The Apocalypse and the Disciple

Revelation for Every Age

By Charlie Crowe

Rome AD 105

It was the stench that was the worst.  The heat was awful; it was as if the air in this cell had not moved in years, it only got more foul and hotter.  The prisoner leaned against the wall.  There was no place to sit except the floor and it was too filthy to sit on the floor.  The stones themselves seemed to radiate heat.  There was the smell of urine and excrement.  The corner of the cell was a make shift toilet.  But more than a few of the former occupants of this cell had lost control of their bowels where ever they stood so the entire floor was to some degree a toilet.   There was also the smell of blood and decaying flesh mixed with the animal smells.  He felt the bile rising up in his throat again; he swallowed against the urge to vomit and wondered how much of the air he breathed contained the remnants of vomit from other prisoners. 

It was quieter than one might expect in the corridors of this misery.  There was an occasional moan, the sound of frightened voices now and again.  There were animal sounds from a different part of the chambers.  One might expect that a jail this large and apparently full would be loud with protest, curses and pleadings.  It was, at least in this underground section, peacefully silent.  The noise came from above in the open air.  There was a general rumble that would occasionally crescendo into a scream and then turmoil of cheering.

This was the Festival of Salus. She was the goddess of safety and well being, of welfare, health and prosperity for individuals, but most of all for the glory of Rome. It was said that all those who would swear allegiance to Rome and to Salus would receive welfare, pardon and forgiveness of all the crimes committed against the empire, that was almost certainly a cruel lie. The Prisoner reasoned that it was because of this appeal to hope that the Christians had been gathered in the stadium. They would face a terrible choice.  Would they place their hope in this unseen, unknown character Jesus? Or would they place their hope in the might and the power of Rome represented by the masses of crowds, by the Emperor or by the great buildings? 

It was hope that had attracted the Prisoner to the religion of Jesus. Having accomplished much in his life there were very few things that he needed. But somehow life seemed to be empty and pointless. The riches he had inherited from his father, the glory he had earned as a soldier, the home he had in Rome and the villa in the countryside, the slaves, the mistresses, the intrigues, and the power all somehow left him empty.  So, when he saw a friend whose life was much like his own undergo a dramatic change he wondered. As this friend demonstrated life and hope and joy that had eluded the Prisoner, he asked and acquired and learned about the hope and this one named Jesus. 

It was only a year-and-a-half since he began following the strange new religion but the change was immediate and glorious. Even as a persecuted minority it was worth the cost of being a disciple of this one from Galilee. He knew that one day he might have to make great sacrifices because he was a follower. But because Jesus was his Lord and his King who sacrificed for him, sacrifices were part of what he committed to do should they ever come. 

They came two days ago. The demand of the sacrifices came in the form of a soldier who arrested him.  A slave betrayed him; he, his wife and his two children were taken. Watching his children die was the worst moment he ever experienced.  But he wasn’t the only father to watch his son die.  Wondering what ever became of his wife haunted him. And now he waited his turn in the Coliseum. 

He would walk out onto the floor of the arena where the emperor would grant him one chance to swear his loyalty to Rome and to Salus to be forgiven, to have all that was his restored, to re-enter the life of a Roman nobleman. Should he accept the offer of the goddess Salus he would return to his wealth, his peace, and his prosperity. His wife might be dead, but the emperor would give him a new one; he could have other children. He could return to the years before Christ with wealth and mistresses and slaves and a life built entirely around himself. Or he could refuse the offer and he would die having lost everything and his own life would be forfeit. 

Because he had served in the legions they might give him a sword and make him a gladiator against younger, stronger men. They might give him a sword and allow him to fight his way against hyenas or lions. Whatever was planned if he refused the offer to sacrifice to Caesar and Salus, he would never leave the stadium alive. His death might be quick, but more likely it would be slow and painful.

How does one willingly and joyful give up everything and agree to die miserably for the sake of a carpenter from Judea Palestine? It is because in the last year the Prisoner had learned that all the attacks of Darkness and Evil, all the power of wrong were nothing but an expression of the influences of a war against God and God's people. They had read again and again The Apocalypse of John from which they learned in every page and every paragraph that suffering and hardship are inevitable. They are not unexpected and they need not provoke fear.

As he heard and as he read the Revelation he could see the attacks on his faith, on the church, on his morals and convictions from the powers of Darkness portrayed throughout the entire letter. The realization that although the enemy would win minor victories along the way, he would ultimately be defeated and this gave the Prisoner the strength that he needed as he lived his faith, said goodbye to his wife and children, as he stood in a stinking, filthy cell. It would give him the resolve and the courage that he would stand before Trajan and he would declare that Jesus Christ the Messiah is Lord. Ceasar is not Lord. Christ is Lord and for that he would die and in that he would win.

This account of historical fiction gives us some insight to understanding and applying the book of Revelation.  There are a great many theories about the meaning of the book of Revelation, not all of them can be correct.  Any interpretation of the last book of the Bible that would not have helped a prisoner understand and stand firm in the face of persecution is an interpretation that needs to be viewed with great suspicion.  As disciples of Christ in any age we need to be less concerned with chronology than with holiness, less concerned with putting current affairs on a chart of prophecy than the call to follow Christ in the face of hardship.

Perhaps it is because in America we have not faced meaningful and painful persecution that we as Christians have become so distracted by times and epochs.  As we read revelation we must do so with this thought in mind, “How does this call me to faithfulness to Christ in the face of persecution, torture and the threat of death?”  It is very unlikely that a prisoner facing the death in an arena would have found encouragement in a 20th century, distant prophecy about a computer (what- ever that might be) that was going to read a micro chip (whatever that might be) and thereby was going to connect the whole world to the Internet (whatever that might be).  Revelation is for every age.  If an interpretation would not have helped believers in every age, that interpretation needs to be rethought.   Rather, let’s read this wonderful book from the perspective of a disciple who wants to follow Christ no matter the cost. 

Jesus’ great prophecy conference would disappoint many Christians today.

Jesus is leaving the temple for the last time as He does so He has what amounts to His own prophecy conference.  The audience was very exclusive, His insights and explanation are being given to a very select few.   Jesus’ teachings are fascinating, powerful and convicting.  But they lack one thing that most prophesy conferences have and indeed have in abundance.  He provides no information, secret material about dates and times. In fact, in all the “prophecy conferences” Jesus held He had one consistent theme: “You will never know when.”

Let’s be honest if you were to ask Jesus “when” He would return He would tell you, “Do not struggle to establish when I will return”.  All exertions to figure out when He will return are wasted efforts.   Setting dates and offering a lot of hype about the latest international events may sell books and might even grow into a radio/TV show or ministry.   (One televangelist who has made this his focus has a reported networth of 2.5 million dollars and lives in a home valued on the upside of $400,000.  Not a bad gig if you can get it.)  The problem is that date setters are always wrong.  But in the prophecy conference business when you are wrong you can always write a new book, based on a newer and better theory because a new innovative superior secret understanding that explains how a new insight makes your next set of predictions right on target and worth the money.

The following statements are not the based on scientific research and exhaustive data.  They are not meant to be universally applicable.  They are, however, the observation I have had in my ministry.

Observation #1 Prophecy aficionados can’t focus on anything else. 

Knowing when, or at least knowing the latest prediction of the Eschatological Super Stars, is more important than any other part of the Christian life.  Minutiae are the name of the game, some vague and little know fact is the secret key to great esoteric knowledge.  Their lives as disciples may be a sham and a shame but they could tell you how the inflation of the price of goats’ milk in the Himalayas was a sign of the soon coming END. 

Observation #2 Prophecy aficionados are all but useless.

Asking a prophecy aficionado to serve in the local church is like asking a wine snob to do manual labor in a vineyard.  Will prophecy aficionados volunteer in the ministry of the church?  Rarely.  Will they invite their friends to come to church? They will only invite other prophecy aficionados and only if you are hosting a prophecy conference.  Will they help with a service project or volunteer with summer youth camp?  No, they are using their vacation time to attend a prophecy conference, which happens to be at a 4-star resort.  Will they teach a Bible class?  Yes, but only if they can teach Revelation and prophecy, over and over again.

Observation #3 Prophecy aficionados do more harm than good.

Can prophecy aficionados make disciples of their friends? They don’t have friends.  Their dogmatism and their dire warnings about the rapture have alienated everyone in their lives except other prophecy aficionados.  Their shrill warnings about end times may have a short-term, evangelistic intent, but when they are wrong so often the new believer will lose confidence and see Christianity as a scam.

But rather than spend all of my time cursing the darkness allow me to light a candle.  Think of this volume as a paper prophecy conference.  But it will not cover the issues that you might expect. In addition to saving a lot of money by not going to a big name prophecy conference at a four star hotel you will actually get something worth your while.  This paper prophecy conference has two main parts.

Part #1 Do not focus on the signs of when the Lord Jesus will come again.  It is a waste of time because neither you nor your writer is that smart.

Part #2 Focus on the signs of how we can remain loyal to Jesus.  This prophecy conference focuses on how He can come into our lives, circumstances and situations as Lord and Savior.  Then live under His Lordship as if everyday is the day of His return.

When we live every moment as if Jesus is coming in our conversations, lives, actions and thoughts we will live out His intended purpose for prophecy.

Revelation 1:1-8

The greatest problem we face when studying or reading Revelation is the a priori assumption of the purpose of the book.  Most of the teachers and writers who deal with Revelation act as if the book is about future history. It is treated as a cheat sheet for a timeline allowing Christians to know events before they happen. If we begin with this presumption we fall into a morass of confusion trying to match the descriptions in Revelation to events in history and link them to current or near events. This has been a repeated failure of the church and of sects for years.

In this passage there are two references to time in verse is 1 and 4 totaling about 10 words. There is in this passage depictions and descriptions of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, of angels and the church in every verse. This book is just barely about time at all.  It is almost entirely about the forces of righteousness and its ultimate victory over the powers of evil. This is a panoramic vision of the defeat of the World, the Flesh, and the Devil at a cosmic level. It is especially important because in life it often feels like evil is winning. 

Verses 4 through 8 are almost a summary of the whole book and all of history in every age. It is also a beautiful hymn of praise. This expression of praise begins with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (v. 4 and 5) and ends with the Alpha and Omega, the Eternal One the Almighty God (v. 8). In the middle is the story of our Redemption and our sharing in His victory (v 5 – 7).  The grandeur of God and the salvation He provides and our sharing in that salvation makes the obsessions with dates and charts pale into insignificance.   Our fixation on charts, time lines and graphs about dates, chronology, currency, and marks, ends up seeming just a little shallow and silly.

This book was written into a world of incredible suffering and persecution for God's people. They lived in a world where it seemed that evil was the stronger and would ultimately prevail. Into this dark world there comes this message, “The whole universe, time, history, and everything else,” is under God's control and He with His people shall prevail. To understand this book don't look at history or time; but rather, look to God and His victory and glory.

Questions to ponder.

Of what value would a book about the last few years before Christ’s return be to a first century believer who is suffering for their faith?

Why would a book about the conflict between God and His enemies, that is being played out in the world, be useful in every age?

What apparent evidence that the powers of darkness are winning in the world today do you see?  Could harshly persecuted Disciples feel that maybe they were mistaken and that they choose the wrong side?

Why would God choose not to tell us about the ‘when’ of Jesus’ return?

Why do you think there are so many resources about times of Christ return?  What does that tell us about our churches and ourselves?

Revelation 1:9-20

It is important to note where this passage and this whole book begin.  John begins with suffering having been exiled to Patmos and sharing in the tribulations, but still persevering.  There is one article, “the”, which is applied to three nouns.  In doing so John links the three into a single unit or reality.  They are three expressions of the same thing.  These three nouns are suffering, kingdom, and perseverance.  Faithfulness or perseverance in the midst of the certainty of suffering is part and parcel of being part of the Kingdom.   It is not that suffering is an unexpected aberration and perseverance or endurance is something we have to do.  Rather suffering is to the kingdom life what labor is to pregnancy, or muscle strain is to a work out.  It is an absolute and necessary part of and the fulfillment of the experience.  Through out most of history being a part of the Kingdom of God meant suffering through which the disciple persevered. 

Why didn’t John simply “name and claim” his way out of the suffering?  One possibility is that John was ignorant of his authority to name and claim personal peace and prosperity into his life.  Another possibility is that John lacked adequate faith.  A third possibility is that suffering, perseverance and the kingdom are so linked together that God works in and through these, rather than extracts us out of them. 

John hears a loud voice and when he turns to see the voice he is so terrified that he fell like a dead man.  Maybe he fainted and maybe he simply lost all strength because of being overwhelmed.  The power and glory and symbolism cause John to collapse.   John was no young novice; he has seen and experienced plenty.  John has seen the worst you could find on earth, but is terrified by the best of Heaven.  Completely overcome by what he saw he falls into a heap.  What revives him is the touch of the right hand of what terrified him.  We mustn’t miss this point: what devastates us by its grandeur and glory will lift us up with its gentleness.

Perhaps the reason we are lacking in the personal touch of the Savior is that we have lost or never known the fear of the Almighty.  Having reduced Jesus to a personal domestic or wingman, having tried to turn God into a vending machine that dispenses goodies, we have lost the fear and awe of God.  Having lost any fear of God, we are incapable of the comfort of God.  WE do not have His comfort because all we want are trinkets.  As suffering and endurance are part of the Kingdom, so fear is a critical part of comfort. 

Questions to ponder.

When do you find Jesus most terrifying?  Why?

One old prayer reads: “Imprint on our hears such a dread of they judgments, and such a grateful sense of Thy goodness to us as may makes us both afraid and ashamed to offend Thee”.

Why if, in view of the fact that God has appointed Christ to be our Judge do we not fear His judgments enough to avoid behaviors that we know will offend Him?

Does the fact that Christ loved us with such passion that He gave himself for us in His death cause us to be ashamed of even thinking about doing those things that add to the burden of His Cross?

Do we see Jesus as being great enough to be King and Master of this world, or do we see Him absent and disengaged from life, or only involved in His little part of reality?  How does our opinion affect the way we live?

 

Getting ready to look at the Seven Churches of Revelation

If Jesus Google rated churches

What if Jesus rated churches today? Forgive me if I am playing anachronistic with the church, but I was wondering if Jesus wrote a Google review of the seven churches how would they do on a scale of one to five?  My guess is that a couple would do fairly well, but most of the churches wouldn’t. That caused me to wonder how would our churches do?  Which caused me to chase down another rabbit trail. 

I looked up on Google “Churches in (city name withheld)” and looked at their reviews.  I reviewed the first 20 churches to populate the list and to my surprise they all rated pretty high, the lowest score being a 4.4.  The churches in this city rated on average 4.76 which struck me as a bit odd, I seemed to be missing something.  This community has a crime problem, a drug and alcohol addiction problem, there are rumors of corruption in the local government, wide spread educational problems, not to mention a not very well-hidden problem with hatred in the guise of racism.  How is it that in a community that is suffused with the symptoms of sin every church is extremely good?  One would think that with every church being great that the powers of darkness would be receding if not vanquished.  How can this be?  I have a few ideas of what may be happening.  I do not mean to ridicule or degrade the church, but I am bothered by what I see in the church. 

When Jesus looked at the churches listed in Revelation only the churches at Smyrna and Philadelphia did not receive stinging rebukes and those churches don’t look much like our churches.  In fact, these two churches that were given positive divine reviews didn’t have the things that typically get a church good reviews on Google.  In contrast the churches that appear to have the things we would value most, wealth, tolerance, reputation, lots of activity, were the ones most soundly criticized.

Why is it that the Lord’s opinion of these seven churches is for the most part negative while our opinion of our churches is so positive?  There are several possibilities for this.  But not all of them are equally valid.

The first possibility is that Jesus is just too demanding.  He may have been an un-please able fuss-budget that no matter how good the church was He was going to find some little thing to complain about.  But when we look at His indictments of the church we see those He rebuked had hideous problems.  We also see that His agenda was not criticism but to rescue the churches.  We must reject this explanation.

A second possibility is that the churches of today have grown and evolved into genuinely great churches.  It may be that our churches really are as good as we seem to think they are.  But if that is the case why are most churches in America in decline or flat-lined?  Why is the current church so fractured and divided both within and without?  Why is there regression in all the disciplines by which we can measure the life and walk of the individual Christian?  No one who seriously considered the question would ever imagine that the condition of the American church is anything other than grave.  This second possibility we must also reject.

There is a third possibility.  The reason that we rate our churches so highly is because we like them for entirely selfish reasons.  We have turned religion into a consumer commodity.  As individuals we have made a priority of our likes, dislikes, appetites and requirements the means by which we evaluate a church.  We have made our wants the idol to which we expect a church to sacrifice itself.  If we attend a church and we do not like something, indeed anything about the church, we will leave and go find a church that suits us.  Having done this a few times we have migrated into churches we like and thus we rate them highly.  This is the only possible explanation of how every church can be so highly rated and yet the church is so utterly carnal, divided, ineffective and self-satisfied.

We must not, however, place all the blame on the membership of the church.  The church is a mess in America and church leadership is part of the problem.  In order to grow churches numerically, to keep members from drifting to other congregations, to keep offerings coming in and to keep the people happy church leaders have, with good-intentioned motives, pandered to the whims of the religious consumers in their churches and community.  Telling them what they want to hear and programming to their demands.

It is a small wonder that the churches are so highly rated by their members and consumers.  But that still begs the question, “What if Jesus rated churches today?”

Questions to Ponder

On a scale of 1 to 5 how would you rate your church?  Using the same scale how would Jesus rate your church?  Why the difference?

What criteria do you believe the Lord uses to give a church a positive review?

Revelation 2:1-17

Typically, we attempt to look at the seven churches of Revelation and endeavor to find there some insight regarding the end times. A better application and understanding of these messages to the churches is, “What does it mean to be a disciple? What can we learn about how to live for Christ from each of these churches?” 

Ephesus was a great church. She was hard working with many good deeds. She was determined and faithful and in both her works and her commitment to moral purity and doctrine. But into this great church had slipped a problem. They were doing the right stuff as they had always done, but the motivation had changed. Perhaps inertia or tradition or reputation had slipped in and become their motivation.  For whatever reason, they had left their first love. It was so subtle that they likely never noticed the change.  Where once they did great works for the love of Jesus now they left love out of their motivation. They made a choice to leave, they left their first love but their first love did not leave them.  They were not victims but perpetrators, it didn't happen to them, rather they did it to themselves. As disciples if the love of Christ is not the motivation our works, no matter how grand, will ultimately and finally come to nothing. 

In our “mega” world, where bigger is assumed to be better and more is the goal, the disciple must be content with being a misfit.  Our objective is never to be the greatest and biggest.  The most positive message from our Lord to these churches is to a church that would not garner a lot of attention in our world. This church was in the midst of trouble and it was poor.  And it was about to suffer more with prison and testing that were just ahead. But this is, from our Lord's perspective, the best of the churches. As a disciple we must remember that those things so highly valued by our culture in a church may be contemptible to our Lord and those things our world wants to avoid may indicate loyalty to the One outside of the world.

Being in the world is the reality for the church and disciple. Being of the world is the ruin of any church or disciple. Apparently, at one time Pergamum was a great church. During a time of persecution she has remained faithful. But now, and perhaps because of persecution, the church had let down her guard. The reference to Balaam and Balak is related to the teachings of the Nicolaitans. The Nicolaitans were a group that taught the relaxation of the high moral standards that marked the Christian community. Perhaps out of misguided compassion, the desire for growth, wanting the acceptance of the community at large or even the lure of recreational sin the church had allowed immoral people to be a part of the church without repentance. Jesus promises a war if they did not repent. Don't miss this; unrepentant immorality will cause Jesus to make war against us. As a disciple we must remember no matter how compassionate, effective or appealing something may sound the compromise of morals is a short path to ruin.

In this passage we see one very good church, one bad church and one church some where in the middle. As disciples and as members of the church we are always in the process of decision we are always at a sort of crossroads for the future.  The next step we take will move us toward the point of taking the next step, either for good or bad.

Questions to Ponder

Have you ever had someone you love grow cold or indifferent toward you?  What were the emotions that evoked?  In your ministry for the church are you loving the Lord and expressing that delighted service?

If you are part of a smaller congregation do you feel pressure to be larger?  From what emotions or convictions does that pressure come? Have you seen or have you ever compromised things you shouldn’t in order to have more people at church services?

In our pluralistic culture there is great emphasis on being non-judgmental.  How can that be positive for the church?  How can that be dangerous for the church? In what ways is the church expected to be judgmental and yet still loving? 

Revelation 2:18-29

There are some people that the more you know them the more impressed by then you become. And there are some people the more you know them the less impressed by them you become. That is the way with the church at Thyatira. If all we knew of Thyatira was what is recorded in verse 19 we might conclude that she was a pretty amazing Church. But the introduction of Christ in verse 18 is very intimidating and as we read verse 19 we are expecting the other shoe to fall and when it does it is not a pretty picture. 

The address begins, “I know your deeds”. These deeds are defined in four categories: love, faith, service, and perseverance. It is noted that the church is growing in these four categories. So, what could be the problem? Simply this, all these are or can be externals; they can be faked. The church had a huge problem, which the Lord defines as “tolerance”. Don’t miss this point!  The overarching and supreme problem in this church was tolerance. This tolerance was toward an influential woman who was teaching wrong ideas. It is important to note that she was not teaching immorality or participation in meals conducted in association with idol sacrifice. She was teaching and leading people astray and the natural, inevitable result was that the people would, on their own choice, engage in immoral behavior.

As a disciple we must be extremely discriminating in the teachers we listen to. A great many teachers have propagated and distorted the faith. They do not overtly teach evil, but they lay a philosophical foundation for evil practices. These acts of immorality may be, but are not limited to, sexual behaviors. Just because a teacher has a platform or a program is no certainty they are teaching the truth. In fact, popularity in a sinful world needs to be a warning sign. Every disciple needs to be a student and scholar of scripture before being a devotee of a teacher. 

The consequences are serious in the extreme. The Lord’s response is fierce. “I will kill….” all those who buy into this doctrine. The fierce Lord with flaming eyes and burning feet is ready to kill. Because a teacher or teaching appeals to us is no measure of the validity; in fact, because of our fallen nature this appeal may in reality spell our doom.  By our very fallen nature we want to believe those things that appeal to us, that make us feel good about ourselves and out lives.  That is a tendency the enemy will exploit and use to deceive us.  We must be aware of how we feel about things, but care not to trust our feelings.

But escape is possible. To those who are misguided the Lord offers the word of repentance. To those who have resisted the siren song the Lord offers the challenge to hold fast. In the promise there is an important undertone. The false teachers are popular and the faithful are not, but in the life to come the faithful are elevated to rule with and in the company of our Lord. As disciples we choose our future.   That choice is to be made with the greatest care testing every teacher by the Word of God, not how we feel about his or her message.

Questions to ponder

What is occasion in which you became more impressed with a person the more you knew about them?  Can you give an opposite example?

Jesus said, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for in the same way their fathers used to treat the false prophets.”  What motivates the world to speak well of false teachers?  What motivates false teachers to try to garner the praise of the world? 

Just because a church is doing a lot of good highly visible things as described in v 19 doesn’t mean that they are faithful.  As disciples how can we develop the discernment to see beyond any façade?

Revelation 3:1-13

Ours is a society that accepts the ideal that “image is everything”.  That mind set was apparently part of the church at Sardis.  The description of that church could apply to many churches and individual Christians today, “You have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.”  We will go to great lengths to appear to have it all together.  The problem is that the facade will only last so long.  Many a church and individual Christian have worked hard to appearing to be spiritually healthy, while not addressing more fundamental and spiritual issues.  Sooner or later the truth always comes out.  A church or believer with significant problems can only be restored by directly and honestly addressing those issues. The nature of the problem in the church at Sardis was not the issue we typically get worked up about.  They were not having a problem of worship or music or style, personality or leadership, budgets or spending.  It was a problem of deeds or works.  Our works do not save us, but when we neglect works we end up neglecting the relationship that ought to prompt or motivate our works.  It is vitally important that we notice the metaphor of the thief coming.  We often associate this metaphor with the lost being left out or left behind.  This warning is not for non-Christians, but for the church.  It is the Christian, the church that needs to be concerned with being caught unaware at Christ’s return.  It is the church whose works are incomplete that is being warned in this passage. 

Related to the letter to the church at Sardis is the warning to the church in Philadelphia.  This church is on the other side of the coin; it is sort of an opposite, mirror image.  They have not missed their opportunity to complete their deeds as Sardis had; they were facing their opportunity.  If the door was closing on Sardis it was just beginning to open for Philadelphia.  The opportunity for Philadelphia was disproportionate to the strength. It was because they had little strength that they were given such wonderful opportunities.  In addition to their little power they had two other qualifications for great opportunity.   First, they have kept the word of the Lord and their lives reflected His command and authority over them.  Second, they have not denied Him when the pressure was on; they remained loyal to Him.  Here is good news for every disciple-all three of these qualifications are easily within our grasp.  We need not wait until we have achieved some level of capacity in order to take advantage of God given opportunity.  Never say “no” to an opportunity because you lack some credential.  If it is the good work the Lord has prepared for us, our loyalty to His word and person is all the credential He thinks we need.  This does not mean an absence of hardship.  Hardships are promised, but in those hardships He will keep us.  There is nothing wrong with degrees or training, but what makes a disciple is loyalty. 

Questions to ponder:

It is well known that behavior predicates emotion.  We tend to do what we do and do it more often.  With that being known why would is it important for us to engage in the acts of service associated with being a disciple?  What disciplines of being a disciple are the most difficult for you to practice?  Could it be that these are the ones we most need to engage start?  Why or why not?

If you can accomplish all that you want to do, when it is done who will get the glory you or God?  We often pray, “God show me what You want me to do?”  If that is our prayer who is the one doing the work?  Who will get the credit for the work done?  A better prayer may be “God what do you want to do through me?”  Think about and discuss how is this prayer different. 

Revelation 3:14-22

It is as if the Lord saved the worst for last.  The church at Laodicea is the only church of the seven to receive no word of commendation from the Lord.  It was a church without approval.  The church is apathetic about its spiritual condition.  They do not seem to be self deceived, thinking they are spiritually healthy or dynamic when they are not.  This church appears to lack any concern about their condition, even if they are aware that something is desperately wrong. They are rather concerned about their financial well-being.  “Who needs to get fanatical about religion when you have money?” is their attitude.  Their wealth had made them numb to their actual condition.  How descriptive of many of our churches today!  We build lavish homes for our congregations and are concerned with our personal peace and affluence and we approach Christ as a consumer approaches a market.  We will take a little of this and some of that but only at our choosing.

Some where along the way there was a failure of leadership.  The church did not end up in this pathetic shape by itself.  There were leaders who either actively lead this church towards this selfish life or did not correct it as it was drifting that way.  The church in the West is very much in this situation.  If the average church member were given the choice of losing their faith or their wealth most would, if they had to make a choice, surrender their faith.  But in our religious context that choice is never so obvious.  You can easily find a church that will tell you exactly what you want to hear about wealth, no matter how selfish it might be.  This is the result of generations that have tried to make Christianity about us and not Him.  The seeker driven church has been stunned to find that what the seeker wants is to be selfish with just enough religion to alleviate the conscience. 

They’re deplorable, and they’re condition is not in spite of the circumstances, but because of it. Their focus on personal peace and affluence has blinded them to their true condition.  They have five markers of how bad off they really are.  They are “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” Thankfully, the Lord can provide the cure for their five aliments.  They must, however, become passionate about the Lord and express genuine change of heart, AKA, repentance.  The Lord stands at the door making noise trying to alert the church.  If they will open to Him, He will come in, however, he will not knock forever. 

Questions to ponder

Despite all the wealth and prestige of our churches which of the five descriptions of the church at Laodicea best describes the church today?  If the church is numbed to its condition by its apparent wealth what might be needed to break through that numbness?  Must we wait for the Lord to intervene or can we move toward repentance ourselves?

Revelation 4

This fourth chapter of Revelation has one primary purpose, one main message to communicate to us. We are tempted to fathom the meaning of every symbol and image, but before we do that we must not miss the main picture. This chapter is a picture of the entire universe seen not from a physical perspective, but from the perspective of its order. The first question we need to ask is not, “What does this or that symbol mean?” The first question is, “Who is at the center of the universe? Who is it all about?” 

When Adam and Eve sinned they were attempting to place themselves at the center of the universe as the ones who determined right and wrong and law. The rebellion of Satan was an attempt to place himself at the center of the universe, to usurp God's authority. When we sin we are doing the same thing. By a sin of commission we are actually trying to take God's place at the center and place ourselves as the one who rules. In a sin of omission we are ignoring the one who is on the throne. We have been entirely too casual in our thinking about sin. We think of sin as a single act or a simple broken rule. It is much worse than that; it is an attempt to throw God from His throne and to take that place for ourselves. Every attempt to do so is inevitably going to fail and we are ruined in the process.

Look at the One on the throne and we will see we are insignificant, tiny, living dust that could be blown to the four corners of the world in a moment. In contrast to our smallness we see the one who is on the throne. In verse 8, we see three descriptions of Him, none of which would apply to us. He is Holy, Almighty, and Eternal. In verse 11, we see why He is worthy of worship.  It is because all that exists apart from Him was created by, and has their ongoing existence in Him and because of His will. This incomprehensibly large universe in which we live is insignificant compared to God. It is as if in making it He says, “Here is a tiny picture of my power.” The beginning point of understanding Revelation and of being a disciple is to understand it is about God and not me. That is why as a disciple our first call, our first order of life is to die to self.

Questions to ponder

If God created the whole universe out of nothing and without effort what does that say about the efforts of any to depose Him from His throne?  Why is it that we try and try again to reorder the universe to suit us?

In a tiny apparently black spot in the sky, the Hubble Space Telescope photographed 10,000 galaxies.  The number of stars is beyond count, but God calls each by name.  In moments of suffering what does it mean for persecuted Christians to know such a mighty God is on the throne of the Universe? 

Revelation 5

If chapter 4 shows us the universe from its truth perspective that it is centered on God, this chapter does the same with God's plan. It seems at times that the world is becoming completely unglued. We look about us and all we can see is the apparent triumph of evil. If we are pessimistic by personality the world offers us plenty of evidence to support our opinions. If we are trying to be realistic the preponderance of the evidence seems to trend toward bad news. It seems that to be an optimistic we must somehow detach from reality and have a Pollyanna disregard for evil around us. The answer is not to be realistic, optimistic, or pessimistic, but rather to have faith in God and His plan. 

We see God on His throne holding a book.  It is His plan, His will, and it is all He wants done and accomplished. The plan is sealed perfectly with seven seals. It is God's perfect plan that perfectly makes all the confusing parts of the universe fit together. This plan is locked up until someone good enough can open it and set things in motion. This wonderful, beautiful, and glorious plan seems thwarted and the loss is so profound that John starts to cry. This is no little cry, rather the wail of great loss that hurts to the core of his very being. It is as if it would have been better if the whole universe had not existed then this moment to have come about. The hopeless despair we feel as we look about us is multiplied by every pain and care in every place and time and John breaks down under the sorrow. 

Then comes the word that is possibly the greatest word in Scripture, “Stop weeping; Behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah.” It is Jesus that will accomplish or has accomplished all that God desires.  This description is not about chronology but the character of the Hero of the story.  The plan will work because of the Lamb that was slain is worthy. The cascading voices of the saints, the leaders, holy creatures that are beyond description and imagination join together to sing the praises of this Lamb that was slain.

When we are given to discouragement and despair by the world around us we need to recall this command, “Stop crying.”  The bad news is not the real news. Yes, things can be bad, but when we look at Jesus and what He has and will accomplish we realize the answer is not our optimism or pessimism or perception, but God's plan fulfilled in Christ.

Questions to ponder

Do you tend more toward optimism or pessimism?  What does this scene say for your perception of life?

If you were to stand before Caesar in a Coliseum and were told that you should renounce your hope in Jesus and replace if with hope in Caesar and Rome what might you see as you stood there?  Please be as detailed as possible.  How does that compare with what John sees as the Lamb takes the scroll?

Revelation 6

What is our reaction to the dramatic events of our world? There seems to be a growing trend toward the histrionic and panic. Every time there is an opportunity for a panic there is someone who will attempt to capitalize on it. From the passive media (it can hardly be called the news media) to politicians to special interest groups to business to individuals wanting to see that everyone is informed, every event is exploited. But to do that there must be generated fear, sensationalism, and crisis. Events large and small are presented as harbingers of doom. A grown man playing a boy’s game takes a knee during the national anthem and it spells the end of Liberty. Providing plastic straws with a fast food mean means the ruin of the environment. Nothing is so trivial as to not be useful for exploitation in one way or the other.

We see a different picture in Revelation 6. In this chapter we see history, or should we say historical events, unfolding but we do not see panic or fear. We see God's plan in the scroll opened up by the Lamb who is worthy to accomplish God's plan. Note the phrase “it was granted”. Within God's plan there is permission given for the dramatic events of history. It is important to know that while men may act and nature may convulse it does so not apart from the power of God and the Lamb, but by their permission.

We need to also note the two reactions of people. First is that of the martyrs. They have suffered the worst in this world for the Lamb. Faced with tumult they turn to and draw close to God.  They do not see even their own death as something out of control or beyond God’s power and provision. The second reaction is from kings and rich men, slaves and freedmen. Without faith these people, who represent all of humanity face the apparent chaos of the world with a desire to be hidden from God. The world, the flesh and the powers of darkness are delighted for us to be filled with fear and panic because from there it is a short trip to wanting to hide from God. Instead, we must live understanding all events are in His control. He is worthy to open the seals. 

The saint who is about to give his life for the Name of Christ doesn’t see history running amok.  They see all of history working out according the plan God has prepared and which the Lamb is bringing about. 

Questions to ponder

Can you recall a prediction of gloom that turned out to be nothing after all?  What was it?  What was your reaction before during and after the foretold doom?

No doubt there are events that rock our lives and out little world, but do we believe these events catch God by surprise?  If we are under His care do we really need to be disturbed by the events of history?

Revelation 7

Being a disciple is a lot like the history of the Exodus. In the Exodus God’s people were assembled, led and cared for by God through a difficult and what from a human perspective seemed to be a helpless scenario or journey. The Exodus is a useful metaphor for being a disciple. In Revelation 6 we see the world through which we travel as disciples, which can also seem to be a hapless journey. But in Revelation 7 we see the rest of the metaphor. We see the complete number of God's people sealed and protected. We see that numerically they can't be counted. We see these people are the worshipping community who has been made righteous because of the cross of Christ. We see them protected in God's presence. We see them free from hunger, thirst, and the sun's misery and heat because of the Lamb’s care. We see the Lamb as the Shepherd taking them to water and setting them free from anything that would cause a tear.

When we look at this passage with the lenses of the Exodus it becomes simply beautiful. As disciples we are traveling through our own Exodus and wilderness wanderings. Living as a disciple is not easy. We are not blind to nor immune from the hardships of life just as Israel was not immune from the hardships of the desert. But as Israel was cared for in the Exodus so we are cared for in our life as a disciple.

It has been said that it took God 10 plagues to get Israel out of Egypt, but it took Him 40 years to get Egypt out of Israel. Why is it that we do not experience a total life of bliss as soon as we become a follower of Christ? Why do we face so many struggles as we follow? The answer is in the symbol of the Exodus; in the process God is changing us. Sometimes in the process we become discouraged. When that happens we turn to Revelation 7 and we see that we will make it. Cared for, protected and comforted by the Lamb, we are not alone on this journey.

It is interesting to note that in this chapter of the tribes of Dan and Ephraim are not mentioned. We can't say specifically why but we can say viewing this chapter through the lenses of The Exodus when it came time for Dan and Ephraim to receive their inheritance they rejected God's provision for them.   By not including the tribes of Dan and Ephraim in this list we see a fantastic symbol that even though God can and will lead us through our Exodus there are some that will not remain faithful and will miss out.

Questions to ponder

 How would you feel if you had a caregiver that was very careful to meet all of your provisional needs? What if that caregiver was able to make universes by the power of His will how comforting would that be?  

There is no doubt that the life of a disciple and the church through history has been filled with tribulations just as Israel they struggled during The Exodus. What lesson from Israel's Exodus makes the most sense for you and you walk as a disciple?

Revelation 8

If you looked at the world when the Revelation was being disseminated and asked who or what are the influences of history you might expect it would be the powerful men of politics. You might think it would be the generals and the armies. You might even believe it is the people of wealth and riches. If we ask the same questions today we would likely draw similar conclusions. We might add to that list the powers of media, entertainment, or the Internet. But the picture we see in Revelation 8 and 9 offers a very different answer.

Beginning in verse 6 angels are about to blow their trumpets. Trumpets were the early warning system of the day. They were used to call attention and to warn people of impending danger. The events described after each angels’ trumpet blast are warnings to an unrepentant world. The events are world-shaking and reshaping moments. It is important to pay attention to the context in which these events are described.

The context begins with silence, a lost art today, that will give emphasis to the sound of the trumpet. But that silence is not empty. Between the breaking of the seventh seal and the first trumpet sound what do you see? We see the prayers of the Saints.  While it may appear that the powerful forces of history and life are the great political, economic, cultural or military leaders it is not so.  We see that the prayers of the Saints go up to God and then things happen. When faced with the events that occur after the trumpets sound the world's elites are weak and powerless.

Prayer is the hardest discipline that a Christian can develop. It is so easy to get distracted, to parrot without thought the same old words, to slip into freestyle prayer that requires no heart and no soul. The enemy, our own flesh, the whole world systems will tell you to do something else, something important, to get busy, to be active and not just sit and pray and do nothing. One of the messages of this passage is that we are doing the most when we are praying.

Questions to ponder

It has been said that prayer is the most difficult discipline to develop in the Christian life.  Do you agree or disagree?  Why?

We have heard the cliché that Prayer Changes Things. Do we really believe that?  Our prayer life reflects our conviction about the power and effectiveness of Prayer. So what does your prayer life say about your conviction that prayer is profoundly powerful?

Revelation 9

Sometimes it's easy to feel like we are powerless and are caught in catastrophic events. We feel like a leaf caught in a tornado or a cork in a raging flood. In chapter 9 we see two descriptions of cataclysmic moments. We look at them and feel overwhelmed. That is the wrong lesson. The two events are different but there is one common denominator, they are under God's control and are in unexpected ways working out his plan.

The fifth angel sounded his trumpet and the end result is a horde of demonic forces is turned loose. When a person or nation dabbles with the demonic they ought not be surprised when demons show up. The demonic is limited in what they are allowed to do. But when a person invites the demonic into their lives God honors that person's free will and choice and removes His protection from the person allowing the demonic certain control. The horrifying picture we see in the first half of chapter 9 is a reality of what happens when we are playing with the forces of darkness.

When people engage in evil and invite the demonic they don't always turn into raving maniacs we see depicted in movies.  But they do grow more and more evil. In a world filled with darkness God tries again to call sinful man back to Himself.  He sends another warning, the sixth angel’s trumpet blast. The last half of this chapter is an attempt by God to call wicked men to repentance. Some men are so given over to evil that they are beyond repentance and these men are destroyed and serve as a warning to others. The chapter closes with a description of wicked men ignoring the warning and opportunity to repent that God has offered.

There are three lessons for us here.  First, God is in control and he sets the time (vs. 15).  As chaotic and out of control as the world seems God has it all well in hand. Second, God goes to extreme measures to call men to repentance. What seems as harsh to us is ultimately gracious and loving because God is attempting a rescue. Third, some men will never repent. Even God's most extreme efforts will not draw some men away from their cravings for the demonic.

Questions to ponder

How amazing is God's love that even those men who are in deep Darkness are called to repentance by the self-inflicted misery of the darkness they have chosen? Where do you see examples of self-inflicted Darkness making people miserable but they are still unwilling to repent?

When we dabble with the demonic and the powers of Darkness God honors our choice. Where do you see our society dabbling with the powers of Darkness? Where is the church dabbling with the powers of the flesh? Is there any place where you are as an individual flirting with the power of evil?

Revelation 10

As a disciple there are two striking features in this chapter that we need to apply to our lives. The first is a lesson about boundaries. John hears voices of seven peals of thunder. These voices say something dramatic and important and powerful and as John is about to record them he is told, “Do not write them.” I suppose there is no end concerning guesses about what the voices said, news wonderful, news terrible, dates, times, judgments, etc. But that is not the point. One of the lessons that we can take from this is some things are none of our business. In the great mystery of Revelation and of eschatology we learn that some stuff is none of our concern. In an age where we often feel we should have an opinion on every subject and express that opinion on every social media platform we need to learn there are some things that are beyond the bounds of our expertise and learn to be content with that. That's enough for us to live in faith trusting to God what is sealed away from us.

There's a second lesson desperately needed in Christianity today from this passage. John takes the book eats it and then finds it is sweet to the taste and then bitter or upsetting to his stomach. This book is, like the scroll in chapter 5, God's plan or will. When we follow or submit to God’s will there's a delight, sweetness, and a profound joy. But part of following is the inescapable suffering of discipleship. This picture reminded this early suffering disciple and us as well that bitterness was an inevitable part of following Christ.   In many parts of the world today to follow Christ is a matter of life and death in the most immediate and physical terms.  On average a follower of Christ dies for their Lord every 6 minutes, and that is to say nothing of the beating, privations, kidnappings and efforts of the enemy to silence the Gospel message.  When Jesus calls us to follow Him he doesn’t deceive us about the cost of being a disciple.  When He calls us He calls us to come and die.  The cost of following can be high, it can be bitter.  We have lost that message in American Christianity. Many of us have never heard that there is a cost to being a disciple. We were never told that to come to the cross of Christ means we must also take up a cross. We have too often been told we can have the life we want with the Gospel as icing on our cake. We can’t name and claim our way around the message of the little book that following Christ is sweet, but it will cost us bitterly.

We need to take these two lessons together.  First there are things we do not know.  Second suffering and hardship is part of being a disciple.  These two are not placed together randomly.  As a disciple we must learn to anticipate the unknown future which may include bitter suffering with the faith that God is the author of history and He is in control. 

Questions to ponder

How comfortable are you with knowing there are some things about your life, future, and world you are never meant to know?  We say we can accept them in faith, but how do you feel knowing that unknown experiences of bitter suffering maybe part of God’s plan for you?

How would the full disclosure of the cost of being a follower of Christ before we became a Christian make us better more fully committed disciples?  Do you believe that the promise of a better like now results in followers of Christ lacking commitment to Him when times or tough?  Why or why not?

Revelation 11

It is easy in the meditation on Revelation to fail to see the forest for the trees.  This is especially true in this chapter.  We are prone to want to discern every detail that we fail to gain the message as a whole.  That message is conflict between the world and the people of God. We who have lived our lives in a culture and society that is, on the surface, tolerant of our faith might be enticed into thinking that there is a peaceful coexistence between the world and the church. In reality the powers of darkness are always attacking the church. This chapter displays overt persecution and in other places the attacks on the church are shown as subtle and seductive.

In the conflict we see the two witnesses who faithfully proclaim God's message to a hostile world. There is no end to the guesses as to who these two witnesses are. One suggestion is they represent the Word of God and the Church of God. They are hated and persecuted but they are also powerful. They are killed or removed from society and that is cause for celebration on the part of the hostile world.  Think of political/national philosophies or specific groups of people who want to remove the church and Scriptures. But God doesn't forget His faithful servants; rather He rescues and resuscitates them. We see at the end of the chapter a snapshot of the Judgment to come.  (vss. 15 – 19)

Rather than focus on the trees, the individual types and symbols, what is the forest, the big picture here? Expect opposition and persecution from the powers of darkness at work in every culture and society when we faithfully bear witness to the truth. In fact, worldly people believe they would be better off without the Word and the Church.  When opposed in our ministry and efforts to proclaim the good news we need to always remember there are some who would rather see us dead than spreading the gospel. But even in the midst of these attacks God notices, cares and is planning our vindication. So, speak on. Tell the truth come what may. Remaining faithful in our witness, that is the path to victory.

Questions to ponder

No culture is static they are all in change.  Do you believe that our culture is become more hostile or more accepting toward the Word of God and the Church? 

With prison and death a prospect that we as American Christians will not likely face soon, what forms of persecution are we most likely to face? 

What is the best way to respond to that attacks of our society on the Church and the Word of God? 

What practical steps can you take now to prepare for growing persecution?

Revelation 12

In this short chapter we see a highly symbolic picture of the many long wars of Satan.  At different moments we see the war against God, against Christ, against Israel, and against the Church. We see perhaps the most detailed and definitive picture of Satan in Scripture.  We see his persistence, character and agenda.  We see a woman in labor, in a moment where she is defenseless and weak, and we see the newborn baby also weak and small.  At this moment the monster is ready to kill and eat the child. We see a cosmic rebellion that leads one third of cosmic powers to attempt a coup.  We see a cold, vicious, cancerous Evil that would be ruler.  This Evil is relentless. Every effort of this Evil is thwarted, but it continues to attempt in new ways to accomplish its goals.  Motivated by its frustration and hate and evil the monster sets off to make war on the disciples of Christ.

Culture has worked hard to De-vilify Satan.  Under his tutelage and influence and by his leading in popular culture his appearance has been modified. He has been made over and made more appealing.  He is presented as the agent of naughty fun, a comic character of horns and tail.  He is the dapper and elegant, sophisticated, open-minded man about town. He is presented as wanting to set us free from the oppression of old fashion ways and passé inhibitions.  He has presented his tools and temptations are harmless amusements and the opportunities for enlightened living.  He is only interested in providing positive experiences. His PR department, with offices in Hollywood, government, the media, higher education and misguided churches, to name a few places, has deceived us.

John seems to stretch the limits of language to describe Satan as a monster.  The term monster is most adequate to describe the depth of his evil.  He is as warm and charming and wholesome as a tank of raw sewage ladled over rotten meat for supper.  He is friendly and as conversational as a rattlesnake. As delightful to have in our lives as stage 4, pancreatic cancer. He is less desirable than summertime road kill writhing with maggots and oozing stench. Every temptation is not, in the end, an invitation to something better, but the first step toward death with this filth dominating our lives.

This is the place in our lives where hate becomes a virtue, it is the place where obstinate stubbornness is a grace in the face of compromise, where death is a sweet treat compared to denial.

Questions to ponder

What kind of monster is most terrifying to you?

While promising much and delivering little the enemy of our souls offers a smorgasbord of sin. Where have you seen the greatest contrast between the promises made by Satan and sin and the actual results?

Why do you believe Satan has such a powerful enemy in our own hearts when all that he offers is painful and death dealing?

Revelation 13

In popular culture about 99% of apocalyptic attention is focused on the last verse of this chapter. The numeric mark of the beast as 666 seems at times to have become an obsession. The mark of the beast has been predicted as everything from Social Security, to Popes, to a computer chip and beyond.

Most people would be surprised to find that this chapter is really about two beasts. Both are agents of Satan; they are empowered by Satan to accomplish his agenda on Earth. Perhaps we will be better served to use the term monsters. Of the two, the first monster appears more terrifying. It is very aggressive, it is intimidating, it is politically powerful with crowns, it is international with seven heads, and it's a combination of predators: leopard, bear, and lion. The second beast is, relatively speaking, almost warm and cuddly. It looks like a lamb. But when it talks it sounds like a dragon. We may be misled by folklore about what the sound is like. Rather than a roar let’s think of Satan talking to Eve in the garden, the voice of the serpent sweet and seductive.  The first blasphemes God and the second whispers seductions. The first is the bad cop killing and sending into captivity; the second beast is more subtle with the incremental pressure of economic hardships. The first beast is seen in governmental powers and state sponsored persecution as in North Korea, Saudi Arabia, or China where believers die for their faith. The second beast is seen in places like academia or corporations where being a Christian presents employment, tenure, or promotion problems. One is brutal, one is subtle; one crushes one seduces.  One is easy to identify as a monster the other sounds like it would be a friend or even a pet.  Never doubt Satan uses both overt and seductive pressure to get Christians to compromise their commitment to Christ.

For a Christian in the first century hearing about symbols of a 21st century supercomputer that determines via a computer chip in our hand participation in the economy probably would not make any sense. In fact, if this chapter is about a literal, physical mark or chip or government agency then it helps no one in Christian history except those living in the last moment before the end.  But if we understand persecution as coming from satanic authority that operated as both political authority and as false religion and philosophy this chapter makes perfect sense for every generation of believers. It would help both early Christians and those persecuted today to understand as believers to expect persecution from both government and religious quarters.  It teaches being prepared because some will die and some will go into captivity. Faithfulness in this misery is our goal. “Here is the preservation of the Saints.”

Questions to ponder

Where are the places in the world and history have we seen the Aggressive Monster at work? 

Who are some of the agents of the Seducing Monster in our world? 

Can you think of the Aggressive and Seducing Monsters might work in concert to attack the Disciples of Christ?

Revelation 14

The first hearers of this book would have understood persecution personally and individually. There were few Christians who had not lost someone close to them to the enemy’s attacks. They would understand the dragon’s attack on the woman and her child. They would have felt the overt pressure of the first monster and the seductive appeal of the second monster. At some point even the most faithful would have asked the question, “Is it worth it?” To answer that question there are three key messages in this chapter.

The first message is, “Others have remained faithful and you can too”. The disciple who feels isolated and alone is soon defeated. This chapter opens with a picture of all the faithful being with the Lord, not one is missing.  This is reminiscent of the worship we saw back in chapter 4.  The center of the Universe is God and His people all of them are in that company.  Those who are facing persecution have this grand future in store.  The message to this is, “They have done it and you are part of this group. You belong to this group you are an insider of a very elite circle." The first Angel who shares the gospel sums up the first message.

The second message is a literary foreshadowing. It alludes to what will be more fully explained later. The sensual, self-serving life is extremely alluring. The life of a disciple is made up of suffering and pressure and self-denial. A life of pleasure, ease, and the satisfaction of any urge we may have is personified in Babylon. But in one verse (8) the world's system of sensual gratification is described as a fallen system.  The world and its values, promises, and invitations are in a state of collapse.  That collapse may not be visible but it has begun.  Why invest or trust in something is already being to fall.

The third message is that one day all accounts will be settled. Yes, there is immense pressure on disciples. Yes, the world’s system of pleasure and satisfaction is very appealing at times. But one day we will all give a strict account to a judge. This judge will not be deceived by appearances. The righteous will have their works follow them. The unrighteous will experience the horror of realizing their doom was self-created when they conformed to the world's pressure or gave in to the world’s seduction.

In our lives of relative ease, comfort and freedom we have a hard time understanding the pressure that is on the persecuted Church. But for early Christians that pressure was a daily and indeed a moment-by-moment reality.  The Disciple standing before the Emperor could, because of the Revelation, see what the Emperor could not.  They would both be judged and the Judge was the Savior of the one the Emperor was trying to destroy.  The pressure on the persecuted Christian was intense.  But even in that pressure there remains this truth, “Others have been faithful and you can be too.”  Besides, it beats the alternative.

Questions to ponder

Of the three messages by the three angels which do you think would strengthen you most in times of persecution? 

Can you identify places where the world’s system of self, pleasure and rebellion is failing and self-defeating? 

Do you belong to any elite group or organization? 

How does it feel to be part of a select few to which others cannot gain admittance?

Revelation 15

There comes a point at which even God's patience has run out. He has called and even pleaded for men to repent, but they have refused. He has gone after the lost sheep, but the lost sheep when found runs away. There comes a point at which even God says, “Enough.” In this chapter that point has come. In this chapter we will see a convergent moment. God’s people who have suffered and have been oppressed by the powers of darkness witness vengeance. “Vengeance is mine,” says the Lord.  His people have left it to Him to repay and they are about to witness His just retribution on their enemies. The treatment of God's people has not been fair.   Now justice will be served. The picture here is reminiscent of Exodus 14 through 15. During the 10 plagues God warned and called Egypt to repentance, but they refused. At the crossing of the Red Sea Israel is brought safely through and her enemies are destroyed. That tiny expression of justice is now expressed universally.

Seven angels are given seven bowls. When you pour something from a bottle or a jug it takes a moment. The narrow neck slows the pouring. When you pour something from a bowl it is instantaneous and complete. God's wrath is about to be poured out in total, like from a bowl. Earlier in Revelation 7 trumpets warned the people; they were dire warnings, but not God’s complete wrath. God's patience is now exhausted and the time of warning has passed. This is about God's revenge. There are times when it is best to leave an angry person alone. In verse 8, it is time to leave God to His anger, to leave him alone. Do not approach him to plead for the world. Do not ask Him for mercy for the wicked. This is the time simply to watch.

For those of us who have never experienced persecution, who have never had our families torn apart by martyrdom, who have never been a refugee because we lost all to the enemy, it is hard to comprehend this passage. The love of God, the mercy of the cross, and the kind ministry of the saints has been flatly rejected. Some things are  just not right; they are a monstrous, universal evil. God says to the world, “You have rejected my grace all that is left is wrath.” The church God's people marvel at perfect justice and awesome might coming together in this universal, convergent moment.

Questions to ponder

Do we ever get tired of waiting for justice to be served on remarkably evil people?

What would you want to do to a person who molested and murdered your child?  If God is complete and perfect in power what would it be like if that power were poured out in perfect fury on those who molest and murder His children? 

Churches today rarely talk about God’s wrath being poured out on wicked humanity.  Why do you think that is the case?

Revelation 16

Seven trumpets warned the people about their sin and God's coming wrath. These warnings have been ignored and the people did not repent. Now only wrath is left. As a bowl can be emptied quickly and completely God's wrath is poured out completely and suddenly.

The angels are sent out on their mission of judgment. It is worth noting that the angels do their work in silence with only one exception. There is a certain silent relentlessness about their work so that when one of the angels speaks there is an emphasis on what is said. We do not hear of the gross immorality of the world; rather, we see only illusions to false religions and only a brief mention of the symbols of selfish greed. The only vocalization from any of the angels concerns the death of the martyrs in verses 5-6. The only thing worth talking about as far as this passage is concerned is the retributive justice of God’s wrath on those who persecute the church. When the lamb broke the fifth seal in Rev 6:10, the Saints who were killed for their faith asked, “How long till justice is done?” In this chapter we see justice is finally cried out for justice. There is more to this chapter than just the suffering of the persecuted Church, but for a people nearing the breaking point there is this message, “Your suffering has been noticed and is going to be avenged.”

Perhaps the saddest line of this chapter for any life is found in verse 11 "and they did not repent of their deeds". God’s wrath is nothing more than the interaction of Holiness with the unrepentant. When men choose to hold on to their sin rather than turn away they are actively choosing wrath. When there is wrath from God it is only the response to their hard hearts. Lest we think God's wrath is too harsh, or too great we see a picture of men railing against God, accusing, and blaspheming Him even in the midst of their suffering. There is a point at which the atheist no longer denies, the agnostic no longer doubts, the sinner sees clearly the evil to which he clings, but even in that moment of “knowing” they refuse to repent. God’s wrath is just, true and righteous.

Questions to ponder

God’s wrath is nothing more than the interaction of Holiness and the unrepentant.  Would you agree or disagree with that statement? Why? 

We tend not to think there is a limit to God’s patience, what would cause a person to cross the line beyond which there is no return? 

If there is no punishment can there be justice?  Why do you believe that to be the case?

What effect would this picture have/had on Christians under intense persecution?   

Revelation 17

By all the measurables the Christian community could not last long against Rome.  Rome destroyed and assimilated all her enemies.  The Christian faith with its high ideals, morals, and ethics could not last long against Rome.  Rome, for her part, was everywhere and offered everything a person could want.  There was almost no vice, experience, pleasure or indulgence that could not be had in the Roman Empire.  All that was demanded was loyalty to Rome and tolerance of the vices of others.    Rome was mighty, with kings and peoples to do her bidding.  She boasted of her courts, transportation, education, philosophy, Pax Romania, power, regal pomp and her own eternal greatness.  What did the church have to offer compared to that?

As disciples it is easy to feel the same way today.  How can we stand up to the wealth, opulence, pleasure, and might of our culture?  What can a Sunday worship service do when compared with a day at Universal Studios or Disney?  Our gatherings seem so insignificant when compared to sporting events, concerts, or national political conventions.  How does reading of Scripture and saying of prayers match up to the news and entertainment media?  All the while we are opposed in every way from being marginalized to outright persecution.  It is easy to feel the church, the community of disciples, is of no consequence in comparison to the power of this world.  Maybe we should pursue the path of power, the way of wealth, the influence of excitement.  These are all seductive.

In Revelation 17 we see the façade pulled off, the curtain pulled back and the true nature of Rome and the powers that oppose the church shown for what they are.  We see a harlot, a whore.  Please let’s not use polite euphemisms for something this disgusting.  This is no young seductress.  Jewels do not keep us from seeing the ugliness.  She is drunk and if not for her ill-gotten wealth she would be sprawled out in a gutter, but she is rich with power, influence and money.  She hates the church the way a bitter, old, skanky slut hates a young, beautiful, virgin bride.  Her patron’s will soon turn on this nasty, sick, drunk whore.  Do not envy the world’s wealth and power and pleasure anymore than you would envy an old whore just before her ruin. 

Questions to ponder

Why do you think the Holy Spirit inspired such dramatic and graphic language to describe the world? 

It has been reported that red lights were used in houses of ill repute to make it more difficult to see the lesions and sores on the prostitutes’ bodies.  What means does the world use to hide its sinful and revolting true nature? 

In what ways is the world’s system like a whore? In our sexually charged society we have down played the evil of prostitution.  How might that impact our understanding of this passage? 

Scripture often uses the metaphor of prostitution for the infidelity on the part of God’s people.  What picture does that give us of God’s emotions when we sin?

Revelation 18

The draw of the world is great. The promises of riches, personal comfort and pleasure tempt every disciple. When contrasted to the life of sacrifice of bearing the cross, of persecution the invitation of the world can be a very strong allurement. But like every temptation when we see it in the long term, when examined from the end we see that it is purely wretched. Jesus said, “What is the profit for a man if he should gain the whole world and yet lose his own soul.”  That is precisely the temptation Jesus faced in the desert. Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. Babylon the Great offers to disciples all the world has to offer.

As disciples we can't answer the call of the world's systems and live lives of selfish pursuit. The world offers wealth and sensuality an earthly life of luxurious and splendid things. The world offers an economic, social, and cultural system built entirely around our wants, wishes, and desires. All we must do is to want and to love, and to pursue selfishness. We have in many cases attempted to blend together wealth and selfishness with a distorted version of Christianity. Have you noticed we almost never hear a sermon or teaching about the dangers of wealth, about selling all in order to care for the poor and following Christ, about the idolatry of greed or the eternal war between mammon and God? The sin of mammon is the unmentionable sin. We may hear sermons about all sorts of lurid things, but Heaven help the one who preaches against the accumulation of wealth. Such a sermon is unacceptable unless one manages to put in an escape clause, to put a spin on it that we are not wealthy or the Bible doesn’t really mean all it says about being selfish.  In the American church we have become very comfortable with living in the sin of selfish Mammon; in fact, we have made it a virtue.

We see in this chapter the ruin of the one we give ourselves to when we live in greed. The world’s system of greed and selfishness is completely self-destructive. It is hostile to God and to his people. The chapter ends with the link between the world of riches and the blood of the Saints. Let's look at an example. Suppose a nation or corporation has the choice of fabulous profit in dealing with the regime that oppresses Christianity or ending that relationship and missing out on that income.  What do you suppose that nation or corporation would do? In our heart of hearts, we know the answer. We know because as a nation, in corporations and in our own lives we have often sold our soul with just a little bit more.

Questions to ponder

When was the last time you heard a sermon about the pure wickedness of mammon? 

When is the last time you were called to reduce your lifestyle in order to accomplish Kingdom objectives? 

What reaction do you think your church would have if the people were asked to suspend all none essential spending for the rest of their lives to feed poor Christians around the world? 

On a scale of 1 to 10 how addicted to wealth is American Christianity?  Your Congregation?  You?

Revelation 19

Generally, a person can live up to 40 days without food. Depending on circumstances you can survive four days without water. With some variance we can live 4 minutes without air. But we cannot last four seconds if we are completely without hope. The Book of Revelation is about hope for God's people under persecution.

It is not intended to be a future chronology that describes a timeline of far-off future events. If the 1st Century believer cannot connect and understand the Revelation and find in it hope what was its point or value? The first readers and hearers of this book put everything on the line for Christ. They had been brutalized by the powers of darkness at work in the government, in false religion and philosophy, and by the economic systems. Many died and those who were left must find the answer to the question “Was it worth it?” That question is answered three ways in this chapter.

This is a story far beyond anything that a movie could portray.  It works on us with the emotion of a grand epic fairytale.  For years a vile and wicked whore/madam with her cohorts hates and abuses a beautiful young virgin girl.  The old woman tries to pull the girl into her brothel offering her wealth and pleasure, failing that she uses intimation and threats.  The girl refuses, she is bound to be faithful to her fiancée.  One day much to the surprise of the whore the beautiful young girl appears in wedding grab and is met by her beloved, a might (Almighty) Warrior King.  Now the abuse the bride has suffered at the hands of the desolate wasted whore is going to be avenged.    This chapter begins by looking back at the persecution of the Saints, and at the blood spilled by the monstrous whore. Then we see in three ways the vindication of the disciples’ commitment to Christ.  

First, there is a revelation of the bride, the church. She is no small, huddled mass of defeated, desperate, irrelevant believers. Her voice rolls like thunder and she is beautifully dressed by her good works. We are never saved by our good deeds, but they should mark our lives. Never under value the importance of the acts of righteousness done now for they have eternal consequences.

Second, there is a manifestation of Jesus as the warrior, king and judge. This moment is unlike the manifestation at the Incarnation. The humble carpenter from backwoods Nazareth has returned, but now He is an avenging, warrior king. The time for choosing sides is over. Now is the time for the consequences of the choice that has been made.

Third, we see the destruction of the enemy. The tiny, persecuted, powerless, faith community in the Roman Empire sees their hero come to their rescue.  What seemed like an undefeatable power is completely obliterated. In fact, all the powers of Darkness assembled are destroyed without a real fight. They're sent to destruction by the weapon of Truth.  They are completely blown away.  This brings us back to the original question “Was it worth the cost to be a follower of Christ?” Yes, absolutely yes!

Questions to Ponder

C. S. Lewis described Christianity as a “True Myth”.  He was talking about the way that the Christian faith excites our hopes and emotions and calls us to loyalty to Christ.  As you look at chapter 19 what true events described here do you see in fairy tails or myths? 

During Jesus’ life on earth He didn’t appear heroic in the grand use of the term.  As the returning Warrior, King, Judge and Lover He is the ultimate hero.  Which of His roles do you find most inspiring?  Why?  Which do you think would have meant the most to the first readers of this Revelation?

Revelation 20

In this chapter we are told about the 1000 years of Christ reign.  This is one of the most controversial points of the revelation.  We can spend a lot of energy focusing on the last phrase over verse 4.  This is a good place to be reminded that the point of prophecy is not future chronology but ethics, not “what will happen and how soon” rather “how do I sustain my faith until I meet Jesus face to face?” 

We see in this passage another reference to the overarching theme of the martyrdom of the Saints. But there is an interesting and subtle nuance here. In the first part of verse 4, there is a specific reference to those “who have been beheaded”.  Let’s not pass over that phrase too quickly. The Romans were, like most expansionist powers, experts in dealing out death. While crucifixion was their most famous and hideous form of execution it was by no means the only torturous death they employed.  The Romans developed death into a form of entertainment. The gladiatorial games were core to the Roman way of life. The list of torturous forms of death that were practiced are too numerous to mention. But some examples were people covered in oil or pitch and burned as torches to light garden parties, sometimes they were boiled alive, occasionally they were forced to fight animals or trained combatants and in numerous other ways put to death recreationally. Roman citizens, however, were exempt from any form of execution except for the sword. A Roman citizen convicted of a capital crime could not be tortured by death on the cross they could only be beheaded-a relatively painless way to die. So, while Peter was crucified Paul the Roman citizen was beheaded.

In this book of encouragement for Christians under persecution we see that even Roman elites and citizens have begun to turn to Christ. They have declared Jesus is Lord, which means that Caesar is not Lord, and denial of Caesar’s lordship was considered sedition and treason. These Roman Christians have paid for this with their lives.  Caesar is losing his grip and losing it to Christ. And even death, which was one of Caesar’s most intimidating weapons, has lost its power over the disciples.

In view of the ultimate powerlessness of death, we face a vital question.  It is the same question our early brothers and sisters faced, “How shall we live?” We have the answer in the double judgment described in the last paragraph of this chapter. It is a double judgment in that everyone is judged about where they will spend eternity based on the Lamb's Book of Life. But there is a second judgment. A judgment based on their deeds recorded in the books-notice the plural “books” in verse 12. So this is how we live: boldly for Christ as our Savior knowing that we are forgiven and we live generously knowing that our deeds are recorded and remembered.  When even death has lost its power we have literally nothing to lose.

Questions to ponder

Despots and tyrants use the power of death to keep control of their people.  What happens when a people are set free from the power of the fear of death? 

By the time the Revelation was written a circulated the Gospel had reached every level of society, including Roman elites.  Why was their specific inclusion verse 4 important to the church as a whole? 

Rome’s power was dependent on a deception if it were to endure.  What is the relationship between truth, the defeat of Satan, and the overcoming of Rome as evidenced by Roman citizens becoming disciples?

Revelation 21

Consider all that humanity has lost. Our first ancestors Adam and Eve lived in the garden of paradise. In that place there was no want, suffering, illness or death. Contrast that to the slums of the largest, poorest, metropolitan areas on Earth today. Sewage in the streets, every ditch and gully filled with garbage and sickness.  Diseases passed by insects and vermin.  In every city there is a place where death and rot are the order of the day.

Ancient cities had their points of magnificence, but for oppressed Christians they were far from the glory of these monuments. In this chapter, we see the incredible fusion of Eden's perfection with the glory of a great City. Cities could be and in some ways still are wonderful places, except that they always have the repulsive underbelly. A place of filthy garbage, waste, wicked people and the sorrow and misery you see there. This city, however, has the glory of a great city, glory that surpasses words, but without evil.  It has the glory of a city beyond compare with the clean paradise of Eden.  In fact, God responds to the sorrow and evil suffered when He wipes away every tear and vanquishes death, crying, mourning, and pain.

In the ancient world there was great civic pride and loyalty for an individual on behalf of their City. But when Christians rejected the pagan rule of their day they lost much of their identity as citizens of their city. They didn't belong anymore. They became outsiders to their own community. Here these ostracized believers are reminded that they have a home, a city that is theirs and it's greater, more magnificent, and more beautiful than any city on Earth.

Ancient cities based much of their civic pride and measured their greatness on how secure they were.  Some of that security came from its walls, water supply and a temple of the god who would protect them. Cities on Earth had foundations of rock walls a few feet thick and high and perhaps a well. This city has a foundation of precious stones, walls 216 feet thick and miles high and wide and a spring of life giving water. Cities on Earth had temples to their gods.  In this city God is personally present so there's no need for a temple because God is there.  This is a city to die for; indeed, Christians would die for it.

But the city is not for everyone. In verses 8 and 27 there's a reminder that not everyone belongs in this city. In fact, there is an alternative place for those who have rejected Christ.  It is sort of an anti-city. Christians were tempted by civic pride, peer-pressure, patriotism, and the sheer might and glory of the empire, on top of other temptations, to shrink back from Christ as Lord. This picture of the city requires us to ask this question, “Why would anyone choose Rome, or Washington for that matter, over heaven?”

Questions to ponder

Could it be that our loyalty to our hometown sports team resonates a deeper aching to belong to bigger than ourselves? 

If you are from a world leading city of wealth, culture, education and influence will you be intimidated by Podunk little city that has only one stop light?  If you are a citizen of the Heavenly city we see described here will you be intimidated by any power on earth? 

Can you be homesick for a place you have never been?

Revelation 22

It always comes back to the one question, “Is it worth it?” The link between worth and worship is inescapable. Does God deserve our worship?   Is He, based on His person, character, behavior, and glory, deserving of our adoration? Is He worthy? We answered that affirmatively by and in our worship.

Is a life of being a disciple of Christ worth it? Is it worth the cost of following, of dying to self, of taking up the cross? Is being a disciple worth the persecution many Christians suffer? In many parts of the world and for much of the history of the faith being a disciple is synonymous with prison, confiscation of property, loss of family, physical abuse, and often death. In extreme suffering the question pops up again and again, “Is it worth it?”

All one has to do is renounce the faith and get back to living, get back to everything the world has to offer. Once the faith has been renounced one can even indulge in the carnal pleasures that we have forbidden ourselves. Remain loyal to Christ and lose all the world has to offer plus you suffer. Is it really worth it?

This chapter concludes the Revelation with a resounding answer to that question. The answer is a stunning, powerful and dramatic, YES! Scripture never denies the high cost of being a disciple. We are encouraged to carefully count the cost and make our decision fully aware of what it means to follow Christ. But even if we encounter the highest cost possible we conclude it most certainly is worth it.

Since the Garden of Eden fiasco we have not had access to the tree of life. That access has been re-granted. The tree of life is in a state of perpetual harvest. There is no waiting for the fruit to ripen; it is ready to be enjoyed at all moments. The leaves of that tree have the power to heal. The marks of our beating for the faith are healed. The bones that were broken and bruises that were suffered by the followers of Christ who were stoned for Him are healed. But there is more. The soul that for a lifetime struggled with devastating depression, even that heartsick wound, is now healed. The heart of the betrayed wife, that heart that was torn in two is finally made whole. The man who fought and struggled with bitterness from the pain of slavery and racism comes to the restoration and healing. The nations are healed. The conflict that goes back to Ishmael and Isaac is finally replaced with loving unity.

The very waters of that place give life. On each side of the Nile there was lush growth, a ribbon of life in the Egyptian desert. The Fertile Crescent a land between waters of two rivers was the bounty of ancient kingdoms because of life-giving waters.  Along the banks of the Jordan grew the dates and the figs and grapes and grains that filled a banqueting table, all growing out of the well-watered soil of the river valley. Here is a river of life-giving water. It is not subject to drought or pollution or an upstream enemy cutting off the supply. The river has its headwaters in the throne of God. It is like His love and Grace that flow endlessly and freely, giving life-real life not just biological function-but real life to all it touches. It waters the tree of life.

But there is something absent from the city, several things actually. These are the kinds of things you find even in the smallest town. But they are absent from this great city. In the 15th verse there is a representative list of what will not be within the great city. They are those people who have been overcome by the immorality they held and ultimately held them. All the titles are distinctly human, even the term dogs that is a euphemism for the most grotesque forms of sexual deviancy and prostitution. Not only are the practitioners of evil removed, but the evil in us is removed as well. All of us have had a struggle with our own evil within us. We have known the itch of hate, or lust, or greed, or gluttony, or drunkenness, or you can name your own vice. We have fought it sometimes successfully and sometimes we failed.  We have felt the temptation so profoundly that it seems bigger than life. In this paradise that itch is gone.

For some people their sin has so consumed them that if it were removed from them there would be nothing left. They have moved from being a person who tells a lie (all of us at some point) to just being a liar. Not only are those people excluded, but the itch of evil that is in us is excluded from us as well. In that great place we can't want or in the least way have a desire for anything that is wrong.

There's one more delightful thought in this passage.  The person who can never feel homesick is to be pitied. Homesickness is painful and can be debilitating, but it can be a sweet melancholy as well. Homesickness depends on what is your home. Where your heart was formed by love and relationship. But it is also sensory. It can be the smell of the woods in fall, the roar of the breakers on the beach. It might be the vivid sunset from a high-rise balcony or back porch looking over a pasture.  It could be the curve of the chair you were raised in holding you once more. Homesickness is most of all the person. No matter how long you live you will never forget the person, the voice, the site, the touch. We are just one thought away from homesickness. The Prodigal Son may have come back with a business proposition in mind, but somewhere from the pigsty to the father there was homesickness. Homesickness satisfied is sweet-the laughter, the meal, the walking, or the conversation. That moment when we say, “I was homesick, but now I am home.” That is the heart of verse 4. Homesick for Heaven is hard to quantify. But in all this longing and wanting there is a knowing that even if all our nostalgia on Earth were fully satisfied it would not be enough. Everything tells us we were made for heaven. In the mean time, longings, restlessness, struggles and love all tell us we were made for Heaven. We "shall see his face"- homesickness finally and fully satisfied!  

Is the cost of being a disciple worth it? Without any doubt, whatever the cost, it is worth it! The cost multiplied 10,000 times over and it is still the greatest bargain of all eternity!

Questions to ponder

The desires for the things of this world even when obtained never fully satisfy.  They are too weak too insipid.  We were made for the strong flavors and rich fullness of Heaven.  What desires or home sicknesses do you have that maybe a glimpse of Heaven?

What is your grand and noble hope you know can never be fulfilled her on earth? 

How might it be fulfilled in Heaven?

Afterward: The Fourth Jesus

When it comes to Jesus we tend to be very selective about the Jesus that we want.  We want a safe and domesticated Jesus.  We wanted Jesus we can have on our terms and that will allow us to call the shots.  What we do is to select certain bits of the Jesus of the Bible and we make a Jesus of our own design that we know we will like.  There are a lot of Jesus models that people have made over the years.  But we tend to avoid the fourth Jesus.  Three of the most popular Jesus models (and there are many) are presented here along with the fourth Jesus.

The first Jesus and this one is especially popular once a year is baby Jesus. In the terrible movie “Talladega Nights” the main character is offering a prayer before meal and is praying to baby Jesus. When challenged about praying to baby Jesus he says, "I like the Christmas Jesus best and I'm saying grace". He goes on to glow about the sweet little baby Jesus with his golden hair and little smile and all the nice ambiance there in the little manger scene.  What is there not to like about with Christmas Jesus? We may not pray to baby Jesus but everybody loves the scene.   We have colored the panorama with pastels and soft lights; the background is baby blue and the air around Jesus glows golden.   We romanticize it and have the nostalgic myths of baby Jesus based on the legend we create and love.  “The little Lord Jesus no Crying he makes”.  It may have nothing to do with the truth but everyone loves the Jesus baby.

The second Jesus is one that we also like this is Jesus the teacher. Everyone likes this cool hippie guru Jesus. He seems to be on a perpetual camping trip, hanging out with his disciples or should I say his posse. He wears sandals has long hair and a cool robe, which is probably made of only organic fibers.  Speaking of organic that is all they eat, organic barley and organic fish, glutton free most likely.  As they travel around Jesus is dropping heavy and profound bits of advice for them.  They walk here and there and they have really cool encounters.  Sometimes it is like group counseling and sometimes it is like Woodstock with big crowds but no music.  They are gathering a company of cool misfits, ex-hookers blue-collar workers, bureaucrats, and some people who ditched their middle class bourgeoisie home life to wander about with cool hippie Jesus they are cultural rebels and always having a cool time.   To enjoy this second Jesus it is important not to pay too close attention to what He actually teaches.  It is better to focus on the image we create and not on what actually happened.  This second Jesus could be just what you are looking for as long as you ignore or distort what He says about discipleship, the cross, and dying to self.  Who wouldn't want to go on a cool guy camping trip with hippie Jesus the really good moral teacher?

The third Jesus is sad and beat up Jesus. This is Jesus on the cross. This is not a pretty picture so we didn't want to get too close. He's so pathetic and hurting that we feel sorry for him.  He is the victim of cosmic circumstances.  This Jesus is best left on jewelry as a crucifix where he can be sort of a good luck charm. This Jesus is not one we want to be with but the third Jesus can be a very useful Jesus when we want to have a Jesus to apply to our political agenda.  If you are liberal you can use the third Jesus as and expression of the need for social justice.  He can be your poster child for liberation theology.  If you are a conservative you can also use this Jesus as a warning of the evil and dangers of big government.  The third Jesus, Jesus the victim on the cross, can be a useful martyr for either the left or the right.  But if you are not politically inclined the third Jesus can be good for a sentimental sensational melancholy moment.  You can have a gut straining of emotion that allows you to feel like you have had a religious experience.  Then you, having gotten that out of the way, get back to doing what you want to do with your life.    We don't want to get too close to third Jesus, but as long as we keep Him in His place he can be pretty useful.

The fourth Jesus is the one that we do not like. He is not a baby we cannot cuddle and then place Him in a crib. He's not a cool friend with whom we might go camping. He's not a sad pitiable helpless victim on a cross. This Jesus is the Warrior King and Judge. He is the One who defeats all opposition and enemies, the One who will demand from us and accounting of the days we have lived. You will not leave him in a manger, decline or accept at your discretion his invitation to hang out nor will you look the other way when the crucifixion gets too bothersome. This judge stands opposite of us and we will face Him.  Gone forever is any false sense of superiority.  We will not patronize Him, pigeon hole Him or turn Him into a good luck charm or talisman.  He comes to destroy evil, and to vindicate His oppressed people.  He is the hero of the eternal story and when He comes as the warrior King and Judge the story is at it end.  There is but one question when He comes, a simple yes or no answer is all we can give.  Are we those who have died to self and taken up our cross, who have followed Him as His disciples, who have recognized that He is God in flesh and have live with Him incarnate in us by faith?  When He comes He will reject all patronization and all boxes into which we wish to squeeze Him will be revealed as nothing.

There are not four Jesus’s there is only one.  But in the fourth Jesus we see that our parodies, which we built in the first three, are only our attempts to avoid our complete surrender to Him.  

Epilogue:

Why are our churches ineffective at reaching the lost?

Could it be that we are not growing because we have such poor eschatology?  I am not suggesting that we should begin to schedule prophecy conferences.  I am not a big fan of prophecy conferences, some of which are little more than commercials to sell books that sensationalize current affairs and take scripture out of context.  Our poor eschatology is of a more profound nature than the simple folly of setting dates for the second coming.  It tends to be selfishly focused.  It is about how you can have some sort of advantage in the last days, inside knowledge, first in line in the Rapture, or stock pile food for the Tribulation all depending on your convictions or audience. 

In the movie Twelve Strong the Afghani General Dostrium (Dostum) is quoted as saying to the American Army officer:

“Your anger comes from your fear.  Because you live in a place where life looks better than the after life.  That is not this place…. You will fail because you fear death.  Taliban welcome it.” 

In the west, and in the American church in particular, our lives are so good we can’t fathom any radical improvement to life.  We would all agree that our lives need some minor adjustments.  A small alteration here, a little modification there would make things a little better, but by and large life is pretty good.  We have luxury unmatched in human history, medical care that is accessible and effective, we have entertainments and distractions and wealth and pleasure.  We have begun to think of heaven as an improvement on all that we have.  We joke that Heaven is where ice cream will not make us fat.  It is a joke but it reflects a deeper and more fundamental understanding, or misunderstanding, of the afterlife.  We have begun to see Heaven as better rather than different.  Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the authors of scripture were stretched to find symbols and metaphors for Heaven.  These symbols and metaphors were highly cultural and contextual so without that culture and context it is easy for us to lack understanding of Heaven.

We all want a little improvement in our lives, but we are incapable of imagining the fundamental changes that heaven will bring. So the church has made the mistake of preaching a gospel of improved life and self help rather that quantum change.  “How to” sermons have replaced the “Kingdom of God is at hand” as our theme.  Our appeal is having a better marriage, family, financial standing, community, physical condition and the list can be endless. 

Our failure in eschatology is the same failure we face in our worship, evangelism, community service, prayers, again the list could be endless.  So, how do we preach good eschatology (and everything else)?  By focusing on Christ.  In my role I have the privilege and sometime the distress of worshiping with a great many different churches.  The pattern I see too often is that church and all of our theologies have begun to orbit around us.  From the description of the incarnation as, “It is like God became a dude and hung out with us,” to, “What God wants is for you to receive what you want”, Jesus is presented as someone whose role is to solve our problems, answer our requests and make life here and now better for us.   We have mistaken God’s love for us with a narcissistic expectation that God will spoil us. 

As long as Jesus is presented as a means to an end we cannot expect God’s blessings on our ministry, His power at work in our lives or His Spirit calling fallen humanity to repentance.  In terms of therapy, Jesus may not be the best option.  In terms of feeling good about myself, Jesus is not the first choice.  In terms of better, economic performance, family relationships, sex, political power and social stability Jesus is likely never going to be the top ranked option.  As long as these among others are our teaching and preaching themes we can expect the church to grow more and more inconsequential.

When we turn the conversation to the greatness and glory of the second person of the Trinity and the Biblical and apostolic preaching of the cross we will see people drawn to Christ, not the temporary trinkets they think they want.  When we want Jesus so much we do not care if anyone else wants Him, then we will be compelled to tell the world what a great Savior He is.  Then if He wills our churches may grow.