Introduction

Revelation 1:9 ESV  I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

• You know a long time ago, as I was starting to preach through a Book in the Bible for the first time, I was talking to Pastor Matt Krachunis, the pastor who lead me to the Lord and discipled me.
  • And I asked him “How do I decide how much scripture to preach on each Sunday?” Should I preach paragraph to paragraph?
    • Chapter to chapter?
    • Heading to heading?
  • He told me “Just go as far as you need to go to preach a sermon on Sunday”
• Well today, we need not go farther then just his one, simple verse…

Revelation 1:9 ESV  I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

• And what are we going to talk about? There is a lot here that we could go over, but let’s focus on this… how the Apostle John, who was boiled alive in oil, came out unscathed, and then was banished to the prison island of Patmos…
  • How this John who Jesus called both a Son of Thunder and a Beloved disciple…
  • How this John considers himself our partner.

Show title slide.

• Now the first thing we can say about this is that we don’t need to be scared about the book of Revelation or anything in it, because we are not in it alone.
  • John is our partner… and if John is our partner, a saint who lived some 2000 years ago, then I think it is safe to say that the person sitting next to you, if they are born again, then they are your partner too…
    • And the people in the churches around the City that preach Christ Crucified, they too are our partners…
  • We are not going through this alone! Praise God.
• And that makes sense, doesn’t it, because Christianity is and always has been a Team sport. We work together in all things…
  • And just a side not of encouragement, here at CLC if you ever feel alone, please reach out. It is a lie of the flesh or a lie of the enemy to make you feel like you are alone… we are a family! Amen?!
• So we have partners in this life… and what I love about this verse… about this partnership… is that is shows us exactly what our life is going to be like should we chose the born again life. Let’s pray and then we will get into it.

Point One – To Be a Part of the Kingdom We Must Endure.

• The first point that I have this morning is this: To Be a Part of the Kingdom We Must Endure.

Revelation 1:9 ESV  I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

• So John writes out this list: He is our partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Christ Jesus…
  • But what  you need to know about this list is that John is not describe three different things… He is describing one thing that has three Attributes.
    • And we know that because of the way the Greek is written, this is one Greek article before the list… that means the list is describing ONLY ONE thing…
    • It is a Kingdom that involves suffering and endurance and tribulation.
  • It’s not that John is a partner with us in the Kingdom of God…
    • And also if there happens to be suffering he is our partner…
    • And also if there happens to be tribulation he is our partner…
    • And also if there happens to be a need to endure he is our partner…
  • No, these are not “and also statements”…
    • John is our Partner in a Kingdom, and this kingdom includes tribulation and endurance and suffering… This is what the Kingdom of Christ is here on earth.
• So what this tells me is that the Kingdom in which we are all partners… in this Kingdom, as far as it is on earth before perfection comes…
  • If we are going to be a part of this Kingdom then there will be a need, no, a REQUIREMENT for endurance!
• To be a part of the Kingdom church we must endure!
  • Endure what?
• We must endure temptation…
  • Temptation to sin…
  • Temptation towards apathy…
  • Temptation towards laziness…

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV  No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Romans 12:11 ESV  Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

Proverbs 13:4 ESV  The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.

• We must endure persecution…
  • Persecution from our families.
  • Persecution from governments.
  • And persecution from the enemy.

2 Timothy 3:12-13 ESV  Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,  (13)  while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

John 15:18-19 ESV  “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.  (19)  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Luke 6:22 ESV  “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!

Matthew 5:10 ESV  “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

• We Must endure trials… testing…
  • Trials that come from God…
  • And trials that come from the enemy…
    • Sometimes God tries us to show us if we are really made of what we say we are made of and to grow us…
    • Sometimes Satan tries us to tries to see if he can break us down.
  • But whoever is trying us, be it Satan or the Lord, it doesn’t matter, the response is the same: ENDURE!

James 1:2-4 ESV  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  (3)  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  (4)  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:12 ESV  Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

1 Peter 4:12-13 ESV  Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  (13)  But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

• Listen, dear saint… let me read this verse from Revelation once again, and as I read it let the reality sink in that you MUST endure to be a part of the Kingdom:

Revelation 1:9 ESV  I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

• PATIENT ENDURANCE… it comes with being a part of the Kingdom here on earth. Unless, like the thief on the Cross, you die shortly after you are saved… then you are going to have to endure some things… prepare yourself!
  • To be a part of the Kingdom YOU MUST ENDURE… and I can say that with confidence because it’s Scripture!

Hebrews 10:36 ESV  For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

Matthew 24:13 ESV  But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

• Now that brings me to point two…
  • Now point two is a given, it should be obvious if you took in point one…
  • But just to double/triple down I want us all to understand this…

Point Two – Suffering Comes With Being a Part of the Kingdom.

• Suffering comes with being a part of the Kingdom… that’s the second point.
  • Suffering comes with being a part of the Kingdom…
    • The Kingdom here and now that is, there is a Kingdom coming when there will be no suffering, praise God, but for the mean time we must endure and that meant that there WILL BE SUFFERING.

Revelation 1:9 ESV  I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

• The reason I use the word “suffering here” instead of “tribulation” is because I don’t want you to get confused and think we are talking about end time tribulations…
  • I am talking about the tribulations that believers suffer in the here and now…
    • The suffering that you have faced, are facing, and will face.
• Because John certainly did not have to wait for the end of the world to understand suffering…
  • We know from historical documents that the romans put John in a boiling pot of oil! They literally tried to boil him alive… what a horrible death!
    • But John miraculously survived. No only survived, but came out onscathed… so what did the Romans do? They banished him to live the rest of his life on a small 8 mile by 4 mile island called Patmos, which is where he wrote the book of Revelation.
    • And we know now, from archeological digs, that Patmos used prison labor to cut stones and rocks… so John was probably forced to break rocks all day in a literal chain gang…
    • What I am saying is this “The man knows about present suffering! He knows how to suffer!”
  • Not John alone, but Jesus our Savior knows all about suffering, doesn’t He? And we are supposed to be like him, aren’t we?

Philippians 1:29 ESV  For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

• Jesus Himself said that we would have suffering… look at what He said in John 16:33

John 16:33 ESVb  … In the world you will have tribulation…

• Why do I tell you this?
  • For a few reasons:
    • First, if you are suffering it is OK!
      • Don’t blame God, and don’t blame yourself…
    • The enemy will try to convince you that you are suffering because of something you did wrong, because of one of your own failures…
      • But the truth is that if you are doing everything right… suffering is promised.
    • Second: To rebuke the prosperity gospel.
      • Jesus did not promise that we would have a life free from suffering and full of wealth and health.
      • Jesus, on the contrary, promised that this life would be full of hardships for the believers… but that there is a life coming, a new life, that will be suffering free.
    • And Third: Because I want you to know that you are not alone!
      • John says he is your partner through these sufferings, through these tribulations…
      • But not John only, no, the full bride of Christ.
      • But not the church only, no, Christ himself!
  • Let me read all of John 16:33 for you…

John 16:33 ESV  I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

• Jesus has overcome the world! We can have peace knowing we are with Christ Jesus… even in the midst of suffering.

Romans 5:3-5 ESV  Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,  (4)  and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,  (5)  and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

• And listen, I don’t know what you are going through right now, but this I do know…
  • Your suffering is only temporary!
  • I PROMISE YOU THIS SUFFERING IS ONLY TEMPORARY! YOU WILL GET THROUGH IT!

1 Peter 5:9-10 ESV  Resist [the enemy], firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.  (10)  And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

• And if that wasn’t enough for you, here is Psalm 34:19

Psalms 34:19 ESV  Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

• And if THAT is not enough to get you through this suffering let me tell you the end of the story:

Revelation 21:4 ESV  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

• No matter how hard your life is, it will come to an end… the suffering will come to an end… and Christ will be there waiting.
• I love what Paul says about this in the book of Romans… Paul gave up everything for Christ…
  • He gave up wealth, and power, and fame…
  • He gave it all up to live a life in chains and to be eventually killed for his faith… and here is what Paul said about it all:

Romans 8:18 ESV  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Conclusion

If Your Not Suffering and Having to Endure…

• Let me conclude with this… if the tribulations that are described in the book of Revelation… The seven seals and the seven bowls…
  • Fire falling from heaven, and plagues, ands wars and famines…
    • If this stuff worries you, if this stuff frightens you…
  • Then I have to wonder… are you really living the KINGDOM life now that you are supposed to be…
    • Because you SHOULD be living a life that includes seasons of suffering and endurance…
      • Now you shouldn’t be living that life alone, because we are partners together in that life.
      • And you should be living that life victoriously, because Christ has already bought the victory…
      • But trials and tribulations… suffering and endurance… they shouldn’t be foreign concepts to you as a Christian.
  • And if they are foreign to you…
    • Maybe you are thinking… “My life is pretty great… not a lot of suffering… not a lot of trials… I am living the good life”.
      • If that is you, let me not rebuke you this morning, instead let me encourage you:
• Praise God your life is easy! I mean that, not to sound condescending at all! Praise God!
  • And if your life is so easy, dear saint, if this is you, then I know you must have an abundance of energy to dive DEEPER into the things of God…
    • To go on missions, to church plant, to make disciples…
      • Use the energy you have from having such a nice life to serve God whole heartedly…
        • And I promise you that you will eventually find suffering and trials along the way…
          • And when you do, we are all here with you, as partners in the tribulation and patient endurance that comes with the earthly Kingdom of Christ.
• Gospel Call (Facing trials and suffering without Christ… who would want that?!)