This past week a planned expansion to the iconic Chateau Laurier was unveiled in Ottawa. Built in the French Gothic Chateau style more than a century ago, the luxurious hotel has been a respected, beautiful landmark in Ottawa’s city centre from its earliest days. A prestigious award winning architectural firm secured the project, and doubtless put much effort into the design of the addition. Unfortunately their proposal, brought to light this week for the first time, elicited immediate and universal scorn. The firm’s attempt to marry the classic form of the original hotel with a decidedly modern theme did not go over well; in the words of one CBC reporter: “some people despised it, while others merely hated it.” One travel blogger and Twitter user likened the proposal to the recent attempt to restore an old Spanish fresco “Ecce Homo (behold the Man)” by an untrained, but well meaning, elderly parishioner.
Um, the original is on the right.
The Book of Revelation is an unveiling of sorts as well. The word we translate “revelation” also has the sense of unveiling. Our preaching text for this Sunday is the first chapter of the Revelation to John. I encourage you to read it before Sunday and as you do consider what (or better yet who) is being revealed. You don’t have to read very far actually, but do finish the chapter! Revelation 1:1 says: “The revelation of Jesus Christ”. And as we read John’s words we find this is not only a revelation from Jesus but a revelation of Jesus and his saving, conquering work.
Thankfully, gloriously, the unveiling we see in John’s Revelation is neither underwhelming nor poorly conceived. The Lord says “I am the Alpha and the Omega … who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. (Rev. 1: 8)” Jesus is the one who “loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom (Rev 1:6)” Jesus is not only the “faithful witness” and “first born from the dead” but the “ruler of kings on the earth” (Rev. 1:5). “They (the kings of the earth) will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings. (Rev 17:14)” A good friend of mine, pastor and theologian Simon Ponsonby, wrote a book on the “end times” and called it simply: “The Lamb Wins”. Jesus is the King of all kings, he cannot be defeated, his purpose will not be thwarted, his cause will triumph!
Perhaps you have avoided the final book of the bible because you assumed it was difficult, or strange, or even unsettling. Or, perhaps, you have read it eagerly, but with the objective of form fitting God’s Word to events past, present, or future. Regardless, allow me to encourage you to read John’s Revelation as I believe he intended it to be read. I found the following quote from James Hamilton’s “Revelation: The Spirit Speaks to the Churches” helpful:
Notice what John tells us about his book in that first phrase: “The revelation of Jesus Christ.” John claims that his book is the revelation of Jesus. John does not say that his book is a record of the revelation of Jesus, but that his book is a revelation of Jesus. John writes this book and sends it to the churches so that the churches will be blessed by what he has written to them (see 1:3), not so that they will try to get behind the book to the visionary experience that John had. John wants the churches to read and hear his book. He does not want them to set the events the book records against his inspired description of those events in the book itself. Let me encourage you to trust the words of the Bible. … Read the Bible. Search it. Mark it. Live it. Holy Scripture will never mislead you. (pp.31, 32)
Looking forward to seeing you this Sunday!
Much love,
Pastor Gary
As we gather for Sunday worship, we want you to meet with God and be transformed by the Word. Prepare your heart by reading the passage and listening to the songs for Sunday. For more information click here.