In the Spirit on the Lord's Day

The first three chapters of the book of Revelation and the last two chapters have this in common; you see Jesus Christ with His Bride, the Church. In the first three you see Jesus in great detail, and in the last two, the Church in vivid detail. The Church, like each of us, is still being made whole in the first three chapters, and then, in the last two, she is seen in the splendor and glory of her eternal state.

         After John identifies himself in Revelation 1:4 – 9, he relates his experience on a particular Lord’s Day, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying…” Revelation 1:10. Many are eager to know what the loud voice will say and overlook the significant phrase, I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day….

         John is all alone, exiled on the rocky island called Patmos, and yet, he is not alone. The Lord Jesus was with John on the island. He was not alone. Although John could not have fellowship with other believers, he could still enjoy fellowship with Christ, especially on the Lord’s Day. The early church met together daily according to the book of Acts. But on the first day of the week, on Sunday, the day that Jesus rose from the dead, they celebrated His resurrection. This day gave meaning to all of the rest; it was the new beginning day, the new creation day, the Lord’s Day.

         The Lord chose this special day to be the day He would give to John this amazing revelation, the final book of the Bible. The last book of our Bible would be given on the first day of the week, the Lord’s Day. The meaning of this is seen in the setting. It was one of the darkest days in the life of the early church. It was one of the most difficult times in the life of the old apostle. Just when things could not get any worse, the Lord’s Day arrived and the voice of the Lord was heard like a trumpet! AMEN.

         Sunday-by-Sunday the same can be true for you, if you will see the Lord’s Day in its full significance, the celebration of new beginning, of the new creation. In order to do this you too must first be in the Spirit. This phrase describes the child of God walking with the Spirit, by the Spirit, and in the power of the Spirit of God. This is the person who enjoys personal fellowship and companionship with the Lord, walking with the Spirit. It is a person who spends time in the word of God. The Spirit of God and the word of God are inseparable; the two are one. It is a person who is obedient to the Lord, allowing the life of Jesus to be lived through them because His life is their life; with the Spirit, in the Spirit, by the power of the Spirit. AMEN!

         Those who look forward to the Lord’s Day are those who walk with the Lord all the other days, in His word, and by faithful and abiding obedience. There seems to be a concentrated power when the people of God, living in the Spirit of God, obediently gather together on the first day of the week, the Lord’s Day. The victorious voice of the Lord is clearly heard in that setting, even if you are exiled on a rocky island, in the middle of the sea, you and the Lord are a majority, and the power of the Lord is present for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming! Hallelujah!!!