How can we be strengthened for today? How can we be filled with hope about tomorrow?

John saw the glory of Christ:
During Jesus’ earthly ministry
• Vision of the future
• Seven churches
o The number 7: means complete; 49 times in Revelation
o These 7 congregations represent the whole church of Christ in every age

The Greeting
• Grace
o Fundamental to becoming who we are
• Peace: flows from our grace-based relationship with God
o Peace is the reflection of the smile of God in the heart of the believer who has been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, is the result of grace. (William Hendriksen)
• Him- We will be getting God’s perspective of history’s unfolding
o The Trinity
▪ The Father, based on Exodus 3.14; always has been, is now always will be
▪ The Spirit- the seven spirits- the one who built the second temple, cf. Zechariah 4.2-6
▪ Jesus, Psalm 89.27,37
• Faithful witness: to display God to us
• Firstborn: begins a new creation
• Ruler of the King of the earth
• When earthly rulers seem so powerful…
• When celebrities seem so powerful

The Doxology
• Loves us
• Freed us from sin
• By his blood
• Made us a kingdom of priests, cf. Exodus 19
• To Him be glory and dominion
Pronouncement:
• Behold he is coming, Daniel 7.12
o Every eye
• Those who pierced, Zechariah 12.10
o Validation/Celebration
o Judgment/wailing
• Jesus’ pronouncement: I am the Alpha and the Omega

So What About Us?
• The Glory of Christ
• Christ is enough
• Victory through