Then
I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven
golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like ka son of man, clothed
with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head
were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his
feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like
the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth
came a sharp two-edged sword, and this face was like the sun shining in full
strength. (Revelation
1:12-16 ESV).
Here John gives us a glimpse of Jesus after he had risen and ascended to heaven. Words failed John in describing the full scope of what he saw and experienced. What we can understand from these descriptions is that meeting Jesus face to face was not like any other encounter John had ever had. He saw Jesus in the splendor of his divine glory and power. John says that Jesus’ face was “like the sun shining in all its brilliance.” We get the picture. One does not look at a noonday sun without being overwhelmed by its power!
What is surprising
about John’s description is where he saw Jesus standing. When John turned to
“see the voice,” the first thing he saw was not Jesus. What caught his
attention was seven golden lampstands. Later in the story, these lampstands are
identified as seven churches that John had worked with as a pastor. It was in
the context of familiar church communities that John saw Jesus in the fullness
of his glory.
This truth cannot be
overlooked. This is where we ought to see Jesus best today. We should be able
to easily find him in the mix of his church communities in the many villages,
towns, and cities of our global landscape. Unfortunately, many churches today
have degenerated into little more than exclusive social clubs. Churches have
taken up the message of culture rather than that of Scripture. The gospel has
been so disguised as to be lost in the noise and clutter of our day. If we are
to ever really see change it will only come as a result of the sharing of the
Gospel of Christ!
No comments:
Post a Comment