That You May Believe and Have Life in His Name
On the Lord’s Day, St. John the Apostle was given a revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. His is the Living One, “the firstborn of the dead” (Revelation 1:5). He died for all people, and behold, He is alive forevermore! Therefore, He has “the keys of Death and Hades” (Revelation 1:18). For His death atoned for sin ad conquered death, and in His resurrection He opened the kingdom of heaven to us. The “sharp two-edged sword” of His mouth (Revelation 1:16) calls to you to “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,” that by such faith “you may have life in His name” (John 2-31). To that end, He sends His ministers of the Word, as the Father sent Him, “to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31).
