Epilogue
“It is finished.” These were the words our Savior spoke as he died for the sins of the World, as he accomplished the mission he came to our planet to complete. He took our place and died the death we all deserve due to our sin & stupidity. Then, wonderfully, three days later, our Lord conquered death as he rose from the grave, showing for all time that sin and death had been put aside, that our ancient enemies had lost their sting.
Indeed, Jesus Christ lived beautifully and died courageously. As the Lamb of God (John 1:29) he paid the debt of our rebellion and as the Wisdom of God (Colossians 2:3) he taught us the proper response to his awesome gift of life. But as we have frequently emphasized, we do not always rise to the principles of his kingdom, but our efforts must always be directed towards living in his words of instruction as best we can. Truly, to emulate the Lord to the greatest of our ability is our fitting goal.
In addition, we have often spoken of how counter Jesus’ words, parables and teachings are to the ways of our World. We are living in a “matrix,” in a paradigm, that is opposed to the things of God in most respects. Jesus came to set us free from our delusions and false worldviews. Oh, how important it is to take in, study, and then give out his words. As you, as I, do this, we will set ourselves and others free. As he has said, “if we continue in his word…we shall know the truth, and the truth shall make us free,” (John 8:31-32).
Shortly thereafter (forty days), he ascended to Heaven, where he sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us. During those days, Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of Heaven to his followers (Acts 1:3) as well as showing himself alive to hundreds of chosen ones (1 Corinthians 15:6), proving the veracity of his resurrection. We don’t have the words he preached during that awesome interval but we do have love letters the Spirit of Jesus has given to us via the early believers. Specifically, Peter, John, Paul, James & Jude have given us further insights from the ways and words of our Teacher.
In closing this book, I would like to include some last instructions Jesus gave to John to give to the seven churches of the Revelation. Many see these seven letters to seven literal Christian churches of Asia Minor as directives to the entire Christian church of the last two thousand years. Jesus has many words of affirmation & warning to which we would do well to pay attention. Additionally, promises to the believers of rewards in his future Kingdom are given as motivation to keep & treasure these awesome words.
First, the Lord told the believers in Ephesus that they had left their first love. That saddened him. He implored them to remember what they had lost, to repent of their moving away and to return to that spot they were previously living & walking. Obviously, this is a pertinent word to many of us today. We too can get distracted and drift away from the Lover of our Souls. As we perceive this as happening, our response is to get ourselves back to that place we were when we were hot for his Kingdom and in love with being his follower. Jesus promised those in Ephesus that the intimacy they had once experienced would again be restored on that great day to come, as they returned to their King.
To the persecuted church of Smyrna, the Author of Life, told them not to fear men. He predicted that tribulations would occur in this life but that those who overcame would not be hurt by the second death. Later, that death is graphically revealed to John as part of his revelation, (Revelation 20:11-15).
Solomon told us the same thing, did he not? The fear of man brings a snare (Proverbs 29:25), while the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, (Proverbs 9:10). That is, to fear the Lord is the origin, is the starting point of all other wisdom. We have talked of the Fear of the Lord extensively in the book. It is my prayer that many of you will live as Jesus did in that regard. That is, live a life that is terrified at the prospect of being separated from our God.
Next, to the confused church of Pergamos, the Word of God (Revelation 19:13) told his followers to stay separate from the pernicious ways of the World. As they, as we do that, Jesus promises fellowship with him as close friends in the kingdom to come.
Clearly, we live in a World, in a time, where the things of God and the things of men do not mix. As oil and water will not blend, so too we are to stay separate from this World. As the Bible paraphrases, “we are in the World, but not of the World.”
Jesus’ fourth message was to the wealthy and dominant church of Thyatira. That city was wholly given to idol worship as they followed false spiritual leaders. Don’t do that was his command. We can know a tree by its fruit and we can also know a true leader from one who is false by the fruit we see produced in his or her life. The King of Kings, the True Head of the Body, promised great responsibilities in his kingdom to those who overcome this tendency we have to follow wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing.
The fifth church was in the midst of a city built upon a cliff. Sardis seldom was conquered during her long history due to this fortification. In fact, only twice was it defeated. Both were nighttime surprise raids that caught them unaware. The One whose ways are not our ways & thoughts are not our thoughts told those believers not to rest on their laurels. Keep moving forward, keep pressing in, keep the fires hot. I’m a golfer. Another way of saying this that my playing partners will understand is, “you are not as good as your last shot, you are as good as your next shot!” We want to finish strong, to run through the tape, as I have said more than once in this book. Jesus promises to confess our names to the Father on that day, if we continue to fight the good fight.
The City of Brotherly Love, that is, the church of Philadelphia, was told to hold fast to the Word. Great honor in the Kingdom was the promise to those overcomers. We too, must give worth to God’s Word, not compromising it, as the World so often will push us to do. Issues that the World proclaims as correct, e.g., killing fetuses in the name of autonomy, living in sexual sin under the guise of freedom of expression, as well as many other questions, are plainly contrary to God ways and must be avoided and called out by his followers. As Mark Batterson has written, “moral courage is the rarest type of courage today for we live in a World where it is wrong to say what is wrong.” That ought not to be!
In addition, the Philadelphians were told to walk through the doors that the Good Shepherd would open for them. Jesus opens doors for us daily, nudges us often, to move out in ministry, to live on mission. The church in Philadelphia did that, and we want to answer that call also!
Lastly, Jesus had some hard words to the lukewarm church of Laodicea. Illustratively, this city had a cold river which mixed with a hot aqueduct a few miles above it, rendering the water that arrived to them as tepid. Like Pergamos before, don’t live with one foot on Earth and one in Heaven. Don’t be hot on Sunday & then cold on Monday. Stay steady, keep engaged, make a decision, who are you going to follow? Jesus poignantly stated to those wishy-washy believers that their lukewarm state wanted only to make him vomit! Go upstream where the water is hot was his reprimand and the result would be to rule with him in his future Kingdom. Again, this can be the battle we too face day in and day out. Who am I going to make the Lord of my life today? Will it be myself, my agenda, my fleshly desires or will it be the Way, the Truth & the Life? As he has said, He is the Vine and apart from him we can do nothing of eternal value, (John 15:5).
Now, as we conclude this book of Jesus’ parables and teachings, the Great Physician’s prescription for life, I can’t help but be reminded that he promised that he would coming back. I want to be ready, to be watching.
I want to live expectantly realizing as my late friend Pastor Peter John Courson was fond of saying, “the Lord could come back today, and if not today, then tomorrow!”
Look up dear believer, our redemption draws near!
One more thing!
I’m going to be giving away two books! My email list is at 86 people. When it gets to 100, I will randomly choose one person from the list to receive a complimentary book, your choice! Here’s the book list. The second giveaway will happen when my Instagram account RxForLifeDrDan hits 100 (it is currently at 85). These are great odds and we’re getting close to these goals! Feel free to share with your family and friends so they can join in on the chance to win! Sign Up and Follow.