Weekly Devotional 10-8-18 The Church in His Right Hand

As we begin a series of devotionals based on a revelation God gave to Jesus Christ to be distributed to the church, we find the apostle John on the island that is called Patmos, “for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:9). He had been exiled to that island because of his faithfulness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. On a certain Lord’s Day, while he was in spiritual communication (prayer) with Father God, John heard a loud voice behind him. As John turned He saw the Lord Jesus. In the Lord’s hand were seven stars, later identified as seven churches. Seven churches who had been chosen by God as representative of the entire church. They were to receive a message commending them for good practices, but also a message of condemnation for those things that were harmful and destructive. Furthermore, it was a message about the future, a message about what was to follow the rapture of the church. We will consider this message in future devotionals, but for today we consider that as he turned John saw Jesus holding the collective church in His right hand (vss.10-16). Holding the church in His hand presents these truths: they were secure in His hand, and they were under His authority. These truths are conveyed by the words “out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword” (vs. 16). A sword has a two-fold purpose. It is a defensive weapon and an offensive weapon. By His word the Lord fights against the enemies of the church and conforms the faithful into His image (Romans 8:28-29). By His word He secures in the heart of the faithful, love, joy and peace.

That Jesus had or has authority in the church today, or that He protects it from its enemies, seems to fly in the face of conventional thought. The enemy seems to be winning on almost every front. Many of the professing church no longer hold to the tenets of Christianity: That He was God in the flesh; that he was born of a virgin and the Holy Spirit; that He died on the cross; that He resurrected from being dead. Not believing things, however, disqualifies one from being part of the possessing church.

There is a great chasm between professing and possessing. It is the possessing church that Jesus holds in His hand. He Rules in the possessing church. He protects the possessing church. He conforms the members of the possessing church into His image. It will be the possessing church that He catches up into heaven at the end of this age. It will be the members of the possessing church that will not suffer the second death. It will be the members of the possessing church that will be given a new name. It will be the members of the possessing church that are given positions of authority during the millennial reign of Christ. It will be the members of the possessing church that will be given white robes of purity. It will be the possessing church that will not be subjected to the horrors of the tribulation, and it will be the possessing church who will sit with Christ on His throne. Does this sound like Jesus has lost His authority in the church or over the world? No! He holds the church in His right hand.

What a wonder!

stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man