April 29, 2025

Today's Reading: Revelation 1:4-18

Daily Lectionary: Exodus 23:14-33; Luke 4:31-44

“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.’” (Revelation 1:17-18)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

How often do we see the words “fear not” in Scripture? I read somewhere that there are 365 “fear nots” —one for each day of the year—but I’m not sure that’s true. There are many encounters people have with God and His angels where they have to be admonished to not be afraid. We see this at Christmas when the angels tell the shepherds not to be afraid, we see it when God speaks to Abraham, we hear it from the prophets, and we hear it from Jesus during His earthly ministry. Why would John be afraid here? He is seeing his beloved friend and teacher, and yet he “falls at his feet as though dead.” John is seeing Jesus in His glory, who knows all and sees all, whose face is shining like a sun, and out of his mouth is a sharp, two-edged sword. The visual description is stunning, and that alone is enough to conjure fear, yet even more than that, John knows that the Lord knows all our sins and failings. That alone can be a terrifying prospect. At times, in our sinful nature, we think we can hide our sins from God; sometimes, we even try to hide them from our own consciences through excuses and self-justification, telling ourselves we didn’t really sin because we found a loophole. But John here cannot hide. He knows he is bare before not only his teacher and friend but the Lord of all, who, if he were to hold John’s sins against him, could strike him down for them. Yet Jesus answers here by reaching out and touching John and telling him not to be afraid, not because they’re friends and Jesus is nice, but because He is the first and the last, who has conquered sin and its wages—death and Hell. Jesus tells John that He holds the keys of death and Hades; this means that they are restrained on His behalf and that in order to get into either of them, you have to go through Jesus. Just as Jesus told John not to fear, as He is alive, He also tells you to take comfort in these truths. You need not fear death and Hell because they have been vanquished, locked up, and are restrained by our Lord, who is alive forevermore. 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

At the name of Jesus Ev’ry knee shall bow, Ev’ry tongue confess Him King of glory now. ‘Tis the Father’s pleasure We should call Him Lord, Who from the beginning Was the mighty Word. (LSB 512:1)

- Deac. Eleanor Corrow, Higher Things Board Member and coordinator in LCMS Missionary Services

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God’s people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.