Partners in Tribulation
Read: Revelation 1:9; John 16:25-33 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus. (Rev. 1:9) A key word in the book of Revelation is thlipsis, meaning distress, suffering, tribulation. John knew all about thlipsis, and so did the churches he was writing to; […]
The Alpha and the Omega
Read: Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God. Alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. I’m it, says God. Everything from A to Z comes from me and belongs to me. I’m the beginning and the end—and all that’s in between. Nothing exists […]
He is Coming
Read: Revelation 1:7; Acts 1:6-11 This Jesus . . . will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11) A lot of ink has been spilled over Jesus’ second coming. Will there be a millennium, a literal thousand-year reign of Christ on the earth? Will the church be snatched […]
To Him Be Glory Forever
Read: Revelation 1:5b-6; Revelation 5 . . . to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. (1:6) A doxology is literally a “word of glory.” Doxologies are brief ascriptions of praise that Christians have used in worship since the very beginning. The salutation of Revelation 1:4 is Trinitarian. We’ve considered God the Father; we’ll […]
The Firstborn of the Dead
Read: Revelation 1:4-5a; 1 Corinthians 15:42-52 Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. (v. 5) Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. all were powerful leaders in the struggle for a more just society. Each of them inspired millions, and each died a […]
The Eternal God
Read: 2 Corinthians 4:16–5:10 Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come. (Rev. 1:4) Following his introductory comments, John opens with what our liturgy’s Order of Worship used to call the Salutation: “Grace to you and peace . . .” The apostle Paul began most of […]
How Long?
Read: 2 Corinthians 4:16–5:10 . . . the time is near. (Revelation 1:3) Picture the cartoon of a bearded guy in a robe walking along the sidewalk holding a sign that proclaims: “The End Is Near!” Well, the end is near. John wrote that more than 1,900 years ago. You call that near? It depends […]
Blessed Reading, Blessed Hearing
Read: Revelation 1:1-3 Blessed is the one who reads . . . and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it. (v. 3) The first word of the book of Revelation is . . . “revelation.” It’s an unveiling of what’s going to happen, of how the world will end. […]
October Prayer Guide 2020
TURKEY — Give thanks for this positive update from our radio station partners in Turkey: “This month, we have seen a large increase in the number of people contacting our team. They come from posts on social media, which elicit comments and messages as a result. We have also received more phone calls. All our social […]