Revelation III: Personal Letters

Revelation III

Personal Letters

The book of Revelation displays letters from Jesus to seven of His churches. 

Scripture is unique in that the Bible was written both to ALL of God’s people, and specifically to particular individuals, groups, or churches.  Usually, unfortunately, we use that dichotomy to pay less attention to the Word of God.  Where it presses us more when perceived as a General book, we choose to think of it as specific, but not to US.  When it presses us more when perceived as a book to specific recipients, we choose to think of it as a general book.

Over the next few days, read these letters.  See what He might be saying to YOU.  I will make some brief suggestions, but consider reading the letter from Jesus to these churches, but read them as if He is writing to you… to your church… to our church… to THE church more than to A church.

Revelation II: Keys

Revelation II

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. (Revelation 1:17-18 ESV)

Keys

I used to have a large collection of keys.  Some were interesting, like skeleton keys, antique safe keys, huge keys, tiny keys, and oddly shaped mysterious keys.

Other keys in my collection were more mundane.  Old house keys, most NOT from homes I had lived in.  Old car keys, most NOT from automobiles that I had owned.  Old padlock keys, deadbolt keys, shed keys, and keys that I did not know the purpose.  And they were dull.

But all those keys had one thing in common.

They did not fit anything, as far as I knew.

They did not open anything, lock anything, help anything, or serve any purpose.

Jesus’ keys are NOT like my keys.

They are important, beautiful, valuable, and necessary for Christians.

Because Jesus lived through death, and was resurrected, He holds the keys of death.  Which really mean also the keys of life.

Because Jesus accepted Christians’ punishment for our myriad of sins, He holds the keys of Hades.  Which really means also the keys of heaven.

I knew my parents trusted me when they gave me keys to our house, our car, and our garage.

We know God trusts Jesus because Jesus has the keys of death and life, hades and heaven.

And when we trust Jesus, He uses those keys for us! 

He is the door to life out of death, He holds those keys.  He is the key to heaven, and freedom from Hades, He holds those keys.

Revelation I: Everything

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8 ESV)

Everything

It almost seems easier to contemplate the infinity of God.

But here, we see the Lord God described in not quite those terms, although it might seem like it.

He is the beginning and the end.

The alphabet of any language is used to build every possible word in that language.

In Greek, the language of the New Testament Bible, alpha was the first letter, and omega was the last.  But more importantly, by claiming that He is alpha and Omega, the Lord God is laying claim that He is behind every word in that language  

The Lord God, in other words, is not just the start and the finish, the beginning and the end, the first and the last… all linear concepts. 

But the Lord God is sovereign over EVERY part of life.  The Lord God is behind EVERY part of life.  The Lord God created, upholds, and redeems EVERY part of life.

Far from a simplistic universalism, the Lord God is the source of all, the caretaker of all, the knower of all, the lover of all.

Not linear, but length and depth and height.

He is never not here.

Jude III: Doubters

Jude III

And have mercy on those who doubt. (Jude 22 ESV)

Doubters

Strangely, we are often proud of our faith.  We act as if our faith, our trust, our abandonment of doubting God, is something that we did through strength of will, intelligence, or integrity.

When in fact, faith is a gift.

And those who have not received that gift do not deserve the derision we often impose on them.

“Strangers are friends we haven’t met yet,” said Will Rogers, supposedly.

Maybe we can see doubters as, “those who haven’t believed YET.”

I hope they are.

Jude II: Good Words

Jude II

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24,25 ESV)

Good Words

The word, ‘benediction’ comes from Latin, and means quite simply, “Good Speaking.” 

Words these days get a bum rap.  We think talk is cheap, rhetoric is useless, and actions speak louder than words.

But those cliches are not necessarily true.

God’s words count.  He created the universe through His words.  He gave us His Son, through His word.  In fact, Jesus Christ IS the Word long before He did anything on earth.

The Father of Lies has worked hard through the ages to diminish the power of God’s words.  But ultimately, Satan fails.  God’s Word and words are still the most powerful things in the universe.

God blesses His people first by speaking to us.  And what He speaks, His Word, is always good.

We like actions, we like proof, we like evidence, we like fulfilled promises.  And while history and our society give us good reason to doubt the words of Emperors, Kings, Presidents, Senators, Mayors, husbands, wives, parents, siblings, neighbors, friends, and even Lassie, God’s Words are true, reliable, powerful, and all that we need.

So God blesses us in this benediction, this good speaking, and that can fill us with hope.  God’s good words are greater than all the actions of everyone else.

Jude I: Serious

Jude I

Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. (Jude 5 ESV)

Serious

As a business manager, hiring people was a pleasure, firing them was not.  When gardening, planting new rosebushes is fun, digging up old ones is not.  When writing, new paragraphs feels creative and exciting, erasing bad paragraphs does not.

The other side of the gospel is that the ones who are not saved, will be destroyed.

Notice that Jesus is not described as destroying sinners… but rather sinners who did not believe.

Jesus is not described as destroying those who do horrible deeds… but rather, those who did horrible deeds but did not believe.

Jesus is not described as destroying those who are below the half way mark of good behavior… but rather, those (wherever they are on the measuring stick of good and bad behavior) who chose to ignore the offer of the gospel… those who did not believe.

That is why the gospel matters.

III John II: Regular

III John II

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (III John 4 ESV)

Regular

John does not say that his greatest joy is hearing that his spiritual children are leaping tall buildings in a single bound.  They are walking.

John does not say that his greatest joy is hearing that his spiritual children are running fast, hard, long, and tirelessly.  They are walking.

John does not say that his greatest joy is hearing that his spiritual children are effortlessly performing acts of amazing athleticism.  They are walking.

John, I expect would have had joy in those other things, too.

But his greatest joy is that they are living faithful lives in the mundane, every day, regular activities of life.

Because salvation looks like that, too.

III John I: Games People Play

III John I

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. (III John 11 ESV)

Games People Play

English children in the 1500’s practiced archery to become Archers.  Easy-Bake-Ovens ™ are fun toys that teach children how to cook.  American children in the 1970’s played Monopoly to become careful financial planners. 

What we play at, we easily become.

I wonder about some of the games I used to play… and even about some of the games I like to play today.

I wonder what I am practicing.

Let us imitate good.

Let us not imitate evil.

II John II: Truth

II John II

Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God.  (II John 9 ESV)

Truth

What matters is the teaching of Christ.  We do not learn salvific truth from a beautiful sunrise.  We do not learn God’s absolute sovereignty from a bee’s nest.  We do not learn God personally through our friendships.

Those things are useful and good… they are a blessing.  They teach us SOMETHING about God.

But we need the truth of Jesus to eternally survive.  The things He taught while He lived in Judea.  The things He taught through ALL of the Bible, because HE is the Word.  The things He taught from Genesis to Revelation.

That is the truth that matters.  That is the truth we need.  That is the truth that gives hope to the hopeless, fellowship to the lonely, and love to the loveless.

And any truth that does NOT include His truth, is not really Truth.

II John I

II John I

…whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth,  because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever. . (II John 1,2 ESV)

True Doctrine

We usually think of love as emotional, internal, and subjective.

But love is found in truth.

Love is observed in truth.

Love exists because of truth.

Not mere mathematical truth, or Sherlock Holmes truth, or Supreme Court truth, or World Book Encyclopedia truth. 

Those kins of truth, as useful as they are, are not real, full truth.  The kind of truth that leads to love.

Love is found in the truth of God.

Love is observed in the truth of God.

Love exists because of the truth of God.

So doctrine matters!

I John III: Adoption

I John III

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. (1 John 3:1)

Adoption

To be clear, I did not doubt my parents’ love of me.  But at times I envied my younger, adopted brother.  Because our family decided to adopt, purposefully made plans for adoption, and in a sense, chose my brother to be in our family.

That is a particular kind of love. 

My family joked about the idea that I, on the other hand, was accidental. 

Yes, I was loved. 

But the idea of being sought, desired, planned for, and intentional is amazingly rich.

And we, Christians, are first and foremost God’s children NOT because we were attractive, valuable, popular, cool, effective, worthy, smart, wise, righteous, or desirable.

We might be those things.

But we are God’s children because He gave us the relationship.  He gave us the title.  He gave us the love.

I john II: First

I John II

We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19 ESV)

First

Love does not usually really need a ‘because.’  While me might LIKE something for particular reasons, love is a choice that is made unconditionally.  Or it simply is not love.

If I love a person because of their personality, what will happen when, over time, the personality changes?

If I love a person because of physical appearance, what will happen when their appearance changes?

If a person loves me for ANY particular reason, what will happen what that reason is no longer present?

But we can not love GOD until His love changes our heart first.

He loves us unconditionally, and we respond by loving Him.

Woven by necessity into that fabric is Grace, Mercy, and the person and work of Christ Jesus.

But it all starts with HIM loving.

I John I: Confidence

I John I

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13 ESV)

Confidence

Not many things give us real confidence.  When our Senator promises something, we might hope it is true, but we do not KNOW.  When the meteorologist predicts something, we might have some reason to dress accordingly, but we do not KNOW.  When the internet declares something we might… well…. ok… bad example.  Most of us doubt the internet.

But when God says He has done something… we can KNOW it is true.

How can Christians know we are saved?  Where can we have confidence in our eternal life?  Can we have ANY confidence in our salvation?

If our salvation depends on what WE do… the answer is no.  We always have reason to fear.

If our salvation depends on OUR character or decisions… the answer is no.  We always have reason to be unsure.

If our salvation depends on OUR qualifications.. the answer is no.  We would not know our future at all.

But salvation comes from the Grace, Mercy, and Love of the One True Living God.

The One who has declared the entrance requirement for heaven.  That entrance requirement is not a favorable good deed balance.  That entrance requirement is not a scorecard kept at the gate of heaven.  The entrance requirement is not our feelings, our expectations, or our tradition.

The entrance requirement is belief in God’s Son.  He who obeyed on our behalf, and took the punishment for our sins.  It is not up to US. 

So we can KNOW we have eternal life.

II Peter VI: New

II Peter VI

But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (II Peter 3:13)

New

Most things, no matter how much we enjoy them, eventually fade… and we want something new.  Whether it is a home, a car, a favorite food, or a pair of shoes.

Even in terms of non-tangibles…. while we might not seek a ‘new’ friend, we do yearn at times for a revived relationship.  The same might be true for a pet.  Or even, realizing that all relationships can improve, a spouse.

That desire for ‘new’ might just come from a Christian’s deep understanding of heaven and earth.  It is appropriate, no matter how content we are, to look forward gladly to a new heaven and a new earth.  It is a good thing, no matter how aware we are of our blessings, to anticipate with joy a new heaven and a new earth.  It is the correct focus, no matter how much we appreciate the work we are doing in God’s kingdom, to yearn for a new heaven and a new earth.

That doesn’t mean we lack contentment in the Lord’s provision and placement.  That doesn’t mean we are complainers.  That doesn’t mean we aren’t satisfied with God’s blessings.

But there is a new heaven and a new earth coming!  Hooray!

II Peter V: Cause and Effect

II Peter V

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  (II Peter 3:8 ESV)

Cause and Effect

God is not bound by time.  Because He is eternal.  But this does NOT mean that events proceed randomly in God’s eyes.  It does NOT mean that God’s words are meaningless as if He uttered them all at once, without order, or logic.  It does NOT mean that life is purposeless.

There is Cause and there is Effect.

And God is in the middle of both of them.

And our future in God’s Kingdom will continue to be like that.  Events will occur BECAUSE.  Things will happen BECAUSE.  God’s Will continues BECAUSE.

God is not bound by time, but He does not operate OUT of time.  He is more than time.  Beyond time. SUPER time.

And that God is the One who therefore can keep things in order!

II Peter IV: Time

II Peter IV

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  (II Peter 3:8 ESV)

Time

What do you do when you have a LOT of something?

Thirty some years ago, while remodeling an attic, I purchased a box of drywall screws. The box was approximately a ten inch cube.  In it were a LOT of drywall screws.

Since that time, I have done quite a few legitimate drywall screw projects.  i.e. drywall projects.

But because I have so many drywall screws, I use them for much more.  Temporary repair jobs involve duct tape and drywall screws.  Roughing in small construction projects involve nails and drywall screws.  Drywall screws are used to hang pictures, hold up wires, mark spots for later work, and connect two… well, almost anything that needs to be connected.

For me, one drywall screw is as a dozen… and a dozen are as one.

While time can be seen as our most precious commodity, God has infinite time.  He does not dole it out in careful bits and pieces.  But He gives us our entire lives of time to learn to know Him, to obey Him, and to love Him.

And we will have that same plethora of time, too.  When Christians open our eyes in heaven, I wonder how long it will take us to absorb the new fact that we have an infinity of time, instead of three score and ten.

But meanwhile… this idea reminds us that every second has a job.  We do not have that drywall screw box of time, yet.  Our time is limited.  Our time is finite.  Our time is measurable (if not by us).

So use time to serve Him.  Use those finite moments to know Him, to obey Him, to love Him.  Anything else is wasting time.

II Peter III: Uncomplicated

II Peter III

…then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, II Pete

Uncomplicated

Doesn’t it sometimes seem that the wicked flourish and the righteous suffer?

It seems that way because life is complicated.

And while we observe many things, and know many things, we can not see the full tapestry of the universe, our present time, or our personal lives.

Everything is so intertwined, balanced, and imbalanced that we cannot comprehend it all.

And that might fill us… God’s people, too… with despair, frustration, and fear.

But God knows what He is doing.

He knows that His people are in His arms.  He knows that the path is clear to Him.  He knows that what is complicated to US, is child’s play to Him.

For Him, it is not complicated.

And so we can relax… because He loves His people.

I Peter II: Messengers

II Peter II

 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. II Peter 1:21

Messengers

Recently a friend took on a part time job as a messenger.  In person, he delivered messages from bosses, businesses, and customers to someone else.

His first day did not go well.

First, the message that he delivered was bad news.  And the recipient got mad at the messenger.  It did not devolve into fisticuffs, but it easily could have.

Then, the next message that he delivered was good romantic news.  And the recipient embraced the messenger with enthusiasm, almost including kisses on his face.

Both times, the recipient confused the message with the messenger.

God’s Word is a message from God to God’s people.

The messengers (authors of the Biblical books) were indeed important.  The printers (of the Bible) were indeed important.  The churches (often original recipients, but also apparently in a decisive roll) were indeed important.

But not really.

GOD is the author.

GOD the Father is the sovereign arranger of circumstances for HIS Words to be heard.

GOD the Son is the very message Itself!

GOD the Holy Spirit is the assistant in making the Word change our hearts, minds, and strength.

God’s Word is literally God’s Word.

II Peter I: Diligence

II Peter I

Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. II Peter 1:10

Diligence

One of my favorite birthday presents was a toy sailing ship, given to me by my grandfather.  He was an engineer, and had designed, upgraded, and improved the pinnace.  And it actually floated!  It actually let the wind blow it around!  The rudder was attached to the sails, and when I set it up correctly, it would do loops, diagonals, and even a small amount of tacking into the wind.

I learned a lot about sailing from that boat.

And I took careful care of it.

I cleaned it.  I did not leave it out in the weather.  I avoided rocky shoals.  I never let it run aground.  It never left my sight.

It was far from the most expensive toy I ever had.

But it was precious because it was GIVEN to me.  And the gift involved toil and sweat.  The gift involved the sacrifice of time.  The gift showed my grandfather’s love.

And so I never coasted in it’s care and upkeep.  Not because I was scared I would lose it.  But because I understood the nature of a gift.

Whatever you might think of Biblical terms like “calling” and “election,” neither of these ideas means  that Christians coast, either. 

God’s GIFT of salvation drives us to take care.  To be purposefully His.  To be lovingly His.  To not take His gift for granted.

We are diligent.

I Peter XI: God's Side

I Peter XI

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (I Peter 5:5 ESV)

God’s Side

We had one of those kids in middle school.  A super athlete, with amazing skills in every sport.  Whenever we chose teams for games during recess, he was ALWAYS chosen first.

We were excited to end up on his team… or to have one of us end up on HIS team. As one of the “late chosen”, I always felt more pride in his game-accomplishments than in my own.

Moreso with God.  When we are on HIS time, He is the team member that is fantastic.

And that enables us to feel excited, and to be in awe of what He does.  But it also makes us gladly humble towards others.

We are all in the same boat… or the same spot on the roster. 

We are on HIS team, and it is a great place to be.