A Guaranteed Inheritance

Jonathan here. It’s a drizzly Monday in North Olmsted and chilly too, at least it feels that way after the record-breaking heat we’ve had in the last week. Though the air is cool, my heart is not. It’s been a wonderful weekend of fellowship with Phil and Sandy Dufrin, friends from the ten months Megan and I spent at the Pastor’s College. Darren has asked me to share a few thoughts on the message Phil gave on Sunday morning. I’m grateful for the chance to reflect back on the preaching of God’s Word. Phil’s message from I Peter 1 was strong and offered a clear challenge to abandon the false hopes and deceptive guarantees of the world and to put all of our trust in the “living hope...an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading...”

Phil made three great points from the text. First, we have assurance of a living hope. This is not a hope that is still alive, as in, I’m hoping I will pass the test, or, I’m hoping my kids will turn out okay, or, I’m hoping that my car won’t break down. This is not hope in a situation, but hope in a person--and this person is alive. Peter writes: “He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...” Our hope is living because Jesus is alive. And since he has already overcome death in his resurrection, this is the one hope that can never die (even if every earthly hope does). I can’t help but ask myself, am I placing my hope in the right place? Where am I seeking “peace of mind?” Is it in the approval of other people? (Their opinions of me will change) Is it in my abilities? (There’s always someone more gifted). Is it in financial security? (the recession taught us all can be lost in an instant). I think we all hope in something, the question is, what are we hoping in? For youth it may be going off to college? For others it may be getting a better job or retirement or a ring on the finger? But all these hopes will ultimately die (at least when we do), but there is one hope that never will. Where are you placing your hope? Where are you seeking peace of mind? Or, perhaps a little easier, what is stealing your peace of mind? If it is taking, it’s probably because you were looking for it there. As we place our hope in the right place, our “peace” will be harder and harder to steal.

Secondly, Phil noted that we have assurance of a perfect inheritance. He illustrated this with a story from his own life. Without digging into the details, essentially he was going to receive an inheritance from his grandfather, but never did. It was taken by an individual who wasn’t even listed in the will. The contrast was obvious. Unlike Phil’s experience with an earthly inheritance, our inheritance in heaven is being “kept.” It is not going anywhere. No one can take it, not even the finest lawyers. We cannot lose it like we lose an object. It is “kept in heaven” for us. With my record of losing things around the house, I’m so grateful for this. Not only do I lose my keys, wallet and cell phone, but I often lose my way. I’m so thankful those who are saved cannot lose this inheritance that is kept for them. Do you take comfort in this? Does this bring a smile to your face and lighten the load on your shoulders? It should. Especially when we realize that not only is this inheritance kept safe for us, it is preserved for us. Imagine having a package placed in the world’s best safe. It wouldn’t matter how incredible the safe was if the content of the package was perishable. This inheritance is not the deli meat that spoils after a few days. It is not the sunlight that fades at the end of the day. It is “imperishable…and unfading.” It will be as glorious then as it is today. Earthly circumstances will always change like the rising and setting sun, but Christian’s can find hope in something unchanging. What difference does this make in your life during times of suffering and hardship? How does this change your perspective? Perhaps joy in the midst of the daily-grind is more possible than you thought.

Third, Phil noted that our inheritance is guarded through faith. Peter writes that this inheritance is kept for those who “by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” Not only is this inheritance guarded for us, but WE are being guarded by God for this inheritance, and we are being guarded through faith. It is faith that God uses to keep us until we see him face to face. What a reminder to resist the natural drift into unbelief. It is an invitation to trust God and to utilize the means that he has given us to preserve and strengthen our faith— Christian fellowship and his word (among many others). One of the best tools to strengthen faith is meditating on God’s word. It’s there that we see God’s character. Bible story after Bible story recounts his faithfulness to men and women throughout history—he’s trustworthy! He always fulfills his promises! With so many accounts of his character, it’s no wonder “faith comes by hearing” and, dare I say, reading as well. So, we need his Word to fuel our faith. How’s your faith doing these days? Are you trusting in yourself or in God, the one who guards you? Are you taking time to fuel your trust in him? I’m reminded of my frequent trips to Shell to fill up my gas tank? My soul needs fuel too and its not even $2.81 a gallon. I’m so grateful that I can go to God’s word each day and allow the Lord to “guard” me with faith fueled by his word. Don’t run from your Shepherd; allow him to guard you with his Word. I hope Phil’s message from I Peter did just that…

the Promises of Christ in the church...

"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'The words of the holy one, the true one, who has they key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. I know your works... I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name... Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world.'" (portions of Revelation 3:7-13)

The church in Philadelphia wasn't the most dynamic group of believers in the region. They lived in a city plagued by earthquakes, one of which had leveled their city so severly that they'd been forced to completely rebuild. Sadly aftershocks and tremors continued to damage the walls of the town so heavily that their commercial prospects were limited to the fertility of their surrounding fields- where most of the inhabitants actually lived. Economically challenged, the church also lived under the assaults of the local Jewish rulers. Officially, the Christians were seen as outcasts from the people of God- the doors of God's kingdom officially closed to them at the synagogues.

But Jesus sees this struggling church with "little power" and has much to commend- in particular, their "patient endurance" under trials. What encouragement this is! Trials and suffering are difficult to endure, but the church in Philadelphia is set forth as a model for us. From them we learn to walk the long road of continued obedience- looking to Jesus. From Jesus' words to them, we learn that Christians can press on for Christ as we trust in the promises of Christ. We often wonder why we started down this road or how we'll make it to the end, but Christ reminds us of four things:

1. He is Lord over His Kingdom. Jesus reminds the believers in verses 8 and 9 that, although the official doors to the synagogue have been closed to them, He holds the keys to the kingdom of God. Jesus' words are the ones that matter, He is the One who drew them, and He is the One who continues to make the way of salvation open to us and those we know today. How encouraging these words were to those who lived in a city whose crumbled walls provided little protection. Their unstable home was a drastic contrast to the permanence of an eternal dwelling... but one they could only enter through the Door (John 10:9).

• How comforting it is to know that nothing of our "little power" prevents our entrance into God's kingdom as well! Our shady background, our financial weakness, our limited gifting, our lack of biblical proficiency haunts us- making us wonder if we've got what it takes to really matter in God's plan. Only Jesus' invitation to us through the door He opened up with His blood mattters. Perhaps a good question to ask ourselves is "What is one thing you've been doing lately to remind yourself that God saved you- not because of your strength, but because of His grace?"

2. He is sovereign over our enemies. Jesus knew that the church in Philadelphia was living under the constant oppression of their Jewish opponents. Quoting the Old Testament passages that seemed to indicate that God could only include folks into His kingdom if they belonged to "His country," they traced God's favor back through their parents' ancestry and their personal obedience. But Jesus had come to break down the barriers between Jew and Gentile and to create a new identity of people whose only "work" was to believe in the Son of God. (John 6:29). Faith, not family, forms the new people of God. And now that the church had placed their faith in Jesus, He reminds them that this faith will be vindicated: "I will make them come and bow down at your feet and they will see that I have loved you" (v 9). Amazing!

• Often we are discouraged and tired, especially when others seem to remind us of our failures or to challenge the basis of our faith in Christ. But consider Christ's promise to us that helps us endure: Jesus will one day vindicate your claims that Jesus is God, that we owe our lives and allegiance to Him that we are saved because of His sacrifice, and that we will only persevere because of His grace that sustains us. One day, whether in this life or the next, we will see Jesus' glory acknowledged by everyone... even those who may mock you today. How does this encourage you to share your faith? Who can your community group pray for that you've had a burden to share the gospel with? Remember, Jesus promises that some of the opponents the gospel in Philadelphia (and Cleveland) would be "given as a gift" to that very church!

3. He is faithful in our trials. Jesus promises to keep His church from the "hour of trial that is coming upon the whole world." For a church that had endured both financial instability and the mockery of an established religious community, this promise is especially meaningful. Jesus wasn't claiming that His people wouldn't suffer- their history already refuted that interpretation and John's experience on Patmos nullified any doubt to the contrary. The common experience of the believer is defined by John's description of himself in chapter 1 (echoed in 3:10)- we are partners in the "patient endurance" that is in Christ.

• Trials tempt us all to want to opt out of the race, to stop and take a break from a "long obedience in the same direction." But Jesus doesn't pledge to keep us from suffering but to sustain us in suffering. How can we endure? By remembering what John remembered: there was only One who has truly endured the suffering we all deserve. John had written Jesus' own words on the earth: "It was for 'this hour' (the Cross of shame and suffering) that I came to the earth." He endured God's wrath for us that we might know God's love. How does the knowledge that Christ suffered once for all help you to endure our "light and momentary" sufferings? Is there anyone in your group struggling that you can pray for tonight as they trust in Christ's promise to hold them in their trials?

4. He is establishing us for eternity. Jesus' final promise comes in a series of statements. He will make the church pillars in His temple, setting His name on them forever. In a town rebuilt time and again (renamed twice for their benefactors), the church in Philadelphia was promised a place of permanence in the presence of God, living under the name and identity God creates for them. What a goal that creates for the weary soul.

• One of the greatest challenges to endurance is the fear that nothing will ever change... that our role will always be one of unrewarded and unnoticed. But Jesus sustains us with the promise that He is not only ruling over His kingdom, our enemies, and our trials... He also has plans for our eternal destiny. We will one day be established in His presence, our endurance ended in the security and peace of God's household. We're heading home... what peace that brings to the soul! What passages of Scripture sustain you and remind you of heaven when you are weary? How does focusing on heaven help you to endure in your current trial?

When we remember that Jesus' promises are faithful and true, we are given strength to endure. Enjoy encouraging each other on the journey this week in community group!

the Life of Christ in the church...

"To the angel of the church in Sardis write, 'The words of Him who has the seven spirits and the seven stars. I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die... Remember, then what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent.'" (portions of Revelation 3:1-6)

Imagine strolling along a beach and coming across a body lying in the surf. Unsure if they're alive or dead, you'd immediately begin the process of searching for vital signs: you'd look at their eyes, you'd listen for breath, you'd feel for a heartbeat. In the same way, Jesus examines the church in Sardis to find out if there's life left in the church. Sardis was a church overrun by inoffensiveness... ignored by the Romans, they were (in the words of one commentator) "too harmless to be worth persecuting." Their witness was ineffective because they had forgotten one thing: when we share in Christ's life, we reflect Christ's glory. Jesus calls the church to "wake up" from their slumbering... and he does so by examining three vital signs of the church:

1. Breath: the Spirit revives the Church. Jesus tells the folks in Sardis that He alone holds the church (the seven stars). He holds them and sees their weaknesses. Like a guard asleep at his post, the Christians of Sardis needed to remember that Jesus not only held them, He held the Spirit (the "seven spirits of God"- representing the fullness of God's presence.) Echoing the New Testament's theme that only the Spirit of God gives life (John 6:63, Romans 8:2, Galatians 6:8), Jesus calls us to a desperation for the activity of the Spirit in our lives.

• As a church we need to remember that the Spirit revives our Church... are we daily looking to the Spirit for our vitality as a church? We've implemented two indispensable aspects to our church calendar: our "20-40 meeting" on Sundays before our service (9:20-9:40) and our "Worship and Prayer Night" on Fridays- first one's coming up on the 24th at SGC. In addition, let's make sure that our CG's are defined and highlighted by a desperation for God's Spirit to meet with us corporately.

2. Heartbeat: the Gospel revives the Church. Jesus tells the church in verse 3 that they are to "remember what they received." Sardis had forgotten the message they received from Paul and others in this region- the good news that Christ had redeemed them from sin and rescued them for His kingdom. Like messengers for a liberating army, we're called to remember one main message: the decisive victory against our enemy is over.

• The most important thing we can hope in isn't what we have to do but what the King has done for us! As a church, we're called to love God by celebrating, proclaiming, and living out the message of the gospel. All over the country, the gospel is being watered down, marginalized, and forgotten. Do you have confidence when you share the gospel that others need to hear and be encouraged by this one truth? If not, what do you need to do in order to restore your confidence so that you can witness more freely?

3. Blindness: Our hope revives the Church. Jesus looked into the eyes of the church and saw that their gaze had drifted from their eternal hope. So He reminded them that (despite the way others may regard them) those who conquer will have a new name redeemed for them in heaven. Jesus will one day rescue our name and reputation by forever uniting it with His grace!

• Our sins will be atoned for, our failings will be made up for, our final destiny is to have our names written in the book of life (which Revelation 13 and 20 link to the Lamb who was slain). When you struggle with your sins or shortcomings, it revives us to remember that Christ's blood will forever cover everything. How can you fix your gaze on our eternal hope- the final work of the gospel?
  

When he was closing our meeting, Jonathan encouraged us to do three things each week:

• Take a morning to cry out to the Spirit for life.
• Take a morning to review and remember the gospel.
• Take a morning to fix your eyes on eternity.

Enjoying the gospel with you,
Darren

The Passion of Christ in the Church...

"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write, 'The words of the Son of God who has eyes like flames of fire and feet like burnished bronze. I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel... But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come." (portions of Revelation 2:18-25)

Thyatira was a blue-collar city made up of a number of different local workers unions. This dynamic created job security for many within the town- chief among them being a thriving metal and fabric dying trade guilds. Obviously, there were a number of advantages that came with this kind of structure, and most people viewed membership in the union as essential for their well-being in the city. The one downside for Christians in Thyatira is that joining up with a local union meant that you needed to participate in the religious feasts for each local "union idol"... meals which often wandered down the path of sexual immorality.

So what was a Christian to do? How could you remain a part of Thyatira's community (and job market) while remaining true to your identity in Christ? Enter "Jezebel" a woman in the church whose status as a prophetess gave her the respect to voice her opinion. She seemed to have advocated a view that salvation was more concerned with the spiritual than with the body- enabling a believer to act however he wanted at these feasts. It was a popular and convenient teaching... likely connected to what what Jesus had associated with the Nicolaitans and Balaam in other towns. Regardless, Jesus opposes her, her followers, and her teaching... instead wanting the church to remember that the church will shine like Christ when it defends what Christ values. In order to shine, we have to remember the gaze of Christ on His church in three ways:

1. The Son of God searches His people: Jesus is described in chapter 1 as having eyes like flames of fire. The "eyes of the Lord" is the phrase from the Old Testament that most accurately portrays the measuring stick by which a person's righteous living was evaluated. David, Noah, and various kings found favor or did right in "the eyes of the Lord." Many kings did not do what was right by this standard. Peter in particular would have seen these eyes after denying Jesus three times; Luke describes it this way: "While he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And Jesus turned and looked at Peter." (22:60-61) The gaze of Christ can be troubling, but it can also be reassuring... as we see in Matthew 6 where Jesus reminds us that God "sees in secret" and will reward our acts of giving, devotion, and self-denial when they're unnoticed. How does the fact that Christ searches our church encourage you? Are there some who have forgotten that Christ sees your small acts of service that you feel others don't notice? Are there some who have forgotten that Christ is aware of our acts of rebellion, even when we don't think that others notice what we've said or seen or done?

2. The Son of God sees the failings of the church. Jesus has little regard for "Jezebel" or her followers (her "children") or for the fact that the church in Thyatira has allowed her sin and influence to continue unchecked within the church. He critiques them for tolerating her effects on the believers who are listening to her, and He warns them that her punishment is coming. Notice three aspects of Jesus' rebuke:

• Jesus' concern is first Godward... He critiques her for her rejection of God, and her embrace of a satanic mentality within the church.
• Jesus' concern is for the effects on the church... He warns her that her doctrine is spreading: she is teaching and seducing others in the church towards idolatry and immorality.
• Jesus' concern is targeted towards repentance... Despite her awful treatment of grace and the effects of her lies about what God values, He waited in executing judgment and He offered to withhold judgment if they would repent.

This makes me wonder why we are so hesitant to bring correction to others when God may want to use us to help others. We're called to be like Jesus: we should be concerned when we see our friends making mistakes about who God is and what He values, particularly when they're influencing others in the same direction. However, this is to be driven by a desire for restoration. In all that, we're not God... we don't see accurately or perceive perfectly. Therefore, we must be humble and cautious. Bring observations about what you're seeing, not conclusions about what drives it. Remember, God may want to bring grace to others through you, and nothing can kill that like a dose of self-righteous arrogance.

3. The Son of God sees the presence of His grace. For a church so tolerant of sin, Thyatira is not without their strengths... and Jesus is not so concerned with sin that He is blind to their godliness. This is a church whose real care for God and others, whose confidence in God's promises, whose desire to meet others' needs, whose endurance to stand with Christ no matter what are all stronger now than they were early in the church. What a great statement to make! It's easy to be a flash in the pan, but the fruit in this church was maturing. Jesus even makes a strong distinction within the church over those who were resisting Jezebel's influence. How encouraging this is for us who can be so aware of our weaknesses, sins, failings, and feeble faith. We can too easily dismiss others when they say, "I see how God is at work in your life." Be encouraged that Jesus doesn't look at our sins to the negation of our strengths. Take some time before you close to remind each other of the ways you've seen Christ at work in each other. If you're having trouble knowing what to look for, start with the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5) and the gifts of the Spirit (Rom 12, 1 Cor 12, Eph 4). You'll find how encouraging it is for all of us to remember that Christ sees and commends the gifts and strengths He has worked into His people.

Have a great week!

The purity of Christ in the Church...

"To the angel of the church in Pergamum write... 'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name and you do not deny my faith... But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam... so also you have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore, repent... To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna.'" (portions of Revelation 2:12-17)

Somewhere around 1400 BC an unstoppable force of rebel slaves made their way across the desert toward a group of semi-nomadic kings. Their reputation preceded them: they were an unbeatable military power with a mythical capacity for supernatural conquest... crossing natural land barriers with ease and raining down curses from the sky on their enemies. Many kings fell at their hand, but one succeeded in stopping this army. His adviser recognized that the power of the slave-nation came from their god; so his counsel was simple. Convince them to stop relying on and trusting in their god- then, they'd be as good as conquered.

Sadly, the strategy worked. Balaam (the counselor to the king) knew that if he could seduce the Israelites away from God, then God's people would be unplugged from God's presence and power. (You can read more in Numbers 25.) This same strategy of distract and divert is used over and over by God's enemy against God's people... and we encounter it in the church today. Satan uses the distractions of the world as attacks against purity of the church... dulling us and preventing us from shining forth with the glory of Christ. What we saw on Sunday from this passage was that the glory of Christ is reflected in the purity of the Church. And Christ's passion for our purity was reflected in three ways in this passage:

1. Christ knows our temptations. Jesus told the Christians in Pergamum that their situation was close to His heart. He knew where they lived: Satan's backyard. In the realm of his influence, breathing the air of a culture he had created. And Jesus relates this intimate knowledge in present tense language: "I know where you live." What comfort there is in this. Jesus knows our present struggles. He doesn't simply equip us to fight and promise to meet us on the other end. He walks with us and comforts us in the midst of the daily battles for purity we all face. How this knowledge helps me to read Hebrews 4... "We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. Instead, Jesus was tempted like us... yet without sin." Christ knows our temptations today because He walked them with us and for us on the earth! His sinlessness doesn't distance Him from us... instead, it qualifies Him to both relate to us and to intercede for us today.

2. Christ opposes our tolerance. Jesus had some harsh words for this church. Despite the encouragement that He could relate to their struggles, Jesus opposed their passivity to a worldliness that was infiltrating the church. Jesus wasn't simply concerned- He promised to come and fight against those who were implementing a worldliness within the church. Like a king welcoming his enemy right into his palace, the folks in Pergamum were allowing Satan access to the church in a way that could lead to their destruction. And Jesus told them that if they wouldn't do something about this, He would. Our church isn't facing an onslaught of teaching that promotes tolerance towards worldliness. To date, we've been handed a great deal of wonderful teaching. What we need is to make sure we're putting it into practice. So on Sunday I suggested that we re-start a conversation about worldliness in our own lives. I suggested that we make it easy for others to ask us questions about the following things:

• Materialism: What are you buying?
• Media: What are you watching?
• Music: What are you listening to?
• Modesty: What are you wearing?
• Mission: What are you pursuing?

3. Christ offers the treatment. The good news in this passage is that Jesus doesn't simply diagnose our problem and call for change, He offers the cure to our problem. Our appetite for the world's value system isn't easily combated unless there's a stronger pull on our hearts. And Jesus offers the strongest of all: being with Him. "To Him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna." Jesus in John 6 tells us clearly that He is the fulfillment of an Old Testament picture of provision. God sent bread from heaven for His people in the wilderness, but only Christ truly satisfies. He is the true bread from heaven. Only this message helps me fight for an enduring purity. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for their shall see God." I want to overcome and triumph in this fight with the present and future blessing of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

So, I think I'll get a bit more acquainted with the questions above... cause I'm gonna need some help from my friends. And when we all pour ourselves into this, we'll shine forth with the glory of Christ because the glory of Christ is reflected in the purity of the Church.

The faithfulness of Christ in the Church...

"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write, 'The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer... be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.'" (Revelation 2:8-10)

Like the long time friend of a newly crowned celebrity, Smyrna was a faithful friend to the city of Rome. When Rome took power as an empire, Smyrna came along as part of the gang. One of the perks of being a favored city was that Smyrna was among the first to popularize emperor worship... even to the point of giving out certificates for burning incense at Caesar's temple. Trouble is, Christians wouldn't do that... they couldn't recognize Caesar's lordship or deity. So Smyrna became a dangerous place for Christians. Sadly, persecution was the norm- especially defined by financial and physical suffering. And to them Jesus brings the encouragement that the church will shine like Christ when it suffers like Christ. This encourages us as we see three things in the passage:

1. Christ sees His suffering church. The One who is the first and the last saw the mess sin had made of His creation and entered in to creation to save it. But the Savior suffered the loss of comfort, of popularity, even of His life in order to save us. But Jesus isn't just the One who died... He is the One who died AND came back to life (v 8). Jesus' resurrection changes everything! It means suffering isn't eternal, it means Jesus didn't suffer in vain, and it means that we don't suffer in vain. But suffering tempts us to believe that God has forgotten us, and we must remember that Christ sees us in our suffering. He knows our tribulation. In what ways are you tempted to believe that God has forgotten you in the midst of your latest trial?

2. Christ redefines the impoverished church. In a day when it was legal to steal Christian's property because of their faithfulness to Christ, poverty takes on a new definition. The believers in Smyrna weren't lacking luxuries, they were lacking everything. Food was scarce, businesses were ruined, the future looked bleak. And the believers were tempted to believe that their wealth was tied up in their current circumstances. But Jesus reminds them and us that "it is not poverty to be poor." Instead, our status as those forgiven our offenses against God and destined for the riches of an eternal kingdom trumps everything. Whether rich or poor in earthly standards, the only lasting assessment is the richness of our soul. When we remember this, we don't have to fear the loss of anything on earth. Each trial or loss reminds us to fix our eyes on things that are unseen and declare, "we are rich." How have you been reminded lately that your wealth is not bound up in what you possess on earth? What specific things have you done lately that remind you of the richness of the gospel?

3. Christ rewards the faithful church. When you read verse 10, it's amazing to see the two realities Jesus addresses: 1. the church doesn't need to fear AND 2. the church will suffer. Jesus says, "Do not fear WHAT you are about to suffer." Suffering for them meant the devil would bring about the imprisonment of some of the church leading to their death. But Jesus says, "Be faithful..." which makes me wonder, "What does faithfulness look like?" But faithfulness unto death is only possible if we love Jesus more than life. Otherwise, I'll be faithful to preserving my life instead of faithful to preserving my testimony. This was simple in Smyrna: don't bow to the emperor. This is more complex in the US- but I think there are still some simple questions:

• Do I love Jesus more than I love my comfort?
• Do I love Jesus more than I love my reputation?
• Do I love Jesus more than I love my money?
• Do I love Jesus more than I love my life?

Christ may one day bring suffering to the US like the believers in Smyrna knew. But today, the answer to those four questions sets me on a trajectory that will lead to future faithfulness as well. How we address suffering that challenges my comfort, reputation, financial peace of mind, fashion sense, choice of friends... all of those answer whether I love Jesus more than I love my life. And when I do love Him in the face of suffering, when we all do, our church will shine with Christ's glory. So encourage each other to be faithful in the midst of the suffering we face.

Have a great time in CG!

the Love of Christ in the Church...

"But this I have against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent." (Rev 2:4-5)

On Sunday, we turned in Revelation 2 to Jesus words to the church in Ephesus- the first church (the "lampstands" that surrounded Jesus in chapter 1). The Ephesians were an important church in an important region. They had an amazing church history: After three years of hearing Paul preach, watching him perform miracles, many of the people in the church had been so amazed by the gospel that they gave up everything to follow Jesus. Their love for Jesus was so compelling that the entire region around them was radically affected by the good news... the word of God was spreading!

But over the next thirty years, that young church had to fight some real battles over what could be taught in the church. Paul had warned them that after he left, men from their church would teach "twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them." As the church fought those battles, two things happened: 1) the church was well cared for and grew into a safe haven for helpful doctrine, and 2) the church drifted towards knowing about God more than really knowing Him. So as Jesus addressed this church in Revelation 2:1-7, God addressed us this Sunday as we saw ourselves in this church. We saw three things together:

1. We are commended for guarding the Truth. Jesus turns His attention to the Ephesians in v 2-3 and said, "I know your works..." The One who sees clearly with eyes of fire saw this church and was pleased with their "toil and endurance." He knew about the growing list of men with untested ideas who cared more about getting a following than serving the church. And Jesus knew that the Ephesian leaders had guarded the church well from teachers whose ideas looked helpful but were ultimately poisonous to the flock. And Jesus said, "Well done."

In a similar way, it's helpful to look back on our history and remember that God is pleased with our church as we have grown in a fuller understanding of who God is and what He values. God has seen the hard work of all those over this past decade how have served well: our Sunday School teachers (who've raised a decade of kids on the truth), our youth-parent leaders (who have sought to help our teens think biblically that they could have faith for an uncertain future), our community group leaders and worship leaders (who have found creative ways of helping us to celebrate and apply the gospel)... Jesus has seen our desire to grow in the Truth and we are commended for guarding the Truth.

2. But we are critiqued for failing to love. The danger Ephesus faced was that they'd become more excited about studying God and what He values than loving God and what He values. Their early years were marked by a passion to know God... and doctrinal precision was the overflow of that love. Sadly, they'd fallen from those heights- warm towards truth and cold towards God. Pursuing truth is supposed to be the means to knowing God... knowing the One who created, loved, redeemed, and saved us. When we study what God values without loving those He values, we're in danger of losing our mission as a church. This danger was expressed by Jesus with the words, "Repent and do the works (the expressions of real love) you did at first. If not, I will come to you and will remove your lampstand from its place."

What a threat! If we guard the truth and have a carefully worded missions statement but fail to love God and others, our church might not last the next decade. If we can speak like angels, prophecy with power, explain the toughest riddles, believe the hardest promises, give til it hurts, and endure til the end... but we forget to love- our church is nothing (see 1 Cor 13). And Jesus won't allow a group like that to represent Him in this region. Because the light of Christ is reflected in the love of the Church. So the question we have to ask ourselves is, "Are we still marked by love?" Do we love God or love knowing about Him? Do we love people or just tolerate them? If we're like Ephesus in this, we might want to keep reading because...

3. We're called to remember and repent. Jesus prescribes two cures for the Ephesian church. In light of His victory over sin (to the extent that He will even allow us back in the "garden" again at the Tree of Life... Rev 22), Jesus enables us to do two things: remember what it was like in the early days of knowing God and repent. We need to be reminded of our early life with Christ... to remember both through our memory and our shared memories with those who remember better than we do. We need to be reminded by sharing the gospel and seeing the blessing of new believers in the church whose passion for God is shining brightly. And when we remember, we need to dream up both old ways and new ways to show God and others our love.

And when we do- God (whom nobody can see) will become visible in the church. (1 John 4:12). What a joy and privilege both to stand up for God and to showcase His love in our midst!

Looking forwards to decades together,

Darren