TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES IN ASIA . . . - A the time of writing were there only
seven established communities of faith? Pauls writings and also Ignatius seem to
posit many more Christian enclaves of varying sizes and practice and belief. Seven looms
significant in this book; thus, seven churches could suggest "the wholeness of the
church." [1]
FAITHFUL WITNESS - Compare the opening of one of Pauls letters (1 Corinthians
1:1, for instance), with this greeting, noting similarities and differences. The
Trinitarian formulation which appears here is similar to 2 Cor. 13:12 and Mark 1:10.
Notice also the way Jesus is described-as the Faithful Witness, the Firstborn of the Dead,
and Ruler of the Kings of the Earth. As the faithful witness, Christ gives followers a
protocol for witnessing even through death. Such is John-a faithful witness exiled on
Patmos, who now witnesses to the Apocalypse.
NEW KING & KINGDOM - We may consider the claim in 1:7 that all peoples of the
world will lament, to be outrageous when viewed from the perspective of isolated weak
communities . . . but such words remind such people of the significance of their position.
The poor, the weak, the marginalized are the ones who, despite their lowliness, may be
destined to share in the messianic governance . . . whenever Christians meet, they remind
each other in their liturgy that the story of Jesus shakes the world. To worship is to
have the opportunity to have ones eyes opened, to have a fresh apocalyptic dimension
to life. [2]
Consider verse 7: Look! He comes
with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him-even those who pierced him. And all
the nations will weep because of him. Yes! Amen! (NLT). How would people in different
contexts hear this?
Prisoner? Former Enron Employee? Former Enron CEO? Church?
With Christ the King Sunday before us,
this passage would be well to move listeners in the direction of the exaltation of Christ
as "Ruler of the kings of the earth."
You might review our own understanding of power-impact: how power impacts us depends on
where and who we are. I would try to help the listener look at powerful leaders-dictators,
Ayatollahs, ceos, prison wardens-all from the perspective of a variety of types of
people-the jobless, the unionized, the corporation directors and the lowest employees; how
does leadership and power impact us?
Shift to Jesus as a potential Ruler. Note his claims, promises, track records, and
treatment of enemies, etc. Describe this lesson as visionary-language that suggests how
life could be different under Christs rule. What would Jesus do maybe needs to be
adjusted to "How would Jesus rule?" use vision-language to suggest
possibilities.
Thomas Long has a great story that would close this homily in a way that would empower
people to act or at least think differently. In a plane flight a man tells about his near
comatose son-no response to his parents, nor anyone elses words or touch. The father
explains that one day he enters his sons hospital room to find a stranger
there-apparently a chaplain. What was intriguing was that the chaplain spoke, read
Scripture, conversed, and prayed with this mans son as if he were completely whole
and normal. Long suggests that we do the same with the gospel of Christ-we live as though
Jesus were already returned on the clouds of heaven.
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[1] New Interpreters Bible XII (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998), page
562.
[2] Ibid, page 569.
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