Faith is the Victory
Read: Revelation 3:21-22; 12:10-17a [To] the one who conquers . . . as I also conquered. (v. 21) Seven times over in his letters to the churches the Lord makes promises to “the one who conquers.” These concluding promises are variations on a single theme: eternal life. But they are only for those who stay the […]
Laodicea: Knocking at the Door
Read: Revelation 3:14-20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. (v. 20) If you remember any of the seven churches, you probably remember the one Jesus threatened to spit out of his mouth. “Laodicean” became a synonym for half-hearted Christians. The lukewarm temperature of the church probably referred as much to its spiritual usefulness as […]
Pillars of the Church
Read: Revelation 3:12-13 I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. (v. 12) The phrase “pillars of the church” calls up faces and voices out of my past—from the church I grew up in, from the churches I have served. It’s how we describe those members on whom every church depends—faithful Sunday […]
Philadelphia: Church of the Open Door
Read: Revelation 3:7-11 Behold, I have set before you an open door. (v. 8) Of all the churches, this one seems to have been the Lord’s favorite. It’s the only church of which he has no words of either criticism or warning. The same formula (“I know your works”) that introduces Christ’s judgment on churches like […]
Dressed in White
Read: Revelation 3:5-7; 7:9-17 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments. (3:5) Revelation 7 describes the church in two different but equally dramatic ways. First is a carefully numbered community of 144,000, drawn equally from the twelve tribes of Israel. This does not mean that only those descended from the original […]
Sardis: Wake Up!
Read: Revelation 3:1-4; Luke 13:1-5 . . . but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. (Luke 13:5) I was driving along and noticed a billboard that had been put up by a local atheists’ group. “Millions of Americans are living happily without religion,” the sign said. “Of course they are,” I thought. When […]
The Seven Spirits
Read: Revelation 3:1; 4:1-11 The words of him who has the seven spirits of God. (3:1) In the book of Revelation, seven is the number of fullness or completeness. When Revelation speaks of the seven spirits of God as here (or in 4:5 or 1:4), it doesn’t mean that God has seven different spirits or […]
Listener Groups in Kasese, Uganda
In Western Uganda, people meet together in homes, under trees, or in churches to listen to and discuss the radio programs. In just a few years, dozens of Messiah RADIO 97.5 FM Kasese Listener Groups have sprouted up across the area.
The Morning Star
Read: Revelation 2:26-29; Psalm 2 And I will give him the morning star. (Rev. 2:28) Before we leave Thyatira, give a last thought to Jezebel, because what’s said about her is remarkably relevant to our church situation today. Jezebel called herself a prophetess, meaning she claimed the inspiration and authority of the Spirit for her […]