Refresh & Restore – Page 3 – Just Keith Harris

“Remember, Repent, Return: Jesus’s Letter to the Church at Ephesus” — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study

We’re continuing in our study of Revelation called The KING is Coming. Today, we will be diving into the first of Jesus’s seven letters to the churches — this one to the church at Ephesus. Once again, I am thankful for Jamie Harrison and the opportunity to do this study together.

This weeks passage is Revelation 2:1-7:

¹“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
²“ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. ³I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. ⁴But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. ⁵Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. ⁶Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. ⁷He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

Keith Harris:
Greetings, Sojourners,

As I said, we are continuing in our King is Coming study of the book of Revelation, and now we are entering into the part where you have these letters from Jesus to churches. Before we get into that, though, Jamie, we were talking after looking at the earlier two Bible studies in this series – talk to us about the chain of command from Revelation 1 real quick.

Jamie Harrison:
Just to hit on that, the chain of command was given from God, and it was given from God to Jesus. In the very first study in this series, we said from God to the angel – which we understand Jesus and God are one and the same.^[1] I do think it’s important for clarification that it was given from God (the Father) to Jesus, then to the angel, to John, and subsequently to us. And all seven of these letters are directly from Jesus.

Keith:
Right. That’s what we’re doing here. We want to be as careful with this as we are with other passages, but maybe we want to be a little bit more careful just in how people want to misuse the book of Revelation for fear mongering or manipulation. What Jamie is referencing is in Revelation 1:1, it says “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants…”.

So, just as we’ve been telling y’all, we don’t have this all together – we are students of the Bible and are wanting to help people study the Bible for themselves. Let’s go ahead and talk about the first of these seven letters (or the letters in general). Jamie?

Jamie:
To start, a few things about the letters is I think it is important to note that, yes, these letters are written specifically to these seven churches. And these seven churches would have been kind of the center, I guess you would say, of how things got from one place to another. So, if I was delivering mail, so to speak, these would kind of be the seven hubs. It’s important to understand that these letters were given to those churches and then disseminated to all the churches from there.

Keith:
It’s kind of like how the letter to the church at Colossae was meant to be shared with Laodicea and vice versa.

Jamie:
Exactly. It’s important as we read these letters to look at the similarities of these churches to the Church today – the Church meaning believers but also to the individual (local) church bodies. So, you look at the Church as a whole, but then you also look at my individual (local) church body. How do we stack up? Where are we?

Some of the key verses here in these letters are seen through Revelation 2:7 that says^[2], “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.” This is going to be repeated in every letter – plural churches (Revelation 2:7, 2:11, 2:17, 2:29, 3:6, 3:13, 3:22). It’s extremely important to listen to what the Spirit is saying to us as believers right here, right now. What is He saying to us?

And then, finally, before we jump into the letter specifically to Ephesus, we are going to look at each letter with five very distinct parts: a salutation (to the angel of the church of __), attributes of Jesus (something about Himself), their works (praise and in five of seven an admonition^[3] to them), a universal admonition (“Let anyone who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches”), and a final promise to each church. That’s kind of the way we’re going to look at each one, alright?

So, the salutation, of course, being the same in each letter, to the angel of the church of ___. We know that the angel is obviously talking to the pastor there at that local church.

Keith:
Where do we find that? How do we know that? Remind them where we know what it means by “angel”, what it means by “lampstands”. We’re not just making this up. It comes from….

Jamie:
Back in Revelation 1:20: “The mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” Another word there for “angels” is messengers – someone who delivers the Word.

Keith:
So, in the context of Revelation 1:20, this is not some ethereal guardian angel, so to speak. This is the pastor that God has called to the church. To the angel – the pastor – of the church of Ephesus.

Jamie:
Right. The attributes of Jesus that we see here – what He says about Himself there in Revelation 2:1, He says, “Thus says the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand and who walks among the seven golden lampstands.” This is, again, a direct correlation back to Revelation 1:20 that we just read and also 1:16 – He had seven stars in His right hand. The right hand, of course, being the hand of might, the hand of power and strength. Jesus is holding these pastors in His hand. He’s walking among the churches.

I think that’s important to talk about just for a second. Is Jesus walking among our churches today? You know, if He was writing these letters today – these seven letters – would your (local) church body get a letter from Him?

Keith:
Or would it be getting one of the five admonitions? Or one of the well-dones?

Jamie:
Exactly. Is Jesus walking in your church? And if He is, what is He saying? What is He saying to you?

Well, here’s what He said to the church at Ephesus. He gives them praise for their works, saying, “I know your works there” (Revelation 2:2-3). In other words, they are active for God. They’re doing things that He’s told us to do in His Word. They’re toiling at a cost. Some of them would have been persecuted for their faith, up to the point of being killed for their faith. They’re laboring for the Lord, and obviously, that includes endurance, too. They weren’t just laboring for a minute; they were laboring for a while. They were enduring for a while. They did things that were uncomfortable because the Lord told them to do it, called them to do it.

He goes on and says that they can’t tolerate evil people. He says that they have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not and found them to be liars. So, they’re enduring hardships for Christ. He keeps going on and on about all these awesome things that they’re doing. They’ve endured these hardships and not grown weary. Think about that for a minute. That’s really saying something. That’s saying something big time because we are quick to grow weary.

You know, COVID, back in 2020 made us all weary and about had us done. And here, He’s like, hey, these people didn’t even get tired at all.

Keith:
You hear people talk about all the time – and I think it’s even a hashtag on social media: #firstworldproblems – it doesn’t take much to make us weary. That’s the irony of the pandemic, at least for the first part of it: we were getting more rest, more opportunity for rest. It’s like, how can people who are as far away from retirement as we are say, man, I’m tired of resting, let’s go back to work?

Jamie:
Right, yeah. Anyway (chuckles).

I also think with that idea in mind where it says that they endured hardships for the sake of His name (Revelation 2:3). At the heart of every Christian should be a desire to do the will of God (Psalm 40:8, John 4:34). And I think it’s important to point out that it’s as God chooses, as God leads you, as God tells you to (Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 12:2). If you’re just enduring for the sake of enduring hardships, that’s all you’re doing: enduring them (1 Peter 2:20). All lot of people say all the time that the Lord is doing this or that when the Lord ain’t got nothing to do with it (Jeremiah 23:16, Matthew 7:21-23). So, you should be careful and make sure that what you are doing, if you’re toiling for the Lord, is because He’s leading you in that direction (Colossians 3:23-24). Don’t get burned out at church because you are trying to do so much. Don’t take on things that God hasn’t called you to take on. But now, if He calls you to take it on – take in on because what He’ll do is keep you from being weary, right? He will help you endure (Isaiah 40:29-31, 2 Corinthians 12:9).

Keith:
The believers in Ephesus, they had just…look at the list here that Jesus gave! But what we know from the book of Acts is that God had done such a mighty work in Ephesus – so many people were getting saved that it upended their economy (Acts 19:18-20)! A big part of their economy was silver shrines (or idols) for Artemis, and it got to the point that there was a riot – an unlawful protest and threatening the lives of the church – because nobody was buying these idols anymore (Acts 19:23-27). People were losing their jobs, at risk of losing their homes, their livelihood in these false gods because people being saved said, hey, I can’t do this anymore (Acts 19:28-34, 1 Thessalonians 1:9).

I don’t know of many people who are weary in their churches because they’re upending the idol industry. I mean, it should be, but I’m afraid that’s not the case nearly as often as it should be.

Jamie:
Agreed.

The last thing Jesus says to them, if you jump down to Revelation 2:6: “Yet you do have this: you hate the practices of the Nicolaitans^[4], which I also hate.” Back in Acts 6:1-5, we see where Nicholas was one of the first deacons. They named him a deacon, but he’s actually a false believer. He led the church astray, led people in immorality, specifically sensual temptations enticing believers to pleasure themselves with self-indulgence. But Jesus tells the church at Ephesus that they hate that practice. Later on we’ll see a church that did not hate that practice but embraced it.

Keith:
That’s where we find out more about their beliefs, too. Jesus doesn’t get specific here, but in the letter to the church at Pergamum, He relates it to Balaam who was a false preacher (Revelation 2:14; Numbers 22:12, 31:16). He was tasked with cursing Israel but couldn’t do it because God inhibited him (Numbers 22:18-20, 23:8). Also, they are looped in with Jezebel (Revelation 2:20). These accusations are in red letters. This is the letter from Jesus to the church at Ephesus. If He says it’s good – that hating the works of the Nicolaitans is something He also hates, it’s a pro-gospel stance (Revelation 2:6).

Jamie:
Very much so.

So, that’s the works and the praise. He tells them they’re doing a good job on all those things. It’s important to note that this is the Lord commending them for these things. And then He says, “But….”

Keith:
Don’t you just love that?

Jamie:
The “but” cancels out everything that came before it. Unfortunately….

Keith:
…and replaces it with this admonition.

Jamie:
The question that I think this leads us to is: how many sins does it take to separate us from God for eternity? The answer is: one. If we sin once, we’ve fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). So, it’s important to note that repentance is necessary.

Keith:
Also here, this is the church at Ephesus. Jesus – it’s important to note here, not minimizing the sin but maximizing the power – that right hand that holds the churches, He’s not threatening to pull their salvation. He’s made them alive (Ephesians 2:1-5). He’s given them eternal life. John 10:28-29 says that He has them in His hand an no one can “snatch” them from His hand. He’s threatening to remove the lampstand, not their salvation.

Jamie:
That’s exactly right. He tells them, I have this against you. You’ve abandoned the love you had at first.

Now, I think about this: I’ve been to a lot of different churches in my lifetime that were doing a lot of cool things, ministry-wise. A lot of people who had been there a really long time, etc. But when you walk in a church and don’t feel loved – you don’t see that others feel loved necessarily…. You know I hear a lot of “Christians” talking about people a lot of times, like did you know ___?

Keith:
“Church folks”.

Jamie:
Right. Can you believe so and so? Things of that nature. And I think that’s what this falls under. So, why do we do the ministries that we do?

Keith:
You get kind of caught up in being an institution rather than part of the body of Christ.

Jamie:
That’s it, and I think that’s exactly what the Lord is getting at here. It’s like, look guys, you know you’re doing all these great things, but you’re doing it almost out of a sense of duty as opposed to the fact that you love me.

People say all the time that you know we’re not saved by works. That’s accurate. You are only saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5). But because of grace – because we love Jesus – the works will follow (John 14:15, 2 Corinthians 5:14-15). That’s why James said that without works there is no faith really (James 2:17, 26).

Keith:
What did the Holy Spirit say to the church at Ephesus 20-30 years before this? In Ephesians 2:10, He says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which He has prepared beforehand.” Not religious obligation. Not good institutions. We are His workmanship. Just like those silversmiths were crafting idols, God is crafting little-Christs^[5] out of us.

Jamie:
Remember that the Church is the bride of Christ. So, think about it as an example of a marriage. Do you do things for your spouse because you have to or because you want to – because you love them? Now, sometimes we do things for our spouse because we have to; it’s just part of it. But we do things for them for the most part because we want to – because we love them – because there’s a relationship there. And that’s the idea here. Hey, you’ve grown a little salty in your relationship, grown a little cold in that relationship – going through it like a habit. You’re going through a routine. You’re doing these works – working in the church, you know, whatever you’ve got going on, you know at the foot pantry, fill in the blank. You might be doing it so people can see you there. Maybe it’s a social thing. But here’s the question: what are you actually doing? I know a lot of organizations that claim to help people but it’s really all about status – look at me, look at what I’m involved in – and not helping.

Keith:
I mean, that’s the image that He gives there. You have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember, He tells them, from where you have fallen. You’ve got this pinnacle moment! I know in my own marriage that going through the motions doesn’t get me very far. Funny note on that phrase (going through the motions), is that in England “the motions” means a bowel movement. In a marriage going through the motions is about the equivalent to a bowel movement. It doesn’t cut it. (laughter from both)

You’ve got that standard there – that original love that was motivating and driving everything and have now fallen short of that standard. And that standard is love. What does 1 John 4:19 tell us? We love because He first loved us. This isn’t zeal coming from us; this is a response of worship coming from the only way you can respond to the Savior you took you from dead in your sin to alive in Christ: love. And that’s what they’ve got to remember.

Jamie:
The next thing that Jesus says here, and I think this is really important, is for them to repent and do the works they did at first. So, there’s an opportunity to repent. It’s not like, oh, you quit loving me so I’m going to find somebody else. Like we said earlier, He does tell them that if they don’t He’ll come and remove their lampstand from it’s pace. That means that local church body would cease to exist. That doesn’t mean that they were no longer saved personally. That means that local church body there, whatever the case may be, would cease to exist if they did not repent.

So what? What is the overall call here? What is He telling this church? He’s saying, look, you’re doing all these great things. You’re doing these wonderful things – helping people – doing everything I’m asking you to do, but you’re doing it all out of a sense of duty instead of out of the love you have for me.

The key here is what He says, again in Revelation 2:7, “Let anyone who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.” What is the Spirit saying to the church? The Spirit is saying it’s about love. It’s about a relationship. It’s not like this ooey-gooey, mushy-feeling type thing – sometimes relationships are hard. They’re tough when they call us to do things we don’t necessarily want to do. They’re going to be hard and cause us issues. They’re going to cause us to have things go on in our life that maybe we don’t want that much. But the fact is that, if we’re doing it out of love for Christ, it’s all going to work out for the better – for you and the other people involved.

Keith:
And a call to repentance is a good thing. It’s not a welcome thing, but it should be. How many times do we have to wonder did I do okay in this or did I do wrong in that? I would think that a letter from Jesus Himself saying, hey, these things are done well but the fact that you’re just doing them out of a sense of obligation – you’ve lost something here and you need to repent to gain it back.

Jamie:
It’s a good thing. It is very good. It’s how we grow in a relationship. It’s the same thing – back to a husband and wife. How do you grow in that relationship? You’ve got to have a tough question, right? You know, if you’re the spouse that’s being offended, or whatever the case may be, if you don’t ever tell the other person, they won’t know so that repentance can take place.

So, we jump there to the final promise. The promise He gives here is: “To the one who conquers, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7). I don’t think we have to go too much into that. We understand that salvation is eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ. But you might think that the one who conquers is going to have a sword and shield and on the day of the battle of Armageddon, I get to fight all the demons and all these things. No, that’s not true, because if you had to do it you’d die. That’s not a thing. They’re stronger than you – sorry to be the one to break that to you. But the Bible, again, always answers the Bible. So, as we’ve probably stated ten times at this point, if the Bible doesn’t give you the answer, you probably weren’t meant to know.

Keith:
On the things where the Bible is clear, those are important. Where the Bible is not clear – it’s not saying it’s not important but it’s definitely of lesser importance.

Jamie:
In 1 John 5:4-5, John says,

“…because everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith.
Who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

So, when He says “to the one who conquers”, He’s saying to the one who is saved. To the one who is my child – that’s how you conquer. That’s what He’s talking about here. So, if you conquer the world you have a relationship with Christ. You will be with Him for eternity and eat from the tree of life. It’s pretty awesome.

Keith:
It’s definitely worth repenting and advice worth repeating.

Jamie:
I think to end this we talk about the love chapter in 1 Corinthians 13. You know, a lot of times we read it at weddings and things like that, but here I want to look at it this way. Starting in 1 Corinthians 13:4 (and going through the end of verse 8) where he lists the things that love is, take “love” out and insert your name. So “love is patient, love is kind” – take “love” out and put your name there.

⁴Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, ⁵is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. ⁶Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. ⁷It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸Love never ends.

So, the question we need to ask ourselves is could we take “love” out and put our names in and it still be true. Put our churches name in there. The answer for everybody on the face of this earth is, no, we are going to fall short in at least one of these areas. That’s where repentance comes in.

Keith:
As often as needed.

Jamie:
So, I think that hopefully gets a good understanding of the letter to Ephesus, and kind of what it was that the Lord was saying to them and to us.

Keith:
As a challenge, there’ sone thing that Ephesus has that we don’t have currently in our churches. In this exact moment, we can do a post mortem (or autopsy) on the church at Ephesus. When I say post mortem, I mean after death. There is no church in Ephesus. In fact, there is no Ephesus today. Ephesus was, and you can look this up, a harbor town. At some point, the harbor began to have silt floating in, and the harbor was no longer dockable for ships. And Ephesus, just like its harbor, dried up.

I think it’s far to say that the lampstand was removed, and the reason I say that is that God didn’t just remove the church and damn or condemn everyone else. He dammed the harbor and moved people elsewhere, to other areas.

So, the challenge is, if you’re listening to this you obviously have an ear. Listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. In this case, look specifically and see the love you had at first – personally and as a church body. If you are in need of repentance to do the works you had at first, do it because the One who holds the seven stars in His hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands is more than capable of pulling that lampstand up and wrapping that church up.

Consider this challenge, sojourners. Take these words to heart. Study them for yourself. Check what we say by the Bible. And, Lord willing, we’ll talk to you next about the church at Smyrna.

Thank you, and God bless you.

^[1] The Bible teaches that Jesus is fully God and fully man. This means He is not just a great teacher or prophet, but truly divine—equal with God the Father and one with Him. The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus has always existed, created all things, forgives sins, and receives worship—things only God can do. Believing Jesus is God is essential to the Christian faith. See John 1:1–3, 14; John 8:58; John 10:30; Colossians 1:15–17; Hebrews 1:3; Titus 2:13; Revelation 1:17–18; Matthew 28:9; Philippians 2:5–11.

^[3] a warning or opportunity to repent

^[4] The Nicolaitans held a lot of beliefs similar to the gnostics as well. There is not a lot known about them beyond what we see here in the letters of the church of Ephesus. The information citing Nicholas from Acts 6 as the beginning of that movement comes from Irenaeus (pastor who lived in the 2^nd century, born about 30 years after the book of Revelation was given) and Hippolytus of Rome (pastor who lived in the 2^nd and 3^rd century).

^[5] The word “Christian” began as a term meaning little-Christ and was initially used to mock believers (Acts 11:26, 1 Peter 4:16).

“BUT If Anyone Does Sin: Finding Hope in Jesus Christ the Righteous” — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study

¹My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ²He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:1-2

"The Lamb Who is Our Shepherd" from Revelation 7 (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

📖 Revelation 7After the terrifying events of Revelation 6, John is given a breathtaking glimpse of hope. Before judgment continues, God reveals that His people are known, sealed, and secure in Christ. The chapter culminates with one of Revelation's most beautiful pictures: the Lamb who was slain is also the Shepherd who leads His people forever.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison discuss:✔️ Why Revelation 7 is an interlude between the sixth and seventh seals✔️ What it means for God's servants to be sealed✔️ The two primary views of the 144,000—and why faithful Christians differ✔️ How John's pattern of hearing one thing and seeing another helps interpret the chapter✔️ The innumerable multitude worshiping before the throne✔️ Why Jesus, the Lamb, is also our Shepherd who leads us to living waterThis chapter reminds us that our greatest hope isn't solving every prophetic question—it's belonging to Christ. Those who trust Him are safe in Him, and one day He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.📖 "For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:17, ESV)🔗 If you'd like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.

Greetings Sojourners!

I had planned to release the next Bible study in our The King is Coming series on Revelation yesterday, but I believe 1 John 2:1–2 is where we need to be today—at least, it’s where I need to be.

When I started doing this five years ago, I never intended for it to become an ongoing thing. The pandemic was in full swing, and I became aware that some members of Christ Community—and others in our greater community—were unable to attend church due to health concerns. Some lacked technology or internet access to livestream services and be spiritually fed. So, I began writing Bible studies and sending them out. I even purchased the justKeithHarris.com site to make it easier to share the studies with folks.

As Covid began to settle into a more “normal” part of life and things started moving again, John Goldwater gave us a challenge during a pastors’ meeting. He asked us to think of something God had moved us to do during the pandemic—something extra to reach out—and to consider keeping it going. These Bible studies are what the Lord has continued to stir in me. Now, have I been as consistent over the past year or so as I would like to be? Definitely not. But my heart to encourage people through the Word of God hasn’t changed. That pastor’s heart—God’s call on my life—is what compels me to write this Bible study today.

So many people are hurting right now (and many of you may have burdens I don’t even know about). But God’s Word is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that [we] may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Revelation 2 and Jesus’ letter to the church in Ephesus would certainly be good for us and would build us up. But I can’t get 1 John 2:1–2 off my heart and out of my mind.

I feel a deep burden—and a burning desire—to break open 1 John 2:1–2 with you “clearly,” to give “the sense,” and to help you understand “the reading” (Nehemiah 8:8). I want to help you see whatever it is in this passage that God’s Spirit desires to open up to you. As I write (and truly, I don’t know how this is all going to turn out), there are a few things I want to share before diving into the text:

We – all of us, myself especially – are sinners.
Even if we are saved, there is still a struggle with sin (and unfortunately, we will fall into sin).
When we sin – again, even if we are saved, there are consequences that must be faced.
However, if you are saved and have been adopted into God’s family, you have an advocate, Jesus Christ the Righteous who stands for you when you have fallen into sin and shame. His blood covers sin. He is the God who saves. We never stop needing Him.
If you are reading this and are not saved, He can save you.

Again, my heart is heavy for many of you, and I don’t know exactly how all of this is meant to work together. But I do know this: God’s Word going out is always a good thing. His Word never returns to Him empty; it always accomplishes what He intends (Isaiah 55:11). I may never know how this helps you—but I pray that, according to God’s purpose, it does.

My Little Children (v. 1a)

John opens up this section of 1 John with a term of endearment – a term of love – for these people. By calling them his “little children”, he is not belittling them or making it seem like he sees them as less but rather letting them know that he loves them as a father is supposed to love his children. He is about to tell them some good and bad news and this term of endearment reminds them of their relationship and his love for them.

For me, both at school and at church, I’ve found myself using the word “kiddos” the same way I do with my own children at home. At first, it just slipped out without me thinking, but over the years, it’s become a way to express my care for them—like I consider them mine. It communicates relationship. There’s good news and hard conversations. There’s encouragement, correction, and discipline. They laugh and joke about what’s become my catchphrase at the end of each class—“Good class, kiddos!”—but they always notice if I forget to say it. If I miss it, they’ll ask, “Aren’t you going to say it?” They want to know that, no matter how the class went, I thought it was good. That little phrase reassures them. And even in times when I’ve had to correct them, that word—“kiddo”—still shows up. It reminds both them and me that our relationship remains, through the good and the hard.

Thinking of it that way, I can almost hear John saying with a sigh, “Kiddos, I need you to make sure you’re picking up what I’m laying down: I’m telling you all of this so that you will stop sinning.”

Let that sink in – “so that you may not sin” (v. 1).

How far will you make it with that? How far have you ever made it not sinning?

Yeah, me too.

From a religious standpoint, that might sound like bad news, because we know we can’t do it. The Bible is clear on this. Psalm 14:3 and 53:3 both say, “there is none who does good, not even one,” and the Holy Spirit, through Paul, drives this home in Romans 3:10: “None is righteous, no, not one.” Anyone who honestly looks at their life and compares it to the holy standard of our holy, holy, holy God knows what Isaiah meant when he said, “all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment” (Isaiah 64:6). Even what we might think of as righteousness is tainted by sin—those “iniquities” that “like the wind, take us away.” That’s why we can’t earn salvation. There’s no amount of scrubbing, trading, or weighing good against bad that can remove sin or make us righteous. It doesn’t work that way. As we’d say in Mississippi, you either are or you ain’t—and, well, we ain’t. The “wages” of our sin give us what we earn—what humanity has earned since Adam—namely death (Romans 6:23).

That’s more than just bad religious news—it’s bad life news.

But praise God, John didn’t stop there! The next word is only three letters in English (and in Greek), but it’s a powerful word for us: “BUT”. That conjunction takes everything that came before it—our sin, our inability to be righteous on our own—and sets it aside to introduce what comes next. John is honest: he tells these spiritual children he loves that he’s writing to them so they “may not sin.” But he knows they will. He knows because he himself didn’t make it far either. John was a sinner too. And how could he not know that? He had walked in the presence of Jesus. How could anyone be in Jesus’ presence and not be fully aware of their sin?

But more than being aware of his sin, John was aware of his Savior. He wrote that they may not sin—but that when they do, they would look to the Savior. Look at the beauty of that second sentence in 1 John 2:1: “But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

That’s good news! Let me show you why.

We Have an Advocate (v. 1b)

Before we go any further, let’s take a moment to understand what John is saying when he writes that “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” It’s important to grasp the weight of this biblical truth before we move forward. The word translated “advocate” here is significant. To the native Greek speakers who weren’t writing in a biblical context, this word was used of “a legal advisor, pleader, proxy, or advocate…who comes forward in behalf of and as the representative of another”^[1], which carries the idea of a defense attorney today. This was someone who came forward to speak on behalf of another, stepping in to represent and intercede.

But this word also has rich biblical meaning. It’s the same word Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit, whom He called our “Helper” (John 14:16, 26; 15:26). The Holy Spirit now carries out Jesus’s work in our hearts—He is the One who indwells believers and represents Christ within us. While Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, the Holy Spirit fills those who are saved, continuing His ministry as our Helper and Advocate here on earth.

That might sound a bit complex, especially since the idea of a defense attorney already makes sense. But Jesus is so much more than just a spiritual lawyer. Just like the Holy Spirit within us knows we are guilty, Jesus knows it too. He’s not trying to work out a plea deal or pretend we didn’t sin. He doesn’t spin the truth or fudge the facts. Jesus was and is sinless, and He will never lie. But here’s the powerful truth: Jesus knows we’re guilty—and yet He stands in for us anyway.

Jesus doesn’t rely on courtroom tricks to win our case. He is, in a sense, both our advocate and our judge. What He does for those He saves is beyond anything a human defender could do—or would be willing to do. He substitutes Himself on our behalf. He takes our place. And when He stands before the Father, it’s His plea, His righteousness, and ultimately His judgment that matters.

But don’t miss this: when the divine gavel comes down, it’s not on us—it’s on Him. The wrath of God due to our sin falls on Him. That’s how it works.

This is huge—monumental. There’s a theological term that’s been used since the Reformation to describe this: penal substitutionary atonement. It may sound like a mouthful, but it means exactly what it says. “Penal” refers to the penalty our sin deserves. “Substitutionary” means someone is taking someone else’s place. And “atonement” means covering sin and making it right. Put it all together, and it means Jesus took the punishment we deserve for our sin so that we could be forgiven and made right with God.

And that truth is captured in two key words from this passage: “advocate,” which we’ve just unpacked—and the next word we’re turning to now: “propitiation.”

He is the Propitiation for Our Sins (v. 2)

“Propitiation” might sound like what some folks call a fifty-cent word—or a seminary word—but really, it’s just a Bible word. There’s not a single perfect English word that fully captures it, which is why some translations use phrases like “atoning sacrifice” (NIV, CSB) or “sacrifice that atones for our sins” (NLT). But since the Holy Spirit chose to use this word, it’s one we need to understand—not just for head knowledge, but so we can grasp what God is telling us through it. Basically, the word translated “propitiation” in 1 John 2:2 “is the means of putting away sin and establishing righteousness”^[2], but let me break it down even further.

At its core, “propitiation” refers to the way Jesus took the punishment for our sins and made peace between us and God. It’s the means by which sin is dealt with and righteousness is established. Jesus didn’t just do something to help us—He is the sacrifice that removes our sin (John 1:29).

In the Old Testament, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies and sprinkle the blood of a sacrifice on the mercy seat—the top of the ark of the covenant—to atone for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:14–15; Hebrews 9:5). But Jesus did something far greater. He was both the perfect High Priest and the perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 10:12–14). His blood wasn’t a symbol on a religious holy day—it was poured out for real, once and for all, on the cross (Hebrews 9:26).

Propitiation doesn’t mean God changed His mind about sin. Jesus, as our Advocate, knows full well the depth of our sin—and we need to understand that Jesus is God. He is holy and has always hated sin. But in His love, God provided the sacrifice Himself (Romans 3:25; 1 John 4:10). He knew we couldn’t save ourselves. He knew we had nothing to offer that could earn forgiveness. The honest and universal plea of humanity is “GUILTY as charged.” Yet through Jesus’ death on the cross—as our substitute—He made a way for us to be forgiven and declared righteous in God’s sight (2 Corinthians 5:21).

This wasn’t just a one-time historical act—it still holds power today. Jesus remains our propitiation. His life, death, resurrection, and ongoing love are what keep us in relationship with God (1 John 3:16; Hebrews 7:25). That matters because Revelation 12:10 tells us that Satan is constantly accusing believers before God “day and night.” Now, Satan is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44), but speaking from experience, he doesn’t have to make things up to accuse me. My sin is real. God knows it. But I’ve been saved by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8–9).

So when Satan stands before God accusing me, I’m not sitting there alone in shame. I have an Advocate—Jesus Christ the Righteous. I don’t even have to speak in my own defense because Jesus speaks for me. And what He says is powerful and final: I am forgiven. The punishment I deserved has already been carried out—He died in my place. And when the Father looks at me, He doesn’t see my sin. He sees the righteousness of His Son, because I’m covered by His blood.

That’s good news!

Wrapping Up

I hope all of this made sense. All I can really think to say about it is, “Whew! I needed that!” – and that I hope it helps you, dear Sojourner, as well.

One question keeps stirring in my heart as I reflect on everything we’ve seen in this passage: if God loved me enough to do all of that—and to keep doing all of that—for me, won’t He take care of everything else?

The answer to that is easy: a resounding YES.

He loved me enough to save me. He loves me enough to keep me. And He will keep loving me—through my sin, despite my failures, and even in the face of the consequences I bring on myself. Why? Because I belong to Him.

And if you’re reading this and realize that you’re sitting before the divine Judge with no Advocate—if you’re trying to represent yourself—let me gently remind you: it’s unwise to defend yourself in court here on earth, but it’s eternally deadly to try and do it before the holy and all-powerful God of the universe. He already knows the truth: none is righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10). Your sin—any single sin—is enough to condemn you.

So what will it take to convince you to turn to Jesus? What will it take for you to see that He loves you, that He died for you, and that He will save you if you simply bow your knee and confess Him as Lord, believing that He is the risen Savior (Romans 10:9–10)?

I know my words are too weak to convince you. But God’s Word is strong enough. Go back and reread the verses. Click the cross-references. Don’t take my word for it—test it against Scripture. I’m not selling anything. I don’t get a prize if you believe. But if you do put your faith in Jesus, oh what a reward there is for you! Know this: if you need me, I’m here. I’m praying for you. But more than that, I write to you, dear Sojourner that you may not sin. But when you do…there is an advocate. His name is Jesus. He is the Righteous One. He is the propitiation for my sins – and the sins of the whole world.

^[1] Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).

^[2] Zodhiates.

“Jesus & His Church: Context for the Letters to the Churches” — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study

We’re continuing in our study of Revelation called The KING is Coming. Today, we will be diving into the context of Jesus’s letters to the seven churches (and to us). Once again, I am thankful for Jamie Harrison and the opportunity to do this study together. This weeks passage is Revelation 1:9-20:

⁹I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. ¹⁰I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet ¹¹saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”
¹²Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, ¹³and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. ¹⁴The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, ¹⁵his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. ¹⁶In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
¹⁷When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, ¹⁸and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. ¹⁹Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. ²⁰As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.^[1]

Keith Harris:
Greetings, Sojourners,
We’re about to dive into the meat of the book of Revelation, looking here at the background. The cool thing about this, Jamie, that I like is there are places in Revelation that you have wonder Does this symbolize something? or Is this ___?, but if you look at this in a Bible with red letters for the words of Jesus, you notice that in this section Jesus Himself explains what elements like the lamp stands and stars are – He tells us here what they symbolize so we don’t have to wonder.

That’s good news for us because Jesus gave these letters to specific churches – and they even may apply to us today.

Jamie, take it away!

Jamie Harrison:
Alright. Last week, I did say at one point that we were about to pray, and I never did. So I apologize for that and want to start with prayer before we jump in:

Lord, thank You. Thank You for being our Father. Thank You for loving us. We just give You praise. We give You honor. And, Lord, we pray that You would open Your Word to us as we read today and discuss. We pray that it would be only truth that comes out, not conjecture. God, I pray that if anybody is listening and they don’t know You that through Your Word and Your Word only they would come to know You. Lord, we just thank You and give You praise. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

So, let’s start in v. 9. We won’t really discuss v. 9 too terribly much; I just think it’s interesting that v. 9 is one of several verses in the Bible that show that the prosperity gospel^[2] is incorrect. It says,^[3] “I, John, your brother and partner in the affliction, Kingdom, and endurance that are in Jesus…” and then goes on to explain where he (John) is because of the “testimony” of Christ. That he’s on an island, and he’s doing backbreaking work everyday.

Keith:
…exiled, imprisoned….

Jamie:
…completely. And an island meaning it’s surrounded by water so there’s nowhere to go except death. He’s there because of this testimony.

I just want to point out, y’all, that if you’re listening to people preach or whatever, and they’re telling you that if you’re not doing this and you’re not doing that you must not be right with God [regarding your health or your financial status or how prosperous you are on earth]…know that’s dumb.

Keith:
Right. This is John, the gospel writer, the disciple whom Jesus loved. You would think that if there is a prosperity track, he’d be on it. But considering how this is so different, like you said, from the prosperity gospel, how he is in this place that no one would sanely want to be in and he received this treasure, these visions. It’s such a cool thing.

Jamie:
That’s how it starts there. And then it goes into (v. 10) “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet….” And I do think that’s cool. Again, I won’t spend a whole lot of time [on trumpets right now], we will moving forward…, but trumpets were used back in the Old Testament for like a warning, a call to war, and things like that, right?

Keith:
And heralds.

Jamie:
So, this is like a voice saying, hey, you better listen up.

Keith:
It obviously got his attention.

Jamie:
Right. So, here, Jesus gets his attention telling him to write down what he sees and send it to the seven churches, specifically naming them. The seven churches, you know, people try to make some kind of symbolic thing about them being seven of them and this and that, but this really is a logistical thing. These cities were not too terribly far apart. They were all along kind of the main routes where people would travel.

The churches at that time, I guess you could say that they were really the center point of the dissemination of information. Information kind of went from these hubs out to the rest of the world.

Keith:
And you know Laodicea was a sister church of Colossae, and so on.

Jamie:
Right, right. Notice when it says when John looks (in v. 12). This is one of those things – “Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me” – that reminds us that the timeline of Revelation is what John saw next. He hears the voice, turns, and sees (vv. 12-13) “seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was one like the Son of Man”. Then he goes on to give a description.

At first you look at it and think, well, there’s seven lampstands; what in the world are those seven lampstands? Again, it’s like Keith said earlier, it’s really cool because the Bible always is going to confirm what the Bible says. It’s going to give us the answer if we’re meant to know the answer.

Keith:
If we are meant to know.

Jamie:
That’s correct. And right there in v. 20 of Revelation 1, the second half there, it says, “The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” So, literally, when he turned, what he was the seven churches – the seven golden lampstands. And then he sees Jesus. He’s dressed in a robe with a golden sash….

Keith:
That’s the part that really hits me. In this, as Jesus is walking in the midst of them…. We know that Adam and Eve had a very special thing that was squandered there in the garden where God came and walked in the garden with them in the cool of the day, but when Jesus before His ascension says, “and, lo, I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20), He is in the midst of His churches – in the midst of the presence of His bride here on earth.

It kind of makes me think He’s disseminating information, like you say, but He had something specific to say to these churches. It’s to us all generically, but to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to all those specifically, He had a word that He wanted those churches, those local congregations to hear.

Jamie:
That’s right. And that being said, I think it begs the question: is Jesus walking through our churches today? I think that’s something to think about. If he’s not the center of the body, then we’ve stepped wrong somewhere.

Keith:
Well, that question kind of builds into: is your church His – or yours?

Jamie:
Yeah, that’s tough.

I saw a clip of a guy preaching the other day, and he said [to his congregation] that he had asked them for a watch a year ago and that they hadn’t bought him that watch yet. He asked why they were still broke and poor and busted – busted, that’s his word, what he said. That’s false gospel and has nothing to do with the Bible. That has nothing to do with anything. It’s supposed to all be about Jesus, and He isn’t at the center, then we really got to do something different.

Keith:
That’s got me thinking about the way that some of these foolish false preachers – the way they talk to their church. That’s not how Jesus talks to His Bride. We’re going to get into these letters and see some tough stuff that He says to them – and thereby us – but, man, it’s for a purpose.

The guy you spoke of called them broke, busted, ignorant, all these things. Jesus – He says to the church at Laodicea (in Revelation 3:17) that they thought they were rich, that they thought they were prospering. He tells them they aren’t looking for Him and that they’re really wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Jesus isn’t trying to bust them down and get a namebrand watch – not trying to get rich off them. The church is rich because of Christ. Or it’s poor and bankrupt without Him.

Jamie:
Amen.

So, let’s jump into the description of Christ here. It says He’s dressed in a robe with a golden sash around His chest – that’s kind of like a high priest, or someone with authority. Jesus is the high priest. So, that’s the idea there.

And then, his hair (v. 14) – the hair of his head was as white as wool, white as snow. His eyes like a fiery flame. That’s a little scary, almost. I mean we know the white represents purity, holiness, wisdom, all these things. But that flame of fire, you know, His eyes like a fiery flame, that one should kind of set us down a little bit – the omniscience of God, He’s all knowing, all seeing. Hebrews 4:13 would be a good verse to look at.

But think about it like this when it talks about these eyes like a fiery flame. What we’re seeing is…. Picture this person that you’ve come into contact with in life that just has the look. You know the parent look, the coach look that has….

Keith:
…gravitas….

Jamie:
That’s it. They just have this look, and it seems to literally reach into the depths of your soul and you feel like you’ve got to look away. You can’t look at them. Jesus’s look here is like that on steroids.

Keith:
I read where a preach said that’s why you should wear a suit and tie. It gives gravitas. Jesus didn’t get His gravitas in this scene because of the sash around His chest or His hair. It’s who He is. It’s His presence.

Jamie:
That’s it. And it is not only gazing into the depths of our soul, but think about it bigger picture: it’s this penetrating gaze into the depths of His church, which is us as individuals but joined together. I think it’s important to bring that out that He is looking at His bride. He is looking at His church like we were discussing earlier. And He’s looking and going, well, they’re doing really great in these areas…look at that endurance…and look at these people what they’re doing for Me…. Then, (as in the case of the letter to Ephesus) He’s like but you’ve lost your first love.

This gaze is extremely uncomfortable and should make us step back and rethink things and lead us to repentance.

Keith:
That’s the thing: lead us to repentance. He’s not tearing them down. He’s not tearing them up. He’s building them up because His people will recant. His people will change and follow Him. If not, then you get the other things He promises….

Jamie:
Right, right – which is nothing good.

So, in v. 15: “His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a furnace, and His voice like the sound of cascading waters.” Just kind of think about that for a second – that fine bronze. The alter of burnt offering (in the tabernacle and temple in the Old Testament) are covered with bronze, and it’s this divine judgment idea. This divine judgment on the church.

And His voice like the sound of “cascading waters” – think about that for a second. Everybody knows what that sounds like. Like you’re at a waterfall or something and hear that water. Think about it from John’s perspective. He’s on an island. These waves are crashing into the rocks of the island. That’s kind of his background noise all day long. That’s the idea here. This is what it sounds like.

It says in v. 16 that “He had seven stars in His right hand; a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth, and His face was shining like the sun at full strength.” Which…let me back up and not get too far ahead of myself. So, we’re going to find out in just a minute that the “seven stars in His right hand” – He tells us in v. 20 – those are the angels of the seven churches, those are the pastors. The right hand of course is considered the hand of might, power, and strength.

Keith:
The word “angel” there (in v. 20) means messenger (and can refer to people as well as heavenly beings – context helping you see the difference). So it’s not saying that these people who have been adopted into the family of God and charged by Him to care for a local congregation have been demoted to angelic beings. He’s saying that they are His messengers.

That’s something to consider, again, when asking whether Jesus is walking in the midst of your church. Is your pastor giving the information from the Word of God that Jesus – the Word of God – has give for His church, or is he giving some other message? That’s a tough question.

Jamie:
It is. To hit on that for a minute, I know when I started preaching I thought I had to have all the right words and say all the right things to get people to come to know Christ – and almost like a play on emotions type of thing, you know? Set the mood just right. All that stuff, right? What I’ve learned as I’ve grown in Christ is, first off, I need to ask forgiveness from some people for some people for some of the stuff I said and did as a “young” preacher, but the fact is that the Word saves (Romans 10:17), you know? If we’re preaching and people aren’t hearing more from the Word than from us, we’ve got it backwards. The Word speaks for itself. The Word builds up.

Keith:
Which is the purpose of having pastors if you look at Ephesians 4.

Jamie:
So, I just challenge you guys as you’re listening: surround yourself with people who are in the Word. Make sure you are in a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching church. Not a manipulative thing.

Keith:
And if you listen to this and you’re a pastor. I think that the way our lead pastor at Christ Community (John Goldwater) put it when we were talking a couple weeks ago is that if you win someone with an argument, you’ve got to keep them with an argument. You win somebody with emotion, you’ve got to keep them with emotion. But if you see someone won to Christ, then He will keep them.

So, when we see here that He’s got these stars, these pastors, who He’s got.

Jamie:
That’s it. So, after it tells us about the pastors (stars) being in His right hand, it says that this “double-edged sword” came from His mouth, which we will actually get to later in Revelation when we discuss the final battle. We have a few cross-references for it Ephesians 6:17 and Revelation 19:15. Check those out. But that sword is the Word of God in His judgement, and it’s going to be the Word of God…

Keith:
…Hebrews 4:12-13….

Jamie:
…and that is how He is going to pronounce His final judgment with that double-edged sword – with the Word – coming from His mouth. Again, we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. We’ll get there.

It says His face is shining like the sun at full strength. Now, we can’t even fathom this and imagine this because we can’t look into the sun for too long because we’ll go blind.

Keith:
Let us clarify. Disclaimer: don’t look into the sun.

Jamie:
That is correct. Please don’t try it. I tried when I was younger. That’s probably why I squint when I look at things now. Or it just could be that I’m getting old – not as old as Keith, but I am getting old. He is definitely older than I am.

So, looking into His face there, shining like the sun at full strength. Think about this magnificent glory of God – this magnificent brilliance and radiance that’s so glorious it can’t be concealed. It’s shining like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Think Matthew 17:1-13 at [Jesus’s] Transfiguration and what they saw, but this is that on…I don’t even know, right?

Keith:
In person. In it’s fullness.

Jamie:
I always go back to Moses in Exodus 34:29-35 where, you know, he sees the glory of God. But he only sees Him from His back. After seeing Him, though, [Moses’s] face is so bright the Israelites make him put a veil over his face because they can’t handle [the brightness of Moses’s face after his even glimpsing God]. We can’t look on the glory of God. It would kill us. It would legitimately kill us. We can’t handle that.

Keith:
And so to this extent, the Moses example is the moon. Jesus here in Revelation 1 shows the real source of the light on his face. Jesus is light.

Jamie:
And we say all that to say this: when you’re looking at somebody like this – which again we can’t fathom – the One who is about to speak has 100% authority. We know that it’s Jesus who is about to speak. When John sees Him, his immediate reaction is to fall at His feet like a dead man.

Keith:
This is different when you see people in the Bible encounter angels. They cower in fear, but John just fell as if dead. His entire living faculties fail him.

Jamie:
I think it’s the expression. When we look at, you know, our wife or I’m going to specify here: if you’re a husband looking at your wife or a wife looking at your husband. When you say, oh, they took my breath away. [Seeing Jesus like this] took his breath.

Keith:
All of it. Here’s the deal, too, though. John knows Him, right? So, the husband/wife analogy is so much clearer because this isn’t John seeing some amazing creature and being afraid. He’s looking face-to-face at Him who died and said “behold, I am alive forevermore” (v. 18). This is a huge deal, especially for John late in his life, outliving most, if not all, the apostles, and now he sees his friend. He sees his Lord. That’s huge.

Jamie:
That’s exactly it. Jesus looks at John and is like, hey, don’t be afraid; I’m the first and the last, the living One.

Check out Isaiah 41:4, 44:6, 48:12, but again, some of these things it’s hard to even talk about. The first, the last, the living One. The last time a lot of people that were around and saw Jesus, He was dying on a cross. Not everybody saw Him after He was resurrected.

Keith:
Many did, but not all.

Jamie:
So, He’s declaring Himself [as] the living One. I was dead, but look, I’m alive forever and ever. I hold the keys to death and Hades. You could have a whole conversation on [these keys]; if anyone ever tells you they have [these keys or any like them], they’re a liar. Jesus has the keys to death and Hades. Jesus has the keys to the house of David (which we’re going to see later on in Revelation).

Keith:
If anyone claims to have something that belongs to Jesus only they are not one of the stars (pastors) of the church. They’re definitely false teachers. They’re wolves who are in sheep’s clothing, trying to look like a pastor but leading to the devil whose goal it is to steal and kill and destroy. So, in the context of this conversation [and looking at the description of who Jesus is and the power He alone claims], any who claim what Jesus alone has is dangerous. They are of their father, the devil, and are a liar like him. They are not to be trusted. They are to be avoided at all costs.

That’s a tough statement to make because when you have conversations like this, people want to say, well, you can’t judge. Well, you judge not lest you be judged. Jesus Himself said they are ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing. The devil is prowling like a roaring lion, seeking whom he can devour, who he can destroy…. You want to avoid what Jesus says avoid, what the Bible says avoid.

Jamie:
You’re supposed to test the spirit by the Spirit. I think that’s where a lot of people – like the video I mentioned a little while ago, the pastor was saying y’all want to buy me a watch. The really disturbing thing about this video – and the dude points it out – there’re people in the background going, “Amen”, “Come on”, “Preach it”, like…get out. If you’re saying “Amen” to that, the spirit that is within you is not the spirit of God, it’s the spirit of man. And that’s what Keith’s saying: we are supposed to test the spirit by the Spirit; we are supposed to look at the fruit that’s coming off the tree.

Look, if somebody’s supposed to be your spiritual leader…. So many are supposedly spiritual leaders who are beating their spouse and doing crazy stuff – like, how can you lead me if you’re not following Christ yourself? The Bible specifically tells us that’s how it’s supposed to be.

I know we were going to go through (and it was actually my idea to try to get through) the letter to Ephesus, but we’re probably at a good place to stop in just a second.

Keith:
I think we are at a good place to stop. And not because we don’t want to get to the letter to Ephesus, but because there’s a reason this part of Revelation 1 is here. It’s not just exposition to help you understand the rest of it. It’s part of the revelation – part of understanding whose the churches are, whose the pastors are – or whose they aren’t.

Jamie:
A good place to end this today is going to be those last three verses [in Revelation 1]. Where we’re starting at the end of v. 17 where Jesus says,

“Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, but look – I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades. Therefore write what you have seen, what is, and what will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

We’ve discussed that already, but I want to go back to the way Jesus describes Himself: “I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, but look – I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Philippians 2:9-11 say:

“For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

I really want to press this home. This whole revelation is about Jesus Christ. This whole revelation is supposed to make us look towards Jesus Christ, and if it makes you look anywhere else, then we’ve got to start over from the beginning. Jesus’s name is the name that is above every name. It is the name. And at His name every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.

Watch this, now, this is important; we’re going to go to Romans 10:9-13. This is our favorite verse at Christ Community. We make sure we say it every time that we’re gathered together. People often ask and say that they’d like to have a relationship with Christ – how does that happen? Romans 10:9-13 tells us how:

“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame,^, since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Now, let’s put all this together from what we just read in Revelation where Jesus says He’s the first and the last, the living One. In other words, He’s saying I was dead but I’ve come back to life now. That’s the key to salvation. If you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead – without this there is no Christianity. Without the resurrection it’s pointless – a waste of our time.

Here’s what I want to point out to everybody listening, ok? Whether you want to or not, at some point in your life, you are going to confess that Jesus is Lord. You are going to confess that He was raised from the dead and He’s alive forevermore.

Keith:
…because you are going to be faced with Him – irrefutable face-to-face evidence

Jamie:
That’s exactly right. And that’s what Philippians 2 tells us. It doesn’t say every believer will confess. It says everyone. Everyone.

Keith:
…on the earth and under it….

Jamie:
And that’s everybody who is, who was, and who ever will be. So, I challenge you to look at these verses, Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord – which means giving everything over to Him, trusting in Him completely to lead, guide, and direct you in the right way. To say that you’re going to trust Him with every little thing that’s going on in your life. And that you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead. That’s how to be saved.

Keith:
That’s the faith we talked about – that trust.

Jamie:
That’s it. And, honestly, it’s one of two choices. You can say it because you want to or….

Keith:
…because you have to and it’s out of subjection that the King has come.

Jamie:
And He is coming.

Keith:
I think that’s a good place to stop. I urge you to check out…the Scripture references for yourself, and as we prepare to look at these letters to the churches over the next few weeks, be prepared to examine your own heart – not to be critical but to be biblical.

And we’ll catch you with the letter to the church at Ephesus next week! Thank you and God bless!

^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Re 1:9–20.

^[2] A religious belief that financial blessing and physical well-being are always the will of God for faithful Christians

“Preparing for the Coming King” — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study

Greetings, Sojourners, and welcome to this week’s Refresh & Restore Bible study!

We’re kicking off a new study today through the book of Revelation, but it’s not going to be a typical study of the book of Revelation. I’ll be going through it conversationally with Jamie Harrison, and we’re calling it The KING is Coming.

Today, we’ll be opening with Revelation 1:1-8 to introduce and open the study:

¹The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, ²who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. ³Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

⁴John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

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, ⁵and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood ⁶and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. ⁷Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

⁸“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”^[1]

Keith Harris:
Jamie Harrison is with us, and he’s going to talk to us about the book of Revelation. We will be doing this, as I said earlier, conversationally. I am as curious as any to see how this is going to go.

Jamie Harrison:
Same here.

Keith:
So, Revelation – The KING is Coming….

Jamie:
Revelation. I love the fact that you say Revelation and not RevelationS. That’s a common misconception with the book of RevelatioN. If you look, and I’m pretty sure any translation of the Bible, it’ll say Revelation is singular.

I love the way John MacArthur puts it in his Revelation Bible study. He says,

“Revelation depicts Jesus as the risen, glorified Son of God, ministering among the churches as the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of Earth as the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, as the first and the last, as the Son of Man, as the one who was dead but now is alive forevermore, as the Son of God, as the One who is holy and true, as the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God, as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, as the Lamb in heaven with authority to open the title deed to the earth, as the Lamb on the throne, as the Messiah who will reign forever, as the Word of God, as the majestic King of kings and Lord of lords, returning in glorious splendor to conquer His foes, and as the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star.”^[2]

What does all that mean? That the Revelation is Jesus.

I think it’s important to start off with the fact that the book of Revelation is oftentimes misunderstood as a book of something we’re supposed to guess about and put together conjecture….

Keith:
…a code to break….

Jamie:
That’s right. And draw pictures of what this might be and what that might be.

The book of Revelation is about Jesus. The whole Bible builds up to this book, right?

Keith:
Which is why it’s last in the canon^[3] – because it’s supposed to be.

Jamie:
That’s correct!

A couple of things before we get started, just so everyone knows what we’re not doing in this study. We’re not speculating about whether Jesus might come back on this day or on that day. We’re not debating on which theory is right or wrong. We’re not getting into the whole pre-, mid-, post-trib thing – anything like that; we’re going to present those as common approaches as to when Jesus is going to come.

Keith:
Acknowledge them, but if I remember when we first talked about this, the goal was a verse-by-verse study of the book of Revelation, like one studies the other sixty-five books of the Bible.

Jamie:
That’s correct. I think that’s it.

I think the best approach to the book of Revelation, because so many people that listen to this and so many of the conversations I’ve had with people over the years we’ve been doing this study at our church – if you have pre-conceived notions of anything in the book of Revelation, I genuinely pray that you approach it with the Holy Spirit as our teacher (John 14:26). We must have total dependence on Him. Total. Dependence. On Him.

Keith:
I think this is a good time to reference that as we do these Bible studies, as we seek to be refreshed and restored – not just in the Revelation study but in all of them, this is not self-help; it’s not a magic pill or some sort of sorcery or incantation. The Holy Spirit is your teacher if you have faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation comes by grace through faith in Him alone. If He has saved you, He is your teacher.

If not, we invite you to confess Him as Lord, to believe in your heart that He died on the cross for our sins and rose again on the third day, and that by putting your faith in Him by asking – calling out – to Him, trusting that He will save you (Romans 10:9-13, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

If that’s the case, the book of Revelation will be good news. If it’s not the case, there will be several places in this study that will not be good news.

Jamie:
That’s correct. One of the things that has kept coming up in our Bible study at church is that, man, it seems Revelation is full of bad news all the way through, but then, all of a sudden, you know, if you really pay attention every time something “bad” is given, it is followed up by something that’s awesome!

Keith:
The King IS coming! That’s what all the “bad” is going to culminate in – the most awesome.

Jamie:
And He’s coming whether you want Him to or not.

The last thing before we get into it is to talk about the timeline of Revelation real quick, just because a lot of times when you read Revelation, you automatically think: OK, well, we’re reading this in order – you know this happens, then this happens. But the fact is, the timeline of Revelation is what John saw next.

A couple of examples of that is in ch. 1:12 (CSB)^[4], it says,

“Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven golden lampstands….”

So that’s what he saw when he turned. It doesn’t mean it was in order (chronologically) of what he just said. Chapter 4:1, another good example:

“After this I looked….”

So, after what he had just talked about – after he had received the letters to the churches, he looked and there in heaven was an open door. It doesn’t mean that he received the letters and, then, that’s what happened next. This is what he saw next.

Keith:
A timeline for us to plan this all out isn’t part of the goal.

Going back to what you said earlier, the goal is for us to see Jesus Christ revealed – as He revealed this to John.

Jamie:
That’s it. That’s correct. Just don’t get caught up trying to figure out when Jesus is coming. The fact is…we don’t know. And if anyone tells you different, they’re a liar – a false prophet.

Keith:
Because Jesus says it cannot be known (Matthew 24:36).

Jamie:
That’s right. The only inclination we’re given is in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 where we’re told that believers will be able to tell that the tribulation is happening. They will understand it by things that are going on because they’ve read the Bible and they’re filled with the Holy Spirit. It doesn’t mean they’ll know when Jesus is coming. That just means they’ll understand the times that are going on.

Keith:
When you look at a lot of the people who are trying to narrow it down to a date – that’s often for their own glory. You think of Harold Camping who had one date, then other date, and then kind of just goes into relative obscurity because he didn’t get (it right) or the glory he was looking for. It’s about the coming of Jesus, not the one who can pinpoint the date. It’s about Him, not setting up some fruitful and enriching – monetary or otherwise – eschatology^[5] ministry for people who are afraid to kind of twist them or turn them whichever way (2 Timothy 3:6-7, Romans 16:17-18, 2 Peter 2:1-3, Jude 4, Ephesians 4:14).

Jamie:
That’s right.

Now, with all of that being said, let’s jump into it.

Keith:
Sounds good.

Jamie:
So, we started in v. 1. And this is to just reiterate how we started, it says:

“The revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave Him to show His servants what must soon take place.”

According to v. 1 – let me see how to phrase this – the Bible gives all the answers, right? If you can’t find the answers in the Bible, then the answer is “I don’t know”.

Keith:
Right, and that’s a very good answer because it’s always better – and especially if people ask you, dear Sojourners, something that you don’t know, it’s better to tell them that you don’t know and that you’re willing to seek it out in Scripture than to make something up. (Making up answers) has never served Christ well or built up His Church. So, Jamie and I are fans of “I don’t know”.

Jamie:
Yes, big fan. Those are three of my favorite words actually.

So, v. 1 gives us the answer to this revelation is an unveiling of. Revelation is an unveiling, a revealing, of all these things we are about to read about. There was what these people looked like and these animals look like and all these things – what in the world is that? None of that, in the end, matters. What matters is the unveiling – the revealing – of the revelation of Jesus Christ. We’re given that answer right here at the beginning.

The next thing we find here is the chain of communication. We’re told how it was made known to the rest of us. There in v. 1 it says He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John. Who sent it to the angel? God did. So, God sent the revelation to the angel, the angel gave the revelation to John, and John gave the revelation to us.

Keith:
To the seven churches and then to the rest of us through John.

Jamie:
That is also an important thing to look at because people will say that this was just a man writing this book. Who is he? Why should we believe what he says? We’re told right from the beginning that this revelation comes from the mouth of God, as does all Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21).

Keith:
That’s the argument that people commonly want to make. Oh, a man wrote this. Part of the Holy Spirit being our teacher if we are saved is believing that the Bible doesn’t contain God’s Words, it is God’s Word that He breathed out through these people who wrote it down, and He is faithful.

Jamie:
Amen.

Off of that, who is this revelation for? This is written to seven specific churches. Is it for them, us – who is it for? Again, the Bible gives us the answer. Look at v. 3:

“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it, because the time is near.”

Again, the Bible gives us the answer. Who is this for? It is for those who read it aloud, those who hear the words of the prophecy and those who keep what is written in it.

That’s who it’s for: everybody. If you read it – if you keep it, it’s for you.

Keith:
And, I do think it’s important to clarify since there are so many – you can almost throw a rock in some towns and hit a church that’s “preaching” through Revelation – but so much of it is about their theories and conjectures. It needs to be important that, even and especially with our words, our commentary, our discussion of this, that it’s the words from the Bible that hold the power, that hold the weight.

And you don’t hear that in some of these eschatology, end-time studies. They are promoting their view.

Jamie:
That’s such a big word you used there. What does eschatology mean?

Keith:
Eschatology is the study of the end times – of what is to come.

Jamie: [joking]
That’s for us simple-minded people.

Keith:
I’ve seen over the last few weeks on social media – ads of various big-name, popular preachers – where you can get their fold-out guide to the apocalypse or you can get their timeline where they lay it out and say “This is the only way….” It’s free, but you click on the link and you’re selling a lot of stuff. Jesus’s revelation was freely given – good news and bad news – for the churches, for us to take heed of.

Jamie:
So, we’re not selling this Bible study?

Keith:
No, this is not a money-making venture. That has not been my experience.

Jamie:
Apologies, I thought we were going to get rich quick.

Keith:
No. In fact, I was hoping some money would fall out of your pocket while we were recording – that was my only chance.

Jamie:
Coincidentally, I left my wallet in the truck.

Keith:
So, we digress…back to the revelation.

Jamie:
Here in vv. 4-6 we get to a description of the Trinity. It says,

“John: To the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace to you from the One who is, Who was, and Who is to come, from the seven spirits before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has set us free from our sins by His blood, and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father – to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

So, you get this really awesome description of the Trinity here, the One who is, was, and is to come. Obviously referring to God the Father from the seven spirits before His throne, referring to the Holy Spirit. That seven number there, Keith, I don’t know I you want to hit on it or just for our purposes say seven means (represents) fullness?

Keith:
Right. Completion.

Jamie:
That’s right. That’s the idea there. And then, finally, from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness. I do think that’s important to talk about real quick. Faithful witness, meaning that if he says it you can take it to the bank. Everything Jesus has ever said – when He was here on earth or things that He’s revealed through His Spirit – has been accurate, has been true. And not only that, He’s a faithful witness because He was there from the beginning.

Keith:
I think that’s very important to say because, a lot of the time we see the word “witness” in the New Testament, it’s the Greek word from which we get our word “martyr”. He was faithful with His life from before the foundation of the world all the way to His incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension, and always will be because he’s an eternally faithful witness because He was and is and is to come.

Jamie:
That’s right. John 1 speaks to that. It says in John 1:14:

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed His glory, the glory as of the One and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

So, the Word became flesh. Ok, now watch this. John 1:1:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

He was with God in the beginning, so John 1:14 tells us the Word became flesh – obviously referring to Jesus – He was there from the beginning. When creation happened, Jesus was there. And don’t get that confused. He wasn’t somebody randomly created along the way.

Keith:
He is God because He wasn’t created.

And don’t expect a explanation of the Trinity here because, well, let’s be honest. If someone could fully explain all of who God is then somebody made Him up. I think it’s C.S. Lewis – what’s that book we read? Mere Christianity. He said the way the Bible presents things is just odd enough that man couldn’t have made it up.^[6] It’s so different – and in some places unexplainable that dome dude didn’t think of it. That’s good news!

Jamie:
It is. Amen.

The other part here, of vv. 5-6, that I want to point out is you get this spontaneity of praise that happens. It’s just this seemingly random, you know, we’re getting a description here when all of a sudden he goes into this praise moment where he’s like “the faithful witness, the first born of the dead, the ruler of the kings of the earth”. Think about that for a second. “To Him who loves us and has set us free from our sins by His blood”. This moment of praise for salvation for being made into a kingdom and priests to God – “glory and dominion forever and ever”. Amen. What I want to point out about this is when we’re going through our everyday life – when we’re going to work, when you’re dealing with whatever, all the issues, all the problems, whatever, we should have moments every day where we stop and for whatever reason it just hits us and we stop and say thank you to Him. Now, I’m not saying you’re in the middle of Walmart and you all of a sudden start shouting and running the aisles and doing all that. That would be glorifying yourself not the Lord.

Keith:
Attention to you rather than Him.

Jamie:
That’s right. What I’m talking about is a moment where you just sit back and you go, “Thank you, Lord, for saving me. Thank you for choosing me. Out of all the people in the world, you chose me.”

Keith:
And those won’t be moments where you’ve done something great. I know when they come in my life that it’s done that is boneheadedly stupid – sin that I know better than to commit, or that I willingly committed knowing full well it was sin, and then it hitting me, the impact that He has freed us from our sins by His blood that…. Was it Romans 5:8?

“…but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

It’s that realization that I can’t believe He would want to love me. It’s just such a…. It’s that He is praiseworthy. Not because of what He’s done for us, but because He and His character would do something like that for people like us.

Jamie:
That verse always reminds me of that movie about emotions. [Inside Out] In the movie joy and anger and all those things, they’re trying to get back to the headquarters because Riley, the main character is going through puberty or whatever and has moved. She’s about to, you know, her emotions are going crazy – much like my middle school students I work with every day. Anyway, that verse reminds me of that because it says [in Romans 5:8-11]:

“God proved His own love for us, and that while we were sinners, Christ died for us. How much more then, since we have now been [declared righteous] by His blood, will we be saved by Him from wrath. For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.”

It reminds me of [Inside Out] because there’s all these fake people in their head – it’s an imagination thing – where these characters in her head would like die for Riley…. My point is the Bible [in Romans 5:7] asks how often someone would really be willing to die – even for a just person. Maybe for a good person somebody might die….

Keith:
Somebody who you dearly love and has significance to you personally.

Jamie:
But not some random person on the street who’s done you wrong. That’s the enemy – the language it uses in Romans 5:10-11. We’re talking about the person who hates you – strong word, but hates you and you know they do. Maybe they’ve messed you out of a job or whatever. You know they did something to you. Christ died for them.

Keith:
I mean, that’s the context back in Revelation 1:7 – some of those He is “coming with the clouds” to get will include “even those who pierced Him”. There’s some bad news that there are “tribes of earth” that will wail on account of Him, but just like the Centurion standing at the foot of the cross who was one of the ones presiding over His execution (Matthew 27:54, Mark 14:39, Luke 23:47) said, “Surely this was the Son of God!”

Jesus saves sinners. Prior to coming to Christ, enemies – everyone is affiliated. There’s no unaffiliated random innocent person out in some jungle. All “have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). There’s enmity between us and God because of our sin, and He, willingly, because of His great love and mercy, died for even me.

Jamie:
And that’s the second half of v. 5: “To Him who loves us and has set us free from our sins by His blood”.

A couple of cross-references for you real quick – I’d be remiss to not give these. Verse 7:

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him.
And all the tribes of the earth^,
will mourn over him.^’
So it is to be. Amen.”

Some cross-references for that are Isaiah 19:1, Zechariah 12:10, John 19:34-37, Genesis 12:3, Genesis 28:14, Zechariah 14:17. I just encourage you to go through those and read those because the Bible confirms the Bible. There’s nothing in the Bible that’s not going to be confirmed by something else in the Bible. And, if you’re reading something in the Bible and you think it means something that cannot be confirmed through other Scriptures, you might want to rethink that.

Keith:
And you can look in the footnotes as well as in the parenthetical (in parenthesis) references and check what we say. You don’t need to take our word for this.

I’m not saying we’re not trustworthy. I’m saying we are fallible. We can misspeak and misunderstand from time to time. But God’s Word that is infallible.

Jamie:
Before we finish up, here are some other verses from the spontaneity of praise in vv. 5-6. Y’all check out Revelation 4:9-11, 5:13, 7:11-12; Ephesians 3:20-21; 1 Timothy 1:17; Jude 24-25. There’s a whole lot more; that’s just some. But as you’re reading the Word every day, there should be this moment where you just stop and praise the Lord. Like, [reading His Word] overwhelms you and His being Almighty.

I think one of the big questions from vv. 1-8 should be whether reading the Word leads to a moment of praise. And if it doesn’t, then we need to rethink and maybe rework why we’re reading the Word (and the way we’re reading the Word). You know, I like to turn my Bible plan on and hit play and listen to it while I’m getting ready in the mornings, but if that’s not leading me to a moment of praise then I need to rethink how I’m doing it because it’s not getting through, I’m just playing it to play it.

Keith:
You’re getting through the Bible, not getting the Bible through you.

Jamie:
That’s it.

Then, finally, the last two verses – what we just read in v. 7 and then in v. 8. I love this v. 8. In it, Jesus says,

“I am the Alpha and the Omega…the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

This is a cool moment. The Lord introduces Himself as the Alpha and the Omega – which means the beginning and the end, the first and last letters (of the Greek alphabet – essentially the A-Z), the one who is, who was, and who is to come. The Almighty.

Now, in Revelation 22:13, Jesus says,

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

So, the way Revelation starts is the way Revelation ends, letting us know that Jesus is the Alpha and Omega.

Keith:
Letting us know He is the God who has always been. He is the God who is speaking, and as we’ve said throughout, He is the King who is coming! That gives me chill bumps!

Jamie:
Yeah, and it’s not cold in here.^[7] That’s a Holy Spirit bump, I would say.

Keith:
Don’t miss this as we wrap this study. This is the first of however many it takes for us to get through this.

Jamie:
Hopefully not as long as it’s been [in the church study].

Keith:
As I’ve said, Jamie, it takes what it takes, but the idea here is to keep our focus on Jesus returning, Jesus coming back, because He has promised that He is.

Jamie:
Hey, let’s talk about that for a second – just for a second. In vv. 7-8, talking about He’s coming back and we know He’s coming. We’re told at the end of v. 3 “because the time is near”, and I know everybody looks and they freak out because this was way back then the time isnear. All that means is God’s time frame is near because God’s time frame and our time frame are two different things, ok? You know, just keep that in the back of your mind.

I want you to understand that from the beginning of the Bible in Genesis to the end of the Bible in Revelation, it all leads up to this moment: He is coming, coming as the conquering King. He is coming as the King of kings and the Lord of lords, and every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).

And, I’m sorry – I’m going off on a little thing here, but y’all just really think about this for a minute when it says every, single one, I want you to think about all the people around the world. Right? People – we always go to political leaders and stuff, and I was trying not to name drop anybody because, I just don’t like doing that, but I guess I’m about to anyway. But just think of people like Vladimir Putin – who is an atheist, right? Totally against God, and, man, when Jesus comes back, his knees are going to bow, his tongue is going to confess.

I think of – what was the real famous atheist that just died? The science guy in the chair? Stephen Hawking. He was totally against God – and clarified that he was going into nothingness. His knees are going to bow. His tongue is going to confess.

And, again, this has been from Genesis all the way to the end of Revelation. So, here are some verses to check out: Genesis 3:15, Matthew 24:37, Luke 19:13, John 14:1-3, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, Philippians 3:20-21, Hebrews 9:28, and Jude 14 – again, there are more, but that’s just an idea how from the very beginning in Genesis to the very end in Revelation, the entire Bible leads up to this moment when the King is Coming.

Keith:
And I think that’s a good spot for us to get to today, not timewise but just thoughtwise. Sojourners, while we are recording this podcast, my nine-year-old (at the time) son is sitting in our living room is waiting on someone to pick him up – a friend who has asked him to hang out. And he’s been up there – it’s currently 10:15 in the morning, and he’s been up since before 7:00a in expectation – because it’s something he’s looking forward to. He is not anxious. He’s not disappointed in the wait. There’s an expectation, though.

And so we talk about every knee bowing, what you have to ask yourself is what heart-position is going to accompany your bowed knee. When it says that we know Jesus is coming as the conquering King, are you kneeling in subjection, in recognition that you have been conquered because the King of kings and Lord of lords has won the day? Or are you doing it in worship of the King who you have longed for His return – that He who is on the throne is coming, and there will be a Day when you get to stand before Him? When He pulls you from your knees. When He exalts you as it says in 1 Peter 5:6 by the mighty Hand of God and get pulled into an embrace. That’s the expectation. Or if that’s not it, then we definitely have some soul searching we need to do.

^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Re 1:1–8.

^[2] NEED THE EXACT QUOTE/REFERENCE FOR JOHN MACARTHUR HERE.

^[3] Footnote on the canon?

^[5] Eschatology will be defined later on.

^[6] Mere Christianity publication info and actual quote?

^[7] Fun story: it really was not cold the morning we recorded this first Bible study for Revelation. In fact, we didn’t know it but my air conditioner when out while we were recording!

“Paul’s Final Greeting & a Tale of Two Legacies” — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study

⁷Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. ⁸I have sent him for you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, ⁹and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.
¹⁰Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions – if he comes to you, welcome him), ¹¹and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the Kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. ¹²Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. ¹³For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hieropolis. ¹⁴Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. ¹⁵Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. ¹⁶And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. ¹⁷And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”
¹⁸ I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Colossians 4:7-18

"The Lamb Who is Our Shepherd" from Revelation 7 (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Greetings Sojourners!

We have made it – the end of our study of the book of Colossians! I have enjoyed getting to study and write about this letter and hope it has been helpful for you. It is good for us to spend time studying His Word and especially good for us to truly understand that Jesus is indeed over all.

Our passage today is often just tacked on at the end of an expository book study (preacher language for preaching and teaching through a book, verse-by-verse) as a sort of wrap up. But I want us to see that this passage, like all of Scripture, is breathed out by God and profitable (2 Timothy 3:16). I think it serves as a good reminder that this was an actual letter to a real church. The church at Colossae – and all of the churches in all of the cities Paul visited on his missionary journeys and wrote to – was a real church filled with real people. Paul’s close to this letter is similar to the rest of his letters as he and those present with him greet the recipients of the letter. There are also specific greetings, similar to how in modern speech, say a phone call to family or friends you haven’t seen in a while might say, “Tell your folks I said, ‘hi’” or “tell Aunt So-and-So I love her”. It’s personal.

At the same time, this letter – and the other letters/epistles in the New Testament – are more. They are Scripture because, as I mentioned above, the Holy Spirit breathed out this letter through Paul. He chose to use Paul’s writing to this church, to these real people, to write to our churches and all the churches in the years between and beyond until Jesus returns to gather His people to Himself. In a sense, these letters are as much from God’s Spirit to His people as it ever was Paul’s to the church and people he cared for in Colossae.

So we are going to look at a couple of the guys Paul mentions at the close of his letter and find some application for our lives. Before we do that, though, I want us to briefly review some big takeaways from our Jesus Over All study of Colossians.

Nine Takeaways from Our Previous Bible Studies in Colossians

Each of these takeaways come from early Bible studies in our Jesus Over All study and serve to help us wrap our minds around the whole book in context. Let’s dive in.

Jesus is enough, and His gospel transforms lives (1:1-14).

Paul reminds us that Jesus is sufficient to save and especially against all false teachings. When He saves people, His gospel bears fruit of that salvation in their transformed lives. This is the kind of growth we should seek after, and it should drive us to pray, rely on God’s power, and exhibit gratitude for our redemption in Jesus.

Jesus is supreme over all creation and reconciles sinners to God through His blood on the cross (1:15-23).

Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God. He is both Creator and Redeemer, holding all things together. His being preeminent as well as the Savior who sacrificed Himself for our sins forms the foundation for our faith, securing our hope in Him alone and calling us to believe what His Word says about Him.

God can use suffering to strengthen His Church, and His Word is the foundation for spiritual maturity (1:24-2:10).

Paul’s endurance for the gospel challenges us to view our own trials and difficulties as a means of growing in Christ. If we are rooted in Him and His truth, we will – through His power and Spirit – be able to stand firm against deception and grow in our faith, walking in Him with gratitude and confidence.

Jesus frees us from spiritual captivity and forgives sin through His victory on the cross (2:8-15).

False teachings seek to deceive us, but Jesus seeks to give fullness of life and freedom. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus cancels the debt of sin and triumphs over the forces of evil, securing an eternal salvation that cannot be taken away.

True faith rests in Christ alone, not human traditions of religious practices (2:16-23).

The equation is simple: Jesus + nothing = everything! Paul warns against adding rules and regulations to the gospel, reminding us that only Jesus can save. False teachings want distort and confuse, but they lack the power to bring any true or lasting change.

Believers are called to set their minds on Jesus and live for His Kingdom (3:1-4).

Having been raised with Jesus, our focus shifts. We no longer need to be distracted by things on earth because our eyes (and lives) should be focused on the eternal hope of Christ in glory. Our identity is not wrapped up in earthly things but hidden in Christ. This means that our lives should reflect Jesus’s rule over us – He is Lord, after all.

Be killing sin in your life, or it will be killing you (3:5-11).

Sin in our lives needs to be put do death, reminding us that Jesus’s redemption frees us from sin’s power. Being born again in Jesus means living as new creations and calls us to cast off our old selves and embrace being renewed in His image.

Christlike character leads to unity, love, and peace in the church and is exhibited in worship that exalts Christ, is rooted in His Word, and overflows into real, every-day life (3:12-17).

As God’s chosen people, we are called to put on compassion, kindness, humility, patience, and love. These are more than mere actions because they are fruit of having new life in Jesus. They are part of our worship of Him. Worship, then, is more than personal preference because it is shaped by His Word, instructing our hearts and all we do in His name – every word, song, and action.

Every aspect of life – home, work, and speech – should reflect Jesus’s rule in our hearts (3:18-4:6).

We see here again that Jesus saving us is to impact our real, everyday lives – how we live in all aspects of our lives. Whether in our families, jobs, or conversations with people, those Jesus saved are to live in a way that honors and points to Him. Walking in wisdom, speaking with grace, and serving others faithfully are a few ways Paul uses to show how our lives are to display Jesus’s lordship in all things.

One Final Takeaway: Learning from the Lives and Legacies of Mark and Demas (vv. 10, 14)

All of the people mentioned in this last section mattered to Paul. He wasn’t idly name-dropping or merely recognizing acquaintances. These were men who were involved in Paul’s ministry or had specific messages for the Colossian church. The emphasis in Colossians 3:1–4:6 on how being in Christ should impact real life was not just religious talk—it had shaped Paul’s life, and it was shaping the lives of those he wrote to as well.

Tychicus and Onesimus (vv. 7-9) hand-delivered this letter to the Colossian church. They had additional information about Paul’s circumstances and were sent to serve and encourage the believers.

Aristarchus, Mark, and “Jesus who is called Justus” (vv. 10-11) were with Paul in his imprisonment. They were the only Jewish believers remaining in Rome with Paul, ministering to him and taking part in the kingdom work happening from his prison cell. Paul says that they were “a comfort” to him, and they sent their greetings to the Colossians.

Epaphras (vv. 12-13), the Colossian church’s pastor, also sent greetings. Though he was on mission in Rome, ministering to Paul, he was still “struggling” for the Colossians in prayer, asking that they “may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God” (v. 12). Paul testified to his continual labor in prayer, not only for his own church but also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis (v. 13).

Luke, “the beloved physician” (v. 14)—who would later write the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts—also sent his greetings, along with Demas.

Paul extended his greetings to the church at Laodicea, particularly to Nympha and the church meeting in her home (v. 15). Though this letter was addressed to the Colossians, it was meant to be read in Laodicea as well. Paul also had a specific word for a Laodicean believer named Archippus, encouraging him to “see that [he] fulfill the ministry [he had] received in the Lord” (v. 17).

These were real people whom Paul loved and cared about. He wanted them to know that, which is why this final section was written with great effort in his own handwriting, even as his hands were bound in chains (v. 18).

So, what does this mean for us? Paul didn’t mention any of you dear sojourners who I care about today. There were no personal greetings to future churches in yet-undiscovered or unsettled regions of the world. What are we supposed to take from this?

I’m glad you asked.

Our final takeaway from this study in Colossians is to consider the lives of two men Paul mentioned in this section: Mark and Demas.

Mark, also known as John Mark—the writer of the Gospel that bears his name—had a complicated history with Paul. That’s why Paul included specific instructions that the Colossians should welcome him. Mark’s cousin, Barnabas, had been Paul’s partner in his first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-3), and Mark had joined them. But after facing hardships, Mark abandoned the mission and returned home (Acts 13:13). Paul took this seriously. So, when Paul and Barnabas were preparing for their second journey, Barnabas wanted to bring Mark again (Acts 15:37). Paul disagreed, believing it was unwise to take someone who had withdrawn from the work (Acts 15:38). Their disagreement was so sharp that Paul and Barnabas parted ways—Barnabas took Mark to Cyprus, while Paul took Silas and continued elsewhere (Acts 15:39-41).

Yet here, years later, we see Mark restored. Not only was he no longer a liability, but he was one of the few Jewish believers standing with Paul in his imprisonment. The same man who had once quit now endured alongside Paul in even greater trials. God had grown and matured him. The Holy Spirit had worked in him, and Paul recognized that. Paul wanted the Colossians to know that Mark was no longer the same man he had once been—he was to be welcomed as a fellow laborer in the faith.

Then, there was Demas.

We don’t know Demas’s backstory, only that at the time Paul wrote to the Colossians and to Philemon, Demas was counted among his fellow laborers (Philemon 24). Paul took seriously those who ministered alongside him, and Demas had been part of his team. Like Luke, he had the privilege of sending greetings to the churches.

Yet, by the time Paul wrote 2 Timothy—his final letter, written as he awaited execution—Demas had abandoned him. But unlike Crescens, Titus, and Tychicus, who had left to serve elsewhere (2 Timothy 4:10-12), Demas had left for another reason: he was “in love with this present world” (2 Timothy 4:10).

Read that again. Paul was on death row, awaiting execution, and Demas deserted him—not because of a call to another ministry, but because of love for the world. This wasn’t just a personal disappointment for Paul—it was recorded as Scripture, meaning the Holy Spirit moved Paul to write it (2 Timothy 3:16).

But in that same chapter, we see something else. Paul, who had once written Mark off as unfit for ministry, now told Timothy, “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11).

What a contrast!

Wrapping Up

I suppose this is where we try to bring everything together, but in truth, the contrast between Mark and Demas does much of the work for us. Their lives illustrate the heart of what we’ve seen throughout Colossians—Jesus is over all, but will we live as if that’s true?

Both of these men participated in ministry and mission. Both walked alongside Paul. Both had moments where they turned away. But what set them apart was not just their failures—it was where they turned afterward. Mark, despite quitting early on, was restored. He grew. The same gospel that Paul proclaimed in Colossians transformed him, matured him, and drew him back to faithfulness (Colossians 1:6). By the end of Paul’s life, Mark was a trusted and needed partner in ministry (2 Timothy 4:11).

Demas, however, loved this present world. That love pulled him away. We don’t know how his story ended, but we do know that he abandoned Paul in his greatest hour of need (2 Timothy 4:10). And that leaves us with a question: when trials come, when the cost of following Christ feels too high, when the comforts of the world beckon—who will we be? A Demas, in love with the world? Or a Mark, restored by the grace of God?

The entire book of Colossians has pressed us to consider the sufficiency and supremacy of Christ. We have seen that Jesus is enough, that His gospel transforms lives (Colossians 1:13-14), that He holds all things together (Colossians 1:17), and that His rule should be evident in our everyday lives (Colossians 3:17). We have been reminded that true faith rests in Christ alone, not in religious performance (Colossians 2:16-17). We have been challenged to put sin to death (Colossians 3:5), to walk in wisdom (Colossians 4:5), to love and serve in His name (Colossians 3:12-14), and to set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:1-2).

So, as we conclude, the real question is this: Do we believe it? Is Jesus truly over all in our lives—not just in theory, but in how we live, work, worship, and relate to others? When hardship comes (Colossians 1:24), when the world entices (Colossians 2:8), when following Christ requires sacrifice (Colossians 3:3-4), what will our response be?

I don’t know your story, but I do know this—God is faithful. He is patient. He is at work in you just as He was in Mark, just as He was in Paul, just as He has been in all who are His (Philippians 1:6). The same Jesus who rules over creation rules over your life (Colossians 1:18), and He is able to strengthen you, sustain you, and keep you until the end (Jude 24-25).

Sojourners, it has been a privilege to study Colossians with you. I pray, like Epaphras prayed for the Colossians, that you “may stand mature and fully assured in the will of God” (Colossians 4:12). May we live as people who truly believe that Jesus is over all. And may He be glorified in our lives, both now and forever.

“Adorned With Christ in All of Life: Our TALK & Our WALK” — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study

²Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. ³At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the Word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison — ⁴that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
⁵Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. ⁶Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.^[1]
Colossians 4:2-6

"The Lamb Who is Our Shepherd" from Revelation 7 (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Greetings Sojourners!

Whew! I blinked, and 2024 is over!

I don’t know about y’all, but last fall and early winter were so busy. We’ve been traipsing back and forth across the South following my daughter and the high school band, writing this past year’s Advent guide (hopefully you got to follow along with the “Good News of Great Joy” readings in Luke), preaching a revival, serving the Lord at Christ Community and wherever else opportunity has arisen, started writing the #dailyPSALMSchallenge posts, and managed to work teaching school, too. Busy, busy, busy. It had been my intention to be finished with our Colossians study by now, but I am finding the older I get that things get done when they are done. Additionally, things worth doing well are worth working on until they are ready (even if I was ready to get it done before it was complete).

This closing exhortation (Bible word that is a mixture of warning, encouragement, and coming alongside someone to help them) of Paul’s here in Colossians 4:2-6 has been working on me throughout my busyness. The way I study these days – whether to write or preach or teach or whatever – is to work through the cross-references for a passage in my notebook, and I carry that notebook with me most places. I study and ponder on the passage and the verses throughout Scripture that give its context. I dwell with the passage. I meditate on it. Really, it is not as academic or spiritual as that sounds but more like the action of a crockpot where I simmer in the passage and its connecting verses until it’s done and ready to serve. I said Colossians 4:2-6 has been working on me; maybe the better way to say it is God has been working it into my life.

To understand this closing exhortation, you need to think of it in the context of the whole letter of Colossians. The first two chapters focus on doctrine, teachings about Jesus, His gospel, and the eternal life He gives, that the church at Colossae was missing. False teachers were coming in, taking advantage of the gaps in their knowledge and seeking to fill them with dangerous teachings and practices meant to lead them away from Christ. The last two chapters focus on putting that doctrine into practice. The church at Colossae needed to learn what it is to put our focus on Christ, namely taking off and putting to death the sin that belonged to their old life and putting on Christ, being adorned in and with Him, and living as His Spirit and Word direct. The biggest part of that application is where Paul helps the church at Colossae – and us – to be adorned in Christ in all areas of our lives, marriages, families, vocations, and so on. This exhortation fits at the tail end of how to be adorned in Christ in all areas of our lives.

As I said earlier, an exhortation is a kind of like coming alongside someone to help them. Picture being on a battlefield and your brother or sister soldier injures their leg and cannot walk on their own. You don’t just leave them there and save yourself. No, you reach down, grab their arm and put it across your shoulder, and you become a leg for them. They cannot walk, but y’all together can. This is recognition that in this spiritual battle, those who belong to the Kingdom of God lift one another up. In this case, Paul is writing to them from his place on the battle field in prison to lift them up and encourage them to keep the faith as they go through life and to lift up one another.

You might read this and be startled by the imagery of battle, but that is the reality of living in Christ for His Kingdom while we still live among the kingdoms of this world. Much of Paul’s letter to Ephesus mirrors aspects of the letter to Colossae. Where we have the exhortation in Colossians 4:2-6, this portion of Ephesians describes the need for putting on the “whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11) and recognizes that we are wrestling – literally fighting – against an enemy that is not of this world – not “against flesh and blood, but against the rulers and authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

We will walk through three ways in which we can lift one another up as we are on the Church’s mission, through prayer, preaching, and practice.

Prayer is Imperative to the Mission (vv. 2-4)

Prayer is literally the most we can do. A lot of times folks are willing to neglect prayer so that they can do something or make something – like praying or serving or whatever, but when you really get down and think about it, what more can you do than take your petitions to the almighty God of the universe?

That’s not a rhetorical question: what more can you do than take things in prayer to God Most High? The obvious and only answer is a resounding “no”.

Look at the way the author of Hebrews describes prayer in Hebrews 4:16:

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need….

and again in Hebrews 7:25:

Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Prayer is an opportunity to approach the throne of God with the same level of confidence of a toddler approaching a parent’s bed in the middle of the night, scared from some lurking shadow or bad dream. That baby knows they will not experience reproach even though they rouse the sleeping parent in the middle of the night. They know they will find mercy and grace, love and peace. We get to approach God’s throne knowing He will not reprove or rebuke but dispense the mercy and grace in our “time of need”.

Furthermore, Jesus not only meets our needs but saves “to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him”. Read that again – “to the uttermost”, meaning completely and at all times. Also, if we aren’t careful, we can miss that last part of Hebrews 7:25; Jesus “always lives” – ALWAYS LIVES – “to make intercession” for His people, “those who draw near to God through Him”. That phrase “make intercession” means that Jesus is appealing to the Father on our behalf, to give us mercy and grace in our time of need.

That’s what Paul is telling the Colossian church – and us to do: “Continue steadfastly in prayer”. It is clear that Paul wants them, and us, to pray for each other and him, but he is specific in how he wants them to do it.

First, he tells them to be “watchful” in prayer “with thanksgiving”. The idea of being watchful there reflects Ephesians 6:18 and his command to the church at Ephesus to “keep alert [in prayer] with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints”; to be “watchful” or “keep alert” in “perseverance” in prayer means to be alert to the needs of people around you and to lift them up specifically to God rather than being vague and unfocused. Sometimes we are tempted to almost have a prayer genealogy of be with so and so and be with this one and be with that one, never pleading with God (supplication) for what they need or seeking God on their behalf (intercession) in their time of need or even peril. We should be aware of what’s going on in our brothers’ and sisters’ lives – or at least aware something is going on – and approaching the “throne of grace” for them. This should be done “with thanksgiving” because 1)we can already be thankful that we have a place to go where we can be confident to receive help and 2)that we know God wants to dispense mercy and grace in the time of need.

Second, Paul asks them to pray for him and gives a specific prayer request. Keep in mind that Paul penned this letter from prison. He could have easily asked them to pray that he be released or that God would supernaturally get him out of prison; many of the apostles and early church folks experienced all of that. But Paul didn’t. He was confident that he was right where God had him. His prayer request was for God to “open…a door for the Word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which [he was] in prison”; he wanted God to provide an opportunity for preaching the gospel where he was.

This is a big deal because it differs from how we pray sometimes. We often pray to be delivered from our trying times – and there is nothing inherently wrong with that. As I said, Paul could have prayed for that as well. He didn’t though, and that reveals something to us that reflects how Jesus told us to pray in His model prayer in Matthew 6:10 – “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” While we pray to be delivered, as Paul obviously desired in Philemon 22, let us pray, like Paul, to have an opportunity for the gospel in the midst of the situation we are in, right where God has us. And Paul is also specific to his desire for this gospel opportunity: that he “may make it clear”. He wanted them not only to pray that the gospel would be preached but that it be preached clearly and people understand it (Nehemiah 8:8). Just as we should be “watchful” in prayer, attentive and not vague, for our brothers and sisters in Christ, we should be specific in our prayer for people to hear the gospel – that God would save specific people through the preaching of His Word. If we pray for specific people to hear the gospel and get saved, it’s possible we will finally be alert to the fact that God may have placed them on our minds and us in their lives that we may be the one to share the gospel with them, which leads us to our next point.

Preaching is Imperative to the Mission (vv. 3-4)

Preaching is important. You might have heard this quote (falsely attributed to St. Francis of Assisi), “Preach the gospel wherever you go, and – if necessary – use words.” Well, if being clear with the gospel is how Paul says he “ought to speak”, words are definitely necessary. Paul’s language here reminds me of Nehemiah 8:8, the verse that drives how I seek to write about or preach/teach the Word:

They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

At this point in Nehemiah, the captives had returned home after Babylonian captivity and had to rebuild walls, houses, and essentially their lives as a people. They had just brought out the “book”, the Law of God, and read it in one sitting. They could have called it a day and thought that they had accomplished something, but they didn’t. Ezra had a group of guys ready to help the people understand “the reading”.

This is important in understanding the sort of preaching and teaching Paul was asking to get to do. This was not one-off revival preaching where you show up and visit a place, preaching a few times or even once and going on your way. This was not a Sunday morning proclamation that can be heard and promptly discarded to take up our real lives when we leave. No, this is discipleship. This is answering the call of the Great Commission to “make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). Paul is wanting God to open a door for the Word to be taught, people to be saved, and for opportunity to be given to teach them similarly to what Paul is doing in the letter to the Colossian church. Remember what Paul prayed for the Colossian church in Colossians 1:9-10?

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God….

He had prayed that for them, and now, as part of bearing fruit of the life of Christ, they are to live out their faith and pray for others in the same way, which takes us to the practical, real nature of our last point.

Practicing Our Faith in Real Life is Imperative to the Mission (vv. 5-6)

This last exhortation is meant to be practical and affect the way they live their lives in Colossae. We have talked many times about how easy it is to do these things within our local churches but that it is another thing entirely to carry them out in the real world. It is Paul’s intent here to help them see that they were never meant to keep it within their local church family but to carry it out, that making disciples was never meant to stay where we are or where we are comfortable but to be for “all nations” (Matthew 28:19) – all people everywhere, wherever we are going (Matthew 28:18). To do that, we need to be careful how we carry ourselves and use our time wisely.

I want you to notice how carefully I am being in my wording here. I said be careful how we carry ourselves and not act right. This is not about acting right or acting at all; it’s about living the life that Christ has given you. It’s about all of life being adorned in Christ. Just as we looked at in the last few studies in Colossians, we do not only need to be adorned in Christ in our marriages, in our families, and in our vocations; we need our lives to be adorned in Christ when we go out into the world. Just as we would not walk out into public naked but rather adorned in an appropriate level of clothing, we need not walk out unadorned of Christ.

As I said, this is not an act. We are to walk “in wisdom”, meaning we live the life God has called us to how He called us to live it. The proverbs are extremely helpful for this. In our time in the Daily Wisdom Challenge back in October, we talked about that a lot, and much of what we looked at in Proverbs was concerned with, just as Paul is here, our speech. Here are a few practical applications for how we can use our words and conversations to point people to Jesus:

“making the best use of the time” – Be mindful of the time you have. Sometimes we waste time talking about unimportant things because we are unwilling to make an awkward transition in a conversation or because we might be afraid to broach a subject folks might be uncomfortable talking about (namely the gospel and even mentioning Jesus). We do not, however, have unlimited time to wait for whatever we think the right moment is. I read an anonymous quote on social media a while back that has plagued my thoughts and impacted my life in big ways: “Time is the only currency we spend without ever knowing the balance.” If God has put you in a position to share Him with others and put folks on your heart to share His gospel with, the time is now. We are not guaranteed another opportunity and tomorrow is not promised. Let’s get busy living in and for Him.
“Let your speech always be gracious” – Our speech should be characterized with grace. Now, this is the part where folks begin excusing their ugly talk by explaining that folks deserve this or that. I will agree that there are times when harsher speech is necessary, but God considered this when He chose the words Paul would use here. He said “gracious” meaning that the content and intent and substance of our speech, in the context here to “outsiders” but also to our church family, should be grace – undeserved favor. This should not be something we are unfamiliar with because if we are in Christ we have received grace. We have also just talked about how when we go to Him in prayer He has grace in our time of need. Here he reminds us of the grace we have received and tells us to extend it to others in how we talk to them.
“Let your speech…be…seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” Salt doesn’t mean the same thing for us today as it did to Paul’s original audience. Salt is a preservative. It could be used to keep meat from spoiling. The idea here is that our speech should be a benefit – a blessing – to others and be used of God for good, echoing Jesus’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount that we are to be the “salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). In the context of Jesus’s teaching, salt that has lost its “saltiness” is to be thrown out and trampled underfoot, meaning that speech that is not good and edifying is worthless and once again echoes Ephesians, specifically Ephesians 4:29 that tells us not to let “unwholesome talk” come from our mouths but only speech that is “helpful for building others up according to their needs”.

How we talk matters. Elementary kiddos are often taught the adage about sticks and stones being able to damage but “words can never hurt me”. By the time we are adults, we realize that is a lie. Words hurt. They wound us deeply. Furthermore, we often mean our words to be mean. But this is a deeper issue than conversation or its substance. It’s a bigger deal than merely being willing to talk about good, gospel things or to be nice when speaking. The content of our speech ultimately reveals whether or not we are in Christ or of the world. Jesus Himself said “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34, Luke 6:45) to reference that speech is fruit that reveals whether we are good trees (saved; in Christ) or bad trees (lost; of the world).

Wrapping Up

This little section seems like it is light and simply a final exhortation, but when you take it in context, Paul is getting real with them. The Christian life goes beyond religion and definitely beyond the fringes of our lives, relegated to weekends and some evenings of our weeks. When he taught them, and us, that we are to put on Christ and have our lives adorned with Him – our whole lives, he wanted us to see how Christ as Lord commands our life and desires to see us minister to the lost world around us as well as to each other.

Paul wrote this letter from prison and sought to exhort, to come alongside and help, the Colossian church. He wanted to reach out and disciple them, and us, so that we not be hoodwinked by false teaching that replaces relationship with Christ with religious distractions and busyness. At the same time, he sought to be ministered to by them, asking them to pray for him to be able to live the life Jesus had called him to in his own time of need. How about us?

If you are a member of a local church (if you are saved, you are meant to be), your relationship with Christ is to impact your real, everyday life and the lives of your brothers and sisters in your faith family are meant to intersect and interact with one another. We are not meant to do this alone. We are Sojourners, but rather than being a heavenly hobo traipsing through this world alone we are pilgrims journeying together and making disciples as we go.

Consider how you can pray specifically for your brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray for your pastors and church leaders. Pray for the lost you know. Pray for someone to have the opportunity to share the gospel with them and for the Spirit of God to work on their hearts and help them understand. Pray that if God has called you to share the gospel with them that he will open a door for the Word and give you words seasoned with salt rather than merely salty speech.

Consider how you can be a beacon of God’s Word where God has planted you.

Consider how the teachings of God’s Word are (or are not) showing up in your real, everyday lives and repent where necessary. Consider this exhortation from Paul and exhortation from me as well. I may be one of your pastors if you are a member of Christ Community, but whether I am or not, let me come alongside you and help lift you up. Be encouraged by the counsel in this Bible study and not beat down. If you recognize that there are things in God’s Word that need to be changed in your life, consider that an opportunity to grow closer to Him. Know this, dear Sojourner, that I am praying for you as specifically as I can and have hope that God is not done working on us.

^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Col 4:2-6.

“From Sinners to the Savior: Lessons from the Lineage of Jesus” — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study

Matthew 1:1-17 —
¹The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

²Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, ³and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, ⁴and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, ⁵and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, ⁶and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, ⁷and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, ⁸and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, ⁹and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, ¹⁰and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, ¹¹and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

¹²And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, ¹³and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, ¹⁴and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, ¹⁵and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, ¹⁶and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.^[1]

"The Lamb Who is Our Shepherd" from Revelation 7 (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Merry Christmas, Sojourners!

One thing that I love about Christmas is that people are abnormally willing to be open to talk about Jesus. Much of the year, people’s attitudes toward Scripture or gospel can be very Scrooge-like, very “Bah! Humbug!” But for a few weeks in one month out of the year, people’s hearts swell like the Grinch’s after encountering Cindy-Lou-Who.

Another thing I love about Christmas is the way this season produces stories. As I type, The Polar Express is on in the background, a narrative of a young boy regaining the childlike sense of wonder and hope. I will no doubt watch It’s a Wonderful Life on Christmas day, a fairly new tradition at the Harris household, and follow good old George Bailey finding that his life has more blessings than curses and realizing the value and impact a single life can have. I’ll even watch one of my favorite Christmas stories chronicling John McClain’s daring rescue during the hijacking of Nakatomi Corporation’s Christmas party. More than those fictional stories, though, I love the stories that come from real life, from real people.

Christmas is a time of joy and celebration, but for many, it is a time of mourning, grieving, and faking-it-till-you-make-it. As I have talked with folks about this in recent years, I find that the thing that bridges the gap between those two groups – the joyful and the weary – is their stories. Even those who are mourning have stories and memories of bygone traditions. There are funny and happy memories, and yes, sad ones, too, that come out during this season. Those memories can kind of weave together into the tapestry of who we are. They become part of our story.

Jesus’s story is not different in that aspect because part of becoming flesh and dwelling among us (John 1:14) is the sin and death we need rescuing from. His Story is of the perfect and sinless Savior deigning to live among – to live for and on behalf of – those He came to save. In order for Isaiah’s prophecy that “those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone” (Isaiah 9:2), Jesus needed to come and shine in the darkness, and we need to be reminded that the “darkness has not overcome” Him (John 1:4)!

So today, let’s take a moment and look at Jesus’s Story, specifically the Story of the lineage God chose to make Jesus a part of. Sometimes we look at stories in the Bible and feel inadequate. Rest assured that Jesus’s lineage as seen in Matthew 1:1-17 is full of people just like us – people who needed a Savior like Him!

Once upon a time, there was a great and powerful King. He was foretold of old to be a hero who would come from His far away country to redeem and win back His lost love. His Story is one of romance as He left His palace to rescue His Bride. His lineage hailed back to other…great…well, um….

One of the things I love about God’s Word is how it does not fall into the temptation of prettying things up or rewriting them to be more acceptable to folks’ sensibilities. Yes, Jesus is the great King – the King of kings who was prophesied for centuries to come from heaven and rescue His people. Yes, Jesus’s Story is one of romance, where He left His throne on high and traded it for a lowly manger in a tumble-down stable. But His lineage? It wasn’t filled with kings and queens, although there were a few sprinkled in toward the middle. It wasn’t filled with flawless heroes – the flaws are many. No, Jesus’s family tree was filled with regular sinners with real sin and problems – people like me and you.

This Bible study will look at the women emphasized in Jesus’s family tree who point us to Him in specific ways. We won’t go into their full stories, but I will give you the cross-references so you can check them out directly from Scripture.

Tamar (v. 3)
…and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar….

The first woman mentioned is Tamar (v. 3), and her story is found in Genesis 38. Tamar was Judah’s – you know, Judah as in the lion of the tribe of – she was his daughter-in-law. Originally, she was married to Judah’s oldest son, Er, until “the Lord put him to death” because he was “wicked in the sight of the Lord” (Genesis 38:7). By levirate marriage customs, it became the responsibility of Judah’s second son, Onan, to father children on behalf of his deceased big brother. But Onan was selfish and wicked, refusing to fulfill his duty; the Lord put him to death as well (Genesis 38:10). Judah promised his youngest son, Shelah, to Tamar when he came of age but had no intention of ever fulfilling that promise. Tamar, left without hope of bearing children, took matters into her own hands. Disguised as a prostitute, she tricked Judah into sleeping with her. Her actions were scandalous – and so were Judah’s.

So, why is Tamar mentioned in Jesus’s genealogy? Her story shows us God’s providence and mercy in bringing about His purposes despite human sin. Tamar’s inclusion reminds us that God can use even the most broken situations to fulfill His promises. Judah’s declaration, “She is more righteous than I” (Genesis 38:26), points to her determination to preserve the family line, a role God used in the lineage of Jesus. Her child that would be Jesus’s earthly ancestor was marked by a scarlet string around his foot. It brings to mind the way that God used her story and the stories of people like her almost like a scarlet thread of salvation running through His Story.

Rahab (v. 5)
…and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab….

The second woman is Rahab (v. 5), whose story is found in Joshua 2:1-21, 6:17, and 6:22-25, with further mentions in Hebrews 11:31 and James 2:25. Rahab wasn’t one of God’s chosen people. She was a Canaanite from Jericho, known for her sinful profession. But she had heard of the God of Israel and believed in His power. She protected His spies, siding with the Lord and marking her house with a scarlet cord as a sign of her faith and obedience. When Jericho’s mighty walls fell by the power of God and the city was taken, Rahab and her family were spared.

Why would someone like Rahab be included in Jesus’s official lineage? Her faith in God is the answer. Rahab’s faith stood out like a scarlet cord, demonstrating that salvation is not about where you come from but about the one you put your faith in – in the God you trust. Her inclusion reminds us of God’s grace and His power to redeem and use anyone for His glory. Rahab’s life became part of the story of salvation history, pointing us to the greater salvation found in Jesus, who rescues all who place their faith in Him.

Ruth (vv. 5-6)
…and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab,
and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth,
and Obed the father of Jesse,
and Jesse the father of David the king.

The third woman is Ruth (v. 5), whose story is told in the book of the Bible bearing her name. Like Rahab, Ruth wasn’t one of God’s chosen people. She was a Moabite, descended from incest between Lot and his daughter (Genesis 19:30-37). When famine struck Israel, Ruth’s husband Mahlon and his family came to Moab for refuge, but tragedy followed. Ruth’s father-in-law, brother-in-law, and husband all died, leaving Ruth and her mother-in-law in dire straits. Despite her own loss, Ruth chose to return to Israel with Naomi, declaring, “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16). She returned with Naomi to Bethlehem – yes, the Christmas Bethlehem – and met Boaz, a kinsman-redeemer who married her and restored their family’s inheritance.

Why is Ruth mentioned in Jesus’s genealogy? Ruth’s story is one of God’s grace extending beyond Israel to include the nations. Her faith and devotion to God stand as a testament to His redeeming love. Her role as David’s great-grandmother and an ancestor of Jesus reminds us that God’s plan of salvation always included people from every nation.

The Wife of Uriah (vv. 6-7)
… and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah….

The fourth woman is not named directly but is referred to as “the wife of Uriah” (v. 6). Her story is found in 2 Samuel 11:1-25. Her name was Bathsheba, and she was the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s mighty men. King David, in a moment of temptation and sin, saw Bathsheba bathing on her roof and had her brought to him so that he could sleep with her. She became pregnant, and David attempted to cover his sin by arranging Uriah’s murder. His actions were heinous, and the wages of his sin brought tragedy to his family and others.

Why is Bathsheba included in Jesus’s genealogy? The mention of her as “the wife of Uriah” highlights David’s sin and the brokenness of humanity. Jesus being a descendent of David and rightful king as his heir is meant to be a good and special thing, but “by the wife of Uriah” highlights David’s sin. Yet God’s promises are unshaken. Through Bathsheba came Solomon, the king who would build the temple, pointing forward to the great King, Jesus – who everyone, all who sin, need as Savior. That includes kings. Bathsheba’s inclusion reminds us of God’s power to bring beauty from ashes and fulfill His covenant despite human failure.

Mary (v. 16)
…and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary,
of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

The fifth and final woman is Mary (v. 16). Her story is found in Luke 1:26-38 and Matthew 1:18-25. Mary was a young woman of humble means, betrothed (like engaged but more intentional and binding) to Joseph. When the angel Gabriel announced to her that she would conceive by the Holy Spirit, she responded in faith and submission: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). The fact that she was a virgin fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14, demonstrating that Jesus’s conception was a miraculous act of God.

Why is Mary included in Jesus’s genealogy? Well, first how can one be born without a mother? God could have chosen to come and save in any way He wanted, but to come as the baby of a mother is one of the oldest promises in the Book. Genesis 3:15 promises victory of the “seed” of woman over the serpent, over Satan. Victory over our sin comes from her seed as well. Furthermore, Mary’s role here points to God’s grace. She bore the Savior of the world, yet she also needed Him as her Savior (Luke 1:47). Her inclusion highlights the miracle of the incarnation: God becoming flesh to dwell among us (John 1:14). Mary’s life, from the miraculous conception to standing at the foot of Jesus’s cross during his crucifixion (John 19:25), consistently points us to Jesus, to the Savior, and the fulfillment of God’s promises.

Wrapping Up

Why does the Bible recognize the sins and sinners in Jesus’s lineage? Simply put: because it all really happened. Sin happens. All people “have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). None of us – not a single person in the history or future of the world – deserve to be in Jesus’s family tree, not even the great King David. But faith in God, trusting in Him, His work, and His steadfast love, is woven through that lineage like a scarlet cord. Looking at the sin and faith in Jesus’s genealogy reminds us that none are worthy of saving. That’s why He came. Jesus Himself said He came to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

So, as you gather with family and friends and notice some rough-looking fruit in your family tree – or whether you notice the same by looking in your own mirror – realize that Jesus is more than the reason for the season. He’s more than a holiday. He’s the King. He’s the Savior. He’s the Christ. He is God. And He came to save sinners like me and you.

While Jesus is more than a holiday, He offers His salvation to us as a gift. There is no season like this one that highlights something important about gift giving: it’s no good if the gift is not received.

Won’t you receive Him?

The Bible tells us that “all who…receive Him,” who believe in His name, He gives “the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). The Bible also shows us what that belief looks like. In Romans 10:9, it says, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” This goes beyond mere words or understanding the concept of who He is – it’s giving Him your life, ceding control to Him as Lord and trusting that His death on the cross paid the penalty for your sin and His resurrection gives you eternal life in Him.

That’s good news.

That’s a wonderful gift, freely given but not cheap. Won’t you receive it – receive Him? Merry Christmas, dear Sojourner, and I pray that God blesses you and yours this season — not necessarily with the traditional holiday trappings but absolutely by seeing Him for who He is in your lives.

^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Matthew 1:1-17.

“Adorned With Christ in All of Life: Work” — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study

¹⁷And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
—

²²Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. ²³Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. ²⁵For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
4^:1 Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.^[1]
Colossians 3:17, 22-4:1

"The Lamb Who is Our Shepherd" from Revelation 7 (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Greetings Sojourners!

Today’s Bible study has put me through the wringer. As I have said many times over, these Bible studies are not just for you but that they work on me first. It hit me as I type this final version that there is a great irony to how it has taken me so long to finish this Bible study. This Bible study is on what it means to be adorned with Christ in our vocations, and one of my vocations being an English teacher, one would think that the irony of me being unable to find the time to serve the Lord in writing this Bible study is because I have been working much more than usual. More than realizing the irony, though, is me sitting here and pondering whether my hard work of the last month or so has been “as for the Lord” or “for men” (Colossians 3:23).

For me, work has always been an easy idol. I like to work. I thrive when I get to multitask (with a reasonable number of tasks). I like the feeling of accomplishment I get when a task is complete, or a project goes well. Both of my vocations stem from God’s calling on my life and involve helping people in various capacities. Getting to see people receive needed help, whether it be the lightbulb clicking on when a student learns something or helping someone seek Christ, gives me an indescribable feeling. But, if I am not careful, I will take on more and more and more until I lose myself in the work.

I need accountability in this area, and I have people who are committed to helping me strike a correct balance in this area of my life so that I do not overindulge. I know I am a workaholic. I must be careful because I am a teetotaler and will add and add and add until I burn myself out. I know this because I have been there, having burned out and swapped careers just before my 30^th birthday. It is part of the reason that I believe the Lord has allowed me to slowly ease back into pastoral ministry. I had to divorce my identity from my work and let Him define me in light of who He has made, is making, and will make me to be.

So, to answer my earlier question – and unfortunately confess to y’all, dear Sojourners: I have leaned more toward working for man than God as of late. Knowing that is, as they say, half the battle. Now, is the time for repentance.

Lest you think I am exaggerating because work is a good thing invented by God, too much of it or having it out of the balance of rest that exhibits faith in Jesus’s strength over my own reveals that I am not bearing fruit accordingly, namely the self-control that comes from being in Christ (Galatians 5:22-23). Look at a few passages of Scripture that illustrate this:

Proverb 25:16 – If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit.
1 Corinthians 9:25 – Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
Titus 2:11-12 – For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.

We will revisit these later on as we seek to apply our passage today, but it should be clear here that too much of a good thing can be bad – and yes, God invented work, so it is (or at least it was meant to be) good when done according to His Word and will.

In Genesis 2:15, we see that God put Adam into “the garden of Eden to work it and keep it”. This is not so much a mandate as it is a role or calling for Adam, and as his descendants, we have roles and callings as well. Initially, this work was easy for Adam as he was tasked with naming the animals in Eden and later his wife. God gave Adam the task of being “fruitful” and multiplying in order that the earth would be filled in Genesis 1:28, which the Bible describes as a part of God blessing them. These tasks were good and enjoyable – and probably much less of the toil we associate with work because, at the time, there was no sin in the world, no death (Genesis 1:31, Romans 5:12). Once the Fall occurred when Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:6), death and sin began to reign in the earth (Romans 5:17), and God cursed the ground, the very same ground that Adam had been tasked to keep and work (Genesis 3:17-19). Adam’s sin took that good and fruitful work and turned it to toil with the addition of pain and thorns and thistles and sweat and dust (Genesis 3:17-19). Work went from something that was good and revolved around the role God assigned and calling He gave as a blessing and introduced the toil and fruitless labor that we know all too well.

This is why we need Colossians 3:22-4:1. Because of the Fall, the image of God in us has been marred by sin, but God, when He saves us, begins conforming us to the image of His Son Jesus rather than the world around us (Romans 8:29, 12:1-2). We saw this earlier in Colossians 3:9-10 when Paul told the Colossian church (and us) that we are to be putting “off the old self with its practices” and putting “on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator”. We need Colossians 3:22-4:1 to see what we need to take off and what we need to put on. We need to understand that God has placed us in our vocations as His ambassadors and missionaries (2 Corinthians 5:19-20) and ask the Lord to let our work be adorned with Christ rather than conformed to this fallen world.

Bondservants, Obey in Everything Those Who are Your Earthly Masters (vv. 3:22-25)

On the surface, this passage is about slaves obeying their masters. That is what it is about.

What This Does NOT Mean

As we covered in our study of Philemon, the God of the Bible is not associated with the slavery that comes to mind from colonial America or present-day human trafficking. You can look back at the Appendices from that Bible study and see God’s stance on the treatment of slaves and on the ungodly horrors visited on people in chattel slavery and around the world today; He is against such things. When the Holy Spirit breathed this out and had Paul to write it down, He was not condoning chattel slavery or human trafficking – plain and simple (see Appendix III — Bible Passages Condemning Practices Related to Chattel Slavery and Modern-Day Slavery/Human Trafficking). So, operating under the presupposition that what Paul is talking about here is not that^[2], let’s dive in and see what He does mean here.

What Does It Mean, Then?

The word translated “bondservant” in the ESV is the Greek word doulos. It can – and probably should – be simply translated as slave, but there is a connotation^[3] in the present that is wrapped up in the sinful atrocities of chattel slavery as well as in the continued sinful treatment of African Americans in the century plus following the Civil War in the Deep South. Bondservant does not really have a connotation and allows for the denotation, or definition, of what God has for us here. That word doulos refered to a slave, “one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another” where their will is “altogether consumed in the will of the other”, and it references one being “bound to serve”.^[4] It is closer to the modern understanding of an indentured servant than it is to modern understanding of slavery.

It would be a cop-out and over-generalization to say that this is all that there was, especially throughout the Roman empire and around the world at that time. There were wicked masters, and when they were bad, they were terrible. Some slaves were severely mistreated. But there were those who served out their debt and returned to regular life. There were even some who would seek to remain in the service of their master after their debt was paid. Roman slavery was associated with vocation. These bondservants could be teachers or builders or whatever skills they had that could generate enough revenue to pay off their debt. In some cases, it was quite like work releases for people who are incarcerated today – or even in the way trustees are given responsibility or management oversight.

The emphasis here is less about the way they were taught and more about how those who found themselves bonded to a master and have confessed Jesus as Lord will serve. The emphasis is on their service rather than the quality of their master. Their service is to be marked by obedience “in everything” (Colossians 3:22). Their service is to flow out of sincere hearts and their fear of the Lord rather than “by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers” (Colossians 3:22). Whatever was required of them was a call to “work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” because they were “serving the Lord Christ” and receiving the only reward that mattered from Him (Colossians 3:23-24). Those who are saved have submitted themselves to Jesus as Lord – as kurios, the Greek word for the master of a doulos. And this is what their heavenly Lord and Master required of them – what He requires of us.

Now, did this mean that they refused to be paid or for their debt to be worked off? Absolutely not. What it meant was, if they were in Christ, the fruit borne by their lives reflected an inheritance greater than any paycheck and that their redemption by the blood of Jesus meant more than being redeemed from earthly servitude. This also does not mean that they are above punishment if they did wrong because, with God, “there is no partiality” and “the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done” (Colossians 3:25). This would also cover if an earthly master required a sinful act from their slave or bondservant. Just like we looked at in the relationships of fathers to children and husbands to wives, being in service to God above all means that we refuse to bow to the call of the world and sin even and especially if it means punishment or persecution (1 Peter 2:20-23). To clarify, this would not include the way a wicked master would punish but is meant to help us understand that, even for saved people, there are consequences for sin.

To be adorned in Christ as one works and serves means that they are serving the Lord above all, no matter their vocation. It means that Jesus has a plan for your vocation that goes beyond what you can see (Ephesians 2:10)! It means your quality of work matters, not because of your earthly masters or bosses but because you belong to Jesus and He has set you apart to shine His “marvelous light” in your workplace and find opportunity to “proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness” (1 Peter 2:9).

Masters, Treat Your Bondservants Justly and Fairly (v. 4:1)

Since slavery was an integrated part of the Roman Empire and the Colossian church clearly had masters in her members, like Philemon, it is important for God to set a standard for how those masters would operate. This extends to those in both vocational authority and other areas of oversight or administration.

What This Does NOT Mean

Again, this does not condone the owning of human beings. This does not condone any authority that does not fit with the Word of God. Throughout the Law in the OT, there are multiple commands on how masters belonging to the Lord need to carry themselves and treat their slaves and servants (Exodus 21:2-11, 20-21; Leviticus 25:39-46; Deuteronomy 15:12-18, 23:15-16, 24:14-15 — see also Appendix I — Bible Passages Discussing the Treatment of Slaves or Servants). And, as we saw in Paul’s letter to Philemon, God – as Lord and Master – has the authority to call earthly masters to release their servants. Earthly mastery has limits. Jesus’s authority has none.

What Does It Mean, Then, to Be a Master Who is Just and Fair?

The way that Paul wrote it here is pretty clear who is in charge: “knowing you also have a Master in heaven” (Colossians 4:1). Earthly masters who are saved imitate their heavenly Master, their Lord Jesus Christ. I do not want to oversimplify this, but it means you are going to be different than most masters, the vast majority of bosses.

In the case of Roman slavery, it could have been a call for them to lose revenue by not having debts paid back because their Lord was calling them to free slaves – completely contrary to the culture around them (see Appendix II — Bible Passages Discussing the Release of Slaves). In the case of vocational authority today – being a boss or having oversight/authority over people, it means that you are called to bear fruit of God’s Spirit being in you. Earthly leaders and bosses like to lead with intimidation, but Jesus was a servant leader. He did not hesitate to humble Himself and wash His disciples feet. Saved bosses can lead by serving and humility as well. Earthly bosses can threaten and demoralize, but Jesus lifts up the lowly. Saved bosses can do the same.

Now, does this mean that a boss or leader who is saved is a pushover and allows their employees to run rough-shod over them? Absolutely not! Jesus holds people accountable for their actions. Jesus is a Master who has expectations for His people, but Jesus is consistent with who He is as He disciplines and corrects. So, if you are an earthly boss and Jesus is Lord, you do not conform to the ways of this world for material or vocational gain; no, you allow who His Spirit has transformed and is transforming you into – how He is conforming you back to the image of God in Christ – set the course for how you deal with people.

In a sense, those bosses who are saved and adorned in Christ function in regard to Christ as Paul describes a bondservant to serve. Saved bosses have a “sincerity of heart” stemming from their fear of the Lord (Colossians 3:22). They “work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord [they] will receive the inheritance as [their] reward (Colossians 3:23). They serve the “Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:24).

The remainder of Colossians 4:1 highlights what that looks like as Paul tells the masters that they should treat their bondservants “justly and fairly”. This is where the tough part of leadership comes in. If an employee has committed some sort of infraction that necessitates firing them, a godly master fires them. If there is a process that is to be followed to do so, the process is followed. This would prohibit office politics and replace it with a yearning to be just and fair as Jesus has been just and fair with them. In some cases, where grace and mercy can be shown, this calls for that, too – all in balance with how the Word teaches us and the Spirit of God leads, and all contrary to the way that this fallen world operates.

Wrapping Up

So, what does that look like? If you are like me, you look at some of this and it seems like this is a good way to get taken advantage of or to sign up to get a lot of extra junk to put up with at work. It is important to remember that our work is not our identity. Jesus gives us an identity in Him by redeeming us from the power of sin and death, rescuing us from the wrath of God, and eternally adopting us into His family. And we get to be adorned with Him and bear His family name into whatever vocation He has for us.

Here are some principles to consider:

Do everything for the Lord (v. 3:17). Whatever your job and whatever your task, work as if Jesus Himself had tasked you with it. This gives work meaning and views it in light of the Kingdom of God and not in whatever earthly kingdom you are employed at.
Work with sincerity and integrity (v. 3:22). Employees should not work merely for status and approval but should consistently act with the understanding that their ultimate accountability is to God.
Work heartily and diligently (v. 3:23). Workers should put their best effort into their work, recognizing that this is part of the calling of their Lord Jesus Christ. This calls for a strong work ethic – not a calling for workaholism – because the work is as to the Lord not men.
Focus on eternal rewards rather than temporal ones (v. 3:24). Earthly compensation matters. It does. It is a big reason why we have and need jobs. The Bible is not against us earning wages and even says if you do not work, you do not eat. But there is more to working than a paycheck. There is an inheritance from the Father for those who serve Him. This mindset helps maintain perspective, especially if your work environment is challenging or worse. If you work for a paycheck or merely for retirement, there are limits to your service. If you work for the One who has made a place for you in heaven (and based on His merit, not yours), your perspective changes.
Be accountable for what you do wrong (v. 3:25). Remember, God is a just God and is pro-discipline. An earmark of being in Christ is repentance. One of the best ways you can exhibit what Jesus has done in you through His salvation is by repenting when you have messed up. This is not a popular viewpoint, but even if your wrongdoing costs you your job, your standing with Jesus is based on His righteousness not your own — which is good news: God is pro-grace!
If you have authority over employees, treat them justly and fairly (v. 4:1). Treat employees as Jesus treats you. It really is that simple. No amount of earthly success or status is worth conforming to the world when Jesus has transformed you into something better.
Realize you are accountable to God (v. 4:1). This is true for believers whether you are a boss or an employee. If you have confessed Jesus as Lord, He is your master. He calls the shots. What He says goes. And serving Him even at the expense of losing a job is worth it. He will still be here when all of this passes away.
Do not let work become an idol (Proverb 25:16, 1 Corinthians 9:25, Titus 2:11-12). It is easy to get into the mindset that because you work as unto the Lord that you cannot quit or stop. The God who ordained work also ordained rest. He did not bring us from death to life in Him for our lives to be wrapped up in our vocations. Jesus gives us wisdom and self-control. While He may call some people to a single vocation and calling for their whole lives, He does not do that with everyone. Follow Him and be willing to change or quit if that is what He has for you. At the same token, be willing to dig in where you are if that is what He has for you.

This has not been my favorite Bible study. I have had to take a step back and realize that I am susceptible to getting my work life out of whack, even when I thought I had it all worked out. The good news is Jesus is the God who saves and a Lord who is active in the lives of His servants. No matter how many times I mess up, I can approach His throne and receive grace and mercy, which He has in an inexhaustible supply.

What about you? I do not mean to meddle, but I exhort you, dear Sojourner, to look at your life and your work and test it according to the Word of God. How can you apply this and shine more brightly His marvelous light rather than working in such a way that you hide the light of Christ.

Know this: I am praying for you and asking God to work in and through your work.

Hallelujah, and amen!

^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Col 3:22–4:1.

^[2] Look back at the Jesus Over Us Bible study of Paul’s letter to Philemon for more info on this subject.

^[3] Connotation is the thoughts and emotions associated with a word; whereas denotation is the definition of the word.

^[4] Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).

“The Excellency of Christ” from Hebrews 1:1-4 — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study w/David Miller

¹Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ²but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. ³He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴having become as much superior to angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs.^[1]

"The Lamb Who is Our Shepherd" from Revelation 7 (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Greetings Sojourners!

It is my pleasure today to introduce you to David Miller. He went to be with the Lord last week, but thanks to recordings and videos, his sermons still proclaim the gospel after his death.

Bro. David called himself a “Country Preacher at Large” because, at his core, he felt that no matter how far God allowed him to travel to preach that a humble country preacher was what he was made to be. To those who knew him and were blessed to be discipled by him, well, we knew he was much more. I could go on and on about him – from the role he played in the Conservative Resurgence or in the shift of Southern Seminary to orthodoxy or the over 1,500 pastors like myself who were able to be taught by him, but I will leave that for now.

His ministry was called Line Upon Line, based off of Isaiah 28:10 – “For it is precept upon precept…, line upon line…”, which was a testament to how he preached, taking texts of Scripture and preaching them line by line and breaking down the precepts so that they can be understood. Because of his disability, peroneal muscular atrophy, he was in a wheelchair for decades even by the time I met him sixteen years ago. By that point, he could no longer hold a Bible or write out sermon notes – hadn’t been able to for a long time. What I called a disability, God used to strengthen his mind by giving Bro. David a gift for memorizing long passages of Scripture and sermon notes and a singular gifting to preach with clarity like no other I have ever met. And it is that preaching that I want to share with you.

What follows is a sermon Bro. David preached at the G3 conference several years back^[2] on Hebrews 1:1-4 on “The Excellency of Christ”. Just as he would not want himself proclaimed as excellent but to have people pointed to Christ, my effort here is to allow others to benefit from the preaching that has been so beneficial to my spirit.

So, with no further ado, let us be in awe of the excellent Christ, King Jesus, and dive deep into His Word today.

—————————————————————————

Turn please to the New Testament Book of Hebrews chapter one. Hebrews chapter one, beginning at verse one.

The title for my sermon now is “The Excellency of Christ”. The writer in the book of Hebrews has for his theme the excellency – the superiority – of Jesus Christ. In this book, he tells us that Jesus is better than the Old Testament prophets, better than the Old Testament priests. He’s greater than the angels. And the new covenant in His blood is far superior to the Old Testament covenant.

He will argue his theme along two lines: 1) He will argue on the basis of Christ’s person – who He is, and 2) he will argue on the basis of Christ’s performance – the things that He has done. And the bottom line in the Book of Hebrews is this: there is no other one like Jesus and no other one has ever done the things that Christ has done. And these two items, the person, and the performances of Christ, will form the two items in my outline.

Have you found our text? Let’s begin at verse one.

¹God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, ²Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; ³Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; ⁴Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.^[3]

The Person of Christ

I call your attention to verse three first. Here, we have two statements regarding the person of Christ. He begins by telling us that Christ is the brightness of God’s glory. That is, He is the effulgence. He is the radiant splendor. He is the shining forth of the glory of God. Jesus is to God what the rays and the beams are to the sun; the rays and the beams are that by which the sun is seen and known. Its warmth, its beauty, its brightness are experienced through the rays and the beams. Now, in a far greater way, Jesus is the one in whom and through whom the glory of God is seen and known. He’s the brightness of God’s glory.

But not only that, He is the “express image” of the person of God. This phrase “express image” has in mind an engraver’s too, upon which there is an insignia and when placed down upon the wood and the wax it leaves there an exact duplication, a precise reproduction of the insignia. We get our English word character from this idea. Do you see what he’s telling us about Jesus? In His essential nature, Jesus Christ possesses the exact same character as deity. Here is a biblical affirmation of the deity of Christ.

What do you folks think about when you think about God? Do you think about the eternal, pre-existent one?

Well, I would remind you that before the sun had ever shone upon the face of the sea, before there was any gold in California, before there were any bulldogs in Georgia {congregation laughs}, before there were any razorbacks in Arkansas, before there was any coal in Kentucky, or any all in the Middle East, Jesus Christ was already living in eternity past dwelling in unapproachable light enjoying the fellowship of His Father.

What do you think about when you think about God?

Whatever characterizes the nature of God also characterizes the nature of Jesus. He is the express image of the person of God. Now put that aside. That’s the first half of my sermon.

What do you think? I expected resounding “Amen” to that question if for no other reason it was brief. However, if you thought that was half of the sermon chronologically, you have greatly erred in your judgment {congregation laughs}. That’s the first half of the sermon outline. Here’s the second half.

The Performance of Christ

I want you to see the excellence in His performances. There are four of these.

One, I want you to see the excellency of Christ as the inerrant revelator.

Now in verse one and the first half of verse two, we have four distinct ideas regarding God’s revelation of Himself to man.

He begins by speaking of the fragmentation of the Old Testament revelation. It, the Old Testament revelation, was at “sundry times.” It didn’t come all at once. It came in stages. It came in parts. And it was in “diverse manners.” God didn’t use the same method. He didn’t employ the same means every time He made Himself known in the Old Testament.

You will recall that on one occasion He spoke to Moses in a burning Bush on the backside of the desert (Exodus 3:1-6). Unless of course, you had read Dr. Roy Honeycutt’s commentary in the old Broadman commentary series on the Book of Exodus. There in Chapter 3, Dr. Honeycutt says there are three possible interpretations of this text. Number one, it could have been a burning bush. Imagine that. {congregation laughs} Number two, it could have been the sun reflecting upon the orange foliage, giving the appearance of burning. Or number three, it could have been an inner experience that only Moses had, and if you and I had been there, we would not have seen any burning Bush nor heard any audible voice. And then he adds, “For the present writer, the latter seems more probable.” Well, for the present country preacher, the former seems more probable. God spoke to Moses in the burning bush.

On another occasion, He spoke audibly to Moses on Mount Sinai as the mountain trembled and smoked (Exodus 19:18-19). Later, with His finger, God wrote the Ten Commandments on tables of stone (Exodus 31:18)….

He spoke through a donkey (Numbers 22:28-30). Do you remember that occasion? He spoke to Isaiah in a vision (Isaiah 6:1-4) – to Daniel in a dream (Daniel 7:1-2). The Old Testament scriptures did not come all at once, nor did they come in the same way (v. 1). It was a fragmented, incomplete revelation.
Now, I want you to see the fullness of the New Testament revelation in Christ. God hath spoken unto us by His son. I am addressing a highly privileged class of people this morning. You and I, who live on the post- side of the incarnation of Jesus, have a full revelation from God. We know more about faith than Abraham. We know more about the Law than Moses. We know more about salvation than Isaiah. We know more about the end time than Daniel. We know more about how and why to worship God than David We have a full revelation from God in Christ.
Number three, I want you to see the finality of the New Testament revelation in Christ. Listen to it: God hath in these last days, in these last days of revelation, God hath spoken fully and finally in His son Jesus Christ.

Now I don’t know about you folks, but it makes me nervous to be around these saints who seem to have a fresh word from God. They make me nervous. I sat in a midweek Bible study and prayer time in a Baptist Church in my hometown several years ago – make a note of this, it was more than three years ago. The pastor and some of the laymen were having a share time relating what all they had learned from a seminar on prophecy at the local charismatic church on Monday and Tuesday evening of that week. It seems that the leader of the seminar had received a vision from God. And in his vision, God had told him that there was going to be a nuclear explosion south of Heber Springs, about fifty miles, within the next three years. And our area up through Heber Springs was going to be a refugee camp for those who escaped the explosion. Now, immediately upon hearing such news, my attention piqued. I live there.

And one of the layman spoke up and said, “This corroborates what I’ve been telling the body,” and he reminded them how that a few weeks earlier he had had a dream and in his dream God had told him there was going to be a nuclear explosion south of Heber Springs in the near future. “But,” said he, “what I did not know until this week was that our area would be a refugee camp for those who escaped the explosion.”

“But,” said he, “that’s the way God speaks today. To one member of the body he gives a dream, to another member of the body a vision, to another, a word of knowledge, and the body of Christ comes together and each member shares what he or she has received from God and the church synthesizes – puts all of that together. And there you have God’s word to man today.”

What do you think?

Well, I sat there for an inordinately long period of time, being long-suffering and forbearing. But after a while, I said, “Brethren, since this is the share time, I’ve got something I’d like to share with you. I’d like to share with you that it makes me nervous to be around folks who have a fresh word from God that the rest of us don’t have, because we’re limited to just the Old and New Testaments.” That makes me nervous. And I, like the apostle Paul, I’m a premillennialist…. {congregation laughs} I’m keenly interested in the second coming of the Lord. I think it’s profitable for the Saints to get together and contemplate all of those complex and intricate details of the second coming of the Lord. However. I want to caution you. You must make a difference between the exposition of Holy Scripture on the one hand, and the supposition of some dude’s mind on the other hand. Those two things are not the same.

Hereby shall you know a prophet if what he says comes to pass (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). That’s good, strong evidence that he’s spoken for God. However, that – even that – if what he says comes to pass, that is not proof-positive that he’s spoken for God. You want proof-positive? If what he says does not come to pass; that’s proof positive (Deuteronomy 18:22). Now, that’s been much longer than three years ago. And I know that I’m the last one to find out, but I believe if there had been a nuclear explosion south of Heber Springs – 50 miles or 500 miles – I would have heard about it by now. What does that tell us about the leader of the seminar? Beloved, that tells me that he must have heard a jackass braying and thought he had been called to preach. He was as bogus as a $3 bill. And the Baptist who went to the seminar and gave money deserved to lose every dime.

Beware, when a person says God told me. Oral Roberts once said, “God told me to raise $8 million, or he’s going to kill me.” I wondered why God didn’t kill him for saying that. {congregation laughs}

God hath spoken fully, and finally, in His son Jesus Christ.

Now, I want to show you a fourth thing. I want you to see the father of both revelations. Now this is audience participation time. Straighten yourself up. Now get your shoulders back, your chin up. Some of you are a little more comfortable than you ought to be in church. {congregation laughs} Here’s the question who was it? Who spoke in time, passed unto the fathers by the prophets? Who did that? {God did.} Now, who was it who had spoken unto us in these last days by His son? {God.}

This is an above average congregation. Now, sophisticated academic credentials are not required at this point. It doesn’t matter if you’re reading in the Old Testament, something the prophet said, or if you’re reading in the New Testament, something Jesus said, you are reading the Word of God. He is the Father of both revelations. No man ever spoke like Jesus, He is the inerrant revelator.

Now here’s the second item: I want you to see the excellency of His performance as the infallible regulator.

Now look at verse 2, the last statement: “by whom also He made the worlds”. Now look at verse three, the third statement: “and upholding all things by the word of His power.” Here we are told that Jesus Christ was the agent in creation. And He is currently involved in maintaining the order, the unity, and the balance in the created order. He governs it by the word of His power.

I appreciated the recitation from Colossians [1:15-20] earlier this morning. Didn’t you?

He is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature, for by Him were all things made that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created by Him and for Him, and He is before all things and by Him all things consist – they cohere – they are held together.

Do you have any idea how big the created order is? Let me illustrate it for you. If at the dawn of creation, you could have caught a light beam and put a saddle on it, mounted up and commenced to ride from one end of the Milky Way galaxy toward the opposite end. And you had been riding at the speed of light, 182-186,000 miles per second – that’s zipping right along – and you had been riding non-stop from the dawn of creation as we know it, this morning, you would only be about one-tenth of the way across the Milky Way galaxy. And yet the scientists tell us there are other galaxies, many of these larger than the Milky Way. I don’t know about you, but in my country-boy way of thinking, that is big time stuff. That’s Major League. And here the Bible affirms not only did Christ create the universe, He maintains the order and balance and unity of the universe by the word of His omnipotence.

Hallelujah!

I don’t think I’m out of line this morning if I tell you that you can bring the broken pieces of your life and lay them at the feet of Jesus in humble submission to His lordship, and have every confidence that He is able to put them together and make something beautiful out of your life. He’s the infallible regulator.

Do you want some peace? Do you want some tranquility? Do you want some order? Do you want some balance in your own existence? Come to Jesus, bend the knee, and bow the heart. He’s the great, infallible regulator.

Number three, I want you to see His performance as the incomparable redeemer.

When He had by Himself purged our sin, notice three things:

One, the sovereignty of the redeemer. He purged our sins (v. 3). Now to hear some of the brethren preach, you’d think the Lord had been morally obligated, bound by some solemn moral responsibility to leave heaven’s glory, condescend to Earth’s shame, and die a substitutionary, vicarious death on behalf of sinners. But let me ask you this: did God owe us anything? Why did He come? He came because in His heart there is grace and mercy (Ephesians 2:4-5). He came because he wanted to, not because He was obligated (John 10:18).
Notice the sufficiency of the redemption. He purged our sin (v. 3). Grammatically, it is a fact accomplished in the past, but having perfect and continuing result throughout the future (Hebrews 10:14). “’Tis done! ‘Tis done! The great transaction is done!” (John 19:30) There’s never going to be any more work done regarding our redemption (Hebrews 9:12).
Notice the singularity of the Redeemer when He had, by Himself, purged our sin. “Jesus paid it all. All to Him. I owe Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.”

Now, item number four: I want you to see His performance as the indisputed ruler.

Look at verse three. Look at that last statement. Have you ever seen one verse that had more good stuff in it? When “He had by Himself purged our sin, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”

You hear some of the brethren preach, you would think the Lord and the Devil were locked in the death throes of a spiritual battle out in space, and the outcome had not yet been determined. But listen: Jesus is not going to be Lord; He is Lord already! He’s not Lord because He’s risen from the dead; He was Lord before He ever died. He’s King Jesus!

There’s a line that’s been drawn through the ages, on that line stands an old rugged cross. On that cross, a battle is raging for the gain of man’s soul or its loss. On one side march the forces of evil – all the demons and the devils of Hell. On the other, the angels of glory, and they meet on Golgotha’s hill. The earth shakes with the force of that conflict, and the sun refuses to shine. For there hangs God’s son in the balance.

But then from the darkness He cries:

It is finished – the battle is over.
It is finished – there will be no more war.
It is finished – the end of the conflict.
It is finished, and Jesus is Lord! Hallelujah!

^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Heb 1:1–4.

^[2] He preached on “The Excellency of Christ” twice at G3 Conferences over the years. The one I have transcribed is from 2014. Here is the more recent version of the sermon from 2021.

^[3] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Heb 1.

Jesus Over Us — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study of Philemon

¹Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our beloved fellow worker ²and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:

³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, ⁵because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, ⁶and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. ⁷For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

⁸Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, ⁹yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— ¹⁰I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. ¹¹(Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) ¹²I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. ¹³I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, ¹⁴but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. ¹⁵For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, ¹⁶no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

¹⁷So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. ¹⁸If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. ¹⁹I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. ²⁰Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

²¹Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. ²²At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.

²³Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, ²⁴and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

²⁵The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.^[i]

Greetings Sojourners!

I am excited to introduce you today to the epistle (letter) to Philemon. It is unique and necessary for us to understand the upcoming Bible study from Colossians 3:22-4:1 because Philemon, as a member of the church of Colossae, was not only the recipient of this letter but of the letter to the Colossians as well.

So, the letter to Philemon is in the context of his being “delivered” from the “domain of darkness and transferred…to the Kingdom of [God’s] beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13). When the church at Colossae had gathered and listened to Paul’s letter to them being read, Philemon would have heard about His preeminent God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who was “before all things” and is holding everything together (Colossians 1:17), who is the head of the church (Colossians 1:18), whose gospel and Spirit are making His followers “mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28). Philemon would have been instructed by the Holy Spirit through Paul to walk in Christ as he had received Him, “rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith” (Colossians 2:6-7). And when the letter said “just as you were taught” (Colossians 2:7), it meant that the lives of those in the Colossian church were intended to be in step with Christ – that they were to set their minds on Christ rather than earth and take off/kill the old sin and self that sought to do them harm and put on Christ (Colossians 3:1-17).

At the end of the reading of that letter, there was another letter – a letter to Philemon.

The letter to Philemon is not often read and easily overlooked, and that is a pity, for it is instructive in the way that the gospel is to affect our real, everyday lives. This little book of the Bible can be quite instructive in our understanding of how God would have us treat others as well as giving us a biblical lens through which we can understand how God’s authority through apostles, which we have in the New Testament today, is meant to impact our lives. To get right to it, if we are saved, we belong to Jesus. Yes, you read that right, if you are saved, you belong to Jesus because He redeemed you, meaning you “are not your own, for you were bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), and He redeemed you “from all lawlessness” and to make you a part of those He set aside for Himself, “a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14).

In the Greco-Roman world, they would have noticed what you are likely picking up on: wait, if He owns us…does that mean…? Simply put, yes, it does mean that He owns us. He is Lord – literally Master (Greek kurios) – and we are His servants – literally slaves (Greek doulos). Thankfully, our God is not a wicked Master or a tyrannical ruler. He could absolutely make us do whatever He saw fit. He is God Almighty. He paid the price for our sin debt (Colossians 2:14) – His life was the price He paid to make us His own (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), and He would be righteous to exercise His ownership of those He has saved. Thankfully, though, God did not give us “the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear” but instead gave us “the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ (Romans 8:15). So, the price that bought us and made Him our master was the price of our adoption rather than our slave price. The reality is that His purchasing us actually frees us (Romans 6:15-18), and that’s good news because once we submit to God, once we confess Him as Lord” (Romans 10:9), we are protected and free forevermore!

Now, where I live in Mississippi, the word slave has a massively negative connotation, and it should. This makes studying passages of the Bible like Paul’s letter to Philemon and our next passage in Colossians (3:22-4:1) necessary for us to study for what I will generalize into two quick reasons.

First, when the Bible talks about God being our master and saved folks being His slaves, it is not describing a relationship like the slave trade that spanned Europe and Colonial/Early America from the 15^th century (Spain/Portugal), 16^th century (Britain), 17^th century (France and Britain in its colonies, including America), and terrorized people up until its abolishment in the 19^th century (and continuation through the aftermath of the Civil War up to the Civil Rights issues in the Jim Crow south and even today). Furthermore, the relationship between the Lord and His people is not like the current situation with around the 50 million slaves in the world today according to the United Nations, of which about 23% are victims of sex trafficking and 14% are children (more than half of which are victims of sexual exploitation). That is not our God, and I have outlined all passages of Scripture on the subject in the attached documents (Appendix I ^[ii], Appendix II ^[iii], & Appendix III ^[iv]) for you to check yourself. God’s Word testifies to His character, and who He is contrasts clearly to all the evil in the world – the darkness has not and cannot overshadow His Light (John 1:4-5).
Second, unlike the slavery of the 15^th century through the present, those who Jesus saves willingly confess Him as Lord (Romans 10:9-13). There are no forced relationships here, no mistreatment, no kidnapping, no exploitation – only love, grace, mercy, and adoption into His family (Galatians 4:4-5, Romans 8:15). People want to argue whether it is God who chooses and saves or people choosing Him and seeking His salvation (an argument for a different day), but the Bible is clear that it is true that God does choose, or elect, unto salvation as well as every, single instance of salvation being willing participants who call upon Him to save them (Romans 10:13). You do not have to take my word on it; check His Word.

It is tempting to say something like, “The problem with Philemon is….” But that is not the case. Current culture and the events of the last four centuries is the problems. You see, the issue of slavery here is not only in God purchasing us as His own; Philemon owned a slave, and that slave, named Onesimus, escaped, and found his way to Paul – potentially after having stolen from Philemon. Once Onesimus made it to Paul, Paul introduced Him to Jesus through the gospel, and Onesimus was saved. Paul wrote this letter to Philemon to instruct him – to disciple him – on how believers are to treat other believers, despite social status or past wrongs done to them.

The Holy Spirit through Paul was instructing Philemon, and us, in a way contemporary believers desperately need to see. We need to see that God’s Word commands our lives – that when our Lord speaks, we listen. We need to see the example of men of God exhorting God’s people to live lives that bear the fruit of His Spirit rather than our sin. We need to see the care that Paul takes in helping Philemon realize what he needs to do rather than browbeating him into submission because our Lord is merciful and kind and contrasts with the evil masters of this world. And we need to see that the teachings of Colossians are to be listened to and obeyed.

If Colossians is to teach us that Jesus is Over All as we have been studying, Philemon is surely a lesson that Jesus is Over Us. So, if we are going to understand Philemon – and God’s redemptive purpose for this being “breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16) and not a mere letter containing Paul’s opinions, we have to understand that faith is required – the same faith that Onesimus had in Jesus that led him to return to Philemon, the same faith that Paul had in Jesus that led him not to command Philemon but to encourage him, the same faith in Jesus that comes by grace and saves even today.

So, let us get to work and dig into the letter to Philemon and see what it means for Jesus to be over us.

Onesimus’s Story and Testimony

Onesimus’s story is about the transformative power of the gospel. Onesimus was in a tight spot worldly speaking because he was a slave who had run away and possibly stolen from his master (vv. 12, 18-19). We do not know whether Onesimus was a slave in the traditional sense or indentured to Philemon for some crime committed or debt owed, but we know that Onesimus, as an escaped slave, does not have a legal leg to stand on in either case.

One cool aspect of this narrative is Onesimus’s name. Onesimus meant “useful”.^[v] So, when Paul speaks of Onesimus by saying that formerly he was “useless” to Philemon but now “he is indeed useful” to Philemon and to himself (v. 11), he is testifying that Onesimus has been redeemed. Jesus has taken him from useless to useful. This is a good look at the contrast between eternal realities versus worldly realities. Onesimus escaped and interacted with Paul, and Paul convinced Onesimus to return to the master he had wronged. In a worldly sense, this is terrible and dangerous advice. The eternal reality is that when Jesus saves us – when Useless truly becomes Onesimus (Useful) – there is a new life, new works “which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Paul was even clear that slaves who could become free should “avail” themselves of the opportunity (1 Corinthians 7:21) and is clearly appealing for Philemon to consider releasing Onesimus (vv. 8-12). In a worldly sense, Onesimus should just keep on trucking rather than returning to Philemon. The eternal reality is that the reconciliation of Onesimus to Philemon – whether he is freed or not – is a picture of the gospel and that whatever wrong or debt incurred should be paid for (vv. 18-19). It is a matter of faith – in the God who saves and His Spirit indwelling your brothers and sisters who have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus.

Whether or not Onesimus is released, though, He has been set free by Jesus (Isaiah 61:1, Galatians 5:1)! Furthermore, his earthly status no longer matters. Onesimus’s heavenly citizenship (Philippians 3:20) and new life in Christ (Colossians 3:10) means that in Christ, distinctions such as Jew or Greek, slave or free, or male or female no longer determine one’s standing – at least not in an eternal sense, but rather one’s standing is determined as to whether or not they are “in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). So, confident in his standing in Christ and trusting the apostle Paul’s judgment, Onesimus heads home to Colossae – home to Philemon, the master he wronged, with the letter to the church at Colossae and the letter to Philemon in hand (Colossians 4:8-9).

Philemon’s Story and Paul’s Appeal

Paul testifies to Philemon’s character and reputation as one who has faith and love for Jesus. Knowing Paul is not one for puffing people up with flattery, this is a genuine acknowledgment of Philemon’s role in Colossae, especially in the church at Colossae where he has a clear influence on its members (vv. 4-7). Philemon was active in sharing the gospel in Colossae and discipling members of the church (v. 6). Paul finds joy in hearing Philemon’s testimony and reputation because the church at Colossae has been “refreshed” through him (v. 7). It is because of this reputation that Paul appeals to him regarding Onesimus; Philemon reconciling with Onesimus is consistent with new life in Christ (Colossians 1:19-20, 2 Corinthians 5:19-21).

As an apostle, Paul could have commanded Philemon to either reconcile with Onesimus, which would have been just because Paul was willing to satisfy whatever debt or loss of revenue Philemon would have suffered at Onesimus’s absence out of his own pocket. Paul could have commanded him to free Onesimus, which would have, again, been consistent with his writing in 1 Corinthians 7:21. Yet Paul did not use his authority as an apostle. For “love’s sake”, he chose to “appeal” to Philemon to do “what is required” (vv. 8-9), which must have been to forgive Onesimus for the wrongs committed – wrongs that had been forgiven and paid for by Jesus on the cross (Colossians 2:14). This appeal is for Philemon to take Onesimus in once more, “no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother” (vv. 15-16). And lest one tries to argue that it was just an appeal to view him based on spiritual standing as brothers, Paul removes that as a possibility as he told Philemon that it was “both in the flesh and in the Lord” (v. 16).

Paul was confident that Philemon would not only obey but go above and beyond his appeal (v. 21). More than that, he was expecting Philemon to treat Onesimus the same as he would have treated Paul (v. 17) and acknowledged that he would repay Philemon for any costs incurred – either repaying Onesimus’s debt or any loss of funds caused by the pursuit of Onesimus or revenue Onesimus would have brought him during the period of his escape (v. 19). And Paul was so sure that Philemon would obey, considering him a partner, that he made a request that is different than one would expect: “Refresh my heart in Christ” (v. 20). What a testimony that is to the work God had done in Philemon’s life that Paul sought to be refreshed or relieved through Philemon in the same way that his brothers and sisters in the church at Colossae had (v. 7)! So, while we do not know explicitly whether Philemon obeyed, we have the testimony of all that God had done in Philemon’s life and the assurance that those who love the Lord obey His commandments (John 14:15).

Wrapping Up

What does this mean for us?

There are several applications for the letter to Philemon that are important for us to see – and to apply – as it pertains to God having ultimate authority and Lordship in the lives of those who are saved, those who confess Him as Lord.

When Jesus saves us, He transforms us.
Just as Onesimus was transformed from useless to useful, God does not save us to leave us the same. It is popular in contemporary Christianity to say that Jesus wants us just as we are, and in a sense, that is true. However, He has no intention of leaving us as we were. Those who are not saved are “dead in the trespasses and sins in which [they] once walked” (Ephesians 2:1), but God clearly does not intend on leaving us dead but rather making us alive by grace through faith in Jesus because of His great love and rich mercy (Ephesians 2:4-9). This does not just go for Onesimus being redeemed from slavery but also extends to Philemon. In Christ, both were bought with a price and no longer their own (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). In Christ, if we are saved, we were too.
Reconciliation is a theme, not only in our own salvation, but throughout our lives as believers.
Reconciliation shows up in Philemon in Paul’s appeal for Philemon to receive and free Onesimus. It also shows up in the letter to the Colossians. We see in Colossians 1:20 that God reconciles sinners to Himself “by the blood of His cross.” This means that those who were His enemies are now His beloved because His has paid the price to redeem them from their sin (Colossians 2:14). Furthermore, we see that reconciliation pictured in the lives of believers in that they who once were “alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds” are changed in their “flesh by His death” to have faith and be “holy and blameless and above reproach before Him” and standing firm in the “hope of the gospel” (Colossians 1:21-23). This reconciliation does not only exist in our relationship with Jesus but extends to our relationships with others, especially our brothers and sisters in Jesus. We live in a world that is wrapped up in vengeance and equity, but an earmark of those who have been forgiven by Jesus is to forgive “as the Lord has forgiven you” (Colossians 3:13).
How we treat humans created in the image of God – and especially our brothers and sisters in Christ – matters.
I mentioned in the introduction to this Bible study that the word “slave” has extremely negative connotations. One sad and unfortunate one is that there were many who professed to be Christians who took part in the slave trade of the 15^th-19^th centuries either by owning slaves who had been ripped from their homelands themselves or by silence or indifference to the evils that were occurring. Each slave who was treated as chattel was a human being created in the image of God. Sadly, there were evil men who claimed the name of Christ yet committed evils like their father the devil. Yes, there were those who were convicted of their part in the atrocities like John Newton and William Wilberforce who repented and became abolitionists, but that list is woefully short. How we treat people matters. This goes doubly for our brothers and sisters in Christ. What should not be tolerated treatment for any human being must assuredly not exist between brothers and sisters in Christ. God’s Word makes it clear that those who profess love for God are liars if they have no love for their brother (1 John 4:20).
It is a non-negotiable truth that believers bear fruit of God’s Spirit.
Look at the way Paul described Philemon in vv. 4-7. Paul had heard of his love for Jesus and his brothers and sisters in the church (v. 5). He had heard that Philemon was active in sharing his faith with others (v. 6). He had heard that Philemon’s love was a source of “much joy and comfort” and that his brothers and sisters had been “refreshed” through him (v. 7). Paul’s confidence in Philemon’s obedience was not based on the testimony of Philemon’s faithfulness. No, his confidence was in the faithfulness of the Spirit inside Philemon. The good works Paul praised were not a means to puff up Philemon but to rejoice in the work God was doing in and through him. The fruit of the Spirit is not to be like apples on an apple tree or roses on a rose bush, evidencing the eternal life for the glory of God! Paul was recognizing the fruit of the Spirit in Philemon’s life and had faith that the “good works” prepared for Philemon by the Spirit would be carried out (Ephesians 2:10). It is the same for all believers.
If we confess Jesus is Lord, His lordship will be evident in our lives (or at least in our repentance).
This is more than uttering the words “Jesus is Lord”. He either is – or He ain’t. I am not speaking of sinless perfection here. But I am speaking of how one’s life is evidence of who is in charge. For me, Jesus’s lordship is more clearly seen in my repentance than in the fruit I bear at first. Fruit of the Spirit, like fruit of trees and bushes, requires a bit of pruning sometimes – getting all that is in the way out so that the fruit can blossom (John 15:1-2). God’s commands for us are not mere suggestions. He is Lord. His commands are to be met with our obedience. While Paul chose to appeal to Philemon rather than commanding him out of his God-given authority as an apostle does not change things. The appeal was expected to be heeded and obeyed. It is the same with Jesus and His people.

That essentially is what the letter to Philemon means for us. If we are saved, Jesus is over us. He is Lord. He is in charge. We trust that He knows best because He is a kind and merciful Master. He is just and righteous. He is benevolent, but He is still Lord.

I do not know where this leaves you, but I know that this past month that I have studied and written this Bible study has weighed heavily on my heart. I have been convicted to look at my own life and examine the fruit of God’s Spirit within it. I am not perfect, but praise be to God, I am His! I would rather belong to Him than have any worldly status. I would rather be a servant in His Kingdom than have a name for myself and any level of rank or status. I have tried it both ways, and the only satisfaction comes from the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus. I am thankful that He would have me at all.

I hope the letter to Philemon is convicting for you as well, dear Sojourner. I hope it causes you to dig deep and take a long honest look at your life. I hope it causes you to evaluate your claim that Jesus is Lord and that it finds you as His own. But it is necessary work. As I said earlier, we can have – need to have – hard conversations, especially as they pertain to making sure we belong to Him. If you find that you are not His and want to know Him, contact me; I would love to help you find Him. If you find that you are His and need repentance, know that He is a merciful God who specializes in reconciliation. Turn to Him, and you will find Him there.

As always, dear Sojourner, know that I am praying for you and love you. May you be refreshed by Philemon as Paul was and I have been. Hallelujah, and God bless.

^[i] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Phm 1–25.

^[ii] Appendix I – Bible Passages Discussing the Treatment of Slaves or Servants

Old Testament

Exodus 21:2-11 gives regulations concerning Hebrew slaves: they serve for six years and are released in the seventh year. If a slave chooses to stay with his master, his ear is pierced as a mark of lifelong servitude. It also addresses the treatment of female slaves, ensuring their rights and dignity are protected within the household of their master.

²When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. ³If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. ⁴If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out alone. ⁵But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ ⁶then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever.

⁷“When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. ⁸If she does not please her master, who has designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has broken faith with her. ⁹If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter. ¹⁰If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights. ¹¹And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.

Exodus 21:20-21 specifies that if a slave dies immediately after being struck by their master, the master is to be punished. However, if the slave survives for a day or two, no punishment is required, as the slave is considered the master’s property.

²⁰“When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. ²¹But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money.

Leviticus 25:39-46 distinguishes between Hebrew servants, who must be treated as hired workers and released in the Year of Jubilee, and foreign slaves, who may be owned as property and passed down as inheritance. It emphasizes humane treatment of fellow Israelites and prohibits harsh rule over them, reminding the people to fear God in their dealings.

³⁹“If your brother becomes poor beside you and sells himself to you, you shall not make him serve as a slave: ⁴⁰he shall be with you as a hired worker and as a sojourner. He shall serve with you until the year of the jubilee. ⁴¹Then he shall go out from you, he and his children with him, and go back to his own clan and return to the possession of his fathers. ⁴²For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves. ⁴³You shall not rule over him ruthlessly but shall fear your God. ⁴⁴As for your male and female slaves whom you may have: you may buy male and female slaves from among the nations that are around you. ⁴⁵You may also buy from among the strangers who sojourn with you and their clans that are with you, who have been born in your land, and they may be your property. ⁴⁶You may bequeath them to your sons after you to inherit as a possession forever. You may make slaves of them, but over your brothers the people of Israel you shall not rule, one over another ruthlessly.

Deuteronomy 15:12-18 distinguishes between Hebrew servants, who are to be treated as hired workers and released in the Year of Jubilee, and foreign slaves, who may be owned as property and passed down as inheritance. Israelites are commanded not to treat their fellow Hebrews harshly but to remember that all are servants of God.

¹²“If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. ¹³And when you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed. ¹⁴You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. ¹⁵You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. ¹⁶But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is well-off with you, ¹⁷then you shall take an awl, and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave forever. And to your female slave you shall do the same. ¹⁸It shall not seem hard to you when you let him go free from you, for at half the cost of a hired worker he has served you six years. So the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do.

Deuteronomy 23:15-16 commands that escaped slaves seeking refuge among the Israelites must not be returned to their masters. Instead, they are to be allowed to live freely among the Israelites in whatever place they choose, and they must not be oppressed or mistreated.

¹⁵“You shall not give up to his master a slave who has escaped from his master to you. ¹⁶He shall dwell with you, in your midst, in the place that he shall choose within one of your towns, wherever it suits him. You shall not wrong him.

Deuteronomy 24:14-15 commands fair treatment of hired workers, emphasizing that they should be paid promptly because they rely on their wages. Failure to do so is considered a sin before the Lord.

¹⁴“You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns. ¹⁵You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets (for he is poor and counts on it), lest he cry against you to the Lord, and you be guilty of sin.

Proverbs 22:16 warns against oppressing the poor to gain wealth or showing favoritism to the rich, asserting that such actions will ultimately lead to poverty.

¹⁶Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.

New Testament

Ephesians 6:5-9 instructs bondservants to obey their earthly masters sincerely and with reverence, serving as if they were serving Christ himself, not out of mere external performance but from the heart. Masters are urged to treat their bondservants with fairness and kindness, knowing that they too have a Master in heaven who shows no partiality.

⁵Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, ⁶not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, ⁷rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, ⁸knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. ⁹Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

Colossians 3:22-4:1 exhorts bondservants to obey their earthly masters wholeheartedly, not for appearance but with sincerity, as if serving the Lord Christ. It emphasizes that both bondservants and masters are accountable to God, who judges impartially. Masters are urged to treat their bondservants justly and fairly, recognizing their own accountability to their heavenly Master.

^3:22Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. ²³Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. ²⁵For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

^4:1Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

1 Timothy 6:1-2 instructs bondservants to honor their masters, especially if their masters are believers, to avoid bringing dishonor to God’s name and teachings. They are encouraged to serve diligently, recognizing the mutual benefit and respect in their relationship.

¹Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. ²Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.

Teach and urge these things.

Titus 2:9-10 advises bondservants to be submissive to their masters in all things, aiming to please them and not engage in arguments or theft. They are encouraged to demonstrate good faith, thereby reflecting the teachings of God our Savior in their conduct.

⁹Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, ¹⁰not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

1 Peter 2:18-20 instructs servants to submit to their masters with respect, even when treated unjustly. Enduring suffering for doing good, rather than for wrongdoing, is regarded as commendable in God’s sight.

¹⁸Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. ¹⁹For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. ²⁰For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

^[iii] Appendix II – Bible Passages Discussing the Release of Slaves

Old Testament

Exodus 21:2 states that when a Hebrew slave is purchased, they are to serve for six years, and in the seventh year, they are to be released without payment, enjoying freedom.

²When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.

Deuteronomy 15:12-18 outlines the regulations concerning Hebrew slaves. A Hebrew man or woman sold into servitude is to serve for six years, and in the seventh year, they are to be released with provisions and not sent away empty-handed. If the slave chooses to remain with their master out of love and loyalty, their ear is pierced as a sign of lifelong servitude. This law emphasizes compassionate treatment of slaves, reflecting God’s redemption of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

¹²“If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. ¹³And when you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed. ¹⁴You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. ¹⁵You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. ¹⁶But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is well-off with you, ¹⁷then you shall take an awl, and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave forever. And to your female slave you shall do the same. ¹⁸It shall not seem hard to you when you let him go free from you, for at half the cost of a hired worker he has served you six years. So the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do.

Leviticus 25:10 institutes the Year of Jubilee, occurring every fiftieth year, when liberty is proclaimed throughout the land for all its inhabitants. During this year, each person returns to their ancestral property and clan, highlighting God’s provision for restoration and freedom.

¹⁰And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan.

Nehemiah 5:1-13 recounts Nehemiah’s response to a crisis among the Jews where some were forced to mortgage their properties due to famine and pay heavy taxes. Outraged, Nehemiah confronts the nobles and officials for exacting interest from their own people and enslaving their fellow Jews. He calls for justice, urging the return of seized properties and the cessation of oppressive practices, ultimately securing a commitment from the assembly to rectify their wrongs before God.

¹Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. ²For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.” ³There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine.” ⁴And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. ⁵Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

⁶I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. ⁷I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them ⁸and said to them, “We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say. ⁹So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? ¹⁰Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. ¹¹Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” ¹²Then they said, “We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised. ¹³I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

Isaiah 61:1-3 declares the mission of the anointed servant of the Lord. He is empowered by the Spirit to bring good news to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to captives, and release those imprisoned. This passage foretells God’s plan for restoration, comfort, and transformation, symbolized by exchanging mourning for joy and despair for praise, ultimately glorifying the Lord through the transformation of His people.

¹The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; ²to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; ³to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

Jeremiah 34:8-22 recounts how King Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem initially made a covenant to proclaim liberty to their Hebrew slaves, fulfilling the commandment to release them after six years of service. However, they later reneged on this covenant and enslaved them again. God rebukes them through Jeremiah, emphasizing that their actions profaned His name and broke the covenant made when He delivered their ancestors from slavery in Egypt. As a consequence, God declares impending judgment, including war, famine, and captivity by their enemies, as punishment for their disobedience and injustice.

⁸The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to make a proclamation of liberty to them, ⁹that everyone should set free his Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should enslave a Jew, his brother. ¹⁰And they obeyed, all the officials and all the people who had entered into the covenant that everyone would set free his slave, male or female, so that they would not be enslaved again. They obeyed and set them free. ¹¹But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves they had set free, and brought them into subjection as slaves. ¹²The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ¹³“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I myself made a covenant with your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, saying, ¹⁴‘At the end of seven years each of you must set free the fellow Hebrew who has been sold to you and has served you six years; you must set him free from your service.’ But your fathers did not listen to me or incline their ears to me. ¹⁵You recently repented and did what was right in my eyes by proclaiming liberty, each to his neighbor, and you made a covenant before me in the house that is called by my name, ¹⁶but then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them into subjection to be your slaves.

¹⁷“Therefore, thus says the Lord: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbor; behold, I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine, declares the Lord. I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. ¹⁸And the men who transgressed my covenant and did not keep the terms of the covenant that they made before me, I will make them like the calf that they cut in two and passed between its parts— ¹⁹the officials of Judah, the officials of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf. ²⁰And I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their lives. Their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth. ²¹And Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials I will give into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their lives, into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon which has withdrawn from you. ²²Behold, I will command, declares the Lord, and will bring them back to this city. And they will fight against it and take it and burn it with fire. I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant.”

New Testament

1 Corinthians 7:21-24 advises bondservants (slaves) who become Christians to not overly concern themselves with their status, but if they have the opportunity to gain freedom, they should take it. Whether free or enslaved, they are encouraged to live for the Lord, recognizing that they belong to Christ and not to human masters. The passage emphasizes spiritual freedom in Christ as paramount, regardless of one’s earthly circumstances.

²¹Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) ²²For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. ²³You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. ²⁴So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

Philemon is a personal letter from the apostle Paul to Philemon, a Christian in Colossae. It addresses the return of Philemon’s runaway slave Onesimus, whom Paul had converted to Christianity during his imprisonment. Paul appeals to Philemon to receive Onesimus back, not as a slave but as a beloved brother in Christ, urging Philemon to forgive him and treat him with kindness. The letter demonstrates Paul’s advocacy for reconciliation and equality among believers, regardless of their social status.

^[iv] Appendix III – Bible Passages Condemning Practices Related to Chattel Slavery and Modern-Day Slavery/Human Trafficking

Old Testament

Exodus 21:16 commands that anyone who kidnaps and sells a person, and anyone found in possession of the kidnapped person, is to be put to death. This law underscores the seriousness with which God views the crime of human trafficking and abduction, ensuring severe consequences for those involved.

¹⁶“Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.

Leviticus 19:18 instructs to avoid seeking revenge or holding grudges against fellow Israelites but instead to love them as oneself, emphasizing the principle of love and justice grounded in reverence for the Lord.

¹⁸You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Leviticus 24:17-22 establishes principles of justice and accountability for both Israelites and foreigners. It mandates capital punishment for murder and restitution for harm caused, following the principle of “life for life” and “eye for eye.” This passage emphasizes the equality of law and justice before God, ensuring fairness and protection for all within the community.

¹⁷“Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death. ¹⁸Whoever takes an animal’s life shall make it good, life for life. ¹⁹If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, ²⁰fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him. ²¹Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, and whoever kills a person shall be put to death. ²²You shall have the same rule for the sojourner and for the native, for I am the Lord your God.”

Deuteronomy 22:25-29 outlines laws concerning sexual assault and rape in ancient Israel. If a man rapes a betrothed woman in the open country, he is to be put to death, and the woman is not held responsible. This law emphasizes the severity of the crime and protects the victim’s innocence. If the woman is not betrothed, and she is raped, the perpetrator is required to marry her, pay her father compensation, and is prohibited from divorcing her. This law aims to ensure the victim’s welfare and dignity in a society where women’s security and honor were paramount concerns.

²⁵“But if in the open country a man meets a young woman who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. ²⁶But you shall do nothing to the young woman; she has committed no offense punishable by death. For this case is like that of a man attacking and murdering his neighbor, ²⁷because he met her in the open country, and though the betrothed young woman cried for help there was no one to rescue her.

²⁸“If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found, ²⁹then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her. He may not divorce her all his days.

Deuteronomy 24:7 specifies that anyone found kidnapping a fellow Israelite and treating them as a slave or selling them is to be put to death. This severe punishment is mandated to remove such evil from the community, underscoring the value of human life and the prohibition against human trafficking or slavery among the Israelites.

⁷“If a man is found stealing one of his brothers of the people of Israel, and if he treats him as a slave or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

Job 31:13-15 reflects Job’s commitment to justice and fairness towards his servants. He declares that if he has ever denied the rights or mistreated his male or female servants when they brought a complaint against him, he would have no defense when God judges him. Job acknowledges that both he and his servants were created by the same God, implying that they deserve equal respect and fair treatment.

¹³“If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant, when they brought a complaint against me, ¹⁴what then shall I do when God rises up? When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him? ¹⁵Did not he who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?

Proverbs 6:16-19 lists seven things that the Lord hates and considers an abomination: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are quick to run to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and someone who causes strife among brothers. This passage highlights behaviors and attitudes that are contrary to God’s righteousness and promote harm and discord among people.

¹⁶There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: ¹⁷haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, ¹⁸a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, ¹⁹a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Micah 2:1-2 pronounces a woe upon those who plot evil and carry out wicked deeds, particularly those who covet and seize property, oppressing individuals and their families. The passage condemns those who exploit their power and wealth to unjustly take away the possessions and inheritance of others, highlighting God’s judgment against such actions.

¹Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil on their beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in the power of their hand. ²They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away; they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.

New Testament

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 warns that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. It lists several behaviors that are incompatible with God’s kingdom, including sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, theft, greed, drunkenness, verbal abuse, and swindling. This passage underscores the importance of living a life that aligns with God’s standards of righteousness and warns against practices that lead away from His kingdom.

⁹Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, ¹⁰nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 3:27-29 teaches that those who have been baptized into Christ have clothed themselves with Christ. It emphasizes that in Christ, distinctions such as Jew or Greek, slave or free, and male and female do not define one’s standing before God, for all believers are united as one in Christ Jesus. Furthermore, it affirms that if believers belong to Christ, they are also considered heirs according to God’s promises made to Abraham, highlighting the unity and inheritance shared among all who are in Christ.

²⁷For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

Galatians 5:19-21 outlines the works of the flesh, which are evident and include various immoral behaviors and attitudes such as sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and similar actions. The passage warns that those who persist in such behaviors will not inherit the kingdom of God, underscoring the importance of living a life characterized by the Spirit rather than indulging in sinful desires.

¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, ²¹envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 5:3-5 instructs believers to avoid sexual immorality, impurity, and covetousness, emphasizing that such behaviors should not even be mentioned among them, as befits those who are holy. The passage further warns against filthiness, foolish talk, and crude joking, which are inappropriate for followers of Christ. It emphasizes that those who persist in such sins, including covetousness (which is equated with idolatry), will not inherit the kingdom of Christ and God, underscoring the seriousness of maintaining moral purity and reverence in one’s conduct.

³But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. ⁴Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. ⁵For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

1 Timothy 1:8-11 affirms the goodness of the law when used rightly, emphasizing that it is intended for those who are lawless, disobedient, ungodly, sinners, unholy, and profane. He lists various specific sins that the law addresses, including those who strike their parents, murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and others who act contrary to sound doctrine. This is aligned with the gospel of the glory of God entrusted to Paul, highlighting the law’s role in addressing sinful behaviors and upholding righteousness in accordance with God’s standards.

⁸Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, ⁹understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, ¹¹in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

James 5:1-6 delivers a scathing rebuke to the rich who have amassed wealth through unjust means. He warns them of impending judgment and calls them to repentance, highlighting how their ill-gotten gains have led to the oppression of the poor and deprived laborers of their just wages. He condemns their luxurious and self-indulgent lifestyles, contrasting it with the righteous who suffer under their unjust actions, noting that their actions bring condemnation upon themselves.

¹Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. ²Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. ³Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. ⁴Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. ⁵You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. ⁶You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

Revelation 18:11-13 depicts the lament of the merchants over the fall of Babylon, a symbolic representation of a corrupt and oppressive worldly system. The list of goods they mourn includes luxurious items and commodities, notably including “slaves, that is, human souls,” highlighting the extent of exploitation and commerce in human lives within this condemned system.

¹¹And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, ¹²cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, ¹³cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls.

^[v] Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).