We are continuing a series on the 7 messages to the church in Revelation: This time we are looking at the third message, written to the church at Pergamum.[1] 

Revelation 2:12-17  12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.
14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

As we have seen with the previous two messages this one follows the same pattern.  There is a personal greeting from Jesus, commendations, critiques and  conclusion.  The greeting begins: “These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.” Again we find this is relevant to the local city.  The symbol for the city of Pergamum was the sword as it was one of the few cities that Rome had granted the right to use capital punishment[2] Yet, Jesus speaks here of words, not a physical battle. The situation that the church at Pergamum was facing was a war of ideas. Essentially the message breaks down into two battles in the war of ideas.  On one front are ideas contrary to Jesus’ teaching pressuring the church from the outside.  On the other front are ideas contrary to Jesus’ teaching coming from within the church.[3] Thus, we see the battle ground laid out.  It is a battle for the mind of the people

Like in many of the other churches, the cultural situation at Pergamum was difficult. In the face of pervasive idol worship, standing up as a Christian certainly would have caused a person to stand out.  Christians faced rejection, ridicule and death. In this context it would have been tempting to accommodate outside influences that were opposed to Christ. Yet the church has remained faithful and the church is resisting overt external pressure.  Jesus commends them for this!

There are unfortunately also some negatives to address. Some people in the church are following the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolations and are participating in eating food sacrificed to idols and engaging in sexual immorality.  The Nicolatians and those following the teachings of Balaam are caught in the same error. (Rev 2:14-15). The story of Balaam is given in Numbers 22-24.  Balaam tried and was prevented from cursing the Israelites.  He turned to a more subversive method.  He plotted to have a group of Moabite women seduce the Israelites and lead them into sexual immorality and worship of the idol Baal.  Tragically, the plan worked and Israel suffered serious consequences for their error.[4]

The false message, the error of the Balaamites and Nicolatians, is that eating food sacrificed to idols is basically harmless.  Idols are just bits of wood and stone.  After all, are you not in Christ? The problem is that knowingly participating in food that was sacrificed to idols is participating in idol worship itself. It’s like watching a raunchy R rated movie and declaring that I can do so and not be affected by the content. The issue is that a physical act is never just physical.  We are also spiritual beings.  Our physical actions have spiritual implication and vice versa.[5] Flirting with idol worship is extremely dangerous because it is messing with demonic power and influence.

Secondly, the Nicolatians and those following the teachings of Balaam were saying that sexual immorality was not a big deal.  Some in the church had bought into this lie. We hear it today all the time in popular culture; sex between consenting people is natural and normal. The problem is that we are not just physical beings.  Having sex with someone is more than a physical act.  There are spiritual implications.  There are emotional implications.  It affects our soul, our whole being. The false idea is that people can have sex with anyone at any time and remain unaffected. 

In summary the church at Pergamum is carelessly tolerant of some very harmful ideas.[6] What it adds up to in Pergamum is an insidious internal influence within the church that threatens to destroy the good that is coming from their resistance to harmful external ideas. The call from Jesus is firm and obvious.  Repent!
Repent is the translation of the Greek work metanoia.  It means to change one’s mind, to turn away from sin. Both those engaging in the sinful practices and those tolerating the sinful practices need to repent, change their minds, and turn away from sin. If these is no repentance, Jesus himself will fight against these false teachings and those who hold to them[7]
​
In conclusion Jesus says “To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.”  From the Old Testament we know that manna was the miraculous provision of food that God provided for the Israelites in the desert.  God, not cultural practices, provides for humanity’s deepest needs and gives bread that sustains.  In a culture where truth is said to be relative, we need more than ever to be in tune with Jesus. If people walk with Jesus, they will see truth in his clarity. 


[1] In this series I am drawing heavily from Darrell W. Johnson’s book Discipleship on the Edge.  Most of the ideas are his and I am very grateful for his scholarship on Revelation.
[2] Darrell Johnson, Discipleship on the Edge, pg 76
[3] Darrell Johnson, Discipleship on the Edge Pg 77
[4] Expositors Bible Commentary Abridged Edition New Testament pg 1145
[5] Darrell Johnson, Discipleship on the Edge Pg 79
[6] Darrell Johnson, Discipleship on the Edge Pg 79
[7] Expositors Bible Commentary Abridged Edition New Testament pg 1145

We are continuing the series we began last week on the 7 churches of Revelation.  These 7 churches represent all churches for all time, thus the messages given are applicable to us right here and now.  We’re looking here at the second of the 7 messages , addressed to the church in Smyrna.
​
8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
9 “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander[a] of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’
 
This message is unique among the seven messages.  In five of the other messages, Jesus has some critique of the church.  In the message to Smyrna there is no critique offered.  What makes this message different?

First, a little background on the city of Smyrna.  It was known historically as a beautiful city.  It is still in existence to this day; now known as Izmir in modern day Turkey.  It is important to note that the city was an early Roman ally and the city was absolutely dedicated to the Roman emperors.  It was inevitable that this culture in Smyrna would cause problems for people converting to Christianity. It is obvious that Jesus knows each local church and its unique situation.  For people in Smyrna the obvious power was Rome.  However, Jesus explained that he is the first and the last.  Jesus, not Rome or any other empire, country or political system is the first and the last.

Jesus says “I know your tribulation and your poverty.”  The Greek word used for tribulation here is at the heart of this message for the church of Smyrna.  The word is thlipsis.[1]  It speaks of an intense crushing pressure, as one who is trapped under a giant boulder.  The believers at Smyrna are under intense, even crushing pressure for their faith.  This is interesting because there is no word of critique offered to the church at Smyrna.  The pressure is happening not because they are doing something wrong, but because they are doing everything right. As the message continues, it is revealed that the pressure is going to get worse rather than being stopped. How could Jesus allow this?  It is precisely because the Christians at Smyrna are doing everything right.  As Revelation reveals, the physical battles we observe and feel are symptoms of the spiritual struggle going on behind the scenes.

The Christians in Smyrna are being opposed not by Rome or emperor worshippers, those are only tools in the fight, they are being opposed by Satan .“What needs to be strongly emphasized is that the disciples in Smyrna were not the ultimate target of Satan’s pressure.  The real target was Jesus.  But since he has defeated Satan at the cross and in the empty tom, Satan can no longer hurt Jesus. So the enemy goes after that which is dearest to Jesus, namely his church… The disciples at Smyrna were, therefore, not to take the pressure personally.”[2]

Jesus also knows the poverty of the Christians at Smyrna.  Smyrna was a rich city.  However, because of their stance against emperor worship, the Christians of Smyrna would have been ostracized and placed at the fringes of society.  They did not share in the material wealth present in the city because of their faith in Jesus. This is a strange thought for contemporary Christians.  God’s blessing is often associated with happiness and financial prospering. Does God not bless those he loves?  However, in Smyrna God’s blessing led to financial ruin and intense pressure being put on the Christians there. 

In this environment of pressure, it is revealed that things are going to get worse.  “do not fear what you are about to suffer.” There is an encouraging message if I ever heard one. There will be more thlipsis.  More pressure. Could it be that pressure is actually good for the church?  Historically the church thrives under persecution and dwindles in comfort.

You’ve probably heard of the concept of minimalism.  It is goal of living with a minimal amount of material goods. In most cases we use 20% of our stuff 80% of the time.  If you’ve ever embarked on a decluttering project you know that much of our material goods are fluff. This is much like the concept of what happens when believers and the church are under pressure. Faith is forced to the essentials.  The fluff is stripped away. What remains is Jesus.  He is all we need.  thlipsis forces the church to realize what is important.

Looking back on this intense message what do we do? 

“Do not fear.”  Jesus is enough.  Jesus will be with every believer. Don’t take pressure and persecution personally.  Jesus is the target, not you.  Jesus will not leave you or forsake you.

Pressure, troubles, persecution.  None of it is pleasant.  Yet, faith is built under pressure.  Faith that is not tested will not be able to stand in the face of future troubles. Faith that has been refined under pressure has been toughened and hardened.  It will not easily collapse.

Jesus is in ultimate control.  Though there will be tests, they are limited by the authority of Jesus. Stick with Jesus and you’re on the winning side every time.

And finally, in conclusion; encouragement “The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’” All people will die, some of old age, some accidentally, some through persecution.  The manner of death is not important.  What is important is our eternal destiny.  Those who are in Christ will not face the second death, or spiritual death. In the face of intense pressure believers must have an eternal focus, eyes locked on Jesus. “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life[g] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matt 16:24-26). Any sacrifices made, any pressures faced for Jesus will be worth it in the light of eternity. Keep going.  Jesus wins.


[1] Darrell Johnson, Discipleship on the Edge, pg 67, 72
[2] Darrell Johnson, Discipleship on the Edge, pg 71

We are starting a new series for the summer about the seven letters to the churches in the book of Revelation.  Let’s look at bit at the background of this series. Revelation was written around AD 96 by the Apostle John. These 7 letters in Revelation were written to actual historical churches. We may ask, why are there only 7 letters when Biblically and historically we know that there were many more than 7 churches in existence at the time of the writing of Revelation? The number 7 in the Bible and especially in Revelation means completeness.  Thus, these 7 letters are representative of all churches and the content of each letter is applicable to all churches both historically and currently. As we begin I will let you know that I am drawing heavily on a book called Discipleship on the Edge by Darrell Johnson for this series. It is a fantastic book on the book of Revelation and well worth picking up if you want to dig further into Revelation.

Let’s dive in and look at the first letter (Rev 2:1-7). 
“To the angel[a] of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

As the letter opens we have some strange imagery. The seven golden lampstands represent the 7 churches mentioned in these letters. The one who holds the 7 stars and walks among the seven lampstands is Jesus himself and thus it is he who is dictating these messages. He both holds the church in his hands and walks among the churches. This imagery tells us that Jesus cares deeply about the church.  Jesus is personal and he gets into what is going on in the church of Ephesus. Ephesus was a large, influential city.  It had a population of around 225,000 at this time and was the fourth largest city in the entire Roman empire.

The message opens positively. The church at Ephesus is active and productive. People are working hard for the Kingdom of God. They are persevering even in the face of challenges. This church and its members faced some very difficult cultural challenges. Ephesus was a center for worship of the god Diana and many people would come to Ephesus to worship this god. This religious tourism was a booming business. If someone became a Christian, they naturally tended to stop supporting the business that thrived on idol worship.  Sales went down, businesses lost money and people were upset. This very situation led directly to the Apostle Paul being involved in a riot in Ephesus as recorded in Acts 19:21-40. It was very likely that by not supporting the worship of the goddess Diana, that Christians in the church in Ephesus would have suffered economic losses, losses of friendships and had their reputations in the city suffer. Yet they persevered through these difficulties. They had not grown weary. This is some encouraging stuff!  However, as the message continues, we get to some bad news. 

Jesus has a problem with this church. While they are doing many things right, they have lost their passionate love for Jesus. Anyone who has been in love can probably remember those early days of love. You will do just about anything for the one you love. You will shift your priorities and change your lifestyle in order to be with the other person. It’s often similar in our faith journey. The initial passion when meeting Jesus launches us on the honeymoon phase. We are passionate.  We are in love with Jesus. We relish every opportunity to be with him. This is first love.

Then time passes…Life goes on.  The passion for Jesus seems to fade.  Day to day concerns crop up. We no longer spend the time with Jesus we used to. It seems to be a chore to read the Bible, pray and head to church. There are other things to do. Maybe work, finances, family, or any number of other things become more important in our minds and lives. Maybe we still love Jesus, but we aren’t in love with him.

This is what has happened in the church at Ephesus. If we are not careful it can happen to us. The warning is that good deeds, church programs, correct doctrine, discernment, and even perseverance are not enough in the face of the loss of love for Jesus. Christian service, volunteering, being in a leadership position; without love for Jesus it cannot be sustained. The Bible makes it clear that without a vital connection to Jesus we cannot thrive.  ““I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (John 15:5-6)

For the Ephesians then, what is Jesus’ solution? First, “Consider how far you have fallen.” Be realistic.  Have you fallen out of love with Jesus?  The first step in addressing the problem is admitting it. Second, “Repent.” Repent for what has gone wrong in the relationship. Apologize to Jesus for the lack of relationship. Have you placed things like work, money, or achievement ahead of Jesus? Time to take action.  What are you going to do differently? Do you need to change your schedule?  Shift priorities? How do you restore intimacy in the relationship?  “do the things you did at first.” Do those things you did when you were in love. Get back to basics. Like any good relationship it takes time, dedication and work.

As we conclude this message to the Ephesians the final warning is stern.  “If you do not repent I will remove your lampstand from its place.” A church can fail. Many churches over the years have closed the doors. The warning is stern but there is hope: “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” This is the promise of eternity spent with Jesus. There could be nothing better than an eternal relationship with Jesus. What an amazing promise.

What is the message here? Get back to basics.  Love for Jesus must come first.  It is the foundation for everything .

This time we are going to look at a very interesting passage of Scripture.  The prophet Elijah is one of the best-known characters from the Old Testament.  You might be familiar with the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal in I Kings 18.  Elijah challenges the prophets of the false god Baal to a showdown.  Elijah and the prophets of Baal will each build and altar and have a bull prepared for sacrifice.  They will then each pray and the god who answers the prayer by fire will be recognized as the true god.  The prophets of Baal pray and go through their rituals for hours.  No answer. Elijah, just to prove he hasn’t rigged the competition, has jars of water poured on his altar. Then he prays.  His sacrifice, including the bull, wood, stone, dust and even the water around the altar is consumed by fire from God. Elijah then has the false prophets arrested and executed. Immediately after this, the long drought in Israel ends. This is an astonishing story of the power and victory of God and Elijah got to be part of it all. But we’re not going to talk about that story. We’re going to talk about what happens right after that story. Let’s look at I Kings 19.

The miraculous victory over the idolatrous prophets of Baal has demonstrated God’s power. Baal is a powerless god. This victory is the type of ministry moment just about every prophet, pastor or leader would long for. You would think Elijah would be singing God’s praises with his head held high. However, the evil Queen Jezebel threatens his life and Elijah flees for his life and slips into despair. His circumstances were intimidating, and he had every right to be afraid physically. Yet, Elijah has just seen God win a major victory over hundreds of false prophets, now he is afraid of one human queen. The problem was that Elijah had shifted his view from God to his circumstances.[1] Elijah’s response is actually not uncommon in our human experience and we shouldn’t be too hard on him. It seems we are often vulnerable after a major victory or accomplishment as we have put so much time and energy into it, that we experience a significant let down after the adrenaline leaves our system.

Let’s look at what happens next.  Elijah sleeps and then an angel provides him with food and water. How many times have you experienced a situation where you are totally overwhelmed, then you have a good night’s sleep, some food and water, and you wake up refreshed and suddenly yesterday’s insurmountable problem is manageable? God provided just what Elijah needed after his emotionally and physically draining experience with the prophets of Baal. Yet Elijah’s despair ran deeper than a need for food and rest. He continues fleeing for 40 days and nights.  It is likely that he was communicating with God this whole time.  Maybe God was reminding him of his love and faithfulness. Even the greatest prophet of the OT just needed to get away for a while. Elijah is heading for Mt Sinai, the mountain where God revealed himself to Moses and the Israelites. Mt Sinai is symbolic of God’s presence and it is no accident that Elijah flees there.

Finally, after the flight of 40 days and nights Elijah arrives at Mt Sinai. As Elijah retreats into a cave God appears and asks him “What are you doing here Elijah?” (I Kgs 19:9).  Elijah expresses his complaint: “10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” (I Kgs 19:10). In other words he seems to be saying: “I have worked hard for you God, I have done what you told me to do, I’ve preached, I’ve been faithful, I’ve put my life on the line; but it seems like nothing positive is happening.  The Israelites are not responding.  In fact, they seem to be rejecting God, the prophets, and me.  Finally, an evil and maniacal Queen is trying to kill me.”  Elijah seems to be wondering: Where are the results?  Where are the good things you’ve promised?  Here I am alone and rejected.  Is this the life God offers?

God does not answer his complaint directly but instructs him to go stand on the mountain. A powerful wind, a dramatic earthquake, and a raging fire all pass by Elijah. God directs these displays of power, but his presence is not in them. Instead God reveals his presence in a whisper.

God repeats his question: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  Elijah repeats his response.  “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” It seems like God and Elijah are at an impasse.

Finally, God responds but instead of explaining things to Elijah he gives him a to do list. Almost as an aside there are explanations for all of Elijah’s questions. The two kings he was to anoint would be God’s instruments to eradicate Baal worship in Israel.[2] Then he is to anoint Elisha to succeed him as prophet; he will not be alone, and his ministry will carry on past his own lifetime. Finally, God says, by the way, you’re not alone in Israel.  There are 7000 who remain worshippers of the true God. Elijah’s despair, while based in difficult circumstances, was not as bad as he believed and indeed, he was not alone. The devil would have us believe that we are isolated.  God says to Elijah and to us:

• My power is sufficient for today, tomorrow and for any problem
• My presence is with you
• I have a plan for your today, for your tomorrow and for events far beyond your lifetime
• You are not alone

Sometimes God does not answer in the way we want or expect, but he does answer, and he is working no matter what our perceptions may say. I think the lesson here is that God is with us in victory and despair.  In good times and in difficult times. God does not give up and based on his strength we can keep going too.


[1] Constable, T. L. (1985). 1 Kings. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 528). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2] Barker and Kohlenberger III eds, Expositors Bible Commentary Abridged Edition: Old Testament, 1994, pg 532

Concepts are a great thing! I personally love seeing a new picture of a concept car, or gadget. The main problem with concepts though, is that they do not always become a reality. No matter how much a person believes in the concept, if it not pushed forward into production or made “real” then it stays a concept.

The Bible teaches so much about Love, what it is, what it is not, how important it is. There is a healthy chunk of the Bible that is about Loving others. We can get behind this as much as we want, understand it, believe it, even get excited about it! But if this love just stays a “concept” in our minds and is not made into a reality, then what’s the point?

In our pursuit to take love from a concept and make it a reality in our lives, there are a couple “road blocks” per se, that we need to watch out for, things that can hinder our sharing the Love that God wants us to share. 

Comparisons Can lead to pride (thinking that were are better than others), unhealthily priorities (thinking that we need to be like others to a point that we put them on a pedestal), and also Anger, resentment and jealousy, which are major blocks in loving other people!

Selfishness is another internal battle that we can struggle with. When we are being selfish we are thinking about ourselves as number one! The Bible talks in-depth bout the importance of putting others first and that acting selfLESSly is a key characteristic of Love.

What if Statements tend to stop our changes of sharing God’s love to people. We get caught up in thinking about what “might” happen. What if its awkward, uncomfortable, they get mad, others might think about me, the person I’m trying to share love with doesn’t respond well? All these are out of our control, what we can control is that we can CHOOSE to love people.

Busy Lives seem to be among the top things that get in our way to love people. We can see a need or even have a desire to love someone, but choose not to because we just don’t think that we have the tie or the resources (that we are willing to share). We need to make a decision to be intentional and loving to others. To make loving others a standard that we choose to live by. That way it won’t seem like such a bother or waste of time. 

Prayer is a major player in overcoming these roadblocks. Asking god to help us love others and share the Love that we have received from God is huge! Asking God for courage and strength to not be afraid of what others might think or how they might react. Not only is it crucial and helpful by asking God for help but by giving time to pray for the well being of others is a great way to start seeing a change of heart towards people and away from ourselves and a great step in push Love from a concept, and into a reality. 

Lastly, be encouraged that we do not have to do this all alone! God is within us and will help us! All we have to do is obey him, and let the love that is already inside of you pour out to others.
Hope you guys have a great week!​

~ Pastor Nathan Ball

​This morning as we celebrate Father’s Day I want to talk about the relationship between Jesus the son and God the Father.  I think looking at this father-son relationship will be helpful for all of us here this morning as the Bible tells us that we are all adopted as sons and daughters of God.  John 1:12-13 says “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”  The foundation for every follower of Jesus is based in what God the Father says and believes about his children

Let’s begin with Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan river as he began his ministry.  Scripture tells us: “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matt 3:16-17)

Keep in mind that Jesus has done no miracles yet, he has not preached a sermon; he has not healed anyone.  Jesus has not done anything of significance and God the father is pleased with him, because he is his son.  Jesus is fully and completely accepted by God the Father.

In our culture we often value people based on what they do, their success, skills and accomplishments   We generally must earn our credentials and have experience before we are recognized in society. Yet, God the Father does not wait until Jesus has accomplished something to give this statement. Jesus has no degrees, no credentials, no experience, a slim resume.  At this point most people would probably not hire Jesus as Messiah, let alone pastor of the local church.  In fact, a lot of people who observed Jesus personally rejected him as messiah. However, because of his relationship with his father Jesus does not have to prove anything.  Jesus ministers out of his relationship and acceptance from the Father.

Just as Jesus lived out of the Father’s acceptance, every person is accepted just as they are because God loves you.  The starting point is Jesus’ love for you, it is not determined based on your performance or achievements. We may often wonder what people think of us but we never need to wonder how Jesus feels about us.  How would your life change if you were to live out of the acceptance that you already have in Jesus, rather than trying to earn it?

Our identity is rooted in Jesus because we are created in his image. Just let the words of this passage in Ephesians sink in:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he[b] predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.  11 In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” (Eph 1:3-14)

It is easy to say we are accepted by Jesus, but harder to practice.  For myself I say, does God value me because I’m a pastor, because of what I do?  Does God value me because of who I know or who likes me? The answer is no, God does not value me because of what I do or who I know.  He values me because I am his son. What I do is important, but it does not determine my identity. My family and friends, my relationships, are important, but they do not determine my identity. My success or failure does not affect God’s view of me.  Pleasing people or not, does not affect my value in God’s eyes. As we live in the place of acceptance we can truly begin to understand what it means to follow Jesus.

Let’s continue looking at the father-son relationship between Jesus the Son and God the Father.  “Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.” (John 5:19-20). The father loves the son and their relationship is based on this love. Jesus never did anything that was not in the Father’s will and purpose.[1] If Jesus, who was fully God and fully man, did only what he saw the Father doing; I think this tells us something about how we are to live our Christian lives.

As a parent of a toddler it is amazing to see how much our daughter learns just from watching and observing us. Many times she learns something from us without us having ever intentionally taught her that thing.  She simply learns from us by living with us and observing what we do. As we live with Jesus and spend time with him, we will more and more naturally find ourselves following his lead and living out of his love and acceptance of us.

We’ve covered a lot of ground here.  If you walk away with one thing know that Jesus loves you just as you are.  You are accepted because you are a child of Jesus. As one who is accepted by Jesus you are invited into his presence to learn from him and to follow him. Just as Jesus followed God the Father, choose to follow Jesus, spend time with him, and trust him.  He will never abandon you and he will never lead you astray.


[1] Barker and Kohlenberger III eds,  Expositors Bible Commentary Abridged Edition: New Testament, 1994, pg 312

Perhaps too often people beat themselves up for not spending enough time with God and think they have to commit to a technical and boring in-depth regime of prayer and bible study to be Christians.  However we can realize that Holy Spirit is available to us always and that knowledge will change our outlook on life and the way we act and deal with everyday situations.  The problem is that this does not always seem to come easily.  How can we find the presence of the Holy Spirit?  This blog is based on the Sunday morning sermon at Crossroads Community Church for June 2, 2019.  Audio is available here.

When we talk about the presence of the Holy Spirit we are really talking about two different types of presences.  If you have been a Christian for a length of time you may know that God the Holy Spirit is everywhere, all the time.  There is nowhere that God is not.  David declares in Psalms 139:7 “Where shall I go from your Spirit, or where shall I flee from your presence?  It’s easy to say that the Holy Spirit is everywhere and to really believe it, but it can be “God’s out there somewhere, but he isn’t really impacting my life right now.” 

The second type of presence is when we are aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence.  Maybe you have experienced this at an altar call, during a prayer time, when you heard a particular song.  Jacob in the Bible experienced this.  He has a vision of a ladder to heaven and after the vision he woke up and declared “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” (Gen 28:16)  Is this not our dilemma?  God is everywhere and we did not know it.[1]

The manifest presence of God is realized through active awareness of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps we can think of it this way: I can know that my wife is in the room next to me, but we aren’t communicating.  However, she steps into the room where I am and asks me a question, now we are interacting.  I believed that she existed when she was in the next room, but I was not interacting with her presence.  Likewise we can believe that Holy Spirit exists and is around us, but it is very different to be actively interacting with him.
Coming to a realization and awareness of the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit has the potential to radically reshape our concept of the Holy Spirit and his active presence and influence in our lives.  There is a big difference between believing in God and experiencing him.  The Christian life turns on the difference between believing God exists and experiencing a relationship with him.

So how do we become aware of the manifest presence of God?  A.W. Tozer writes in the book The Pursuit of God: “Men do not know that God is here.  What a difference it would make if they knew.  The Presence and the manifestation of the presence are not the same.  There can be one without the other.  God is here when we are wholly unaware of it.  He is manifest only when and as we are aware of his presence.”[2] 

God wants to reveal himself to us that we might know him.  God can certainly hide his presence if he chooses to do so, but I would propose that in most cases it is our human nature and spiritual warfare that holds us back from a passionate pursuit of God, and not God hiding himself from us.  It is possible to experience the presence of the Holy Spirit anywhere and everywhere. 

How does this work?  To continue to quote Tozer: “On our part, there must be surrender to the Spirit of God, for His work is to show us the Father and the Son.  If we cooperate with Him in loving obedience, God will manifest Himself to us, and that manifestation will be the difference between a nominal Christian life and a life radiant with the light of His face.”[3] You don’t have to be in church, at a camp, or even with other believers to experience the manifest presence of God.  The presence of the Holy Spirit is not tied to location or activity.

What we do have to do is develop receptivity to his presence.  Just like a farmer sows seed and then cares for the plants we must cultivate receptivity to the presence of the Holy Spirit.  It isn’t something that just happens to us all the time, yet we can become far more aware of God’s manifest presence.  Receptivity to the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit is something that can be increased by exercise or destroyed by neglect. [4] 

So how do we cultivate receptivity to the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit? 

1. James 4:8 “draw near to God and he will draw near to you.”  We choose to actively seek God and desire for him to work in our lives. 
2. Practice spiritual disciplines.  Read the Bible, pray, worship, serve.  As we spend time with Jesus, the hidden spiritual realm is opened up a little more
3. Rom 12:1-2 Offer ourselves as living sacrifices.  There is no limit to what God can do with a willing sacrifice.  We reach a landmark moment when we realize that God’s will is what is good for us and that it is what is pleasing to God.
4. Gather with other believers and seek the Holy Spirit
5. Matt 6:14-15 live a life of forgiveness. 
6. Strive to live a holy life.  God is a God of love, but he is also a holy God.  To follow Jesus in earnest we must strive for holiness

A person submitted to God and striving to live a holy life will be far more aware of the presence of God because that person realizes that she is an active agent of God’s kingdom breaking into this world.  We say with Jesus: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10).

At first we may be surprised by the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit, but with practice we begin to develop receptivity to the manifest presence the Holy Spirit.  It is a powerful journey and one that can radically change your view of God and his active presence in this world. 


[1] A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God. (Camp Hill, Penn: Wing Spread Publishers, 2006), 60
[2] A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God. (Camp Hill, Penn: Wing Spread Publishers, 2006), 60
[3] A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God. (Camp Hill, Penn: Wing Spread Publishers, 2006), 60
[4] A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God. (Camp Hill, Penn: Wing Spread Publishers, 2006), 64

ENCOUNTER THE ONE WORTHY OF “EXPENSIVE” WORSHIP
John 12:1-11 ~ Jesus Anointed at Bethany
 
I always appreciate those folks who seem to be great gift givers.  The gifts they give are not frivolous, but heartfelt, thoughtful and tend to make you feel loved beyond measure.  In our scripture passage, it seemed Mary knew how to     give the most amazing gift to Jesus, though others branded her as wasteful and foolish for doing so. 

The story surrounds a dinner party at Lazarus’s house in which Jesus was the guest of honor, and rightfully so.  After all, Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead!  (See John chapter 11).  Amidst the bustle of the dinner party, a remarkable display of unfettered adoration took place.  Mary wandered up to the guest of honor, Jesus, knelt before him and lavishly poured a whole 12 ounce jar of spikenard perfume onto Jesus' feet and then wiped His feet with her hair. (See Mark 14:3 re:  the alabaster jar).

The fragrance of this spicy perfume filled the house, making Mary’s selfless, spontaneous act of extravagant adoration impossible to miss.  In fact, Judas’ response to the situation was the exact opposite:  a more selfish, prideful desire to keep money for himself rather than give the very best to honor Jesus that day.
Mary’s offering was not a waste at all as she was doing what no one else in history would have been able to do… she anointed Jesus for burial.  (NB – the ladies at the tomb that Easter morning went to anoint Jesus’ body for burial, but He had already risen).  Mary acted out of an intuitive desire to worship that made Jesus feel loved beyond measure and Jesus defended her for it.

Though she was not wasteful, it did cost her.  It cost her dignity to bow, let her hair down and wash the feet of Jesus.  It cost her social standing.  It would have been tough to be misunderstood by anyone while being worshipping this way, but one of Jesus’ own disciples called her out for it.  It also cost Mary her security.  A whole year’s wages were poured out on Jesus feet, but seeing as how Jesus raised her brother from the dead, surely He also had the authority and resource to provide for her every need.  Security lost … no.

 We may not have an alabaster jar full of expensive perfume to offer Jesus in worship, but we     do have a precious commodity worth pouring out and that is our very lives stored in these jars of clay
(2 Cor. 4:7-9).  If we will  follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit, giving the sacrifice of our priceless worship to God by offering our lives to Him, it will be like pouring out the perfume of heaven that no one could miss.   (2 Corinthians 2:14-16)
          May we be willing to pour ourselves out in worship to the One who alone is worthy of it all !!

Have you ever read a book or watched a movie and ended up saying “that is not what I was expecting?”  That’s kind of the sentiment I experienced when studying the book of Hosea in the Bible.  If you’re looking for a lot of encouragement Hosea is not necessarily the book to tackle.  The book is mostly about sin and the call to repentance from sin.  We’re going to go for a tour of Hosea as it examines the problem of sin and provides the solution.

Let’s look briefly at the background of the book of Hosea.  It was written by a prophet named Hosea during the 700s BC over a period of about 40 years. The book opens during a prosperous time in Israel, but by the close of the book, Israel is on the verge of collapse (defeated and exiled by Assyria in 722BC).  The first part of the book contains Hosea’s personal story which becomes an illustration of the story of God and Israel. The remainder of the book presents a series of prophetic warnings to the people of Israel.

Hosea is not the easiest book to read and study.  It is often dark and even harsh.  After presenting Hosea’s personal story the prophetic messages continue in chapter 4.

“Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites,
    because the Lord has a charge to bring
    against you who live in the land:
“There is no faithfulness, no love,
    no acknowledgment of God in the land.
2 There is only cursing,[a] lying and murder,
    stealing and adultery;
they break all bounds,
    and bloodshed follows bloodshed.
3 Because of this the land dries up,
    and all who live in it waste away;
the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky
    and the fish in the sea are swept away.” (Hosea 4:1-3)

“My people consult a wooden idol,
    and a diviner’s rod speaks to them.
A spirit of prostitution leads them astray;
    they are unfaithful to their God.
13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops
    and burn offerings on the hills,” (Hosea 4:12-13a)

God opens by lambasting the people.  We continue to read the book and it seems like God is hammering away at the people of Israel.  Can’t they catch a break? 

What does wrestling with passages like this tell us?  We see the human struggle.  People are constantly tempted and faced with the reality of sin.  As Hosea shares God’s message we learn that God takes sin very seriously and that there are consequences for sin.  God cannot tolerate sin.  Not because he is a divine megalomaniac but because sin separates people from him.  It is the opposite of holiness and freedom.

  Hosea 4:16 tells us “The Israelites are stubborn,
    like a stubborn heifer.
How then can the Lord pasture them
    like lambs in a meadow?”

Essentially God is telling the people that they are acting how they will be treated.  They can’t be stubborn and go their own way and expect God to lead them to peaceful meadows.  They appear to not want to be led. Essentially this is the problem of sin.  Sin is a rebellion against God.  Sin is when people say to God, I am in control of my own life.  I will do it on my own.  I choose not to follow you.  One of my daughter Eve’s favourite phrases right now is “my do it”  or “I want to do it myself.”  Now a two year old and an adult are a little different.  But we’re not so different in our attitude.  When we sin or ignore God essentially we’re saying to God “my do it.”

We see this illustrated in Hosea.  The book opens at a very successful and prosperous time in the history of Israel.  The Israelites had come to rely on their armies and alliances with other nations for military protection.  They turned to idols for spiritual worship in hopes that the fertility cults would enhance their harvests. They has stopped caring what God thought.  They had stopped relying on him.

The message that Hosea gives over and over in the book is that Israel needs to repent of their sins and return to God.[1] Maybe Israel would get the message and things would turn around. However the problems described in Hosea led to a decline first in economic and material conditions and eventually to the downfall of Israel. Success without God was short lived. Israel was conquered by Assyria and deported out of the land. There were consequences for their actions.  Their success had led them to turn away from God.  We might ask: How could a good God let something like this happen?

God is good, but there is thing called sin. When we talk about sin, we often talk about it as a problem.  This is because sin is a problem.  The biggest problem humanity has ever faced.  Yet God does not leave us alone in our sin. Despite Israel’s failures, God did not stop calling to them.  He did not walk away. He sent prophet after prophet to warn them and call them back. We may very well have to face the consequences of sin like Israel did after Hosea, but there is hope for the future. After pages and pages of warnings Hosea ends in chapter 14 on a note of hope.

“Return, Israel, to the Lord your God.
    Your sins have been your downfall!
2 Take words with you
    and return to the Lord.
Say to him:
    “Forgive all our sins
and receive us graciously,
    that we may offer the fruit of our lips.[b]
3 Assyria cannot save us;
    we will not mount warhorses.
We will never again say ‘Our gods’
    to what our own hands have made,
    for in you the fatherless find compassion.”
4 “I will heal their waywardness
    and love them freely,
    for my anger has turned away from them.
5 I will be like the dew to Israel;
    he will blossom like a lily.
Like a cedar of Lebanon
    he will send down his roots;
6     his young shoots will grow.
His splendor will be like an olive tree,
    his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.
7 People will dwell again in his shade;
    they will flourish like the grain,
they will blossom like the vine--
    Israel’s fame will be like the wine of Lebanon.
8 Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols?
    I will answer him and care for him.
I am like a flourishing juniper;
    your fruitfulness comes from me.”
9 Who is wise? Let them realize these things.
    Who is discerning? Let them understand.
The ways of the Lord are right;
    the righteous walk in them,
    but the rebellious stumble in them.” (Hosea 14)
​
Though Hosea is often dark, it ends with hope and a prescription for the problem of sin.  To get to this point you have to persevere and finish the book.  The answer to sin is clear, people must repent. With repentance comes the restoration of full relationship with God. At the time Hosea’s messages were given, the arrival of Jesus was some 700 years away but this passage points to the future redemption he would bring. These final verses of Hosea are about the future restoration of Israel. Despite all of their problems and sins, historically God restored the nation and the people returned from exile. However, the fullness of the restoration described in Hosea will not be realized until the second coming of Christ. The future restoration of Israel despite their past shows people that no matter what you have or haven’t done or how much guilt or shame you feel God is not done with you. There is always hope for restoration. If the book of Hosea teaches us anything, it’s that God takes sin seriously, but that repentance is always possible. Don’t sit on the fence today, take this opportunity to make things right with God if you need to.  He’s waiting for a response.


[1] Barker and Kohlenberger III eds,  Expositors Bible Commentary Abridged Edition: Old Testament, 1994, 1407

This morning we’re going to look at a story in the Bible about Jesus revealing himself to some of his followers. Here’s the setting: Jesus has been crucified and has died.  He has also risen from the dead, however many people do not yet know or believe this.  Put yourself in the midst of the unknown and let’s read the story in Luke 24:13-35: 

“That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.”

I must say I love this story.  Two disciples are walking and having an intense discussion about the recent events surrounding Jesus.  Jesus disguises himself and walks up to the two disciples and asks them what they are talking about.  They are incredulous that this stranger would not have heard about what had happened in Jerusalem. They are so shocked they halt their journey and stop still on the road. I wonder at this point why Jesus did not reveal himself? We can presume that Jesus wants the two disciples to open up and express their thoughts and feelings.[1]

The disciples finally crack and give their summary of the events.[2]  They believe Jesus is a prophet.  They blame the death of Jesus on the Jewish leadership.  They are in doubt. They were hoping that Jesus was the messiah, but it seems that his death has ended that hope.  They discuss the reports of the empty tomb but remain doubtful because Jesus himself has not been seen. How ironic that the very proof they are looking for is standing in front of them!

These two disciples were devastated. Their body language confirms their emotional condition.  They are standing still, looking sad. They have pinned their hopes on Jesus, only to seemingly be let down. The ‘third day’ in verse 21 was supposed to be the day of hope, as this was the day Jesus was supposed to have risen from the dead.  To these disciples it is too late; the day has come and is almost gone, seemingly without any concrete evidence of Jesus’ resurrection.

As they walk with nothing but time on their hands Jesus responds by giving them a rundown of the Bible (Old Testament) pointing out everything about himself. This must have been an amazing teaching! Could it be that this discussion was a key moment in God’s plan for these two disciples and for the early church? We know Jesus spent 40 days on earth following his resurrection appearing and speaking to his disciples (Acts 1). Indeed “For several reasons vv.25-27 are vitally important.  With great clarity they show that the sufferings of Christ, as well as his glory, were predicted in the OT and that all the OT Scriptures are important.  They also show that the way the writers of the NT used the OT had its origin, not in their own creativity, but in the postresurrection teachings of Jesus…”[3] With all this in mind, what might Jesus be speaking to you right now that doesn’t seem obvious in the moment but might be vitally important?

At this point the narrative reaches a break. The two disciples reach their destination.  Jesus, not wanting to be rude and invite himself over, implies that he is going on a bit farther. Again why would Jesus not make himself obvious?  Could it be that Jesus wants to be found?  If you’ve ever played hide and seek with a toddler you know it’s not a difficult game for an adult. Eve says to me “Where’d Eve go” as she covers her face with a blanket while standing in front of me. Of course I play along and take a little while to ‘find’ her to her delight.  Could Jesus be asking us to find him, to engage with him, while he stands there right in front of us?
The disciples urge Jesus to stay with them and he complies with their hospitality. They sit down for an evening meal and in a reversal of roles Jesus takes over as host and takes bread, blesses it and breaks it in an allusion to the last supper. It is at this moment that Jesus reveals himself. As they recognize him, he vanishes. Looking back the disciples realize that they had been receiving revelation from Jesus on the road “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (v 32).

Despite the late hour and their recent arrival at their destination they turn around and head back to Jerusalem. Keep in mind the text tells us that the village of Emmaus is about 11 kilometers from Jerusalem. It is evening and given the equatorial location, presumably fully dark.  It’s possible it’s somewhere nearing midnight when the 2 disciples arrive back in Jerusalem. When they arrive they find the 11 disciples gathered together.  The 11 are already proclaiming that Jesus has risen. It seems that Jesus has had a busy night. These two disciples add even more weight to the resurrection evidence as they share their story – their role is that of witnesses as they assure the 11 that Jesus has indeed risen from the dead.[4]  The days of doubt are over.  Jesus has revealed himself. He is alive. Hope is restored.

Have confidence that Jesus has risen from the dead!  Live in hope.  Secondly, believe that Jesus wants to reveal himself to you, but that sometimes you have to wait for him and look for him.  Finally, revelation from Jesus is what we need.  In this situation the disciples didn’t need a pep talk or a self-help book, they needed revelation from Jesus.


[1] Arrington and Stronstad eds, Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary 1999, pg 528
[2] Arrington and Stronstad eds, Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary 1999, pg 529
[3] Barker and Kohlenberger III eds,  Expositors Bible Commentary Abridged Edition: New Testament, 1994, pg 286
[4] Barker and Kohlenberger III eds,  Expositors Bible Commentary Abridged Edition: New Testament, 1994, pg 286​