Tag: Revelation of Jesus Christ
Blessed are those who read aloud!
Scripture reading for December 2nd: Revelation 1
Key Scriptures: Revelation 1:1-3 “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the Word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophesy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.”
John was imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos for preaching the Word of God. Tradition says he was boiled in oil but it had no effect on him so the Roman government sent him away. By this time, John was likely over ninety years old. As John was worshiping the Lord, he was visited by Jesus Christ and given the task of writing down for the church “what was, what is and what must soon take place.” John pronounced a blessing on all who would read the words of this prophesy out loud. We remember that “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) The title, “Revelation” of Jesus Christ is “Apocalupsis” in Greek and means “lifting of the curtain” on the unseen realities associated with Jesus Christ. This amazing book is a gift to the Church and promises blessing to readers, hearers and doers of the words written. The time is at hand!
Revelation 1:10 “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father, I receive this revelation of Jesus Christ and ask that you lift the curtain on my heart and mind and show me afresh the glory of my Lord. Help me to read aloud, to hear with my ears, and to heed with all my heart the Word of God. Use me to proclaim this Word to Your people and to the lost that they may find Jesus Christ as Lord.
Revelation 1:17-19 “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. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.”
Paul’s call and the Gospel!
Scripture reading for September 14th: Galatians 1:1-24
Paul was an apostle who was sent by Jesus Christ and God the Father to minister to Gentiles. Paul had ministered in Galatia and planted churches there among Gentiles. Certain false teachers from among the Jewish believers had come along later and tried to persuade these Gentile believers that they needed to follow the Jewish custom of circumcision in order to be saved. Paul wrote this letter after his first missionary journey and the experience of the council at Jerusalem to encourage the church to trust in Christ’s sacrifice alone to save them. (Acts 15:28)
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel–which is really no Gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the Gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a Gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:6-9) Paul was emphatic, twice repeating the curse on those changing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. No one can change what God has done. No one can add to Christ’s work on the cross without taking away from the Gospel! Not even angels can change or add to it!
Paul did not make up the Gospel nor did he get it from some of the other disciples. He got it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:12) Paul was a persecutor of the church of Jesus Christ and zealous for the traditions of the fathers of Judaism. But God revealed Jesus Christ to Paul and called him to preach to the Gentiles. (Acts 9:5,15) Paul went immediately to Arabia and then to Damascus. He spent three years there before going to Jerusalem to visit with Peter and James. These apostles had heard about his conversion and preaching and now got to meet this man. They thanked God for what He had done. (Galatians 1:18-24)
Paul’s Gospel message came directly from Christ, not even from the apostles James and Peter. The Gospel cannot be changed, only preached to those in need of salvation. Do you know the true Gospel?
Jesus Has the Keys!
Scripture reading for December 24th: Revelation 1-3
Revelation is a prophetic record written down by the Apostle John while in exile on the Isle of Patmos, a Roman prison colony on a rocky island in the Aegean Sea. John had been imprisoned there for preaching the Gospel. He was very likely around 90 years of age at that time. This book is a written record of visions John received that were to be given to the churches he oversaw. They are also recorded for us to give us hope and encouragement about our victory in Christ over death, hell, and the forces of Satan and his earthly minions.
First of all, this book is a revelation of Jesus Christ! John was worshiping on the Lord’s day evidently meditating on the second coming of Christ. “Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen. ” I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:7-8) As John recited these truths about Jesus in worship, a voice from behind him spoke. This voice told him to write on a scroll what he would see and send in to the seven churches mentioned there by name.
John turned to see who the voice was and he saw seven golden lamp stands and standing among them was one who was like “a son of man.” (Revelation 1:12-13) John described this person who was clothed in glory, holding seven stars in His right hand, and whose face shone like the sun shining in all it’s brilliance. As he saw Him, he fell down as dead. We would describe this as “slain in the Spirit”, simply overcome with the glory and majesty of God!
“Then He placed His right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” (Revelation 1:17-18) Jesus Christ is alive and He also holds the keys of death and Hades. The victory is won! He holds the angels (pastors?) of the churches in His hand and walks among these churches! He wants them to know these truths!