The Church in Pergamum: Repent Today’s passage: Revelation 2:12–17 Focus verse: “Nevertheless, I have a few things against you.” (Revelation 2:14) As with the church in Smyrna, the Bible tells us nothing more about the church in Pergamum. But like the church in Ephesus, Jesus’s message to them offers both affirmation and correction. Despite living […]
The Church in Smyrna: Fearless Suffering Today’s passage: Revelation 2:8–11 Focus verse: “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer.” (Revelation 2:10) Unlike the church in Ephesus, the Bible gives us no other information about the church in Smyrna outside of two references in Revelation. And, unlike the church in Ephesus and […]
The Church in Ephesus: Their First Love Today’s passage: Revelation 2:1–7 Focus verse: “You have forsaken the love you had at first.” (Revelation 2:4) Of the seven churches, we know most about the church in Ephesus because of the letter Paul wrote to them (the book of Ephesians). In this epistle Paul teaches them about three […]
Do Not Be Afraid Today’s passage: Revelation 1:9–20 Focus verse: When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid.” (Revelation 1:17) The apostle John, exiled on the island of Patmos for telling others about Jesus, connects with God on a […]
The Alpha and the Omega Today’s passage: Revelation 1:4–8 Focus verse: “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8) Having worked our way through John’s short prologue to his book, we move forward with excitement about what we’ll encounter next. […]
The Revelation of Jesus Today’s passage: Revelation 1:1–3 Focus verse: The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. (Revelation 1:1) We think of the book of Revelation as John’s revelation, but, in fact, it is Jesus’s. John is only the recipient. This revelation comes from Jesus. Father […]
The Book of Revelation When I ask people what book of the Bible they’d like to understand better, the most frequent response is Revelation. I get that. John’s future-focused vision recorded in the book of Revelation overflows with evocative imagery that sparks our imagination even as we struggle to make sense of it. Revelation is […]
Today’s passage: 3 John 1:13–14 Focus verse: Peace to you. (3 John 1:14) John ends his first letter with an abrupt instruction to keep away from idols. In contrast, he wraps up his next two letters with a smoother, more intimate farewell. To both recipients he expresses his desire to see them in person and tell them […]
Today’s passage: 3 John 1:11–12 Focus verse: Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. (3 John 1:12) After cautioning Gaius about Diotrephes, John instructs Gaius to not imitate evil but what is good. Given the context, with this following the warning about Diotrephes, we realize that John is calling Diotrephes evil. Before […]
Today’s passage: 3 John 1:9–10 Focus verse: I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. (3 John 1:9) After affirming and encouraging Gaius, John changes the topic. He mentions two men. They are in sharp contrast to each other. The first gives an example to avoid, while the second […]