Four revelations

… 1 Corinthians 1 To get the verse in the context, I'll begin at verse 4. 1 Corinthians 1 verse 4 I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God which is given you by Christ Jesus, that in everything ye are enriched by him in all utterance and in all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that ye come behind a new gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. And in 1 Peter, Peter's first epistle, chapter 1 again. 1 Peter, chapter 1, again it's verse 7, but I'll begin at verse 6 just to set the verse in its context. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold trials, that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, but be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom, having not seen, ye love, in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. And in verse 13, wherefore gird up the loins of your mind and be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. And then in chapter 4, the same epistle, and verse 12. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you, but rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. It was just, dearly beloved, with the Lord's help to look at these four mentions of the revelation, the revelation of our Lord Jesus. There's one other that I haven't mentioned. I'll leave it for the scholars to dig it out. Revelation. It's rather remarkable that Peter brings it out on four occasions, Peter. So it seems to be one of his keynotes. Paul only mentions it twice. We had it this afternoon, one of them, and then this other one in 1 Corinthians. And I've often wondered, you know, why he brings it in there, in 1 Corinthians. Why he brings it to bear so much on them, the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because we know the state and condition they were in. The order in the assembly seemed to be a bit awry. They weren't really adhering to things, and the truths weren't really being developed and carried out. They seemed to be in quite a condition in that way. But right at the beginning he brings before them the fact of the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. And perhaps it seems to me that really he's trying to bring before them in all their lack of order, and the way they were coming short in such as the matter of the breaking of bread. Really one of the things that should steady them up and give them purpose is the revelation of Jesus Christ. They considered what was going to come out then. That he would come out in justice and equity, and rule in his wonderful way. He'd be revealed, the great and upholder, the one who upholds the whole universe. And the one who upholds, that can uphold the whole moral system of this universe and world. He's going to come back again, and be revealed in that way. They knew him as their saviour, no doubt about that. He says further on in chapter, unto we who are saved, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. No doubt about that. They knew him as their precious and personal saviour. But they needed to be stabilised, and it seems to me that the Apostle Paul only twice, using this thought of the appearing, it's quite clear why it's used in 2 Thessalonians. It's really germane to the book. The appearing is necessary to bring it out. But one would have thought at first reading that it's not so necessary to bring it out in an epistle like the first one to the Corinthians. And as we were reminded this afternoon, the Apostle Paul, and of course John does, or the Lord does in the 7 letters to the 7 churches, there's always commendation given first. And he can do right away, he can thank God always about you, always, in respect. First thing, the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus. It's not just grace, human grace or anything, it's in Christ Jesus. And then they were enriched in him. Enriched in a word of doctrine. Not only the actual letter of it, but how to express it. The form in which it would be given. They could really understand that. It might be easy for us to learn parrot fashion certain words and phrases. But it needs some more ability to be able to express things and to understand it. And to be able to give utterance to them. You'll see all that in Mr. Darby's footnote. No need for me to elaborate on it. And it's all down there in all that word of doctrine and all knowledge. And in brackets, the testament of Christ has been confirmed in you. Wonderful testament of Christ. Testimony to the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. All the testaments come out in him. I would submit the truth of the fact that he is the head of the assembly. All these wonderful truths. Of course, it doesn't really come into Corinthians. The body's mentioned, but not the head. Not that the body is in Corinthians, but not the head. We have to go to Ephesians and Colossians to get the truth of headship. But lordship is brought out very much in the epistle to the Corinthians. According as a testimony of Christ. He's the ascended man. He's a man now at the right hand in heavenly glory. He fills the throne of God, the Christ. And the testament is coming out from him. The testament about him comes out. And it's confirmed in them. It was clear and evident the way they gathered. That they were a testimony to Christ. And they came shot and no gift. As we read later on in chapter 12. They had a wide range of gifts. Uniquely given there. Nowhere else. In Ephesians and other places. And even in Romans. Not the same wide range of gifts are given. He comes shot and no gift. And here is the important matter. You're awaiting. Awaiting. You're on expectation. On the tiptoe of expectation. They're awaiting the revelation of Christ. The revelation of Jesus. The revelation of the Lord. They're awaiting the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. His full name and title. That's what they want. They want to see that glorious man here displayed. In that wonderful way. This world that rejected him. And disowned him. Will have in that coming day to own him. Worthy of all homage and praise. Everything under the breath shall praise him. And he'll be revealed. That wonderful blessed Lord of ours. They're awaiting that revelation. Of our Lord Jesus Christ. And his present work with them is to. It says shall also. But from that point in time. When the apostle Paul wrote to them. It would continue. And it has done of course. With all us believers today. We've been confirmed to the end. Confirmed to the end. And a wonderful that is. We have that confirmation. We were first converted. But it's great and wonderful. To visit dear saints. In their 80 years and 90 years. It's confirmed to the end. Confirmed to the end. And they're unimpeachable. In the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Not only are they in the truth. Of Romans 8. Who shall anything to the charge of God's elect. That's what is true of us. In the sight of God. But this will be true in us. What has come out. In the walk. The practical walk here. For the Lord Jesus Christ. He will say well done. Good and faithful servant. Not well done. Good and successful servant. No. Good and faithful servant. That's what he's looking for. And he'll take account of the faithfulness. We like of course to go out. And shown so as a faithful brother. And a faithful sister. We like to do that. And well might we do so. But the Lord. He's the one that knows. He knows what's going on. In the closet. And in the quiet. And things like that. As many a dear brother or sister you know. It's passed from time into eternity. It's only come out after. The work that they've done. For the Lord and Savior. Things like that. And these things will come out. And it'll be unimpeachable. No charge laid against them. Stand before them. In that wonderful coming day. And that's our theme. To follow throughout the scriptures. Unimpeachable. In the day. The day of our Lord Jesus Christ. We had before us the day. And then we speak here about the day of the Lord. As the Old Testament prophets. Speak about the day of the Lord. They're stressing very much of course. As Arthur helpfully read for us. All that will come. We can read through Isaiah. And Habakkuk. And not so much in Jeremiah. But we do in Ezekiel. And others. Zechariah. All the judgment that will come in that day. The day of the Lord. Jehovah. The Lord Jesus as Jehovah. But here it's the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only will there be judgment. But there will be that reward. That scene of reward. And he shall be owned as universal Lord. What a wonderful full and blessed display it will be. In that coming day. The day of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle speaks again other days. As well as the day of the Lord. The day of Christ. He speaks elsewhere doesn't he? The day of Christ. And themes like that. This wonderful fact. And so the dear saints of God. Will be unimpeachable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. As they await the revelation. His revelation. So it's rather remarkable. That Paul in all his writings. The only. As far as I can see. I'll no doubt be corrected afterwards. But should say. As I used to say in times like that. At least twice. A revelation is used. In Paul's epistles. Referring to the Lord Jesus. But Peter is your man. For the revelation. Of course I should say. That although Paul. John doesn't bring out revelation in his gospel. Or his epistles. He devotes a whole book. To revelation. The revelation of Jesus Christ. A whole book. 22 chapters. Great subject. So that's his key subject there isn't it? Right at the end. Revelation of Jesus Christ. Brings it out. Because that's what it's about. You know that book. I know there are some very precious. Sweet things in it. Some real nuggets. Particularly in the first five chapters. And again of course. Culminating in the verse that we had. Quoted in their opening prayer. By our dear brother. The Lord Jesus Christ. And the spirit and the bride. Saying come. It will culminate in that way. But the main gist of the book. Is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Bringing him out fully. So that's John's great theme in his epistle. Now after having revealed the Lord Jesus Christ. He says it's necessary. For me to write a gospel about him. So he then writes the gospel. And then after that. He writes the gospel. You might have eternal life. Might have eternal life. And then he says the one final thing. I need to write. And that is you might know. That you've got eternal life. So he says I'll write. Three epistles. About that. That you might know. And that's his final word. And I was just reading. Even this morning you know. Peter. The Lord in chapter 21. Of John's gospel is recorded there. The Lord speaking to Peter. And saying. About the end he would have. And Peter of course as usual. What about this man? What about this fellow here? What's he going to do? You see if I have to do this. What about him? And the Lord Jesus. Blessedly says to him. If I will. That he tarry till I come. What is that to ye? And the last words recorded in John's gospel. Follow me. Wonderful gospel. The last words are. Follow me. What a challenge. Anyway. Although we know. John he did. He was allowed it seems. To go into his. Into the 90's. He was obviously about 90 odd years. When he wrote the revelation. His ministry has come on. Just right down to these days. And we can enjoy. The ministry of John. Sorry that's quite a long digression. Just to get to Peter. And his thoughts. I hasten to say that I'm having to. Rush through these very much. Because each one of them. Really is an address on it's own. You see. If you were giving a series of addresses. You could do. Four or five addresses. On each of these chapters. So I'm having to rush through. So I trust you'll bear with me. Dearly beloved. In this first epistle. In chapter one. The apostle Peter. He says. Beginning. Picking up at verse six. He said. As they're waiting. For the salvation. Ready to be revealed. Again. Well of course. That's not so much. Strictly speaking. The revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. But the salvation will be revealed. When he is revealed. You see. The salvation. Ready to be revealed. In the last time. And the Lord Jesus Christ. Who is. The saviour. He will be. The centre. Of that revelation. Wherein. Ye exult. You join. For a little while. At present. If need be. Put to grief. By various trials. We had. Something of that. This afternoon. Put to grief. By various trials. Pressures that come upon us. And the reason is. That the proving of your faith. Be much more precious. Than of gold. Which perishes. Though it be proved by fire. And. We've often heard. So often. Haven't we. About the metallurgist. Particularly with the gold. He. He refines the gold. And he. And he gets it. To the state. Where he can see his. Exact. Replica. In. The liquid gold. And then he knows. It's the right. Temperature. To pour it out. If it's not quite. At the right temperature. It'll be blurt. If it goes over the temperature. Then. He'll. It will be blurt. He gets it. To the right. Temperature. And then. He pours it out. And then. He gets it. To the right. Temperature. And I don't know. Whether it's nine carat. Or eighteen carat gold. Then. But. You see. I've. I've been told. By metallurgists. That they try and get. A nineteen. Or a twenty. Or a twenty one. Carat gold. And that's a very. Very delicate job. They usually stick. With the. Eighteen carats. And it's there. You see. And the Lord Jesus. Is refining us. In the fairness of affliction. And it's. His image. His image coming out. On us. In Galatians. In case you think. I'm being fanciful. The apostle Paul. Spoke. To the Galatians. He said. You little children. Whom. Christ. Is formed in you. When they want to. See. The believer. They want to see Christ. And. You're always told. Aren't we told. The simple story. Of a little child. In the Sunday school. And. The man. The visitor. Giving this. Great lesson. To the Sunday school. Where does Jesus live? And they hand up. 21. Sunnyside Gardens. Oh. He doesn't. He lives in heaven. Oh. But that's it. It's a Sunday school teacher. Lived in 21. Sunnyside Gardens. For that little child. You know. Four. Five. Or six. That. Teacher. Was the Lord Jesus. And the features of Christ. Coming out on us. I challenge my heart. As much as yours. Dearly beloved. Is the image. Of my pattern. Like the Lord Jesus. Christ. Of a way. Through the sea. As you know. Recently. We were reading in. In. Psalm. Twenty four and verse. Four. Blessedly. We see the features. Coming out of the Lord. Jesus there. The precious features. That come out. His moral glory. Coming out. To the fool. So. The proving your faith. Much more. Precious than the gold. Which perishes. Though it be proved. By far. Be found. To. Praise. And glory. That's. Indeed. That. Paul. That's Peter's great theme here. Not so much. The judgments that are coming out. But in that wonderful day. You dear saints. You come out in display. At that day. You will of course already have been caught up. To meet the Lord. In the air. And taken away with him. And then seven years later. You'll come back. With him. With him. And brought out. Into display. Not that you have anything to do. To put down enemies. If you notice. In. Revelation nineteen. It's only the Lord. It's only him alone. That puts down the enemies. Not us. We are with him. But eh. It's him alone that does it. And we'll come out with him. In that wonderful. Day of display. How precious it is. You know eh. Em. The eh. Late eh. Queen. Mother. Eh. Mary. Eh. She said. It was a great day for her. In nineteen twenty three. When she got married. To eh. George. She said. She. Enjoyed also. The day. The twelfth of May. Nineteen thirty seven. When she stood on the balcony. Of Buckingham Palace. Beside her husband. To hear him. Owned by the populace. King. King. And of course in those days eh. Acknowledged as emperor of India even. Great acknowledgement of him. And she said. It was a wonderful day that. For me to be there. And dear saints of God. We'll come out with him. Like him. And it's his glory. That will be reflected. In us. His glory will be reflected in us. In honour. Praise. And glory. And praise. And glory. And praise. And glory. And praise. And glory. And honour. At the revelation. Of Jesus Christ. Now. I'll just drop down. To verse thirteen. And eh. He goes on. Of course. Exalting them. And eh. Encouraging them. And eh. Finally. In verse thirteen. Here. He says. Wherefore. Having girded up the loins. Of your mind. The loins of your mind. Now. The loins of course. Are around here. And when you. When a person wants to run. They run on their loins. Wouldn't they? Now of course. They run in shorts. Don't they? All the athletes. And eh. Gird that up. To run. And he's speaking about your mind. Your mind that's being set on. Things above. Your affections. And as you gird it up. Take care about it. Your. You want a mind that's active. To move. For God's pleasure. In the things of God. Not set on the things of the world. But on the things of heaven. And you've got to be sober. Having a. A right. Sober assessment. Of matters and things. And hope. Here the hope comes in with. Perfect steadfastness. Perfect steadfastness. Nothing to. Move us aside. We're in perfect steadfastness. As we hope. And look on to that glorious day. That we're going to be with like. The Lord Jesus Christ. Hope with perfect steadfastness. In the grace. Which will be brought to you. At the revelation of Jesus Christ. And of course. We have grace now. But there'll be another. Grace. Another. Wonderful. Outpouring of grace. Will be given to us. By the grace. Of Jesus Christ. By the grace. Of Jesus Christ. By the grace. Of Jesus Christ. By the grace. Of Jesus Christ. By the grace. Of Jesus Christ. By the grace. Of Jesus Christ. By the grace. Of Jesus Christ. By the grace. Of Jesus Christ. By the grace. Of Jesus Christ. And we'll have wonderful grace. To a. Will be brought to us. Again. At this revelation. Of Jesus Christ. And. Over in chapter four. And. Verse. Twelve. The apostle. Peter here. He uses that name. To. Be proud. Of. The fire. He uses that very. Precious word. Beloved. Beloved. Take not. As strange. The fire. Of. Persecution. The fire. Of persecution. Which has taken place. Amongst you. For your trial. Of testing. Goes back to this theme. As if a strange thing. Was happening to you. You see. There. Clearly. In plain. It was mentioned. Again. This afternoon. That we've not to think. It's anything strange. If suffering. Comes upon us. And. In fact. He implies. Earlier. That really. We've got to expect it. And. I've often heard it said. And. Experienced it all in life. That. If we're not getting. Persecution. And. Suffering. Then. Perhaps. There is something. Wrong in the way we're living. Because this world. Doesn't want. The Lord Jesus Christ. And if we present. The Lord Jesus Christ. Then. We really. They really. Don't want him. And it's not us. That they're rejecting. Remember. God. Said to Samuel. It is not. You. That they're rejecting. It's me. That they're rejecting. And we've got to see that. It's not. So much personal against us. It's against. The Lord. Jesus. Of course. He's speaking very much. On the side of. Persecution. But. We do get. Elsewhere. About reproach. And. That. Approach. Comes. Of course. From. The religious people. I'm sure. Most of you. Have found. Throughout. Your lives. Your working lives. And even. Women. At home. You find that. The worst. Approach. You get. Is from those. Who are religious. Sometimes. The men. Of the world. Just are. Well. They just say. All right. We'll just. And. So that can be. The lot. Of the believer. But. You see. You might think. Oh dear. That's a terrible thing. But. The apostle Peter. Joins with James. As we had. Again brought out. This afternoon. Rejoicing in that suffering. He says. But as you have. Shared. In the sufferings of Christ. As you have fellowship. Communion. In the sufferings of Christ. Whereas. We like to dilate. At great length. Upon. Communion. And fellowship. But here's another. Here's the same fellowship. And fellowship. In the sufferings of Christ. Rejoice. Rejoice. That in the revelation. Of his glory. The glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Ye also may rejoice. Without exultation. What a wonderful day it will be. Dear beloved. Again. To see this whole. World. As it is in that time. Ordering the Lord. Jesus Christ. Everything at breath. Praising him. Bowing the knee before him. And indeed. We'll be with him in that day. Reflecting. In that day. In that day. In that day. In that day. Definitely. In that day. In that day. The reality. Reflecting his wonderful glory. Probably. I would think really. To best description. Is not my words. But the words of the Lord Jesus himself. In John 17. John 17. And the glory. Which thou hast given me. I have given them. That they may be as one. As we are one. And it says. I in them and thou in me. That they may be perfected into one. And that the world may know that thou hast sent me. And that thou hast loved me then. As thou hast loved me. The Lord Jesus is speaking about. How the assembly will be with him. In that coming day. And then of course. He says. He expresses his desire. That he wants. Those who were given to him. To be with him. And we know of course. We will be taken. Taken to be with him. Before this day of display. Because the Lord Jesus. Has given them. As one. As we are one. And it says. I in them and thou in me. That they may be as one. As we are one. And it says. It says. I in them and thou in me. That they may be as one. And we know. And they were given to him. Before this day of display. Because the Lord Jesus. There will be that. Seven years tribulation. Afterwards. And the Lord. Will be. Dealing with matters. And there. He will have his eye upon his earthly people. And on events going. I don't want to anticipate. Revelation 13 too much. But the Lord. Will have his eye upon things. And I do remember dear. Mr. McBroom. And you know when you hear. These things at the age of 17. You can remember them. When you hear them at the age of 17. And he said. He said. You know. As Moses. Left his wife. With his father-in-law. And he went to see. To the needs of Israel. He said. So the Lord. Will have us. In the glory. In the father's house. On one side. And obviously. Carefully. In the father's house. Where he then comes out. In the scene. To put to right. The things of his earthly people. Well. Dear beloved. Glorious day of display. I've only just touched the surface. Truly just to quench your appetite. To see something of that. Will come out. In the revelation. Of our Lord. Jesus Christ. That wonderful day of display. How precious it will be. An answer. An answer to him. And not. Till the. Not till the room is silent. And the shuttles cease to fly. Will God unveil the canvas. And explain the reason why. The dark threads are as needful. As the threads of silver and gold. In the pattern. He has woven. In the pattern. He has woven. In the pattern. In the pattern. In the pattern. In the pattern. In the pattern. In the pattern. In the pattern. He has woven. In the story. He has told. We've had before us. …