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 Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”
I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:9-20 NIV)
It’s official. Christmas can start! Of all the things that divide people, there seems to be a new one: “When can we start thinking about Christmas?” No matter which side you’re on—the “Christmas in October” side or the “Not until after Thanksgiving” side—we can all agree: It’s now official. Christmas can start. Lights. Trees. Candles. Manger scenes. There’s something so powerful about Christmastime. A little baby was born for us. Who doesn’t like that? Who doesn’t like babies? A little baby was born for us. The “little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.”
That explains a lot about how we treat Jesus. As we officially enter Advent, I want you to notice something: We often treat Jesus like he’s still a baby, and it’s not a good thing. We treat Jesus like someone else’s baby. Think of how we treat someone else’s baby. Before the birth, we have a party—like a baby shower—and give presents. When the baby is born, we find a time to see her. Hold her at least once. With smiles and kind words. But then, we’re always a little happy we can give the baby back and not have to change her or feed her or get up with her. Maybe we’ll see her again for her next birthday. Maybe. That’s how we treat someone else’s baby, right?
Does that sound familiar? Isn’t that exactly how we treat Jesus? In the time leading up to Christmas, we get excited. It’s nice to think about a baby! There are parties. There are gifts. When Jesus is born, people take a moment to come to church—once. Maybe on Christmas Eve. We don’t mind holding Jesus for a little while. But then we put him down and leave him. I mean, he’s not our baby, right? Maybe we’ll see him at his birthday again next year. Does that sound familiar? Isn’t that how we American Christians treat Jesus? Like someone else’s baby. Cute. Nice to think about once in a while. Worth celebrating his birthday, maybe. But that’s it. A baby.
“No,” you say, “that’s not me! I don’t just go to church on Christmas Eve. I’m even at church on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Who goes to church on the Sunday after Thanksgiving?” You’re right. I’m glad. I’m thankful that Jesus is more than just a once-a-year thing for you. But it’s still tempting to see Jesus as a baby, in this way: What can a baby really do for you? They’re cute. Loveable. But powerless. Helpless. A baby is someone we do things for. A baby is not someone we trust for everything. Or anything. You can believe in Jesus, but still treat him like a baby.
Here are some signs that’s happening in your life: You get fixated on politics. What does that have to do with this? If Jesus is just a baby, you need to find a real power. “God isn’t getting the job done, right? So we need to get people in office who will!” Watch out! You’re treating Jesus like a baby. Here’s another sign: You find security in your money. I talked with a woman recently who said, “I don’t let anything that’s happening in the world bother me. I know I’m going to be okay!” I thought, “Great! Jesus gives us peace.” But she continued, “I’ve got plenty saved away. My house is paid off. I know I’m going to be okay.” Watch out! You’re treating Jesus like a baby. Here’s one more: You’re worried. Anxious. “I love you Lord Jesus, but you don’t seem to be in control.” Sound familiar? Watch out! You’re treating Jesus like a baby.
Have you ever seen a hippo eat a pumpkin? I saw a video recently of a hippo eating a pumpkin. It was a huge hippo. And it was a huge pumpkin. But the pumpkin didn’t stand a chance. The hippo popped up from the water and opened its huge mouth. The zookeeper dropped in a huge orange pumpkin. And the hippo with just one slow, methodical crunch, completely squashed it. The sides split. The seeds went flying. Squashed! That’s what Revelation does with our picture of “little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.” It completely squashes it. Jesus isn’t a baby anymore.
At the end of the Bible, Jesus gave his disciple John a vision of heaven. Listen: “On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet…. I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.” It’s Jesus! What happened to Jesus’ swaddling clothes? They’re replaced by a flowing robe. His humble manger is replaced by a gold sash. “No crying he makes” has become a voice like a trumpet. The Bible wants to put a different picture in your mind when you think of Jesus: Voice like a trumpet. Robe reaching to his feet. Golden sash.
And so much more: “The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.” No baby fuzz on his head anymore. White hair of authority and power and glory. Eyes that glowed like fire. “His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.” Can you imagine this scene? The picture on the front of your worship folder gives one artist’s attempt. What doesn’t show up in the picture is the voice. A voice like rushing waters. I bet that voice sent chills down John’s spine. Hair like snow. Eyes like blazing fire. Feet like bronze glowing in a furnace. Voice like rushing waters…
“In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.” Jesus holds stars in his right hand. Do you know how big stars are? To Jesus, they’re like pieces of popcorn. Out of Jesus’ mouth comes a sword. Think of the power of the Word of God from Jesus’ mouth. The power to kill and to bring to life. Jesus’ face is like the sun. Do you ever look at the sun? I hope not! You can’t. It’s so bright, so glorious, so majestic. You can’t even bear to look at it… A little baby? Far from it. Like a hippo squashes a pumpkin, Revelation squashes our notions of little Jesus.
When John saw Jesus like that, he said, “He’s so cute.” No! He said, “Awww! Look at the little baby!” No! “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.” What did John do? He fell down. Like he was dead. That’s what sinners do in the presence of God. Remember, this is the apostle John writing. He had seen so many miracles from Jesus: Water turned into blood. People raised from the dead. Demons driven out by the Son of God. He had seen and touched Jesus after he rose from the dead. But even John wasn’t prepared to see Jesus as he really is: Christ the King.
Think of what this means: If Jesus is really like that—Christ the King!—then you can’t push him to the side in your life. No way! You can’t pay attention to Jesus just once in a while. Do you see that? This vision is a call to repentance. If you’ve been living your life against Jesus, someday you will see Jesus as he really is. Not as a helpless baby. But with eyes like blazing fire. With a voice like rushing water. With a face that shines like the sun. The Bible says that every knee will bow before Jesus (Philippians 2:10), either through faith in Jesus in this life, or with fear and trembling on the Last Day. Do you treat Jesus like your King? Do you respect and obey him? Do you put his Word and his way and his plan above all else? If not, today’s the day to repent.
But there is another side. Remember? Sometimes we treat Jesus like a baby by ignoring him. Other times we treat Jesus like a baby by doubting him. By living with anxiety and worry. I know I do. If that’s you, then today is a good day to repent too. If you say you believe in Jesus, if you say you trust in his death and resurrection, if you say you know he’s coming again, if you say you believe he controls your life, then how can we be worried and anxious? I wonder if John fell to his knees before Christ the King thinking, “Lord, how did I ever doubt you? Forgive me!”
And here’s what Jesus said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One.” Aren’t those beautiful words? I heard someone say recently that the words “Do not be afraid” are found exactly 365 times in the Bible. Once for each day of the year. Isn’t that incredible? I even looked it up. And it’s not true. It’s not used exactly 365 times. But it is used many times. This is Christ the King’s gracious encouragement to his people: “Do not be afraid.” Jesus is the “First and the Last.” He is the beginning and the end. Jesus never changes. You can trust in him!
Your King says, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Those words must have triggered powerful memories for John. John had stood at the foot of Jesus’ cross on Good Friday. John—of all people—knew that Jesus had died. He saw it. But Jesus isn’t still dead. He is alive forever and ever! John had raced Peter to the tomb on Easter morning. John was the first disciple to see that the tomb was empty. John had been there when Jesus promised: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25). That’s why you don’t have to be afraid! Not even of death. Not even of hell or Hades. Jesus is Christ the King!
So why did that King become a baby? Why did he ever lie in a manger in the first place? Because he loves you so much! He was born a human being to save us. That’s how far he humbled himself. That’s how far he went for us! If you and I had a choice, how many of us would willingly choose to be a helpless baby again? Not me! Christ the King did. Out of love for us. When you see that baby in the manger, don’t think, “He’s so cute!” Think: “God must really love me.” Christ the King became a baby so he could grow to be a man so he could die for our sins so he could give eternal life to all who believe in him. That is why we celebrate his birth!
But notice one more thing: In John’s vision, where is Christ the King standing? He’s holding seven stars in his hand and standing “among the lampstands.” What’s up with that? Jesus said, “The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” Where is Christ the King standing? Right in the middle of his church. In the middle of his people. He’s not sitting on a throne in heaven waiting to see how things shake out down here. Christ the King is here right now. Christ the King is ruling right now. Christ the King has his church and his people in his hand right now. And what does he say to us? “Do not be afraid!”
This is what you need to face life on earth. Did you catch John’s description of his life? “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus…” What was his life full of? “Suffering” and “patient endurance.” Sound familiar? Every single one of us could use those words to describe life: “Suffering” and “patient endurance.” What did John need? What do you need? Christ the King! When you’re suffering, remember Christ the King. When you’re doubting, remember Christ the King. When you’re struggling to endure, remember Christ the King. When you see the baby, remember: “This is Christ the King!”
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