Seven Stars and Seven Churches, 1

SEVEN STARS AND SEVEN CHURCHES, Part 1
TEXT: Revelation 1:9-20

INTRODUCTION: John tells us four things about himself:
-"Your brother and companion."
-"In the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ."
-"On the island that is called Patmos, for the word of God and testimony of Jesus Christ."
-"In the Spirit on the Lord's Day."

I. THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH.
A. The Vision of the Son of Man.
B. Seven Glorious Attributes (Rev. 5:12): Power, riches wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing.

II. THE MEANING OF THE CHURCH.
A. The Church in Scripture.

1. The invisible or universal church. "The universal church (brought into being by the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace) may be called the invisible church. It consists of the complete number of the elect who have been, who are, or who shall be gathered into one under Christ its Head. The church is the bride, the body, the fullness of Christ who fills all in all." (1689 Modernized by Kerkham, Ch. 26, paragraph 1).
   --A Sure Foundation
   --Opposition
   --Perseverance

2. The visible or local church. "The purest churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error, and some have degenerated so much that they have ceased to be churches of Christ and have become "synagogues of Satan." Nevertheless, Christ has always had, and always will have to the end of time a kingdom in this world, made up of those who believe in him and profess his name." (1689 Modernized by Kerkham, Ch. 26, paragraph 3)

B. Identifying the Symbols.
--What are the mysteries?
--Who are the angels?