The Apostle John wrote this letter while he was a prisoner on an island called Patmos. He was banished there for preaching the Gospel of Christ. The Book of Revelation is a letter that is addressed to seven churches in a place called Asia Minor or modern-day Turkey. These churches were probably started in some way or another by the ministry of the Apostle Paul. John meant for his letter to be read out loud in each of the seven churches, starting in Ephesus, and passed on to the next church in line.

John uses the first eight verses to remind his readers of the trustworthiness of the Christ they served. In these first eight verses, and especially verses 4-8, we find two truths concerning our Savior Jesus Christ. 

(Revelation 1:1-20)

The revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave Him to show His slaves what must quickly take place. He sent it and signified it through His angel to His slave John, who testified to God’s word and to the testimony about Jesus Christ, in all he saw. The one who reads this is blessed, and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it are blessed, because the time is near! To the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace to you from the One who is, who was, and who is coming; from the seven spirits before His throne; and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has set us free from our sins by His blood, and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—the glory and dominion are His forever and ever. Amen. Look! He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, including those who pierced Him. And all the families of the earth will mourn over Him. This is certain. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the One who is, who was, and who is coming, the Almighty.”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. 

Christ can be trusted. He is the faithful witness (v. 5). A witness is one that testifies to the truth. The Lord Jesus as a witness reveals God to us. (John 1:18). What does Christ reveal to us about God? First, He reveals the power of God the Father. Remember the miracles Jesus performed while He was on earth: the feeding of the five thousand and raising the dead girl. The reason the miracles were done in His name is because He is God.

Christ also reveals to us the love of God. This can be seen in His death on the cross. (Romans 5:6-8) Christ reveals the wisdom of God to us. This is the means of our redemption - Jesus, who was perfect and never sinned dying for us who are sinful (1 Peter 3:18).

Finally, Christ reveals to us God's hatred of sin. This can be seen in His death (Romans 6:23) (Romans 8:32). God will not let sin go unpunished. Either the sinner must accept Christ who paid the sinner's debt on the cross or be sent to the lake of fire to pay for his own sins.

Verse five gives us another reason Jesus can be trusted. Because He is the first to be resurrected from the dead. He was resurrected to never die again (Revelation 1:17-18).

You and I must believe that He has been raised from the dead if we are to be saved (Romans 10:9-10). Jesus is the prince of the kings of the earth. He will never be defeated. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Christ can be trusted because He has already proved His love for us (v 5). Jesus loves us! (Philippians 2:5-8). He washed us from our sins with His own blood (1 Peter 1:18-19).

John was "in the Spirit on the Lord's Day" when he received this vision of the risen Lord Jesus Christ. We can't be sure, 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, therefore 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. Worship would have prepared John to receive this vision of Christ. Worship plays a major role throughout the entire book. For Christians, 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 (Hebrews 10:23-25).