Today at my church, I began a journey to finally understand the book of Revelation in the Bible. To many, including myself, this book has been very challenging because of the symbolism throughout the book. For the next seven weeks though, our senior pastor will be taking us on a journey through the first three chapters of the book to help us understand what lies in them.
The points I learned today are:
- Jesus is not a mild-mannered Clark Kent but a mixed martial arts fighter
- Jesus has paid the debt that I owe
- Jesus death and resurrection guarantees that I will not have to face judgement like non-believers
In the very first verse it states "The revelation of Jesus Christ". This book is the "revealing" or "unveiling" of who Jesus Christ really is. He is the "firstborn of the dead". There were others that were raised from the dead, for example Lazarus, but Jesus was the only one to have been raised from the dead and not die a final time. He is not just the meek and mild-mannered forgiver portrayed throughout the majority of the New Testament. That is just one side of who He really is. This book will reveal the Jesus that will come to judge those who have not accepted Him as their Lord and personal Savior. What stands out for me in the description of Jesus in verses thirteen through sixteen are His eyes and tongue. His eyes are described as being "like blazing fire" and his tongue like a "sharp double-edged sword". These are characteristics of someone sure to be kicking some butt.
Jesus "loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood". This is just another portion of Scripture that explains that Jesus loves us. God loves us so much that He came to live with us as a man in the person of Jesus, to die for us and our sins on the cross. Our sin no longer condemns us. We are free.
Jesus has said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father BUT through me." {Emphasis added.) This statement simply states that the only way into heaven is by way of Jesus. That way is by accepting Him as your Lord and personal Savior. It's not accepting that He IS Lord and Savior, but that He is YOUR Lord and personal Savior. By accepting Him, He bought all that have, their ticket into heaven. There may even be a will call window at the pearly gates with their name on the list for tickets.
Being nice will not get anyone into heaven. Good deeds will not get anyone into heaven. Being philanthropical will not get anyone into heaven. When Jesus comes with eyes of fire and a sharp double-edged sword for a tongue, He will use these to judge those who have not accepted Him. The fire will illuminate and expose, and the sword will cut through to the core of all the good things done. Nothing will be hidden, and everything will be exposed. If there is just the smallest amount of tarnish on one of these, heaven will be denied.
The bottom line is this: I have accepted Jesus as MY Lord and PERSONAL Savior. Jesus died for my sins, so I am forgiven and the slate has been wiped clean of my sins. The slate is clean so there is nothing to be judged about. My entry into heaven IS secure. Thank you Jesus!
