Today in the Word for May 19-26

Today in The Word

Tuesday May 19, 2020

What is it that really matters? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. My father-in-law passed away recently after 90 faithful years on this planet, and reflecting on how he lived his life has me asking what really matters. In Revelation 5:1-5 John sees a future scene in heaven:

“Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll…And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?...I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll…Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah…has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll…””  

God on the throne is ready to reveal his final plans for mankind, but who can read the scroll? Who can enact God’s plan? The Lion of Judah, Jesus Christ can. It is Jesus, the kingly lion that matters (Genesis 49:9-10). Jesus will rule nations at the end of all things. Jesus will place all other authorities under his authority, as I Corinthians 15:24 states:

“Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.”

Jesus, the Lion of Judah is what really matters.

And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana. 

Today in the Word

Wednesday May 20, 2020

Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Jesus is what really matters. Yesterday we heard Jesus described as the Lion of Judah. The same passage of Revelation 5:1-5 offers another picture of Jesus:

“Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll…And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?...Then one of the elders said to me,”… the Root of David has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll…””

The Root of David refers to Jesus in the royal line of King David. Isaiah 11:1,10-11 talks about the same root, referring to David’s father Jesse:

“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit…In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples…In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people…”

The Lord is saying that Israel may be broken and exiled. Their ‘tree of David’ may have been cut down, but a new branch can come up from the root and stump. The tree can live again.

And Jesus is still in the ‘people reclaiming business.’ If you feel like you are just a dead stump, Jesus can bring new life to you. He is the Root of David. He loves to reclaim the lost.

And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly.  Join our Wednesday adult Bible Study at 6:30 for more of the Word. 

Today in the Word

Thursday May 21, 2020

Is Jesus more than a King? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Jesus is described as more than a king in Revelation 5:5-6,9:

“…See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah…has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain…He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne…And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.””

Jesus is the one being described in this future scene from heaven. He is called the kingly name of the ‘Lion of the Tribe of Judah’, but he is called in greater detail the ‘Slain Lamb of God’. He will rule all people precisely because he shed his blood for all people. He was the sacrifice that took our place, and made possible our relationship with God.

The Lion-King became the sacrificial Lamb. That may seem like a paradox, but it is precisely because he laid down his life for us that we follow him as our King.   

And that is the Word from Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana. 

Today in the Word

Friday May 22, 2020

What matters to God, and subsequently matters to us? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. In a heaven scene in Revelation 5:9-10 the hosts of heaven worship Jesus:

“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God…”

God’s mission is everyone. What matters to God are the people of this planet. Part of the joy of heaven is the gathering of humans from everywhere. His desire is to have people from every ethnic group and corner of the planet.

If that is God’s mission, then that needs to be our mission also. The Good News of salvation through Jesus needs to be shared with everyone everywhere. No people group should be overlooked. Every language should hear the story of Jesus’ love.

Everyone everywhere matters.

And that’s the Word.  You can enjoy more of the Word this Sunday at 10:30 at Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.

Today in The Word

Monday May 25, 2020

Of all the things we can spend our time, what really matters? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. John sees a future scene in heaven in Revelation 5:11-13 that gives an answer to this question of what matters:

“…I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands and ten thousand times then thousand. They encircled the throne…In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!””

Every created being, whether angelic, or human, or beast is doing the same thing in this scene—they are worshiping Jesus, who is called The Lamb in these verses. Worship of God is our highest purpose.  We were originally designed to give praise to him, and our final destination, we will be giving praise to him. If we will be giving honor and praise to him then, might we want to take regular time to praise him now?  

 And that’s The Word from Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.