Revelation 22:8-21 Moments of Wonder

 

Observation: These verses conclude not only John's vision of a future heaven, but the book itself, and the Christian Bible. What stands out to me are:

1) the words "do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near"

2) the names for Jesus found here: Alpha and Omega, First and Last, Beginning and End, Root and Descendent of David, Bright Morning Star. 

Application: It's hard to find a simple, plainspoken life application for a cosmic text about the fate of the universe like Revelation. What does it mean for my daily life that Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the Root and Descendant of David? What bearing does a truth of that magnitude have on the ordinary patterns of my existence? 

I'm reminded in this new era of space exploration, with the James Webb telescope beaming back mind-blowing images of grandeur, and a moon exploration craft speeding back to us as we speak, that there needs to be a place for awe in our daily lives. We can't get so wrapped up in our busy schedules that we don't take a little time for "wow" in the presence of an infinite God. 

We shouldn't seal up the words of wonder that we hear from Jesus, the Lord of creation. Let's share them, and reflect on them. There needs to be more awe in our world. And our times of wonder can help fuel us up for the daily tasks: "let the righteous still do right; let the holy still be holy."

Prayer: Jesus, Alpha and Omega, you are indeed awesome. Give us moments to pause and take in all that you are, and all that you have done for us. By these moments, give us hope and faith to carry on. in your name, Amen. 

2 John 7-11 "The Antichrist"...It's A Lot Less Scary Than You Think

 

Observation: This is one of the only places where the word "antichrist" appears in the New Testament (no, it does not appear in the Book of Revelation). The author of this short letter defines "antichrist" as "anyone who does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh". This was a theological disagreement among early Christians. John's community believed Jesus was fully human, others didn't.  "Antichrist" was not a term for some cosmic end-times monster, but for people who were "anti" the John community's beliefs about "Christ". Not so scary, really. Yet they did draw a hard line that believers were not to support or have fellowship with people of this opposing view. 

Application: Second John strikes at the heart of a question I've been struggling with for years. How much disagreement in a community of faith is too much? At what point do peoples beliefs become so extreme and so contradictory as to become "anti-Christ"? And what do we do when we get there? Shunning in the way this letter describes--not welcoming with or eating with these folks--in itself seems extreme. If this were strictly followed, a lot of Thanksgiving Dinners would have to be canceled.

I'm not sure where the line is for me. I've had wonderful interfaith partnerships, as well as partnerships with Christians whose beliefs differ sharply from my own in various ways. Yet I do take very seriously my role as "pastor" and spiritual guide to the people of my congregation, and I am contacted often by organizations whose beliefs and agenda are so different from the ones I find in Christ, that can't promote them or give them a platform here. 

The basic takeaway I get from 2 John is: just because it has Jesus' name on it does not mean it's from the Lord. Unfortunately, there is too much evil and deception in the world for Christians to simply trust that anything with the "Jesus brand" is good. Yet if it is in fact "anti-Christ", it will be ultimately defeated by the truth, because we know the Way, the Truth and the Life, and he has won already. 

Prayer: God, guide us in the truth. Guide us to Christ, and away from ways of thinking and living which oppose him. In your name we pray, Amen.