The book of Revelation is a vision that occurs on the Lord's day. When you read the book, it feels like a worship service. In fact, in the historic liturgies and worship services of the church (regardless of one's denomination or tradition), more passages from the book of Revelation are used than from any other book in the Bible. The book is filled with hymns, sections of hymns, colorful and vivid images, and metaphors that simply beg to be used in a service of Christian worship.

Today's reading is one such passage. When reading it, one image just jumps out and slaps you in the face. Worship is ultimately not intended to be a solitary activity. It is foremost an activity in which the people of God gather together and as a corporate group (not just as the sum total of solitary individuals)…