Sermons

So, Revelation.  Here’s what we know.  After eight Sundays immersed in this bizarre, confusing letter, we can only be confident of a few things.  It is a letter, not a book, written by a Christian leader named John to seven churches in Asia Minor (what is now Turkey).  He knew them personally and they knew him.  It is to be read from beginning to end like we would any letter.  This way one does not get stuck in a crazy and despairing chapter without eventually hearing the good news.  John ran afoul of the Roman authorities twice and, though warned, he stood up a third time against the power of Empire and was banished to the island of Patmos where he was forced to work in a Roman quarry.  Its hard conditions led to his death some years later.  What he describes throughout his letter is a vision he received of the battle between good and evil.  It reminds us of Star Wars in the sky with strange characters and baffling scenes.  Stand tall against the forces of evil, don’t back away, claim your worth in Jesus Christ, and never give up.

That’s about all I can say about it.  Oh, except I should note that God wins in the end.  Chapters 21 and 22 show us what God’s winning looks like.  We’ll talk about it this Sunday and the next.  Finally, after all is said in done, we get a win.