Revelation 1: Embracing Christ as Our Protector and Guide

Devotional

Day 1: Christ Holds Us Securely in His Right Hand

No matter what chaos or danger surrounds you, as a believer you are held securely in Christ’s powerful right hand. He is the One who protects, provides, and propels you forward, just as a remora is safe and provided for when it clings to the shark. You don’t have to strive to be your own protector or provider—He’s got you, and nothing can snatch you from His grasp. Even when life feels out of control, you can rest in the assurance that you are exactly where God wants you, and He is working all things for your good. [36:17]

Revelation 1:16-18 (ESV)
"In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, 'Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.'"

Reflection: In what area of your life are you still trying to be your own protector or provider, instead of trusting that Christ is holding you securely? What would it look like to let go and rest in His grip today?

Day 2: The Transforming Power of God’s Word

God’s Word is a sharp, two-edged sword that pierces deeply, revealing who we really are and trimming away what doesn’t belong. When you read the Bible, it’s not just for information—it’s for transformation. Sometimes it convicts, sometimes it comforts, but it always works to make you more like Christ. Don’t be afraid to let the Word cut away spiritual “fat” or things that hinder your walk; God gives you just what you need, in the right measure, to digest and grow. [57:55]

Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

Reflection: What is one specific area where God’s Word has recently convicted or challenged you? How can you respond to that conviction today, rather than ignoring or resisting it?

Day 3: Christ Is in the Midst of His Church

Jesus is not distant or detached—He is right in the middle of His people, the lampstands, providing light, guidance, and care. Your purpose as a believer is to hold up the light of Christ, not your own light or someone else’s. He is the source, and as you stay close to Him, you reflect His light to others. When you feel alone or unsure, remember that Christ is present, tending to you as a loving priest, ensuring you have what you need to shine for Him. [40:07]

Revelation 1:12-13 (ESV)
"Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest."

Reflection: How can you intentionally draw near to Christ today and let His light shine through you to someone else in your life?

Day 4: Stop Being Afraid—Christ Is Eternal and Sovereign

Fear is a common struggle, but Jesus commands us to stop being afraid because He is the First and the Last, the Living One who holds the keys to death and Hades. Nothing happens outside His control, and you are immortal until He is done with you. When you’re tempted to fear the future, failure, or what others think, remember that Christ’s plan is sure, and He is with you always. Faith means trusting His eternal perspective over your temporary fears. [19:41]

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)
"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Reflection: What is one fear that has been holding you back from obeying God or stepping out in faith? What step can you take today to trust Christ’s sovereignty over that fear?

Day 5: Stay Stuck to Christ and Dig the Ride

The Christian life isn’t about being the biggest or best on your own—it’s about staying “stuck” to Christ, like a remora to a shark, and enjoying the ride He takes you on. When you cling to Him through faith and His Word, you experience supernatural provision, protection, and purpose. Even when things are good and you’re tempted to wander, or when things are hard and you want to bail, remember that the safest, most exciting place to be is right with Him. [37:10]

John 15:4-5 (ESV)
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

Reflection: When are you most tempted to “unstick” yourself from Christ and try to go your own way? What practical habit can you start today to help you stay close and “dig the ride” with Him?

Sermon Summary

Life often squeezes us, revealing what’s truly inside. When a Christian is pressed, what should come out is Christ Himself. This truth was vividly illustrated on the disc golf course this week, when Shane, after being swarmed and stung by hornets, responded not with anger or obscenity, but with the character of Christ. It’s in these moments of pressure that the world sees who we really are, and it’s my prayer that, like Shane, Christ would be what comes out of each of us.

We are reminded in Revelation that Christ is not distant or passive. He is the exalted, risen Savior, actively interceding for us, defending us, and holding us securely in His right hand. The imagery of the remora and the shark captures this relationship: we are the remora, clinging to Christ, our great Shark. As long as we stay attached to Him, we have nothing to fear—He provides our protection, our provision, and our propulsion. The more we use our “head of faith” to stay stuck to Him, the more we experience His supernatural work in our lives, taking us places we could never go on our own.

Everything else we chase in life—success, pleasure, security—are like soap bubbles: they pop as soon as we catch them, leaving us empty. Only Christ satisfies. He is in the midst of His church, tending to us, providing the light we need to shine in a dark world. Our role is to stay close, to receive from Him, and to reflect His light to others.

The Word of God is our lifeline. It is a sharp, two-edged sword, cutting away what doesn’t belong, shaping us into Christ’s likeness. We don’t need to understand everything at once; God gives us just what we need, when we need it, as we faithfully read and meditate on His Word. The enemy will do everything to keep us from it, but it is in the Word that we hear Christ’s voice, find peace, and see His glory. When we see Him as He truly is—glorious, powerful, and loving—our fears melt away. He tells us, “Stop being afraid.” He holds the keys to life and death, and nothing can touch us outside His will.

So, let’s embrace our role as remoras, clinging to Christ, digging the ride He has for us, and letting His Word transform us daily. In doing so, we become living witnesses of His power and love, no matter what life throws our way.

Key Takeaways

1. What’s inside comes out when we’re squeezed. True spiritual maturity is revealed not in comfort, but in crisis. When life presses us, our reactions show whether Christ truly lives in us or if we’re still clinging to the world. The goal is not to suppress our humanity, but to be so filled with Christ that He is what naturally overflows, even in pain or confusion. [13:01]
2. Staying “stuck” to Christ is the secret to a life of supernatural provision, protection, and purpose. Like the remora attached to the shark, our security and direction come not from our own strength or wisdom, but from remaining close to Jesus. Faith is the “head” that keeps us attached, and the more we exercise it, the more we experience God’s faithfulness in ways we could never orchestrate ourselves. [35:24]
3. The Word of God is not just information—it is transformation. God’s Word is a sharp, two-edged sword, cutting away what is unhealthy and shaping us into Christ’s image. We must not be content with secondhand spirituality or devotionals alone; we need to read, meditate, and let the Spirit apply the Word directly to our lives, even when it convicts or challenges us. [54:21]
4. God’s sovereignty means we are immortal until He is finished with us. Christ holds the keys to life and death, and nothing can happen to us outside His will. This truth frees us from fear—whether of danger, failure, or even death—because our times are in His hands. The call is to trust Him, even when His plans are mysterious or frightening, knowing that His love and power are absolute. [24:29]
5. Seeing Christ’s glory changes everything. When we truly behold who Jesus is—His holiness, power, and love—our fears, ambitions, and anxieties lose their grip. The more we see Him in His Word, the more we are transformed, and the more we can “dig the ride” of life, no matter the circumstances. Our greatest need is not for better circumstances, but for a clearer vision of Christ. [12:21]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[13:01] - What Comes Out When You’re Squeezed
[13:38] - The Disc Golf Incident: Christ in Crisis
[29:50] - Revelation: Seeing the Exalted Christ
[32:03] - Chasing Soap Bubbles vs. Chasing Christ
[34:43] - The Shark and Remora Illustration
[36:05] - Stuck to the Shark: Faith and Provision
[39:27] - The Lampstands and the Light of Christ
[41:03] - Christ’s Ongoing Work for Us
[46:23] - Held in His Right Hand: Security in Christ
[49:04] - The Yoke and Digging the Ride
[54:01] - The Sharp Two-Edged Sword: Power of the Word
[58:54] - Practical Ways to Read and Meditate on Scripture
[01:01] - Letting the Word Transform You
[01:12] - Christ’s Glory and Our Response
[01:17] - Stop Being Afraid: Christ’s Assurance
[01:21] - The Outline of Revelation and Final Encouragement

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Revelation 1:12-18 (ESV) — 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,
13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.
14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire,
15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.
16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last,
18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”

Observation Questions

According to Revelation 1:12-18, what are some of the ways John describes the risen and exalted Christ?
In the sermon, what did the pastor say comes out of a Christian when they are “squeezed” by life’s pressures? [[13:01]]
What is the significance of the “remora and shark” illustration that the pastor used? [[34:43]]
What does the “sharp two-edged sword” coming from Christ’s mouth represent? [[54:21]]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the pastor emphasized that what comes out of us in crisis reveals our true spiritual maturity? [[13:01]]
What does it mean for Christ to be “in the midst of the lampstands” and how does that affect the way we live as believers? [[39:27]]
The pastor said that staying “stuck” to Christ is the secret to supernatural provision, protection, and purpose. What does it look like practically to “cling” to Christ in everyday life? [[35:24]]
How does seeing Christ’s glory and understanding His sovereignty help us deal with fear, according to both the passage and the sermon? [[19:41]]

Application Questions

Think about a recent time when you were “squeezed” by stress, pain, or frustration. What came out of you? Was it Christ-like? If not, what might help you respond differently next time? [[13:01]]
The pastor shared a story about Shane being stung by hornets and responding with Christ-like character. Can you recall a moment when you or someone you know responded to a tough situation in a way that showed Jesus to others? What made the difference? [[13:38]]
The “remora and shark” illustration is about staying attached to Christ for protection, provision, and direction. What are some practical ways you can “cling” to Jesus this week, especially when you feel tempted to go your own way? [[35:24]]
The sermon compared chasing things like success or pleasure to chasing soap bubbles—they pop and leave us empty. Are there any “soap bubbles” you’ve been chasing lately? What would it look like to let go of them and pursue Christ instead? [[32:25]]
The Word of God is described as a sharp, two-edged sword that cuts away what doesn’t belong. How can you make time this week to read and meditate on Scripture, not just devotionals or secondhand sources? What’s one step you can take to let God’s Word “trim” you? [[54:21]]
The pastor said, “God’s sovereignty means we are immortal until He is finished with us.” How does this truth affect your fears about safety, the future, or even death? Is there a specific fear you need to surrender to Christ’s control? [[24:29]]
When was the last time you were truly awed by who Jesus is—His power, love, and glory? What can you do this week to seek a clearer vision of Christ, so that your fears and anxieties lose their grip? [[12:21]]

Sermon Clips

Anything except for Christ is like chasing a soap bubble, man. And you think this is going to make you happy. You think this is going to satisfy you. But every time when we catch it pop, it pops, it's not there. And that's what I had done with my life. Everything I wanted, I chased. And once I got it, thinking if I get this, I'll be good. And it was just empty. Finally, I gave up and I just said, God, I give up. I'm done. I'm done. I got nothing left to chase. Nothing that I can even think of that would make me happy anymore. God, that would make me satisfied. If you can salvage anything out of this life I've made a mess of, it is yours. [00:32:50] (36 seconds) #ChasingEmptyBubbles

He's the one keeping you saved. If He died right now, you would not be saved. It's not like you get saved and for us, we get saved and we're saved eternally. But we're only saved eternally because the Eternal One is keeping us saved. He's our advocate. He's our defense attorney. He's the one protecting us. He's doing all of that right now for every one of us as believers. [00:41:15] (26 seconds) #EternalAdvocate

Is there anybody more powerful than Him? No. And have there been times where you just feel powerless? You feel like there's no hope. There's nothing I can do about this situation. If you're His, that's good news. Because let me ask you a question. If you could do something, would it be better than what the all-powerful, almighty God can do? No. So it's great to be, then we recognize the fact that we're powerless. And we have to totally depend on Him. That's a great place to be. Because if you can accomplish what you can accomplish, it's far less than what He can accomplish. And it's really cool to be a part of what He can accomplish. [00:45:15] (36 seconds) #PowerInDependence

When we come to the conclusion that God's will will be done and my will is God's, we're okay, aren't we? God's will is going to be done whether you want to go yapping or not. His will is going to be done. And if you want His will for you, for your life, then you can have what you want. The problem comes when we don't want what He wants. But that's where we've got to come into submission. [00:49:56] (30 seconds) #SubmitToGodsWill

I've shared with you before that meditate means to what? Where'd they get that word from? From a cow. Filling up his stomach with all the good grass and eating when it's fresh. And then later in the day when stuff comes up, what's he going to do with that grass in his belly, Julie? He's going to barf it up and he's going to chew it up again. And get the nutrients. And then what's he going to do? Swallow it. And he's going to barf it up and swallow it. What? You think that's gross? That's what we're supposed to be doing with God's word. But if you ain't eating the grass, you ain't got nothing to barf up, man. And I'm telling you, if you've never had barfed up word of God, man, you just ain't...You're missing it. I'm saying it that way so you'll remember it. But you got to put it into be able to bring it back up. To put it in to bring it back up. [01:06:37] (51 seconds) #FearTheHolyGod

So when I saw him, all right, so check this out. So when he saw him, all right, he just described who he was. But when I saw Christ, look what he says. I fell at his feet though dead. Yeah. This blows away all these people who say, Oh, we saw God in our church. He showed we, we had the man you're not equipped to handle the presence of God. He saw God and all his holiness and he fell dead because of how awesome God is. Go look in scripture and look up. Look up every situation where people have literally seen God in person in some way, shape or form. Nobody's seen the full glory of God, but anybody who's seen God, this is exactly what happens. They fell dead. Just a little angel. We talk about this at Christmas all the time. Selma, you know this, you've been here since you were a little girl. What, what does everybody say when they see an angel? Everybody, come on. You guys help me out. What does everybody say when they say, ah, and they fall dead. That's an angel. That's not even God. So John, man, when he saw God, it was a. It was like, whoa. And we've lost the fear of God. We've lost the holiness of God. We've lost the righteous. He is our friend. Yes, but he is holy and he is righteous. And that motivates us to be holy and righteous. [01:17:24] (77 seconds) #StopBeingAfraid

He laid his right hand on me. And he said, what? All right. So I want to put this in English, because whenever you hear fear or not, I am the first and the last fear or not, we're like, OK, you know what? In the Greek, how this actually comes out, it says, stop being afraid. That's literally in the Greek. Stop being afraid. You've been afraid since you've been a believer, you've been afraid today. Yeah. Who's been afraid in the last month? Last week? LastLast week? The last day? The last 10 minutes? I'm like, yeah! Fear, this is what...Look what he...Literally, go look up the Greek. He says...And if Jeroen wanted to look it up, he could tell us in Dutch what it said. But in the Greek, it says, stop being afraid. You've been afraid? Everybody here is afraid at some point of something. [01:19:30] (60 seconds) #ImmortalTillGodSays

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