The New Beginning

Backstory:
The first chapters of Genesis announce God’s creation of the heavens and the earth. The last chapters of Revelation describe a new heaven and a new earth where God dwells with those who are faithful to him. The heavenly city is also referred to as the new Jerusalem or the bride of Christ. The bride — symbolic of the church, the community of those redeemed by Christ’s blood — is pure and faithful to Christ the Lamb.

God’s Story:
Ever since I created the heavens and the earth, I have wanted my people to glory in it and to live in devoted relationship with me. I have called them continuously throughout the centuries. I claimed Abraham and built the great nation of Israel from him; I sent my messengers as prophets, judges and kings and called the Israelites back to me; I sent my Son to live among my people and make a way for them to have a relationship with me; I established my church and worked actively through my faithful children. And still, after all that time, things are not perfect. But I am not yet finished! I will establish a new heaven and a new earth. I will complete what I started in the Garden of Eden and gather my prized family to me. Only then will my plan be complete.

Read Revelation 21:1 — 22:21

Your Story:
God is going to take this earth in which we now live and rejuvenate it in heaven. Everything he created in the beginning will be new again. The new Jerusalem will be magnificent. It will be free of loneliness, tears, pain and death. God will be present, and his ultimate dream of gathering his faithful people — his family, his children with whom he will live forever — will be fulfilled. There is only one question left:

WILL YOU BE THERE?  

The Woman and The Dragon

Backstory:
Revelation is a complicated and detailed book that unfolds to reveal the epic battle between God and Satan. The vision of the woman and the dragon in Revelation 12 is a cosmic point of view of the birth of Christ, which sparks a battle in the heavens between the forces of good and evil. The woman who gives birth to the Messiah likely represents the believing Messianic community.

God’s Story:
I will prevail over natural calamities. I will triumph over demonic forces. I will conquer the dragon and the beasts and any forces that oppose me. The full extent of Satan’s horrible wickedness will be exposed. Nothing is going to destroy me, my plan or my people. I am the Sovereign god, creator of all things in the heavens above and on the earth below.

Read Revelation 12:1 – 13:18

Your Story:
The devil may be powerful and fierce, but God’s power surpasses all things in the heavens, on the earth and in the sea. If you are God’s child, he has promised you his protection. As he shielded the woman from the dragon by providing her refuge in the wilderness, he offers you refuge as well. You can be assured that as long as your heart lies with the Lord, Satan cannot touch it. Surround yourself with God’s love and live in the peace and hope of what is to come.

John’s Vision of Christ

Backstory:
Revelation was likely the last New Testament book written by the apostle John. Christians were coming under increasing persecution by the Roman authorities. John had been exiled to the island of Patmos for his activities as a Christian missionary. He wrote to encourage the faithful to resist the demands of emperor worship. John informed his readers that the final showdown between God and Satan was imminent. He warned that Satan will increase his persecution of believers, but they must stand fast, even to death. They are sealed against any spiritual harm and will be vindicated when Christ returns, the wicked are destroyed and God’s people enter an eternity of glory and blessedness.

God’s Story:
My church is under attack, struggling to remain a lamp lit in a world of darkness. But my people know that Christ, not Caesar, is Lord. My vision for a glorious future and kingdom will encourage them to persevere and assure them that in the end, I will be victorious. When chaos swirls around them, I will be in the middle of it all, sitting on my throne.

Read Revelation 1:1-20

Your Story:
When chaos surrounds you and the devil appears to be winning, take heart, things are not what they seem to be. As the Romans focused on tormenting Christians and John perhaps wondered whether or not the church was strong enough to endure, Jesus appeared, reassuring the aged apostle of God’s power and control. Christ is the one who has conquered sin, death and the evil one. He is the one who knows your name, knows your pain and stands right in the middle of it all protecting you. He is still in control and the victory belongs to him.

The Issue of Hospitality

Backstory:
The gospel was taken from place to place by roaming evangelists and teachers, and believers regularly welcomed them into their homes. John wrote 2 John to encourage discernment in supporting these missionaries. John wrote 3 John to commend Gaius for supporting missionaries and to rebuke Diotrephes for refusing to take them into his home.

God’s Story:
Believers must be wise in whom they follow and to whom they listen. They must not give those who are not true to Christ’s teaching a stage from which to spread their erroneous beliefs.

Read 2 and 3 John
Your Story:
While 2 John stresses the need to refuse hospitality to false teachers, 3 John insists on offering hospitality to those who teach and preach the truth. Hospitality is a way to show your support and love for others. It makes others feel welcomed and appreciated. Some have commented that in recent years, hospitality in churches seems to have become a thing of the past. What do you think? What are some examples of hospitality that you’ve experienced? Why is hospitality important for the life of the church?

God Is Love

Backstory:
The apostle John wrote this letter during his later years, and evidence from early Christian writers places John in Ephesus during most of those years. The fact that it was addressed to no one by name suggests that it was a circular letter sent to Christians in a number of places, likely in the area around Ephesus. As John’s readers were confronted with false teachers, he set forth 3 key tests of authentic Christian faith: belief that Jesus is the incarnate Son of god, obedience to Christian commands, and love for brothers and sisters in Christ.

God’s Story:
I love my people so much that I call them my children. I have provided them with everything they need to understand and live according to my will. My plan is that they will live out the love I have shown them. Jesus provided them with concrete examples of how to do this during his time living among them on the earth — and especially by the way he voluntarily laid down his life for them.

Read 1 John 2:28 – 3:24

Your Story:
The world is fraught with arguments, disagreements, anger and hate. Even Christians are guilty of forgetting one of Christ’s greatest commands: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). Showing love to another person is relatively easy when the person is amiable and friendly. However, it can be difficult when the person is unlovable, unreasonable or angry. John reminds us that we must show love in our words and in our actions. Simply put: If you love God, act like it!

Stay Alert!

Backstory:
This letter was likely written by Jude, another half-brother of Jesus. The description of those to whom Jude addressed his letter is very general. Although he was eager to write to them about salvation, he felt that he must instead warn them about false teachers who were perverting God’s grace by trying to convince believers that being saved gave them license to sin since their sins would no longer be held against them.

God’s Story:
I rule over all things in heaven and on the earth, yet evil still lurks in the world. The devil does not rest; he stirs up those who would lead my people astray. But my people have been warned and are prepared. I have given them the ability to build themselves up in their faith as they pray in my Spirit. And I am more than able to keep them from stumbling and to present them before my glorious throne without fault and with great joy!

Read Jude 1-25

Your Story:
False variations of the basic Christian message are still in circulation today to make Christianity appear more “user friendly” or “less judgmental.” Be careful as you read books or hear opinions that present new ideas or offer alternate interpretations of Scripture. Know God’s Word and be sure of what you believe so you can discern for yourself whether or not the things you hear are rooted in the truth.

Ingredients For Spiritual Growth

Backstory:
In his first letter, Peter instructed the early followers in how to deal with persecution from outside the church. In his second letter, Peter addressed problems inside the church, including how to deal with false teachers and evildoers who come into the church.
God’s Story:
Just as I have used my servant Paul, I am using my servant Peter to call sinners from darkness to light and to lead followers of Jesus into the truth. While my people are on earth, my Spirit will dwell in them, empowering them to live godly lives and allowing them to participate in my divine nature. They will be blessed as they grow in their faith and persevere until I receive them into eternal life.

Read 2 Peter 1:1-21

Your Story:
Peter lists 7 things that you should focus on to grow in your faith: goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and love. That is quite a list! These qualities do not come automatically, nor do they come easily. They require hard work and determination. Which of these qualities are you growing in your life? Which ones are you lacking? Take some time to make a list of ways that you can ask God to help you in your effort to add these qualities to your life.

Hope and Holiness

Backstory:
About the same time that the apostle Paul was imprisoned and executed, the apostle Peter wrote this letter. It was addressed to believers scattered throughout the Roman provinces north of the Taurus Mountains in what is today Turkey. The churches were no doubt composed of Christians from both Jewish and Gentile backgrounds, though a majority of them had been converted out of paganism, rather than out of Judaism. Because they were being persecuted, Peter’s pastoral purpose was to help these early believers see their temporary sufferings in the light of the coming eternal glory.

God’s Story:
There is so much more beyond the world in which my people live. I have promised them a joy and a future, a new birth, and a living hope that no one can take away from them. To experience my love to the fullest, they must live holy lives and keep their faith and hope in me.

Read 1 Peter 1:1 – 2:3

Your Story:
Suffering and everyday difficulties have a tendency to drain away joy, peace and hope. They sap you of energy, leaving you with little thought of being holy. Peter’s upbeat talk is a great encouragement when you’re feeling down. It helps you regain perspective about the fact that the troubles of this world are all for just “a little while”
(1 Peter 1:6).

Faith in Action

Backstory:
The writer of this letter was probably James who was the half-brother of Jesus. This James became a prominent leader of the church in Jerusalem. His letter is addressed to “the twelve tribes scattered among the nations” (James 1:1), which likely refers to Jewish Christians. Perhaps they were believers from the Jerusalem church who were scattered after the martyrdom of Stephen, and James wrote to them as a pastor to instruct and encourage this dispersed people in the face of their difficulties.

God’s Story:
My words are not meant to simply sit on a printed page; they are meant to be lived out. I did not preach about my love from the realms of heaven; I sent my Son to earth to actually show people my love. Jesus demonstrated my love through his actions: healing the sick, feeding the hungry, blessing the little children, forgiving sins, suffering and dying for all who would follow him.

Read James 1:1 – 2:26

Your Story:
The instructions in James’s letter are simple: You have to do more than declare your faith; you have to put that faith into action. That doesn’t mean everyone has to do it the same way. You can do what you do best. How you speak, how you act and how you treat others testifies to the sincerity of your faith. You may not always notice, but others are watching you. What you do matters.

Divine Discipline

God’s Story:
My Son came to earth to save my people from sin and the devil, but he did not remove every hardship that comes during a lifetime. My children cannot go through life doing whatever they please. What kind of father would I be if I allowed that to happen? Hardship is a form of discipline that increases faith and strengthens character. The difficulties my children face will draw them closer to me and my holiness and equip them for life in the eternal community I am building.

Read Hebrews 12:1-13

Your Story:
Why me? Have you ever asked that question? Living through difficulties, hardships or disappointments is never easy. And at the time, it’s often impossible to get a correct perspective on the situation. Only time will make that possible. Look back on some hardship you have endured in the distant past. Can you see the good that God was working through it? Why or why not? How has that experience strengthened you and your faith?