TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 20:19-30
I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. - John 16:22
TODAY IN THE WORD
Thanks to his daughter-in-law, we know much about the life of Hudson Taylor, one of the most respected missionaries of the nineteenth century. He spent most of his life traveling throughout rural China sharing the gospel. Most inns in those days were large open rooms, with little or no privacy. Still, Taylor’s son and daughter-in-law always tried to find a small private room for their father, not for his own comfort, but because of his lifelong practice of rising very early in the morning, lighting a candle, and worshiping the Lord. Those who knew him sometimes said that before the sun rose in China, Taylor was awake, worshiping his Lord Jesus Christ.

The beginning of John 20 records the Resurrection and Mary’s initial visit to the empty tomb. In today’s passage we find Jesus appearing to the rest of the disciples in bodily form. The first thing that Jesus did was to commission them for their gospel ministry, which presented the good news of forgiveness of sins. The giving of the Holy Spirit (v. 22) anticipates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 and reveals that this ministry can only be done under the Spirit’s guidance.

Upon hearing what had happened, Thomas declared that he would not believe it unless he could personally touch the Lord’s crucifixion wounds. One week later, the Lord graciously granted his request. As soon as Thomas saw the risen Lord, his immediate response was to worship Him (v. 28).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
“Doubting” Thomas teaches us an important lesson: without the historical fact of Jesus’ resurrection, we’d have no basis for our faith or our worship. As Pastor Herbert Carson writes, “[T]he great truths about Him and His work will be the context for our worship. His eternal sonship, His incarnation, His atonement, His resurrection, His ascension, His second coming–these will be the constant themes for our praise and the very foundation of our prayers. . . . We magnify His name because He brings us to the Father’s presence.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 24:13-53
Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days. - John 2:19
TODAY IN THE WORD
Even when disguised, familiar habits often reveal a person’s true identity. We all have certain mannerisms, such as how we hold a fork or fold a newspaper. Even if we change appearances, those close to us can usually identify us by these familiar actions.

The Scriptures tell us that Jesus was resurrected in the same body in which He had been crucified. So on the one hand, after the Resurrection He was recognizable as Jesus of Nazareth. Yet, on the other hand, many Gospel accounts reveal that even those close to Him didn’t immediately recognize Him. But when Jesus broke bread and gave thanks, His followers’ eyes were opened to His true identity.

Luke 24 is like a sequel to yesterday’s passage. Yesterday we saw Jesus’ closest disciples; today’s passage looks at other followers. In particular, we meet two who were sad and discouraged. This encounter probably took place on the day of the Resurrection, but these two had either not believed it or not grasped its full significance. While walking, they were joined by a stranger. As they recounted all that had happened, from their perspective they saw failure and disappointment. Their hopes had been dashed, and they were confused. All they could focus on was “him they did not see” (v. 24).

Jesus’ rebuke (v. 25) was meant to remind them that the entire prophetic witness pointed to Him. Moreover, He Himself had indicated how He fulfilled Scripture (Luke 4:17–21). So as they walked on the road, Jesus walked them back through Moses to the prophets and to Himself.

After entering their home, Jesus broke bread and gave thanks, and it was then that these two finally “saw” Jesus. Afterward, they joined the other disciples, confirming that indeed the Lord had risen. Jesus then appeared again to the entire group (v. 36).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In Luke 24, we find several aspects of worship. Writer Denis McBride lists the following: “. . . the coming together / the hearing of the story / the gathering around the table / the breaking of the bread / the recognition of Jesus as Lord / the renewal of personal discipleship / the departure to share the good news . . .” Take some time to reflect upon these elements of worship. In particular, how might you incorporate personal renewal and witnessing into your understanding and practice of worship?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 2:1-47
We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues! - Acts 2:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
Try to imagine for a moment what it was like for the disciples after Jesus was taken up into heaven and before the Holy Spirit came. This small group must have experienced a wide range of emotions, from fear of the authorities who had crucified Jesus to hopeful expectation of the promised Holy Spirit (John 14:26).

The book of Acts opens by reviewing the events that we looked at yesterday in Luke 24. Commanded by Jesus to “wait for the gift my Father promised” (Acts 1:4), this small band of followers remained close at hand, probably meeting for prayer daily. Acts 2 says that the entire group was in one place on Pentecost. Recall that Pentecost was one of three annual Jewish festivals (see Dec. 2). During this festival, harvest firstfruits were offered to the Lord (see Ex. 23:16). It’s no coincidence that the Spirit would be poured out on this day, because clearly the Holy Spirit is the firstfruit of eternal life in Jesus Christ. Paul says much the same thing in Ephesians 1:14, where the Spirit is a “deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.”

The way in which the Spirit came was sudden–like a violent wind. And as a result, the entire group worshiped God and declared His wonders in languages previously unknown to them. It’s not surprising that the crowd was baffled and even accused this group of being drunk (v. 13).

In his long speech, Peter linked this phenomenal event to the earlier prophecy from Joel (2:28-32). After reminding the crowd of the recent events concerning Jesus of Nazareth, Peter then proclaimed the outpoured Spirit as the gift of the risen Jesus Christ (v. 38), whom they too could receive if they repented. And in fact about three thousand people did receive Jesus that day.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The Holy Spirit is the gift from the Father and the Son. At His coming, we see the church infused with power to witness and to worship as never before. The link here between witness and worship is one that we looked at yesterday, and is quite clear in Acts 2. As believers praised God for His wonders, those listening repented and trusted Jesus. As we focus on worship this month, ask the Lord how your witness for Him can bring Him glory. You may be amazed at how He can use you to bring other people to saving faith in Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 10:1-11:18
I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth. - Acts 13:47
TODAY IN THE WORD
It’s been said that “Sunday morning is the most segregated time in America.” After everything we’ve studied this month--how all humans are created to worship God, how the promise to Abraham includes all peoples, how the Incarnation restores broken fellowship, and how the Spirit enables worship across language barriers–this is indeed a sad observation. Today’s passage will challenge us further to pray for integration within our churches.

The first Christians were nearly all Jews, as was Jesus. Joel’s prophecy said that the Spirit would be poured out on all people (Joel 2:28; cf. Acts 2:17), and the events of Acts 2 confirmed this. Still, it was hard for the early church to understand how Gentiles fit into God’s plan. It was probably impossible to envision a unified church with Jewish and Gentile Christians. But God faithfully guides His church in the direction in which He wants it to go.

Cornelius was a Gentile who feared God, but God was about to reveal Himself further to this faithful man, and He was going to use Peter to accomplish this.

God used a vision to prepare Peter for this new assignment. In this vision, the strict Jewish division between ritually clean and unclean foods was broken down (v. 15). This removed one of the stumbling blocks that a devout Jew like Peter would have had about sharing a meal with a Gentile like Cornelius. It also symbolized what God was about to do in the church (vv. 34–35). As Peter preached the gospel in Cornelius’s household, the Spirit descended, just as He had at Pentecost (v. 45).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In Welcoming the Stranger, Patrick Keifert writes, “Many congregations are adept at proclaiming the gospel but inept at welcoming and assimilating people.” This is particularly true when we have to cross ethnic or cultural lines. Revelation 4–5 presents a beautiful picture of people from every tribe and nation worshiping together. Think of how rich our worship could be if we were experiencing even a fraction of the diversity reflected in Revelation!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Romans 8:1-27
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord. - Ephesians 5:19
TODAY IN THE WORD
Have you ever gazed upon a brilliant sunset or watched moonlight dancing off ocean waves and felt yourself at a complete loss for words? Some sense of the eternal wells up within us, but it’s impossible to find words to express it. Author Theodore W. Jennings writes, “The origin of praise is the leaping of the Spirit within us, the outpouring of God’s Spirit upon us.” In fact, we see that apart from the Spirit we would not even be able to worship, because He gives the content of our prayers and leads us into praise and worship.

As we looked at the book of Acts, we saw how vital the role of the Spirit was in the early church, and He is no less vital today. In fact, Romans 8 has sometimes been called the “Holy Spirit Chapter,” and it’s easy to see why.

The chapter begins with the great truth that we have been set free. Because the demands of God’s law could never be met apart from His power, those who try to meet these standards through their own power will only experience condemnation. But freedom has been given to those of us who have placed our trust in Jesus–the only one who could pay the price to remove the sentence against us. Not only have we been set free from a human attempt to meet the demands of the law, we also have been set free from living according to our sinful nature. As children of God, we are now led by the Spirit to become more like Christ and exhibit the fruits of the Spirit.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Romans 8:23 says that we have received the firstfruits of the Spirit. This is like a down payment of the resurrection that we will fully experience when Jesus returns in glory.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Romans 12:1-21
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise. - Hebrews 13:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
A symphony orchestra is an amazing thing. Various musical instruments together produce music more glorious than any one instrument could produce individually. The overall effect can be so harmonious that it’s hard to distinguish individual instruments. It’s easy to see why a symphony is such a good illustration of the body of Christ. Each of us is unique, yet when we come together in worship, the effect is more glorious than it would be if we were going solo.

We saw in our study of Old Testament worship that animal sacrifices were required at certain times (see Dec. 7). But these sacrifices became unnecessary after the perfect sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Yet it is still appropriate for believers to offer sacrifices, only now, we are commanded to offer our very lives in spiritual worship!

The word spiritual could also be translated “logical” or “rational.” One way to understand this is that the most logical response that we can make in light of all that the Lord has done for us is to dedicate our very lives to Him. This goes far beyond acts of devotion–this is a lifestyle of worship in our Lord’s service. This radical idea is consistent with other verses in Scripture that teach that we can only serve one Master (Matt. 6:24).

The perspective of the world around us presents one of the biggest obstacles to this way of thinking. It’s no coincidence that Paul follows the command not to be conformed to the pattern of this world with a command to think rightly about oneself. The world around us will inevitably prompt us to compare ourselves with others, either becoming arrogant if we are “better,” or becoming discouraged if we are “worse.” But there’s no room for this type of thinking in the body of Christ.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In Romans 12, worship is a total–body experience, involving every part of our being and every part of the body of Christ. Every Christian has a spiritual gift for this spiritual service of worship. If you don’t already know your spiritual gifts, make this a goal for the upcoming year. There are numerous books on the subject; perhaps your pastor could recommend one. The easiest way to get started, however, is simply to start loving others in your church and worshiping God. You may see a pattern of how you’re burdened to serve.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 1:3-14
Sing to the glory of his name; make his praise glorious! - Psalm 66:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
Surprise parties usually require tremendous planning and work. For months secret plots are hatched, phone calls made, and invitations sent. At first the guest of honor is amazed by the surprise and the number of people involved. Later on this person finds pleasure and encouragement thinking about what it took to pull the party off. It’s a great honor to have people express love and care in this way!

Ephesians 1 tells us that God also had a great surprise (or mystery, v. 9) planned from all eternity, and has unveiled it through His Son, Jesus Christ. As we reflect on what God has done for us, we are amazed, humbled, and encouraged, and our only response is to worship God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Today’s passage is actually one long sentence in the original Greek. It’s as if one reason for worship seemed to tumble upon the next, like a beautiful waterfall, as Paul wrote. Paul starts off by praising God who has given us every spiritual blessing through His Son Jesus Christ. The first blessing is that we’ve been chosen by God and adopted into His family (vv. 4–6), before the beginning of time. Paul’s point here is to encourage those who are Christians about what it means to be “in Christ.” Although some try to understand the destiny of nonbelievers from these verses, that simply isn’t Paul’s focus here, and it would be better to look at other Scriptures for that question.

The next blessing is redemption, or the forgiveness of our sins (vv. 7–10). But redemption goes far beyond our sin–it enables us to receive God’s wisdom and understanding so that we can begin to grasp His purposes. And perhaps His greatest purpose is reconciliation. God reconciles people to Himself and to each other (see Dec. 18). This glorious work is brought to its completion in Christ Jesus.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It’s easy to read about the wonderful things that God has done and have a hard time applying them to our own lives. We can agree that believers face eternal glory and at the same time feel hopeless about our own future. To make the truths contained in today’s passage seem more personal, rewrite this passage and substitute “my” for “our,” and “me” for “us,” and so on. Where appropriate, insert your name. Now pray that the Holy Spirit will impress the truth of this great passage deep within your heart.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 3:14-21
To the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! - Jude 25
TODAY IN THE WORD
There’s a sweet game that little children often play–the “I love you more than . . .” game. One person says something like, “I love you more than the stars in the sky!” The other person responds, “I love you more than the sand on the beach!” Back and forth it goes, with increasingly greater comparisons, until finally there aren’t any more comparisons left.

It may be surprising to find out that God Himself “plays” this game! And the best part about playing this game with God is that He does have more love for us than could ever possibly be measured, as we find out in Ephesians 3.

Paul has just finished writing about the spiritual blessings that we have in Christ (see yesterday’s study) and about the reconciled humanity that is being formed in Christ (Eph. 2). In response to this glorious work that God is accomplishing through Christ, Paul falls to his knees in worship (v. 14). Normally, Jews stood when they prayed, so kneeling reflected deep awe and emotion.

Paul addresses his worship to God who is the Father of all those who have become His children, whether those already in heaven, or those still on earth. This family is evidence of the unity that God is bringing about through Jesus Christ.

First, Paul prays that we might be strengthened with power by means of the Holy Spirit. But we aren’t empowered to do something, but rather to allow something–namely, to allow Christ to dwell within us! Apart from Christ, we’ll never know or experience the depths of God’s infinite love.

Second, Paul again prays for power (v. 18). And once again, this isn’t the power to do, but rather the power to know–the incomparable love of Christ. But the extent of His love is actually beyond knowing, so Paul prays simply that we may be filled with it.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It’s hard to play the “I love you more than . . .” game by yourself. That’s because we understand and see God’s love better in fellowship with other believers than isolated, by ourselves. At times, we need others to remind us of God’s love. Other times, we’re strengthened by sharing with others the evidence of God’s love in our own lives. As you join with others for Christmas gatherings, take time to focus together on the greatness of God’s love, beginning with the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Colossians 1:15-23
You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things. - Revelation 4:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
Someone once said, “To know God is to worship Him.” It’s easy to apply that truth as we sing Christmas carols, many of which contain key theological truths. Consider, for example, this fifteenth-century hymn: “Unto us a boy is born / The King of all creation / Came he to a world forlorn / The Lord of every nation.”

This hymn captures two essential truths about Jesus: He is the Lord of creation and He is the Lord of re-creation, or redemption. These two themes come together in one of the greatest passages about Christ in the New Testament, Colossians 1:15–20. In fact, some people believe that this passage reflects a hymn that Paul may have written earlier. And even if this wasn’t first a hymn, it has the same effect, since each line gives one more reason to praise Jesus Christ.

The first part of this passage focuses on Jesus as Lord of creation (vv. 15–17) and the next part on Jesus as Lord of re-creation (vv. 18–20). Verse 15 confirms what we saw in John 1 (see Dec. 10), namely that the Son is the reflection of the Father. When we see Jesus, we “see” the unseen God.

The title firstborn is drawn from the Old Testament. This term doesn’t imply that Jesus was somehow created, but rather it affirms Jesus’ preeminent rank. You may recall that God called Israel His firstborn when He led them from Egypt (Ex. 4:22). Clearly, the nation wasn’t literally born to God. Rather, “firstborn” implies a special, privileged relationship. Thus, verse 15 tells us that Jesus has the highest rank over creation; in other words, He is Lord over creation. This is spelled out in verse 16, which recalls John 1:3.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If knowing God means worshiping Him, then we should be all the more eager to know Him. Also, the better we know Jesus and consider all that He’s accomplished on our behalf, the better we can worship Him. Colossians 1:15–20 is a great place to start, which is why we’ll look at this passage again tomorrow.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Colossians 1:15-23
You are worthy . . . because you were slain, and you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. - Revelation 5:9
TODAY IN THE WORD
“Hark! the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the new-born King: Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!’ Joyful, all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies; With the angelic host proclaim, 'Christ is born in Bethlehem!’ Hark! the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the new-born King.’ ”

We’re practically compelled to feel the true Spirit of Christmas with this carol! It’s hard to find another carol that states so well the message of redemption: “God and sinners reconciled.” The fellowship that humanity enjoyed with God was broken during the Fall, and along with it, the worship that flowed naturally from created humanity to the Creator God.

Yesterday, we spent time worshiping Jesus as the Lord of creation, and today we switch the focus to Jesus as Lord of redemption. We see that the first part of the redeemed order, or re-creation, is the church

(v. 18). The essential link between the church and the resurrection of Jesus is quite clear. Recall that firstborn meant preeminence. Thus, Jesus has the same exalted position in the new resurrection order that He has among the entire created world. It follows quite logically that Jesus is the only true head of the church, because it is His very body.

Any remaining doubt of Christ’s supremacy is removed in verse 19, which tells us that God was pleased for all His fullness to be present in Jesus. There’s much discussion about the exact meaning of this verse. Because the context is Jesus’ work of redemption, it’s probably best to understand fullness as a reference to God’s deity dwelling in Jesus during His Incarnation. Therefore this verse affirms that Jesus is fully divine and fully human.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Christmas traditions vary from family to family. Some open some or even all of their Christmas presents on Christmas Eve, while others save everything for Christmas morning. But regardless of the timing, make a conscious effort this year to thank the Lord for the greatest gift of all–the gift of His Son Jesus Christ. As we celebrate His birth, let’s never take for granted what His incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection mean. Without Him, there would be no Christmas and no hope for reconciliation with God the Father.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Philippians 2:5-11
The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. - Mark 10:45
TODAY IN THE WORD
On Christmas Day, people often read the accounts of Jesus’ birth found in Matthew 2 and Luke 2. With all the emphasis on gifts and holiday celebrations, it’s easy to miss that “Jesus is the reason for the season,” as the popular saying goes. And while we certainly encourage you to read these wonderful passages, we also encourage you to keep in mind not only the fact that Jesus was born, but also the reason why He was born.

That’s why we’ve selected today’s passage for Christmas Day: the manger points to the cross, which points to Jesus’ exaltation. This passage gives us a glimpse of that great day when true worship of Jesus is finally and fully restored.

Paul begins by encouraging us to have the same attitude as Christ Jesus. This attitude can be summed up in one word: humility. Because Jesus is fully God, He clearly shares God’s divine nature. Yet He yielded His deity to the Father’s perfect plan. That is, Jesus didn’t use His equality with God for His own purposes (v. 6). Instead, He willingly took on human flesh. Like a servant, He was deprived of His rights, but He did so voluntarily to do the Father’s will. What’s more, Jesus submitted to one the most cruel and painful deaths ever devised, crucifixion.

Contrary to human logic, however, the path to glory leads through humility. Following His humiliation on the cross, God exalted Jesus to the highest place. The name that is above all others is most likely Lord, for indeed Jesus is Lord of creation and redemption (see Dec. 23 and 24). Because He is the exalted Lord, every created being will bow before Him. To confess Jesus for who He truly is–Lord–is to bring glory to the Father (v. 11).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
At the core of worship are the attitudes of submission and reverence. Although we clearly aren’t divine like Jesus, we are still exhorted to imitate Jesus regarding humility. Like Him, we also need to set aside our own rights to do God’s will.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 7:1-28
In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. - Ephesians 3:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
For most of us, using a password to gain access to something is a daily reality. We use passwords to log on to computers, or to withdraw money from our bank accounts. Life can get a bit complicated when we forget these passwords!

In a certain sense, Jesus is like our password to gain access to God. He is the One who makes it possible for us to draw near to God and who brings our petitions before God. In the book of Hebrews, this role of Jesus is described in terms of the high priest of the Levitical order in the Old Testament (see Dec. 7).

In Hebrews, Jesus the high priest is likened to Melchizedek, whom we first meet in Genesis 14, when Abraham offered him tithes after defeating some foreign kings. Hebrews 7 mentions two very intriguing things about Melchizedek: first, he doesn’t have human genealogy, and second, he remains a priest forever. There’s much debate about this mysterious figure’s identity and nature, but the author of Hebrews mentions him to show us something about Jesus. In order to be a Levitical priest, a man had to descend from Levi. An unknown genealogy would prevent a person from the priesthood. In Jesus’ case, His genealogy traced back to Judah, not Levi (v. 14). So the author of Hebrews wants to show that, like Jesus, another high priest (Melchizedek) was without genealogy and still wasn’t disqualified from the priesthood.

Second, Jesus is like Melchizedek in that He also is a priest forever. One major problem with the Levitical priesthood was that the priests eventually died (v. 23). Jesus, in comparison, “has a permanent priesthood” (v. 24). Unlike these priests, Jesus is able to intercede continuously for those who come to God through Him.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We need a priest like Jesus (v. 26)! We need One who offered the perfect sacrifice. We need One who intercedes for us. And we need One who leads us in worship.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 9:11-10:18
Since we have a great high priest . . . Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. - Hebrews 4:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
About this time of year, many people start thinking about New Year’s resolutions. There’s conviction and hope that habits will be changed or pounds will be shed. For many, however, these resolutions are broken in January and forgotten by March. Months pass, December arrives, and the cycle repeats itself!

It’s part of our human nature to experience limitations, despite our best intentions. This limitation is part of the argument made in Hebrews. Yesterday, we saw that Jesus the Great High Priest was able to do what the Levitical priests couldn’t do. Today, we’ll see that because Jesus is fully human and fully divine, He is able to offer a better sacrifice (Heb. 9:11–14) and effect a better covenant (vv. 15–22).

Access to the Holy of Holies in the wilderness tabernacle was only possible when human sin was cleansed by sprinkled animal blood. But Jesus is able to enter to the true Holy of Holies, heaven itself, because of His own shed blood. This better sacrifice does more than cleanse us from sin temporarily or externally–it cleans our very consciences.

The covenant mediated through Moses was glorious (2 Cor. 3:7), and with it came the inheritance of the Promised Land. But even so, this covenant is surpassed by the new covenant that Jesus Christ Himself mediates, and which effects the eternal inheritance of life with Him. Just as a human will only becomes effective when the person who wrote it dies, so too the old covenant required the death of animals; the new covenant required the blood of Jesus. The key to this is that forgiveness for sins requires shed blood (v. 22).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Hebrews helps us see the true significance of all the symbolism in the tabernacle. The arrangement of the tabernacle, the high priest, and the sacrifices all point to Jesus Christ. Like the tabernacle, He is where the glory of God is found. Like the high priest, He leads the people to God. Like the animals sacrifices, His blood removes sin. But unlike any of these earthly things, Jesus Christ accomplishes perfectly and forever what the earthly tabernacle could only do imperfectly and temporarily.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 4:1-5:14
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him. - Psalm 22:27
TODAY IN THE WORD
There was nothing particularly special about the small group assembled. No one famous, no one rich, just seemingly ordinary people. Ordinary to the outside observer, perhaps, but extraordinary because each person was a follower of Jesus Christ. And although the classroom was located on a typical American university campus, the group represented about eight different countries. Toward the end of the weekly Bible study, someone spontaneously started singing a praise chorus. That led to another worship song, and to another. Some sang in English, others sang in their native languages. About two hours later, when the worship quietly stopped, no one spoke for several minutes. And when someone finally did speak, it seemed to capture everyone’s thought: “It’s like we’ve been in the book of Revelation!”

What a wonderful place to be, especially if the place happened to be Revelation 4 and 5. These two chapters together record one of the greatest praise and worship services in all eternity. Clearly the focal point of this great scene of worship is the throne (Rev. 4:2). It’s not surprising that John’s attempt to describe the appearance of God on His throne stretches the limits of human language. Jasper and carnelian are precious stones mentioned throughout Scripture in reference to God’s glory. Thus John uses these brilliant stones as an image of God’s resplendent majesty.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Revelation 4:10 says that the twenty-four elders “lay their crowns down before the throne.” Prior to that, they fell down before God’s throne in worship. This is a picture of complete submission before the Lord God Almighty, for a crown represented one’s authority. As we read this passage, it’s worth asking if we have cast our own crowns before the Lord? Have we relinquished our own authority, or attempts to live life our own way, to the Lord? Or, are we still wearing our crown for our own glory?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 7:9-17
They took palm branches . . . shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” - John 12:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
One of the most inspirational figures of the early church is Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. Scholars believe that this faithful believer was born around a.d. 69, and may have been converted by the apostle John. At this time, Christians in western Asia (modern Turkey) experienced increased persecution. In a.d. 156, Polycarp was dragged before a jeering crowd and told to renounce his faith, or he would be burned at the stake. Polycarp’s beautiful response was as follows: “For eighty and six years I have been His servant and He has never done me wrong. How can I blaspheme my king, who has saved me?” With that, Polycarp was martyred.

Those who killed Christians may have thought that they scored a victory, but Revelation 7 indicates otherwise. In the second part of this chapter, we see the faithful through the ages before the throne (v. 9). The final battle has yet to occur, so this passage reveals the final outcome for believers. Their white robes symbolize purity, because they have been washed in the Lamb’s blood (v. 14). In fact, because of their cleansed robes, they are able to stand before the throne and to serve God.

As you envision this crowd waving palm branches and praising God, you may recall Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (John 12:13). That event anticipated today’s passage where the multitude praises the Lamb for the salvation that was effected on the cross. As Bible scholar Robert Mounce writes, “The redemption of man, the ultimate purpose of God in creation, has at last been realized.”
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The word hosanna means “save.” And salvation is the content of the praise chorus offered by the multitudes in today’s passage.