Why is there something rather than nothing? In other words, why is there existence rather than non-existence? This is the basic philosophical question facing all humankind according to playwright and philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. The answer that we provide to this question is more than conceptual – it will necessarily shape our lives, our ethics, our morality and our society.

In the Bible we see a God who not only exists but who also speaks: as Francis Schaeffer wrote, ‘he is there and he is not silent.’ God makes himself known and knowable through revelation, the revealing of knowledge of him that we would not otherwise have.

In the biblical book called Revelation, we are presented with the God who speaks and reveals himself; reveals his sovereignty, his presence with his people and the liberation of his people through the gospel.

This is all spoken to a group of churches in Asia Minor (part of the Roman Empire) who were soon to be facing opposition because of their Christian faith. They needed to know that God is there and he is not silent.

This message is crucial for the church of today, as objective truth is progressively undermined by our culture, and as increasing opposition to the historic Christian faith is experienced.

Main bible text: Revelation 1:1-20

Main points:

• God is a God who speaks
• God is a God who rules
• God is a God who communes
• God is a God who liberates