Introduction:
Pursuant to the name by which this is the book of Apocalypse is the initiative of the Spirit of God that John was exiled to Patmos for Word of God and the testimony he gave Jesus receives the original vision which will flow all the other visions that will form both the frame and the whole revelation concerning His final triumph, God wanted to give Jesus Christ to His people. This procedure of transmission to John of God, or extraordinary in its manifestation, however, differs from the common way in which God is there also to communicate with us. Indeed, even today, no spiritual truth is accessible to the mind of the man without a revelation of the Holy Spirit: Ephesians 1:17; 1 Cor 2.9 to 11; Mat 11.25-27 . So if John was to be the bearer of new communications from God about Christ, it could be done by the ministry of the Spirit of revelation: John 16.12 to 15.
The vision that John received from Christ and the effect it produced on him, we want to triple title. She reveals:
- the place now invisibly
Christ - the person he is today
- the nature of his relationship with His people today
The position of the Christ
The report that John did what he sees is accurate. Christ is in the midst of the candlesticks. Invisible but really now, it occupies the central place of life and history of the Church. This centrality is rightfully in Christ must be understood by us in several ways:
1. Jesus Christ is at the heart of church life :
That, says Paul, that He is both the fullness of the Godhead: Col. 2.9, as the fullness of everything we need to live in newness of life: Col 2.10 to 12. Christ is the head from which the whole body receives everything it needs for its growth according to the gifts and strength that He communicates to each of its parts: Ephesians 4.16
Reality This centrality of Christ in the life of the Church is revealed so clearly in the book of Acts which is the story of the first thirty years of its existence. Luke introduces the book
- reminding Theophilus that his gospel was merely reporting what Jesus began to do and to teach: Proceedings 1.1
- abundant evidence demonstrating that Jesus gave to His people then the reality of His resurrection: Acts 1.3
whole book of Acts is the story that Jesus is alive, acting and behind men, it is him, the true perpetrator and wonders taking place. He, Jesus, who in the book of Acts:
- adds to the Church those who are saved: Acts 2.47
- by the authority of his name cured the cripple the Beautiful gate : Proceedings 3.2
- Team of the apostles authority and wisdom to defend his name before the authorities: Proceedings 4.13
- is revealed to Saul the persecutor and converts it into a fiery apostle Acts 9.1 to 5
- gave Peter a vision orders to go to the Gentiles: Acts 10.12-16
- called Saul and Barnabas for a mission: Acts 13.1-5
etc ... If Jesus after His death is actually ascended to His Father and is seated at the right of the Most High, he is nevertheless true that, throughout the centuries, it will remain the first and the main leader and builder of the Church. The whole history of the Church bears witness to the continuation of what Jesus has only begun to perform and teach in the time of His incarnation. Being convinced, convinced that Jesus is present with us and among us, remains a topic of encouragement and support for the strongest believers today: 18.20 Mat.
2. Jesus Christ is and must remain always at the heart of the doctrine of the Church :
Theme of the message which, according to Paul, must be at the heart of the proclamation of the Gospel : 1 Cor 2.2 , Jesus, Christ, must remain Whoever lives throughout our teaching and practice of our piety.
Extract from a recent sermon by David Wilkerson. How can we do in the Church of Christ a stranger?
We make Christ a stranger when we give the Holy Spirit the rule over him!
"Christ and Christ alone, must be the center of life and worship! He is the head of the body, the Church is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, to be in the whole first. For it pleased the Father to dwell in Him all fullness ... "(Col. 1.18,19). That in all things, He is the rule. ... That is to say that He is named and distinguished above all others. It has the first place in everything. Even the Holy Spirit must not be exalted over that name!
The upper house should never overshadow the Cross! We should not just think of Christ as the one who gives Holy Spirit. In other words: "Thank you, Jesus, for sending someone better than you". Christ sent the Holy Spirit to reveal His own fullness among us. When the Holy Spirit becomes the center of our attention, the Church is off. The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus when He came out of the waters of baptism. He told him: "Here is the beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." The Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove, but the main attraction was the Lamb of God - which removes the sin of the world. Not by a dove, but the Lamb!
Christ speaks to his disciples an upcoming Pentecost when the Spirit would be poured in a single purpose: It would be given power to magnify the name of Christ! Acts 1:8
Jesus clearly explained that when the Holy Spirit would come, he would not attract attention to himself but would focus on the works of Christ. He exalts Christ. "When He, the Spirit of truth, is come ... he will not speak of himself ... He will glorify Me, for he will take what is Mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine, so I said take what is Mine and declare it to you. " (16,13.15 Jean ).
Jesus said: "It will show you my glory, my power, my kingdom." You remember all my words ". The first work of the Holy Spirit is not fellowship, although leads believers to be all one in Christ. It does not produce ecstasy. He not only wants to teach us an unknown tongue. The Spirit came to glorify Christ To guide all mankind in the truth that Christ is Lord, that's not enough to say that the Spirit has made us close to each other. It should make us closer of Christ the fullness of the Spirit is the fullness of Christ. If you do not have a consuming love for Christ, you have not received a baptism of the Holy Spirit!
Christ, baptiseur, a envoyé le Saint-Esprit pour enflammer nos âmes envers les perdus, pour nous envoyer sur les routes et parmi les haies pour atteindre les pécheurs, pour secouer notre paresse et nous qualifier pour son oeuvre. Le Saint-Esprit - béni soit-il - sera contristé et finalement se retirera, lorsque les hommes voudront l’exalter lui, plus que le Fils de Dieu ! Il ne permettra jamais que sa puissance soit au service de ceux qui veulent seulement le don, et non Christ, le Donateur !
Qu’est-ce qu’une vraie réunion charismatique ? Celle où les gens parlent tous en langues ? Où les gens sont guéris ? Où les saints sautent de joie ? Où les saints prophétisent ? It's more of course than that! It is a time where Christ is exalted, where His holiness pierces the soul, where men and women fall at his holy throne, broken, humiliated, crying: "Holy, holy, holy!" The movement caused by the Holy Spirit is a movement that makes it closer to Christ, deeper in Christ, with a greater submission to His Lordship! "
Take care, as he was already in Paul's time, not to leave one way or another (whether by tradition, by experience, by the place given to a man ) dislodge Christ is the legitimate place of Siena in the Church: the head, the center!
The Person of Christ:
Interrogated by the voice that speaks to him, the apostle John turns and sees, far from the form in which it was known, the Christ. The description he gives us the vision he had in bringing together into a coherent whole all the spiritual attributes that are now His possession. It is:
- the Son of man : Although glorified, Jesus kept his time here on earth humanity. It is not in fact return to the Father except the prerogative of the trial, but the Son of Man: John 5.26 to 27. "The incarnation of the Son of God has not been the transformation of humanity into the Godhead, but the inclusion in the divinity of humanity: Symbol of Athanasius." "Jesus is not God at least some attributes his divinity, but God plus everything he appropriated by coating humanity: James Packer. "
- Grand High Priest : robe that stated that it is covered. Like Melchizedek, the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews reminds us that he has now forever this priesthood delegable. It can save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them: Hebrews 7.23 to 28.
- The Ancient of days or the God of all eternity , as evidenced by his hair as white as snow: Dan 7.9. They speak of eternity, white hair may also reflect the enormous wisdom that dwells: Prov 16.31; 20.29
- It is he who searches everything and that nothing is hidden, which speak his fiery eyes: 1 Chr 28.9, Psalm 139.1; Jer 11.20; Heb 4.12 to 13; Rev. 2.23.
- It is the Judge who has , those expressed his feet in contact with which everything glowing flames. The feet have been drilled are also those who trample the enemies of God on the day when the Son shall take complete possession of His kingdom: Psalm 110.1; 1 Cor 15.27, Ephesians 1.22
- It is the Voice of God , a voice so strong as the day it all will speak in the universe can only hear ... and shut up: Heb 12.25 to 27. The Bible exhorts us today, if we hear God's voice, not to harden our hearts Hebrews 4.17. Faced with Christ, the voice that men do not want to hear, will fill all the space and sound mutes their ears.
- He is the Head of the Church , as evidenced by the seven stars he holds in his right hand and which are the seven angels of different churches: v 20. Jesus had told His disciples that even in the hollow of His hand pierced lies the security of His people: Jean 10.28 to 29.
- It is the Word of God , the Word of truth, a word like a sharp sword so sharp that nothing is hidden in the depths of the motivation lies in the hearts will remain secret : Heb 4.12; Rom 2.15-16.
- It is the Holy , one which emanates from such a radiant face that even the angels have to hide the face when they are in His presence: Isaiah 6.1-2, Jean 12.41
3. The nature of the relationship Christ has with His people:
Faced vision grand, majestic, dazzling glory of Christ, John could not, like many before him, that collapse. No look, whether angel or man can not bear the brightness of the divine majesty. But like others before him as well (example: Isaiah: Isaiah 6.6), John goes in two ways, to experience feelings of peace and grace that animate this time the Lord's heart towards him :
1. The Lord, a friend, put his right hand on him. This hand, which alone holds the world and history of the Church is free to interested John. Both the hand of God Is at Work for great things, as it is close to us and available when, fearful, we need to be appeased. "God has as much care of the least of us, as if he had to drive it alone and He has provided care for all men together, that each man in particular: Saint Augustine."
2. The Lord addresses him in words to reassure him of two ways:
- It reassures him about his intentions to Him: John, as His servant and witness, has absolutely nothing to fear from a meeting or contact with his Lord
- He reassured about the position he occupies. It may be that John, like other Christians persecuted, there were some doubts about the reality of the triumph of the Lord. Jesus reassured by John: death strikes Christians is not omnipotent. He, Christ, who decides on where someone is dying and this person goes after his death. He, Jesus, in His hand the bunch of keys of death (the last enemy: 1 Corinthians 15.46 ) and of Hades! Is there something more here that can reassure us?
I am coming soon!
