The Church Seen by the Risen Lord
Thru the Bible in a Year
December 26 places us at a threshold moment in the Christian calendar and in the canon of Scripture. We are only one day removed from the celebration of the incarnation, and now the Church is invited to turn its gaze toward the consummation of all things. The reading of Revelation 1–3 reminds us that Christmas does not end at the manger. The child born in Bethlehem is the exalted Lord who now speaks to His church with authority, clarity, and searching love. Revelation is not first a book of charts or speculation; it is, as John tells us at the outset, an unveiling—an apokalypsis—of Jesus Christ. The blessing promised in Revelation 1:3 is not attached to curiosity, but to faithfulness: those who read, hear, and keep what is written are blessed. From the very beginning, this book calls us not merely to understand, but to obey.
John’s introduction grounds the book in history, theology, and hope. He writes as a witness, not a theorist, and as a servant, not a sensationalist. The salutation in Revelation 1:4–8 is rich with Trinitarian texture, flowing from the eternal Father, through the faithful witness Jesus Christ, and carried by the Spirit who is before the throne. Jesus is identified not only by what He has done—loving us and freeing us from our sins by His blood—but by what He will do: He is coming with the clouds. The Greek phrase ho erchomenos (ὁ ἐρχόμενος), “the One who is coming,” underscores ongoing expectation. Revelation is written to believers who live between redemption accomplished and redemption completed. That tension defines Christian discipleship in every generation.
The vision that follows in Revelation 1:9–20 is both arresting and reassuring. John is exiled on Patmos, isolated for his testimony, when he receives the vision on the Lord’s Day. The risen Christ appears not as the suffering servant, but as the glorified Son of Man. His robe, white hair, blazing eyes, bronze feet, and voice like rushing waters all draw from Old Testament imagery associated with divine authority and holiness. When John falls at His feet “as though dead,” we see the natural human response to unveiled glory. Yet Jesus immediately lays His right hand on John and speaks words of comfort: “Do not be afraid.” The same Jesus who commands awe also offers reassurance. As G. K. Beale notes, “The majesty of Christ is never detached from His pastoral concern for His people.” This vision establishes the framework for everything that follows: Christ is alive, sovereign, and actively present among His churches.
Jesus’ command to John to write organizes the book into three sweeping movements: what he has seen, what is, and what will take place. This structure reminds readers that Revelation is not disconnected from present reality. The exalted Christ walks among seven lampstands, representing real congregations with real strengths and real failures. Revelation 2–3 brings theology down to street level. Each message reveals a church as Christ sees it, not as it sees itself. This is perhaps the most searching section of the entire book, because it confronts believers with the truth that orthodoxy, endurance, and activity are no substitutes for love, faithfulness, and repentance.
Ephesus stands as a sobering example. This church is commended for hard work, discernment, and perseverance, yet rebuked for abandoning its first love. The Greek verb aphēkes (ἀφῆκες), “you have left,” implies a decisive action, not gradual drift. Orthodoxy without love, Jesus warns, leads to the removal of the lampstand. Smyrna, by contrast, receives no rebuke—only encouragement. Faithful under persecution, they are reminded that suffering is not a sign of abandonment. Jesus calls them to fearless endurance and promises the crown of life. Pergamum and Thyatira reveal the danger of compromise, whether through false teaching or moral tolerance. Christ’s words are firm but redemptive: repentance is always an open door.
Sardis presents the tragedy of reputation without reality. They appear alive but are spiritually asleep. Yet even there, Christ sees a faithful remnant. Philadelphia receives high praise for keeping the Word and not denying Christ, despite limited strength. Laodicea closes the sequence with perhaps the most familiar warning: lukewarm faith that breeds self-sufficiency. Yet even here, grace is extended. Christ stands at the door and knocks, offering fellowship to those who open. The risen Lord does not abandon compromised churches; He calls them back.
What emerges from Revelation 1–3 is an insightful portrait of the Church under the gaze of Christ. He is not distant. He is not silent. He speaks words that comfort the suffering, confront the complacent, and call the faithful to persevere. For readers walking through Scripture day by day, this passage serves as a spiritual diagnostic. It invites self-examination, repentance, and renewed commitment. As Eugene Peterson observed, “Revelation does not predict the future; it reveals the present so that the future may be faced faithfully.”
As you continue this year-long journey through the Word, remember that Scripture is not merely read; it reads us. These opening chapters of Revelation remind us that Jesus knows His church intimately and loves it enough to speak truthfully. Thank you for committing yourself to the daily discipline of Scripture. God’s Word will not return void, and every faithful reading becomes another lampstand bearing witness to Christ in the world.
A helpful companion article on approaching Revelation faithfully can be found at The Gospel Coalition:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/how-to-read-the-book-of-revelation/
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