Revelations Chapter 5 'The Lion is the Lamb!'

In Revelations Chapters 4 and 5, John is brought up into heaven.  He is taken behind the scenes to see the beauty and glory of God and Jesus.

The vision of these two chapters overwhelms us, as image upon image collide with thunder and lightning.  The sights, the sounds, the heavenly creatures... this is too much for our minds to comprehend!

The main focus of Chapter 5 is upon Jesus, as He alone is worthy to open the scroll that reveals how the world will unfold.  A range of Old Testament images are used to describe Jesus; all of which show how Jesus resolves the Story of Israel.  Jesus is initially described as a Lion, which draws us to Genesis 49.  He is also referred to as the 'Root of Jesse' -which comes from Isaiah 11.  Lastly Jesus is described as a Lamb, which again comes from Isaiah 53.

It strikes me that the first time Jesus came to earth, He acted as the Lamb; and the next time Jesus returns to earth, He will act as the Lion!

This chapter also serves as a great reminder that humanity is incapable of changing its own destiny.  Our fallen state has corrupted us to the point that we are unable to fix ourselves.  Certainly if we had the ability to do so, we would have already!

When you read through Revelations Chapter 5- what images, ideas, or themes stand out to you?  And why?  Leave your comments below...

Sunday Left-Overs Revelations 4 February 26, 2012

In Chapters 4 and 5 of Revelations John records all that he experienced in his vision of Heaven.   Many scholars claim that this vision is one of the greatest found in the Bible.  Truly John's trip to Heaven stretches John to the farthest boundaries of his imagination and vocabulary.

God is the central figure, though John takes careful pains to not describe Him. Next to God, the Throne receives the most attention and serves as a counter-weight to all earthly thrones.  John wants us to see the contrast between God on the True Throne, and those who sit in power and judgment while on earth.

I fear that that we could talk all day and still not catch the total glory and beauty of God as found in Revelations 4!

Drop in your comment and questions about this mind-blowing Chapter, and let's continue our journey through Revelation!

The All-Access VIP Pass

Have you ever had the chance to go behind the scenes or were given an All-Access VIP Pass?  With a VIP Pass -restricted areas are opened and celebrities are now accessible!  You get to see and experience events and people that others can only dream about.

During college I had the chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at a funeral home in Charleston, West Virginia.  A friend's father owned the business and they granted me access to everything, including watching the embalming process on a recently deceased man.  During those same college years I volunteered in the Racine, Wisconsin County Jail's Chaplain's Office.   It was fascinating to see how a Jail daily operated.

We view these times as more than just cool experiences; for they give us a deeper appreciation and perspective on life that we would usually miss.  It is in this light that we view Revelation Chapters 4 and 5.  In these two chapters John is given an All-Access VIP Pass into Heaven!  Imagine how he felt and what he saw!  Revelations Chapter 4 and 5 are jammed packed with amazing imagery, head-scratching creatures and the brightest of colors!

Our human post-enlightenment mindset is to ask questions such as, 'Why do the creatures of Revelation Chapter 4 have eyes all over their bodies?'  'What is the meaning of the rainbow surrounding the Throne?'  Why do the creatures have 6 wings each? etc...'

These are all great questions and we have a right to ask.  But the vision John describes for us is not meant to be broken down into its individual parts.  We are best to stand back -and look -and be amazed at the glory and wonder of God on His Throne!

This is a challenging chapter so read it through, pray over what you read, and then drop in your questions and comments!

Are Sports and Faith Compatible?

Can one be a dedicated religious person and be a dedicated professional athlete? David Brooks, columnist for the New York Times, doesn't think you can. In his recent essay Brooks states, 'The moral ethos of sport is in tension with the moral ethos of faith, whether Jewish, Christian or Muslim.'



Jermey Lin is living this 'tension' as a Guard for the NBA's New York Knicks. He graduated from Harvard, is Asian-American, and wasn't drafted by any NBA team. For the past few weeks Lin has been in the national spotlight for his amazing play, his humility and for his ability to beat the odds by playing professional basketball at such a high level. What also makes him unique is that he is a committed follower of Christ.


Read Brooks' essay and drop in your comments...   Are Sports and Spirituality in conflict?

Sunday Left-Overs -Revelation 2.18-3.22 -February 19, 2012

Jesus finishes His letters to the Seven Local Churches by writing a stinging indictment of the Church in the town of Laodicea.  This was the Church of the 1%.  The town of Laodicea and the Christian Church were incredibly wealthy.


Laodicea was a city of professionals: physicians, bankers and business owners.  Their problem wasn't the wealth, but rather the self-reliant attitude that came with their material success.

Laodicea was so wealthy that they turned down Rome's offer of financial support to rebuild after the great earthquake of 60AD.  Laodicea was so wealthy that they didn't need Rome and in the same way the Christian Church in Laodicea had so much materially -that they didn't need Jesus!

Jesus found himself on the outside of His Church, knocking on the doors hoping to be let in.  The image of Jesus being kept outside of His Church is one that we need to remember.

The question that all Christians need to ask is: 'Are we like the Church in Laodicea?'  Do we have so much that we have failed to trust in Christ? Has our material success caused us to only go to Jesus when things fall apart? Is He on the outside of our Church, banging on the door, hoping to be let in?

I'm convinced that the Holy Spirit knows what He is doing.  For the past 2000 years the Holy Spirit has been active in guiding and convicting and challenging us to grow deeper in our relationship with Christ.  May the Holy Spirit continue to guide and direct His Church!


What questions or comments about Laodicea do you have?  Leave them in the comments section and let's continue our journey through Revelations!

Book Review: Simply Jesus, by N.T. Wright

    Tom Wright is the former Bishop of Durham in the Church of England and is viewed by many as one of the greatest New Testament Scholars alive today.  He’s written extensively on Jesus; both academic tomes and books written for people like you and I.

     Simply Jesus, looks at how the historical forces of Jewish Nationalism and Roman Imperialism collided during the life of Jesus.  Wright’s strength is in uniting seemingly divergent themes and pulling them together to show how Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan.  

     Simply Jesus is a very accessible book and is an invaluable resource for understanding Jesus’s life and history.  Go out and read it for yourself!

Jesus Hates Zombies

In Revelations Chapters 2 and 3, Jesus writes to seven local Churches.  He not only cares for His Church, but He knows all that is going on within each Church.  

To those Churches who are being persecuted, He encourages them to stay strong.  

To those Churches who are allowing false teachers into their Church, He warns them to hold fast to the Truth.

 But to the Church located in the town of Sardis, Jesus blasts them to through and through.  In Revelation Chapter 3 verse 4 Jesus states, ‘I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.’  Translated: ‘You really don’t have anything positive about you, in fact the best thing that you have going for you is your reputation!  But even that isn’t great; truthfully, you’re dead!’

The Church in Sardis is a Zombie Church.  They appear to be alive, but in reality are walking dead: they are nothing more than Zombies going through the religious motions.  The spiritual antidote to this Zombie Church is five-fold.  Wake Up, Strengthen what is still alive, Remember the Truth, Obey the Truth, and finally Repent.

What Does a Pastor Do?

It depends....

The Book of Books

  Thanks to alert Southbrook member Mary for directing me towards the December 25, 2011 New York Times Book Review.  The cover story, written by Marilynne Robinson, author of the deceptively brilliant Gilead, speaks to the Bible's influence on literature and culture.  Robinson doesn't present an apologetic for the Bible; rather she shows how two great authors -Dostoevsky and Faulkner's works -incarnate the Scriptures.  An excellent read all around!

Sunday Left-Overs -Revelation 2 -February 12, 2012

    On Sunday we entered into the section of Revelation where Jesus addresses seven local Churches.  Jesus packs these letters with wisdom for His Church!  Specifically these letters help us deal with the reality of persecution.  Many Christians experience persecution and therefore these letters resonate with a great degree of urgency.  But what about those of us who aren't persecuted, what can we learn from this section of Revelations?

A few thoughts:
1. Suffering may be certain, but it is always limited.  Jesus told us not to fear those who can kill the body, but to fear the one who can kill the soul.  He always wins out in the end because he is the one who holds the keys of life and death!


2. We may not be persecuted, but others are.  The reality is that there are Christians all over the world who daily face persecution for their faith.  The February 13, 2012 cover article of Newsweek Magazine most recently brought this to light.  www.Persecution.com is the site to an organization that tracks Christians and the nations that persecute them.  They have great resources to help direct our prayers for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.


3. We just may face persecution, so we should prepare now!  This isn't fear mongering or 'painting the devil on the wall;' rather it is a fact that we must deal with.  I have no idea what is in-store for American Christians, but I do know that we are always wise to dig deep in our relationship with Christ.


4.  Have we avoided persecution because we have made compromises for our faith?  This is as tough a question for me to write as it is a difficult one for us to answer.  I am convinced that the Holy Spirit will reveal to us this answer, but let us take the initiative and ask it first!

American Celebrity

‘We do not measure a culture by its output of undisguised trivialities, but by what it claims as significant.’ Neal Postman, Amusing ourselves to Death, 1985.

Note: With the recent news of Whitney Houston's death, I thought it appropriate to update this post which was originally written on July 31st, 2009.

At some point in our recent history, ‘celebrity’ replaced ‘hero’ in the American pop-culture lexicon.  Now in America being famous trumps doing something noble and the cult of personality is the ultimate measure of success. The death of Michael Jackson on June 25th, 2009, brought an unprecedented amount of 24/7 news coverage and an endless parade of talking heads, associates and parasites, each one positioning themselves as a unique conveyor of Jackson tidbits.

In witnessing this depressing spectacle unfold; I’ve realized that 'American Celebrities' follow a unique lifecycle.

1st Stage: Create. We create the myth of celebrity by hoisting undue praise and print: witness the check-out rags breathless photos, or the advent of tabloid ‘news’ shows. Whether or not we physically purchase some item related to the celebrity doesn’t matter, for we are still giving mental space to them.  People with no vested interest still have opinions on Brittany’s shaved head rampage, or Brad Pitt’s latest appearance. Most celebrities’ careers end at this stage: just too many interlopers and only so much cultural bandwidth.

2nd Stage: Feed.  In this stage the celebrity acts in ways that are appropriate to them, but improper to everyone else. Celebrities become caricatures of themselves, trapping themselves within their personas and roles. Sports stars’ sexual assaults, DUI mug shots, Domestic Abuse allegations, leaked video tapes, etc…  All are necessary evils and necessary steps on the road to American Celebrity.

3rd Stage: Kill.  At some point the myth implodes under its own weight.  Jimmy Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Elvis, Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, Heath Ledger, Anna Nicole Smith, et al…  Pressure, whether internal or external, causes the celebrity to act self-destructively as the weight of excess is too much to bear. Whether their life ended well before it should -like Michael Jackson, or at a more natural point -like Marlon Brando, each left a mess that outlived them.

4th Stage: Mourn. We cry and mourn as if we had a personal connection to the celebrity.  Indeed a bond exists, albeit a vicarious connection bereft of intimacy and closeness. We substitute our information of the celebrity for actual knowledge, and grieve like we’ve lost a friend.  Public displays of sorrow allow us to cement our relationship, thus immortalizing the figure in our cultural mind and validating our feelings towards the recently deceased.

Revelation 2 and 3. The Letters to the Seven Churches

     At first glance, Revelation Chapters 2-3 seems like an odd segment of text.  In Chapter 1 John sees Jesus in all his glory and in Chapter 4 John is transported into heaven!  So what do we make of these seven letters?  Some have taken the view that they represent not literal churches, but seven eras of Church History.  Others see these letters as rhetorical devices used to present the problems that the rest of the Book of Revelation addresses.     In our study of Revelation we will look at these churches as literal letters written by Jesus which show His passion for His Church!  

Chapters 2 and 3 are not a pause in the story of Revelation; rather they show the impending persecution and the real life situations of Christians who are under threat of the Roman Empire.  

I would encourage you to read through Revelation 2 and 3 and send in your questions!

Sunday Left-Overs -Revelation 1 -February 5th, 2012

We started our series on Revelations with a look at Chapter 1.  In this chapter John hears a voice telling him to write to seven local churches.  He turns to hear the voice and sees an amazing site:  It is Jesus standing among seven lamp stands.  In Revelation 1.13-16, eight different images are pulled from the OT and assigned to Jesus:

1. Long Robe with a Golden Sash - This may refer to the robes that the High Priests wore -see Exodus 28.4- or it may refer to the garments worn by noblemen.
2. White Head and Hair -  In Daniel 7.9 we are told that the Ancient of Days will have hair, 'white like wool.'
3. Blazing Eyes - Another image that originates from the book of Daniel, specifically chapter 10, verse 6.
4. Bronze Feet - This image is meant to evoke glory and strength, as Bronze was used for military purposes and in coinage.  See Daniel 10.6 and Ezekiel 1.7 for Old Testament illustrations.
5. Powerful Voice - The Prophet Ezekiel referred to God's power and glory as like a 'roar of rushing waters.'  See Ezekiel 1.24 and 43.2 for further insight.
6. Stars in his Right Hand - The right hand in scripture is frequently used to show power and authority. Revelation 1.20 shows us that the stars symbolize the local churches.
7. Sword from His Mouth - Isaiah 11.4 points to the truth that the Messiah will have the power of Judgment over his people.
8. Radiant Face - This final image is meant to evoke Moses coming down from Mt. Sinai after meeting with God.  The sun is frequently used to describe God in the Old Testament.

We are meant to look at these images and to see the power and glory of Christ.  Jesus is the fulfillment of many Old Testament prophesies and images!

Revelations and childhood nightmares

God bless my parents. They really wanted to instill solid Christian values in me and surrounded me with Christian books and records. But hanging on my wall, over my bed was a painting that truly gave me great fear. It was a painting of Dallas Texas, at the moment of Jesus' return. Of course the idea that Jesus would appear at Dallas is a given! You'd think that a painting of Jesus would bring joy, but not to me. This painting depicts buses crashing off the highway, cars ramming into each other, and, even more terrifying, is a plane crashing into one of Dallas' skyscrapers...! Click on the painting to take a closer look, and then tell me your opinion of it!