Friday, January 13

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Revelation 1:1-3

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw – that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

When my brother was in 5th or 6th grade or so – he played the tuba in the school band. He kept his horn – which was technically a sousaphone - in its case in his room, where he could practice without driving the rest of us crazy.

My brother also occasionally had trouble waking up on time for school. Whenever this would happen, my father would devise creative and somewhat devious ways to wake him up. Sometimes it was a cold wash cloth dropped onto his bare back – my brother hated that! And once, when my brother rolled over and went back to sleep, my Dad saw the sousaphone sitting in the corner of the room and couldn’t resist. He put bell of the horn right over his son’s head and blew – his own version of a “wake-up call!” That was my Dad’s idea of fun – which tells you something about my Dad! It also might explain a few things about my brother! (Just kidding in case either of you read this!)

In a sense, prophecy is like the great wake-up call of God. Biblical prophecy is not meant to scare us or confuse us – but it is meant to wake us up! Through prophecy God tells us that his word is true; that he has authority over all things; and that history is moving toward an end. Through prophecy God tells us that he will hold us accountable for our own lives and that each of our lives will also have an end. Through prophecy God tells us how we can be fully prepared for that end – even though we do not know when or how it will take place.

Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

The question is, how do we “take to heart” what Biblical prophecy is telling us?

In Revelation 3 Jesus offers us this invitation:

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

The “door” Jesus is talking about is the door of our hearts. Jesus wants to enter our hearts, to fill us with his grace and truth, to confront our sin and replace it with his forgiveness and righteousness – but he needs our permission to do so. So how do we open the door?

The preceding verse answers this question:

“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.” Revelation 3:19

We open the door of our hearts to Jesus when we recognize our sin and repent. To “repent” means to turn around – to go in a new direction. It means that when we invite Christ into our hearts he will come in – but he will also clean house!

The Apostle Paul describes this process like this:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

So how does all this prepare us for eternity? Peter says:

In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you. 1 Peter 1:3-4

Can you hear the sousaphone of God - the great wake up call of his prophetic word? Each of our lives – and history itself – is rushing toward a conclusion. Most of the time we are somewhat oblivious to this truth – yet it is true. Prophecy is God’s way of telling us that the time to prepare is now.

Open your heart to Jesus today – and receive his forgiveness – and more than that – receive the promise of an eternal inheritance!

Pastor Brian Coffey