Do
you have assumptions concerning how life turns out in the end? Will things all
work out? Are we heading towards
catastrophe? Is life meaningful or
meaningless?
Will God, good,
love triumph?
These are some
of the questions the author of The Revelation to John attempts to answer. The author’s style of writing is
apocryphal—writing that is highly symbolic, that deals with conflicting forces
in the cosmos, and expects a triumphant end.
Apocryphal
writing is just plain weird in this day and age, but was not in Bible
times. People are perplexed to read
Revelation, afraid of its implications, and some use the symbolism to
manipulate the emotions of others in dark ways.
So why study
Revelation today?
First, as Pastor
Ron preached last Sunday, Revelation warns against Christian complacency. To some churches John warns against losing
Christ as the focus. In a complex world,
this is always a possibility that demands correction. Correction comes in the form of repentance
and returning to Christ as our first love with great faithfulness. To other churches, John warns against losing
passion—of being dead in Spirit, of being lukewarm in belief. Perhaps it is easier to lose sight of God in
good times than in tough times.
Diligence, faithfulness, endurance, a refusal to tolerate evil even in
the face of persecution, service to others, ministry from weakness as well as
power are counseled in all times. Are
you, are we complacent in our faith today?
Is Jesus truly lord of our lives?
Do we seek to love God above all else, giving God worship, praise, and
glory?
A second reason
to study Revelation is that it offers encouragement. Revelation tells us that our trials are worth
the cost. That as we prevail, we
experience God’s paradisiacal goodness, we receive the crown of life, we live
forever in God’s presence, the questions unanswered now make beautiful sense in
the end, we share communion and even authority with God. These are great things, mysterious things,
yet point to the possibility, and even claim the reality that all things do
work out in the end, that life now and forever has meaning, that even as we live by faith now, we will
live by sight in direct fellowship with a mighty, good, loving and gracious
God.
The ultimate
vision of Revelation should not be lost in the symbolism. That vision for our lives as a community of
faith is to be centered in Christ, to worship God, and remain faithful in good
times and bad—knowing that both will come— and believing with certainty that it
will all work out in the end.
I
invite you into the world of Revelation.
I invite you to entertain the conviction that despite “this present
darkness,” it all works out in the end.
I invite you to consider “working backwards” from the conviction that
“it all works out in the end,” to appraising your life as a committed follower
of Christ and our life together as a church gathered in Jesus’ name today.
The risen Christ offers richness, vindication, spiritual insight,
discipline, victorious living and salvation saying, “Listen! I am standing at
the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to
you and eat with you and you with me.”
May we experience Victorious Living in fellowship with Jesus Christ,
even as we celebrate Communion today!
Pastor Tim
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