Full Disclosure to Sell-outs

So, this morning, I started re-studying Revelation. That's right... just starting over, trying to get it even after I've been through Revelation seminars, read the thing over and over again, even taken a whole Seminary class on it. It seems like I always manage to miss or forget stuff that I feel like I should know.

Right off the bat, something got to me... I mean like verse 1.

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John..."

I started breaking this down. First, that big word at the beginning, which titles the whole book. "Revelation." It's a pretty deep word, from a Greek word: "apocalypses." In English world, we get this totally wrong. Sports Illustrated used to do a little blurb each week about weird stuff athletes were doing. They called it "This Week's Sign of the Apocalypse." We see that word and think about the end being near. Well, if Revelation is the association we make with this word, I can see why. But ultimately, it doesn't just mean this. By definition, it means "laying bare, naked; disclosing of truth or instruction." It's full disclosure, and in this case it's full disclosure of things that haven't happened yet. Most importantly, it's full disclosure of Jesus Christ. There were things His servants didn't know about Him yet.

That wasn't bad stuff to see. Here was a small group of churches throughout Asia Minor, many of whom were being intensely persecuted, even killed. John himself was exiled because of his testimony of Jesus Christ. He had spent time with Jesus face-to-face, but there was apparently something he and the rest of Jesus' servants did not know about Him, and it was all about what hadn't yet happened.

But it got more intense when I looked into a different word: servant. Or bond-servant. Ultimately, Revelation was for Jesus Christ's servants. The word for this is "doulos." it can mean servant, bond-servant, or slave... one in servile condition. It's deeper though: it is a person who has totally sacrificed his own self-interests for the interests of another. It's a person devoted to another, with total disregard for his or her own desires.

In this context, it's a complete and absolute sell-out for Jesus.

This is where it starts to sting a little. Verse one teaches that the "Full Disclosure" of Jesus Christ is for those who are complete sell-outs for Jesus. They have sacrificed and now disregard their own interests and desires for the sake of whatever Jesus reveals to them. They obey no matter what they have to give up to do so, and they don't even think twice about it.

Intense stuff for an intense church!

So, here's my takeaway from this. I am writing this because I need accountability. I know people who put stuff out there on Facebook or on their blogs, asking for friends to hold them accountable to better diet, exercise, spending habits, whatever. I think I need something similar. I need to be accountable to being a sell-out for Jesus.

Here are a few questions I have asked myself... feel free to consider them yourself.

• Have I totally sold out to Jesus?
• What keeps me from obeying and following Him fully? What are my “self-interests” that get in the way?

Is it possible that many of us... that I... have not "gotten" Revelation in previous studies because of this? I'm not trying to beat myself or anyone else up over this, but if the Revelation of Jesus is given for those who have absolutely sold themselves entirely out for Jesus and what He wants in our lives and in this world, and it's not given for the half-hearted... could it be that it's necessary to be challenged with those questions?

Do I have breath and life? Yes! I still have a purpose then. Today is always the day to start! So here's my prayer today...

Lord Jesus, forgive me for not fully devoting myself to You. I’m trying, but I don’t seem to do very well far too often. I devote myself to You today, entirely. Help me to be ready to sacrifice my own interests for the sake of Jesus. May I be wrapped up in Your will and desires for humanity. “Fall me” in love with You entirely, so that it will be my first thought and desire to follow and obey You as Your bond-servant today. I want full-disclosure of You in my life.