come to His Word.

Sometimes through His people the Lord brings in the comfort to strengthen me. It is not God’s intention we become isolated on our own. John is a fellow shipper together with those. This is an encouragement to those going through the trials in the churches that we will look at in Chapters 2 and 3. John is going through similar things. He is sharing in sufferings. It’s a different kind. They’re not all going to be exiled on this island but we’re sharing in sufferings for the same purpose under the hand of the same loving God to develop steadfastness, proven character, endurance so that we keep our focus on the hope, where we’re going. That is what John is writing about.

Boy we’re going slow this morning. Don was right, it will be many years before we finish the Book of Revelation. But that’s alright. If we finish in glory it will be much clearer. Not that there is anything wrong with my teaching of course. Come to Hebrews Chapter 10. I want to just remind you with this and this is as far as we will be able to go.

Just because you were faithful and endured at a time in the past doesn’t mean the test is over. The writer to the Hebrews, writing and he reminds them of the future, verse 30. “Know Him,” in Hebrews 10, “vengeance is mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But remember the former days, after being enlightened, you endured.” There we go, “you were steadfast, you remained faithful during a great conflict of sufferings and a variety of ways, a public spectacle, reproaches and tribulations, you became sharers with those who were so treated. You showed sympathy to the prisoners, you joyfully accepted the seizure of your property,” why? “knowing you have for yourselves a better possession.”

You know sometimes those early days of being a believer are easier in the sense I’d give up everything to follow Christ. I don’t care what people say, what happens to me, how much money I have or don’t have I’m going to follow Christ and go through the suffering of that. You know sometimes, you know suffering can come in ways, there can be calm between and you’ve settled in and He has to tell them in verse 35. “Don’t throw away your confidence, which has great reward. You have need of endurance.”

They had shown endurance in the past but this new wave came and they are in danger now of them being swept away. I just don’t know that I want to go through this again. I just don’t know that I can take another round of this. I just…. and you know what? It is often the way the devil works in our lives personally and in the church. He just wears us down. I don’t know, you know I’ve been through and I’ve been faithful and I know I stood before and I….. But you know, I just don’t know now I’m ready to go through it again. Well the writer to the Hebrews is saying you have to go through it again. Verse 35 “Don’t throw away your confidence, it has great reward. 36You need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” What’s he doing? Refocusing. It’s not what it is costing you now, it’s not what your losing now, it’s not how much you are suffering now, it’s what He is going to give you at the end.

Verse 37 “Yet in a very little while.” Remember in the Book of Revelations it talks about, I am coming soon, I’m coming quickly, it’s imminent. “In a very little while, He Who is coming will come, and will not delay. But my righteous one shall live by faith and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him. We are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”

Every trial is a sifting. That doesn’t mean Christians can’t get confused in trials, they do. He’s writing to people he believes are believers but he is warning because you can’t tell when people get swept away in the trial when they turn back, when they get off the track of faithfulness. You begin to wonder. Were they believers or not. Are they or not, can’t tell? The Lord knows. He will judge but there is a warning. “The righteous one shall live by faith.” That doesn’t mean I can’t go through times of doubt, I don’t sometimes stumble but you know there is no turning back. Again as the song says, “No turning back, no turning back, I’ve decided to follow Jesus. No turning back.” There is no alternative for the true believer and all that can happen to a believer is the devil succeeds in bringing us into a world of confusion and disorientation and l lose my focus. Its like I lose my glasses and now I can’t see things very clearly. Everything is sort of a blur and I just I don’t even know where I’m going any more. Well get aside, settle it. Lord I need to get refocused here. I want to settle this. Lord I believe I’ve trusted you and I don’t know what else to do but You know I’m off track. It’s like in the Pilgrims Progress when Christian got off track. When he started to get off track it was little bit by little bit. Finally he was so far off he said I don’t even know where the right road is any more. Then he had to retrace his steps to get back to where he got off track so he could get oriented again. That’s what we’re being told here. Don’t let the tribulations, the trials get you off track, confuse you, distract you but endure. Keep hold of the hand that holding you, listen to His counsel. That’s what John says, I’m doing. I’m on the Isle of Patmos. Not the best place to be for an old man. Not getting the best treatment that I would hope for but I’m writing to encourage you. To let you know I’m suffering and this suffering of this old man on this rocky island can be an encouragement to you to stay the course and be faithful through your tribulations and trials. That’s the impact for the churches, reminder to us. We’ll pick up here with John on Patmos next time.

Let’s pray together. Thank You Lord for the riches of Your word. How awesome it is that we belong to You. We live in a world of suffering of trial, of difficulty yet Lord we live in this world belonging to You. The objects of Your unending love, Your care, Your all sufficient grace, the provision of Your Spirit to live within us to give us the strength. Lord You know we are prone to wander. It seems at times easy to turn away from You. I pray that by Your grace we would plant our feet, be faithful in the storms under the pressure in the trials, having our hope more sharply fixed as we look forward to what You have promised, the reward that belongs to those who love You. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

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