Corona Chronicles - Crown of Gold

Welcome to the corona chronicles. This is a series of daily devotions really that we're doing in the book of Revelation, and we're thinking about what it has say to us, and we're trying to apply it into our culture at the moment, particularly thinking about how some of these truths might apply to the to the coronavirus. And we are looking today at Revelation chapter 1 and I'm gonna reverse 4 to 8. John, to the 7 churches in the province of Asia. Grace and peace to you from him who is and who was and who is to come and from the 7 spirits before his throne and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his golden father to him be glory and power forever and ever. Oh, man. Look, he's coming with the clouds and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. And all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be?

Oh, man. I am the alpha and the omega. Says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come the Almighty. I mean, the it's just extraordinary. Now, this is we're still in the introduction -- Yeah.

-- of this book. But, I mean, the imagery and the words that are used of Jesus being the king. Not corona is the king, but Jesus is the king. And that who is and who was and who is to come, which is repeated. Both at the the start and at the end of that little passage.

It is amazing. And it's funny it's done that way because you would normally say something like who was who is, who is to come. But he's done it, who is, who was, who is to come. And I guess it's saying, look, where you are now in the present He is. He is the king.

And then look around. Move your head. Go back to the past. He was the king back then. So even, you know, for us perspective on revelation, when there were plagues and nero and the church was being attacked, you know, he he he was.

Yeah. He was king then. And and we can trust then because of that history. And what we know who he is and and what he was -- Mhmm. -- that he is to come.

So, yeah, extraordinary. Yeah. And I guess often in history and today, when things like the coronavirus begin to ravage populations, it's tempting to think that that is our biggest problem. Yeah. Isn't it?

And if we can just get rid of this virus, we'll all be okay. But actually, according to the bible here, our biggest problem It's not human viruses or sicknesses, but it's our sin. Yeah. Our sin is our biggest problem. And it even was in the Roman Empire when when these folks would have been living.

And the wonderful news of this chapter is that Jesus loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood. Our biggest problem dealt with you. Yeah. It's a spiritual coronavirus, isn't it really? Yeah.

Because we we just we wanna take the crown off of Jesus' head and put it on our own head. Yeah. You know, and and that's that's the problem that we have been freed from. Yeah. In Christ, it's it's fun it's fantastic.

And although sin, you know, you you do get super spreaders of in. We've we've all got it. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely everyone You obviously got this.

Well, I am in the sense of how I've lived my life and not under the lordship of Jesus -- Mhmm. -- which is in fact the definition of sin. Mhmm. I've spread untruths and lies and passed on things that aren't right, the way I've treated people. I need cleansing.

Mhmm. I I need someone to wash me. And I mean, Look at the words. Mhmm. Yeah.

And I think as well, before this thing is over, I think there will be many Christians not only in this country but around the world who who lose loved ones, who who people who die and who succumb to this virus. But there are words of comfort here from Jesus, aren't they? That he is the firstborn from the dead. Mhmm. This is the king who has defeated death.

And all those who have fallen asleep in the Lord have, in 1 sense, they haven't really died. They've fallen asleep in Christ who has risen again. And who sets the pattern for things to come. There will be a resurrection and a life after with God. Yeah.

Yeah. I mean, the the old sayings that you used to have in church years ago is that you know, no church loses a member. Mhmm. They're just promoted. Yes.

And it's right, isn't it? Yeah. That's fantastic. And and we can say stuff. That isn't sentimental.

No. A religious clap track. Mhmm. It it's on the basis of this 1 -- Yeah. -- who did die and rise again.

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, the the the words that struck me were grace and peace. Okay. Yeah.

We missed that. Yeah. God's kindness and God's peace. You know? Yeah.

That that's what the the the first words that these churches read are grace are grace in peace. Yeah. And and and it's from it's, you know, I the way I read that, it's from the father, the son, and and the Holy Spirit. That that first little chunk of 2 verses. It's it's wonderful it's from from from the God, from the triune God, you know.

Mhmm. From the 1 who's who has always been there. Yeah. Who who will who knows the beginning from the end, as it says, the alpha and omega down the bottom. You know, it's it's grace and peace from the 1 who made us and the 1 who saved us.

And that that's you know, there there's your comfort Christian. Right? Mhmm. Yeah. In this time in in in this time where I mean, even in the last day, something even more scary about this whole situation might have come out.

Mhmm. Even something personal. And and these are the words of God to you grace and peace. Yeah. You know, so revel in them.

I mean, just take the phrases that are used about God and the lord Jesus Christ. You know, he who is and was and is to come there's a throne because you've got that, you know, but before his throne, a Jesus Christ with his faithful witness first born among the dead. The ruler of kings of the earth. Mhmm. So he rules over corona, the king the king.

I mean, to be honest with you, like, you watch the world leaders at the moment. And I like yeah. I do not want their job. No. You you sort of have to take your hat off Yeah.

And you to them in some And it's extraordinary that no one's calling us to come and pray to the king of kings. Yeah. Yeah. You know, I mean, I guess you know, maybe we'll be humbled enough -- Yeah. -- that we'll start saying hold it.

There's a bigger king we need to be asking for help here. And there might be someone asking for us to pray. But look look, Look at it for us as well. Yeah. We're freed from our sins by his blood.

You've got that at verse 5. He's made us a kingdom and priests serve all God and Father. So we can serve him. Mhmm. And that's what we're trying to do here.

We we serve and as Christians, you know, we're we're out to serve this world to bring people to see this king. Mhmm. And maybe this coronavirus is humbling us -- Yeah. -- as as plagues in the past of humble people -- Mhmm. -- to say, hey, we need more help than just -- Yeah.

-- the doctors. Or our leaders. Yeah. And I I mean, I wonder if that's 1 of the things we've been trying to do in these videos is to think about how we might apply children. I feel well.

I've got a blue 1, actually. Yeah. Happy new 1. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. So I was thinking this morning. My lad, you know, he's occasionally love school when they often hate it. I don't wanna go. No.

So this morning was, didn't wanna go. And and I thought, felt like saying, well don't worry about it because they're probably gonna cancel it anything sooner anyway. But I held off from that. And I was thinking, you know, talking to a kid, why do I have to go to school? And you could answer that in many different ways.

You talk to a child and And the the ultimate thing I wanna say to him is, look, whatever you do in word or d, do for the glory of God. Yeah. That is the that's the final the final answer to any of those kinds of questions. Yeah. Go to school, learn about his world to the glory of God.

So that you can live for him, so that you can you know, so in your life you can live for his glory. Yeah. You know, it's a fantastic, you know, what a purpose to live for. And that's why it's parenting, isn't it? Because because there is often things that we have to do in life that we don't want to do.

Mhmm. But if we just spoil little children that have everything, you know, we won't we won't survive this world. Yeah. And I wonder whether this coronavirus is suddenly saying hey, you're not in control. Yeah.

And that's why we need this -- Yeah. -- alpha and omega. That's the first letter of the Greek alphabet and the last. The beginning and the end, what he is, he was. And he has to come.

Mhmm. The almighty. Yeah. Great. So should be there.