DAY ONE HUNDRED: 

The New Jerusalem 

Revelation 21:1-22:21 

We made it! Day 100, the last day of our 100 Essential Bible Passages Study. I've enjoyed these past 20 weeks and appreciate all of your interaction.

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more." The Lord destroyed the earth with water in the days of Noah. He will not destroy, but rather re-form the earth and heaven, making them new. Isaiah prophesied over 700 years before Christ prophesied, "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind." (Is. 65:17) Peter wrote, "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed." (2 Pet. 3:10) On this new earth God has lifted the curse that came upon all creation after Adam and Eve's sin. Paul wrote, "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now." (Romans 8:19-22) The new earth will be like the Garden of Eden, beautiful, perfect and peaceful. Isaiah prophesied of that day: " The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." (Is. 11:6-9)

"And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold,the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.'" God will dwell with man on the new earth! This unites heaven and earth into one. We will have the same access to God, the same fellowship that Adam and Eve enjoyed before they threw it away. God will comfort us and abolish all suffering so thoroughly that we won't remember the trials and the pains of this life.

"And he who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' Also he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.' And he said to me, 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.'" It is done! This is in the perfect tense- it's done once and for all, nothing remains to be finished. When Jesus said "It is finished" from the cross, that too is in the perfect tense. Jesus broke the power of sin and death and opened the way for us to be children of God. The fruit of this victory, the advance of the Kingdom of God, has been slow and many have suffered for the faith. And even though the battle was won on Calvary, pain and suffering and death are still part of the human condition. Paul wrote, "For he [Christ] must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death." We saw yesterday how death and hades were thrown into the lake of fire. That last enemy will be destroyed and there will be no more death. We will drink of the water of life without limit!

But the return of Christ isn't all sweetness and light: "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." Jesus came to call sinners to repentance. He offers freely to us the gift of salvation. Those who refuse, who insist on living sinful lifestyles, have a place in the lake of fire. C. S. Lewis wrote, "There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done. All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened."

An angel then took John on a tour of the New Jerusalem. It is a large city, 12,000 stadia figures out to about 170 miles for each of its four sides. The wall is over 200 feet tall, and made of jasper. The foundation is made of all kinds of precious stones. There are twelve gates, each made from a single pearl. The city itself was made of pure gold, transparent like glass. There's no temple. None is needed because Jesus paid for our sins once and for all, and there is no need for sacrifice. The glory of the Lord lights the city day and night. I can picture John trying to describe all that he saw with mere words. I'm sure this is a very pale description of the reality of the New Jerusalem. I can't wait to see it for myself!

"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever." The sparkling water of life flows from its source, God Himself, and satisfies the thirsty soul. The tree of life, which Adam and Eve forsook in favor of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, is there for everyone to taste of its fruit. What a glorious future we have!

"And he said to me, 'These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.'" Jesus said, "I am coming soon." It's been nearly 2,000 years and He still hasn't come. That doesn't sound very soon to me. Peter addressed this issue: "But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:8-9) We should always be ready for Jesus to return, but we must also do the work He has for us while we're on earth. Martin Luther was asked what he would do if he knew for sure that Jesus would come back tomorrow. He replied, "I would plant a tree today." In Luke's version of the Parable of the Talents the master says to his servants "Engage in business until I come." (Luke 19:13) Our Master has entrusted time, talents and treasures to use while we're here on earth to advance His Kingdom.

John fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who escorted him through the city. The angel stopped him and told him to get up. "I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God." Then the angel said to John, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near." I have to believe that the Book of Revelation was meaningful to the people who first read it, that it wasn't a book of strange prophecies that will be understood in the future. The persecution of Christians was just warming up. Over 300,000 Christians died from the death of Stephen to 313 AD, when Emperor Constantine put an end to the persecution. Many more suffered torture, imprisonment and exile. When the Council of Nicea met there was hardly a man there who wasn't missing an eye or a limb or was otherwise maimed. The message of this book encouraged them to endure and to overcome. It does the same for us today as well.

"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.' And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price." When I read this passage I remember my oldest daughter retelling the story of the man who threw a banquet and the invited guests didn't come. She kept repeating what the servants said to the guests, "Come, for all is now ready." That's a good word for us today. Come, for all is now ready. Come to the Lord while the door is open!

"I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." We must be careful of how we handle Scripture. It is God's Word, and we have no right to add to or take from it. We have a natural tendency toward a "canon within the canon," certain passages that we like better than others. We must look at what Paul called "the whole counsel of God." (Acts 20:27)

"He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" The word amen is the most common word in the world. With the spread of Christianity it's in virtually every language. The Hebrew word means that what was just said is true. It means yes, may it be so. Yes, come, Lord Jesus!

"The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen." These are the last words in the Bible. This puts a period on God's revelation to us. This study, by necessity, has skipped a lot of wonderful content in God's Word. It was meant as a survey, an overview of God's dealings with us and His words to us. It was designed to give you the whole context of the Bible from start to finish so that you can read what's in the middle and tie it in to God's plan for the ages. Keep reading! You'll find lots of treasures and hidden riches that will bless you and help you.

I've been wondering what, if anything, we should do in the future with an online Bible study. I'd like your opinions and what you'd like to see and participate in. Leave a comment or send me an email.

I wondered what I should choose for the last song. When I heard Phil Wickham's Heaven Song the decision was made. Listen and read the words. Let them instill in you a joyful excitement about our heavenly home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqLulbmdbLg

DAY NINETY-NINE: 

Hallelujah! 

Revelation 19:1-20:15 

Our study today is entitled "Hallelujah!" with good reason. The first time I read the Book of Revelation it filled me with horror. All of those images of death and destruction! It looked more like bad news than good news to me. But then as I read it again, I saw the glory this book contains! It shows that even in the midst of trials Jesus is on the throne and in control. I can't think of anything that gives me more comfort!

Chapter 19 begins with a great multitude in heaven shouting, "Hallelujah!Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants." The prostitute is "Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations." (Rev. 17:5) Babylon was the site of the Tower of Babel, where people united against God and built a great tower. God confused their languages and scattered them around the world, but the impulse behind the Tower of Babel didn't disappear. Babylon represents greed, power and lust, the framework of this age (in Greek kosmos). She had whored with the kings of the earth and was delighted to persecute the believers in Christ.  Chapter 18 tells of the destruction of Babylon the Great. This was a cause for great rejoicing among the citizens of heaven. The evil world system is finally overthrown!

And now it's suppertime in heaven! "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure." The church, the Bride of Christ, is ready to be united with Him forever! The Bible uses the metaphor of marriage to describe the church's relation to Jesus (Ephesians 5:25 ff.) But our union with Christ is so much deeper than with our earthly spouses, so much more glorious! And this wedding feast is going to last forever! An angel told John, "Write this:Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." Blessed indeed! Let us all strive to serve Christ with all that's in us and look forward to this great and eternal feast.

Then John said he saw heaven opened, and a rider on a white horse came forth. "His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God." The same Jesus who conquered through dying on the cross is coming again with His heavenly army to rule the earth. "From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords." It's amazing, isn't it, how many of our hymns were inspired by the Book of Revelation! Do you see a line from the Battle Hymn of the Republic? And how about All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name?

Satan and the the earthly kingdoms he controls make a last-ditch effort to resist Jesus, but it is in vain. The birds of the air feast on the bodies of the slain. Chapter 20 begins, "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years..." Satan no longer has free reign to roam the earth and deceive people during this Millennium. I'll talk about different ways to interpret this in a while. During this time the saints who came through the Great Tribulation are by Christ's side and are reigning with Him. The Second Death has no power over them!

At the end of the thousand years Satan will be released and try to regain a foothold. He manages to deceive many nations, and they take up arms against Christ. But God dispatches them quickly. "...the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." (Rev. 20:10)

Now comes the judgment. John saw a white throne and the One sitting on it was so awesome that all trembled before Him. "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." I heard a recording of the late British evangelist Leonard Ravenhill preaching on this passage. He said that someone once remarked to him that if each one of us who has ever lived has to stand individually before God, that would take a really long time. Ravenhill responded that it doesn't matter, you've nowhere else to go! But when God looks at our entries, He will see a red blot covering the list of our sins and a statement in Christ's handwriting that says "Paid in full. Transferred to the Book of Life." But of those who were not found in the book of life we read, "Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." I can't begin to comprehend the horrors of eternity in the lake of fire! But remember, people send themselves there, not God. The invitation to repent of our sins and trust in Christ is out there, and if we refuse we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Now, how do we make sense of this part of the Book of Revelation? There are three major views on the thousand year reign of Christ (the Millennium):

• Premillennial. Christ will come at the beginning of the thousand years, bind Satan and then reign in righteousness. After Satan is released and incites a short-lived rebellion against God, the final judgment comes and then the new heaven and earth (which we'll look at tomorrow).
• Amillennial. The thousand years is a figurative expression for a long, indeterminate period of time. Christ is reigning already from heaven over His people. Satan was bound when Jesus gave His disciples authority over the demons. Christ will return, judge the living and dead, and then institute the new heaven and earth.
• Postmillennial. The church will, by the power of the Holy Spirit, reach the entire world for Christ (not every single person, but a large majority in each nation of the earth). Peace and righteousness will prevail on the earth before Jesus returns. He will carry out His judgment and then inaugurate the Kingdom in all its fullness.

I know that's confusing, and there's not time or space here to elaborate. I've held all three positions at different times, but for a good while now I've called myself a postmillennialist. If you'd like to study the subject of eschatology (the theological word for the end of time), you can read a whole series of articles dealing with all kinds of views from Theopedia.com. But don't get too wrapped up in it. I have a friend who describes himself as a "panmillennialist" because he believes it will all pan out in the end! And he's right! No matter what view you take you end up in the same place.

Beyond all of this, however, is the lesson that Jesus will prevail over this evil world system that's in place right now. He will be victorious, and we will share in the joy and glory. Put your trust in Him and take your stand with Him. I heard someone say of the return of Christ, "Believe it before you see it!" Amen! Hallelujah!

There's no better way to wrap this up than with Handel's Hallelujah Chorus. King George II, a man who wasn't known for his piety, felt moved to stand before the King of kings. The king's subject stand when he stands, so the whole theater was on its feet. A custom was born. Years later her advisors told Queen Victoria that protocol required her to stay seated- a king rises to greet another king, but the queen remains seated. She tried to stay in her seat, but just couldn't. She stood too! This performance by the Royal Choral Society, backed by a full orchestra, though magnificent, will not compare to what's going on in heaven!

Tomorrow is our 100th and last day! Come back and see how it all ends!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUZEtVbJT5c&feature=kp

DAY NINETY-EIGHT: 

The Throne of Heaven 

Revelation 4:1-7:17 

The Heavenly Throne, by Peter Olsen

After writing down Jesus' words to the seven churches, John saw an open door in heaven. The same voice he heard in chapter 1 said "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." John said that he was immediately taken into heaven. How can anyone possibly describe what he sees in heaven? Our words just can't do it justice, but John, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gave it a try.

Immediately his eyes were drawn to a throne, and the One sitting on the throne. "And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald." Jasper and carnelian are gemstones. Jasper is most often green while carnelian is blood-red. The figure on the throne glowed with these colors, and an emerald rainbow surrounded Him. Then John noticed twenty-four thrones surrounding the central throne. On these sat twenty-four elders, "...clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads." Some commentators believe these represent the twelve patriarchs (Jacob's sons) and the twelve apostles as representatives of God's people. John reported that peals of thunder and flashes of lightning proceed from the throne, and that seven torches, "...which are the seven spirits of God," are before the throne. We discussed the seven spirits of God in Monday's post. Also stretching out before the throne was "...a sea of glass, like crystal." This is the floor plan, if you will, of God's throne room in heaven.

"And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures,each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within..." John could think of no better word for these amazing beings than zoon, the Greek word for animal or beast. Compare the accounts of Isaiah 6 and Ezekiel 1 with what John saw. They're very similar in their details. Isaiah said that he saw seraphs, from the Hebrew word for fire, with six wings. Ezekiel described four "living creatures" that look like what John saw. Isaiah wrote nearly 800 years before John and Ezekiel over 600 years before, but they got the same glimpse of heaven!

These living creatures or seraphim shouted "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" God is holy. The word means separated or set apart. God is not like us, and we must resist the temptation to cast Him in our image. He is thrice holy. In Hebrew whenever a word is repeated three times in succession, it means completeness and perfection. God is absolutely holy, and while we may have a measure of holiness thanks to Jesus, only God is perfect in His holiness. He is the Almighty, pantokrator, ruler of all. And He is eternal, existing in the past, present and future simultaneously. He is utterly unbound by time!

The twenty-four elders, when they hear the cry of the seraphim, fall on their faces and throw their crowns before the throne. Then they proclaim, "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." God is the creator of all, and He deserves our thanks and praise. Our word worship comes from worthy. Worship is showing forth God's "worth-ship." The creatures rightfully give praise to their Creator.

In the Lord's right hand was a scroll, sealed with seven seals. This was how Roman law required that a Last Will and Testament be executed. The testator would gather several friends who would watch him write the will. When he finished a page the scroll would be rolled to that point and one of the friends would seal with wax and his own signet ring that part of the scroll. Then the man would resume writing and another friend would seal the next page, and so on until the will was completed. Then upon the testator's death the friends would authenticate the seals and open the will. This scroll in God's hands contains His plan for the ages and for the last days in particular. But there's a problem. "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" Search was made, "And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it." Not Abraham, Moses or David. Not any believer currently living on earth. None of the angels. No one was worthy to open those seals. This news crushed John. He wept, literally bawled like a baby. What disappointment! But then one of the elders tapped John on the shoulder and said, "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals." Cheer up! There IS someone who can open those seals! The Lion of Judah and Root of David are titles for the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God. He has conquered- he defeated sin and death. He is worthy to open the scroll!

John looked up, expecting to see a lion. But instead, he saw a lamb! And not just a lamb, a lamb that had been slain (literally slaughtered, its throat cut). The lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, again representative of the seven spirits of God. The Lamb went up to the throne and took the scroll. Then the elders fell down before the Lamb and offered up bowls of incense, which represent the prayers of the saints. And they burst into song once again, singing a new song that had never been sung before: "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth." The elders sang before that God was worthy of praise for His work of creation. Now they praise the Lamb for His work of redemption. By His blood He has saved a people for Himself, and they will reign with Him forever! After this the angels join in the chorus. There are "myriads of myriads, thousands and thousands" of them. The word myriad comes from the Greek word for 10,000, the largest number in that language. 10,000 x 10,000 = 100 million! At least that many angels, and probably far, far more, sing the Lord's praise! Everyone else joins in and the Living Creatures put an "Amen" on it.

Then the Lamb breaks the first six seals in rapid succession. The first four call forth four mounted horsemen:

• The first was on a white horse and went forth to make war and to conquer;
• The second was seated on a red horse and carried a large sword. He was to take peace from the earth and cause great bloodshed;
• The third rode a black horse, and carried scales. He would cause scarcity and famine on the earth; and
• The final rider sat on a pale horse. His name was Death and Hades, and he had authority to kill and destroy over vast areas.

The fifth seal revealed the martyrs who had died for their faith in Christ. They were beneath heaven's altar. They cried out, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" They were told to be patient and rest a little longer, until their number was complete.

The sixth seal brought a great disturbance to the earth, sea and skies. Earthquakes and darkness, stars falling from the sky, mountains displaced. Everyone on the earth was gripped with fear, and cried out to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" 

Before the seventh seal was opened two things happened: First, God sent His angels to seal 144,000 Israelites, 12,000 from each tribe. Then John looked and saw a great multitude from every nation on earth. They came before the throne in white robes, waving palm branches and praising God. One of the elders asked John "Do you know who they are?" He said no, and the elder told him, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." They are the faithful Christians from all ages who overcame the world and were faithful to the end. "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

This is where our reading ends today, but I'll try to fill you in briefly up to chapter 19, where we'll pick up tomorrow. When the seventh seal is opened, seven angels with trumpets appear. Each blows his trumpet and disasters upon the earth follow. Then we see a woman giving birth to a child and then pursued by a dragon. We see a "beast" with seven heads and ten horns rise up out of the ocean. The beast deceives the earth for a time, during which seven angels with bowls of plagues pour out still more disaster on the earth. "Babylon the Great," a wicked woman who rides atop the beast, is judged. And that catches us up to where we'll pick up next. Whew!

How do we make sense of all of this? First, we learn some invaluable truths from chapters 4 and 5. They give us a complete theology of worship. There are two reasons to worship God. First, He is holy, absolutely perfect and pure and great beyond our imagination. This is who God is. And He is worthy. That's what He does. He is worthy because He created everything, and all the beauty and mystery of life draws our attention to Him. And He is worthy because He redeemed us from our sins with His blood. God is worthy because of His works of creation and redemption. Just remember the little dinner grace we learned as children: "God is great, God is good, and we thank Him for our food. Amen." We worship God because He is great (holy) and because He is good (worthy). Our response is to thank Him for who He is and for what He's done for us.

Second, I think this is the place where I can tell you how I see the Book of Revelation playing out. I see the events circling back and repeating rather than moving ahead in a linear fashion. Scholars call this recapitulation. The same basic events are told again from a different perspective, like what we see in the accounts of creation in Genesis 1 and 2. The three "sevens," the seals, the trumpets, and the bowls, represent the ongoing patterns of war, famine and natural disasters that plague the earth as the consequence of our sin. Even so, history is moving toward a conclusion, which we'll see tomorrow and Friday. This is far more complicated than I can lay out in this short space, so let me share a flowchart that I think presents it pretty well:

Everything to the left of the red line is past or present, and to the right is the future. I'm indebted to Russ Hicks for this chart, and while I might question small parts of his interpretive scheme I think he's done a great job of making a whole lot of scholarship accessible to everyone. You can see his full website here. 

And for your holy earworm today, is there any other choice but this great hymn that's drawn from today's reading:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR62awN7rhQ

DAY NINETY-SEVEN: 

Messages to the Churches 

Revelation 2:1-3:22 

Yesterday John related the vision of the glorified Christ, a sight so awesome that he fainted dead away! But Jesus picked him up and told him not to be afraid. John was about to get an inside look at the Kingdom of God, both in heaven and on earth. But first, Jesus has a job for him. John is to write down the messages that Jesus had for the seven churches of Asia. John settled in Ephesus and apparently didn't travel around as Paul did. He had a special concern for these seven churches. He had visited them all and knew their situations. Jesus addressed each church, and we have the privilege of reading what He said. Let's look at the general structure of each letter as we examine the first.

• "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:..." As we saw yesterday the word for angel, aggelos, means messenger. In this context it probably refers to the pastor of each church as the messenger of the Gospel. If Jesus wanted to speak to the angels in heaven all He would have to do is call them. Each letter begins with addressing the angel/pastor.
• "The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands." Jesus identified Himself with part of the description we read in chapter 1.
• "I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." This is the body of the letter. Jesus commends the churches for their strengths and calls them to account for where they fall short. The Ephesians were discerning, recognizing and rejecting false teachers, especially the Nicolaitans. We'll see their name again in these letters. The Nicolaitans fell into the trap of Gnosticism, a mixture of Greek philosophy and eastern religions. They lived immoral lives because they believed that the Law had been completely abolished. But Jesus has also seen something disturbing in Ephesus. They had left their first love! They got so wrapped up in doing the right thing that they forgot the very reason for what they did. They were Marthas, working away and serving, while Jesus wanted them to be more like Mary also and sit at His feet. We can fall into this trap so easily! Jesus warned them of how serious this is and told them to repent.
• "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." Jesus concluded each letter with a call to pay attention and the offer of a reward for overcoming their trials and remaining faithful to the end. The word overcome, nikao, means to conquer, to vanquish a foe. The Nike shoes take their name from this word. Those who overcome will get to eat the fruit of the tree of life, the one that God took away from Adam and Eve after they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We'll see the tree of life again at the end of the book.

That's the general outline of the letters. Let's look briefly at the remaining six letters.

Next Jesus wrote to the church at Smyrna (modern-day Izmir, Turkey). "I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." The word for tribulation is the same word for pressing grapes to make wine. The believers in Smyrna were being crushed by their opponents, with the local Jewish community in the forefront. The early Christians were the subject of slanderous rumors. They were accused of cannibalism because they partook of Christ's body and blood in the Lord's Supper. They were accused of holding orgies, because that's what the pagans around them thought a Love Feast was. They will suffer severe persecution for "ten days." We don't know for sure what that means. But this is a definite period, with an ending. God is in control! Those who remain faithful unto death will receive the crown of life. The word here is stephanos, the victor's crown, given to the winner of a race. This is the crown of victory that marks those who overcome all that the world throws at them. Jesus promised that the "second death," which we'll look at on Thursday, won't harm those who overcome in His name.

Now on to Pergamum. They live "where Satan't throne is." On top of the highest hill overlooking the city was the Temple of Zeus, the king of the gods. A giant chair sat in front of the temple, Zeus' throne. The church at Pergamum existed in an area where the worship of the ancient Greek gods was alive and well. Nearly everywhere else in the Roman Empire they old gods were starting to fade from peoples' lives. Not in Pergamum! They strove to keep the purity of the old traditions alive, and the Christians threatened to destroy all they held dear with their belief in just one God. But all was not well in this church. Some held to the teaching of Balaam, the prophet whose donkey spoke to him. When he couldn't take the Moabite King Balak's money because God wouldn't allow the prophet to curse His people, Balaam found a way to get his pay. He encouraged the king to lure Israel into immorality and the worship of his gods at Peor. Balaam's error came from his greed and his unrestrained fleshly desires. There were also a few Nicolaitans there, who no doubt partied hardy. Jesus warned them to repent. Jesus offered those who overcome some of the manna, the bread from heaven that fed Israel for forty years in the wilderness. He will also give them a white stone with a new name, given by God.

Now on to Thyatira. This was the home town of Lydia, the woman who showed hospitality to Paul when he came to Philippi. But there's trouble in River City! A woman whom Jesus called Jezebel has taken over the church. Jezebel, you'll remember, was the wife of King Ahab. She was the daughter of the King of Sidon and an ardent worshipper of Baal and his female counterpart Asherah. She provoked her husband to a new depth of evil for the northern kingdom. In addition to building temples for Baal and persecuting the Lord's followers, she had Naboth killed so that her husband could take over his vineyard next to the palace. So to call someone a Jezebel links her with this woman's evil. Jesus said that He gave her time to repent, but she had not. He will throw her and her adulterous lovers onto a sickbed if they don't repent. There will be physical consequences for their sins. To the rest, who had kept away from this Jezebel and her false teachings, Jesus told to carry on. They were doing well. If they overcome they will rule the world with Jesus.

Let's visit the church in Sardis. This was the capital city of the ancient Kingdom of Lydia, ruled by the legendary King Croesus ("as rich as Croesus"). Some of that faded glory was still to be seen at the end of the first century, some 500 years after Croesus. Jesus said that the church at Sardis had a good reputation, built on the service and sacrifice of those who went before them. But Jesus knows that the church at present is dead! He told them to wake up before it's too late. Revive that flame that's about to go out. If you do, Jesus said, a white robe awaits, and Jesus will honor them before His angels.

Now to Philadelphia. The name means "brotherly love." William Penn chose this name for the city he built, expressing his hope that the message of brotherly love in Christ would prevail in the City of Philadelphia. This church appears to have been small, and they thought that they could accomplish little in that center of Greek culture and religion. But Jesus said that He put before them an open door that no one could close! They will be able to work and witness despite the opposition of the local Jewish community and the Roman officials. Jesus said that He would mercifully preserve them from the severe persecution going on around them. He told them to hang onto their crowns, that is, the victory they had already won through faith in Christ. If they hang in there to the end Jesus said He would make them into pillars in the Temple, never to be moved again.

Our last stop is Laodicea. Jesus said that the Laodiceans were lukewarm, neither cold nor hot. Some foods are better hot and others cold, but few foods are appealing at room temperature. Think of eating mashed potatoes that have cooled off, or ice cream that has melted. Yuck! The church at Laodicea had cooled off. They had lost their zeal for the Gospel. And yet they hadn't abandoned the faith completely. But since they were neither hot nor cold Jesus said He would spit them out (literally, vomit). They thought they were doing OK, but Jesus said that they were in fact "...wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked." Jesus offered them true wealth: gold refined in the fire, pure white garments to cover their nakedness and eye salve to heal their blindness. "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent." Jesus spoke sharply to the Laodiceans, but it was because He loved them and wanted His best for them. Then Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." What a gracious invitation! When Jesus comes knocking, open the door for Him. He won't force His way into your life. 

The letters to the seven churches speak volumes to us today. We can see many of the same issues in the church today. We still battle against heresy and false teaching. We struggle with the immorality of the culture around us. But most of all, we deal with leaving our first love and growing lukewarm. We've had it easy for so many years. We've been able to live off the legacy of previous generations who built our churches. We take the church (and Jesus) for granted. We've catered to our desires and ignored the needs of the community. Jesus said that He reproves those whom He loves. This is definitely the time to answer Jesus' call to repent! 

Tomorrow we get to look at what I think are the most awesome chapters in the Bible! John gives us a first-hand account of what it's like in heaven.

Here's your holy earworm for today, sung by a really cute children's choir:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zThO9R-r0g

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DAY NINETY-SIX: 

A Voice and a Vision 

Revelation 1:1-20 

Just five more days for our study! I've been looking forward to our look at the Book of Revelation since we started. It's my favorite book of the Bible because it wraps everything up and puts a ribbon on it. Jesus puts the last touches on God's plan of the ages. Everything that sin ruined Christ will repair! 

Before we get very far I think it's important to discuss the four major frameworks for interpreting the Book of Revelation:

• Futurist. This is the most common view in evangelical Christianity. All the events after chapter 3 take place in the future and the book unfolds chronologically. One event follows after another until the conclusion. The Dispensationalist variation, which we discussed when we looked at 1 Thessalonians 4, adds the rapture of the saints and a seven-year tribulation before Christ's return. Proponents of this view look for signs of Christ's return in current events.
• Preterist. The word comes from the Latin word for before or previous. Everything in the Book of Revelation (indeed, every prophecy in the Bible) was fulfilled by the time the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD. The events and signs in Revelation had historical significance in the first century but are for us only a record of what happened. Some Preterists believe that Christ returned in 70 AD secretly and will not be coming back again. Those who die trusting in the Lord are raised spiritually immediately after they die. 
• Historicist. This view interprets Revelation as an account of the church through the ages. The Seven Churches of Asia represent seven periods in church history, which unfold one after another in the rest of the book. 
• Idealist. I saved this one for last, so you might assume that this is the view I hold. And you'd be right. As a young Christian I was schooled in the futurist view (I didn't think there was any other way). But as I studied the book the idealist view started to make sense to me. Idealism says that the events and symbols of the book represent different themes that run throughout history. This view sees Revelation as a philosophy of history based on the working out of God's plan for the ages. 

If you want to learn about these four schools of thought you can read this article. 

Now, at last, let's look at God's Word. "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place." The Greek word is apocalupsis, from which we get our word apocalypse. It means to reveal or to unveil something that is hidden. Some call it the Revelation of St. John, but it is in fact the Revelation of Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus will reveal to His people what's coming.

"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." Jesus revealed this to His disciple John, who walked with Him in the days of His flesh, who witnessed His resurrection and ascension and who lived and ministered in the power of Christ all of his life. He will write down what he sees and share it with the believers.

"Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near." Blessed- the same word that Jesus used in the Sermon on the Mount when He gave us the Beatitudes. Those who read and keep the words of this book will be blessed. The words have immediate application because the time is near (we'll talk more about the timing of these events later)

"John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth." We'll see in a few moments that Jesus told John to write this book for the benefit of the seven church of the province of Asia, which was the western part of what is now Turkey (the name came to be applied to the entire continent of Asia). I love that phrase "who is and who was and who is to come." God is eternal, existing in the present, past and future simultaneously. There are different views about the "seven spirits." Some argue that this should be read as the "seven-fold Spirit." The number seven in the Bible often represents completeness. There's one Holy Spirit, who is perfect and complete. Others see them as lesser spirits who surround the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Still others see them as the fulfillment of Isaiah 11:1-2, "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord." Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit and exhibited these seven manifestations.

"To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen." I can't read these words without a chill running up my spine! The one who loved us enough to die for us is coming back for us! This is another place where a shout of "hallelujah" would be very appropriate!

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and sounds like our letter a. Omega (big o, to distinguish it from omicron, or little o) was the last letter. God is like a dictionary in that He knows it all from beginning to end. Again, He is and was and is to come. Time as we know it is meaningless to God (and will become meaningless to us, too, when we're with Him in heaven!).

"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." John didn't identify himself as an apostle, and not even as an elder, as he did in 2 and 3 John. He's a brother in Christ, and a partner who is sharing in the persecution the church is facing. He was on Patmos. Patmos is a small island (13 square miles)  off the coast of modern-day Turkey. Today it's a delightful tourist destination. In John's day, however, Patmos was a hellhole. The island is in a dry zone, with little rainfall. Groundwater ran deep and wells were few. The Romans used it as a prison colony, forcing the inmates to quarry marble. Though a subject of debate, most scholars date John's stay on Patmos around 95 AD, during the time of Emperor Domitian's bitter persecution of the church. If so, John would have been at least 90 years old.

"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.'" John was "in the Spirit," worshipping God despite the horrible conditions he faced. No prison or fortress has ever been built that can keep God out! This was "the Lord's day," which was Sunday, the first day of the week. The earliest Christians observed both the Sabbath, the Jewish day of rest, and the first day of the week, when Christ rose from the dead. In time Christians worship centered around Sunday, as it does now. John heard a loud voice like a trumpet that told him to write all he will see and hear and send it to the seven churches of Asia. We'll look at Christ's message to these seven churches tomorrow.

"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. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 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." Wow! This doesn't sound like the meek and gentle Jesus of Warner Sallman's paintings. White hair, eyes like fire, glowing feet, and face like the sun. His voice was like the roar of Niagara Falls, drowning out all other voices. He held seven stars in His hands and had a sword coming from His mouth. This is the glorified Christ, Lord of all!

John reacted as we would if we saw what he saw: "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead." We read in the Bible that any who behold God in His glory are frightened. Isaiah said, "Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips living among a people of unclean lips." There's a reason we don't see God. If we were to look upon Him in all His holiness our sinfulness would slay us. The time will come, however, when we will see Him face to face without any fear.

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." Jesus picked John up and got him ready for what was ahead. He told John not to be afraid, that the same love that led Him to calvary is everlasting, and He holds the keys that release the dead and raises them to life.

"Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches." The angels of the churches might refer to the pastors. The word angel means messenger or herald, someone who speaks God's message. Pastors fit that bill, as we teach and preach God's word to His people. It makes sense to me that Jesus would address His remarks to the pastors, who would then pass the message on to the people. The lampstands represent the churches. Jesus said, "You are the light of the world." (Matthew 5:14) The churches shine for God in their communities.

We're off to a flying start! Tomorrow we'll look at the seven churches and the contexts in which they lived.

I can't think of a better song to cap off today's study than that great spiritual John the Revelator. I listened to a lot of different versions (and I really enjoyed doing so!) and settled on this version by John Mellencamp. The accompanying pictures are great!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyW7goC9X6w

DAY NINETY-FIVE: 

Love One Another 

1 John 3:11-4:21

We conclude our look at the letters from the apostles very appropriately with 1 John. John, "the disciple whom Jesus loved," made love the theme of all his writings. In his Gospel we read verses like "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) and "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35) It is in his three letters, though, that John teaches us just how we are to love one another.

John said that love is evidence that we belong to Christ. "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." (3:14-15) That's strong stuff! Hating someone is just like murdering him. But that's just what Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-22, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire." We must love, and we must forgive, if we are in Christ.

"By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" (3:16-17) Jesus laid down His life for us because He loved us. Can we, out of love, sacrifice some of our worldly goods to help those who don't have enough? This is an important test of our Christian love. But John isn't talking about some mushy, undisciplined love. Love must be balanced with the truth. "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." (3:18) We'll discuss the relationship between truth and love in more detail later in this study.

"By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything." (3:19-20) These verses are a wonderful comfort, because my heart does indeed condemn me from time to time, with memories of old sins that really hurt other people. Maybe you experience the same thing. Isn't it great that God, who is GREATER than our hearts, has forgiven us? Our justification (a fancy word for being found not guilty before a court) comes from Christ's sacrifice on the cross, and doesn't depend on our good works. It's all of grace! God pardons us completely. This frees us up to live in service to God and others without having to worry about racking up those brownie points.

Back to the balance between truth and love. "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already." We depict Satan as a red devil with a pitchfork and a pointy tail. But that's far from what the Bible tells us about him! We read in Ezekiel, "You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God...You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you...Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground" (Ezekiel 28:12-13, 15, 17) Paul warned us that Satan's beauty and charm can be deceiving and that he shares it with his servants: "And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.  So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.Their end will correspond to their deeds." (2 Corinthians 11:14-15) Therefore John said that we have to TEST every spirit, every teaching, to see if they are from God. Anyone who denies that Jesus was in the flesh, both God and man, has denied the heart of the Gospel and cannot be trusted to teach the truth in other areas. In any event, we need to test everything, including (maybe especially) what I say from the pulpit according to the Bible. "By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error." (4:6)

Back to love: "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." These are two of the simplest and yet most profound verses in the Bible. John wrote in a very elementary style. When I was studying Greek in college my special project was to translate 1 John. I found it a welcome break from the really difficult classical Greek writers. "God is love." You can't say it any plainer than that! Yes, God is also holy and righteous. But His love applies His holiness and righteousness in a way that enables us to be forgiven for our sins. "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. The word "propitiation" is one you don't see every day, yet there's no simpler word or words that can convey fully what the Greek word means. A propitiation was a sacrifice to appease an angry god. God in His holiness and righteousness is rightfully angry with us, but in His love He sent His son to make things right by offering Himself as a sacrifice for us. He bore the wrath that was rightfully ours so that we can live in God's love. Anyone want to shout "hallelujah?" Now would be a good time!

If we've benefitted from this amazing love, we must reflect that love in how we live. "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us." As John pointed out, no one has seen God. But if they've seen the love of God exhibited in how we treat one another, they've had a glimpse of Him!

"So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." The word abide means to remain or to stay. If we continue to live in love we also continue to live in God. The more we love others, the more God's love flows into us so that we can love others even more. That's a nice ideal, but like all ideals we so often fall short. John gave us a good explanation of why: "By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." (4:17-18) We often think that the opposite of love his hatred. But in reality FEAR is the opposite of love. That's an astounding revelation! The words perfect and perfected mean complete or whole. When God's love is completed in us there is no more room for fear. We don't have to fear the judgment of God any more. And if we don't fear judgment we don't have to fear suffering and persecution and death. We're truly free to show the love of God. But fear makes us hold back from God. Remember how we read yesterday in James that the demons tremble because they know God and what He has in store for them? The late M. Scott Peck in his book People of the Lie wrote that fear underlies evil, and I think he's right. Love overcomes fear and therefore evil. Paul wrote in Romans 12:20-21, "...if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

One thing that makes John's letters easy to read is that he repeats himself over and over and over again! But he had a point to make, one he didn't want his readers to miss. "We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother." Get it? Love one another!!!!!

This kind of love doesn't come naturally for us. By our sinful human natures we're prideful and selfish. We want what we want when we want it. God's love doesn't act that way. In fact, this kind of love is so unique that it draws attention to those who exhibit it. Jesus said that the world would know if we're His disciples if we love one another. This is the kind of love that the world hungers to feel. Love is like a light in a dark place, showing the way to safety. In short, love is not optional. Not the easy kind of love, but a love that costs you something to give.

But not everyone is lovable, even in the church. How do I love them? In the words of the Nike commercials, "Just Do It!" Don't wait until you "feel" like loving. Love is not just a feeling. First and foremost, love is a decision, a commitment. Do your best, and ask God for help and guidance. The feelings follow our actions sometimes. And when you blow it, say you're sorry. Further, when someone hurts you, forgive, because that's what God wants you to do. That's the kind of love that changes lives!

John obviously believed that repetition is the best teaching tool. So here's a blast from our recent past, one of the songs from last year's Vacation Bible School:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZbFhQdXrgU

DAY NINETY-FOUR: 

Faith and Works 

James 1:1-2:26 

The great reformer Martin Luther didn't like the Epistle of James. He wrote, "In a word St. John’s Gospel and his first epistle, St. Paul’s epistles, especially Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians, and St. Peter’s first epistle are the books that show you Christ and teach you all that is necessary and salvatory for you to know, even if you were never to see or hear any other book or doctrine. Therefore St. James’ epistle is really an epistle of straw." He gave serious thought to leaving it out of his translation of the Bible. But thankfully (and, I believe, providentially) he changed his mind. What caused Luther to hate James' message? A surface reading might lead one to conclude that James denied salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone in favor of a salvation by good works. A closer look, though, shows that faith and works are two sides of the same coin.

"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:
Greetings." James identified himself as a servant of Jesus Christ, and he certainly is. But there's something he didn't say: he's Jesus' brother (half brother, really). The people of Nazareth knew Jesus' family. Mark 6:3 says, "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" John 7:5 says, "For not even his brothers believed in him." They came with Mary to take Jesus back home because they thought there must be something wrong with Jesus (a Messiah complex?). But we read in Acts 1:14, "All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers." Apparently James and his brothers trusted in Jesus after His resurrection and they were part of the very earliest church. The thing to notice is James wasn't a name-dropper. He was a servant of Jesus by the grace of God, not by nepotism. We share the same status when we trust in Christ and serve Him.

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (1:2-4) Count it all joy when I have problems and trials and persecutions? You've got to be kidding! But James isn't kidding. These trials test us and strengthen us. Through them we learn that we must depend upon God alone, because the things we depended on, like our health or wealth, are stripped away in times of trial. James tells the exiles to whom he writes to hang in there! Yes it's tough but you have Jesus with you, who promised to be with you always and never forsake you. You can make it! "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." (1:12)

"Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." Flip Wilson used to say "The devil made me do it." We know that's not true, and it's also not true that God made me do it. The devil does tempt us, but God doesn't. He may allow us to face temptation as part of our trials. But He doesn't intend for us to fail. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (1:20-21) Wow! Think about how much trouble we'd avoid if we listened more, spoke less and controlled our anger! Our anger is just about always expressed in a sinful manner, even though we may think it is justified.

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." (1:22) "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless." (1:26) Here's where we begin to see the tension between faith and works. It's not enough, James said, to talk the talk. You have to walk the walk, too. After James dinged them for showing partiality to the rich over the poor (2:1-7) he dug into the matter at hand.

"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." Faith shows itself in works. Faith MUST produce fruit or it's not genuine faith. Our faith impels us to do certain things, like care for the poor. If we don't do them, there's a serious problem.

"But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe- and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?" It's not, and never has been, enough to believe in God. Even Satan and his demons believe, but that belief hasn't made them any less devilish. Nearly 90% of Americans say that they believe in God, but look at what goes on. I remember hearing a preacher say once that going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger. Belief in God is more than an intellectual proposition. Real faith touches every area of our lives.

"Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?" (2:21) This is the verse that had Martin Luther seeing red! Now James is saying that Abraham was justified by what he did. If we read this verse out of context, which I'm surprised that Luther did, that's what we have to conclude. But read on: "You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness'- and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone." (2:22-24) Where's the conflict between faith and works? I just don't see it. Yes, Abraham believed. But Abraham also acted on what he believed. That belief compelled him to trust God even in the matter of sacrificing his son. Likewise we must act on what we believe, or else we don't have real faith.

"For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead." (2:26) Works flow from our faith, and as we work our faith grows. Each feeds the other, all to the glory of God. Our biggest problem in the church today is that we haven't been making disciples. We've only received members, and we've let far too many people walk away with the impression that this makes them right with God. This is why I'm not fond of altar calls. Not because I don't believe in calling you to trust in Christ- I most definitely do. I've seen far too many emotional decisions that never produced fruit. I believe that if the Holy Spirit is convicting a person of sin that He will bring them all the way to salvation. He might use me or someone else as His tool, but He does the work. Then we help to disciple one another and support one another as we serve Christ.

Here's a fun song from the late Rich Mullins with lots of rhythm and action that says that faith without works is "as useless as a screen door on a submarine."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lZzp1u1PDQ

DAY NINETY-THREE: 

Be Holy 

1 Peter 1:13-2:12

The issue of holiness has been both controversial and confusing. Peter reminded his readers of God's command "You shall be holy for I am holy." God is holy and He wants us to be holy too. But just what does that mean? Does it mean that we don't "smoke, drink and chew and run with them that do?" Or is there more to holiness? This passage is a big help in understanding how God wants us to live.

"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct..." The word conformed means to follow a pattern. The first step in holiness is to break the previous patterns of sinful behavior you followed before knowing Christ. We desire to please God, so we put aside those things that displease Him. That's easier said than done, of course, but this should be out hearts' desire. That's because we know how costly it was for Jesus to redeem us: "...you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot." (1:18-19) Jesus redeemed us with His blood, and has washed us clean of our sins. We stand before God in Christ's purity. Even though we're still in the flesh and prone to sin, we must fight against sin and desire to live up to the holiness God bestowed upon us in Christ.

"Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God..." (1:22-23) We exhibit holiness when we love one another. Jesus told us that people would be able recognize us as His people by the quality of love we show one another. Christian love is such a precious thing, something those who don't know Christ are seeking, whether they know it or not. As we grow more into the image of Christ, our love will increase.

"So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation- if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good." (2:1-3) Put away is the term in Greek for taking off dirty clothes. Throw malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and all those others work of the flesh in the laundry basket. Then put on the sparkling clean clothes that God provides. Colossians 3:12 says "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts,kindness, humility, meekness, and patience..." Peter says that we must desire the milk of God's Word so that we can grow. Newborn Christians need to be nurtured much as we nurture infants. But like children we are to grow past our need for milk and move on to solid food. (Hebrews 5:12-13)

We have a special role in this world. "As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood,to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." The priesthood in the Old Testament gave us a picture of what Jesus Christ, the Great High Priest, would do for us. It's also a picture of our position in Christ. We are priests for God, offering spiritual sacrifices. We don't slay animals and burn them on the altar. But we do offer up thanksgiving and prayer and praise. "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (2:9) The Lord has given to us a wonderful ministry of intercessory prayer. We can pray and God will hear us!

"Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation." (2:11-12) Keep in mind that this world is not your real home. We're just passing through on our way to heaven. This means that we should not let those fleshly passions that tempt us to rule over our souls. We belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, and we must behave accordingly. In this way the world will see that we are different. Even if some accuse us of evil, it will be obvious that the charges are unfounded.

Some think that holiness requires radical separation from the world. The Amish dress differently and shun modern conveniences. Roman Catholic priests, brothers and nuns vow to abstain from sex so that they may pursue holiness. Many different groups say that we must not drink alcoholic beverages if we're to be pleasing to God. Just what does it mean to be holy?

First, holiness and love are woven together and can't be separated from one another. To love is to be holy, and to be holy is to love. Jesus is the greatest example of love, so we imitate His love. The world parodies Christian holiness. I think of all those old movies with the temperance ladies singing "Bringing in the Sheaves" as they marched on the tavern with axes in hand. This is holiness without love. Add love in, and it makes all the difference. The motive for holiness is love of God and love of others.

Second, we end up on a slippery slope when we try to define holiness with rules, by dos and don'ts. When we go beyond what the Bible says we are headed toward legalism. For instance, I see nothing in the Bible that forbids drinking alcohol. There are strong prohibitions, however, against being drunk. Everyone has to decide how to handle alcohol in a way that pleases God. For a recovering alcoholic, "one drink is too many and a thousand aren't enough." Others can enjoy a glass of wine or a beer responsibly. The Bible also teaches us the purpose of sex and how we are to enjoy it in the context of marriage. How we live that out is a witness to our sex-crazed culture, but that witness is lost if we come off as prudes. Christ has given us freedom, but that freedom is bound up in love. Martin Luther was fond of saying "Love God and do as you please, for if you love God you will choose to please Him."

And third, while we walk in this world, we are not of it. We are different, and that should make a difference in how we live. Be careful of what you watch, what you read, whom you associate with. Do they honor God and commend good things? Or do they incite the "lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life?" (1 John 2:16) Again I can't give you hard and fast rules. Rules like that usually make us want what is forbidden (read Romans 7 where Paul speaks of how the Law couldn't keep him from sinning). Remember also that you live in a community of Christians, and we help one another. We admonish one another when we see someone straying. We encourage one another to live for Christ. Holiness is not just private. It's corporate as well.

Here's a beautiful contemporary praise song that speaks to our lesson:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9I7_Q47F3U

DAY NINETY-TWO: 

A New Creation in Christ 

2 Corinthians 4:1-6:2 

Today we look at what we really are vs. what we appear to be on the outside. God makes all things new, but He starts on the inside and works His way out. The process is lifelong, and we pass through stages of maturity. We call the process by which caterpillars become butterflies metamorphosis. The Greek root means to remake, to transform. The Bible uses this same word for how God changes us.

"Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart." (4:1) If anyone had good reason to feel discouraged, it was Paul. He endured so much from his opponents. And on top of that, there were times when his churches let him down. But Paul didn't lose heart! He kept going, one foot in front of the other, trusting that Christ would be his help and stay, "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (4:6) We have within us an imperishable hope and glory! "But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." It's like finding a real one karat diamond ring in a Crackerjack box! Our outside is unimpressive and gives no hint to what's inside! And like a common clay jar, we're fragile. We get cracks and nicks and scratches. Sometimes we shatter, just like a clay jar falling to the ground. But God preserves what's inside.

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." We can't deny that our are deteriorating bit by bit, and that the day of our deaths is anything but inevitable. We can't hang onto our bodies, or anything else in this material world. But God is still working on the inside, and His work makes us more beautiful each and every day. I've seen this so often with the elderly saints who have followed the Lord for many years. Their rich experiences, combined with many years of Bible reading and prayer, increase their faith and love. Their smiles and the winks in their eyes are little glimmers of that dazzling treasure hiding within them. Knowing that we can't keep our treasures in this world but can't lose them in the next, we can endure whatever life throws at us. President Franklin Roosevelt delivered his first inaugural address over eighty years ago, in the throes of the Great Depression. He said, "In such a spirit on my part and on yours we face our common difficulties. They concern, thank God, only material things. Values have shrunken to fantastic levels; taxes have risen; our ability to pay has fallen; government of all kinds is faced by serious curtailment of income; the means of exchange are frozen in the currents of trade; the withered leaves of industrial enterprise lie on every side; farmers find no markets for their produce; the savings of many years in thousands of families are gone." Sounds a little like today, doesn't it? But Roosevelt was absolutely right. We might lose everything we own, but we haven't lost what really matters.

"For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee." You've been camping all your life, but didn't know it! Our bodies are like tents, meant as a temporary dwelling place. Jesus told us in John 14:2-3, "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." God has promised us a new home, and He's given us a deposit- the Holy Spirit, who lives within us, is His guarantee that He will fulfill all His promises. We may struggle and groan in this life, but what's waiting for us makes it worth it all!

"So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." We have to walk by faith and not by sight. All of the great people we've read about in our study walked by faith. Abraham believed God's absurd promise to give this elderly and barren couple a son, and from him to produce a people who will be more numerous than the sand on the beach or the stars in the sky. Abraham left everything he had known for a yet-undisclosed location. He believed so much in God's promise that he prepared to offer that long-awaited son as a sacrifice when God asked him to. That's walking by faith and not by sight! Some time back I compared walking by faith to a pilot trusting his instruments rather than his senses. Your eyes can play tricks on you in the air, but the instruments show the true way. We have to learn to walk by faith and trust God despite what our senses, including common sense, tell us. We'll all answer for how we lived our lives. We'll stand before God's judgment seat and explain ourselves. This is not for salvation, because Christ has already secured it for us. It's what we do after we trust in Him that will be questioned. I know there are some things in my life that I don't relish explaining to God, and I don't want to rack up any more things like that. Back to school to learn how to walk by faith!

"For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised." (5:14-15) The Greek word for control literally means to hold together. The love of Christ holds us together and directs our lives. Jesus raises us up from spiritual death and we no longer live for ourselves. We live to please Christ! He has a mission for us. He wants us to be His ambassadors, His representatives, toward everyone we meet. Our message is a message of reconciliation. As I mentioned in a sermon a few weeks ago, the term reconciliation comes from the world of banking and finance. It means an exchange. You have a product you want to sell, and I need that product. We agree on a price. I pay the money and then take the product home. We both benefit. It's a fair trade. The trade here, however, is a grossly unfair, one-sided trade. Yet we can't complain about it because we are the beneficiaries. "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (5:21) Jesus took all of our vile, ugly sins and went to the cross to pay for them. Then He gave us His perfect and spotless righteousness in exchange. His pain was our gain! "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." If this isn't good news, I don't know what is! And this Good News is something that everyone needs to hear. That's why we're called to be "ambassadors of reconciliation." God loves us and longs for us to trust in Him.

Have you trusted in Jesus Christ, and in Him alone? If not, there's no time like the present. "Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, 'In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (6:1-2) If the Holy Spirit is speaking to your heart, if you know you're not right with God, just ask Him to forgive you for Christ's sake. For more on how to become a Christian, click on this link. And I'd be honored to help you!

Here's one of my favorite Southern Gospel songs that goes along with our passage today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siYOCV1pE2c

And while looking for this video, I found another video, in which Stuart Hamblen, the songwriter, tells how he came to write it. It's worth a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNzcGxl5nk8