Jesus Sees

Posted on by korgrocker

“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for Me without quitting.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭2:2-3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In His opening few lines, Jesus commends the Ephesian church. He has noticed that they have been actively involved in doing good works in their church, and probably their community. And they have diligently gone about it without giving up. Also, Jesus commends them for their discernment. They have been able to sniff out “evil people“, and “apostles [who] are not”, having the confidence to label them “liars”. And they have been suffering for Him; we don’t know in what way, but it in other places in the New Testament, we find that the early Christians experienced ostracisation in their communities and problems in running businesses. Probably low level anti-social behaviour was focused on them. They may have even been imprisoned for their faith. But whatever the suffering was, they didn’t give up being Christians. Jesus was saying to them, “Well done”, and you can perhaps feel their pride in the accolade.

As pilgrims today, do we relate to these tributes from Jesus? Should they even be applied to us? What I mean is, do we work hard for our faith? Are we also discerning and weeding out evil people, those who would try and lead us away from the purity of the Gospel and Biblical teaching? Are we suffering for our beliefs? 

Christianity today has somehow acquired a reputation for being tired and irrelevant in the Western societies in which we live; at least, that is what the media would try and have us believe. And the religious scandals of recent decades have provided further evidence to support their negative and misleading articles and reports. Furthermore, liberal theology has crept into some denominations, diluting the purity of Jesus’ teaching. A recent media article from a retiring Church of England Vicar lamented the fact that his liberal views on morality were not accepted by many churches in his denomination. And he went on to say the only churches growing in numbers and income are those which are “conservative, punchy and fundamentalist”. Perhaps those churches were the ones that adhered to Jesus’ teaching, rejecting the worldliness that comes with theological liberalism. Note that Jesus appealed to the Ephesian church to repent of its apostasy before their “lampstand” was removed. Perhaps His message is echoing down the corridors of time into our day as well.

We pilgrims live our lives the Jesus way. Conscious that He is with us in every step we take. Conscious of His love and encouragement. We are always working hard for our faith. Enduring the negatives we encounter for daring to be counter-cultural, Bible-believing Christians. And keeping our eyes firmly fixed on the goal ahead; our own accolades are waiting. 

Dear Lord. We thank You for caring for us, for loving us, for encouraging us, for being with us, day by day. Amen.

Testing Ourselves

Posted on by korgrocker

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven gold lampstands:”
Revelation‬ ‭2:1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

John continues with a message from Jesus, “the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven gold lampstands”. Perhaps we could ask the question why John didn’t just say “Jesus”. But there’s something significant about the authority behind the message when the One giving it is described in the way John did. To me, it’s almost as though John is saying that although he once knew Jesus in a friendly, human way, as they walked and talked together in Israel, he now knew Him as the Son of God, with all the authority that that entailed, and He was central to this part of his vision.

The message from Jesus was addressed to the church in Ephesus. We remember our recent pilgrimage through the Book of Ephesians (and my latest book, “The Ephesian Pilgrimage”). Paul’s Epistle to his Ephesian friends was a treasure trove of loving instructions, designed to keep them free from error, that was so prevalent in his day. But over the years, it looks as though some issues have arisen, and Jesus cared so much about this group of His followers that He had a direct message for them. It is a human trait that we lapse into a state of comfort. To live in accordance with God’s will and wishes requires energy and commitment. The Ephesian church got some things right and missed the mark on others. 

So, as pilgrims, what is there in life that we have done well, and what is there with the dreaded report-card remarks, “could try harder” or “could have done better”? Come to that, who is filling in our report cards anyway? A dangerous prayer to pray is the one David prayed and recorded, in Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life“. And then 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith”. If we let Him, God will sign our report cards, and of course in a gentle and loving way.

Dear God, we echo David’s prayer today, asking You to search our hearts and help us maintain our lives in accordance with Your will and purposes. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Meaning of the Mystery

Posted on by korgrocker

“Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen. This is the meaning of the mystery of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and the seven gold lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.“
Revelation 1:19-20 NLT

Following his encounter with Jesus amongst the lampstands, John received his commission. He was told to start writing. And he was told specifically what to write about – events as they happened, and also those that will happen at some time in the future. In other words, all the events as they unfolded in the vision he received. I’m sure John was only too eager and willing to do what he was asked; after all, I’m sure he would have realised that he was in a special place. And Jesus started by explaining what the seven stars he had in His right hand represented and what the significance was of the seven gold lampstands. 

There was obviously a special interaction, not just between John and Jesus, but also between John and the Holy Spirit. The vision that unfolded before John either took place over quite a long period, enabling him, and giving him time, to go through what would have been a laborious process of writing everything down longhand, or it happened quite quickly, as in a dream, and the Holy Spirit then helped him recall everything he needed to record. Either way, it was some vision. It was so vivid that John must have had difficulty separating his incarceration in exile on Patmos with the events that were unfolding before him. And what a contrast!

Jesus explained the mystery that was appearing in the vision, that the seven stars were the angels appointed to the seven churches, represented by the gold lampstands. Angels. Created but immortal beings residing in heaven with God and on hand to always do His bidding. And here we have seven of them overseeing churches. Does that imply that all of our churches have a spiritual covering from an angel? They may well do, but I’m sure there will be those who disagree. Some might even question the existence of angels, but in John’s vision there were many of them. But in the next chapter of Revelation, we see Jesus delivering messages to the angels of the seven churches. Were these the angels from Heaven? Or was the message being delivered figuratively to the leader or leaders of the churches? Or was the message being delivered corporately to the entire church? Personally, I discount the idea that the angels were getting a bit of a telling off. So I lean more towards the leadership and the church as a whole. Some commentators have worked out that the Greek word for “angel” could also mean “messenger”, who could be a human being. But in the end, the important thing is to listen to the message, however it is delivered, and act accordingly.

As pilgrims, we all need a bit of correction from time to time. Isn’t it strange that humans have a tendency to rationalise their thinking to a place of comfort, and even error. It’s important that we read God’s Word because it is from God Himself. We read in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work“. Notice that Jesus delivered a message to the churches, not to individuals, so it is also important that we pilgrims get plugged into a Spirit-filled church somewhere. There are other pilgrims on the same journey as us and together we keep to the right paths through the minefields of life.

Dear Lord. We thank You for Your Word, the Bible. And I pray that as we continue to journey through the Book of Revelation, You lead us and guide us in Your ways. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Son of Man (2)

Posted on by korgrocker

“And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across His chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And His eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in His right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from His mouth. And His face was like the sun in all its brilliance.”
Revelation‬ ‭1:13-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

John describes the Person in his vision as “someone like the Son of Man”. Of course, John knew Jesus personally. He walked around Palestine with Jesus for over three years, living with Him, eating with Him, observing the miracles, hearing the teaching. He was part of the disciples’ inner circle, along with Peter and James. He would definitely recognise Jesus again. So perhaps this encounter in his vision provided enough clues for John to recognise Jesus, and he described Him with the label Jesus Himself used, the “Son of Man“.

But it wasn’t Jesus’ earthly qualities, the clothes He wore, or the way He carried Himself, that grabbed John’s attention. In fact, I think he encountered a problem. The vision was real and dramatic, of that there are no doubts. But John’s ability to translate what he saw into language his readers could understand was difficult. If only he had a smartphone or camera! Ready and waiting to take a picture. But John didn’t do bad with his description of the risen Jesus. His eyes took in a vision of a Person central in a place containing lampstands, the seven churches to which He would later address some instructions. I won’t repeat what John wrote in his vision – the verses above are clear and graphic, but I believe it was a vision displaying both physical and spiritual qualities, somehow bound together in a visible way. Jesus came to this earth as a human being, and that was how He returned to Heaven. But He was also the Son of God, with all the divine qualities that that would include. John perhaps saw Jesus as He was, and is, in Heaven. 

As pilgrims, have we had a vision of the risen Jesus? How do we mentally picture Him? John would have had no doubts – the vision he received “on the Lord’s Day” all those years ago would have remained with him for the rest of his life, short though it was. But I’m challenged today about what picture I hold in my mind of Jesus. Is it flavoured by an actor’s portrayal of Jesus in one of the films that have been made about Him? Or is it something else, perhaps equally dramatic and real, put there by my years of relationship with Him? I suppose my “vision” of Jesus is very much that He is a very real and significant “presence” in my life. I’m conscious of His love. I’m aware that He is always with me. I know He listens to my prayers and provides answers when required. But the vision I have of Jesus is not one of a middle Eastern man with a beard and wearing a robe. Is that a problem for me? Not at all. One day I know that I will meet Him and, like John, I’m sure I will fall at His feet in worship, because I will somehow inexplicably know Him.

Dear Lord Jesus. We worship You today, in gratitude for who You are and for all You have done. Thank You that You came to this world to save us by Your grace, love and mercy. We worship You today. Amen.

The Son of Man (1)

Posted on by korgrocker

It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man…”
Revelation 1:11-13a NLT

In the previous verse we remember that John hears a voice “like a trumpet blast”. But who’s voice was it? As we read on, we find out that the Speaker was none other than Jesus Himself, the Son of Man. And He was standing in the middle of seven golden lampstands. What was their significance, I wonder? As usual, with the Book of Revelation, several possibilities have emerged. But in verse 20 of this chapter, Jesus explains that the seven lampstands are the seven churches, as he previously listed in verse 11. Why seven though? The number “seven” in the Bible denotes completeness and perfection. God’s promise that He would never flood the earth again was sealed by a rainbow, consisting of seven colours. God rested from His creation work on the seventh day, and there are other examples of “sevens”. So, coming back to our churches located in what is now Western Turkey, perhaps Jesus’s message extended beyond them to all churches everywhere. 

Jesus, the Son of Man, personally gave this message to John. In other places in Revelation John had a dialogue with an angel, but this message was so important that it was Jesus Himself who delivered it to John. Perhaps another reason that we cannot assume the messages Jesus gave were just for the seven churches.

As Christian pilgrims, we enjoy a personal relation with God and the other parties to the Trinity, the Holy Spirit and Jesus. But how do we hear God speaking to us? Jesus’s voice was dramatically heard by John. We read it was loud and like a trumpet blast. Not like the still small voice heard by Elijah at the mouth of the cave (1 Kings 19).  But how do we hear Him? If asked, Christians will say they hear God through Scripture, or through other Christians, perhaps through a prophecy. Occasionally, but rarely, they might hear the “still small voice” of God. Personally, I have heard God audibly. On one occasion it was when I was driving and the voice was so real that I turned in my seat to see who was sitting in the back seat. On another occasion, God engineered a physical event, accompanied by a whisper in my mind, that gave an immediate answer to an anguished prayer. I also hear and see God through His creation. Seeing the explosion of growth in the Spring in the woods near where I live, animals and plants busily doing what they are designed to do, I sometimes catch a glimpse of God and hear His voice . The bird song, the wind rustling the tree tops, the stream trickling even onwards. The consequent thoughts as I rest in His presence.

John turned to see who was speaking to him. He was willing to open his ears to a message about to be delivered. And that is perhaps an encouragement to us all. There will be many things said in this life that we don’t want to hear, but we must always be ready and waiting to recognise the voice of God speaking. What a tragedy if we filter out His voice, as we do the other voices, thereby missing out on an important and personal message, tailor made just for us. Ananias heard the voice of God and as a result he found Paul in Damascus and prayed for him. What an important message that was. And how disappointing it would have been for him (and for Paul) if he had ignored it. So who knows – God might be about to deliver a message for us, you and me, that might change the course of history.

Dear Father, we thank You for those times when You have lovingly spoken to us and encouraged us on our journey. Please let us never miss out on hearing Your voice. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.

Alpha and Omega

Posted on by korgrocker

““I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.””
Revelation‬ ‭1:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This verse is a direct message from God Himself, recorded by John to establish irrefutably God’s  absolute and eternal status in His created universe. It appears between a verse about Jesus’ second coming and John informing us about his exile on Patmos. But its content is so profound that it can stand alone in any context.

The Alpha and Omega, two letters from the Greek alphabet. One at the beginning and one at the end. They portray a message of completeness, something confirmed with the statement that God has always been around. In our human thinking, bounded by time, the concept of eternity is something that really is mind boggling. We are imprisoned by our clocks. We get up at a certain time. Our daily events are all timed. Seconds tick by, unstoppable. We celebrate our birthdays every year. We record the time and date of our births, marriages and deaths. Young people behave as thought they will live forever, but the oldies amongst us become aware of their mortality, a state compounded by increasing aches and pains and visits to medical facilities. But God lives outside of time. He lives in another universe, Heaven itself. The phrase in our verse today, “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come”, defines His eternal state.

As humans, we have a tendency to look back, into our “was”. Our lives are shaped by what has gone on before in our lives. Choices and decisions made in years past define who we are now. And what the rest of our lives will be, our “still to come”. But it is not possible to apply the same concepts to our eternal God. Living in an eternal state is totally incomprehensible to us. And it certainly confuses the evolutionists and educationalists in our societies, who try to apply time-based principles to an eternal, timeless universe. A universe created by “the Alpha and the Omega”, the “Almighty One”. 

So where does this verse fit into the pilgrim’s mindset? It once again reminds us of the God we worship. We can only wonder about this Eternal Creator, who cared so much for us, that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die for us, as a sacrifice for our sins, and restore to us the status He designed into us from the very beginning. What else can we do other than praise Him forever?

Father God. We join together in praise to You. You are the Almighty God and our loving Heavenly Father. We are so grateful. Amen.

Seen By Everyone

Posted on by korgrocker

“Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him— even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen! “
Revelation 1:7 NLT

John would have been in the little group of disciples who stood with Jesus on the Mount of Olives, just outside Jerusalem, as He provided their final instructions and answered their last questions. And then, as they were speaking with Him, He was taken up from their presence into the clouds. They strained to see Him go, but as they were doing so, two angels suddenly turned up, wearing white robes, telling them that Jesus had gone up into Heaven, but would return the same way at some future date. We can read the story in Acts 1:6-12.

So John would have been very certain of his facts when he said Jesus “comes with the clouds of Heaven“. And John goes on to tell his readers that everyone will see Jesus when He returns, including those who crucified Him. John may have been confirming Daniel’s prophecy in Daniel 7:13, “As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence“. He would also have been aware of the prophetic words in Zechariah 12:10, “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died“. But John’s words were very clear. Jesus will return one day, and there will be a global outbreak of mourning for what sinful men and women did to Him. And still do, come to that.

How does all that matter for today’s pilgrims? Surely we just continue as normal, interested and even excited by the Second Coming of Jesus, but not considering it as an event all that relevant. After all, the chances of it happening in our lifetimes must be pretty remote. 

In Matthew 25, Jesus told the story of the wise and foolish virgins. Five of them were prepared for the coming of the bridegroom. They had enough oil for their lamps, so they were the wise ones. But the other five didn’t have enough oil, and in the process of trying to buy some they missed out on celebrating the marriage feast with the bridal party. These were the foolish ones because they weren’t ready for the bridegroom’s coming. Jesus ended the parable with these words, “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.” (Matthew‬ ‭25:13‬ ‭NLT‬). The meaning of this parable was that wise people are always ready for the Lord’s return, whenever that might be, while the unwise, the foolish, put off their readiness until it is too late.

Today’s pilgrims must live as though Jesus was coming today. So we keep spiritual short accounts, confessing our sins. We encourage one another. We continue to help each other. We look for opportunities to share our messages of hope with those around us. Today’s pilgrims want to be found by Jesus as faithful servants – Jesus graphically told the story of a faithful servant, and the consequences of being unfaithful, in Matthew 24:45-51. 

But moving on out of negative territory, the second coming of Jesus will be amazing. Words cannot described the wonder of that event. The excitement for those ready and waiting. After all, His first coming was full of wonder and amazing things, with visions of singing angels, stars and all. His second coming will, in some ways, be the opposite to His first – everyone will see Him coming as a King, in all His Heavenly majesty, not just a select few witnessing the events around the birth of the son of God. And we read in Philippians 2:10-11, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”. That’s pretty inclusive, folks. He will be seen by everyone.

Father God. Today we enter Your presence with deeply grateful hearts, for all You have done for us. We echo the words at the end of this book, “Come Lord Jesus”. Amen.

Greetings

Posted on by korgrocker

“John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood,”
Revelation‬ ‭1:4-5‬ ‭NIVUK

John starts his writings with an introduction explaining who the letter is for and who it is from. It is addressed to “the seven churches in the province of Asia“. They are all listed later in the book. And then we have a detailed explanation of the contributors to his Revelation. For me, John’s words describe the everlasting God, because His throne is mentioned. And then we have the seven spirits. That can only be the Holy Spirit, the number “seven” denoting perfection or completeness, as it does in other parts of the Bible. And then we have a reference to Jesus, acknowledging Him as the faithful witness behind John’s Revelation. For good measure, we then are reminded of His death and resurrection, and His status as Lord of all.

John starts with announcing God’s grace and peace to “you”, who are the churches, the fellowships that he founded or spiritually fathered in the “province of Asia”. Again, the number “seven” is mentioned, perhaps indicating that it applies to all churches everywhere. There is no better introduction than speaking out a blessing of grace and peace. Oh, don’t we need both these qualities in our war-ravaged world. We need all the grace and peace that God has for us. Starting a letter or, to bring it up to date, an email or message, using a greeting, especially one including the words “grace and peace” is not a usual convention these days. But what a wonderful way to start. At a stroke of the pen, or tap of a key, it sets the scene for what is to come in the communication. It elevates the subject matter into Heavenly places, away from the mundane worldliness burdening our lives. Perhaps I’ll break with convention and start to use it more in my emails and messages, smiling at the thought of the quizzical smiles that will appear as the missive is read.

John finishes his greeting with a dedication, “to Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood”. We must never forget to dedicate all we do in our service to God to Jesus and all He has done for us. His love knows no bounds. His willingness to die for each one of us echoes through past, present and future generations, bringing salvation to all.

Heavenly Father, we pray for more of Your presence in this sinful world, bringing grace and peace where there is anger and strife. In Jesus’ name, Amen.