Simple Assurance

I sat in the sterile, white-washed Sunday School room biding my time, not expecting great things to happen. I've always had an aversion to Sunday School--even from childhood. Perhaps it was the pressure to perform as a pastor's kid or compulsory attendance or the unfortunate high-incidence of poor teaching or the vain-conceit that there was nothing new there for me. As a pastor's wife, not much had changed except that after twenty-some humbling years, I eagerly admit I do not know it all. I attend faithfully because I want my children, who incidentally love Sunday School, to hear, learn, and take God's transforming truth deep into their hearts. But why don't I expect, anticipate the same for myself?

By default, I had chosen to attend "A Walk through the New Testament." There were only two other classes--the English Second Language class and a repeat of a class on the End Times. End Times . . . It's hard to avoid this topic in Christian circles today. Everywhere you turn, there are horror stories of apocalyptic proportions. The last Sunday School class I frequented opened up every session with a 15-minute summary of recent news stories that clearly signified the end of the world nipping at our heels. I'd leave, barely able to breathe and wondering how I would survive the torturous events to come. And then the more gut-wrenching, heart-stabbing question: What will happen to my kids when the world falls apart?

So, there I sat, head bent over my notebook in the back row of a class where the world wouldn't assault me--too chicken to study "End Times." The teacher discussed the division of the books of the New Testament: 4 Gospels, 1 History, 13 Pauline Epistles, 8 General Epistles, and 1 Book of Prophecy--Revelation. The very word made my stomach churn. Then, in one Southern-drawled sentence, the teacher stated something so simple, so basic, so beautiful:

"And, of course, 'revelation' doesn't refer to the revelation of End Times, but to the revelation of Jesus Christ."

That was it! He and the rest of the class traveled back to visit the important dates of the New Testament, but I stayed there in that present moment, breathing out a soul-sigh, generations of fear carried away on a breath. I almost laughed! Of course . . . the revelation of Jesus Christ. The Word of God, King of kings, Lord of lords, Bridegroom of Heaven, Lamb of God, the White-Horse Rider, Faithful and True, the First and the Last . . .will be revealed.

The Truth of God, in the person of Jesus Christ, will be undeniably, irrevocably revealed to the world, bringing all to their knees. How had I missed it? God states it in the first verse of Revelation! Somewhere between A Thief in the Night, Left Behind, and today´s headlines, Revelation took on new meaning, or rather, lost its meaning. I had begun to equate it with only catastrophic events, inhumane persecution, natural disasters, and war. Without Jesus Christ factored in, my only option was fear. But the end of the equation is the revealed kingship of Jesus Christ--and I know Him. I know His character.

No, I haven't gone running to enroll in the End Times class, but not out of fear. I think I might learn a lot in a walk through the New Testament.