John, in penning his final inspired letter, wrote to the seven churches of Asia concerning the impending persecution from the Romans and God’s victory through the tumultuous oppression. The terminal letter of John is one that is intrinsically spiritual while also remaining carnal practicality. The revelation was to remind the Christians that their spiritual endurance contains the ability to prevail over the physical death of this world.

In the opening verses of this letter, John rapidly reminds the Christians of their status with God. Notice the reminders these faithful Christians needed to hear according to Rev. 1:5,6

1. Jesus Loves You (1:5) — Perhaps this statement in and of itself has lost its gravity over time; not because the reality of Jesus’ love has shifted, but because we have misplaced its power. Jesus, the “faithful witness, firstborn from the dead, and ruler of kings on earth” loves you. The greatest being who will ever exist has sought the unlovable and made us His own. I recall the imperfections in my life, the sins I’ve committed, the shortcomings I’ve crafted, and the goodness I’ve neglected, and yet Jesus’ love has never departed from me. When the world seems entirely against you, the sustainer of the universe embraces you for all that you are. We NEED that reminder.
2. Jesus Freed You (1:5) — Sin is what revoked our privilege of Eden. Iniquity is what pushes God out of our life. Rebellion from God is what entangles us, causing us to drift from the very roots of our origin. We become slaves to this wickedness, imprisoned by its constant bait. Jesus, through His love, took the sin of the world upon Himself as the perfect sacrifice and loosed us from that captivity of sin. Our savior gave us an opportunity to be runaways from death.
3. Jesus Made You a Kingdom (1:6) — Kingdoms of the world are arbitrary. Individuals have their own kingdoms, nations claim royalty, and earthly ideologies broadcast power. There is only but one kingdom that matters, and that’s the principality of Jesus. Daniel prophesied this kingdom to be the only one that would remain eternal, while every other power would fall victim to the follies and ruins of this world (Daniel 2:44,45).
4. Jesus Made You Holy (1:6) — Priesthood is something that is objectively foreign to the Western mind. It’s difficult to wrap our culture-saturated minds around the idea of becoming “spiritual set-apart” entities, but this is what Jesus had in mind when pulling you from death. The expectation that you would no longer by wholly devoted to the world, but be holy loyal to Him. Peter would explain this priesthood as something that pushes us to “proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9).

Few introductions are nearly as powerful as the one found in John’s final letter. It is here where we can find a place to focus our mind, identity, and spiritual status with God. We may never face the type of persecution the church saw in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Centuries but we can find the same level of encouragement they received from the loyal Apostles.

Tyler King