The First and the Last
5/27/202636 min
There are lots of letters in the Bible, but only one place has a series of letters written directly from Jesus to the churches — and that’s in Revelation.
Jesus appears to the now elderly apostle John on the isle of Patmos, where John is in exile, and it is quite an amazing vision. In it, there are three vivid contrasts. Each one tells us something that will make a real difference in our lives.
Let’s look at the contrasts: 1) Jesus has come but is coming, 2) John is stunned but still alive, and 3) we are suffering but brilliant.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on June 29, 2008. Series: Revelation: Jesus’ Letters to the Church. Scripture: Revelation 1:7-20.
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First 90 secondsSpeaker 10:00
[gentle music] Welcome to Gospel and Life. What would it be like to hear Jesus speak directly to the church today? In the Book of Revelation, we're given a rare glimpse of exactly that, Jesus addressing his followers with words of comfort, hope, and calling. Today, Tim Keller explores how these letters to ancient churches invite us to examine our own hearts and receive the healing and renewal Christ offers.
Speaker 20:28
[gentle music] Good morning.
Speaker 30:36
Good morning.
Speaker 20:36
Our scripture reading this morning is taken from the Revelation of John 1:7-20. "Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be. Amen. 'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.' I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the