From the April 15 sermon “The Revelation of Jesus,” preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll out of Revelation 1:1-8:
John was one of the closest people on the earth to Jesus, as his best friend and eyewitness to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Even after being boiled alive and then exiled to the island of Patmos, John was faithful and never stopped talking about Jesus. For John, it’s always about Jesus. Revelation, penned by John, is all about King Jesus and Jesus’ church, because Jesus loves the church.
I’ll travel around. People will say, “What’s the secret? What’s the secret?” Here’s the secret. Jesus is alive. He’s nice. That’s the secret. That’s the secret. Everything we’ve ever accomplished is solely, totally, fully, thoroughly, from beginning to end, by the grace of God.
Mars Hill, I want your heart to be for Jesus. I want your heart to be for the church, and it will be, if you know that the grace of God is not just on you, and it’s not just on me, but the grace of God is on us. He’s doing something I don’t understand, but it’s pretty fantastic. He’s being gracious. He’s pouring out grace. We’re a blessed people. [. . .]
Mars Hill, there’s still grace to be had. There are still people to reach, leaders to raise up. There are churches to plant. There is work to be done, and this is a herald call from God saying everybody is welcome! And there’s grace for you, as well.
And the goal is not that you would just know Jesus, and love Jesus, and enjoy Jesus, but that you would love what Jesus loves, that you would do what Jesus does, that you would go where Jesus is, that you would give for what Jesus gave his life to: the church. [. . .]
Jesus loves the church! Jesus gave himself for the church, and he loves who? Us. Mars Hill, we are a loved people. You are a loved people. Does he love you individually? Yes. But does he love us collectively? Yes. I want you to love what Jesus loves. Love your church.
“And from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead.” He says that Jesus is the pattern of the resurrection of the church. You need to know this. We’re all going to die, and we will not rise individually. We will rise corporately. We’ll rise collectively. We’ll rise as the church. There will be a day when you die, when your funeral is held, and your family sheds their tears and says their goodbyes, and there will be a day that Jesus Christ calls us together from our graves, risen from death, no sin, no sickness, no suffering, to be together forever with him, like him. [. . .]
And so the story continues. “The ruler of the kings of the earth”—love this! This is big King Jesus. All kings, all kingdoms, all rulers, they will all give an account to him. You know, your parent, your spouse, your employer, your critic, they’re not Jesus. They’re not in ultimate authority. They will give an account to him, as you will give an account to him.
The truth is we should all live for that day, that day, when we sit or stand before Jesus, and we give an account to him. And whatever he calls it, that’s what it is, because he is what? He is the ruler of the kings of the earth. It doesn’t matter what someone’s title or position might be. Ultimately, they are under Jesus and give an account to him. That includes you and me.
