On our vacation in August (thank you, by the way), Kelly and I spent time in the Appalachian Mountains of New England, specifically, the White Mountain area of New Hampshire. We have talked with a number of you over the weeks, so you might have heard us speaking rather incoherently about our experience. After you’ve said, “wow!” “outstanding!” and “amazing!” over and over again, it gets kind of frustrating not to be able to express in words the beauty of what we experienced and witnessed.
I am positive everyone can identify with this kind of trouble: you want to tell someone about this great experience you’ve had or a marvelous film you saw or a powerful emotion you felt and in the end, we are left babbling, realizing we don’t have the words to express the wonder and awe. Think, for instance, of the inability of new parents to describe the feelings aroused by the birth of their child—any attempt falls so far short, it sounds silly. Or, the inexpressible excitement of being in the home stands when your team emerges with an improbable win…it’s, well, inexpressible!
So, imagine coming face-to-face with the reigning, sovereign, awe-inspiring Lord of the universe. What do you see? What captures your attention? How can you express this to your family and friends? What words, what description does justice to the essence of looking upon the Presence of your Creator, Redeemer, and Friend?
Such a mental exercise (imagining meeting the Lord) might help explain the first chapter of the Book of Revelation. The Apostle John comes face-to-face with Jesus, and all we get is a garbled description! Now, remember, John had been a close friend of Jesus for years while Jesus was on earth; indeed, John is described as “the beloved disciple,” the one who could ask Jesus anything. And, yet, when we read of their reunion after years of being apart—some five decades separate the Ascension of Jesus from His appearance to John in Revelation—after years of not seeing Jesus, John’s description is hard to follow:
- Ø “One like the son of man”
- Ø “Clothed with a long robe”
- Ø “With a golden sash around his chest”
- Ø “The hairs of His head were white, like white wool, like snow”
- Ø “His eyes were like a flame of fire”
- Ø “His feet were like burnished bronze”
- Ø “His voice like the roar of many waters”
- Ø “In his right hand he held seven stars”
- Ø “From his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword”
- Ø “His face was like the sun shining in full strength”
Now, it is possible to understand each of these phrases
separately, individually, but thinking of them as a whole is simply…indescribable.
This is Who we meet, each and every Sunday. When we come to worship, it is not primarily for our friends, or for our own state-of-mind. When we gather, we are coming “face-to-face” with Jesus Himself. And, He is as John has described Him— the reigning, sovereign, awe-inspiring Lord of the universe! And, our Creator, Redeemer and Friend.
Come! Let us worship our Lord together!
In preparation for worship this week, read Revelation 1:9-20.
1. What does it mean that John is a “partner in the
tribulation” (vs. 9)? How does this give insight into who Jesus intends will
read this book?
2. John was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” (vs. 10). What do you think that means? Can we “capture” this same experience?
3. Notice the irony in verse 12: John turns to see the voice that is speaking. What does it mean to try to see “a voice”? What did John expect to see?
4. Make a list like the one above about the descriptors of Jesus employed by John. John is using imagery to capture here something about Jesus that stands out—how does each descriptor relate to Jesus?
5. Why does John react to seeing Jesus the way he does? What does this imply about what John thinks of Jesus when he sees Him?
6. Jesus’s words, “fear not,” are frequently used in Scripture; can you think of others in the Bible who have heard this assurance from God?
7. What does a “lampstand” do (vs. 20)? Why is this a good description of the church? How does Hebron measure up?
