A Homework Assignment

On Sunday morning, as we began our Life Group lesson, I shared with the class a devotional I had once, many years ago, clipped out of Dr. David Jeremiah's Turning Points monthly devotional guide.  The story Dr. Jeremiah shared in that devotion went like this:

There's an old story about a preacher who showed up early for a speaking engagement.  Looking around, he noticed a moneybox on the wall.  He made a five dollar contribution to it, thinking it was for the poor.  After the service, his host walked him to the door and took the money from the box.  "This is where our people contribute to the visiting preacher," said the man, "and you've done better than most.  Look, here's a five-dollar bill."  Later the man told the story to his family.  "Dad," observed his son, "if you had put more into it, you would have gotten more out of it."

Dr. Jeremiah goes on to say, "The Book of Revelation is like that.  The more we put into studying it, the more we'll get out of it."

That's a principle I have stressed over the years.  To students in my English classes.  And to my piano students.  There is a direct relationship between the effort you put in outside the classroom or away from the piano studio, and the result you get in class or at your piano lesson.  More time spent practicing leads to better performance at your lesson!

I've emphasized this principle to my Bible Study classes as well.  The more time we spend studying, the more effort we put into understanding, leads to a better result.  And that is especially true with a book as complex as Revelation.

With that in mind, I gave a homework assignment to the class Sunday.  I'm not sure how many of them will actually follow through with it, but it's my hope that at least some of them will.  There are actually two parts to the assignment.  One is to read the Book of Revelation, a chapter a day.  And when you get to the end, start over and do it again.  And then do it again and again. 

There's a reason for that.  Actually, two reasons.  For starters, the more you read it and the more familiar you become with it, the more it will begin to make sense to you!  And secondly, there's a promised blessing for reading it......."Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near."  (Revelation 1:3 NASB, emphasis mine).

The second part of the assignment is to make a list of the names given to the Lord Jesus in the Book of Revelation.  This book is "The Revelation of Jesus Christ......" (Revelation 1:1 NASB), so let's take the time to discover what it reveals about Him!

Perhaps you would want to join us in this journey of discovery!  Begin reading today, and make your list of what you learn about Jesus!  I promise you will be blessed!

I'll help you get started:

"from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.  To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood - and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father - to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever.  Amen."  (Revelation 1:5-6 NASB)

What do we learn about Jesus in these verses?  Begin your list with these titles:  the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, the ruler of the kings of the earth.

And there's much more to come!  You don't have to understand it all yet.  Just start making the list, and asking the Father to reveal truth to you.  You'll be glad you did!