In The Word
Read: Revelation 1:1-8
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John,2 who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Message to the Seven Churches
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— 6 and He made us into a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
The New Testament book called Revelation gets its name from the beginning words, “The revelation of Jesus Christ.” A revelation comes from God, not man. A man can speak a revelation, but God is the one who has to make it real in our lives. Like Christ told Peter, “Flesh and blood didn’t reveal this to you but my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17) John was given this revelation from the Father as well. For us to enter into this revelation, we must look to the Holy Spirit to make it real in our lives.
Notice that our Lord gives John a message which was meant to be relayed to seven local churches. The local church is the structure of God’s kingdom on the earth today. Even though some local churches have issues that need to be addressed and solved, it is still God’s chosen way to spread the gospel, make disciples, and help believers grow closer together. He has made us to be a kingdom of priests operating through the local church to reach the world. We have been released from our sins by His blood to walk, establish, and build His kingdom through the local church by His Spirit.
As we begin to read this letter to the seven local churches, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us relate to what He has communicated to them and embrace it in our own lives as individuals in the church and as local churches in the world.