Revelation 1 - 3

Does the church have a future? Troubled Christians have asked this question down through the years.

In this 30-day devotional we see that even as early as the end of the first century the future of the church hung in the balance. False teaching, internal division and persecution were rife. You can imagine John, pacing up and down the island of Patmos at night, looking across the sea to the cities on the shore, wondering to himself, 'Does the church have a future?'

Into this situation God comes and gives John this vision. He tells him to write to the seven churches of Asia Minor, in the eastern part of the Roman Empire, now called Turkey.

To each church Jesus says, 'I know... I know your hopes and dreams, your faults and failings, your joys and sorrows, your temptations and frustrations.' Jesus knew, and so he could speak wisely and truthfully into each situation. He said some hard things to shake the believers out of their apathy, but also spoke words of comfort. The letter ends by pointing to heaven, a reminder that despite present struggles, ultimately believers are on the victory side.

Today the church still faces internal division, opposition and persecution. It is understandable that people ask, 'Does the church have a future?'

The answer is the same as it always has been. Yes, it does, absolutely.