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Friday, November 22, 2024

LCU Chapel speakers to tackle Book of Revelation this academic year

Dr. Steve Horn, executive director for Louisiana Baptists,  encouraged Louisiana Christian University students in Tuesday’s Chapel  to make decisions with their end goals in mind. 

He spoke today on Revelation 1:1-8, as the first speaker  on the Book of Revelation, which will be the subject of each Chapel of  the 2022-23 academic year. Four years ago LCU President Rick Brewer  began choosing a single book of the Bible for extensive study for the  year.

“Hopefully, you all come to this university with the end  in view,” Horn said to those in attendance. “Not just graduation, but  education and learning—to make a contribution to this world.The  decisions you make this week and in the weeks to come, the years to  come, are progressing you to the end in view. Revelation is the kind of  book that calls on us to have the end in view.”

Brewer said the Book of Revelation is often misunderstood  and therefore neglected, but Dr. Horn made it even easier to understand  and approach with his message emphasizing the overarching themes of the  Book.

“Our chapel experience today at Louisiana Christian  University was a  worshipful time of praise, prayer and proclamation  unlike any I have ever sensed at the University,” Brewer said. “God is  definitely at work on our campus. It’s encouraging to witness our  students, faculty and staff coming together with a genuine sense of  expectancy that the Lord is meeting them here at this time and place. “

The lessons in Revelation, Horn said, allow believers to go through life’s trials with the end in view. 

John Caleb Howe , a senior secondary education major, said  it was a great choice to cover the Book of Revelation across the school  year in Chapel.

“Not a lot of people in today’s society know about the  truths and prophecies told in Revelation,” Howe said. Some people are  scared to read it ecause of what it tells in the end times, but it is  necessary to be taught. As a Christian, follower of Christ, it urges me  to share more about the Gospel so the ones I love and I come in contact  with know what’s truly coming. I personally want them to be ready for  Jesus’ second coming.”

Korey Kincade, a junior Missions and Ministries major  agreed that it was an unusual choice because of its difficulty, but is  excited about the journey. 

“I’ve personally read through the book and think that it  is a great study for college students especially for the times we are  in,” Kincade said. “I also think that it is a very eye-catching book and  interesting for us as students as opposed to reading something we study  all the time like the Gospels or the Epistles.”

Horn used his time covering what he called the “prologue” to the book to offer seven things to watch for in Revelation.

  • The sovereignty of God
“He is the one who is, who was, who is to come,” Horn  said, citing verse 4. “There’s never been a time when God was not. There  never will be a time when God is not.”

Revelation 19:6 is an exclamation of the sovereignty of  God. “Hallelujah! The Lord our God, the Almighty reigns! It’s not only  the conclusion of Revelation. It’s the conclusion to all of life.”

  • The supremacy of Jesus Christ
Jesus is the hero of the story, Horn said. “He gains his supremacy because of his sacrifice in Chapter 5.”

  • The certainty of eternal judgment
Chapters 6-19 cover the three Cycles of Judgment with seven parts in each of the cycles. 

In the First Cycle, the six seals are revealed, then a  pause before the seventh, Horn said. In the Second Cycle, the six  trumpets are sounded then a pause before the seventh. Finally, in the  Third Cycle, when the bowls are revealed there is no pause.

“God is bringing about eternal judgment,” Horn offered.  “He isn’t desirous of the judgment because He pauses along the way, but  the pause will not last forever.”

  • The coming climatic conclusion of all history
Revelation will show God is in charge of bringing it all to a conclusion, Horn said. 

  • The certainty of the return of Jesus
Revelation ends on this note, he said. 

  • The certainty of eternal life for the righteous
Revelation will show that this is God’s desire.

  • The call of God upon your life
Horn concluded with explaining why all this matters to today’s young person—what he called the “So What?” 

First, he said, commit yourselves to live in worship. 

“The endeavor of our lives should be to worship Him,” Horn  said. “We worship toward the end—not in the immediate we may be going  through.”

Secondly, he encouraged all to live in surrender. 

“Our lives must be surrendered to Him,” Horn said. “Someone or something sits on the throne of your life and heart. Is it God?”

Third and finally, Horn told the students to live their lives with a sense of urgency.

“We don’t know what part of the story [Revelation] we are  in right now,” he said. “The Lord is returning at a time we do not  know.”

Original source can be found here.

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