Scripture reading: Revelation 1:1-8.

Sermon text: Revelation 22:1-9: 2.

Every good father wants to do everything he can for his child. He wants to give his children everything they need and help guide them to become successful adults. Perhaps a father knows he has succeeded when he sees his children build on his work and become successful parents of their own children.

Today, we begin a study of one of the Bible’s most misunderstood and misinterpreted books: The Revelation of St. John the Divine. Many people will study this book today to predict the future. Many people will watch today’s news about Middle East events and turn to Revelation looking for answers. Others will try to use this book to understand what they see in the news or read in the newspaper (or on the Internet). Even more people will intentionally ignore this book out of fear or out of insecurity, believing that if they don’t read the book its predictions won’t come to pass.

If you’re looking for a normal study of the book of Revelation, I assure you: This isn’t it. I’m not trying to predict the future in great detail; I’m not trying to scare anyone with horrific tales of judgment or graphic depictions of persecution. If you’re looking for the normal approach, I encourage you to look elsewhere.

Instead, I want to approach the Revelation from a totally different view. I want us to see a Father’s love for His Son and for His children. I want us to see the magnificent passages of worship, in which all heaven rejoices at the Son’s exaltation and in which all creation sings the praises of its Creator. I want us to see the Father’s love for the Church, the Bride of His Son. I want us to see the culmination of all history in a glorious enthronement of Our Lord and in an eternal dwelling place for everyone who played a role in that enthronement. I want us to see that God loves us so much He invites us to participate, here in this life and in the life to come.

Know this isn’t a mushy, affectionate kind of love. This book reveals a love so determined to purify creation that God will do anything necessary to bring repentance from rebellious humanity. This book reveals a love so strong that those who persecute God’s beloved children will experience the judgment that results. This book also reveals a love so incomprehensible that we can only accept it: A love that leads God to take us into a new creation where we will live with Him forever.

First, we must understand the circumstances of the book and its origin. Please repeat after me: Revelation was written to first century Christians. Did you notice the date? The Revelation was written to people in first century A.D., to people who lived in the Roman Empire under the domination of emperors whose word was law. The Roman emperors realized the diversity of the Empire’s residents (not citizens, mind you) and sought to unify the Empire through one nominal religion: The worship of the emperor himself. Each year, every Roman citizen and resident was required to offer a pinch of incense on an altar and proclaim, “Caesar is Lord.”

Unfortunately for Rome, a new faith proclaimed a new lord. Christianity began in Jerusalem in A.D. 33 on the day of Pentecost and spread throughout the Empire, primarily through persecution and through the efforts of one Saul of Tarsus. (We know him as St. Paul the Apostle.) Ironically, this new “lord” seemed very unlordly to most Romans. After all, what’s lordly about hanging on a cross, crucified as a common criminal?

Word began to spread, however, that this crucifixion had been prophesied by the Jews for centuries. Prophet after prophet, beginning with Moses, had prophesied about One who would come and serve as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of humanity. Furthermore, in a remarkable twist to the event, His followers claimed that the Man hadn’t survived the crucifixion; instead, He had risen from the dead after 3 days in the tomb! Not even Caesar could compete with this accomplishment!

The believers in this Lord — Jesus the Christ — claimed that His sacrifice had paid the penalty for every sin ever committed. A good thing, too, since the world had sunk into sin and depravity such as most people could never imagine.

This, then, is the story behind the Revelation. One of Jesus’ followers, John the Apostle (and yes, Church history proves the apostolic authorship of this book), found himself on the wrong side of Roman civic religion and was therefore exiled to the small island of Patmos off Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). We’ll see this didn’t stop him from worshiping his Lord. Even in exile, even in persecution, Christians have proclaimed, “Jesus is Lord.”

While St. John found himself in exile, he didn’t find any rest. While there, he experienced a vision that revealed the final result of humanity’s rebellion against its Creator and Lord. The vision revealed the final acts in a process that began before the foundation of the world.

You see, before the foundation of the world — in eternity past — God the Father loved God the Son. This love spurred the creation itself. Scripture reveals that the Father had always planned to give the creation to the Son for Him to rule in righteousness and justice. St. Paul had written to the Philippians about this plan (cf. Philippians 2:5-11).

And what a creation! Tonight, look up into the sky and try to count the stars. In the morning, step outside and listen to the sounds of nature. Look around you right now, at the people in your life. Read about the geography of the world and the rich diversity of life in other regions. Everything in creation was created out of the Father’s love for the Son.

However, a rebel appeared, convincing the pinnacle of creation — humanity — that it alone was the purpose of creation; that God created everything for humanity to use as it saw fit. The innocuous beginning with a piece of fruit from a forbidden tree led to every sin and atrocity history has recorded. Every sin in history and in our lives today begins when we believe that we, and we alone, are the reason for creation. This pride leads us to exalt ourselves above others and eventually above the Son for whom everything exists. The Old Testament tells us the story of the rebellion. The New Testament, including Revelation, tells us about the deliverance from the rebellion.

The deliverance came when the Son Himself sacrificed His life for His creation. We often read of princes and kings who give their lives for their kingdoms. We uphold these tales of bravery as examples for us to follow. How much more should we follow the example of the Son, Jesus the Christ, who gave Himself for rebellious humanity!

So here’s the story of the Revelation. The Father loved the Son and created the universe for Him. The greatest beings of creation, humanity, rebelled against our master. The Master Himself, the Son, sacrificed His life to pay the penalty for our rebellion. Then, through the Holy Spirit, God lives within humanity and calls us from rebellion into relationship. Revelation tells us that God loves us so much that He protects those who respond to the call. God protects His saints in persecution. Even death cannot harm the saints of God. Revelation also tells us that God will give repeated opportunities for those who remain in rebellion to come to a relationship instead.

And yes, Revelation also tells the fate of those who choose to remain in rebellion. It bothers me to hear people talk about the lake of fire as if they’re happy someone’s going there. It bothers me just as much for people to  use the talk of judgment to decry God, saying He is cruel if He sends someone into everlasting punishment. However, what do we expect Him to do? If someone chooses to stay in rebellion against Him, do we expect Him to force the rebel into heaven? St. John tells us in the Revelation that we will live in a new heaven and a new earth for all eternity, and that God Himself will live there with us. Anyone who rebels against God in this life would consider an eternity with Him to be the ultimate punishment.

However, the Revelation doesn’t end with justice and judgment; it ends with restored humanity living with God forever in a restored creation. I looked around Friday night here at the church after Vacation Bible School. I stood outside and looked up at the stars; looked around at the trees; and listened to the crickets and the whippoorwills. I thought to myself, “I’m blessed to live in the South.” (If you live outside the Southern U.S., I’m certain you feel the same way about where you live — at least I hope so.) Now, imagine a creation that has never been stained by sin; never marred by the prideful acts of humans who believe they actually own this world instead of serve as its caretakers. Imagine a creation never touched by disease or death. That’s what awaits everyone who says, “Jesus is Lord,” believing that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9). In other words, everyone who confesses Jesus as Lord rather than anything or anyone in this life (remember Caesar?) will live forever in a new heaven and new earth with the God who loves us so much He died so that we could live there. That’s love!

And so, we embark on the Revelation of St. John. Join New Hope in reading a book that reveals the Father’s love: His love for His Son, and His love for us. Join the Church in celebrating a love that transcends any human father’s love for his children. Join us in leaving rebellion and living in relationship with God. Join us now — and live with us and Our Lord for eternity.