Introduction

(Revelation 1:9-20)

9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation, kingdom, and endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of God’s word and the testimony about Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” 12 I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven gold lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe and with a gold sash wrapped around His chest. 14 His head and hair were white like wool—white as snow —and His eyes like a fiery flame. 15 His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a furnace, and His voice like the sound of cascading waters. 16 He had seven stars in His right hand; a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth, and His face was shining like the sun at midday. 17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. He laid His right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last, 18 and the Living One. I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 Therefore write what you have seen, what is, and what will take place after this. 20 The secret of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and of the seven gold lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

These verses say that the Apostle John was "in the Spirit on the Lord's Day" when he received a vision of the risen Lord Jesus Christ. And what an awesome vision it was! We can't be absolute, but most scholars believe John was in an attitude and posture of worship possibly on the first day of the week (Lord's Day), which would be Sunday. He said he saw a vision of Christ which means Jesus could have put John in a spiritual trance, hence the word "vision."

John's instructions were to send the testimony of this vision to the seven churches that were in a place called Asia Minor, or what we call modern day Turkey. So, when these churches received this letter of Revelation, they too would be in a worship setting much like ours right now where the letter would be read aloud. The letter was possibly read as part of worship in the early Church.

Although John was imprisoned on this isle of Patmos, he was still worshiping daily. Worship would have prepared John to receive this vision of Christ. As you will see, worship plays a major role throughout this entire book.

For us today my friends, corporate worship is not optional. Why? Why can't you and I just choose when we are going to worship Him and when we are not? Because genuine discipleship flows out of hearts that are cleansed and made full in Spirit-powered worship.

"We are best able to hear from God, to receive an eternal perspective, and to experience a little taste of heaven when we make Spirit-led worship a priority in our lives."