Restored!

I remember the when (after I got my ego, my intellect and my logic out of His way) God spoke to me with His message of restoration.  It was beautiful and nothing has ever been the same.  That day my world changed, some slowly and some rapidly.
Revelation 21 will not, I believe, happen that way.  God, speaking through John, says that the old heaven and the old earth (the ones that are broken and fallen) "had disappeared."  The sea is also gone.  And New Jerusalem (no longer a place for a preferred race called Jews) comes down out of heaven, "beautifully dressed for her husband."  What will this dress look like?  This dress will represent the good deeds of the saints (19:8) ... the actions of God's holy people.  God, in His great memory will place into being a verse from Leviticus 26, making "his home among his people."  For you who hate change, everything will be new (21:5).
What an event this will be!  Fallen creation, fallen people and the fallen heavens (because of Satan's rebellion) will be totally restored and it won't look like anything you could describe.  You get the idea as John says "the city was pure gold, as clear as glass."  But wait ... gold is not as clear as glass (even pure gold).  John is out of words, out of descriptive terms and, again my speculation, out of breath.  And what is the most beautiful thing? ... the light of the Lamb and the very presence of God!
As the old preacher says about Jesus, "I wish I could describe it to you!" ... but you'll just have to see it for yourself.                                                                                                                              Pastor Randy

Options Over

We love our options.  If you go to a grocery store you have multiple kinds of soup, paper towels, cooking oil, flour and other commodities.  When I visited Brazil it was a different matter.  You had one of each item ... if you wanted cooking oil you had the one kind or no oil at all.  While we are spoiled, I love being in a great country with options, choices, varieties and the ability to pick the item that fits my preference.
There will, however, be a day with no options.  The Old Testament speaks often of the great and terrible day of the Lord (sometimes about this evnt and sometimes not).  The event I am speaking of is recounted in John's vision in Revelation 20.  God sits on a great white throne and even the sky tries to hide from God's presence, but it can't.  Even the sky and the rest of a fallen creation has reached the last moment ... a time where we (and all creation) simply waits for what God says, does, and causes to happen.
My prayer for all under my care is for each of you to make a choice before that day.  I ask you to choose God, life, love, servanthood and discipleship.  Tell God yes so that His call to you is to enter the kingdom of your master.  Ironically, we will all end all time with our master ... some with the master of the rebellious order and some with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Remember ... we can only serve one master.  Make your choice wisely!  Pastor Randy

A New York State of Mind

Billy Joel wrote a song called "New York State of Mind" in which he mused about New York and the things it represented.  In a related note, Ray Lewis (linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens) gave a passionate statement about "his" city, Baltimore and how it wouldn't turn it's back on him or the team.  It reminded me about where, exactly, do we live?  Are we only a product of where we live or are we led by who/what we live for?
Revelation 14 is all about the 'where we live' thing.  Are we Shema-people (who say, "the Lord is One ... Love God with all you got") or do we belong to Baltimore, New York, or Santa Rosa Beach?  The mark of the beast (sorry about this to those who must liberalize things that are so much deeper) is not a tattoo, a stamp or a bar-code that identifies us as property of evil.  The Jews found that that stamp couldn't really be worn on the wrist or forehead (where the Shema would be worn).  It, rather, is something worn in the heart and live-out in the lifestyle.  It is not the words on a piece of paper but the life out in the world called 'fallen Babylon' where each of God's people express our witness every day.  I know a man who believes he is a spiritual giant.  But to all who know him, his spirituality is false, outward, fake and a sham.  That is how God sees us ... not as we desire but as we are.  Our 'mark' goes all the way to the heart and our life expresses our citizenship to a world that sees more than any of us would like.  I would worry less about being tattooed by Satan with the number 666 and more about being caught up, bought into, and consumerized by this world.  For the 'mark' is where our heart is!  Pastor Randy

Not An Option

Last week one of my dear friends was commenting on the "rapture" and that folks who didn't have their view of the rapture would see them "wave as they departed."  As I thought about this comment I was amused about our propensity to believe that we have all the right answers about issues like the millennium, the tribulation and "the rapture."  It is interesting that the concept we currently call "the rapture" has been around for about 190 years.  Pre-tribulation rapture theology was developed in the 1830s by British evangelist John Nelson Darby and popularized in the United States in the early 20th century by the wide circulation of the Scofield Reference Bible (feel free to read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture or any of thousands of views for and against this modern concept).  While the 1 Thessalonians reference (Ch. 4) is clearly Biblical and I am certain will happen (when, who knows), I am less convinced of God's desire to remove the redemptive force of His Church from a clear time of great turmoil ... a time I think God and the Church have done their best work.  I heard one commentator express with certainty that the Church and the redeemed would not face tribulation and suffering.  Where has this dude been?  More Christians have been martyred in the last century than in all of history before that (paraphrased from Dr. Robert Mulholland, Commentary on Revelation).  Christians in Egypt, Iran, China (and you name it) are being pushed down and even killed as I write this blog entry.  Some think Christians in America are persecuted, though most of this persecution is tame compared to what happens in the rest of the world.  But the fact is, God revealed Himself in power, glory, honor, wealth, honor ... and lots of those clear references to God himself ... as he arrives in Revelation 5 as a slaughtered lamb.  The Jewish reference is clear.  The covenant reference is inescapable.  The idea that our God suffered and now seeks to exempt His redeemed from both the pain and redemptive purpose of suffering doesn't seem to fit with Scripture (read the New Testament), Tradition (read the history of the Church), Experience (look at God's people ... pain, sacrifice and suffering seem to go hand-and-hand with God's great work of redemption) and Reason (logic points to God calling His people to follow the greatest example ever ... Jesus, who said "take up your cross" and "don't try to save your life ... give up your life for Jesus").  You get the idea where I stand, but don't believe that I have a corner on the market of this truth.  What I do know is this.  God's opinion trumps anything I think.  No Christian will wave goodbye to other Christians ... we will stay, go, or hover together and at God's call.  Finally, this doctrine is no reason to argue, have conflict or get our hackles up.  If you are a true believer it won"t matter what you think about the millennium, the "rapture" or the tribulation.  You, and your brothers and sisters, will be in God's perfect place and God's perfect will.  Meet ya there!  PR

"What's It All About" (sermon next Sunday) will be looking at the purpose of the Revelation, especially at Chapters 4/5.  In 4/5 several Themes emerge ... a) this book is about God and our return to placing Him in a right and proper place [i.e., He is Holy. He is worthy, he is sufficient] ... b) this book is about going past our 'humanized' ways of trying to 'reach' God (we misuse the Law, the word of the Prophets, God words of wisdom and how we failed to learn from our own history with God) c) it is about allowing God to reach into our hearts for perfect and pure worship in Spirit (v:4:2) and truth (v:4:11) d) this book has nothing to do with resuming temple/tabernacle worship and 'going back' to our failed understanding of the Torah or other Scripture ... it is about returning to right relationship with God, and e) the ultimate purpose is spelled out in 4:9-10 in which the work of Christ has resulted in people from 'every tribe and language and people and nation' being brought into the blessing of life with the true and living God, all being priests who proclaim that God reigns (whether acknowledged by people or ignored by people).

It does kind of come down to that.  Revelation outlines a call to God's people to realize God's promised blessing through Abraham (remember this is pre-law and pre-Jew) ... a blessing that is not about the Jews but about the nature of God.  Even in the New Testament we must remember that while God and Christ have done all that is needed for our salvation and for our reaching the purpose and place He has created, the purpose is for God's pleasure (4:11) and God's will.  That will is a thread that runs from the beginning of the OT to the end of the NT.  What say you?  Pastor Randy

The Law That Matters

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said frequently "You have heard ... but I say".  Jesus is telling us "I am the appropriate interpreter of the faith and how we should practice the faith.  He is clear on this as He interprets the law in a God-intended way instead of the way 'sold' by the Pharisees.  In terms of Revelation Jesus is saying, "You can choose to live in Fallen Babylon or in the Kingdom of God." 
It seems that this conflict between God's plan and our rationalization was a common thread throughout history.  It is no wonder that Scripture continues to take us to God's plan ... not the failed/humanized law ... not our wits ... not religion ... not empty ritual ... not festivals and 'lip service' of priests.  In the New Testament the law is mentioned over 275 times and over half of those mentions involve something negative (a condemnation of how the law is used, a condemnation of the teachers of the law, a caution that the law has it's power in death, and multiple instances of the law being used to apply racism/exclusionary practices.  All this is not to condemn the law but to point out that the law doesn't mix well with people (except Christ).  It is why Christ offers a better way of grace, truth and a full amplification of God's intent when the law was given.  Jesus made it simple enough for a 'cave man' to understand ... love God and love people and that 'law' stuff will work out.  Then we (God's people) can become His treasure, his kingdom of priests (those who proclaim the universal reign of God) and a nation who does the most holy thing ever ... follow God completely.  The world, religions, doctrinal statements say lots of things that seem to be overwhelming ... but Jesus says, "follow me." That is the message to seven churches that represent the totality of churches both then, in history, now and in the future (from the God that was, is, and is to come). Pastor Randy

Unveiled Hope

That's the message of the "Revelation of Jesus Christ."  Actually this (the first few verses of the Revelation) could be read two ways. 

The first way is that this book is revealed BY Jesus for John to write and pass on to the Church.  It is important to remember that these are word-pictures and words given to John (he writes them in his context and from his image-pool).  They are given to John by our Lord and they carry a very heavy and final Revelation for the world to hear.  Jesus, through John, reminds us often to have ears to hear the words and minds that stretch to perceive what is being said.  Obedient followers ... listen with hearts that seek God!

The second way to read this is that this is a Revelation about Jesus.  It tells us the end of the story of God's mission of bringing His people home and of redeeming all things.  It tells the age old story of God making things right in the end and to Jesus' work on the cross setting all things right.  It describes strange and wonderful images and terrible tribulation as God's complete and righteous victory is finalized.  It is all about our Lord and His work on this world coming to a finality that is complete, stark, perfect and fulfillment all in one.  Furthermore, I (as does John) cannot even begin to describe all that will happen because I am limited by language and intellect.  Obedient followers ... hear with spiritual ears.

Rest assured that by Jesus and about Jesus sums up this first few verses of the Revelation ... and it should sum up the very life of the Church.  It is sad that we often forget this as we seek a church that is about us and for us.  Yet God shouts that the beginning and end of history is about God's plan, His purposes, His glory and His perfect will.  As is the repeated instruction from the Gospel our instruction here is similar ... FOLLOW!
Pastor Randy