WORD: OC's 60-Day New Testament PlanSample

Worship is Important to God In this reading, we see the actual letters Jesus dictates to each of the seven churches. Imagine an elder getting up on Sunday morning about 90 AD to say to the church, “Jesus, who has been dead 60 years, has just written us a letter through our beloved John who was exiled on the Island of Patmos. John sent the message to us and I am now going to read it to you.” In these letters, Jesus tells the strengths and weaknesses of each of the churches and closes each letter with a wonderful promise about heaven—which those who overcome will receive. From these letters we can learn much about what pleases Jesus and what does not. In Chapter 4, the actual story line of the book begins by picturing the scene in heaven. God is on His throne and around Him are four high-ranking angels, and around them 24 elders, and then 10,000 x 10,000 angels, and around them all created beings. The scene is one of praise to God the Father going on continually. In chapter 5, the story says that God has a scroll with 7 seals holding it from being open. The cry goes out for someone to break the seals and read what is inside, but no one is found worthy to do that. Then a lamb comes on the scene who had been killed and is alive again—clearly a reference to Jesus who has died, been raised, and now appears back in heaven. He takes the scroll and begins to open the seals. As Jesus opens each seal, a new part of the story is told—so chapters 6 through 11 tell what happens while Jesus opens each seal. From chapters 4 and 5, we learn that worship is very important and that we should be joining the heavenly hosts in regularly offering our praise to God. Written By Stafford North Bible Professor, Oklahoma Christian University