Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 1:9-20 is about the vision of John in Patmos Island.
Revelation 1:9
1:9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
John experiences suffering in the flesh because of God’s Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
There are two kinds of suffering in the flesh as follows.
John suffers because of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus, so he is encouraged to enter true fellowship with God and others.
On the contrary, suffering in the flesh because of sin will make separation and one enters false fellowship.
In John 15, true fellowship is described as a branch dwelling in the True Vine. There are three kinds of fellowship or relation in John 15 as follows.
God blesses you.
Revelation 1:9-20 is about the vision of John in Patmos Island.
Revelation 1:9
1:9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
John experiences suffering in the flesh because of God’s Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
There are two kinds of suffering in the flesh as follows.
- Suffering because of sins. It means chastening.
1 Peter 2:20
2:20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.
Its purpose is to make us return to righteousness and holiness. - Suffering in the flesh because of Jesus or doing good deeds. It means the grace of God.
1 Peter 2:19, 20b
2:19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.
2:20b … But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.
John suffers because of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus, so he is encouraged to enter true fellowship with God and others.
On the contrary, suffering in the flesh because of sin will make separation and one enters false fellowship.
In John 15, true fellowship is described as a branch dwelling in the True Vine. There are three kinds of fellowship or relation in John 15 as follows.
- [John 15:1-8] Fellowship between branches with the True Vine. It is our fellowship with God or the fellowship of body and the Head.
John 15:1-4
15:1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
15:2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
15:3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
15:4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
The requirement is the branch must dwell in the True Vine. It means as follows.- We must be shepherded to the true teaching Word whose signs are as follows.
- Being written in Bible and revealed by God through a verse that explains other verses.
- Daring to reveal the correct marriage.
- Being preached with pure purpose without looking for any physical advantage.
- Being practiced.
- Being written in Bible and revealed by God through a verse that explains other verses.
- Being obedient to the true teaching Word.
John 15:3
15:3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
We are sanctified.
- Holiness.
Matthew 15:19
15:19 "For out of the heart proceed (1)evil thoughts, (2)murders, (3)adulteries, (4)fornications, (5)thefts, (6)false witness, (7)blasphemies.
If our heart is sanctified from seven evil and unclean lusts, we will be shepherded to the true teaching Word and able to live in holiness to reach perfection. - Faithfulness.
It means that we are faithful and fervent in spirit doing our service and ministry according to the ministry from God until the end.
If one is not faithful, he will leave the ministry and become as a branch that is cut from the True Vine. Consequently, the spirituality is dry. It can be seen in the dry saying.
John 15:8
15:8 "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
Let us bear much fruit. God does not see our greatness, but holiness and faithfulness. A branch will bear much fruit when it is holy and faithful, although it is small.
Ephesians 5:9
5:9 (for the fruitof the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),
The fruit of goodness means that we only do good deeds and do not give disadvantage to others, even we can repay good for evil.
The fruit of righteousness means we are on God’s side, not on others’.
Moreover, we have the fruit of truth.
John 15:1
15:1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
As a result, Father is the vinedresser. It means that we are pleaded, preserved, protected, and blessed by the great mercy of God. - We must be shepherded to the true teaching Word whose signs are as follows.
- [John 15:9-17] Fellowship between branch and other branches.
It means our fellowship with others or the body of Christ fellowship. It begins from inside marriage, shepherding, and inter-shepherding until there is fellowship between Israel and Gentiles.
The requirement is being based on the true teaching Word.
If a fellowship is not based on the true teaching Word, it will only become fellowship between dry branches that will be burnt.
John 15:12
15:12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
The fact found in the fellowship between branch and other branches is loving one another.
1 Peter 1:22
1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
Roma 13:8
13:8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
It means that we must finish all debts, especially the debt of sin, by confessing and forgiving sins one another.
1 Timothy 1:5
1:5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,
We also give advice one another with holy or pure heart and the true teaching Word.
Allowing others to stay in their mistakes or agreeing with their sins means making them fall.
1 John 3:16-18
3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
3:17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
3:18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
The fact found in loving one another is giving to others who need. We can give our belonging, even lives, for them.
John 15:16
15:16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
If we live in holiness and love one another, we will bear much fruit that will remain, even the sweet fruit.
Revelation 6:13
6:13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.
We will not fall because of the wind of temptation or other teachings and sins up to the peak, namely sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage.
One who bears permanent and sweet fruit is as John leaning on Jesus’ bosom.
John 13:23
13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.
John 21:20-22
21:20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?"
21:21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man?"
21:22 Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."
Our death and life, as well as our future are God’s concerning. We are safe, peaceful, and joyful. - [John 15:18-27] Fellowship between the branch and the world.
John 15:18-19, 25
15:18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
15:19 "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
15:25 "But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.'
John 16:1-2
16:1 "These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.
16:2 "They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.
The world on the last days is full of difficulties, uncleanness, evil, sorrows, hatred without any cause, persecution, and murder. We must face it as if we are in the midst of waves of sea or we are drinking bitter sour wine.
Do not be affected by the world. Do not be hopeless or disappointed in facing the condition of the world. Let us keep the permanent sweet fruit and lean on Jesus’ bosom.
Bible Study Service is the training for us to lean on Jesus’ bosom and face the suffering in the flesh because of Him in the world.
Why does God let us experience the cross or suffering together with Jesus as sweet grape fruit that must enter a pit for being pressed?- So that we do not enter the pit of Babylon.
Proverbs 23:27
23:27 For a harlot is a deep pit, And a seductress is a narrow well. - So that there is tearing for our flesh. We can have life renewal from fleshy men to spiritual ones as Jesus is. It begins from our sweet mouth.
Song of Solomon 7:9
7:9 And the roof of your mouth like the best wine. THE SHULAMITE The wine goes down smoothly for my beloved, Moving gently the lips of sleepers.
The sweet mouth produces sweet wine that flows to others through our testimony and good righteous saying. We can testify about the gospel of salvation or Good News to other people who have not been saved yet. We can also testify about Bride Tidings for other people who have been saved, so that they can enter the building of the perfect body of Christ.
Matthew 8:24-26
8:24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.
8:25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"
8:26 But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
As a result, God makes the sea calm and gives us beautiful and joyful future life.
We will be renewed to be as glorious as Jesus is when He comes a second time. We are lifted up on glorious clouds to be with Him forever. - So that we do not enter the pit of Babylon.
God blesses you.