Tag: Service

“Hear, O Israel: Hearing and Listening to God in Worship”

People of God: Remember to prepare for worship prayerfully and to be ready to worship the Living God and to hear His Word as it is read and preached to you.

 

Pray for your ears to be opened, your heart to be ready to receive, your mind to be fresh, our worship to be full of the Holy Spirit, and my preaching and proclamation of the Gospel to be clear! Our Larger Catechism instructs us helpfully:

 

WLC 160  What is required of those that hear the word preached? A. It is required of those that hear the word preached, that they attend upon it with diligence,(1) preparation,(2) and prayer;(3) examine what they hear by the scriptures;(4) receive the truth with faith,(5) love,(6) meekness,(7) and readiness of mind,(8) as the word of God;(9) meditate,(10) and confer of it;(11) hide it in their hearts,(12) and bring forth the fruit of it in their lives.(13) (1)Prov. 8:34 (2)1 Pet. 2:1,2; Luke 8:18 (3)Ps. 119:18; Eph. 6:18,19 (4)Acts 17:11 (5)Heb. 4:2 (6)2 Thess. 2:10 (7)James 1:21 (8)Acts 17:11 (9)1 Thess. 2:13 (10)Luke 9:44; Heb. 2:1 (11)Luke 24:14; Deut. 6:6,7 (12)Prov. 2:1; Ps. 119:11 (13)Luke 8:15; James 1:2

 

Pastor Phil Ryken says very insightfully: “Most churchgoers assume that the sermon starts when the pastor opens his mouth on Sunday. However, listening to a sermon actually starts the week before. It starts when we pray for the minister, asking God to bless the time he spends studying the Bible as he prepares to preach. In addition to helping the preaching, our prayers create in us a sense of expectancy for the ministry of God’s Word. This is one of the reasons that when it comes to preaching, congregations generally get what they pay for.”

 

Are you remembering to pray for the worship and preaching every week? This is so very important. Let me remind you to pray for the worship and preaching as if you were the one to lead worship and to preach! What needs more preparation the hard ground or the farmer who sows the seed?  Listen to the wisdom of the great Charles Spurgeon:

 

“We are told men ought not to preach without preparation. Granted. But we add, men ought not to hear without preparation. Which, do you think needs the most preparation, the sower or the ground? I would have the sower come with clean hands, but I would have the ground well-plowed and harrowed, well-turned over, and the clods broken before the seed comes in. It seems to me that there is more preparation needed by the ground than by the sower, more by the hearer than by the preacher.”

 

I think it is extremely important to remember to prepare our hearts to listen. Remember that hearing in the Bible is not merely to here auditory sounds, but to “listen and to be obedient”; we are to hear “from our hearts”; see Deut. 4; Psalm 78; Proverbs 2:1-7; “Hear, O Israel” is the Shema, and it means “Hear!” (imperative with the meaning of “listen and obey); our Lord often says: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” meaning that he who has received this in one’s heart and will obey (see also the Spirit’s work in Revelation 2-3: “He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches”).

 

To hear takes due preparation of one’s hearts, not merely one’s ears. Our hearts are the soil. The soil of our hearts must be prepared and tilled like ground to prepare for seeding. The seed is the Word of God makes its way to the heart through the ear. All of us know how we can listen and hear someone and yet not truly HEAR THEM.

 

Remember our Lord’s teaching in Luke 8:4-15?

 

And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

 

And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard. Then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

 

ESV Jeremiah 4:3 For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.

 

Pastor Ken Ramey in Expository Listening (Kress Press, 2010) writes that Christians can better prepare themselves to hear God’s Word read and preached each Lord’s Day if they will seek to do this each day (here are his helpful suggestions):

 

  • Read and meditate upon God’s Word every day.
  • Pray often throughout the week.
  • Confess your sins daily before God.
  • Reduce your media intake.
  • Plan ahead, and schedule your week around the ministry of the Word: try to be home on Saturday nights; be careful not to watch or listen to anything that might cause lingering distractions in your mind during worship; get things ready on Saturday to avoid the inevitable Sunday morning rush; get a good night’s sleep because you’ll be doing the hard work of listening; get a good breakfast that will hold you over until lunch; as you’re getting ready and traveling as a family to worship seek to sing and pray together; arrive for worship at least 10 minutes early to get everything done (even the unexpected things), and sit down ready to receive.
  • Be consistent in worship attendance.
  • Go to worship with a humble, teachable, expectant heart (it is not the preacher who is on trial before you; you are on trial before God’s word as to whether you will hear and receive what is spoken if Biblical truth.
  • Worship with all you heart: sing enthusiastically because you believe what you’re singing; follow along in Bible when read; listen attentively to prayers when prayed and respond with hearty “amen”; during the sermon follow along in the Bible; take notes).
  • Fight off distractions
  • Listen with diligent discernment so that you can determine humbly if what you heard was biblical and presented Christ and His Gospel to you and your family.

 

Let’s remember to pray unceasingly for one another that we will prepare ourselves better for hearing specifically, and worship in general, and that our worship services would be more excellent to God, and more helpful and transformative to us! Let us prepare our hearts for worship, and particularly for hearing the Word of God preached, and expect great things from our Great and Faithful God! (1 Thess. 5:18; Ephesians 6:18-20; 3:20-21).

 

Let us pray together to seek the best worship services we have ever had in the new year! Let us pray that God would send forth His Spirit upon us in such a way that we will all declare together: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the LORD!”

 

Here is a devotion to consider prayerfully before worship this week by Charles Spurgeon:

 

“These have no root.”- Luke 8:13

“My soul, examine thyself this morning by the light of this text. Thou hast received the word with joy; thy feelings have been stirred and a lively impression has been made; but, remember, that to receive the word in the ear is one thing, and to receive Jesus into thy very soul is quite another; superficial feeling is often joined to inward hardness of heart, and a lively impression of the word is not always a lasting one. In the parable, the seed in one case fell upon ground having a rocky bottom, covered over with a thin layer of earth; when the seed began to take root, its downward growth was hindered by the hard stone and therefore it spent its strength in pushing its green shoot aloft as high as it could, but having no inward moisture derived from root nourishment, it withered away. Is this my case? Have I been making a fair show in the flesh without having a corresponding inner life? Good growth takes place upwards and downwards at the same time. Am I rooted in sincere fidelity and love to Jesus? If my heart remains unsoftened and unfertilized by grace, the good seed may germinate for a season, but it must ultimately wither, for it cannot flourish on a rocky, unbroken, unsanctified heart. Let me dread a godliness as rapid in growth and as wanting in endurance as Jonah’s gourd; let me count the cost of being a follower of Jesus, above all let me feel the energy of his Holy Spirit, and then I shall possess an abiding and enduring seed in my soul. If my mind remains as obdurate as it was by nature, the sun of trial will scorch, and my hard heart will help to cast the heat the more terribly upon the ill-covered seed, and my religion will soon die, and my despair will be terrible; therefore, O heavenly Sower, plough me first, and then cast the truth into me, and let me yield thee a bounteous harvest.”

 

If you would like a book on how to listen better to sermons, I will provide you one upon request at no charge. The book is entitled “Expository Listening: A Handbook for Hearing and Doing God’s Word” by Ken Ramey (Highly recommended by John MacArthur Joel Beeke, and Jay Adams).

 

If you benefit from it, share it with your family. Let me know by responding to this email.

 

I have come to learn and to believe that if the preacher prepares himself in heart and soul before he prepares his sermon, the sermon will prepare itself; the sermon will flow forth from the heart that is devoted to Jesus by His Spirit. In the same way, if the listener to the sermon prepares himself in heart and soul before he comes to worship, the worship will prepare itself; the worship and hearing of the person will flow forth from the heart that is devoted to Jesus by His Spirit.

 

Love you!

 

In Christ,

 

Pastor Charles

“What the Spirit Says…Diligence and Discipline”

Word of Encouragement- The Church of Pergamum- “Diligence and Discipline”

 

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”- Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22

 

“…We make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God…”- 2 Corinthians 5:9b-11a

 

Dear Beloved of the LORD at KCPC: I am writing short messages on the seven churches for our Word of Encouragement so that we might better assess where we are spiritually as a congregation, show us areas that need to be realigned with God’s Word, and how we might more effectively and sincerely make it our aim to please the Lord Jesus Christ!

 

If you would like to read the introduction to this short series, you may read here: Word of Encouragement

 

What are our strengths and weaknesses as a congregation? How can we ask God to better search and know us corporately? How are we doing at KCPC as a visible manifestation of Christ’s Kingdom on earth? Are we loving God and others as we did when we were first saved and gathered as Christ’s flock?

 

We will focus today on Jesus’ message to the Church at Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-17)

 

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

 

As we learned in our introduction to this series, it is important to remind ourselves that these seven congregations of the Revelation were real historical churches at the time that John the Apostle wrote his Revelation of Jesus Christ.  However, we want to understand that they are also symbolic of the entire church age between Jesus’ first and second coming.

 

This means that what Jesus says to the churches, we need to consider soberly for ourselves.  Jesus is still speaking to us (Hebrews 12:25).  Jesus is particularly speaking to His people in these letters as a corporate body and congregation of confessional Christians, and not merely as individuals. This is why it is good to use these letters to be assessed by Christ as we seek to grow in him as a body.

 

We should understand that through the reading and preaching of the Word in public worship, we at KCPC are also recipients of this important letter.  Jesus is addressing us, too!

 

Dear Ketoctin Covenant Presbyterian Church…Dear Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ, in Purcellville, Virginia:

 

“Dear Pergamum”: Jesus’ primary message to the congregation at Pergamum is:

 

A church must be diligent in following Jesus even to death, and must practice biblical disciple because there are ferocious wolves from without and wolves within (Acts 20:28ff).  A church must diligently endure persecution but also reject false teaching.  A Church must attend to the means of grace God has provided and practice Biblical discipline.

 

Final Prophet with Two-Edged Sword

The letter is addressed from the Lord Jesus Christ described particularly as “the Christ who has the sharp two-edged sword”—these are HIS words (v. 12; cf. v. 16; 1:16).  The sharp two-edged sword is symbolic for Christ’s Word to His people.  The two-edged sword is the sword of prophetic salvation and judgment.  As Isaiah said:

 

ESV Isaiah 49:2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away.

 

Christ is revealed as the Great and Final Eschatological Prophet of God at His right hand. Christ speaks like a two-edged sword that cuts two ways a two-edged message to His people: blessings for those who hear and believe, and curses for those who reject Him and His message.  The Apostle Paul describes Christ’s Word as the “sword of the Spirit” (Eph. 6:17).  The Word of Christ cuts deep; the Word of Christ speaks salvation to those who believe and condemnation and judgment to those who reject it.  Christ’s Word is living and active upon our sinful hearts, penetrating deep to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12-13).

 

The Risen-Ascended Christ having the two-edged sword reminds us that the Book of Revelation is a book about the triumph of God’s Truth over Satanic lies and illusions and error and idolatry.  Christ’s words are truth and they condemn those who deny the truth.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life no one comes to the Father except through Him! (John 14:6).

 

Church Planting Near the Beast and Harlot’s Neighborhood

Jesus reminds us of His care for us: “I know where you dwell…” (v. 13a).  Isn’t it comforting that the LORD Jesus knows exactly where we live; what time period we are a part of, what our particular struggles are, etc.? The LORD knows those who are his and knows intimately where they live and move and have their being; God never leaves for forsakes his people.

 

This congregation at Pergamum dwells or has been planted or established “where Satan’s throne is” (v. 13a).

 

What does it mean that Pergamum is the location of “Satan’s throne”? The City of Pergamum was located about fifty miles north of Smyrna and the church had to contend against extremely strong pagan forces.  Pergamum was the location of the oldest temple devoted to idolatry that was first erected for the purpose of worshipping Caesar Augustus.  This very old temple in Asia Minor continued for the purpose of worshipping the Emperor of Rome.  Pergamum was the Roman capital of the Province of Asia; the city was like an ancient Washington D.C. in that it was the seat of Roman government for Asia Minor.

 

The congregation at Pergamum had to learn to fight the good fight in this world in the midst of both persecution and wickedness of all kinds.  As we learn in the larger Book of Revelation, the Church of Jesus must always be watchful and praying, learning to contend against “the Beast” which is a terrible image of government that exalts itself against God and persecutes believers in every age, as well as “the Harlot” who deceives folks through sexual immortality, wealth and the riches of this world (see chaps. 17-19).

 

Our congregation still faces today “the Beast” and “the Harlot”. The Beast is an image of Satan to cause Christians to compromise; the Beast is any threat of government opposition to the preaching of the Gospel; this may be more subtle in North America, but nevertheless, we do struggle against different types of persecution from the Beast. The Beast wants to cause Christians to compromise under its power. The Harlot is the sexual immorality, wealth and riches of the world that distract us daily and even on a moment by moment basis to give ups pursuing heaven and settle for the pitiful “pleasures of sin” for a season in this age that is passing away. Let us never forget that whether Satan attacks us with His power or with prostituting ourselves with the world, we are tempted to compromise; LET US STAND in the whole armor of God! (Eph. 6:10ff).

 

Government was instituted by God as his servant or “minister” (Romans 13) to wield the sword on behalf of God.  However, government can also be a tool or instrument used by Satan to hinder the Gospel and oppose Christ’s Church.  Pergamum was a great pagan city full of wickedness and idolatry and from the looks of things, from a limited perspective, Satan’s “throne” there seemed to have had much more power and authority than Christ’s Church.  The Church was to live by the Truth that proceeded out of Christ’s mouth rather than stumbling because of the way things seemed from their finite perspective.

 

The good news is that Christ is the Risen-Ascended-Enthroned King and although it may seem that like Satan’s throne is more powerful, the Gospel of Jesus will break through and possess the hearts of His Beloved people.  This is the hope for anyone called to preach the gospel in the midst of strong satanic paganism- -Christ’s throne is greater- -and He possesses as King of kings and Lord of lords all authority in heaven and on earth (Phil. 2:9-11; Matt. 28:18-20).

 

Later in the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John shows to us the reality of Christ’s power and throne over Satan:

 

Revelation 11:15-18: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. 18 The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants,1 the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”

 

As we proceed through the Book of Revelation we will see the Triumph of the Lamb who sits upon the throne as He overthrows all of His and our enemies.  The Book of Revelation is how the Lamb who sits upon the throne as King of kings and Lord of lords destroys all competing thrones that set themselves up against God and His Anointed One (Psalm 2).

 

Because of Christ’s intimate knowledge of His people, they can be assured that come what may, he will never leave them nor forsake them as the King who sits upon God’s throne! We can be confident that Jesus is our King and rules and reigns over heaven and earth.

 

Hold Fast and Be Faithful to the End!

Commendation of the LORD Jesus: Although Pergamum is located where Satan’s throne is they “hold fast” to Christ’s Name and they have not denied their faith in Jesus; even when persecution was so bad that Antipas was martyred as a faithful witness as a sacrifice before Satan’s throne, they did not deny Jesus (v. 13b).

 

The congregation of saints were walking by faith and not by sight; they were holding to the promises of God in the midst of tribulation (cf. 1:9).  Although they had suffered from being in a central pagan location, they had nevertheless been faithful to preaching the Gospel of Christ.

 

In fact, even though they lost one of their members named Antipas, perhaps even the pastor of the congregation, they did not deny Jesus.  Although they Kingdom of Satan dealt them a harsh blow, they kept the faith and did not back down from making the truth known.

 

Antipas as martyr is identified with Jesus Christ as he is called the “Faithful Witness” or “Faithful Martyr”- -to be a witness for Christ and to receive persecution for Christ’s sake is to be identified with him and to be blessed:

 

ESV Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

 

Matthew 5:11-12: “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

But there were some things out of order that Jesus addressed to them so that the congregation through repentance might align themselves with Christ’s Holy Word!

 

Humble, Biblical Discipline is Necessary!

Correct/Rebuke to congregation from the Lord Jesus Christ: “But I have a few things against you…” (v. 14a).

 

What should we learn from Christ’s correction and rebuke from Jesus Christ as a congregation?

 

Jesus says that the congregation should have practiced humble, biblical discipline: You have as part of your congregation some who hold to the teaching of Balaam who taught Balak the king of Moab to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel… (v. 14b). By not removing the sinful teaching and behavior, it was putting a stumbling block before others in the congregation, causing them to stumble in their doctrine and life.

 

What does Jesus mean by “teaching of Balaam”?  You wil remember back in Numbers 22, Balaam gave Balak advice that led Israel to worship false gods and practice sexual immorality; Balaam advised King Balak to lure the Israelites into apostasy (Numbers 25:1-4; 31:8, 16).

 

ESV Numbers 25:1-4: While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. And the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang  them in the sun before the LORD, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.”

 

ESV Numbers 31:16 Behold, these, on Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the LORD.

 

When Israel went astray in the Book of Numbers God told Moses to discipline the people and remove all of the sinful folks from the visible church through death.  Although this is not how discipline is practiced in the New Covenant era, the message is the same: remove the sinful leaven so that the loaf of the congregation will be holy unto the LORD.

 

The congregation at Pergamum did not practice discipline as they should have; they had allowed certain elements of unbelief and paganism to contaminate the congregation (this was a threat to the Gospel of Hope in that dark city).  If the sinful leaven is not removed, it will work through the whole batch and the light of the Gospel will be forgotten and lost.  Jesus’ rebuke is similar to the Apostle Paul’s words about discipline in the congregation at Corinth:

 

ESV 1 Corinthians 5:1-5: It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

 

These in the congregation are teaching some of the congregation that they can eat food sacrificed to idols and to practice sexual immorality (v. 14c).  Jesus is saying that within a congregation gross idolatry and fornication are not to be tolerated.  Behaviors like this are inconsistent with the profession of faith in the visible Church and must be removed.

 

Secondly, Jesus corrects and rebukes the congregation because they also tolerated some who held to the teaching of the Nicolaitans (v. 15).  Jesus ‘hates the works of the Nicolaitans’ which was a threat to the Church at Ephesus as well (Rev. 2:6).  The Ephesian Church was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans as Christ hates their works (2:6), but Pergamum was tolerating their teaching as well as the sexual immorality.

 

Jesus teaches to all congregations the importance of church discipline and why it must be humbly practiced in conjunction with the Word of God preached and applied to men’s souls.  Christ’s address to this congregation reveals that the Reformation teachers were correct when they made discipline in the visible church one of the key and foundational marks of the True Church along with right preaching of the Word and the proper administration of the Sacraments.

 

Many congregations then and now could be commended by Jesus for not denying the faith, and for faithfully preaching the gospel, but who would be rebuked by the Lord Jesus for not disciplining those who were idolaters, sexual offenders and false teachers within their pale. This is another reason why the Book of Revelation is so important for those who read it (Rev. 1:1-3). As churches between the first and second comings of Jesus, we can find out more particularly pleases Him, and what we will have to face at the Judgment Seat of Christ if we do not face it now.

 

We must remember that godly discipline in a congregation is to promote purity in life and doctrine for all the members. Discipline is to threaten in such a way that it will hold members accountable to Christ’s Word.  Discipline is a corrective and can restore sinful offenders back to fellowship with God.  When discipline is properly practiced, it can save souls from hell, and restore the repentant to full communion with the saints so that the person disciplined might grow in their assurance and joyfully await the return of Christ (rather than dreading it!).

 

Repentance and Forgiveness!

A call to repentance for the congregation: “Therefore repent!” (v. 16a).  God is not willing that any of his people should perish but for all His Beloved people to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).  There is always opportunity for true repentance so that we might experience the full and abundant life of being in joyful fellowship and communion with God! God is good to His people when they leave their sins and return to their Lord Jesus in order to follow His two-edged teaching with more sharpness and more carefully!

 

Consequences for not hearing what the Spirit says to the churches (v. 16-17): “I will come to you soon and war against the false teachers with the sword of my mouth” (cf. v. 12; 1:16).  This shows by way of inference that what elders here bind on earth in the visible church by correctly disciplining according to God’s Word, it is bound in heaven; what elders loose on earth according to God’s Word is loosed in heaven (Matthew 18).

 

If discipline at Pergamum is not faithfully carried out, then Christ himself will come from heaven and discipline the offenders.  The implication is that if the pastor-elders use the Word of God to discipline the Nicolaitans in the congregation, then he won’t have to come in judgment- -it will have already been accomplished.  How would this happen?

 

Jesus is not promising to come back and judge, meaning the end of time when he returns to save and judge in his Second Coming.  Rather, Jesus is speaking of a providential acting with circumstances that will bring judgment upon the Nicolaitans and the congregation in general (Acts 5).

 

Blessings for All Conquerors in Christ!

Promises for those who hear what the Spirit says to the churches (v. 17): “To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it” (cf. 19:12; also 3:12; 14:1; 22:4).

 

The hidden manna is Christ’s promise of the abundant life.  In contrast to the pagan meals that some were a part of the idolatry in Pergamum, the believers could partake in Christ’s meal: Christ’s life given to them by faith NOW; the life of Christ communicated to them by faith in the Lord’s Supper NOW; and one day the Wedding Supper of the Lamb with Christ Himself for eternity (Rev. 21-22).

 

While idolatry and sexual immorality create the illusion of satisfying sinful mankind, Christ will feed his people physically and spiritually with his LIFE and Spirit now and for eternity.  Manna was kept in the Holy of Holies or Most Holy Place in the tabernacle (Exodus 16:33-35; Heb. 9:4).  This symbolized Christ as the Bread of Life that feeds and nourishes His people.

 

ESV Exodus 16:33-35: And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the LORD to be kept throughout your generations.” As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony to be kept. The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan.

 

ESV John 6:32-36: Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”  Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.

 

The promise of the white stone: We should remember that white is the Biblical color for purity and holiness (cf. 7:13).  The white stones were white marble that was very valuable in Pergamum in the ancient world.  Christ is promising to give something of great value, more valuable than all of the riches of Pergamum, that will reveal his intimate knowledge of His people: He knows his people by name.

 

ESV Isaiah 62:2 The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give.

 

Christ loves his people and the reason for this letter (as well as the letters to the other 6 congregations) was to teach Christ’s Church in the Inter-Adventual period to continue to persevere by His grace.

 

Christ’s Word is a means of grace, or a means by which Christ tells His people who he is, what he has done for them, and how they can persevere by faith.

 

Those who persevere to the end will realize that they are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:31-39), but by His grace they must realize this every day as they persevere to the end keeping their eyes on Jesus the Author and Perfector of their faith.

 

Let us at KCPC make every opportunity to seek Christ’s means of grace to persevere.  May we continue to hear and believe and trust Christ’s Word as He continues to lead us to the Promised Land.  Let us partake of the Sacraments, knowing that we are partaking by faith of Christ, the Bread of Life, the Manna from Heaven, and He will satisfy the longings of our hearts, and feed us with heavenly food.

 

Let us practice as a congregation biblical discipline so that we might remain pure as the people of God, and that sinful offenders in life and doctrine might repent and be restored to fellowship with God before it is too late.

 

May these devotional studies of assessment from Jesus using the letters to the seven churches of the Revelation cause us to better align ourselves with His truth, and encourage us all to make it our aim to please Jesus who died for us while we were yet sinners (Rom. 5:6-8).

 

May we live daily as a congregation before the face of Christ and so before the Judgment Seat of Christ. When we all arrive at our destination and we stand as the congregation KCPC before Christ’s Judgment, may these short devotions have better prepared us, so that we can stand confident and encouraged in the Lord Jesus’ presence.

 

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”- Jesus Christ

 

In Jesus’ love,

 

Pastor Charles

 

10/14/11

 

“What the Spirit Says…Tried and True”

Word of Encouragement- The Church of Smyrna- “Tried and True”

 

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”- Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22

 

“…We make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God…”- 2 Corinthians 5:9b-11a

 

Dear Beloved of the LORD at KCPC: I am writing short messages on the seven churches for our Word of Encouragement so that we might better assess where we are spiritually as a congregation, show us areas that need to be realigned with God’s Word, and how we might more effectively and sincerely make it our aim to please the Lord Jesus Christ!

 

If you would like to read the introduction to this short series, you may read here: Word of Encouragement

 

What are our strengths and weaknesses as a congregation? How can we ask God to better search and know us corporately? How are we doing at KCPC as a visible manifestation of Christ’s Kingdom on earth? Are we loving God and others as we did when we were first saved and gathered as Christ’s flock?

 

We will focus today on Jesus’ message to the Church at Smyrna.

 

It is important to remind ourselves that these seven congregations of the Revelation were real historical churches at the time that John the Apostle wrote his Revelation of Jesus Christ.  However, we want to understand that they are also symbolic of the entire church age between Jesus’ first and second coming.

 

This means that what Jesus says to the churches, we need to consider soberly for ourselves.  Jesus is still speaking to us (Hebrews 12:25).  Jesus is particularly speaking to His people in these letters as a corporate body and congregation of confessional Christians, and not merely as individuals. This is why it is good to use these letters to be assessed by Christ as we seek to grow in him as a body.

 

We should understand that through the reading and preaching of the Word in public worship, we at KCPC are also recipients of this important letter.  Jesus is addressing us, too!

 

Dear Ketoctin Covenant Presbyterian Church…Dear Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ, in Purcellville, Virginia:

 

Jesus’ letter to the Church at Smyrna reminds us of the challenging truth that a church can be considered faithful by the Lord Jesus and yet suffer.

 

Suffering and tribulation are part of being faithful to God’s Kingdom as the Church Militant in his world.

 

The truth revealed here is: An outwardly rich and successful church (numerically as in attendance, and/or programs provided) does not necessarily mean it is a faithful church; an outwardly “poor” and “unsuccessful” church (in the eyes of the world) that suffers for their faith does not necessarily mean that it is an unfaithful church.

 

“To the angel of the church in Smyrna” (v. 8a).  Smyrna is one of only two of the seven churches that receive only encouragement from the Lord Jesus.

 

Where was Smyrna? It was located in Asia Minor about thirty-five miles north of Ephesus.  The Church Fathers, particularly Irenaeus wrote that the Apostle Paul had stayed in Smyrna on his missionary travels.  Church history also reminds us of the great Pastor Polycarp who died a martyr’s death at Smyrna in the second century.  Pastor Polycarp had learned from, and been friends with the Apostle John.

 

The letter is from our Lord Jesus, particularly describing Himself thus: “The first and the last, who died and came to life (v. 8b; cf. 1:17-18).  Jesus is the Great God in the flesh and yet his knows of this suffering congregation of saints.  Jesus is the first and the last, yet he is also the Compassionate God who speaks to his people.  Jesus is the God who is Transcendent, yet so close. Jesus is the one who suffered unto death and gave His life for us, so that we would willingly our lives and be faithful unto death for Him!

 

Jesus has nothing to rebuke this church about, but he has a reminder-warning to them about what they are to expect as partners in the “tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus” (1:9). Listen to the kindness and compassion of the Lord Jesus:

 

“I know your tribulation…” (v. 9a)

 

“I know your poverty…(but you are rich)” (v. 9a; cf. James 2:5; for “rich in good works”- 1 Tim. 6:18)

 

Notice that no matter how overlooked and unappreciated and threatened by the world the Church at Smyrna was, Jesus compassionately sympathizes with them in their weakness as their great High Priest who lives to intercede for them at the Throne of Grace (Heb. 4:14-18).

 

The City of Smyrna was a very rich one.  In contrast, the Church of Smyrna did not live up outwardly to that rich and luxurious reputation; the church was considered poor in the eyes of the world.  Smyrna Church had no big buildings or lofty cathedrals, they were probably not very large in numerical size, and probably did not have a lot of exciting congregations to “wow” the crowds- –yet they were commended by Christ for their riches and success in faithfulness!

 

The Christ who was rich and made himself poor for our sakes, tells the Church of Smyrna that from God’s objective perspective (regardless of what folks on earth think) that the Church at Smyrna is rich in Gospel truth and eternal blessings! 

 

In our finite and limited judgment here on earth we are not good judges of whether a congregation is rich or impoverished, successful or unsuccessful.  We can however draw some implication-inference-conclusions from what Jesus says here to the Church at Smyrna.

 

Lots of congregations of Christ that seem rich and successful may not be.  Christ says later in his letter to the Church at Laodicea:

 

ESV Revelation 3:17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

 

What makes a congregation rich? It is **NOT** money, power, fame, a radio show, and lots of people flocking to the worship necessarily.  According to Jesus what makes a congregation rich is how much they are rich in good works, that is, congregations show forth their knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus in how they live before God and the world.

 

Remember the way our LORD defined true riches:

 

ESV Luke 12:15, 21: And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions…So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

 

The congregations who are rich in God’s Gospel, and are heirs to the riches in heaven can be small in number and yet many times will be in a world of sin and misery (although there are exceptions).

 

It does not matter a hill of beans how large a congregation is, numerically speaking.  Among ministers and even members of church congregations there can oftentimes be a kind of boasting about how big one’s building is, how large and loud the organ is; how many folks worship on any given Sunday, and how great and charismatic the pastor is.

 

All of these perks can be good (if they do not distract from the mission), but if the church is without the true gospel and the “richness in good works” it is a failure according to Jesus (as we will see in Jesus’ address to other congregations in Asia Minor).

 

We should be careful when we see a faithful, Gospel-preaching congregations dwindle down according to God’s mysterious providence, that we do not think them as poor, when they may be rich.

 

Again, we are poor judges of what constitutes a truly rich congregation (1 Corinthians 4:3-4, 7)!  But you can know them by their Gospel fruit (cf. Matt. 7).

 

Jesus says: “I know the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan…” (v. 9b; 3:9-10; John 8:31-59; Philippians 3:3; Romans 2:25-29).  Apparently Non-Christian Jews were claiming to the Roman government that the Church at Smyrna was not a Jewish sect, but was a non-Jewish group with the implication that they were an “unauthorized” congregation of saints (Jewish sects were protected by the Roman Empire at this time in history).  This would have caused trouble for the confessing members of the Smyrna Church because if they were not a Jewish sect then they had to offer idolatrous worship to the emperor.  If they did not offer this idol worship, then they would have been persecuted and most likely killed.

 

In light of this, the Risen-Ascended Christ tells the Church of Smyrna that they indeed are the true Jews and because of this, they will suffer persecution.  Jesus wants the church to understand herself not only as the True Jews by faith, but also that their citizenship is in heaven.  Persecution of the congregation will be provoked by false Jews and the Kingdom of Rome.

 

We don’t want to miss that here is the Risen-Ascended Christ’s assessment of **unbelieving** Jews.  This is consistent with what he preached in his earthly ministry and what was clearly interpreted by the Apostle Paul.

 

This is in no way Anti-Semitic as we might call it; this is the LORD of history evaluating what a true Jew is, and is not (cf. Romans 2:28-29).  Those synagogues in the 1st century who did not receive the Gospel revealed themselves as those who did not belong to Christ or his Church regardless of their outward success in adherents or numbers of worshippers; by rejecting Christ they were rejecting their right to be called children of Abraham (see John 8:31-59).

 

There were those who were Jewish ethnically who also became True Jews through faith in Christ.  Although they would have been rejected by the Synagogue (of Satan for their profession of faith), they were members of the Church of Smyrna.

 

In fact, it was those who were Jewish ethnically who were opposing and oppressing many of Christ’s followers.  The Church was being persecuted in Christ (Acts 9).  Remember that pagans and Rome persecuted the early church, but also the unbelieving Jewish synagogues as we learn in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles.

 

Jesus says to the Apostle Paul who was of the synagogue of Satan before his conversion-regeneration, those who persecute Christ’s Church are those who persecute Christ; and those who persecute Christ are not true Jews.  A True Jew is a “Spirit-filled’ Christian, one united to Jesus Christ by faith whether Jew or Gentile by birth!

 

Jesus says: “Do not fear what you are about to suffer…” (v. 10a).

 

God grants mercy to many congregations of the world and allows us to live without persecution often in our lives.  However, the Church of Jesus Christ is to expect nothing less than persecution and not to be surprised when it comes along; persecution is allowed by God to make us more like Jesus Christ and it is not to surprise us!

 

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory1 and of God rests upon you. – 1 Peter 4:12-14

 

We may not understand the suffering and persecution in the United States as well as other countries and nations in this world.  We may have plenty of prosperity and time on our hands to interpret the Book of Revelation as wholly a future, speculative “riddle” to be unlocked by our interpretive genius. 🙂 (That’s not completely unfair, is it?)

 

But as I have tried to make clear in our introduction.  The Book of Revelation is about hope in suffering in this present age.  The book is not for fanciful self-centered interpretation, but given to the Church as God’s Word to encourage perseverance in persecution and suffering!

 

Let’s talk a bit more globally about the True Church of Jesus and how those who suffer could benefit from Christ’s letter here (and hopefully if as Americans we find ourselves one day similar circumstances we will be strong enough through Word and Sacrament to face the persecution onslaught):

 

The World Evangelical Alliance estimates that 200 million Christians live in societies today where they are threatened with imprisonment, torturing and martyrdom.  Many Christians in Muslim countries undergo daily persecution and it is reported that Communist North Korea is perhaps the most dangerous place on earth to confess Christ openly and own a copy of the Scriptures.  In North Korea Christians are brutalized in prisons for their confession and profession of Jesus Christ.

 

In 2006 in Eritrea on the Continent of Africa (Northeast Africa), it was reported that almost 2000 Christians were imprisoned for their faith.  On June 6th 2009, Pastor Hua who faithfully preaches the gospel in Beijing, China was taken as he was changing trains and taken to a hotel and beaten by officials.  They reportedly said to him: “I’m going to strangle you and I’d like to see whether you can still preach the gospel” (officials also threatened to arrest his wife).  The Chinese “Domestic Security Protection Squad” is set up to suppress the spread of the Gospel.

 

One of the first messages of the Persecuted Church that I have read is, even before presenting the news: “Pray for us!”

 

We must seek to pray for these persecuted Christians at all times (Eph. 6:18), and we must seek to prepare ourselves for possible persecution like this in the future.  Here is one way we could pray (from the Book of Common Prayer):

 

Prayer: “Grant that we, who now remember these before thee, may likewise so bear witness unto thee in this world, that we may receive with them the crown of glory that fadeth not away; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” – taken from The Book of Common Prayer

 

In order to have knowledge of the Church’s persecution, and to pray specifically, you can read the updates from our missionaries in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church on our website; you can Google “Christian Persecution” or “The Persecuted Church” or go to “The Voice of the Martyrs” to learn more about the “Persecuted Smyrnans” throughout the world.  We may not all agree fully doctrinally and confessionally on every point with every persecuted Christian throughout the world, but we must admit that those who are truly preaching the Gospel are strong warriors for Jesus who are standing up to unbelief by the giving of their own lives.

 

Prediction of suffering: “Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison…” (v. 10b).  It is important to note that the devil, the Adversary and Enemy of God and His people is the force behind all of the church’s persecution.  This is why Jesus tells us to overcome those who are the Church’s enemies with love rather than vengeance.

 

The devil is God’s instrument and sometimes God allows the devil to be used to bring about His sovereign purposes- -but we are called to love our enemies as ourselves (see Romans 12:12-21).  Listen to how the Apostle Paul teaches the persecuted Smyrnan Church in his Epistle to the Romans:

 

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it1 to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. – Romans 12:12-21

 

Knowing that good comes out of our suffering persecution, we are to overthrow the power of the devil, and overcome evil by doing loving good in God’s Name.  We do not retaliate or seek vengeance to repay our enemies in God’s Name, but we seek to love, bless, serve, and witness God’s power through our suffering and persecution!

 

Suffering is part of our union with Christ; Suffering is not outside God’s sovereignty and purposes for His Church Militant.

 

What is God’s purpose in our suffering?: “…That you may be tested, and for ten days will have tribulation (v. 10b; cf. 1:9; 2:2-3; Matthew 24:7-9; John 16:33).  What makes a true and rich church of Jesus Christ? From this passage it is clear:

 

1) A congregation who professes the true God and Jesus Christ as the only hope of salvation; 2) A congregation who understands suffering as part of God’s revealed will and purpose for His church to make them holy like Christ; and 3) A congregation who loves Christ more than their own lives and would be willing to die for Christ.

 

Notice the specific “ten days” of tribulation.  Now this does not mean literally 10 days but is taken from the Book of Daniel (as much of John’s imagery and numbers are taken from Daniel and the Old Testament prophets).  Remember the 10 days that Daniel and his friends underwent the test of not partaking of the king’s idolatrous food.

 

The 10 days are symbolic of a sovereign time set by God that would be limited in duration, and that could indeed by accomplished by God’s grace.  The “testing” will only be temporal; the “testing will be “manageable” and “doable” by God’s grace to them as they walk by faith and not by sight- -just as Daniel and his friends did as exiles and strangers in an evil world.

 

As Jesus says to those who love not their lives unto death (2:10):

 

“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life…” (v. 10c; Matthew 10:21-22; Rev. 12:11; James 1:12)

 

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (v. 11a)

 

“The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death” (v. 11b; “second death”: Rev. 20:6, 14; 21:8)

 

How does the persecuted and suffering Church conquer- -even through death?

 

And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.- Revelation 12:10

 

Remember Who the letter is from: “The first and the last, who died and came to life (v. 8b; cf. 1:17-18).  Jesus is the Great God in the flesh who laid down his life to die for the sins of His believing Church.  Jesus was raised from the dead and lives to rule and reign and watch over the Church at God’s right hand!

 

In Christ we suffer; in Christ we die; in Christ we live!

 

Death cannot hold us- -where O death is your sting? Where O death is your victory?- -We will be raised with Christ to experience eternal blessedness in the presence of God.

 

Confessing Christians will not experience the second death of eternal torment and hell.  A short endurance and life of suffering is not worth comparing with the grace to be revealed to the overcoming Church Triumphant:

 

ESV Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

 

ESV Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him…

 

A short unbelieving life of denying Christ is not worth comparing to the curse to be revealed at the end of the ages.  As the Apostle John later shows to us in the Book of Revelation concerning the second death:

 

ESV Revelation 20:14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

 

ESV Revelation 21:8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

 

The Book of Revelation is to encourage the godly in Christ to continue to accept suffering and persecution for the Name of Jesus, while looking forward to a great eternity of bliss and peace in the presence of God!

 

ESV 1 Corinthians 2:9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”

 

The Book of Revelation is to discourage the ungodly who deny Christ to be warned now for their causing suffering and persecution to the Church for Jesus’ Name.

 

The ungodly are to understand that the second death of eternal torment and hell await if they do not repent, join the throng of suffering martyrs, confess Jesus Christ before God and man as King of kings and Lord of lords!

 

Christian: Do not fear but hope in the LORD as one who will conquer in reliance upon God’s grace.  No matter what suffering and/or persecution may come, let us learn to say with our Old and New Covenant brethren:

 

ESV Psalm 56:11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?

 

ESV Psalm 118:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

 

ESV Hebrews 13:6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

 

In light of God’s grace, let us be careful that we do not compromise God’s truth and live apathetically in this world.

 

May we at KCPC seek to witness the truth of God’s Gospel in every aspect of our lives and experience the suffering and tribulation that God allows by His grace so that we can be a “rich” and “successful” congregation in every way before God’s face.

 

May these devotional studies of assessment from Jesus using the letters to the seven churches of the Revelation cause us to better align ourselves with His truth, and encourage us all to make it our aim to please Jesus who died for us while we were yet sinners (Rom. 5:6-8).

 

May we live daily as a congregation before the face of Christ and so before the Judgment Seat of Christ. When we all arrive at our destination and we stand as the congregation KCPC before Christ’s Judgment, may these short devotions have better prepared us, so that we can stand confident and encouraged in the Lord Jesus’ presence.

 

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”- Jesus Christ

 

In Jesus’ love,

 

Pastor Charles

09/23/11

 

“What the Spirit Says…Orthodox and Loving”

Word of Encouragement

 

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”- Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22

 

“…We make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God…”- 2 Corinthians 5:9b-11a

 

For the next couple of weeks, I will be writing short messages on the seven churches for our Word of Encouragement so that we might better assess where we are spiritually as a congregation, show us areas that need to be realigned with God’s Word, and how we might more effectively and sincerely make it our aim to please the Lord Jesus Christ!

 

If you would like to read the introduction to this short series, you may read here: Word of Encouragement

 

What are our strengths and weaknesses as a congregation? How can we ask God to better search and know us corporately? How are we doing at KCPC as a visible manifestation of Christ’s Kingdom on earth? Are we loving God and others as we did when we were first saved and gathered as Christ’s flock?

 

Jesus is Lord of His Church. He knows us by name at KCPC. He knows our strengths and weaknesses, our virtues and vices, and the seven letters to the churches in Revelation teach us three important truths that I want to consider with you for the next few weeks: Assessment, Alignment, and Aim. Jesus makes assessment of His churches; Jesus teaches us through His Word by His Spirit so that we would be aligned with His revealed truth; and Jesus has died for us and loved us so that we will make it our aim to please Him.

 

As prophet, Jesus speaks; as priest he is Mediator before God, assuring the churches of his continuous presence and his availability for them to come and seek forgiveness when they repent; as king, Jesus rules and reigns over his people, providing them instruction, protection, blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.

 

Let us look first at Jesus’ message to the Church at Ephesus. It is important to remind ourselves that these seven congregations of the Revelation were real historical churches at the time that John the Apostle wrote his Revelation of Jesus Christ.  However, we want to understand that they are also symbolic of the entire church age between Jesus’ first and second coming.

 

This means that what Jesus says to the churches, we need to consider soberly for ourselves.  Jesus is still speaking to us (Hebrews 12:25).  Jesus is particularly speaking to His people in these letters as a corporate body and congregation of confessional Christians, and not merely as individuals. This is why it is good to use these letters to be assessed by Christ as we seek to grow in him as a body.

 

We should understand that through the reading and preaching of the Word in public worship, we at KCPC are also recipients of this important letter.  Jesus is addressing us, too!

 

Dear Ketoctin Covenant Presbyterian Church…Dear Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ, in Purcellville, Virginia:

 

Our letter is from Jesus Christ, who is described as: “He who holds the seven angels and walks among the seven golden lampstands” (2:1b). Our Lord Jesus addresses us. More particularly, our great Lord and Savior who addresses us in Revelation 1 as a gracious and loving Savior who has died for us:

 

“Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come…from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on the earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us by His blood…” (Rev. 1:4b-6a).

 

Jesus presents to us the Gospel good news that He is our hope for grace and peace from God and with God, and that Jesus loves us and has saved us from our sins. Rejoice!

 

Jesus goes on to speak: “I know your works” This should cause us all to consider soberly Jesus’ loving assessment of His churches. But there is always grace from our Lord in our time of need (v. 2a).

 

Jesus says: “I know your toil and patient endurance” (cf. 1:9; v. 2a). The Church militant lives between the tension of new creation and consummation (already- not yet) that is characterized by tribulation. Although there is great peace and joy in Jesus, our pilgrimage as Christians is characterized by tribulation (see John 16:33; cf. Revelation 1:9).

 

Jesus says: “I know how you cannot bear with those who are evil” (v. 2b). Ephesus was a faithfully confessional church, holding to the truths of Christ and Holy Scripture. They “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1).

 

Jesus says essentially to Ephesus: “I know you take doctrine seriously” (vv. 2c, 6). Your love for my truth is obvious in the way you live.

 

Jesus says: “I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake and have not grown weary” (v. 3). The congregation is continuing to fight the good fight and persevere by God’s grace as a people. Your patient endurance is commendable.

 

This was an outwardly orthodox congregation of Jesus Christ.  Faithfulness on the surface, and outwardly standing against evil; the congregation takes doctrine seriously; they were patiently enduring.

 

Outwardly this is a faithfully solid and conservative conversation of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Although this congregation is walking before God rightly outwardly, inwardly their hearts have turned away from Jesus.  Because their hearts had turned a bit away from Jesus, their loving hearts had grown a bit cold, even unloving.

 

The congregation was no longer as loving as it once was.

 

We should evaluate ourselves in light of this as Christ continues to speak to us. God has granted us a great deal of love for God and one another at this time in our congregational life, and this is apparent by God’s grace. But we must always understand that there is a danger of letting our hearts grow cold, although outwardly we are doing many good works for Christ. Notice…

 

Jesus says: “But I have this against you…” (v. 4a)

 

Through Jesus’ word, there is always room to grow, always room to learn, always room to be more reformed by and through the words of our Risen-Ascended Glorified LORD!

 

Jesus says: “You have abandoned the love you had at first” (v. 4b).

 

The point of this is that we as a congregation in Christ’s True Church might be reformed and ever reforming as Christ speaks to us through Scripture.  We should desire to and strive together as disciples to be the congregation that God has called us to be in Christ.  We must do this together in reliance upon God’s grace.

 

This takes love.  1 Corinthians 13:4-8 reminds us of the definition of biblical love for one another:

 

ESV 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.

 

Is this what characterizes our congregation?  I think we strive to be faithful, healthy, holy, even theologically astute and accurate, but are we loving? Do we have love for Jesus in our worship, in our devotions, in our prayers, in our service and affection for one another? Do we show love to others who may disagree with us, while we correct them gently, speaking the truth in love? (see 2 Tim. 2:23-25).

 

Ephesus was overall a pretty good congregation.  The Lord says good things about them.  However, they lacked love; they had abandoned the love they had at first.  There had been a gradual coldness because the congregation neglected to assess themselves and continually align themselves with the Gospel of grace.

 

This temptation to grow cold seems to be a scriptural echo of what Jesus had said in Matthew 24:12-14 about the visible Church when he returns:

 

ESV Matthew 24:12-14: And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

 

You may remember that the Apostle Paul had started the Church at Ephesus as a mission church.  He had remained at Ephesus for three years preaching, teaching and training disciples.  He left Pastor Timothy to continue what he had started; Timothy was the first called and ordained pastor of the congregation as it went from mission status to a self-supporting, self-governing, self-conscious, and self-propagating congregation of Christ’s Church.

 

The Apostle Paul had warned the elders that threats from within and from without would threaten the life of the Church (Acts 20:17ff).

 

The Church at Ephesus was one of the exemplary model “flagship churches” of the Churches of Asia Minor.  When Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesian Christians he had commended them for their great love for one another:

 

ESV Ephesians 1:15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your lovetoward all the saints…

 

The Apostle Paul had taught the Ephesians to live a life of love rooted in God’s eternal love for them in Jesus Christ.  Through a meditation and daily realization of God’s love for them in Christ, they were to live a life of love; walking in love, speaking the truth in love to one another and those outside their congregation.

 

ESV Ephesians 3:17-19: …so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith- that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

 

ESV Ephesians 4:2 …with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…

 

ESV Ephesians 4:15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

 

ESV Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

 

Marriages were to be characterized by husband and wife loving one another, and children showing love by honoring their parents (5:21-6:4).

 

But something had changed since the first.  Some of the gains that the Ephesian Christians had gained by God’s grace had been lost because of a lack of love. Can you see how easy it is to get out of step with the truth of the Gospel, to shift from the hope of the Gospel, and to drift from the message of the Gospel we have heard?!

 

When we get out of line with the truths of the Gospel as a congregation, we want to be realigned quickly by God’s grace. The Bible teaches that we can get out of step with the truth of the gospel, shift from the hope of the gospel, and drift from the message of the Gospel we have heard (see Gal. 2:14; Col. 1:23; Heb. 2:1).

 

Jesus says to Ephesus (and to us!): “Remember” (v. 5a).  This is an “eschatological remember”.  This means “don’t forget” the grace of God and the mercy that should lovingly motivate your theology to make Christians like Christ in knowledge and actions. “Remember” in Scripture is a recollection to action. Here they are to remember the Gospel grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and to go and love likewise.

 

Jesus says: “Repent” (v. 5b).  With Jesus there is always the opportunity to repent, to turn and find mercy with our Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:16); Jesus is always calling us to the Mercy Seat! Let us hear what the Spirit says in our need for daily repentance!

 

Jesus’ commendation to Ephesus:  “You hate the works of the Nicolaitans that I also hate” (v. 6). Jesus is saying: “This you have right; you must be loving, yes, but being loving does not mean to compromise with error. To be loving does NOT mean to compromise truth; this you have right.” No one knows much about the Nicolaitans, but it is obvious they were a heretical group who taught false theology and whose practices were immoral and impure.  They were probably those from within the congregation that were compromising with the world of paganism in the City of Ephesus.

 

Jesus says: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (v. 7a).  This is how judgment begins at the household of God (cf. 1 Peter 4:17) as we allow Jesus to assess us by His most Holy Word, then to align ourselves by His grace to His Word, and then to aim to seek to please Him as a congregation.

 

The “judgment” we receive as Christ’s congregation is admonishment for what we are not doing biblically, and we are to be disciplined by this word of judgment as God’s dear children (Heb. 12:5ff), and to repent and seek to be obedient and make it our aim to please Him (2 Corinthians 5:9).

 

“He who has ears to hear” is from the Prophecy of Isaiah (Isa. 6:9-10).  In Isaiah’s prophecy, Isaiah was sent to preach to congregations of Israel.  Those who had ears to hear and repented in light of God’s Word were the remnant, the true elect of God; those who rejected and had no ears to hear were the unbelievers (even if they were in the visible Church). Jesus also used this language in his parable of the sower during his earthly ministry to make a distinction between different kinds of hearts (soils); some of the hearts who heard were hardened, some were shallow, and some were distracted by worldliness. Those who heard were abundantly fruitful (see Matthew 13; Mark 4).

 

Preaching God’s Word is the way or means Jesus with the double-edged sword of his word brings straightness and aligns God’s people with God’s Word and Will (Heb. 4:12-13).  For those who have ears to hear there is salvation even in judgment because they become more like Christ through discipline.  For those who reject the message of Christ through His Word by His Spirit, there is judgment. Let us seek to be fruitful by seeking Christ to have hearts that hear and obey God’s Word. Let us seek transformed hearts that will be transformed through Jesus’ love for us.

 

To the conquerors: “I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (v. 7b).  This is one of the great benefits of being heirs of God with Christ (Romans 8:15ff).  The sacrament Tree of Life that appeared in the Garden of Eden and was denied our disobedient parents, is present now not in Eden, but in the New Jerusalem where Jesus is preparing a place for us (John 14:1-6).

 

By God’s grace in Christ, we are invited to partake of what this sacramental tree symbolized in Jesus Christ alone.

 

The Tree of Life is a sacramental tree symbolizing the eternal life found in Jesus Christ for those whom he loves.  Those who partake of the Tree of Life will never die but live at Shalom-Peace with God in the New Heavens and New Earth for eternity.

 

Though for now they may experience the Kingdom of God in the tension with tribulation and suffering, they are to remain patient (1:9), and seek the life of the Kingdom in Jesus Christ even now (Matthew 6:33), awaiting the full revealing and Revelation of this Kingdom when Christ returns. This should increase our love for God and each other that would naturally grow cold, but through grace is warmed and overflows into service and mercy to others.

 

For now, we as the Church of Jesus Christ at KCPC must hear and respond obediently to Jesus’ letter to the Ephesian Christians, understanding it is a letter addressed also to us.  We must love in response and reliance upon God’s grace and we must not compromise truth.  We must speak the truth in love and know that we may be persecuted for it.

 

For now, even as we live under tribulation, and we suffer, and we struggle against false doctrine and impure practices that God hates, we must seek to be patient in our endurance, fight the good fight, and to love one another as we did at the first.

 

And Christ enables us to do that by granting us the life now that we need that is found in Jesus Christ.

 

As Jesus addresses not only Ephesus, but also KCPC, how are we doing in our love for God and each other? Let us assess ourselves before the Throne of Grace; let us align ourselves with the Gospel Word of Christ; let us seek to make it our aim to please Jesus who died for us (2 Cor. 5:14-15); let us be controlled and constrained by His love!

 

Let us end with Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian Church.  Let us turn to Ephesians 3:14-21 and pray together:

 

ESV Ephesians 3:17-19: “…That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith- that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

 

May these short devotional studies of assessment from Jesus using the letters to the seven churches of the Revelation cause us to better align ourselves with His truth, and encourage us all to make it our aim to please Jesus who died for us while we were yet sinners (Rom. 5:6-8).

 

May we live daily as a congregation before the face of Christ and so before the Judgment Seat of Christ. When we all arrive at our destination and we stand as the congregation KCPC before Christ’s Judgment, may these short devotions have better prepared us, so that we can stand confident and encouraged in the Lord Jesus’ presence.

 

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”- Jesus Christ

 

In Jesus’ love,

 

Pastor Charles

09/09/11