There are two readings for today.
SCRIPTURE: Revelation 10
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’” I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.” [Revelation 10:9-11]
The impact of the seven thunders is held back, and in that time John is given the mandate to witness for the Lord.
The idea of tasting God’s message – at first sweet as honey but then sour in the stomach – goes back to Ezekiel 3:2-4.
It is sweet because it is a part of God’s good news; but it is sour because of how people respond to the message, and the suffering that comes with speaking His message.
Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. [Matthew 10:17-20]
Jesus affirms our role as witnesses, and also of the hardship of that task.
But through it all, He will speak, it will be His message… and His message has power and impact, His message accomplishes what He intends [Isaiah 55:10-11].
We should not be surprised when people do not like the message we believe.
We believe that sin is wrong, that we are sinners that need forgiveness and help, that those who refuse to repent will one day stand before the Judge, that God will one day punish those who refuse Him and restore those who repent…
We believe that Jesus is God in the flesh, the only way and truth and life, the only way to enter into eternal life.
In today’s day of tolerance (of sin), this kind of message is not tolerated.
Those who hold the kinds of beliefs about ultimate reality that Christians do, are seen as narrow-minded, foolish, intolerant, judgmental, etc.
Those who dare suggest that God will one day punish people for their moral failures, and that those who refuse to repent will experience eternal judgment (hell), are ridiculed, even harassed, for their claims.
Trusting in Jesus is sweet, sweet, sweet, but doing it in this world is sour.
Again and again the bible affirms it, standing up for the Lord in this world is hard.
But He will speak through us, He will help us to say what needs to be said, and His message will one day come true.
This message is intended to encourage believers in John’s day (and for all times) to stand firm as Jesus’ witnesses, for their efforts are not in vain!
PRAYER:
Lord, maybe this is why I find it so hard to preach. Maybe the feelings that follow speaking for You are a part of the sour taste in my stomach…