Yes, you read that right. We are starting a 10 week sermon series to fill your summer imaginations! We'll begin the Series this Sunday with an introduction to the major themes and outline of this last book of the Bible, followed by several weeks of a more detailed look at the outline and themes. One major theme is how we grow in discipleship as subversive dissidents in a world filled with dragons, beasts, and Babylons—each vying for our allegiance. You may agree or disagree with our approach. It's not about speculations or time tables: It's about seeing this apocalyptic book as a call to the universal church to love, sacrifice, repent and live out the justice and love that God is calling us to now.

We will be invited to dive into a comprehensive story, one which includes everything from God's creation, to His providential guiding of history, to His wrapping up all of history and all creation. It is the story of everything. It’s about the defeat of the systemic evils in Babylon. There is the backstory of Israel and the Old Testament, the story adjusted with the coming of the Messiah Jesus, and the final story that is inaugurated with Jesus and fulfilled at His coming. We will experience a full, final justice and peace as heaven and earth are reunited.

Revelation is a prophetic interpretation of reality that is imaginatively written to shape disciples of Jesus into dissidents who can discern the dominant influence of empires like Babylon (think Rome), or any political agenda that has anti-God elements, including our own. Revelation is written to help us have the courage to follow the way of the Lamb in a world run by the dragon and his two beasts, a parody of the Holy Trinity.

We are excited to jump into this with you as we believe an understanding of this apocalyptic word has, as its goal, the transformation of church and each of us as we will see soon in discussing the seven letters to the Asia Minor churches. Buckle up for a summer of joy and hope!

Peace,

+Philip