three reasons not to stop

I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

Revelation 1:9

There are three facets to fellowship that the apostle John mentions as he introduces himself at the beginning of the book of Revelation. John experienced these three things even though he was exiled alone to Patmos in a last ditch attempt to silence his apostolic message. Accounts from the time say he survived an attempted execution and Rome thus exiled him far from the influence he could have. Although he was persecuted and separated from the church, John as the last surviving apostle still loved and embraced the gospel of Jesus and His followers. And this extremely personal longing comes out in his introduction of himself.

Three things John shares with the readers of his book were on his heart. He considered himself a brother (family) and partner (fellow servant) with all Christians even in tribulation, for the kingdom, with patient endurance in Jesus. John was suffering persecution, as were all Christians at the time that the book of Revelation was written. He was confined to the island of Patmos where legend says he lived all alone in a cave, cutoff from ministry. But his apostolic work continued as did his love for Christ.

John saw the bigger picture… quite literally! He was not confined to an arid island. He was living in Christ’s kingdom! Rome did not control him… Jesus was His Lord. And the fact that the book of Revelation came out of the island proves that Christians cannot be silenced when God overrules even their persecution for His glory. Bigger things were happening, as John’s revelation makes very clear.

And John lived in patient endurance, modeling for all Christians in all the world to do the same. We will face misunderstanding and hatred in this world for the gospel that we so patiently proclaim and we will have to endure that treatment. We live, love, worship, and serve the true kingdom led by Jesus, and it will not cease to rule… so again, we must patiently endure. All Christians around the world serve a Mighty Savior, and as John’s Revelation will show us, Jesus will come again in power! And so we must patiently endure awaiting that day.