GOD HAS AND IS THE FINAL WORD
Jenna Worsham
Today’s Scripture: “Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.” Revelation 1:4b-5a, ESV
Theme: Because God has the final Word, we don’t have to live like the world has the last one.
GRACE AND PEACE
Depending upon our current circumstances, it can be difficult to live in grace and peace. When the world seems hopeless, it is easy to become distracted, distressed, or even depressed. And yet our God does not bend to the news of the day. He is not confused by leadership we may dislike, groups who hurt and upset us, or the inability of others to understand. God does not need us to agree on everything. He does not need us to behave perfectly all of the time.
God offers grace. God offers peace. Regardless of the situation we occupy, He is capable of providing both to us. What God assigns us to do is the same regardless of our circumstances: we are to choose to walk in grace and peace. He is and was and is to come – occupying the past, present and future simultaneously. Jesus Christ, the Man who was also God, is our “faithful witness” and the “firstborn of the dead.”
FIRSTBORN OF THE DEAD
It sounds like the start of a scary story. I wouldn’t really know because the scariest stuff I read are classics written by Edgar Allen Poe and Ray Bradburry. Revelation reminds us Jesus rose from the dead, yes, but also that His rebirth from death is the first of its kind and yet not the last. I’m the firstborn child in my family. My brother is the second born. Jesus is the firstborn of the dead. We who follow are the second, third, and three hundred-thirty third born. Rather than a scary story with zombies roaming free, Jesus’ return from death is the guarantee that we can believe the truth about His sovereignty. He already has all authority and power over anything that we could worry about ...including death! When we trust Him with our peace, exuding a preternatural calm in the face of any storm, we allow the world to occupy its proper place, behind and subject to God.
LIVING LIKE THE WORLD HAS THE LAST WORD
- When I read more about current events than I do from the Bible...
- When my first inclination leads me to rant rather than pray...
- When I refuse to admit that I could be wrong...
- When I obsess about political problems...
- When I spread fear and repeat lies...
- When I can’t embrace peace because everything around me is too broken...
- When I forget that life and death are temporary and that You have power over both...
The world is out of control, yes, but “You have overcome the world” (John 16:33, ESV).
Make It Personal: How has the world and all its trouble distracted you? How can you accept the offer of grace and peace which God is fully capable to provide, no matter the circumstance? What does the phrase “firstborn of the dead” suggest and how does it inform (or not inform) your opinion of death?
Pray: Dear God, I recognize Your sovereignty and power. You do not cower as we do. You do not worry about the concerns of this world. You have already seen both the end and the beginning. Help me to accept the grace and the peace that You are fully able to provide. In truth, it is immediately available to me. Thank You for sending Jesus as a faithful witness. Please reveal to me the passages of Scripture that witness to my current fears, vulnerabilities, and failures. You know me better than I know myself. I ask for Your guidance, grace, and peace. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Read: John 16:33, 14:27; 1 John 4:4; 2 Corinthians 13:11
Weekly Memory Verse: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” Revelation 22:20-21, ESV