Revelation 1:4-8
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and 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 freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 Look! He is coming with the clouds;
every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.
So it is to be. Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
“… 4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: …”
Prior to my retirement, I served seven different congregations as pastor. Some stays were longer than others, and some were only part-time calls. What I experienced during nearly thirty-five years of ordained ministry is that God’s work appeared differently in each congregation. No matter the number of worshippers, the size of the building, or the depth of the budget, the people dedicated themselves to the work of the Lord. Mission and ministry happened because of the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes we forget that wherever we are called on by God to serve – as clergy or laity – the Spirit is active and alive in our midst. The Risen Christ touches hearts and souls in large congregations and small. God’s love is experienced whether there are thousands on a Sunday morning or ten. The community known as the body of Christ exists where two or three are gathered in His name; and He is in the midst of them.
When John writes to the seven churches in Revelation, he is touching on their strengths and weaknesses. Yet, for each one, a blessing is offered and a reminder given. The ministry in each of those congregations mirrors the ministry in the seven that I served. God was praised, Jesus was proclaimed, love was shared, and the Spirit gathered and held the community together.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the gift of the Church. Bless us with Your presence always, touch our hearts with Your love, and inspire us by Your Spirit to mission and ministry in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.