Chapter 31 - The End of Time

Revelation 1-5; 19-22

Introduction to the Reading: 

What is it like to cross the finish line of an Ironman? My friend says it's like completing that final big project before graduating school. It's like winning an award.  While you can even see the video of what it is like, the only way to know how it feels is to do it yourself.

The Lord could have given us live streaming video of what is going on in heaven right now, but I have to admit that even if I could see exactly what is going on, I still couldn't get my head around it. If he gave me all the details about heaven that I could ever ask for without being there myself, I still wouldn't know what it feels like to be there.

The Lord realized exactly that when he gave John the revelation on the island of Patmos. Instead of giving him details he gave John an impression. I think of the book of Revelation like an impressionistic painting. If you aren't art fans, here is a link to one of the greatest impressionist painters: Monet. While a picture, especially in today’s HD world, would give us a much better idea of the details, Monet’s purpose was to give us an impression of what the scene felt like.

Today as you read Revelation, don’t get bogged down in the details. I could explain how the 24 elders represent the Church (all believers throughout eternity). I could try to explain what the different stones might possibly represent. However, I don’t want you to look at this picture of heaven and get caught up staring at the brush strokes. For today I want you to keep moving and see the bigger picture. I want you to take a step back and see what impression you get as to what heaven will feel like.

When You're Done Reading - Thoughts to Ponder:

The message of Revelation, as I discussed earlier in this post, isn't about giving us the specifications as to how big heaven will be, or specifically what we will be doing for the rest of eternity, or anything else like that. The message of Revelation is quite simple: Christ reigns, and we too will reign with him.

I have to admit, until reading the chapter this week, I never understood why the letters to the churches were included in this book. They seemed out of place. While it seems like John’s revelation is talking about things that are to come, these letters are written about the Church here on earth.

I don’t know how I missed it, but finally reading the chapter this week it clicked. First of all, the majority of the events described in Revelation are things that are going on right now! Right now Christ is reigning in heaven. Right now we are experiencing the signs of the end of time here on earth. Right now the Gospel is going out to all the corners of the earth. While some of the events described are talking about what will happen at judgment day, most of the things described are what are occurring now.

In addition, the book of Revelation isn't written for people who have crossed the finish line (to go back to the original illustration). The book of Revelation is written for those of us who are still running the race. As my friend ran the Iron Man, he recounts how during the race there were plenty of times when he started to zone out. When he started to daydream, he also started to slow down. He would get distracted and worn out.  His body didn't feel like going any further. It was times like those that he had to remind himself that there was a finish line out there. He came not just to run the race, but to finish.

John’s revelation is given to the Church militant (that is, the Church on earth still fighting for the faith.) While it reminds us of the Church triumphant, its purpose is to keep us focused on the finish line.

It has been great reading The Story with you, but the race is not over. It took my friend just over 12 hours to finish the Iron Man. That is nothing compared to the 50, 70, or even beyond 90 years that many of us will fight in the Church militant here on earth. The Lord says to us, “You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, but you have forsaken the love you had at first. Repent and do the things you did at first…Remember what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent!...To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.”

Prayer/Hymn:

My favorite hymn…

By William W. How

For all the saints who from their labors rest,

All who their faith before the world confessed,

Your name, O Jesus, be forever blest. Alleluia! Alleluia!

You were their rock, their fortress and their might;

You, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight

And in the darkness drear their one true light. Alleluia! Alleluia!

Oh, may your soldiers, faithful, true, and bold

Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old

And win with them the victor’s crown of gold. Alleluia! Alleluia!

Oh, blest communion, fellowship divine!

We feebly struggle; they in glory shine,

Yet all are one within your grand design. Alleluia! Alleluia!

And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long,

Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,

And hearts are brave again and arms are strong. Alleluia! Alleluia!

The golden evening brightens in the west;

Soon, soon, to faithful warriors comes their rest.

Sweet is the calm of paradise the blest. Alleluia! Alleluia!

But then there breaks a yet more glorious day;

The saints triumphant rise in bright array;

The King of glory passes on his way. Alleluia! Alleluia!

From earth’s wide bounds to ocean’s farthest coast

Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,

Singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Alleluia! Alleluia!

Chapter 30 - Paul's Final Days

Acts 20-23; 27-28

Ephesians 1-6
2 Timothy 1-4

Introduction to the Reading:

Paul wanted to preach the Gospel in Rome. Paul has been gathering an offering for the needy in Jerusalem that he wants to drop off first. But the Lord had different plans. Although the route to Rome I'm sure isn't the route that Paul would have planned on his own, he never lost sight of the goal.

Time to Slow it Down - 

Middle of Page 440: Did you catch it? Paul says it a few different ways. Can you find a sentence  where Paul clearly states to the Ephesian elders exactly what his goal is? 

Bottom of Page 444: Paul ran into what many would call a "road bump" in the road to Rome. In spite of the difficulty, who all has he been able to share the Gospel with in the last couple of pages?

Bottom of Page 446: This was more than just a stop at a wayside on the trip to Rome. Paul spent more than two years in Caesarea. I don't know about you, but I've often had to learn the hard way not only to trust the Lord's plans, but also his timetable at getting it done! 

Bottom of Page 450: Quite the detour! But Paul had an opportunity to share the Gospel along the way and to show his faith in everyday life as well. Are you going through a detour in life? How can you use the opportunity to show your faith to those around you?

Middle of Page 452: Paul's letter to the Ephesians can be quite overwhelming. Each phrase is packed with amazing truths about God and his plan for us. Until the middle of page 454, slow down a bit and try to pick out the phrases where Paul clearly teaches what God's plan is for us.

What was Paul's goal? It wasn't just to make it to Rome. Paul's goal was to preach the Gospel to all nations! In the first page of our reading today, Paul said to the Ephesian elders, "I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus."

When You're Done Reading - Thoughts to Ponder:

I'm sure you have heard it said, "It's not the destination, it's the journey." Paul wasn't so concerned with where he was going. His concern was sharing the Gospel - especially to the Gentiles. Where is your life going? Maybe the more important question is, "What are you plans for the journey?"

Prayer/Hymn:
By Herman Fick

1. Rise, Thou Light of Gentile nations,
Jesus, bright and Morning Star;
Let Thy Word, the gladsome tidings,
Ring out loudly near and far,
Bringing freedom to the captives,
Peace and comfort to the slave,
That the heathen, free from bondage,
May proclaim Thy pow'r to save.

2. See the blindness of the heathen,
Strangers to Thy glorious light,
Straying hopeless till they find Thee,
Wand'ring aimless in the night.
See their pitiful condition;
Lo, gross darkness covers all,
And no ray of hope refreshes
Nor dispels the dreadful pall.

3. If Thou, merciful Redeemer,
Hadst not saved us from this plight,
In like darkness we should languish
Hopeless, helpless, in sin's night.
Lovingly Thou, Lord, didst seek us
In the beauty of Thy grace;
Now with joy we freely serve Thee,
We, Thy blessed, chosen race.

4. Knowing Thee and Thy salvation,
Grateful love dare never cease
To proclaim Thy tender mercies,
Gracious Lord, Thy heav'nly peace.
Sound we forth the Gospel tidings
To the earth's remotest bound
That the sinner has been pardoned
And forgiveness can be found.

5. May our zeal to help the heathen
Be increased from day to day
As we plead in true compassion
And for their conversion pray.
For the many faithful heralds,
For the Gospel they proclaim,
Let us all be cheerful givers
To the glory of Thy name.

6. Savior, shine in all Thy glory
On the nations near and far;
From the highways and the byways
Call them, O Thou Morning Star.
Guide them whom Thy grace hath chosen
Out of Satan's dreadful thrall
To the mansions of Thy Father--
There is room for sinners all.

Chapter 29 - Paul's Mission

Acts 13-14; 16-20

Romans 1; 3-6; 8; 12; 15

1 Corinthians 1;3;5-6; 10; 12-13; 15;16

Galatians 1; 3; 5-6

1 Thessalonians 1-5

Introduction to the Reading: 

As you read about Paul's journeys, you can tell he had some specific tendencies while traveling and goals as well. For instance, he would usually visit the Jewish synagogue first, and after the Jews rejected the news about Jesus, he would start preaching to the gentiles. What do you notice about Paul's travels? There are plenty of things you may notice. In fact, I've written a whole paper just on Paul's interactions with the Roman government. But from a broader viewpoint, what would you say are Paul's goals? Most importantly, how would you summarize Paul's message?

Paul's main goal was obviously to share the good news about Jesus. While we may not be called to be full time missionaries and travel the globe, we too can intentionalize what we do. We too can deliberately find ways to share Jesus. How can you share Jesus in your daily travels - even if they are only to the grocery store?

Paul had a message to share. It was quite clear: we all are in some way responsible for Jesus' death since we are all sinners, but Jesus has conquered death - and sin! Forgiveness of sins and eternal life is yours. What is your message?

Prayer/Hymn:

by Frances Havergal

Lord, speak to me, that I may speak
In living echoes of Thy tone;
As Thou hast sought, so let me seek
Thy erring children lost and lone.

O lead me, Lord, that I may lead
The wandering and the wavering feet;
O feed me, Lord, that I may feed
Thy hungering ones with manna sweet.

O strengthen me, that while I stand
Firm on the rock, and strong in Thee,
I may stretch out a loving hand
To wrestlers with the troubled sea.

O teach me, Lord, that I may teach
The precious things Thou dost impart;
And wing my words, that they may reach
The hidden depths of many a heart.

O give Thine own sweet rest to me,
That I may speak with soothing power
A word in season, as from Thee
To weary ones in needful hour.

O fill me with Thy fulness, Lord,
Until my very heart o'erflow
In kindling thought and glowing word,
Thy love to tell, Thy praise to show.

O use me, Lord, use even me,
Just as Thou wilt, and when, and where,
Until Thy blessed face I see,
Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share!

Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/903#ixzz24nXGrL20

Chapter 28 - New Beginnings

Acts 1-10; 12

Introduction to the Reading: 
As we begin our reading today, we hear how the disciples weren't exactly in the best position. There were 11 of them, and Jesus their leader is leaving them. They have quite the project: they are to witness to what they had seen and heard. They were to proclaim the truth that Jesus rose in the city of Jerusalem, the regions of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Jerusalem, Judea, and even Samaria I can see an 11 man team handling - given they have the right PR skills. The ends of the earth, however, is quite the project. The fact that we are here, halfway around the world, listening to what the disciples witnessed, however, shows that they got the job done. How did they do it? It’s amazing what you can do with the right tools! 

Before You Read - Background of the Book of Acts:

Sometimes the book of Acts has been called "The Acts of the Apostles." As you will notice, however, very few of the Apostles are even discussed. We hear about Peter, but beyond that we really don't read much about the other 10 original disciples in our reading today. 

Another title for Acts is "The Acts of the Holy Spirit." It was interesting as I read this week how often the Holy Spirit is mentioned! How could the disciples carry out such a monumental task? Well they had exactly the tool they needed to get the job done: The Holy Spirit. As we read this week, let's stop along the way to see how the Holy Spirit helped the early Christian Church.

Breaks Along the Way:

Top of Page 390 One page in and the Holy Spirit has been mentioned three times! Jesus clearly explains that the Holy Spirit would give them the power to carry out the task they were assigned. He isn't like a boss who just hands you a job and says, "Figure it out on your own." I'm sure the disciples felt overwhelmed at this point: one moment Jesus is a rising star, the next moment he's been killed, one moment he's dead, another moment he's alive. Just when the disciples start to settle into a new routine, all of a sudden Jesus is about to leave them. Jesus knows what they need: a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit and a visual reminder of his presence with them.

Bottom of Page 392 So what did the Holy Spirit's special presence allow the disciples to do? Well they could speak in different languages that people from all over the world could understand. They could prophesy, that is, they could speak on God's behalf and proclaim his message. But let's not overlook the most important gift of the Holy Spirit. Peter himself talks about it, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." The greatest gift of the Holy Spirit is faith in Jesus that he has forgiven our sins through his death on the cross. (To learn more, check out "For those who like more" below.)

Middle of Page 399 Did you notice how Stephen is described as having received "wisdom from the Holy Spirit?" The message of the cross is foolishness to us. It doesn't make sense: how can one man dying take away our sins? How can Jesus have raised himself from the dead and how come that assures us that we too will rise from the dead on the day of judgment? Our logic can't answer these questions. This is where the Holy Spirit steps in. He gives us the wisdom to trust the Gospel message, even when it doesn't make sense to us. 

(Also notice, what can be the result of such a gift? Well Peter was described as being filled with the Holy Spirit and ended up beaten, bound, and put in jail. Stephen receives wisdom from the Holy Spirit and ends up dead. The gift of the Holy Spirit is the opposite of the gifts we receive on our birthdays as kids which are fun for 10 minutes and then get old. The gift of the Holy Spirit can bring difficulties and hardships now, but brings us joys that last into eternity.)

Middle of page 401 In spite of the sufferings that the early Christians endured, there came a time of peace from the chaos and persecution. Notice where their comfort comes from? The Holy Spirit. He encourages them. Have you gone through a time of chaos? Where do you find your peace and encouragement?

When You're Done Reading - Thoughts to Ponder:
"Alright, so where do I sign up? I want my name on the list of the Holy Spirit!" This is the thought process that many people have. In fact, we saw it even today in our lesson. People wanted to be like the disciples: doing miracles, speaking in tongues, etc. etc. How do we get the Holy Spirit? How do we know we have the Holy Spirit?

Let me ask this: do you believe in Jesus as your Savior? If so, then you already have the Holy Spirit! See, as I mentioned earlier, you can't come to faith on your own. The message of the cross is foolishness to us! Now just because we have the Holy Spirit, doesn't mean that he will give us the ability to perform miracles, but he already has performed one of the greatest miracles on us: he brought us to faith.

We had been like those that Peter addressed: we had rejected Jesus Christ of Nazareth like a piece of building material that most people would throw in the dumpster - the leftovers, the scraps. Yet the Holy Spirit has taught us that,"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."

Luther explains the Third Article of the Apostles' Creed this way:

I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way he calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church he daily and fully forgives all sins to me and all believers. On the Last Day he will raise me and all the dead and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true. 

How does your faith grow? How can you live a godly life? How can you spread the good news of Jesus and help the Church grow? On your own, you can't! But you have just the right tool: the Holy Spirit.

Prayer/Hymn:

Attributed to Rhabanus Maurus around 800 A.D.

Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
And make our hearts Your place of rest; 
Come with Your grace and heav'nly aid
And fill the hearts which You have made.

To You, the Counselor, we cry,
To You, the gift of God Most High;
The fount of life, the fire of love,
The soul's anointing from above.

Your light to ev'ry thought impart,
And shed Your love in ev'ry heart;
The weakness of our mortal state
With deathless might invigorate.

Drive far away our wily foe,
And Your abiding peace bestow;
With You as our protecting guide,
No evil can with us abide.

Teach us to know the Father, Son,
And You, from both, as Three in One
That we Your name may ever bless
And in our lives the truth confess.

Praise we the Father and the Son,
And Holy Spirit, with them One, 
And may the Son on us bestow
The gifts that from the Spirit flow!

For those who like more:

I'm sure you've all heard Paul's famous chapter on love, "Love is patient, love is kind..." What I find interesting, is the context in which it's found. What topic is Paul addressing? Order in worship! It seems that the Corinthians had a free-for-all worship style. People would get up and speak in tongues whenever, usually in languages no one could understand. Others would interrupt the service to prophesy, but no one could interpret it. People were getting drunk off of communion. Others weren't getting any of the Lord's Supper at all. It was chaos. The irony is that the Corinthians thought that they were better than other congregations because everyone had all of these cools gifts from the Holy Spirit.

What is Paul's reaction? "Great! You have gifts from the Holy Spirit," he says. "By the way, I have them too. Now unless they are going to be useful for everyone at worship, why don't you just use them at home." Is speaking in tongues cool? Sure! Is prophesying cool? Of course? But what does Paul says is the best of all the gifts the Holy Spirit gives? Love!

Read 1 Corinthians 12 through 14. Explain how Paul's great discourse on love fits so well within the context. Then answer the questions, "Of all the talents, accomplishments, skills, possessions that you have, where does love fit in?"