Revelation of the church, a kingdom of priests (Rev 1:6, 5:10, 22:5-6)

Still enjoying this years Revelation study with BSF. My one word for this year was Church. I've come to realize that our view of the church, directly impacts our view of end times. Grateful for church with my wife, brother and mom yesterday (happy mothers day, seeing Jeannie and Mike and Joy). Driving with Paul we got to talk about Worry is a dark thought that is cured with heavenly insight (Matthew 6:19-34)

Growing up church was the place you brought someone to hear the good news about Jesus, they would say a prayer and be saved. It was also a "Sunday School" where you could learn more about living the Christian Life: "This is what Jesus said and did, how will this impact the way you treat people at home, at school or strangers?"

Now I see church as a community where heaven and earth meet together and all our gracious Father has is ours. We are adopted into the Family of God, co-heirs with Christ. 

When saying "church" in the context of Revelation most people think about the seven churches, especially the lukewarm church that makes Jesus want to vomit. Here's what I see:

Revelation 1:6: who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

• 1 Peter 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
• Romans 12:1  Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
• Hebrews 13:15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.
• 1 Corinthians 6:20 you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.
• Titus 2:14  He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
• Ephesians 1:6 to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.
• Colossians 1:13 He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,

Revelation  5:10: And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth.”

Revelation 22:5: And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

Revelation 20:6: Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

Daniel 7:18,27: But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever

Hebrews 12:28: Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

BibleHub is a great resource and has this comentary breakdown of Rev 1:6

who has made us to be a kingdom

This phrase indicates the transformation and elevation of believers into a collective entity under God's sovereign rule. The concept of a "kingdom" reflects the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, such as those found in Exodus 19:6, where Israel is called to be a "kingdom of priests." This kingdom is not defined by geographical boundaries but by the spiritual reign of Christ in the hearts of believers. It signifies the establishment of God's rule through the church, which is often referred to as the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23). The kingdom is both a present reality and a future hope, as believers await the full manifestation of God's reign.

priests to His God and Father

The role of priests in the Old Testament was to mediate between God and the people, offering sacrifices and prayers. By calling believers "priests," this phrase emphasizes the direct access to God granted through Jesus Christ, the ultimate High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16). This priesthood is a spiritual service, involving worship, prayer, and the proclamation of the Gospel. It reflects the democratization of the priestly role, no longer limited to a specific tribe or lineage, but extended to all who are in Christ. This aligns with 1 Peter 2:9, which describes believers as a "royal priesthood."

to Him be the glory and power forever and ever!

This doxology attributes eternal glory and power to God, acknowledging His supreme authority and majesty. The phrase echoes the worship found throughout Revelation, where God's sovereignty is a central theme (Revelation 4:11; 5:13). The eternal nature of God's glory and power underscores His unchanging character and the everlasting nature of His kingdom. This expression of praise is a response to God's redemptive work through Christ, highlighting the ultimate purpose of creation and redemption: the glorification of God.

Amen

"Amen" is a Hebrew word meaning "truly" or "so be it," used to affirm the truth and certainty of what has been stated. It is a common conclusion to prayers and doxologies, signifying agreement and trust in God's promises. In the context of Revelation, it serves as a seal of affirmation to the preceding declaration of God's glory and power, inviting readers to join in the worship and acknowledgment of God's eternal reign.

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Faith and repentance are made possible by Elijah's dedication to God (1 Kings 17-18)

 1 Kings 17-18

AIM: Being faithful with the small things, leads to faithfulness with the large things

Focus verse:

Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent. - 1 Kings 18:21 

A) God gives prophetic revelation and miracles to bring faith to those he calls

17:1) Elijah to Ahab, God of Israel lives, God I serve, no dew or rain for few years

 - Specific yet general revelation

2-7) LORD to Elijah, go east, hide water enter Jordan, drink, ravens bring food (bread and meat)

8-16) Go, live in a village Zarephath, Sidon, widow instructed yet called by Elijah for food and promised blessing

17-24) widow's son dies and blames Elijah, a man of God, he cries out to God, revived son, which results in faith

 - Specific personal revelation, instruction for faith

Personal testimony: I've encountered specific personal revelation and instruction that has helped many come to faith. 

B) Elijah and his friends obey God, helping Israel see the folly of false Gods and come to repentance

18:1-2) Lord to Elijah 3rd year of drought, present self to Ahab and he did

 - 2b-6) famine severe, Ahab to Obadiah find grass to save livestock, (Obadiah devoted follower of LORD, protected 100 prophets from Jezebel)

7-14) Obadiah sees Elijah, recognized him, and is troubled by the command to tell Ahab, fearing abandonment and death

15-21) Elijah under oath, confronts Ahab - you are the trouble maker, bring 850 false prophets and all Israel to Carmel, to people choose between God or Baal but they were silent

 - Application: Silence comes from ignorance which breeds indecision, which makes us susceptible to falling into the trap of evil people.  

22-40) One man of God outperforms all false prophets in a stunning turnaround. Israel comes to faith in God, face down, and cried out LORD is God.

41-46) Elijah to Ahab might rainstorm coming, seven times Go, look toward the sea a small cloud appears and Lord gave special strength to Elijah going ahead of Ahab to Jezreel

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Five postures ministers take in relating to God (under, over, from, for, with)

My friend Josh shared this book with me - called With reimaging the way you related to God. I'm 40 pages in and love it. It has the best definition of sin I've seen. Sin is the human desire to control apart from God. Here's my paraphrase of the postures ministers take in the Christian faith:

• Under God: if I follow the rules God will bless me (because he owes me or has too)
• Over God: tools and techniques are needed, prayer and spirituality is time wasted (I'm smarter than God)
• From God: a faith ritual or superstition to get what I want from God (health, wealth, prosperity)
• For God: (most acceptable but still off) Doing things for God and His kingdom gives purpose, meaning (end poverty, help others, grow the church)

This helps makes sense in what we see in church leadership, often trying to get one group into another. Like from "Over God" to "Under God" and to move "from God" to "for God". 

The intention we see from Beginning to End is life WITH God.

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Sin, enmity and our relationship with God

Thinking about our first FRED talk at work today on prayer. The idea came to me about our greatest problem is sin and our greatest need is a relationship with God. Sin puts enmity between us and God and only God can remove our sin and give us right standing with him. Prayer is the means that he has ordained for us to draw near to God and confess our sins to him. Jesus is our mediator and He and the Holy Spirit intercede on our behalf.
The Bible teaches we have 3 enemies, the Eph 2:1-3, the world, the flesh, and the devil
 - a "fleshly" disposition says "I do what I do, because I want what I want" -selfishness
The Holy Spirit opposes the flesh: Gal. 5:16-17
 - a "worldly" disposition says, "take all you can, no one will give it to you" -godlessness
The Father opposes the world: I John 2:15-17, the world tries to shape our thinking toward godlessness (John 15:18-25)
 - a "devilish" disposition says, "I do what I do, because I hate myself and others" - wickedness
The Son opposes the Devil: Luke 4, I John 3:8 - Disposition is the power to deal with something as one pleases

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Just checking In

My dad personalized this poem by Roger Knapp for me yesterday, very sweet about loving kindness we experience in relationship with God and one another.

A Minister passing through his church
In the middle of the day,
Decided to pause by the altar
To see who come to pray.
Just then the back door opened,
And a man came down the aisle,
The minister frowned as he saw the man
Hadn't shaved in a while.
His shirt was torn and shabby,
And his coat was worn and frayed,
The man knelt down and bowed his head,
Then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed at precisely noon,
The preacher saw this chap,
Each time he knelt just for a moment,
A lunch pail in his lap.
Well, the minister's suspicions grew,
With robbery a main fear,

.He decided to stop and ask the man

What are you doing here?'

The old man said he was a factory worker
And lunch was half an hour
Lunchtime was his prayer time,
For finding strength and power.
I stay only a moment
Because the factory's far away;
As I kneel here talking to the Lord,
This is kinda what I say:

'I JUST CAME BY TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHERS FRIENDSHIP
AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY,
BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS BEN,
JUST CHECKING IN TODAY.'

The minister feeling foolish,
Told Ben that it was fine.
He told the man that he was welcome
To pray there anytime.
'It's time to go, and thanks,' Ben said
As he hurried to the door.
Then the minister knelt there at the altar,
Which he'd never done before.
His cold heart melted, warmed with love,
As he met with Jesus there.
As the tears flowed down his cheeks,
He repeated old Ben's prayer:

'I JUST CAME by TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHERS FRIENDSHIP
AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY,
BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME,
JUST CHECKING IN TODAY.'

Past noon one day, the minister noticed
That old Ben hadn't come.
As more days passed and still no Ben,
He began to worry some.
At the factory, he asked about him,
Learning he was ill.
The hospital staff was worried,
But he'd given them a thrill.

The week that Ben was with them,
Brought changes in the ward.
His smiles and joy contagious.
Changed people were his reward.
The head nurse couldn't understand
Why Ben could be so glad,
When no flowers, calls or cards came,
Not a visitor he had.

The minister stayed by his bed,
He voiced the nurse's concern:
No friends had come to show they cared.
He had nowhere to turn.
Looking surprised, old Ben spoke up
And with a winsome smile;
'The nurse is wrong, she couldn't know,
He's been here all the while.'
Everyday at noon He comes here,
A dear friend of mine, you see,
He sits right down and takes my hand,
Leans over and says to me:

'I JUST CAME BY TO TELL YOU, BEN,
HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP,
AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN .
I THINK ABOUT YOU ALWAYS
AND I LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY,
AND SO BEN, THIS IS JESUS,
JUST CHECKING IN TODAY .'

 - http://www.rogerknapp.com/inspire/justcheckingin.htm

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Proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ (Matthew 10:7)

Psalm 10, Matthew 10
Today was serendipitous, Pastor Troy preached on Psalm 10 and I'm lagging on my writing through the Psalms and Gospel reading plan.

Here's my notes on the first of his sermon series Honest to God:
Psalms are helpful because they are honest.

 - tough questions, real answers

 - bridge from pain of life and power of God.

Suffer and pain reactions

 - denial or dissection 

 - Psalms deal honestly with pain yet points us to God

Psalm 10:1, why is Lord hidden, far away

 (Injustice, lack of intervention, apparently uncaring)

Christian faith has room for honest lament.

 - We don't need to protect God from hard questions

10:2-4, Arrogant, greedy, wicked schemes live and think "there is no God"

 10:5-6) outrageous and frustrating success

10:7) abusive speech

10:8-10) intentional ambush

10:10) effectively crushing

10:11) without fear of God

Prayer  (crying out to God in honesty 12-13, and faith in His character 14, justice 15, sovereignty 16, personal "friend" of faithful people whose only hope is Him 17-18, Hebrews 11:1,6-7)

Application 

1.  Continue to turn to God, 10:12

 - We put our hope in God's ability to make things right 

2. Cling to faith

 - God sees and cares (look what God has done in the past)

 - God's "silence" is not absence, 3 days if silence before Jesus was raised from the dead.

3. Count on God's judgment 

 - 1 Peter 2:23, Jesus our example didn't retaliate but trusted in Jesus

4. Confidently rest in who, not why 

 - Psalm 10:16-18, God is good.

In Matthew 10 Jesus tells us how to be a witness and go about our lives with a ministry centered approved. "As you go proclaim the kingdom of heaven is at hand"

 - Ministry (healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing the lepers, casting out demons) is done for free (Matt 10:8-10)

 - Give peace and let it peace return to you in all circumstances (11-31)

31 Fear not, therefore; (AX)you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 (AY)So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but (AZ)whoever denies me before men, (BA)I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

38 And (BH)whoever does not take his cross and (BI)follow me is not worthy of me.39 (BJ)Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Rewards

40 (BK)“Whoever receives you receives me, and (BL)whoever receives me receives him who sent me.

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Gospel keeps us from fearing man

Religious people do more harm than pagans and atheists - Troy Dobbs

Col 2:16-23

16) no one pass judgement (because of your identity in Christ), food/drink/Religious holiday (common issue in the early church - see 1 cor 8, Romans 15)

 - intimidated into thinking your missing something 

17) rituals are shadow of reality if Jesus

- easy and dangerous to focus on routine rituals.

18-19) caving into legalism can cause fractures and disqualification  (morality doesn't save, Jesus does)

- Christian faith is not a set of rules 

- or mystical experience 

- power, freedom and the next level are here in some secret place that nobody else is going.

     - flesh (sensual), not spiritual and separated from the truth in scripture 

- Christian faith is about God growing us in connection to Jesus (19)

 - don't be an another's disciple, be Christ disciple

4 ways to know your dealing with legalism (leading you astray)

1) judges and disqualify another according to arbitrary human standards

2) Focused more on what we do instead of God's work

3) subjective feelings or mystical experience normal over history of cross, resurrection 

4) don't need Jesus or church

20-22) asceticism (starvation, self torture).

23) appearance of wisdom, value but does no good in stopping the indulgence of flesh

- Self-reformation will never work. We need transformation. No self-made Christians, we need Christ, we need the Holy Spirit. 

- Self-religion is hearing God saying here is the way, then saying; Thank you God I'll take this other way. 

- Christianity is resting in Christ. Not working. Trusting in His work, not relying on yourself. 

- legalism is trusting in the work of someone else's standards and rules.

- pleasing another rather than God

- code of conduct is a set of precepts 

    - Precept drive 35 mph, principal drive safely 

    - Conformity to the code makes us judgmental 

- We become a stumbling block, preventing others from drawing near to God.

- pagans, pastors 

4 reasons to say no

1) you're complete in Christ 

- everything you need in Christ 

- 20 "if with Christ you died"

- don't be manipulated, intimidated with people being an expert over you. You already completed in Christ. 

2) you never know when the rules are going to change (person, family, situation)

- 22 "things that perish when they're used"

- a worthless list, governing meaningless issues

3) look spiritual without being spiritual 

- prideful. Look good and smell bad.

- let Christ change you inside out

4) legalism doesn't stop the flesh

- the primary problem is people's pride in their own self Reliance 

- legalism brings "success" in the world, the death of the soul. More damaging than alcohol... contrary to Proverbs but I see his point.

Certain you've trusted Christ alone for salvation? People walk around the cross without bowing the knee to Christ. 

Are you more concerned with pleasing people or pleasing God?

Are you worn out in the walk with Christ?

- give it a rest.

- Christian life is not busy doing things for God

- God loves everyone equally, (talents and responsibility)

- called and equipped, the strength of grace, power of grace, peace transcends understanding. 

Mar. 19, 2017

"How the Gospel Keeps Us from Fearing Man" - Colossians 2:16-23 - Troy Dobbs

Watch • Listen •  Outline •  Study Guide

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