Just came across a quote from Charles Swindoll that ties in nicely with Sunday’s sermon.  “If our perfect Lord is gracious enough to take our worst, our ugliest, our most boring, our least successful . . . and forgive, burying them in the depths of the sea, then it’s high time we give each other a break . . . He promises full acceptance along with full forgiveness . . . without an erratum sheet attached.  Isn’t that encouraging?  Can’t we be that type of encourager to one another?  After all, imperfection is one of the few things we still have in common.”  (Come Before Winter)

Another of the lessons that we can learn from these chapters that I did not touch on Sunday fully is how we are to overcome.  I did say that Satan’s time is limited, his power short and his defeat is sure, but why.  It is because of blood of the lamb and by the word of our testimony (Rev 12:11).  But what that entails means a lot for us.  Because as that same verse goes on to say; “they did no love their lives so much as to shrink from death”  I like what one commentary says about this.  “The rest of this book teaches that our goal as Christians is not to escape suffering or death but to announce Jesus to the world”  (Keener 331)  This has already been seen in 6:9-11 and 11:3-7.  Our testimony about our encounter with the blood of the lamb is critical now, but will be even more important as the end draws neigh.  We must not shrink from this duty.  We cannot.  The salvation of our family, friends and neighbors depends on it.  We must invade the world with the message and example of God’s redeeming love.  And we need to start now!

I was watching some of the funeral procession of the late queen of England this morning as well as reading about a pastor over in the UK that was fired from his job for teaching and preaching the Bible but was it considered hate speech.  I do not know how much longer we as God’s church is to tell others about him and his gospel before we are treated as criminals or our free speech about Jesus is outlawed by those around us (either formally or informally).  So let us not be silent but in boldness and in the freedoms we still have to tell others about our Great God.

As we saw in the message Sunday, the sad news is that many people will still not repent even in the face of God’s judgments.  As a result, darkness will cover the earth (see the 4th trumpet).  “A day of darkness and of gloominess” (Joel 2:1-2)  Not only will nature suffer loss, but human nature will take advantage of the long darkness and no doubt indulge in crime and wickedness.  One would think that the combination of five months of torment (trumpet 5) and then death (from fire, smoke and brimstone) (trumpet 6) would bring men and women to their knees in repentance; but such is not the case.  Like Pharaoh during the plagues on Egypt, the world refuses to repent.  In the face of this revelation it is clear why God’s patience with them will ultimately run out and “because of this, God [will give] them over to their sinful desires and shameful lust (Rom 1:24, 26).  They “show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads toward repentance” (Rom 2:4).  And “because of [their] stubbornness and [their] unrepentant heart [they] are storing up wrath against [themselves] for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed” (Rom 2:5).  Maybe that is why we should try even harder before that time to convince them of God’s love and mercy and win them over before their hearts become too hardened to repent later.

Labor day was yesterday (I am posting this on the 6th).  When we have a job, we have some responsibilities and duties that our boss requires of us (even if we ourselves are the boss).  Some of those duties are to show up to work on time and ready to do what we are asked to do.  To give of ourselves for the work we are called to do.  To accept the assignments given to us.  And to promote the business we work for in a positive light.  No boss wants a worker to does not do what is asked of them or who complains all the time or who slacks off or is a bad representative.  All those things are true about Christians.  God wants us to show up (live our lives following him), ready to do what he asks, give ourselves to the work of living for him, and accept the opportunities he gives to us as we promote Christ in a positive light.  He does not want those who does not do what he has asked them to do or for us to complain and not giving him the honor and glory he deserves.  So on this labor day, “Let us labor for the master from the dawn to setting sun. Let us talk of all his wondrous love and care; Then when all of life is over and our work on earth is done and the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there”.  Or as we read this week from Revelation, let us be his servants with his mark on us (7:3) and “serve him day and night in his temple” (7:15)

The cast of characters around God’s throne is a bit unusual and take a bit of details to interpret.  But what is clear and needs no interpretation is why they are worshiping.  God is worthy of all praise, and, honor, and power, and glory.  The word worthy is simply giving worth to another.  It is similar to the worship or as some spell and pronounce it worthship.  Because of who God is and all that he has done, he is the object/focus of our worship.  The lamb is also mentioned to be on the throne in the center of these worshipers so he is equally worthy of praise.  And so we can praise God and Jesus.  But I hope you noticed in the message that the Holy Spirit (the seven blazing fires) is also in the center (literally in the eye) of the throne as well.  Therefore, he too should be the object of our praise and worship.  He too is divine and equal with God and Jesus.  When was the last time you praised and worshiped the Spirit?  Maybe we should give him equal treatment as well.

Yesterday we started a new series entitled Back to the Future.  As I have studied the book, the more I realized the parallels to the movie.  The past is repeated in the future and the future is a reflection of the past.  As we start this series, we will find time and time again that John is just looking to the future by seeing the past and placing the past in a new setting of the future.  And one of the things I did not stress in the message this morning (we will see it come out next week much more) is how exalted Jesus is in the book of Revelation.  Here in chapter one, he is placed on par with God.  Jesus is called the ruler of the kings of the earth.  There are several passages in the OT that give this job to God (Ps 2:10-11; Ps 47:9).  Later on Jesus calls himself the first and the last (vs 17) which parallels what God calls himself in vs 8, the Alpha and the Omega.  Jesus says he is the Living One which is what God is called in Deut 5:26, Josh 3:10, 1 Sam 17:26, 36; Ps 84:2, and many other places.  Jesus is divine and his death and resurrection attests to this.  Hence why it is mentioned twice in this opening chapter (vs 5 and vs 18).  And he holds the key which is reminiscent of the prophecy from Isa 22.22 (also see Rev 3:7-8).  And finally he accepts the worship of John in vs 17 which we will see in other places in Revelation is not accepted by non-divine beings (Rev 19:10; 22:9).  Jesus is God, who became a man to suffer and die, and who was raised to life as a sacrifice for our sins.  Tune in next week to discover more.

Conforming is one of the easiest temptation to fall into.  Everybody likes to “fit in”.  No one likes to “stick out” and be different.  But that is what God has called his people to do ever since Abram when God asked him to circumcise everyone in his household.  But idea behind being different is because God has called his people to be holy and our “differences” are a picture of how God is “different” (i.e. separate from nature and not a part of nature: transcendence).  Plus it is how Jesus lived his life.  So remember Romans 12:2 and do not be conformed to the pattern of the world but let God transform you with a new (and different) life.

Opportunities are all around us.  But too often we only see the obstacle.  We pray and plead for the obstacle to go away or struggle to force our way through it.  But if we use the spiritual eyes of God, we will see that the obstacles are really opportunities.  We only need to ask God to help us see them in this way.