DEVOTION: Revelation 1:4-18 English Standard Version (ESV)
"Greeting to the Seven Churches"
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail[a] on account of him. Even so. Amen.
8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
"Vision of the Son of Man"
9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea."
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
One theme is repeated over and over again in this passage. It is the fact that Jesus is eternal. Three times he is called eternal. He is the "one who is and who was and who is to come." He is called "the Alpha and Omega". He is called "the one is and who was and who is to come."
But there are also some other things said. Any time you see the number seven, it is referring to the completeness or totality of something. So there are seven churches, referring to the total number of Christians throughout the earth, there are seven golden lampstands, referring to the "light of the world", Jesus himself. There are seven stars referring to the totality of universes.
John is making sure that we understand that God is completely eternal, all powerful, and that he rules over all the heavens and the earth. When he has this vision he is overwhelmed by the awesome power and authority of Jesus.
Remember that he knew Jesus as a friend, and a confidant, and as a travel companion. He was able to see Him for just a second on the Mount of Transfiguration, and then he fainted. Now he was seeing him in all His fullness.
The same will be true for us. Right now we see Jesus in a veiled way. We experience Him in bread and wine, water and Word. We don't behold his glory fully. There will come a time when we will see Him face to face. We will see the one who was, and is, and is to come! We will see the eternal Lord, because HE IS RISEN!
Prayer: Help us to be patient and have peace as we await Your glory. Help us to remember and believe in Your promises with a sure and certain faith. Amen.
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CALENDAR:
Wed- Choir practice 7pm
Fri- Jr. Hi Youth Leave at 3:30pm for Camp Windermere
Sat- Worship 5pm
Sun- Sunrise Worship 6:30am; Breakfast 7:30; Egg Hunt 9; Worship 10; Jr Hi youth return 2pm
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WORSHIP WORKERS:
Acolyte- 8:30- Jacob Cluver 11- Cara Klaustermeier
Ushers- Charlie Figura, Jason Figura, Erv Yoder (We need one more usher for this group!! Any volunteers?)
Altar- Set up- Don Hance
Elders- Sat-- Randy Sweet; 8:30- Jason Cluver; 11- Charlie Figura
Greeters- 6:30- Rich and Peggy Talbert; 10- Marv and Molly Hendershot
Lay Readers- 6:30- Tim Linke; 10- Jim Rahn
Organist 8:30 and 11-- Rachel Fisher
Sat Piano- Barb Dreyer
Projectionists: NO PROJECTOR THIS WEEK
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TODAY'S BIBLE QUIZ: What were the names of the members of Saul's family (three sons, one wife, and two daughters)?
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Join us as a vendor inside, have a tag sale on the parking lot, or craft items for sale. Outside spaces are available for $10 for a double parking spot.
Vendor spots are being held for: Tupperware, Origami Owl, Pampered Chef, Scentsy, 18" doll clothes by PJ'S Patterns, Perfectly Posh, Paparazzi, Damsel in Distress, It Works Global, Mary Kay, Norwex, Tastefully Simple, Pink Zebra, Lilla Rose, Usborne Books & More, Cindy Rust handmade Jewelry, Avon, Park Lane, scroll saw art, Young Living Essential oils, Amy Flores Handmade Jewelry and custom / personalized key chains. More to come...