Revelation 1:1-8
Key Verse: “To him who loves us and has set us free from our sins by his blood, 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 1:5b-6 CSB)
Whether it’s in construction, business, education, or relationships, it is always important to ensure that your foundation is strong and secure. The same is true when it comes to your faith in Jesus Christ. As you seek to grow and build your life on Him, your foundation is critically important. So every once in a while it’s helpful to go back to some of the foundational truths of your faith to ensure that the ground on which you are standing is secure.
When the apostle John recorded these words, he was likely in exile on the island of Patmos, off the coast of modern-day Turkey. In the opening section of the revelation that he received from God, he gives us some amazing foundational truths about Jesus Christ.
Notice first what he says about Jesus: “To him who loves us.” Stop for a moment and meditate on that statement. This is God’s primary disposition toward you and me. He’s not angry with us. He’s not disappointed or fed up. He knows everything about us, everything we’ve ever done, all of our successes and our failures. Yet, He loves us. His love is not based on our performance. He doesn’t love us because of what we do or don’t do. He loves us because of who we are. Allow that awesome truth to sink deep into your heart. God loves you!
The second foundational truth that John reminds us of in this verse is that Jesus “has set us free from our sins by his blood.” Again, don’t miss the significance of that statement. Every single person is guilty of rebellion against God. We have all sinned and fallen short of His perfect standard. Because of our sin, we are under God’s wrath. But God in His mercy and love sent His one and only Son Jesus Christ to save us from our sins.
“You were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb” (1 Peter 1:18-19). This is our hope in Christ. In Him, the penalty of our sin has been paid. The power of sin has been broken. And one day, we will see Him face to face and the presence of every sin will be fully gone.
Finally, John tells us that not only are we loved by God and have been set free by Him from our sins, Jesus has also “made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father”. Now that we have come to know Christ, our lives have been given a whole new meaning and direction. Our purpose is not found in our job title or the size of our portfolio. It’s not about making a name for ourselves. We are now priests of God. We are here to spend our lives in service to Him, in the pursuit of His glory. This is where our purpose is now found.
Today, meditate again on these foundational truths in Christ Jesus – the love of God toward us, the work of Jesus for us, and the new purpose we now have in Him.
Prayer: God, I thank you that I am loved by you. You have shown me that love through what Jesus did for me on the cross. Thank you for the new life I have in Him. Help me to use my life in joyful service to you and all for your glory alone. Amen
