Hold On

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.“
Revelation 3:11 NLT

The Philadelphians would have been encouraged by the message that Jesus was coming soon. Their expectation was probably that Jesus was just waiting in the wings, ready to return in the same way as He departed, from the skies. But the hours and days would have extended into weeks and months. Years would have rolled by, and some of their number would have passed on to eternal life. Did they experience disappointment? Did they turn on their leaders, demanding an explanation, or a definition of what “soon” really meant? We don’t know.

Jesus was clear that He didn’t know when He would return to earth again. We read in Matthew 24:30b, “…And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory“. And Matthew 24:36, “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows“. But Jesus, in His message to the Philadelphians, used the word “soon“. In our earthly, time-dominated, lives, the word “soon” means something is about to happen imminently, or in a few days. But from the perspective of eternity, where time as we know it doesn’t exist, “soon” takes on a different meaning. We are living in a time of unmerited grace. God is giving more and more people, generation by generation, the opportunity to embrace His Son and all that that means. After all, if “soon” had meant that Jesus returned sometime in the first century, I wouldn’t be writing these words, and you wouldn’t be reading them. But there will come a time when “soon” converts into the reality of God saying to Jesus that now is the time. In Romans 13:11-12 we read, “This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here…” One day, perhaps sooner than we expect, Jesus will return. “For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labour pains begin. And there will be no escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3).

John’s message continues. He wrote, “Hold on to what you have”. The Philadelphians, at face value, would seem to have very little. But Jesus wasn’t encouraging them to hold on to their material possessions. In the Kingdom of God materialism has no worth. In the earthly kingdom gold has value, but in the Heavenly Kingdom, gold is used to pave the roads. No, Jesus was referring to the spiritual treasure they were accumulating. The spiritual gifts they had received. The treasure they were storing up in Heaven. Jesus taught about the difference between treasure in the two kingdoms. In Matthew 6:19-21 we read, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be“. Jesus would also have been encouraging the Philadelphians to, quite simply, hold on to their faith. To not give up, even when the going was tough. When persecution was sapping their strength. 

And Jesus continues to remind them that if they hold on to what they have then “no one will take away [their] crown[s]”. What are these crowns? James 1:12 refers to the crown of life, “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him“. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy about the crown of righteousness, “And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of His return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to His appearing“. (2 Timothy 4:8). But whatever it is, the crown awaiting those who hold on to their faith is going to be amazing. 

To today’s pilgrim, we must take on board the message to the Philadelphians. We too must hold on to what we have. Even when the road before us seems long and difficult. Even when the temptation is there to give up, and perhaps just take an easy option. We must never forget that turning back, even just for a short time away from the difficulties of doing life God’s way, can turn very quickly into a worldly lifestyle. Sadly, I know so many people who have decided, for one reason or another, to turn their backs on their faith, and they now do other things. They have lost sight of their Heavenly treasure and the crown awaiting them. We must never give up holding on to our heritage, our faith, our Lord.

There is an old Gospel song – these are the lyrics.

  1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
    I have decided to follow Jesus;
    I have decided to follow Jesus;
    No turning back, no turning back.
  2. The world behind me, the cross before me;
    The world behind me, the cross before me;
    The world behind me, the cross before me;
    No turning back, no turning back.
  3. Though none go with me, still I will follow;
    Though none go with me, still I will follow;
    Though none go with me, still I will follow;
    No turning back, no turning back.
  4. My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
    My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
    My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
    No turning back, no turning back.
  5. Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
    Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
    Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
    No turning back, no turning back.

Dear Lord Jesus. Please help us never to give up on living life Your way. We know that no-one else has the words of eternal life. No-one else can gift us salvation. We will follow You to the end. Thank You. Amen.

A Time of Testing

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3:10‬ ‭NLT

Again the Philadelphians were commended for their obedience in obeying Jesus’ command to persevere. But what does perseverance look like? Jesus gave us a glimpse, as recorded in Matthew 10:22, “And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved“. The disciples were under no illusions as they mulled over this statement from the Master. Being a Christian, a follower of Christ, is not a popular life choice. It means living a life that does not conform with the lives of those unbelievers in the world around us. A Christian reaches out to them with love and acceptance, but receives hatred, animosity, and even violence in return. Why should that be? Because the kingdom of the world is devil-run, and the Kingdom of Heaven, the domain of Christians, is God-run. Two opposing forces. We know who wins in the end, but for the Philadelphians, living their daily lives, it must have been a constant temptation to give in to the worldly pressures and swap sides. But they persevered in the face of the persecution, being obedient to Jesus’ command. That’s what perseverance looks like.

There is no difference for today’s pilgrim. The same battle continues. The longest battle in history. The clash of the two kingdoms is no short military campaign. It will only cease when Jesus comes again, when all the nations will declare His Lordship. And we are given the same command as the Philadelphians – persevere to the end. Jesus’ half-brother James wrote right at the start of his epistle, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”. I don’t know about “pure joy” but the message is clear – we will face many trials in our Christian lives and at times our faith will be sorely tested, but we have to persevere. There is no other way. We cannot flip-flop between the two kingdoms.

John goes on to write about a “great time of testing”. I can hear the protestations. Surely we are being tested enough, you say. The Philadelphians would have been alarmed when they heard these words read out to them, but also relieved when they were told that it would pass them by. There was no explanation for them about what the “great time of testing” would be, though they would have had access to Old Testament scriptures such as Daniel 12:1, “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people – everyone whose name is found written in the book – will be delivered”. Christians today also have the benefit of reading what else John wrote in his Revelation, and we will come to that in a few blogs time. Suffice to say, that there is coming a time of testing, called by many the Tribulation – perhaps that is what John was writing about in his message to the Philadelphians.

We Christian pilgrims are continually tested in this life, because the kingdom of darkness is always trying to win over the Kingdom of Light, and for most of the time, that battle is taking place within us. The Apostle Paul very clearly and eloquently set out the dilemma we all face in Romans 7:22-24, “I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death”? But thankfully, verse 24 is followed by verse 25. “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord….” So, with Jesus’ help, we persevere in this life of strife, being obedient to Jesus’ commands. One day, there will be a “great time of testing that will come upon the whole world“. Something we may have mixed feelings about. But as I have said before, we may not know what the future holds, but we do know who holds the future. 

Dear Lord. Thank You that You have our future all planned out. You know the beginning from the end. We worship You, deeply thankful for all You have done in our lives, and all that You will do as we remain faithful to Your commands. Amen.

Little Strength

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed My word and did not deny Me. Look, I will force those who belong to Satan’s synagogue—those liars who say they are Jews but are not—to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love.”
Revelation‬ ‭3:8-9‬ ‭NLT

Encouragement and love. Jesus’ message to the Philadelphians couldn’t have been better. And there is that door again. Jesus is holding it open for them and we know from the previous verse that only He has the key to this door. “You have little strength” conjures up a picture of a small group of inoffensive but determined Christians. Physically they lacked the ability to defend themselves. They probably lacked influence in their society. A number of them may have been slaves. The reference to “Satan’s synagogue” indicated that they were perhaps suffering persecution. But in all of this they stood firm in their faith. Staying obedient to God’s Word. And always declaring His Lordship in their lives. What an example. And Jesus said He would vindicate them, by forcing the false Jews to bow down to them, acknowledging that the Philadelphians were the ones that Jesus loved. 

There are several examples of “little strength” in the Bible. I’m reminded of Jeremiah, who stood up against the religious leaders of his day, pointing out their corruption and apostasy, receiving threats and even direct action in return. We read in Jeremiah 20 how he was whipped and put in stocks, because of his faith. He had “little strength” but persevered in faith. And there is that wonderful chapter in Hebrews about the faithful, those with “little strength”, who suffered greatly in the face of persecution. In 1 Corinthians 1:27 we read, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong”. The Philadelphians knew by faith that with God on their side, they were invincible, even though they had “little strength”.

Jesus had strong words for the local Jewish synagogue. A place of worship and connection with God instead appeared to be populated by Jews who were worshipping someone else. How did that come about? Jesus Himself encountered people in synagogues who were so fixed in their ideas that they were unable to accept a visitation from God Himself. We read in Mark 3:5-6, “He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus”. A synagogue containing leaders who were so hardened in their hearts that they wanted Jesus to be killed for breaking their sabbath laws. Sadly, I know churches today that would be unable to accommodate a Jesus in their midst. Upsetting their liturgies. Disturbing the furniture. Challenging the status quo.

For the pilgrim today, God knows that we have “little strength”. But all He asks of us is that we are obedient to Him and His Word, and that we don’t deny Him in the face of difficult situations. Thankfully, in our Western societies we don’t suffer the physical persecution experienced by our bothers and sisters in places like Afghanistan or North Korea, but we can still come up against others hostile to our faith. There are always some who ridicule us in our workplaces, schools and universities. And, sad to say, even in our churches. But God sees the big picture and He knows our hearts and one day we will hear those wonderful words, “Well done, My good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).

Dear Lord Jesus. We thank You for Your encouragement. We thank You for standing with us when the going gets tough. And we thank You for equipping us with Your Heavenly resources, day by day. Amen.

Two-Edged Sword

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Pergamum. This is the message from the One with the sharp two-edged sword”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭2:12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In his vision, the old Apostle John moves on to write down Jesus’ message to the church at Pergamum. This was a famous and illustrious city spanning Greek and Roman periods in history, and extensive ruins still exist. However, there is no longer a church there. But in the first century, it contained a Christian congregation, apparently active and thriving, but with a few problems that Jesus pointed out to them. More to come on that.

Again this message was directed to an angel. This time the “angel of the church in Pergamum”, probably a reference to both the church leaders and the whole church membership. But what is the significance of “the One with the sharp two-edged sword”? In the previous chapter, John received a vision of the Son of Man. He was standing in the middle of seven lampstands, and a sharp two-edged sword came from His mouth. We receive a good description of what the meaning of this sword is from Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires“. The “sharpest two-edged sword” is indeed a powerful weapon but the writer to the Hebrews informed them that the Word of God is even sharper. Imagine the most fearsome and devastating weapon available to our armies today and then realise that the Word of God is still even more powerful. It fact it is even more powerful than any man-made device, for one simple reason. Any earthly weapon can indeed kill a human being, bringing on their physical death, but the Word of God can bring condemnation, judgement and eternal death for the same human being, in his or her life after their physical death. But, uniquely amongst weapons of destruction, it can also bring life, everlasting life for those who obey its precepts. That is why the “sharp two-edged sword” is so powerful. The Word of God is His legacy, His power, His manual for a life to be lived His way, and all encapsulated in a book always accessible to His followers everywhere. No wonder that pariah and totalitarian states want the Bible banned – they are only too aware of its power. In fact, it is so powerful that it has the capability to bring down their evil regimes.

If a pilgrim was ever asked what he should take in his back pack, one of the most important items has to be his Bible. In our pilgrimage through life we must have it. We will not reach our Heavenly goal without it. And one day we will discover that the truths contained within the Book will be transformed into glory for our wonderful God and Father.

Dear Lord God. We thank Your word, the Bible. Please help us to never neglect its reading. May its truths indeed penetrate to our very “innermost thoughts and desires”, helping us to live our lives Your way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Second Death

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.”
Revelation‬ ‭2:11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As we read earlier in this chapter, John reminds us of the importance of listening to the Holy Spirit. Not just listening but understanding. Sometimes we will hear what someone says to us, but the mental filters that we possess will process what we hear into something with a meaning totally different to what the speaker intended. Misunderstandings can result. A classical example was in 1799, when 1200 Turkish prisoners were shot through a misunderstanding. Napoleon was asked what they should do with the prisoners, but at the end of a coughing fit he uttered the words “Ma sacrée toux,” meaning “My cursed cough”. Unfortunately for the prisoners, Napoleon’s words were heard as “Massacrez tous” meaning “kill them all”. A historical situation that has nothing to do with what Jesus was saying to the churches, but it makes the point. A more humorous example was anecdotally circulating after one of the world wars, when the radio message “Send reinforcements, we’re going to advance” was heard “Send three and fourpence, we’re going to a dance”. But more seriously, we have a duty to carefully listen to what God is saying to us and understanding the meaning behind what He says. And if we’re not sure about anything, we can check the message against God’s Word, the Bible, through prayer, and with other Christians who we trust. Sadly, there have been many who have heard the Word, interpreting it according to their “filters”, but not understanding what it meant spiritually, going off into error as a consequence.

John’s writings continue with the sentence, “Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death”. So what is this second death? I thought we could only die once. The phrase “the second death” only occurs in the Book of Revelation. The only explanation must refer to the possibility that after a physical death, there is another potential death awaiting us – the lake of fire. Later on in Revelation we read that all those whose names are not written in the Book of Life will end up there. A thought that should strike fear into anyone, I think we all agree. But Jesus made sure that His followers would not be frightened by such an event, because those who are overcomers, the victorious, will be safe. A quote from a book I read recently, “There is a vast difference between the final destination of those who know Christ and those who do not”.

To sum up this verse, the reality for us pilgrims is that as we keep close to our wonderful Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus, we have nothing to fear about what lies beyond the grave. In fact, as we read earlier, there is a crown of life awaiting us. Amazing! Surely worth discomfort today for wonder tomorrow. As is often said today, “No gain without pain”. That principle applies to the spiritual as well as the physical.

Dear Lord, we thank You for Your Word, and the encouragement You provide us for our journey towards Heaven. We need not fear the second death because You are with us. Amen.

Suffering

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.”
Revelation‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Smyrnaean church was really experiencing some hard times. Jesus could see what was coming in their lives and warned them, through John, that the persecution and tribulation would be intense. So intense in fact, that some of those in the Smyrnaean church would face death. Others would be imprisoned. And all because they believed the Truth, God Himself. Of course, all this suffering would strike fear into even the strongest, and most committed, men and women amongst them. So Jesus’ message starts once again with “Don’t be afraid“. Our wonderful Lord fully realised that the intersection between the natural and the spiritual will sometimes induce fear amongst human beings. I’m reminded of the first thing Jesus said to the disciples when He was walking on the sea of Galilee. In Mark 6:50 we read, “They were all terrified when they saw him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here! ”. I’m sure the Smyrnaeans were themselves just as terrified, if not more, because some of them would be facing death. But the Lord loved these people and had a message for them that would have strengthened them through their persecution. He told them that it would only be for ten days.

For some, the idea of being tested for our faith is rather daunting. Someone once asked the question, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be sufficient evidence to convict you”? Beyond all reasonable doubt? But why would God allow us to be tested in the first place? Perhaps there are times when we go through the motions of being a Christian, but deep down we have lost our way. Our faith is perhaps weakening, or may even have reduced to a level of non-existence. In the past two years, Christians have been quite severely tested, at least here in the UK. Tested by the Covid lock downs that have shut our churches, and forcing us to depart our comfort zones and grapple with new technology, such as Zoom and YouTube. Removing from us the option of seeing our friends in person, and warming a pew on a Sunday morning. We may not have been through the physical pain and suffering the Smyrnaeans experienced, but the outcome may have been the same. When us Christian pilgrims are faced with the reality that there is a cost to our faith, some will decide that the price is not worth paying. And consequently they will disappear from the spiritual radar and fall away from the faith. In my locality, some Churches of Scotland are having to close because the congregations are no longer numerically viable. One of the reasons is that the numbers of attenders hasn’t recovered to the pre-Covid levels. Thankfully, other churches are thriving, the stronger for the testing experience.

For the faithful perseverers, there is a “crown of life”. It is there stored in a safe place. We each have one lined up for us. Our names are written on them. They are precious and far more valuable than any amount of gold and precious jewels would be. James 1:15 picks up the theme as well, “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him“. 

So what does a “crown of life” look like? Here are a few thoughts. The crown imparts life, as we read in our verse today. Also it is a crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4), a crown of righteousness, (2 Timothy 4:8). It is imperishable and will never wear out (1 Corinthians 9:25). It is a crown of joy (Philippians 4:1). And it is the prize for staying true to our calling (Philippians 3:14). I can’t wait to get mine, and I know it will be a perfect fit. And there’s one just for you, my reader, today. If …

Dear Lord. We thank You for Your encouragement, always there for the asking when we go through a time of tribulation. I pray for the strength to stand firm in my faith day by day. Amen.

Blasphemy

Posted on by Adrian Clark

““I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan.
Revelation‬ ‭2:9‬ ‭NLT

How do we reconcile being poor and being rich at the same time? But John was writing about two different domains – the natural and the spiritual. Just from this short verse, we can glean a picture of a church of faithful Christian people who were suffering persecution that was affecting their daily lives. I envisage a shop-keeper, a member of the church, whose business was suffering because people were avoiding him because of his faith. Perhaps there was a labourer who couldn’t find work because he was blacklisted. But I’m sure it wasn’t just their employment that was being affected. A wife and mother abused in the street as she went about her daily business. Low level anti-social behaviour directed at their properties. The children wouldn’t have escaped the persecution either. And, worse, the attacks were making them poor, financially and socially. Sadly, and depressingly, we see the same sort of persecution directed at Christians today in various parts of the world. Even here in the UK we have seen Christian businesses and individuals targeted and persecuted because they refuse to bend the knee to minority groups who are trying to force their ideologies onto the society around them.

But John commended and encouraged them because they were rich. Spiritually rich. Benefitting from Heavenly resources made available to them without limit. The Smyrnaeans knew that through their relationship with God, through their faith, through their perseverance, they were part of something far bigger and better. They knew that there were hassles to overcome before they would find themselves in a place of comfort and safety, where their persecutors would be unable to reach them anymore. 

Through John, Jesus had some stern words for the Smyrnaean persecutors, the Jews from the local synagogue. He called them blasphemers. This is a very serious charge because it involves and implies a disrespectful attitude against God Himself. Here in Western society, we have become desensitised to the use of phrases and language that used the names for God as expletives. I used to work with a lady who was a self-confessed atheist but who frequently used the phrase “Oh my God” in her conversations. One day I pointed out to her that for someone who didn’t believe in God, she called on His name a lot. I never heard her use that expression again. Sadly, though, this phrase has become ubiquitous in our society, a ploy of the enemy to reduce the name of God down to the conversational gutter. Blasphemy. 

Nothing is hidden from Jesus. He knew where the source of the blasphemers was. And He referred to them as “a synagogue [that] belongs to satan”. Strong words indeed. Enough to send a chill of fear down the spines of God-fearing people. That our enemy, the devil, had infiltrated into that very bastion of Jewishness, a synagogue, was a sad reflection on their spiritual state. It would never happen in our churches today. Or would it? In the early days of the Charismatic revival I experienced at first hand the animosity of other church attenders who accused those experiencing and entering into the new move of the Holy Spirit, of demonic activities. Was it blasphemy? I wouldn’t like to judge anyone, but we need to be careful that we don’t associate any move of God with an activity of the devil. Advice obviously not followed by the Jewish synagogue in Smyrna.

So what do us pilgrims make of this verse? It’s a warning that the Christian faith is counter-cultural and at times we will be persecuted for maintaining the purity of the Word and our faith. Jesus warned us that living in the “world”, the atheistic societies in which we live, will not be easy for God-followers. So, forewarned, we keep our eyes fixed on our Heavenly goal, just over the horizon, but coming closer every day. Each day, we try and bring something of Heaven into our lives and the lives of those around us. We are “salt and light” in our families and communities, standing in the gap, revealing God to a God-less world. And in the process, being aware that although we may end up in suffering and poverty, we are rich in Him who loves us.

Dear Father, thank You for being with us in our every day lives. Encouraging us. Blessing us. Equipping us. Loving us. Leading us. Enriching us. We praise and thank You today. Amen. 

The Once Dead

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the One who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭2:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Having finished relaying Jesus’ message to the Ephesian church, the Apostle John now writes to the church located at another town, Smyrna, which was a port on the coast of what is now Western Turkey. It was a city, just across the sea from the Island of Patmos, where John was exiled. Today, the ruins are being researched – the ancient Smyrna is no more. Again, we don’t know what happened to the church there, but at the time John wrote his Revelation we can assume that it was a thriving fellowship of early Christians.

Again, John is addressing the “angel of the church”. Presumably a leader, or the leadership at the church. Perhaps even the very culture, or soul, of this fellowship of believers. And John once again emphasises that the message is coming from Jesus Himself, “the First and the Last”. Just to emphasise the credentials of our Lord, he finishes with “who was dead but is now alive”. 

These last 7 words are earth-shattering in their portent. Not only did the Creator of the universe, our Father God, send His Son, Jesus, to this sad and sorry planet, but He did it to fulfil a plan that would involve His painful death on a Roman cross. A plan that would in some inexplicable way enable mankind at long last to approach their Heavenly Father without all the carry-on of animal sacrifices and priestly rituals. A plan that would enable mankind to receive forgiveness for their sins directly, and to receive the righteousness that God Himself had. No wonder that there was darkness in the land while Jesus was dying. No wonder the temple curtain was torn in two. And we read that when Jesus died, significant physical events, earthquakes, rocks splitting and tombs opening up, all took place. I’m sure the whole of Heaven was looking on, wondering and sad. And the devil was having a party, sincerely believing that he had engineered the destruction of God’s Son. 

But the last word in this verse changed everything. On the third day after His death, the One who was dead, laid cold and still, in a tomb, suddenly came alive. In Matthew we read that there was another earthquake, and an angel appeared, rolling away the stone. The battle-hardened Roman guards shook with fear and fainted. And the angel uttered those words that have echoed and reverberated through the years and centuries ever since, “He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead” (Matthew 28:6). How can we ever imagine the impact that that had throughout the Heavens. The party is still going on in Heaven, because the One “who was dead … is now alive”. The devil defeated. And a way planned out for us pilgrims to join our elder brother Jesus when we cross the Great Divide. What else can we do, like John, than fall to our knees with grateful praise and worship.

Dear Lord. We are deeply grateful for all You have done. Words cannot express how we feel. One day we will have the opportunity to praise and worship You forever. Amen.

Nicolaitans

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“But this is in your favour: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do.”
Revelation‬ ‭2:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Almost as an afterthought, Jesus encouraged the Ephesians with a favourable mention, perhaps not wanting to leave them with a negative. He affirmed them for hating “the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do”.  It appears that the Nicolaitans were a sect that probably started well but went off the rails, erring into theological error and sinful practices. There has been some conjecture that they were led by a man called Nicolas, who was one of the seven deacons chosen to wait on tables, as mentioned in Acts 6:5. Their error came from an attempt to merge with the sinful practices of the other religions around them, with things like sexual impurities, and eating food offered to idols, as expressly forbidden in the Apostolic dictate issued in Acts 15:20, “Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood”. And Jesus, in His message through John, declared their practices evil.

We see a similar problem in following our faith today. Our societies tend to follow and implement customs and practices that are at variance with Biblical teaching. And there is always pressure applied, from both inside and outside the church, to embrace and include worldly customs and practices in our liturgies and teachings, thus diluting the purity of our faith. In the UK today, topical moral issues involving, amongst other things, gender and sexuality, collide with Biblical teaching. But, Christians, amongst others, are even afraid to mention such difficulties between the world and the church, for fear of causing offence, which can potentially lead to being the subject of hate speech litigation. 

So what do today’s pilgrims make of all this? We know what the Bible says. We know about the moralistic debates going on in society. And we know that the two are incompatible. But rather than, as some denominations have done, try and integrate the two in our church liturgies, we must remain counter-cultural, upholding the truths we have been taught. Thankfully, we have been granted wisdom. Not worldly wisdom, but the wisdom that comes from above, with which we can plot a course through the minefields of life, avoiding the clash-points that can be so destructive. In James 3:17, we read, “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favouritism and is always sincere“. Notice that wise old James gave us guidance about how to avoid conflict. Godly wisdom will always look for a way of peace, love, mercy, and good deeds. And Godly wisdom, above all, exemplifies purity in our faith. With such sentiments as these we can avoid becoming modern-day Nicolaitans.

Dear Father God, we thank You for Your Word and the faithful men who recorded Your Spirit-filled messages so many years ago. Please help us to always seek Your wisdom and Your guidance in the issues we face day by day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Keys

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as if I were dead. But He laid His right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.”
Revelation‬ ‭1:17-18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If we ourselves suddenly came face to face with Jesus, in the way John did, would we too fall at His feet as though dead? You see, with the limitations of our human minds and imaginations we would be totally unable to grasp and discern an other-worldly vision of the Son of God. John lived with Jesus for a few years and that was enough for him to know who the Person amongst the lampstands was. But we have never known a physical Jesus, as He was all those years ago in His mission to His people, the Jews. I think in reality, we would know Him, because we know Him through our prayers and encounters in times of worship. We would know Him through the love He has for us. So I’m sure I would fall at His feet. What else could I do, coming into such an encounter with my God? There would be that moment of total vulnerability. Perhaps a feeling within me that everything was suddenly exposed under His gaze. And fear would be a dominant emotion within me somewhere I’m sure.

John was prostrated before Jesus, as though dead. But the first words Jesus said to him were “Don’t be afraid”. There’s something about an encounter with God that induces fear. Remember the occasion when Jesus was walking on water? The disciples in the boat were not shrinking violets, scared of their own shadows. They were mainly fishermen, afraid of little in their lives, but when they saw Jesus the first thing He said to them was “Don’t be afraid”. There were other times recorded in the Gospels, when Jesus had to tell those around Him to not be afraid. And it wasn’t just Jesus’ presence that could make people afraid. The Roman soldiers sent to guard the tomb became as dead men, when the angel turned up, rolled away the stone and then sat on it.  Human beings are reasonably secure and unafraid in their own time-space world, but when something unexplained happens, a natural emotional reaction is to feel afraid. So John would have connected with Jesus telling him not to be afraid – he would have remembered the times when Jesus had said that before – and he would have been reassured.

We also read in the verse that Jesus laid His right hand on John. Oh, what a great place to be, to feel the physical touch of our Saviour. The hand that was so compassionate, even to the point of touching someone with the dreaded disease, leprosy. How John would have been enthralled by that touch. It was also interesting that John recorded that Jesus touched him with his right hand. There are several Scriptures that record the significance of God’s right hand. For example, we read in Psalm 44:3, “They did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was your right hand and strong arm and the blinding light from your face that helped them, for you loved them“. In the Bible, when we see a reference to God’s right hand, we immediately know that the Scripture is telling us how great and strong God is. 

After telling John not to be afraid, Jesus then went on to assure him of His status. He said that He had been around for ever, and that he was alive, even though He had once died, and would be with us, alive for all eternity. Jesus finally told John, in this verse, that He held the keys of death and the grave (other translations say Hades). In other words, Jesus was saying He had the power to control when death would happen, and when it could be reversed. Jesus had the power over His own life and death, as we read His words in John 10:17-18, “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded“. And He also has the power to release us from death as well. We saw Him doing just that when He called Lazarus out of the tomb (John 11:43). 

There’s a lot in these verses today. And we can only marvel about this wonderful God we serve. The God who created the universe and all in it, but also cares intimately about you and me. 

Dear Lord Jesus. Thank You for this glimpse in Your word, of the meeting that John had with You all those years ago. We thank You that You are alive and waiting to set us free from death when the time comes. We praise and worship You today. Amen.