52 Weeks in the Word - Week 52

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 Welcome to Week 52.  Our last week reading through the Bible together with this study.  

This week brings the end of a year and the beginning of a new year.  A time to reflect on not only what has happened in 2025, but a time to recall what you've learned as you've read through the Word of God this year.  It is also an exciting time with new goals and possibilities in the new year.  You should also feel excited about where the Lord will lead you next into the new year with Him!  

Last week, I was reminded and encouraged in our reading to walk BOLDLY for Christ.  To speak up and share the Gospel message.  May we challenge one another to commit to sharing Christ boldly in 2026.  

This Week's reading: 2 John 5 - Revelation 22.

This week we will be reading 2 John, 3 John and Jude on the same day; then, we will devote the remaining 5 days to the book of Revelation.  Obviously, we will not be able to go into a deep study of Revelation in a mere week, but please feel free to ask any questions you might have.  I believe we have several in this group who are able to navigate us on this topic.  Let's be praying for the Holy Spirit to lead us this week as we study together.

I will provide a small amount of background information for these books below:

2 John

In both 2 John and 3 John, the author refers to himself as "the Elder".  This could be due to the fact he was an older man at this point, having outlived all the other apostles.  Each of these letters are used to demonstrate how various people react and handle different situations that come up in life.

In 2 John, written around 90 A.D., uses this letter to warn the church about "Gnostic" teachers, those who do not believe in the humanity of Jesus.  They believe Jesus was only a spiritual being, but never human.  John cautions believers in this letter to have discernment and not to receive false teachers in their church or homes.  Still relevant today.  The basic theme of this letter is to be a lover of truth!

3 John

In this letter, also written around 90 A.D., John was encouraging the people in how they were showing love to the godly teachers.  John endorses fellowshipping with other believers, including those working hard doing ministry work.  He also gives us examples of three different ways to live: two good, one bad.

Jude

This small, one chapter book is written by Jude around 60 A.D.  The following was a great quote I found from Dave Stotts from Drive Through History, referring to the book of Jude:

"The author is identified as Jude, a relative of Jesus and another skeptical family member who later gave his life to preaching the Gospel after witnessing the power of the resurrection. The Book of Jude is only one chapter long, intended to equip Christians for the untold challenges of living in what the author refers to as the “last times.” Jude encourages Christians to contend for the faith and warns them to watch out for fakes in the church."

As Christians, we need to know the Scripture and be able and willing to defend it.   Jude also stresses the importance of always walking with Christ, and showing the love of Jesus to others, no matter how difficult it may become.  

Revelation

The last book of the New Testament, Revelation, is also written by John.  This book was written late in John's life, around 95 A.D., while on the island of Patmos.   I am not going to try to do a summary of this book.  A very general outline would include: visions, letters to the churches, the future, and the New Heaven and the New Earth.

Feel free to ask questions or send your comments here or in our online groups.

Have a blessed New Year!

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