Imprint Community Church

John's vision gives us a long interlude between Trumpets 6 and 7, which basically answer the question: What is the Church on earth doing during this period of history, while God pours out his partial judgments upon the unbelieving world? Chapter 10's answer to that question is that the Church of Jesus Christ is to be God's prophet to the nations. The strange imagery of John eating a scroll has very practical implications for our lives as followers of Jesus.

Chapter 8 introduces us to a new "series of seven" in Revelation: seven trumpets sounded by angels in heaven, representing terrible (but limited!) judgments of God upon sinners in the world during the present age. An escalation in the judgments' intensity indicates a drawing nearer of the return of Jesus, and the final judgment that will come upon the unbelieving world at that time. But for now, as God sends these partial judgments into the lives of unbelievers, he intends to turn the hearts of proud sinners toward himself in repentance and faith.

When the Lamb opens the 6th seal, John's vision depicts the end of human history. In Christ's return to earth, two vivid and starkly contrasting realities are portrayed: the judgment of the wicked, and the salvation of the Church. These verses - alternately terrifying and hopeful - put in clear terms what is at stake in our response to Jesus Christ and his gospel.

The Lamb begins to open the sealed scroll, and we see plagues and hardships befall the earth. These are not merely depictions of future disasters, but snapshots of the woes and troubles of life in a fallen world in the age between Christ's first and second comings. This message considers the first five seals, which highlight the triumph of Christ's gospel and the suffering of Christ's people on earth.

John's vision of the throne room in heaven continues, revealing three all-important realities: Christ's coronation as King, Christ's conquering by the cross, and Christ's acclaim throughout creation. This powerful scene shows us a heaven that is saturated with adoration to Jesus Christ as the redeemer of God's people. Listen to this description of heaven's worship, and consider how our own lives and worship should be shaped by it.

As the body of John's vision begins, the first image he sees is of utmost importance: the throne of God. The throne is the orientation for the rest of the vision, and perhaps the primary point the Revelation intends to drive home to its readers: The sovereign God is reigning from his throne, and no earthly or spiritual powers can overcome it. Listen as Pastor Kyle describes the striking scene of God's throne room.

The final of the seven letters from Jesus is a church that is proud and self-reliant, who trust themselves so fully that they have grown complacent ("lukewarm") in their relationship to the Lord himself. Jesus has strong words of rebuke for this kind of church, yet still holds out incredible mercy and and hope to those who will repent and trust in him yet again.

In Jesus' 6th letter, he addresses a church that's been excluded by the religious community and the social systems of the day, but who have remained steadfast in their devotion to Christ. The Lord offers no corrections, but four powerful encouragements for this faithful congregation. In these encouragements, Christians today can find comfort and courage for steadfastness in the face of trouble.

An atheist commenter asks, "How do atheists find good feelings about life?" A simple, emphatic answer: The best way to find meaning in this life, and hope for eternity, is to believe that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead!" Examining 1 Corinthians 15:12-28, Pastor Kyle considers a world where Christ was not raised, and then demonstrates how the resurrection of Jesus answers all the hopelessness of a fallen world.

The church in Sardis has been lulled to sleep by complacency and compromise. Their reputation for being a lively, vibrant church is out-of-sync with Jesus' diagnosis: They are dead. (Or, at least dying.). This passage issues a powerful warning for Christians who are spiritually slumbering, in danger of missing out on life in the Spirit entirely. But for the faithful, Jesus assures them of the coming rewards of friendship, purity, and security.

Jesus has strong words of correction for a church that has grown in love and virtue, but has been tolerant of evil and false teaching. How does a modern virtue like tolerance become grounds of discipline for a church? What sorts of boundaries should a church have around its life and doctrine, to remain faithful to Christ?

Jesus writes to a church that has faithfully endured hardship and persecution, but is drifting into false teaching and immorality. Here are strong words of encouragement and challenge to Christians today to remain steadfastly loyal to Christ and his Word, no matter what pressures we face in this world. Those who persevere will be rewarded with unspeakable blessing in the eternal Kingdom.

Christ's message to the church at Smyrna provides pastoral encouragement for a congregation that treasured Jesus above the material wealth of the Empire. He warns them of increasing persecution to come, but urges them to remain "faithful unto death," promising them eternal life and salvation from God's wrath on the last day.

Christ's personal messages to seven local churches provide a window into the health of the church in the 1st Century, and also offer strong encouragement and exhortation to churches today. In his message to the Ephesian church, we learn of the central importance of love in the life of Christ's people. Doctrinal purity without love is empty, and Jesus has strong words of rebuke and warning for churches characterized by this distortion.

The main activity of these verses is John's commissioning by the Lord Jesus to write in a book the revelation he is about to receive. The main FUNCTION of this commissioning is to highlight the divine authority of Jesus Christ over his people, and over all human history. In this commissioning sequence, we find three important truths about the Kingdom of Christ - realities that will help prepare Christians for the journey they're on in this life, and to provide them with hope and endurance to make it safely home.

John offers a formal greeting to his readers, in which he spotlights the glory of the triune God and the glory of Jesus Christ, in particular. The glorious truths here enumerated about Christ become themes that are expounded throughout the Revelation. These verses provide a compelling glimpse of the person and work of Jesus, and offer a poignant reminder of the beauty of his gospel.

In the first message in this new series on Revelation, Pastor Kyle considers the first three verses of the book, providing principles and guidelines to aid in our approach to Revelation. The star of the story is Jesus Christ, and the people of God are given strong encouragement to keep their hope tethered to his final and decisive victory over evil.

In this ancient song for corporate worship, God's people are warned about the foolishness of trusting in human power for salvation, and exhorted to trust only in Yahweh and his just reign over the world. The psalm is bookended with a call to "praise Yahweh," and his people find ample reason for that praise in his just, eternal kingship.

Paul concludes his letter to the Ephesian churches with a commendation of the letter's courier, and a prayer of blessing upon his hearers. In this message, Pastor Kyle provides an overview of the message of the entire book. If the book of Ephesians were one sermon, it might sound something like this.

Paul concludes his meditation on "the armor of God" by discussing the offensive weapons with which God has equipped his people. Far from cowering in a corner trying to fend off the approaching enemy, the Church of Jesus Christ is advancing against Satan and his kingdom, and Christ has provided his people with the word of God and fervent prayer to launch their offensive strike.