“Firstborn”
Revelation 1:4-9
In this first of several passages from Revelation, we encounter some of John’s descriptions of Jesus, including that he is the “firstborn of the dead.” John’s acclamation is not only an affirmation of Jesus’ resurrection, but is also an indication the John (and, it seems, many early followers of Jesus) expected that resurrection would be a shared phenomenon for believers. Does it change the ways in which we think about our faith lives if we think of resurrection as not just something that happened for one person one time long ago? What are the implications of resurrection for us today?