Pastor's Notebook

 

Dear Friends in Christ,

 

going through it for a year. I've admitted that I had never formally taught this book
before. And, I wasn't sure I wanted to teach it like we've done. But, I am glad I did!
And, I'm glad so many of our members have attended the class.
I haven't formally taught most books of the Bible, however. I used to teach
“overview” courses of the Old and New Testaments as a missionary, going over each
book very quickly. There is great advantage to taking your time going slowly over
God's Word. It allows time for questions, meditation, application to our daily lives, and
to see how different parts of God's Word are connected.
Here at the end of our Revelation study I'd like to review how our Lord Jesus
has been portrayed in this book. You get a much different picture of Jesus in Revelation
than you do in the Gospels, or in the drama “The Chosen” which we've watched
together, and which we will begin to watch again after the Revelation study is over.
“The Chosen” focuses on the Gospel portrayals of Jesus. The exalted picture of Jesus
Christ in Revelation is surprising, to say the least, if you've never seen/read it!
The Gospels show the earthly life and ministry of Jesus—in His “state of
humiliation”—from His conception to death. The Gospels end with His entrance into
His “state of exaltation”—which includes His descent into Hell after His burial (to
proclaim His victory over sin/death/the devil), and then His resurrection and ascension.
Revelation begins at His ascension into glory. We see Him then as King of kings and
Lord of Lords. The whole book covers the time from His ascension until His return to
judge all people and usher in the New Creation—a new heaven and new earth.
Throughout the book Jesus is seen in various roles. He is the Son of Man—
which focuses on His role as exalted Lord, the Judge, and Lord of the New Creation
where all creation will bow before Him.
Jesus also appears as the Lamb of God. Due to His sacrificial death and
resurrection, He has won victory for God's people. They have been redeemed and made
into a kingdom for the heavenly Father. By the Lamb's blood God's people are made
righteous and holy in His sight and are presented to God for eternal life. We are worthy
to be sons of God because Jesus has given us His worthiness as the Son of God. Jesus's
victory for us means our victory over death and hell and satan/the dragon. Indeed, all
(continued from page 1)
who will be in the new heaven and new earth have their names written in “the Lamb's Book of Life.” That name is written there due to your baptism and faith in Him.
Jesus, as the exalted Christ, also is an “angel,” that is a messenger of God's Word. He is the mediator of the message of Revelation. Jesus uses angels throughout the book to give the revelation to the apostle John, and these angels act under the exalted Christ's authority. All the created angels remind us that Jesus Christ is the very Word of God in the flesh, and that He is the “Messenger/Angel of the Covenant,” that the Old Testament said would come (Malachi 3:1).
Finally, the teaching of Jesus Christ is summarized at the end of the book—the end of Holy Scripture. Three divine titles that describe the eternal greatness of the infinite God are applied to Jesus Christ. He is “the First and the Last”—that is, Lord of the church; He is “the Beginning and the End”—of all creation, and also of the new creation; and, He is “the Alpha and the Omega”—of all eternity.
Jesus, born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary (portrayed in Revelation 12, and as a symbol of the Church), and raised in Nazareth, is glorified and honored as God/Yahweh in the Flesh. It is through Jesus Christ alone that God deals with all humanity in creation and redemption, in judgment and in mercy. To Him, with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all glory, now and forever!
The book of Revelation, and all of Holy Scripture, ends with these words: The grace of Jesus be with all. Amen.
In Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords, Son of Man and Lamb of God:
                                                                                                                          Blessings!

                                                                                                         Pastor Engler

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                   


 

 

 

   

 

© 2025 Lutheran Church of the Prince of Peace
Connected Sound - Websites for the Barbershop Community
rarefilm.net incest xxx free