Many see Revelation as a book of secrets that magically point to current events and signal what is about to take place in the geopolitics of our day. But the Book of Revelation tells us how it’s to be read, and if we would just follow its directions, we would benefit from the book and better understand its message. We still might not agree on all of the details, but we would be a lot closer, and we would have a common basis for our discussions.
When people think of church, they think of buildings and sermons, choirs and sacraments. But beneath the surface, the church has a hidden strategy that is the real power of the church. It’s spelled out in a leadership plan that’s given in the apostle Paul’s letter to a pastor named Timothy. Consider where you fit in the plan.
Even Christians who believe in God tend to see the Christian life in mostly secular terms. We acknowledge God but don’t think very often about evil spiritual forces. Satan has been caricatured so often that we’re a little embarrassed to even mention him. But that leaves us both vulnerable and confused. The Bible’s teaching about the armour of God helps correct our tendency toward seeing the world through secular lenses.
The Book of Acts reads like a novel. There’s drama, intrigue, death plots, and shipwrecks. The ending is disappointing though, right? As the book ends, Paul is under house arrest, awaiting a verdict from the emperor regarding false charges. But there’s no resolution. Not only is there no happily ever after but there isn’t even a conclusion to Paul’s story. Have you ever considered why?
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Reading the Bible often challenges our assumptions about Jesus. Take, for example, what He does to Saul. Usually, Jesus heals blind people. But why does He blind someone who can see? And what does that tell us about Him? Am I next? Is this the kind of thing that Jesus does to people? Why wasn’t I warned about this in Sunday School?
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Have you read “The Legend of Jesus”? In it, Jesus doesn’t get tired, and He doesn’t rest by the well in Samaria or fall asleep in the boat. The crowds don’t turn away from Him, and the disciples just seem to get it. They don’t keep dozing off in the garden when Jesus asks them to pray. And Peter certainly doesn’t cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant or deny that he’s one of Jesus’ followers. In “The Legend of Jesus,” Jesus doesn’t pray for the Father to let Him off the hook. And He doesn’t need a stranger to help Him carry the cross. “The Legend of Jesus” is amazing.
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Over the years, I have had many people reveal to me a terrible trial or sickness they’re facing and the sickening feeling they have that God has cursed them or punished them for some unknown sin they have committed. People brought those same kinds of assumptions to Jesus, and He opened their eyes to the many ways that God redeems the trials we face for our good.
There’s so much to do, and if you believe that what you do matters, doing more of it and doing it well is important. I’ve read all the books and I’ve tried all the apps. They’re helpful, but they tend to say the same things using different words. Jesus makes a truly unique contribution to a vision of personal productivity.
People ask, “Why doesn’t Jesus spell out more plainly the fact that He is God?” While He does express His divinity plainly enough, we often forget that Jesus carried out His ministry in constant threat of death. The authorities were looking for a sound bite they could use as evidence to prematurely end His ministry. And after just a few years, they succeeded.
As Joshua comes to the end of his life, much of the Promised Land remains just a promise. The people either avoided the hardship of the battle or decided that it would be more convenient to put the Canaanites to work for them rather than drive them out. We often face the same tension. God promises us the life that could be ours by His Spirit, but it feels like too much work. We’d rather make peace with our sins than put them to death. This is still a prescription for defeat for the people of God.
