Category Archives: Bible

Bible

Hold on like Philadelphia

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In his message to the church in Philadelphia, Jesus emphasizes the steadfastness of believers and the faithful proclamation of the word of God. Jesus promises citizenship in the new heavenly Jerusalem to those who continue in the faith.

Jesus not only holds the key as mentioned in Revelation 1:18, but also closes and opens (Revelation 3:7). “ The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.”

The teachers of the law, on the other hand, took away the key of knowledge. They prevent people from being forgiven. Jesus says in Luke 11:52, “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”

Like in the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:8-9), in which five have not to give away their oil, in Revelation 3:11 believers are asked to be careful that no one takes their crown of glory from them.

Bible

Strengthen what is dying

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In the eyes of Jesus, the Christian community in Sardis is active, but living faith is missing. “You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead”. The church is told to wake up (Revelation 3:1-6).

Jesus warns against an organized church instead than an organic connection with Jesus himself.

Church can take place, but not live inwardly. Jesus’ approach is exciting, not to let the smouldering wick go out (Matthew 12:20 / Isaiah 42:3), but to kindle it again: “Strengthen what remains and is about to die”.

Revelation 3:5 “The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.”

In the book of life are written the names of those who have a share in eternal life. The term “book of life” comes from Psalm 69:29 (“Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous”).

Bible

The church is a shelter for human encounters

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The resurrected Jesus, in Revelation 2:18-29, rebukes the church in Thyatira for allowing a woman in their midst, who encouraged to sexual immorality and participation in idolatrous feasts.

Spiritualizing sex leads to abuse of people. Church should be a place free of sexuality. People should meet here without hidden motives. The church should be a shelter for human encounters without one person becoming the object of another and thus being misused.

Anyone who can meet other people without desiring anything from them qualifies for a position of leadership in the kingdom of God (Revelation 2:26-27).

Bible

I and the Father are one

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The Feast of Trinity is celebrated on the first Sunday after Pentecost.

Jesus says, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30).

Some people say what God can, may, and should do. The Bible shows that God can do anything as long as he keeps his promises.

The Trinity is the logical consequence of divine revelation in the Bible.

God revealed himself in three personalities. He is father because a son was born. The son carries the father’s DNA and is not a lower being by virtue of sonship, but voluntarily submits to the father by virtue of sonship. God is present because he is spirit and can be everywhere trough the Holy Spirit and act everywhere at once. God is not human and therefore outside of our thinking.

Whoever receives the Holy Spirit also receives the Father and the Son (Whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. John 13:20). No of them does anything that the other wouldn’t do. A dimension of unity that we cannot understand. Jesus said, “Believe me” (John 14:11). We cannot comprehend this unity with our mind.

Bible

Pentecost – breathtaking

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The Holy Spirit moves, inspires, fills all of creation. Its impact is breathtaking. Wherever something picks up speed, develops strength or breaks out in the Bible – the Holy Spirit is involved.

At Pentecost, Jesus’ disciples suddenly understood God’s masterpiece and speak of the great acts of God (Acts 2).

John 14,26: „But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.“

Bible

Ascension – A new chapter begins

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After Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead on the third day, he met over 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:5).

Although these encounters had an encouraging character, nothing earth-shattering happened. Jesus’ disciples went their own way again.

Jesus sent all the disciples back to Jerusalem.

The expectation of the disciples was great that Jesus would now set up the kingdom. But Jesus did not want to set a time for this and promised them divine power through the Holy Spirit, who would lead them into the whole world (Acts 1:6-8).

As Jesus ascended into heaven before their eyes on the Mount of Olives and disappeared from their sight through a cloud, Jesus opened a new chapter.

Jesus finished his first commission on earth. He went bodily to a real otherworldly place where he promised to prepare place to live for his followers (John 14:2).

He is now seated at the right hand of the heavenly Father (Mark 16:19 / Acts 7:56).

From there he will come again to set up God’s kingdom visibly.

Jesus taught his disciples that there is a real transcendent world and has now entered it. God’s presence is experienced anew through the Holy Spirit.

The followers of Jesus live in the expectation of being accepted into this other world. They look forward to the return of Jesus when he will set up his kingdom in glory.

Perhaps the Ascension Day has become a symbol that we too want to go to another world in prayer and then come back with new eyes.

Bible

Faith takes away the fear of death

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The Jesus Movement of Smyrna is materially poor, but they have discovered the riches of faith (Revelation 2:9) even as they are persecuted.

In Smyrna was a Jewish community that made life difficult for the people of Jesus (Revelation 2:9). Paul also made life difficult for the followers of Jesus at the beginning and was later attacked himself.

The Jews of the synagogue in Smyrna were supposed to be serving God, but their behaviour played into the hand of the enemy. Likewise, people can call themselves Christians, but their actions is rebellion against God.

Imprisonment and death are reported as common. Because Christ himself was dead and came to life again (Revelation 2:8), the first death loses its fear.

People who suffer for the faith and are willing to die for it, are among the victors who receive the laurel wreath. This doesn’t just mean the first to reach the finish line, but all those who hold on to their faith and are willing to trust in God in everything.

Bible

Jesus is the key person

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In the face of the divine Jesus, John gives up all his own strength. “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead” (Revelation 1:17).

Some people think that once they meet God, they will ask him many questions. I see here and also in Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:28) that whoever encounters God or Jesus says nothing more.

But those who stand to Jesus meet Jesus as friend. Jesus said in Luke 12:8, “Everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God“.

The encouragement to John is: “Fear not … I have the keys of Death and Hades” (Revelation 1:17). Jesus has all authority and the keys. Jesus decides.

In Matthew 7:23 Jesus himself says to godly people, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness”. The key question is not whether we know Jesus, but whether He knows us. Do we open ourselves to Jesus? He knows us when we reveal ourselves to him and talk to him. It starts in the here and now.

Jesus is the key person of revelation. He reveals what will happen to the called-out ones so that they don’t get worried. They should know: Jesus has everything in his hand. He wants to save people from their own destruction and invite them to repent. In addition, he lets them see how little they have in their own hands.

For believers, the book of Revelation is a book of comfort. They are walking towards an accomplished Jesus.

Bible, Jesus

Jesus shines like the sun

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In describing Jesus (Revelation 1:14-16), John seems to be struggling for words.

I find the image of the resurrection of Jesus on the Isenheim Altar very appropriate. The face of Jesus shines like the sun.

This is how I imagine how John saw Jesus. For his face shines like the sun (Revelation 1:16). So it is obvious that John is blinded and does not see everything clearly.

The statement is: The bruised Jesus is now a majestic appearance. The symbol of beauty and perfection. I don’t know if we would have chosen the same words. But the picture that John had of the crucifixion and what he now saw was like day and night.

The two-edged sword in the mouth of Jesus does not fit into the picture. But Simeon already said about Jesus in Luke 2:34-35: “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

With our reaction to the words of Jesus we judge ourselves.