Sermon in Minneapolis 30.07.2006

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we will continue our services this evening, today which is the seventh Sunday after Trinity, Transfiguration Sunday, and the theme, the topic of this day is the glorified Christ.

An epistle text for this day is Revelation chapter 1, verses 9 through 20. I, John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation, and in kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

I was in spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega. I am the first and the last, and what thou seest, write in a book and send unto the seven churches, which are in Asia: unto Ephesus, unto Smyrna, unto Pergamos, unto Thyatira, unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire. And his feet like unto fine brass, as they burned in a furnace. And his voice as the sound of many waters.

And he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword. And his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead, and he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not. I am the first and the last. I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen, and have the keys of hell and death.

Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. Amen.

As we heard already earlier through our brother, today is Transfiguration Sunday, and he alluded to the events on Mount Transfiguration where Jesus was transfigured, or we could say he experienced metamorphosis.

Jesus was here upon this earth in a human body, in a body of clay, a temporal vessel. And he was a human being like any other human being when a person looked upon him with their natural eyes. Of course, he had that one exception, that he was sinless.

And so, Peter, James, and John were able to see momentarily when Jesus was changed, transfigured. And they were able to see him in his complete, full glory, as he was there in the glory of heaven before he descended down upon this earth.

And that they were able to witness and observe for a short moment, for a brief second.

John, the evangelist, the apostle, had been exiled to the Isle of Patmos. And we could say he was called the Roman Alcatraz. It was a small island, only ten miles by six miles in size, a rocky island.

And it is a place where people were forced to do hard labor in mines and in quarries. It was a small island off the coast of present-day Turkey, out in the Aegean Sea, 37 miles off the shore.

John was already an elderly man, apparently, at that time, perhaps already 85 to 90 years of age. And this was during the reign of Caesar Domitian.

We remember that the Apostle Paul died a martyr's death under the reign of Caesar Nero, but now was a later Caesar, under whose reign Timothy and apparently Luke suffered their martyr's death.

But John, we know, was the only one of the disciples who died a natural death. And so when the next Caesar came to power, Caesar Nerva, he was then released.

While John was there on this Isle of Patmos, he notes that it was not a very glamorous time, for he was a brother in tribulation, in kingdom, and in patience. He was a brother in Jesus Christ.

John wasn't the only writer of the Bible who wrote while being persecuted. Moses apparently did write the books of Moses while on that arduous 40 years during the wilderness journey.

David wrote many of his psalms when he was fleeing the wrath of King Saul. We know that the prophet Isaiah lived many very difficult days, and eventually he died a martyr's death as well. He was also apparently sawed into two pieces.

Ezekiel wrote his prophetical book while in exile. Jeremiah also experienced many trials from the hands of his own brethren, was exiled into Egypt, and there eventually died.

Peter the apostle wrote his epistle shortly before he died a martyr's death.

So the apostle John says, I John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in kingdom and patience in Jesus Christ, was on the isle that is called Patmos for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

While on this isle of Patmos, under forced heavy rain, in the labor, in the mines, in the quarries, he suddenly experiences a revelation. And he writes about it in this way, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day.

We remember when the apostle Peter, just before he received that vision, he said, O Lord, what is that I see over my face? This is the rugby ball that I have seen clear everywhere.

Here is Paul, who was using a powerful shadow. Galatians elsewhere says that John was in spirit. And the prophet Ezekiel, when he received many of his visions, it was said that he was in the spirit.

But also we could, I'm sure, explain this in another way as well. How the brother in his previous sermon quoted from the fifth chapter of Galatians, how the apostle Paul exhorted the recipient of that letter and also us today that we would walk in the spirit and not in the flesh.

John, while on the Isle of Patmos, was far away from any other believers. But we could say that he was in communion, in connection, in fellowship with them, the brothers and sisters, whom he longed to see and who longed to see him, by and through the spirit.

And so we are joined together, all brothers and sisters in living faith, by and through the bonds and the ties of the Holy Spirit.

So John was in the spirit on the Lord's Day, perhaps referring to what we call as the Sabbath day or the day of rest, Sunday, today.

And he heard behind me a great voice, which was as a trumpet. A trumpet is a temporal instrument that often announces important occasions. And it is an instrument that gathers people together.

This may seem like it is calling people to the final judgment at the end of the world. But perhaps this is referring also already to this time of grace, that we are in the spirit of God, that we are already living.

And we remember when Prophet Zechariah had slumbered, had fallen asleep, had dozed off. The Prophet Haggai came and woke him up as if out of a sleep.

And he turned around and he saw a similar vision as what John the Evangelist saw on the Isle of Patmos.

Ruther says about the kingdom of God that it is an oral or a kingdom that uses the sense of hearing. In Finnish he says it's a kingdom of hearing.

And so this is how God pronounces and promulgates his Holy Gospel. As Paul writes to the Romans, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by and through the Word of God.

And so what did he hear? The great voice as our comfort said, I am the Alpha and Omega, which is the first and the last letter of the Greek Alphabet. I am the first and the last.

And the Prophet Isaiah says in many places in the Old Testament referring to God and the supremacy of God that he is the Almighty. He is the Omnipotent. He is the One who is all-powerful.

And there would be many places that could be read but one is this: One is the Almighty. One is this. Who has wrought and done it, referring to God, calling the generations from the beginning. I the Lord, the first with the last. I am He.

And then John is commanded, whatever you see write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia.

Today in our geography Asia is the Far East. But Asia in those days was the far western part of present-day Turkey, the area containing these seven localities that are mentioned here by name.

And sometimes we call it Asia Minor.

So send what you see and hear onto the seven churches which are in Asia.

So I turned to see the voice that spoke with me and when I turned, what is the first thing do you think John the Evangelist on the Isle of Patmos saw?

The very first thing that he saw was the fact that he was a Christian. And the second thing that he saw was I saw seven golden candlesticks.

And this is what the prophet Zechariah saw when he was woken out of that sleep by the prophet Haggai. He was able to see seven golden candlesticks as well.

And seven, of course, in the Bible refers to perfection or completeness.

And it is not like a menorah which has a single post with then seven different branches being the seven different candlesticks, but there were seven separate individual candlesticks.

And this is a picture in the Bible of the kingdom of God which is that unshakable kingdom which is the pillar and the ground of truth made of pure gold.

So if we would think of a menorah, for example, how is such a seven branch golden candlestick made? Gold first of all has to be brought up to its melting point and then it is formed and forged into that shape which is of a seven branch golden candlestick or a menorah.

And so in this way the gold is melted and then re-solidified so all is joined together fitly joined together.

Isn't this a picture of the love of God which joins all of God's kingdom children of God's kingdom together? We are tied together by the ties and the bonds of God's love.

So I turned to see that voice which spoke with me and when I turned I saw seven golden candlesticks.

But what was the most important thing that he saw? If we think of a candlestick, these two candlesticks that are before us, they are acting as a container and if there is no oil in the container they are just basically empty and useless.

But it is the oil which gives it life. It is because of the oil that is in the candlestick that we are able to have a flame.

So a single candlestick is often a picture of an individual child of God.

And we heard in the previous sermon referred to the ten virgins. The five were foolish. They had their lamps in their hands but why were they foolish? There was no oil in the lamps so they couldn't kindle them to get them to burn and get a flame to burn on the wick.

But the five wise virgins had oil in their lamps and they were able to kindle them to light them and so that the flame was burning and they were departure ready, ready to go out to meet the bridegroom when he came.

And so it is of utmost importance that there is the oil of the Holy Spirit, the oil of the Holy Spirit in our vessel, our candlestick, our golden candlestick, so that the flame of faith would burn and we would be departure ready to go out and meet the bridegroom.

And so when John saw the seven individual golden candlesticks referring to the seven different congregations in the area of Asia Minor and all of those together made up the body of God's kingdom at that time.

So God's kingdom is in its entirety all those children of God in the world wherever they may be.

Friday. Two brothers. Four brothers. Three brothers from North America and one from Sweden went to foreign mission locations. Two went to Ecuador and two went to Togo there to do mission work among those brothers and sisters in faith who are far, far away physically from us but yet are joined together to us by and through faith and in the Holy Spirit.

So what was in the middle of these golden candlesticks? And I turned and saw the seven golden candlesticks and in the middle of the seven golden candlesticks was one who was like unto the Son of Man.

So where or what is the address of Jesus Christ? Each one of us have a physical address. If you want to send a letter, if you want to send a letter to me or I want to send a letter to you, we have to know that physical address.

What is the address of Christ Jesus? Luther says, outside of God's kingdom there is no Christ and there is no salvation.

If you wish to find Christ, don't look up into the clouds and into the skies, says Luther. He is not there. But he is here upon earth. He is among his own where two or three are gathered together in his name.

I am with you always, says Jesus, unto the end of the world. Where there is the forgiveness of sins, there is life and there is salvation.

And so in the middle of the seven golden candlesticks was one who was like the Son of Man.

And then it tells the vision of what John saw, what Jesus appeared to him as the glorified Christ.

Just as I am sure Peter, James and John were able to see on the Mount of Transfiguration momentarily when Jesus, we could say, experienced the metamorphosis. He was transfigured. He was changed into that perfect glorified form as he was there in the glory of heaven on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty.

And it says he was clothed in a garment down to his foot. And this is referring to that white wedding garment which is the cloak of righteousness.

On the Mount of Transfiguration the three disciples were able to see when Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration was wearing the white robe and the robe of righteousness on one side and the robe of Elijah on the other side as if examining the cloak of righteousness that Christ was wearing which was white without spot and without blemish.

It was perfect. It was impeccable. This is that cloak of righteousness which alone is acceptable before God, our Heavenly Father.

And then the Apostle Paul writes to the Ephesians about our weapons of warfare as children of God. And he talks about that we are girded about with our loins are girded about with truth.

So we would think that it is a belt that goes around our waist. But what Jesus was wearing here was something that was girded around his torso or here about the height of the breast.

But anyways it was a golden sash. It was a golden belt. It was as here it says in our King James Version a golden girdle.

Again is the material of gold. And as we referred to earlier it indicates the essence of love but also refers to Jesus' holiness. He is our holiness or sanctification. He is our perfection. Our redemption. And our sanctification.

But then his head and his hairs were white like wool and white as snow.

Many times in the Bible it gives indication that we should honor and respect our elders. Rise up before the holy head, it says in the Old Testament. Or in other words rise up before the white-haired or the gray-haired person.

And so we could say that this is referring to Jesus' eternal nature, his divine wisdom, and his wisdom of his age.

But also white in the Bible refers to that which is pure and that which is holy.

So then it goes on to say and his eyes were as a flame of fire.

Again this may seem to give indication that this is the final judgment where people are brought before that judgment throne to meet their creator the fiery-eyed judge.

But this could be referring to this time of grace as well, this time of visitation.

As the prophet Isaiah says in the Bible, Isaiah says in a couple of different places, but he says for example in this way: The sinners of Zion are afraid. Fearfulness has surprised the hypocrites.

Who among us shall dwell with a devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

So those burnable matters which if and when they cling to us as the Bible says, who then can withstand near a devouring fire?

When Paul writes to the Corinthians he says upon this rock of salvation which is Jesus Christ that which is stubble and hay and those things which are burnable will certainly burn and be destroyed.

Only gold and silver and precious stones and metals will withstand upon that rock which is Christ Jesus.

And so here in this time of grace when we experience that sin has clung, attached, and made the journey slow, we can go to the throne of grace where we can hear the good speaking voice of the blood of Jesus.

In here we can hear that judgment which is the judgment of grace and mercy. You can believe your sins forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood.

But also it is referring to his penetrating vision, his searching righteousness, and also his judgment.

Jesus says one time that the words which I speak will judge you on the last day.

But fortunately for us as believers we have already been, we have already experienced that judgment during this time which I mentioned already is the judgment of grace, mercy, and the forgiveness of sins.

Therefore at the end of the world we will hear, Come you who are blessed of my Father to receive that inheritance which has been prepared from the beginning of the foundations of this world.

And then he goes on to say and his feet were like unto fine brass as if they were burned in a fire.

Brass in the Bible refers to judgment.

We remember in the Old Testament time when the people of Israel were murmuring about that food that was given to them, God tried them and he sent poisonous snakes into the camp and all that were bit by the poisonous snakes began to die one by one.

So Moses was asked by God to make a snake, a fake snake out of brass, a brazen serpent which was to be lifted up on a post and all those who then looked upon that brazen serpent in faith were then healed from these snake bites and did not die.

So why a brazen serpent? Why a serpent out of brass? Brass as I mentioned is a metal representation of the Bible's power of judgment.

We know that God hates sin and God told Adam and Eve that if you eat of that tree in the middle of the garden, that forbidden tree, you will surely die and punishment will come upon you.

And so they ate, they fell into sin and punishment did come upon them.

But then Jesus Christ was that perfect sacrifice had to suffer all of the punishments that God said would come upon mankind.

So Jesus experienced all. He endured everything. He experienced every punishment that had been promised if the fall would take place.

And when it did take place, he had to endure everything.

And the worst punishment was this: when he became separated from his Heavenly Father momentarily, the worst punishment any person could experience is to be eternally separated from God the Heavenly Father.

And this is everlasting death.

When Jesus was on the cross, he had already been forsaken by his disciples who fled in the Garden of Gethsemane.

And now, while hanging on the cross, he cries, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

And so Jesus became sin. He who was sinless became sin.

So he who was sinless could bring us righteousness, happiness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

And so that is why it says, His feet were like brass that was refined in a burning fire.

And his voice is the sound of many waters.

Who has ever been at Niagara Falls, for example? I've never been there myself, but I've been close by other waterfalls.

And we know that there is such a loud roar, it completely drowns out the voices of those who are nearby.

And if it doesn't completely drown out the voices of those who are nearby, you have to shout with a loud voice in order to be heard.

So isn't this referring to a symbol of authority, of majesty, of power, and of might?

And his voice was as the sound of many waters.

And he had in his right hand seven stars.

And these seven stars are a picture of the seven creatures from each one of these seven different congregations in Asia Minor that are mentioned here by name.

And it's interesting to note that all seven stars are at that moment in that right hand, and the right hand is, again, referring to power, authority as well.

So at that moment, all of the preacher brothers of these seven different congregations are in the right hand, in the right hand of Christ.

But when we read the first three chapters of Revelation, all of those seven, only two of the preacher brothers' matters are in order.

Otherwise, Jesus has words of rebuke and admonishment to the other five.

And if they don't submit themselves to the care of God and his kingdom, they will eventually lose their gift of living faith.

But God is patient. God is loving. He is long-suffering. And he is still holding all seven in his hands, giving them time for repentance.

And out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.

This is a picture of the Word of God. As the writer to the Hebrews says, the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword.

And his countenance was as the sun that shines in its strength.

Jesus Christ is often called the Son of Righteousness.

There would be much that could be said about this.

There is a brilliance that comes from a son.

The son, our natural son, doesn't this refer to such things as strength, majesty, but also symbolically, metaphorically referring to Christ's holiness and his deity, and also his righteousness.

We remember when Saul was on the way to the city of Damascus, and the resurrected Lord of the heavens, the Lord began to speak to him along the way.

It was so bright that he was blinded and he fell down on the ground.

And also it caused John, if we would read in this chapter further, that a reaction to this vision was that John fell down to the ground.

But it is amazing that this is one of two physical descriptions of Jesus Christ that are in the Bible.

And this is the physical description of Christ in his glorified form, in all of his glory, unveiled and without any curtain or covering.

But it is interesting to see that the other physical description of Jesus Christ is when he was in his physical form despised, sickly, one who was rejected and spit upon, and so forth.

He is, as Isaiah says, he is despised, rejected of men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.

And we hid our faces from him. He was despised and we did not esteem him at all.

So then it says here shortly, I want to not keep it too long, but now what was the reaction of John when he saw this vision?

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I was dead.

And he laid his, Christ laid his right hand upon me, and he said unto me, Fear not.

He told him, Do not be fearful.

We remember when Mary, the mother of Jesus, received news from the archangel Gabriel that she would bear the Christ child Jesus. She was fearful.

When the shepherds received news while shepherding their sheep out in the fields at night that the Messiah is now born, and they were sore afraid.

And we remember when the disciples and the two women were at the grave Easter morning, they were also fearful.

But this isn't the fear that one in unbelief, under the power of the law, experiences, as if jumping every time there is a twig that cracks and a leaf that rustles behind us because of our many sins and transgressions.

But this is, we could say, we experience this awe of God, our Heavenly Father, and show Him due respect and honor and obedience, that we do not wish to transgress the mind and the will of God, our Heavenly Father, with our sins in our life.

So here it says, it says shortly, I am the first and the last. I am He that lives and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.

Isn't this referring to Jesus who died on the cross, was put in the grave, but rose victorious over the power of sin and death in the grave on Easter morning?

He lives and we can live through Him. He is our resurrection.

And He says, Amen. I have the keys of hell and death.

Isn't this again a symbol of authority?