Your Brother


Revelation 1:9
I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus was in the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

John re-starts his letter by relating to his readers, I think this helped them to see that even though he wrote some really strange stuff, he could be trusted that it was true. He also tells us why he is on Patmos, he says he is there because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I think this is funny and admirably humble, since he was banished to Patmos because they couldn’t kill him. They had tried to boil him twice, tried to burn him, stone him, as well as a number of other things, yet, God preserved him. So John was sent to Patmos so the rulers at the time could be rid of him. I find it interesting how even though it would seem he is out of the worst of it John still makes mention that he is the reader’s brother and companion in the suffering, but also in the kingdom. It’s important to remember that even in the worst of afflictions we are still in the kingdom of God and should still be about the father’s business. He also states that he is with us (the reader) in patient endurance through Jesus Christ.
My application is to encourage my class mates in patient endurance through Jesus Christ. To do this I will simply come along side them and see what I can do to help with whatever they are doing. Or make a point to sit and talk at least one person a day and ask them how they are doing.

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