“我一看见，就仆倒在他脚前，像死了一样。他用右手按着我，说：‘不要惧怕！我是首先的，我是末后的，又是那存活的；我曾死过，现在又活了，直活到永永远远；并且拿着死亡和阴间的钥匙。’” – 启 1:17-18
约翰在生命早期曾作为一名受训门徒与耶稣共渡了三年时光。我们或许以为约翰会认出耶稣，跑过去拥抱祂。但耶稣显然与之前不同了。人子那荣耀的形像震撼了他，以至于他像死了一样倒在耶稣炽热的铜脚下。但随后他听到了他的主和老师熟悉的话语：“不要害怕”慈爱的救主给了他安慰和保障。
耶稣向约翰详细描述了自己。这是建立约翰和众教会信心的好办法！耶稣是“首先的，末后的”，是“那存活的”，祂“曾死过”，“现在又活了，直活到永永远远！”还有：耶稣拿着死亡和阴间的钥匙，因此它们对祂和跟随祂的人来说没有任何效力。
然后，耶稣命令约翰写信给灯台所代表的七个教会(对今天的我们来说，这些教会代表了整个基督教会）。藉着分享他所“看见的，和现在的事，并将来必成的事”，约翰要述说这位掌管天地的主。尽管教会有她的优势和软弱，但耶稣是神。黑暗权势疯狂地摧毁教会，但他们终将失败，因为耶稣是永活的主。
祷告
全能的王，你战胜了死亡和坟墓。求你今天就除去我们的惧怕。阿们。
启示录 1:17-20
17我一看见，就仆倒在他脚前，像死了一样。他用右手按着我说：“不要惧怕。我是首先的，我是末后的，
18又是那存活的；我曾死过，现在又活了，直活到永永远远，并且拿着死亡和阴间的钥匙。
19所以你要把所看见的和现在的事，并将来必成的事，都写出来。
20论到你所看见在我右手中的七星和七个金灯台的奥秘，那七星就是七个教会的使者，七灯台就是七个教会。
“Do Not Be Afraid”
“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!’” — Revelation 1:17-18
Earlier in his life, John had spent three years with Jesus as a disciple in training. We might expect that John would recognize Jesus, run up to him, and embrace him. But something is clearly different about Jesus. The glorious presentation of the Son of Man so overwhelms John that he falls at Jesus’ fiery-bronze feet as though dead. But then he hears the familiar words of his Lord and Master: “Do not be afraid.” The loving Savior speaks comfort and assurance.
Jesus gives John an elaborate description of himself. What a way to build up John’s confidence and that of the churches! Jesus is the “First and the Last,” the “Living One,” who “was dead” but is “alive for ever and ever!” And there’s more: Jesus holds the keys to death and Hades, so they have no power over him or his followers.
Jesus then commands John to write to the seven churches that are represented by the lampstands. (And, to us today, those churches represent the whole church of Christ.) By sharing what he has “seen, what is now and what will take place later,” John will describe how Jesus is the reigning Lord of heaven and earth. Despite the churches’ strengths and weaknesses, Jesus is God. The powers of darkness will do their worst to destroy the church, but they will fail because Jesus is the living Lord.
Prayer
Almighty King, you are the victor over death and the grave. Drive out our fear today. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
