THYATIRA (Part Two): The Power Of The Kingdom Of Heaven (Revelation 2:24-29)

We are going to start with a passage from Daniel 7, a chapter that Revelation pulls from pretty directly with its imagery[1]: 

Daniel:  I was looking and saw the four winds of heaven blow in from all directions and sweep across the surface of the Mediterranean Sea, whipping up waves and turmoil within the deep. Four great beasts rose up from the churning waters, each one different from the other. 

The first to surface was like a lion. It had giant wings like an eagle’s protruding from its shoulders… a second beast rising from the sea [resembled] a bear… another beast… was fierce and fast like a leopard. It had a bird’s wings like the lion… a fourth beast arose as if from a nightmare, terrifying, more awful and more powerful than anything I had ever seen. 

As I watched the vision unfold, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His throne above all. His clothes were the purest white, as white as snow, and the hair of His head was like the finest wool. His throne was a flaming fire, set on wheels that blazed like the sun.  A stream of fire emerged and flowed from His presence... 

The heavenly court will sit in judgment, his authority will be taken from [the 4th beast], and his supremacy over the earth will come to a permanent end…the fourth beast was slain, and its body was destroyed, delivered over to the consuming fire.  As for the other beasts, their power and position were taken away, but they were allowed to live for a little while longer. 

I looked and saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven[2]. He approached the Ancient of Days and was ushered into His presence. To Him was given authority, honor, and a kingdom so that all people of every heritage, nationality, and language might serve Him. His dominion will last forever, His throne will never pass away, and His kingdom will never be destroyed.[3] 

I was deeply disturbed by all that I saw; these night visions terrified me. So I approached one of the heavenly beings and asked him to explain exactly what had happened…. The four great beasts you saw that rose from the wind-whipped sea are four kings who will rise from the earth and come to rule vast empires.  

But the holy ones of the Most High God will receive that kingdom which will last for all the ages to come, forever and ever...[4] Now the appointed time had come when the holy ones took possession of the eternal kingdom….then the great ruling authority of the kingdoms under the heavens shall be handed over to the covenant people, the holy ones of the Most High; Their kingdom will last forever, and all the remaining kingdoms will worship and serve Him.”

The ‘four kingdoms’ of Daniel 2 and 7 are overwhelmingly identified in one of two ways: 

·      Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome

·      Babylon, Media, Persia and Greece.[5] 

I favor the view that that the fourth Kingdom is Greece.[6]  

·      First, the imagery for the Roman beast in Revelation is a combination of all 4 of these, suggesting it’s something new. 

·      Second, it’s soon after the 4th collapse of Greece and the defeat of that last horn in Daniel’s vision (Antiochus IV) that the Son of Man is enthroned in His glory after the Resurrection and covenant people are given the New Covenant along with the eternal Kingdom (the Kingdom of Heaven). 

I don’t think Daniel intends us to apply this to a Millenium age or the New Heaven and New Earth, because note that this all happens amidst the remaining political kingdoms of the world still being present (the beasts who are allowed to live),[7] and (if I am reading Revelation correctly), Rome still shows up as itself and as a stand in for empires the keep rising 

The writer of Hebrews talks about when Jesus, who “in these last days” (Hebrews 1:2) “appeared once for all at the end/culmination/consumation of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Hebrews 9:26).[8] It’s the end of the ages (!)… but it can’t mean the end of the world as we know it. HELPS Word Studies might clue us in with its explanation of how it is the “end”:

 culmination (completion), i.e. when the parts come together into a whole … not strictly "termination" but rather "consummation" (completion) that ushers in a new time-era/age (Mt 13:39,40,49,24:3, 28:20)… when it reaches its intended climax (consummated conclusion).][9]

Something had climactically gathered history together and brought an end even as it ushered in a new time. That “something” is, I believe, the incarnation of Jesus and his death and resurrection. We typically talk about the break between the Old and New Testament, or the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, but there is even more going on. Something dramatic shifted in the heavenly realm involving the Kingdom of God, the dismantling of authority previously given to the nations and rulers of the world, and the installing of a ruling authority for God’s covenant people.

And yet here we are, with dragon-inspired empires and beasts still roaming the earth. How do we explain this? The rabbis and the writers of the New Testament understood the term “the Kingdom of Heaven” to have a dual meaning: 

·      The rule of God in the present

·      the eschatological [end time] rule of God over all mankind.[10]

Christians have long called this “the now[11] and not yet[12].” In Northern Michigan we know what this is like when it comes to seasons. When the first day of spring shows up on the calendar, the age of fulfillment has come, but the consummation stands yet in the future. 

·      “At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him (not yet). But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor (now) because of the suffering of death”.  (Hebrews2:8–9) 

·      “Dear friends, now (now) we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears (not yet), we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2)

·      We are already adopted in Christ (Romans 8:15), but not yet fully adopted (Romans 8:23)

·      We are already redeemed in Christ (Ephesians 1:7), but not yet fully redeemed (Ephesians 4:30)

·      We are already sanctified in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:2), but not yet fully sanctified (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24)

·      We are already saved in Christ (Ephesians 2:8), but not yet fully saved (Romans 5:9)

·      We are already raised with Christ (Ephesians 2:6), but not yet fully raised (1 Corinthians 15:52).[13]

The now and not yet. 

This is brings us to the second part of the letter to Thyatira. I wanted that background, because we need it to discuss a point that is being made.  

“I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, those who have not held to the teachings of Jezebel and who remain ignorant of the real meaning of what is called the deep things of Satan,[14] I will not burden you with anything more. Just keep on task, and keep the faith until I return. 

 “And as for those who conquer through faithfulness even unto death and continue to labor with Me until the close of the final curtain, I will give them the power of the kingdom of heaven.[15] And they will shepherd the nations with an iron rod/staff/scepter[16], as fragile clay jars are shattered to pieces.[17]  As I received this authority from My Father, I will bestow the morning star to the victor.[18] 

 “Let the person who is able to hear, listen to and follow what the Spirit proclaims to all the churches.”

 I want to talk about the power and authority that is both “now and not yet” for the followers of Jesus who are shepherding and shattering the nations. 

First of all, we don’t take that power and authority. It’s not a thing we conquer anyone else in order to achieve. It’s given to us by the one who has that authority. At the final battle at the end of Revelation 19, the heavenly armies do nothing other than be present. All the actions belong to Jesus, who is covered in a robe splattered with his own sacrificial blood. The only weapon used is the “sword” of his word. 

Second, the authority wielded requires a proper definition:  

·      moral authority and influence having an earthly impact (Strong’s Concordance)

·      God’s authorization for faith-filled saints to act authoritatively as guided by His revealed Word (HELPS Word Studies)

I don’t think we are intended to read this as, “In this age –‘these last days’ – we will be taking earthly thrones.” In this age I believe followers of Jesus have been given spiritual empowerment and authority in a kingdom not of this world; since it’s going to involve shepherding, it’s going to look like something the Good Shepherd modeled for us.[19]

How do we exercise this shepherd-like moral authoriy of the “now” over the kingdoms of the world?[20] How do we shatter the structures, the systems, the worldviews, the immoral plundering of cultures and people? Well, why not use the classic text on shepherding, written by a shepherd about the Good shepherd.

The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing. 2 He provides me rest in rich, green fields beside streams of refreshing water. 3 He makes me whole again by refreshing my soul[21]; steering me off worn, hard paths to roads where righteousness and justice honor His name.

 4 Even in the unending black gloom of death’s darkness, I am not overcome by fear of evil calamity or injury. Because You are near with Your rod and staff, I am comforted. 

5 You spread out a feast on a table before me, provisions in the midst of attacks from those who vex and trouble me. You care for all my needs, anointing my head with soothing, fragrant oil, filling my cup again and again with Your grace.

6 Certainly Your faithful protection and loving provision will pursue me where I go, always, everywhere. And my dwelling shall be, throughout all my days, in the house and in the presence of the LORD.

Here’s what is of interest to me today: how do we exercise our spiritual authority and embody the sin-shattering presence of a shepherd in the kingdoms of the “now”?  We are not the kind of shepherds who can save like Jesus saves, of course. We are ambassadors; we are not the King. But we can still learn how to shepherd those given to shepherd by looking at how Jesus did it. 

·      The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing. Do we offer nourishing provision for those around us? We can’t meet every need, but we can meet needs of all kinds – spiritual, emotional, material, relational. How are we contributing in the lives of those who lack in our church, our city, our nation, the world? Are people fed with the water and food of temporal and eternal life when the representatives of the shepherd show up?

·      He provides me rest in rich, green fields beside streams of refreshing water. Do the weary and heavy-laden[22] find the rest of God in our presence? Do the victims of this sin-saturated world experience the rest that God offers through salvation when they are in the presence of God’s people? 

·      He makes me whole again by refreshing my soul.  Are we being refreshed by Jesus? Are the souls of those around us refreshed by Christ in us? Are we the oasis in the deserts of the world?

·      He steers me off worn, hard paths to roads where righteousness and justice honor His name. Do we walk people toward righteousness and justice instead of toward sin and injustice? Does where we go with people or take people honor the name of Jesus? Whose name will have been made great when we have left the room? There is only one thing that will draw all people to Jesus when it’s lifted up, and that’s Jesus.

·      Even in the unending black gloom of death’s darkness, I am not overcome by fear of evil calamity or injury. Because You are near with Your rod (Protection? Discipline?) and staff (guidance? Provision?), I am comforted. Do we protect, guide, and comfort those walking through their own dark valleys? Are we bringing light? Do we offer hope both practical and spiritual?

·      You spread out a feast on a table before me, provisions in the midst of attacks from those who vex and trouble me. Do those who are vexed and troubled find us to be nourishing? If someone comes into our life starving for love, truth, justice, grace, hope, what kind of table do we set?

·      You care for all my needs, anointing my head with soothing, fragrant oil. How are we anointing the heads of those around us with a soothing, fragrant oil flowing from the love, truth and grace of God as found in Jesus?

·      You fill my cup again and again with Your grace. Are we pouring  the grace of God into the lives of those around us such that they overflow? If there was a magical camera recording spiritual realities and translating it into physical images (like Revelation), what would we all see ourselves pouring into the lives of those around us?

·      Certainly, Your faithful protection and loving provision will pursue me where I go, always, everywhere. Are we pursuing people with loving provision and faithful protection? Not just waiting for an opportunity, but actively pursuing people. Who needs someone to stand up for them? Who needs loving provision?

·      And my dwelling shall be, throughout all my days, in the house and in the presence of the LORD. Good reminder: We are already dwelling in the house of the Lord in the Kingdom of God. 

#practicerighteousness

Rest in the comfort and grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, whose protection and provision is pursuing you wherever you go.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal and transform areas that need redemption in your life so that your re-presentaton of Jesus is ever more righteous and refined. 

Purposefully focus on shepherding others well this week by imitating what has been modeled by the Good Shepherd. 

_________________________________________________________________________
[1] It combines the imagery of these 4 beasts in describing the beast in Revelation

[2] A well-known image of authority and divinity, often used to describe earthly kings.

[3] When Jesus referred this passage to Himself,  the religious leaders accuses Him of blasphemy (Matt. 26:64, 65; Mark 14:62–64).

[4] Notice that what the previous paragraph called the enthroning of Jesus in an everlasting Kingdom, and which Jesus identified as happening when he came to earth, is now referred to as a time when the people of Jesus begin to rule and reign.

[5] “The beasts can be identified by a careful study of history. The lion, bear, leopard, and fourth terrifying beast represent Babylon, Media, Persia, and Greece. Persia had four kings, so the leopard had four heads. The ten horns of the fourth beast with iron teeth represent the ten dominant Seleucid kings after Alexander the Great’s empire splintered into four regions. The smaller horn is Antiochus IV who put down three potential Seleucid leaders (horns) before him.” (The Voice commentary, from biblegateway.com)

[6] “The four kingdoms of Daniel 2 and 7,”

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/the-four-kingdoms-of-daniel-2-and-7/

[7] Even while the other three kingdoms’ “power and position were taken away, but they were allowed to live for a little while longer.” In other words, Daniel is not talking about the end of the world, and yet the eternal Kingdom of God has begun. Hmmm.  

[8] https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/already-not-yet

[9] HELPS Word-studies

[10] “The Kingdom Of Heaven In The Here And Now And Future.” Marg Mowczko, https://margmowczko.com/the-kingdom-of-heaven-here-now-future/

[11] “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst (or, within you).” (Luke 17:20b-21)

[12] Jesus’ many parables show the kingdom here and in progress - and yet to come.

[13] https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/already-not-yet

[14] “The reference to ‘Satan's so-called deep secrets’ is uncertain. The reasoning of some in the early church (the Nicolaitans) might have gone something like this: The only effective way to confront Satan is to enter into his strongholds; the real nature of sin can only be learned by experience, and therefore only those who have really experienced sin can truly appreciate grace. So by experiencing the depths of paganism ("the deep secrets of Satan"), one will be better equipped to serve Christ or be an example of freedom to one's fellow believers (cf. 1Co 8:9-11). Thus the sin of Jezebel was deadly serious because of the depths of its deception. Only a few perceived where the teaching was leading.” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary)

[15] Some translations read, “the power of

[16] Rod, staff, scepter. https://biblehub.com/greek/4464.htm  It belongs to Jesus in Revelation 19 .“It is not easy to determine whether the "rod" is a king's sceptre, as in Hebrews 1:8, or a shepherd's staff, as in 1 Samuel 17:43; Micah 7:14; and Zechariah 11:7.” (Pulpit Commentary) 

[17] Psalm 2 imagery for what Jesus would do.

[18] Domitian was described as the morning star in his ascension to the throne. “Roman legions carried the symbol of Venus [the morning star] on their banners to depict Roman invincibility. In this context Christ would be saying that the only final sovereignty and power lay with himself and his victorious followers”. https://biblicalscholarship.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/commentary-on-revelation-218-29/

Jesus calls himself "the bright and morning star" (Revelation 22:16). In Daniel 12:3, the morning star is promised to believers. Since Lucifer is at one point referred to as the morning star -  and Romans 16:20 says that “ the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” - a few of the early church fathers read this verse as, “I will even put Satan under the feet of the victors.”  I mean, it works, but I don’t think it’s the primary meaning of this text.

[19] “The promise is of authority to share in the shepherd-like sovereignty of the anointed King.”  (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers) “The rule over the nations… is used in Revelation 7:17 of the Lamb shepherding his saints, and in John 21:16 in the charge to St. Peter to shepherd Christ's sheep. (Pulpit Commentary)

[20] Primary version is The Voice (my favorite), with substitutions of some parts for clarity.

[21] Passions, emotions, self, desire

[22] Matthew 11:28-29

The Buy In To Fit In (Revelation 2:18-23)

 [1]Write down My words, and send them to the messenger of the church in Thyatira. “These are the words of the Son of God,[2] the One whose eyes blaze like flames of fire[3] and whose feet gleam like brightly polished bronze: “I know your deeds: love, faithfulness, service, and endurance. Your labors greatly increase in quality as you travel along this journey.

A period of great prosperity was beginning for Thyatira. There were more trade-guilds in Thyatira than in any other Asian city at that time: wool and linen workers, garment manufacturers, tanners, potters, bakers, slave dealers, and bronze smiths.[4]

In a town known for its work, the church is known for its deeds: love that expresses itself in serving others, and faithfulness that has expressed itself in endurance. That’s a fantastic reputation. They are nailing the orthopraxy (righteous actions) and orthopathy (righteous feeling). The problem is their foundational orthodoxy (righteous teaching/belief). 

That’s going to need to stabilize, or the foundation is going to crumble. John is going to make this point by referencing the presence of a Jezebel (likely not her real name) in their church. Here’s the backstory of Jezebel.  

Jezebel married Israel’s King Ahab and got him to worship Baal; over 800 prophets of Baal were under her care. Most of the prophets of God were murdered at her request. At one point, she set up the murder of vineyard owner just because she wanted the vineyard. Elijah prophesied to Ahab that Ahab and all his successors would be slain and that dogs would devour Jezebel. Eventually, Ahab, Jezebel and her two sons, and Ahab’s 70 sons died as Elijah had predicted.[5] John is going to use this well-known Old Testament event to make a point about Thyatira’s version of Jezebel.

 “However, I have this against you:[6] you have tolerated that woman Jezebel, who is a self-anointed prophetess and who misleads My followers to commit immoral sexual acts and to eat food prepared for idol worship.  I have provided her enough time to turn away from her indecency,[7] but she refuses to turn from these immoral acts. 

 Watch; I will throw her back into her sickbed with those who committed adultery with her, and I will make them a bed of great affliction[8] if they do not abandon her indiscretions and turn to follow Me.  I will punish her[9] by striking her children dead.[10] Through this all the churches will know I am the One who relentlessly explores the mind and heart,[11]and I will deal with each of you as you deserve according to your acts.

 Like the Nicolaitans in general, it appears Jezebel is promoting participation in the guilds where the activities mentioned took place, which would mean at best flirting with idolatry and at worst embracing it.[12] I’m not sure how to best interpret the language of judgment here. I think (?) it’s best understood as simply making the point that just as judgment followed the original Jezebel (physical affliction and death in her case) judgment will follow this Jezebel (physical or spiritual? Commentators are uncertain). Whatever conclusions you reach from that, the consequences will be serious. 

This is the third time in the first four churches in Revelation that the Nicolaitan urge has shown up. One uncomfortable implication is that this is a common problem, not an isolated or unique one. Practically everyone is wrestling with this, and there appears to have been room to wrestle.[13]

But let’s this more uncomfortable. Don't forget: in Thyatira they were flourishing in “love and faith and service and endurance, and getting better at it. These Nicolaitans of Thyatira, with Jezebel as their leader, were still active and unwearied members of the Church, full of good works, and respected by the congregation and probably by the community for their general character and way of life.[14]

It’s a deceptive spot: “I am helping so many people, I am respected in the church and in the community, so not only is what I am doing with the guilds okay, I must be okay.” But John is here to challenge that. 

Let’s look at a likely argument that Christians could join a guild and participate in its feasts without compromising the faith.[15] 

• The rituals of the guilds aren't really even meaningful to the pagans. They are simply empty rituals, more political than religious. 

• Although the pagan guild members may believe that the gods exist, Christians know that the gods are nothing. (1 Corinthians 8) When believers participate in these cultic practices, they're not worshipping a false god because there is no god there. 

• If believers do not participate in the guild events they will not only be persecuted and excluded, they will lose all relevance to the city and to the economy, and that doesn’t do any good for anybody. Participation in the guild meetings gave Christians the opportunity to be witnesses to, or positive influences on, others. 

• Others might use the opportunity to indulge in sin, but Christians certainly don’t have to.[16]

“That incense burned to Caesar? Nobody takes it seriously. That sacrificial meat offered to the gods? It used to be idolatry, but if nobody at my table takes it seriously, is it really? That letter I get to do business says I was observed sacrificing to Caesar, but (wink wink) we all know I wasn’t really, right? And sure, there were prostitutes pretty boldly advertising what they had to offer, but I just looked, I didn’t touch. That’s righteous self-control, ya’ll. Plus now I got a good business deal, which means more tithe for the church - and I can support missionaries.”

But that’s the problem. Endless justification of that which ought not be justified. How do we do that? I think it starts when we begin to make categories about what God cares about[17]: 

”Things God Cares About”                          “Things God Doesn’t Care About”  

My Sexuality                                                     My Budget

Not being lazy                                                  Workaholism #moremoney

Your Slander                                                     My gossip #prayerrequest

Meanness                                                          Memes  #butitwasfunny!

Trust/Faith                                                         My need for control 

Loving Others                                                   Well, not that person…

But our faith is intended to permeate everything we do. When we are baptized (baptizo) we are marinated, spiritual cucumbers turned into pickles when our lives have been immersed in Christ. There is no part of us that gets carved out as if it were untouched. Everything is under the lordship of Christ. Abraham Kuyper famously said, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!”

If this doesn’t happen, we will be under the lordship of something else. In Revelation, you either get the seal of the Lamb or the mark of the Beast. Either a heavenly kingdom or an earthly empire will lay claim to your soul.[18]

There will be times when Christians can accept the existing forms, structures, perspectives and practices of society. It’s not all bad thanks to common grace.[19] There is plenty of room for legitimate discussion about how to be in the world but not of it. But there will be a lot of times when Christians must declare spiritual war against values, structures and practices of the empire.[i]

Here’s why we have to keep our antennas up on this. 

"Gallup and Barna hand us survey after survey demonstrating that evangelical Christians are as likely to embrace lifestyles every bit as hedonistic, materialistic, self-centered, and sexually immoral as the world in general." (Theologian Michael Horton)[20]

African Christian and missions scholar Professor Lamin Sanneh told Christianity Today recently that "the cultural captivity of Christianity in the West is nearly complete.”[21]

* * * * *

I was at a gym for a while where we would have a ‘buy in’ before the main workout. You had to ‘X’ before you could start the workout. I’ve been thinking of that in light of what the Christians in Thyatira were facing. There was a “buy in to fit in.” There was an entrance fee, a price for doing business, a price for being accepted, a price for living comfortably within the Empire. 

So my question is, what’s the price point for us? When is the buy in acceptable, and when is it too much? We don’t have literal business ceremonies in pagan temples in the United States; the push toward idolatry and compromise is not so obvious. So I’m trying to think of what this deceptive buy in might look for me like without a specific ceremony in mind. This is my list for me; I hope this spurs you to do some brainstorming of your own. 

• If the ‘buy in to fit in’ with a group requires I believe that all roads lead to God, that's too high of a price. 

• If the ‘buy in to fit in’ with a group requires I deny anything in our statement of faith, that’s too high of a price.

• If the ‘buy in to fit in’ with a group requires me to be in a position or take a job where I can't ever talk about Jesus, that's too high of a price.

• If the ‘buy in to fit in’ at a compelling job requires so much of me that I don’t spend a biblically responsible amount of time with my family, it’s too high of a price. 

• If the ‘buy in to fit in’ with a group means I must align myself with a political party or a community group or a civic organization that unnecessarily detracts from my ability to talk about Jesus with those who are far from Christ, that's too high of a price.

• If the ‘buy in to fit in’ with a group means unquestioning loyalty for our nation[22] in a way that does not leave room for a prophetic voice to speak righteous truth to power and call every leader at any level to appropriate repentance, that's too high of a price. 

• If the ‘buy in to fit in’ with a group means exercising my constitutional freedom in a way that overrides the biblical responsibilities I have as a follower of Jesus, that's too high of a price.

• If the ‘buy in to fit in’ with a group means I have to be comfortable with derisively mocking or slandering people I don't like on social media instead of speaking grace-filled truth in love, that's too high of a price. 

• If the ‘buy in to fit in’ with a group means you want me to minimize or ignore the very issues of justice that God cares about and which the Bible demands I care about, that's too high of a price.[23]

• If the ‘buy in to fit in’ means I have to treat people as if power equals importance, or beauty equals value, or education equals wisdom, or results equals character, I’m out. It’s too high of a price. 

• If the ‘buy in to fit in’ with a group means I have to fight with the  weapons of the Beast to win battles for the Lamb, that's too high of a price.[24] 

* * * * *

We are reminded in this letter: 

“Know that I am the One who relentlessly explores the mind and heart…”

I think we probably ought to join in that endeavor. 

 I am really encouraged by our deeds here at church: you give generously, you are involved in important ministries in our church and in our local community, you support and connect with those furthering the Gospel in other countries. You have been patient with the rebuilding from the fire, and faithful through all the hardships COVID has thrown our way. Let’s not grow weary in that J

If this letter reminds us of anything, it’s that we must look honestly at the thoughts and intents of our hearts. Next week we are going to finish this letter and look at the promise for those who overcome. Meanwhile, let’s  #practicerighteousness 

·      What is the “buy in” to be a good citizen in the eyes of our American culture?

·      What is the “buy in” to be respected by the world around us?

·      What is the “buy in” to participate in the economy, to achieve the American Dream of financial success and comfort?

Pray for discernment. Process with friends. Revisit what the values of the Kingdom are as revealed in Scripture, and surrender your heart to God’s inspection.

____________________________________________________________________________

FOOTNOTES

[1] Key resources that have heavily informed this series:

·       Apocalypse and Allegiance: Worship, Politics, and Devotion in the Book of Revelation,  by J. Nelson Kraybill

·       A teaching series by professor Shane J. Woods on Revelation (shanejwood.com)

·       The Bible Project’s videos, notes and podcast

·       Michael Heiser’s teaching on Revelation (Podcast: The Naked Bible)

·       Reading Revelation Responsibly: Uncivil Worship And Witness: Following The Lamb Into The New Creation, by Michael Gorman

·       Dragons, John, And Every Grain Of Sand, edited by Shane J. Wood.

·       Matt Chandler’s Revelation Series (Village Church)

·       Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture: Revelation, from IVP

·       Seven Deadly Spirits: The Message of Revelation’s Letters for Today's Church, T. Scott Daniels

·       The Letters To The Seven Churches: A History Of The Early Church, William Ramsay

·       Adam Clarke’s and Greg Beale’s commentary on Revelation

·       The commentaries available at Bible Gateway, biblehub.com, and preceptaustin.com

[2] Considering how Psalm 2:9 is quoted in verse 27, and Psalm 2:8 in quoted verse 26, "Son of God" is probably riffing off of Psalm 2:7, "Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." Also, Thyatira had two gods worshipped as the son of Zeus.

[3] Daniel 10:6

[4] The reputation of this bronze may be part of the reason why this letter is voiced by the one whose feet are like burnished bronze.  

[5] Read 1 Kings 18-2 Kings 9 for the full story.

[6] In Ephesus there is much zeal for orthodoxy, but little love; in Thyatira there is much love, but a carelessness about doctrine. 

[7] Interesting that Jezebel's deceptive teaching (as bad as it was) would have been forgiven; doing it was not as serious as refusing to repent. 

[8] “So often in his dealings with man, the instrument of wrong doing is made the instrument of punishment. The bed of sin becomes a bed of suffering.” (Pulpit Commentary)

[9] “In some ways the judgment of Jezebel prefigures Babylon in chapter 18: fornication (2:20-21; 18:3, 8-9), deception (2:20; 18:23), the command not to participate in her sins (2:22-23; 18:4, 8), and that God judges everyone according to their deeds (2:23; 18:6).” https://biblicalscholarship.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/commentary-on-revelation-218-29/

[10] Compare the fate of Jezebel's followers of Baal, and Ahab's sons, 1Kings 18:40; 2Kings 10:6, 7, 24, 25. ‘Kill with death’ is a reminder of "dying thou shalt die" (Genesis 2:17), which probably carries the implication of spiritual death. See 1 Corinthians 5 for Paul talking about giving someone over to the “destruction of the flesh” and consigning them to the kingdom of darkness just by putting them out of the church. 

[11] “That I am he which searcheth.  Compare Psalm 7:9, [10], Psalm 26:2; Jeremiah 11:20; Jeremiah 17:10; Jeremiah 20:12; also 1 Chronicles 28:9; 1 Chronicles 29:17. But the closest parallel to this phrase is Romans 8:27, which suggests that this epithet was almost proverbial in the Apostolic age, whether applied to the Father as there or to the Son as here.” (Cambridge Bible For Schools And Colleges)

[12] “It is probable that by fornication here is meant idolatry merely, which is often its meaning in the Scriptures.” (Adam Clarke)  Beale agrees with this, seeing the language of immorality as representing adultery. He notes that references to porneia and related words in Revelation occur 13 times; 10 of them are metaphors for idolatry. 

[13] See 1 Corinthians 8 and 10. It seems likely (though not certain) that in chapter 8, Paul is talking about eating meat in a temple that was likely served during civic celebrations. Chapter 10 focus on eating meat that one would buy in a market that had been sacrificed to a god. 

[14] It actually seems like her personal character might have been relatively solid – but this just made her the more dangerous, because her character gave authority to her words. In fact, this might have been one of the roots of the problem: “that men should have confidence in their own character and judgment, [which] set them free from a hard law, while they were in reality enticing back to lascivious enjoyment the young converts who had barely ‘escaped the defilements of the world.’”(Ramsay)

[15] From T. Scott Daniels’ Seven Deadly Spirits: The Message Of Revelation’s Letters For Today’s Churches

[16] There is good reason to believe this letter is equating sexual immorality with idolatry, as that is a common comparison in the Old Testament. However, the idolatrous rituals were almost always associated with immorality. I suspect it would have been easy to justify sexual indulgence once the justification train got rolling. Since other passages of Scripture addressed those in the church who were trying to say that you could do what you want to with your body because its only the soul that matters, I think it’s safe to assume this was a problem to some degree here as well. 

[17] This list could change quite a bit depending where, how, and if you were raised in the church. 

[18] “When the question is thus put in its full and true implication…we recognize that the whole future of Christianity was at stake over this question… We can now understand why St. John condemns that very worthy, active, and managing, but utterly mistaken lady of Thyatira… he saw that she was fumbling about with questions which she was quite incapable of comprehending, full of complacent satisfaction with her superficial views as to the fairness and reasonableness of allowing the poor to profit by those quite praiseworthy associations which did so much good and misusing her influence, acquired by good works and persuasive speaking, to lead her fellow-Christians astray. If she were successful, Christianity must melt and be absorbed into the Graeco-Roman society, highly cultivated, but over-developed, morbid, unhealthy.” (William Ramsay)

[19] William Ramsay offers a helpful overview: “It was accepted on all hands that they were to continue to live in the world, and were not to seek to withdraw entirely out of it (1 Cor 5:10). There were certain accepted customs, rules of politeness and courtesy, ways of living and acting, which were recommended by their gracious, refined, elegant character, and other ways which without any special gracefulness were recommended simply because they were the ordinary methods of behavior… In many cases, where the idolatrous connection was not obvious, but only veiled and remote, the Christian might… comply with the usual forms, unless his attention was expressly called by any one of the guests to the idolatrous connection.”

[20] "Every day, the church is becoming more like the world it allegedly seeks to change. We have very little time, he believes, to reverse these trends..."  (Pollster George Barna)

[21] https://www3.dbu.edu/jeanhumphreys/SocialPsych/evangelicalmind.htm

[22] This is true of any nation….I’m not picking on the U.S.

[23] If you want me to solve them like a Marxist instead of as a Christian, that's too high of a price too. 

[24] I read an article on townhall.com two years ago that celebrated the fact some Christians on the political Right were using Saul Alinsky's book Rules for Radicals (a book popular on the political Left) as a way to fight their political battles. The author acknowledged that Alinsky dedicated the book to Lucifer and called it a “book of pure evil,” but quite gleefully embraced ‘good guys’ now using the tactics of the bad guys to defeat the bad guys. That's too high of a price. 

ENDNOTE

[i] “The Roman soldier, marching under the colors of his regiment, was marching under the standard of idolatry… Moreover, he was frequently required, standing in his place in the ranks, to take part and idolatrous acts of worship. Here, again, the rule of practice of the church seems to have been that an ordinary circumstances the converted soldier should remain passive and as far as possible silent during the ceremony at which he was compulsorily present, but should not actively protest. A similar practice was encouraged by the church in other departments of life and work. 

But in every case, and in every profession, the Christian who an ordinary circumstances might remain passive was liable to be pointedly challenged as to whether he would willingly perform this act of worship of the deity whom he considered false. In case of such a challenge there was only one course open. The Christian could not comply with the demand which was expressly made a test of his faith [and] must have no part or lot, and could not accept membership or even be present. Here the Nicolaitans took the opposite view, I could defend their opinion by many excellent, thoroughly reasonable and highly philosophic arguments. 

To illustrate this class of cases, we may take an example of a meeting which was permissible and one which was not according to the opinion of those early leaders in the church. 

 A meeting of the citizens of a city for political purposes was always inaugurated by a pagan ritual, and according to the strict original theory the citizens in this political assembly were all united in the worship of the patron national deity in whose honor the opening ceremonies were performed. But the ritual had long become a mere form, and nobody was in practice conscious at the condition of presents in the assembly lay in the loyal service of the national deity. The political condition was the only one that was practically remembered. Every member of the city tribe had a right to be present and vote. The Christian citizen might attend and vote in such a meeting, ignoring and passing and silence the opening religious ceremony. 

But on the other hand, there were numerous societies for a vast variety of purposes, the condition of membership and which was professionally and explicitly the willingness to engage in the worship of a pagan deity, because the society met in the worship of that deity, the name of the society was often a religious name, and the place of meeting was dedicated to the deity, and thus was constituted a temple for his worship. All are agreed: the true Christian cannot be a member of such clubs or societies.“ (William Ramsay)

PERGAMUM: WHERE SATAN HAS HIS THRONE (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.

 The Roman governor of Asia exercised the ius gladii, or right of the sword, in Pergamum. He often carried a sword with him to remind others of this power. So, in a Roman capital with the power to execute people, Jesus reminds the persecuted church that the power over life and death belongs to God. After my dad died, I remember how much comfort I received from the sermon E.V. Hill gave at his wife’s funeral: “The power of life and death is not in the hands of Satan.” True authority belongs to God; righteous justice and judgment comes from God. As Jesus told Pilate, “You would have no power if it were not given to you from above.” (John 19:11)

 But also keep in mind that the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.[1] 

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) 

In Revelation 1, 2:16, and 19, this sword is portrayed as coming from the mouth of Jesus – as you would expect if it were words and not a real sword.[2]  This will be an important point when we get to the “illustrated” part of Revelation where it appears that Jesus returns and slaughters people (Revelation 19). It’s words, not steel. More on that in the weeks to come.

 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 {bishop of Pergamos}, my faithful martyr/witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. 

Lots of speculation about why this is where Satan lives and why he has a throne there. It could be because of emperor worship, the huge statue of Zeus, or the cult of Asclepius.[3] I lean toward believing it primarily means that the dragon-inspired beast of Rome rules from there (the ius gladii atthe judgment bench in Pergamum) and it’s bad news for Christians.[4] 

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. 

That sword again: the word of God stands against the false teachers. The pesky Nicolaitans are back; here they are compared to Balaam, who advised the Midianites how to lead the Israelites astray through sexual sin and idolatry, which were likely related (Nu 25:1–2; 31:16; Jude 11; 2 Peter 2:15.) Balaam is the poster child for corrupt teachers who deceive believers into compromise with worldliness.  The Nicolaitans are just recycling an infamous chapter in Jewish history.[5]

The question the Christians of Pergamum faced was that of witness. Will they remain true to the name of Jesus or will they follow the name of the Beast? Will they look like the Empire or look like Jesus? Will they have a mark of ownership from the Beast or the Lamb?

17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious[6], 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.[7]

HIDDEN MANNAH

Jewish tradition claimed that the ark of the covenant, which had a pot of manna among other things, was hidden by King Josiah when the Chaldeans took Jerusalem. It would be recovered when the Messiah arrived.[8] Here, it is promised to those who overcome. It’s Jesus, of course. Jesus Himself made the connection between the manna of Moses’ day and His own provision of salvation: 

“I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. . . . This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever” (John 6:48–51, 58).[9]

THE WHITE STONE

Christ offered to the faithful a white stone, or tessera. A white stone had various uses in antiquity: a token of admission to things like banquets, a symbol of victory in the Games,[10] a Christian amulet, a sign of acquittal,[11] the writing surface for official edicts,[12] or something used in an initiation into the service of a god. No one is really sure which use John had in mind – or if it was all of them. No matter what, white stones are a good thing.[13]

Epictetus once tried to talk a man out of becoming a priest in the imperial cult. The man wanted his name used to mark his year of office in public documents, because, he said, then “my name will remain.”  Epictetus responded, “Write it on a stone and it will remain.” 

THE NEW (AND SECRET)[14] NAME

There is something very important about naming things properly.

Practically speaking, we have at times used the wheel of emotions in our house. It helps us accurately speak, which actually helps us accurately process what we are feeling. There is something about getting the words right that helps you get the world right.

Naming implies knowing (at least ideally); it acknowledges existence; it both puts boundaries around a thing (“chicken”) and possibly opens up the possibilities of a thing (Is it a bird, a plane…it’s SUPERMAN!?!?). When things are properly named and identified, it helps us make sense of the world by solidifying truth. 

Throughout human history, the names of people have been a big deal.[15] Many cultures have attached tremendous meaning to the names of  people, as if they  are or will become what you call them. I remember as a kid finding out that “Anthony” meant “priceless,” and I thought it meant I didn’t have a price, as in I was worthless. Mom kindly corrected me.

Think of “names’ as either a calling out or an expression of character, personality and even destiny. There is a reason Caesar wanted to be called Augustus (majestic; venerable).

In the Bible, we see God change the names of people in a way that either identified who they were or signaled who they were becoming.

·      Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of a multitude)

·      Sarai (princely) to Sarah (mother of princes)

·      Jacob (cheater) to Israel (God’s people)

And then there is the way in which “name” is tied up with reputation. The builders of the Tower of Babel wanted to “make a name for themselves” (Genesis 11).  No one else would assign it to them, thank you very much. I love the high point in the play The Crucible where John Proctor, whose reputation is on the line, begs, “Leave me my name!” It’s a biblical concern: “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” (Proverbs 22:1)

Names brings Identity – distinction from everything else. When God named his creation, it was as he separated it. Light is not dark. Land is not see. Animals are not humans. Adam is not Eve.  Names bring Clarity – They or it is “this”, not “that.” 

Naming shows authority -  it makes a claim on something. We name our children. We name our cars. We name our pets. In fact, naming signals investment and relationship of some sort. My chickens to this day are numbers. My sons are not. 

(And I should note, there is formal and informal naming. I’ve just been talking about formal naming. We do informal naming to: “Loser. Idiot. Lovely. Kind. Generous.” These things, to, are acts of authority because they shape the sense of identity of those around us.)

And here is Jesus giving His overcoming children a new name[16] because He has the authority to do that for His children, whose true identity he knows and speaks. (I think it is known only to those who receive it because there will be an experiential side to this that can’t be put into words. Maybe we get hints of that even now.)

First point: our “new name” is going to come from the one who knows how to make things new and name them accordingly. 

‘If anyone be in Christ, they are a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.’ (2 Corinthians 5:17)

We experience a foretaste of it now. God calls me His child now, and gives me a new family name now, and works on, in and through me now is amazing. He calls me child (John 1:11-13). He calls me friend (John 15:15). He calls me righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21), a holy temple (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). I didn’t earn any of those; God changed me; now he calls me not by who I was but by what I have become in Christ.

Yet though I am a new person, I don’t yet have the new name reserved for overcomers. I have new adjectives around my name; I have Holy Spirit power and direction on how to express my redemption and that will impact the reputation of my name. Jesus begins to show me the new Anthony that I am becoming – but I still have a name given and formed in the corruption of this world that longs for the day when I will be given a new me in which nothing is corruptible any longer. That, I think, is what John is pointing toward. 

Second point: We all long for a name that will remain. We want a legacy so that our life is not a forgotten blip. 

“I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.” (Isaiah 56:5)

I have a lot of issues with the name Anthony. I don’t dislike the syllables and the phonetics of it. I think it’s a fine name linguistically, though I wish  “Augustus” had been my middle name. 

I have a lot of issues with the reputation associated with the name Anthony. There is history and baggage there. There’s good stuff, I get that. But if I could do life over again…. I still get embarrassed when I think of what I was like in high school, not to mention what I’m like now. There are soooooo many things I wish were better, more perfected, more majestic. I would settle for just not as flawed. 

Those of you listening to this sermon who have known me for any amount of time have mixed emotions or feelings at any given moment coming from mixed experiences. Most days, there is some kind of reminder that any gold in my name is mixed with clay. 

The idea that God is willing to wrap our corrupt names under his incorruptible reputation even now is sobering.  That he would wrap our sin-soaked names in a cloak of glorious adjectives that we could never earn but that he first gives as he begins a good work[17] and empowers as we move toward their completion in eternity… amazing.  

The idea that – to those who overcome by being faithful until death - God will not just restore a broken name but give us a new name in a New Heaven and a New Earth… This is a new incorruptible identity thanks to work of Jesus. This is new spotless reputation thanks to the grace of Jesus. This is us fully alive and ridiculously righteous because of the love of Jesus. 

This is what we call hope. Even in the shadow of the throne of Satan, all is not lost. Hope springs eternal. 

Hear what Jesus calls you even now: child, friend, righteous, a holy temple. Know that these descriptions are only a foretaste of who you will be in the world to come, thanks to the faithful, redemptive love of Jesus. Christ in you truly is the hope of glory.

#practicerighteousness

Let’s practice “naming others well” this week. By that, I mean let’s practice wrapping the names of those around us in beautiful adjectives. 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

[1] Ephesians 6

[2] This is an important point to keep in mind when you get to the illustrated part of Revelation. Chapter 19 sounds like a brutal bloodbath, but it’s a symbolic illustration of the power of the word.

[3] In addition to emperor worship, the cults to Asclepius and Zeus were also endemic. The symbol of the former was a serpent, and Pausanias describes his cult image “with a staff in one hand and the other on the head of a serpent.” Pergamenian coins illustrate the importance that the community attached to this cult. Caracalla is shown on one coin, saluting a serpent twined round a bending sapling. On the crag above Pergamum was a thronelike altar to Zeus (cf. Rev. 2:13). It commemorated a defeat of a Gallic inroad and was decorated with a representation of the conflict of the gods and the giants, the latter shown as monsters with snakelike tails. To deepen Christian horror at Pergamum’s obsession with the serpent-image, Zeus was called in this context “Zeus the Savior.” (Zondervan All-In-One Bible Reference)

[4] Look how this is illustrated in Revelation 12: “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time.13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman (Mary/the church) which brought forth the man child (Jesus)... 17 And the dragon was angry with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her descendants, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

[5] Ramsay describes the situation: “In both Pergamum and Thyatira some of the Christians still clung to their membership of the pagan associations and shared in the fellowship of the ritual meal.” Eating food sacrificed to idols is one of the four practices from which the Jerusalem council asks Gentile believers to abstain (Acts 15:29; 21:25). The raging conflict that tore apart congregations in the early decades of the Gentile churches later appears resolved. Around A.D. 100 the command is simply “keep strictly away from meat sacrificed to idols, for it involves the worship of dead gods” (Didache 6:3).

[6] The temple to Athena Nikephoros (“Victory-Bearer”) was the most important in the city. These temples were situated on a spectacular acropolis that towered a thousand feet over the lower city.

[7] Just like Jesus in Revelation 19

[8] Further tradition claimed that either Isaiah or Jeremiah rescued the ark with its pot of manna and hid it until God would regather his people (2 Macc. 2:4–8) Some thought that an angel hid it and guarded it until the end times (2 Bar. 6:8). 

[9] Maclaren summarizes well: “Now the first thing that it plainly suggests to us is the absolute satisfaction of all the hunger of the heart… there will be no painful sense of vacuity, and no clamoring of the unsubdued heart for good that is beyond its reach…we - ‘shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more…’ To us who know what it is to try to tame down the hungering, yelping wishes and longings of our souls - to us who have so often spent our ‘money for that which is not bread, and our labour for that which satisfieth not,’ it ought to be a Gospel: ‘I will give him to eat of the hidden manna.’” (MacLaren’s Expositions)

[10] These were called tesserae among the Romans, and of these there were several kinds.

1. Tesserae conviviales, which answered exactly to our cards of invitation, or tickets of admission to a public feast or banquet; tesserae inscribed with different kinds of things, such as provisions, garments, gold or silver vessels, horses, mares, and slaves; Tesserae frumentariae, or tickets to receive grain in the public distributions; and tesserae hospitales, which were given as badges of friendship and alliance, and on which some device was engraved, as a testimony that a contract of friendship had been made between the parties. (Adam Clarke)

[11] “There is an allusion here to the custom observed by judges in ancient times, who were accustomed to give their suffrages by white and black pebbles; those who gave the former were for absolving the culprit, those who gave the latter were for his condemnation. This is mentioned by Ovid, "A custom was of old, and still remains, Which life or death by suffrages ordains: White stones and black within an urn are cast, The first absolve, but fate is in the last." (Adam Clarke)

[12] One such relevant decree was issued in 9 B.C. by Paulus Fabius Maximus, the governor of Asia. It decreed that Augustus’s birthday should be made an official holiday. It was written in Latin and Greek on a white stone. 

[13] I favor the idea that it’s an invitation to the eternal banquet, because that’s what the illustrations reference: “And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb.’ (Revelation 19:9, 12)

[14] The Secret:  “For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.” (Proverbs 3:32)“The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.” (Psalm 25:14) I think the ‘secret’ is the knowledge of covenantal life in Christ personally experienced. The redeemed and victorious understand what it means to belong to God and to be rewarded by him. 

[15] Throughout human history, the true name of the gods have been a big deal too. The ancient Egyptians believed that Isis plotted to learn the secret name of Ra to gain his power. The one who knew the hidden name would receive the power and status of the god who revealed it. This kind of story is not unusual in mythology.

[16] It’s going to be connected to Jesus. We know this from the illustration part of Revelation. “His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself…” (Revelation 19:12,13)

[17] Philippians 1:6)

SMYRNA: Alive In Death (Revelation 2:8-11)

When John was recording his revelation, Smyrna had a reputation as the “Glory of Asia.” That was not always the case.

The Lydians destroyed Smyrna in 600 BC; for four hundred years there was no “city,” just scattered villages in the area, yet records show people still talked about Smyrna as a place. The city was restored in 290 BC. Some ancient writers compared the city with the mythical phoenix, a symbol of resurrection. Others literally recorded Smyrna as a city that was dead and yet lived.[1]

Smyrna was famous for (among other things) fantastic architecture and town planning. You can still walk on spectacular streets that ran from one end of the city to the other. The most famous was called the Golden Street.[2] Apollonius referred to a “crown of porticoes,” a circle of beautiful public buildings that ringed the summit of Mount Pagos.[3] Smyrna was often depicted on coins as a seated woman, with a crown patterned after the buildings on the mountain[4] and a necklace representing the Golden Street.[5]

Because Rome had helped them so much in coming back to life, Smyrna proved to be incredibly loyal. At one point, the citizens literally stripped down and shipped their clothes to a desperate Roman army. When their request to build a temple to the Roman Emperor Tiberius was granted, Smyrna became a notable “temple-warden” of the imperial cult. 

By the time of Domitian, emperor worship was mandatory. Burning  incense and saying “Caesar is Lord” earned a certificate such as this one: “We, the representatives of the Emperor, Serenos and Hermas, have seen you sacrificing.” Then, you could go worship any god you wanted. This also gave you a “mark” that opened up the economy for you. If you did not do this, you were a disloyal citizen at best and a traitorous outlaw at worst.[6]

The Jewish people had enjoyed a large degree of freedom under the Roman Rule during the 1stcentury. They were exempt from emperor worship in many cases and possessed the rights of citizenship in some cities. This wasn’t necessarily good for Judaism. There was infighting about how to live with integrity in a Roman world,[7] how to “be in Rome but not of Rome.” The Essenes at one point called the rest of their Jewish neighbors “the congregation of Satan.”[8] 

Christians benefitted from having their roots in Judaism. The freedoms the Jews enjoyed were largely enjoyed by Christians in many areas of the empire. But in Smyrna, the Jewish population was nervous. The Judean war against Rome two decades earlier resulted in a special tax Jews everywhere in the empire had to pay. Many Jewish leaders were uncomfortable with Messianic movements like the movement that followed Jesus - messianic movements often ended with the Roman beast breathing down their neck.

In a time of “don’t ask, don’t tell” for private religious practice for the Jewish worshippers (and by default their Christian cousins), the Jewish leaders were telling even when Rome wasn’t asking.[9]The Romans even had a name for them: delatores, denouncers, who would get the prosecutorial ball rolling. And prosecute they did.[10]

So the church in Smyrna was facing a lot of hardship: locked out of the economy because they wouldn’t do emperor worship; hated by the Jews; on Rome’s radar. This brings us to the letter to Smyrna. 

8 Write down My words, and send them to the messenger of the church in Smyrna. “These are the words of the First and the Last[11], the One who was dead and yet lived[12]: 

 9 “I know [your deeds and] the difficult ordeal you are enduring and your poverty,[13] although you are actually rich. I am aware of the blasphemy[14] preached by those who call themselves ‘Jews.’ But these people are not the Jews they pretend to be[15]; they are actually the congregation of Satan[16] (“a gathering of the Adversary”). 

 10 In the face of suffering, do not fear[17]. Watch; the devil will throw some of you into prison shortly so that you might be tested, and you will endure great affliction for 10 days.[18] Be faithful[19] throughout your life, until the day you die, and I will give you the victor’s crown of life.[20] 

11 “Let the person who is able to hear, listen to and follow what the Spirit proclaims to all the churches. The one who conquers through faithfulness even unto death will escape the second death.”

Whereas “overcoming” in Ephesus required the restoration of love, in Smyrna it demanded withstanding persecution and enduring faithfully through suffering. So, let’s talk about suffering.[21]

There were different types of suffering/trials/hardships for the church in Smyrna:

·      Resisting temptation in general for the sake of Christ

·      Enduring dismissal, derision, and contempt, for the sake of Christ

·      Taking a financial or reputational hit for the sake of Christ

·      Suffering emotional, relational, physical pain for the sake of Christ

·      Dying for the sake of Christ

Christians won’t necessarily face all of these, but “in this world you will have trouble.”[22] There are a variety of ways Christians can and have responded when facing hardship and trials.[23]

1. Quit –Rome and Babylon would love to have your allegiance.[24]

2. Lie –You could lie with words (tell people you aren’t a Christian) or with your body (live as if Jesus has no say in your life) while clinging to the notion that all that matters is that you really are a follower of Jesus deep inside. “Whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:33) 

3. Fight – physically protect religious freedom with the sword. Peter tried this. Jesus was having none of it. “ ‘Put your sword back in its place,’ Jesus said to him, ‘for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.  Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?’ … In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?’“ (Matthew 26:52-53; 55). 

4. Accommodate – try to do Christian worship and empire worship at the same time: let’s call this serving or honoring two masters. That’s what empire worship was doing in Rome; this was one of the key problems facing the church at the time probably more than the others. The compromise that followed Constantine’s legalization of Christianity in the 300s was another. Since critique of nations and concern for accommodation are prominent in Revelation, let’s look at how this sneaks into our own history, which was profoundly influenced by the Enlightenment admiration of ancient Rome.[25]

The rotunda of the US Capitol building has a mural called The Apotheosis of Washington (1865). It depicts Washington as having ascended into the heavens and becoming exalted or glorified. He wears the colors of Roman emperors, with a rainbow arch at his feet, flanked by the goddesses of Victory and Liberty. There are six scenes around him, 5 of which have Roman gods/goddesses:

·  Science, Minerva, surrounded by inventors.

·  Marine,Neptune, with warships in the background.

·  Commerce, Mercury, giving a bag of gold to a financier of the Revolutionary War.

·  Mechanics, Vulcan, with cannons and steam engines.

·  Agriculture,Ceres, with a mechanical reaper.

·  War, Columbia, the personification of  America, aka Lady Liberty.

It’s obviously not the same as 1st century Emperor worship, but there is no doubht that national values and admired leaders are viewed with an awe approaching reverence.[26] We still do it culturally (I’m thinking of the Messianic imagery associated with presidents Obama and Trump in recent years[27]). Francis Schaeffer warned us about this decdes ago:[28]

“The whole "Constantine mentality" from the fourth century up to our day was a mistake. Constantine, as the Roman Emperor, in 313 ended the persecution of Christians. Unfortunately, the support he gave to the church led by 381 to the enforcing of Christianity, by Theodosius I, as the official state religion. Making Christianity the official state religion opened the way for confusion up till our own day.

There have been times of very good government when this interrelationship of church and state has been present. But through the centuries it has caused great confusion between loyalty to the state and loyalty to Christ, between patriotism and being a Christian. We must not confuse the Kingdom of God with our country. To say it another way: "We should not wrap our Christianity in our national flag.”-  Francis A. Schaeffer, A Christian Manifesto

Okay, the first 4 options aren’t good ones. The last two are options are viable options for Christians.

5.  Change the law – demand justice within the rights the empire has given us. This is an option Paul used. He maxed out his rights as a Roman citizen to avoid some pretty nasty punishments.[29] He escaped dangerous situations when he could. Being faithful to Jesus doesn’t mean we have to be gluttons for punishment. 

    But it’s worth nothing that even as Paul claimed his rights, he was still beaten and jailed a lot and killed eventually. One hopes the law would be Christian-friendly; at some point, it won’t be. We can and should work within the system to promote justice and mercy for all. However, when the law turns against our faith, we don’t panic, and we don’t take up the sword to get it back. We knew this day would come.

6. Be patiently faithful even unto death. There are different outcomes to suffering: Smyrna would face greater suffering (2:10), the other persecuted church (Philadelphia) would not experience the same (3:10). James was executed but Peter was released (Acts 12:2 - 7).  Some Christians experienced miraculous release from prison while others died (Hebrews 11:35). Some Christians in Afghanistan got out; others didn’t. Some pastors have hidden successfully; some haven’t.

Revelation reveals a sobering truth in stark terms: when we face persecution, we might suffer a lot, and even die. It’s no surprise that John, surrounded by persecution, expects us to have to endure this also. Fortunately, Revelation shows us how to overcome in the face of persecution: the image of the triumphant lion as a slain lamb:

Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne…” (5:5-6) 

We overcome not by matching hostility and violence and angry vitriol but by laying down our lives figuratively and literally. The path to the crown goes through the cross. “This do in remembrance of me.”[30]

For the Christian, there is always hope through the suffering we experience and reward on the other side of faithfulness. In fact, suffering plays such a vital role in our life in Christ that we are told multiple times that we ought to actually rejoice, because it’s a means by which God matures us. 

 “We also celebrate in seasons of suffering because we know that when we suffer we develop endurance,  which shapes our characters. When our characters are refined, we learn what it means to hope and anticipate God’s goodness. And hope will never fail to satisfy our deepest need because the Holy Spirit that was given to us has flooded our hearts with God’s love.” (Romans 5:3-5) 

“But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed.” (1 Peter 4:13)

If you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.  “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. (I Peter 2:20-23)

We will be granted opportunities to share in Christ’s glory by fellowshipping in his suffering. We will be granted an opportunity to prove our faithfulness through testing. We have been given the gift of being allowed to suffer with Christ so that we can live with Christ. There’s no need to seek out or sprint toward pain, but let’s not waste the opportunity to suffer well when God allows it to become a part of our life. A crown of life awaits.

* * * * *

Let’s #practicerighteousness. I want to offer a practical way for us to patiently and faithfully endure in a way that shows the peace and the hope we have in Christ. We are not being asked to physically die in the United States, but there others ways in which trials test our faith. We can prepare now with what’s in front of us.

I often see anger and fear sometimes verging on panic when THIS LAW or THIS PERSON or THIS MOVEMENT is apparently going to destroy the church. Nothing has had the power to do that for 2,000 years and counting. Dragons and beasts are nothing compared to God’s power and majesty.  God is still sovereign. God will be with His people and supply what they need and hand the faithful a crown of life in the end. It may well make our life hard – but we were warned. “Taking up our cross” is a thing. 

I’m not suggesting we should be apathetic or lazy or even fatalistic. Christians aren’t called to any of those either. I think we can be really engaged in thoughtful and careful ways in all these areas as we name the darkness and light the candle of gospel hope. In fact, part of suffering for the sake of Christ is probably the relentlessly bold (and grace-filled, and loving) promotion of the message and the values of the Kingdom in the face of opposition.

I’m talking about what orients and grounds us and makes us righteously different in the midst of life in a hard and sometimes cruel world. God has granted us the opportunity to patiently endure in the midst of hardship so that we can share in His glory and obtain the crown in the end. We have not yet been called to shed our blood, but we have been called to lay down our lives in different ways honor of the Lamb who conquers by being slain.

I will end with some thoughts from Vaneetha Risner, who speaks with some authority on experiencing suffering:[31]

Watching believers suffer and die well changes a world that lives to avoid suffering. There’s nothing unusual about Christians who are happy in prosperity. That’s natural. Even expected. But joy in suffering is supernatural. The world takes notice. Like Moses and the burning bush, they step aside to see why we are not destroyed (Exodus 3:2–3).[32]

A few of us may end up giving our lives for the gospel. Some of us may proclaim Christ through indescribable and extraordinary suffering. But all of us can show the surpassing worth of Christ to others through our mundane, often daily, trials. People want to see how we respond to our challenging children. Our chronic pain. Our difficult boss. Our financial struggles. Our ailing parents. Our unwanted singleness.  

The situations that we wish were most different are likely the places that others are watching us most closely. They are each, therefore, a precious opportunity to share how Christ meets us in our suffering. 

Don’t waste your suffering. It is far too valuable. God is using it in a thousand ways you will never see or know, but one way is to advance the gospel (Philippians 1:12). Tell people about the hope in you, how God has met you, why your faith has made a difference in your trials. It is the most powerful witness you have.

 _____________________________________________________________________

[1] The Letters To The Seven Churches, by William Ramsey

[2] Hmmm. I think that image might show up later in Revelation?

[3] Halley’s Bible Handbook Notes

[4] Apollonius said, “Though it is the most beautiful of all cities under the sun…yet it is a greater charm to wear a crown of men than a crown of porticoes and pictures and gold beyond the standard of mankind.” 2nd century orator Aelius Aristides said that since Smyrna has been restored after the disastrous earthquakes in her history, “Spring’s gates…are opened by crowns.”

[5] The Letters To The Seven Churches, by William Ramsey

[6] William Barclay notes this was a political act in the eyes of Rome more than a religious act. That might have been a handy excuse: “Rome doesn’t see this as religious; why should I?” Or it might have been very tempting to find a friendly official to bribe so that you had a certificate without having to burn the incense. 

[7] Both Jews and Christians struggled with this. Should they continue to participate in social activities that have a pagan (non-Jewish, non-Christian) religious character? This would include most activities: watching or participating in athletic and rhetorical contests; buying and eating meat in the precincts of pagan temples; and frequenting trade guilds, clubs, and events in private homes, each with their meetings, drinking parties, and banquets. Should they acknowledge the sovereignty of the emperor when asked to do so at a public event in the precincts of his temple, or at another of the many events in his honor? (From “Reading Revelation Responsibly” in Dragons, John, And Every Grain Of Sand: Essays On The Book Of Revelation. Edited by Shane J. Wood.

[8] NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible

[9] To them, Christians distorted the Law; the worship of Jesus as Messiah was blasphemy.

[10]  IVP New Testament Commentary Series

[11] Isaiah 41:4; 44:6; 48:12

[12] Many commentators see a comparison to Smyrna’s history here. 

[13] Likely because they refused to participate in idolatrous trade guilds.

[14] “Blasphemy "switches" right for wrong (wrong for right), i.e. calls what God disapproves, "right." (HELPS Word Studies) 

[15] “Jews by national descent, but not spiritually of "the true circumcision." Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

[16]  John 8:44  “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."

[17] Beale notes that in Isaiah 41 and 44, this is also an encouragement to the Jews.

[18] See Daniel 1:12-15, where Daniel and his friends were tested for 10 days. 

“The number is likely a symbol and not a 10 day time period. The number 10 represents a complete period of testing. Even though you are exiles in a different culture, you will be revealed to be the children of God.” (Shane Wood) Ramsey notes that it could be a literal reference to the time awaiting punishment: “In the Roman world, prison was usually… a prelude to trial and execution; hence the words "Be faithful, even to the point of death." The State would not burden itself with the custody of criminals, except as a preliminary stage to their trial, or in the interval between trial and execution. Fine, exile, and death constituted the usual range of penalties.” From Adam Clarke’s Commentary: “Think of the expression as implying frequency and abundance, as it does in other parts of Scripture.” Genesis 31:7; Genesis 31:41; Numbers 14:22; Nehemiah 4:12; Job 19:3. 

[19] “The expression ‘be faithful,’ again, would inevitably remind Smyrnaean readers of the history of their city, which had been the faithful friend and ally of Rome for centuries.

To Cicero it was ‘the most faithful of our allies’. (William Ramsey)

[20] The promise to Ephesus was “the tree of life” (v. 7).  To Smyrna, it is the “crown of life” (v. 10).

[21] A large amount of the suffering in Revelation is born by followers of the Lamb. In his vision of heaven, John sees martyrs who had conquered the Beast through death. Tertullian famously said in his second century letter to Rome, “The more often we are mown down by you, the more number we grow. The blood of Christians is seed.”

[22] John 16:33

[23] This list is from (drum roll….) Shane J. Wood!

[24] Christian journalist Malcolm Muggeridge once wrote, “If God is dead [or if God is not worshipped], somebody is going to have to take his place. It will be megalomania or erotomania, the drive for power or the drive for pleasure, the clenched first or the phallus, Hitler or Hugh Hefner.”  That’s Rome and Babylon.

[25] Read this informative Senior Thesis from a Liberty University student. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1280&context=honors. Francis Schaeffer’s How Should We Then Live opens with a Rome/United States comparison.

[26] Read this senior thesis from a student at Liberty University on this influence.https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1280&context=honors

[27] Biden doesn’t seem to be inspiring those comparisons. The only example I found was a magazine (Jacobin) that used Christian iconography to satirize the American tendency to have religious devotion for our leaders.

[28] This requires several myths.

a. a “myth of righteousness” that  sets values of the Empire on par with the values of the Kingdom (in which both are seen as part of the euangelion, the good news of God’s plan for the world).

b.a “myth of greatness” as defined by the standards of Babylon and Rome: financial, political, and/or military strength as the markers of success. 

c.   a “myth of innocence” that sees the power, prosperity, and peace of the (apparently) righteous and great Empire as achieved by and sustained by thoroughly righteous means and people. 

d.   a “myth of worthiness” that demands an appreciation of and allegiance to the state as a profoundly moral responsibility for Christians. 

[29] Acts 22:22-23:11

[30] Luke 22:8-20

[31] https://www.vaneetha.com/about

[32] Vaneetha Risner, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-only-suffering-can-say

Regaining Your First Love: Ephesus Part Two (Revelation 2:1-7) [1]

I know your deeds, your tireless labor, and your patient endurance. I know you do not tolerate those who do evil. Furthermore, you have diligently tested those who claim to be apostles, and you have found that they are not true witnesses. You have correctly found them to be false. I know you are patiently enduring and holding firm on behalf of My name. You have not become faint.

Last week, we used that paragraph and the later reference to the Nicolaitans to talk about how the beastliness of Rome and the allure of Babylon offered and will offer challenges to the church throughout history. John’s vision illustrates the clash of the Kingdom of God and the empires of the dragon quite vividly. Today, the clash of that war kind of fades into the background not because it has stopped, but because there is a different kind of battle taking place: the war within.

T.S. Eliot wrote in The Hollow Men, “ This is the way the world ends; not with a bang but a whimper.” John has a warning here: it’s possible for faith to end not with the bang of epic spiritual warfare, but with a whimper of fading love. 

However, I have this against you: you have left/ abandoned your first love. Do you remember what it was like before you fell? It’s time to rethink and change your ways; go back to the deeds you did at first.[2] However, if you do not return, I will come quickly and personally remove your lampstand from its place.

 The part about abandoning your first love is a bit of a cryptic phrase, but everyone seems to agree John is making a point that is made over and over in the Bible: love for God is always expressed in loving acts toward others. The Bible never draws a dividing line between our hearts and our hands, our motivation and action, our intents and our accomplishments.[3] People can work hard in the Kingdom, have a an appropriately righteous hatred of sin, love and protect the truth, and endure trials and hardship for the name of the Lord… but without love, these acts are like a “sounding brass or a crashing cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13).[4]  

We were not created to be segmented or compartmentalized people. The “deeds you did at first” are supposed to be actions that complete an inner desire.[5]  The allegiance of the heart translates into the actions of the hands. Lovers do the things the lovers do.

John is calling them to do something they once did but don’t anymore motivated by a love they once had but don’t anymore. 

Here are the three most prominent understandings of what is happening here. I feel the same way about these options as I do with the 5 options I gave in Week 1 for reading Revelation: They all have something to offer. #don’tdieonthishill

1.THEY STOPPED THEIR COMMUNAL GENEROSITY

In the book of Acts, we read about what the early church did with great excitement. Among other things, they met together regularly and shared love feasts and communion; they lived in radically generous community, they lived with great servanthood. Their early reputation in Rome was remarkable because they lived loving lives of humility and purity marked by pretty radical generosity. In this first reading, their generosity had dried up because they had forgotten the generosity of God.

2. THEY HATED THE SIN AND THE SINNER

2:6But you have this in your favor: You hate (despise; denounce) the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

 William Ramsay notes this of the letter to the church in Ephesus:  

“It shows admiration and full appreciation of a great career and a noble history. Yet it does not leave a pleasant impression of the Ephesian Church; and there is a lack of cordial and sympathetic spirit in it…when, in order to finish with a word of praise… the one thing which he finds to say is that they hated [the deeds of the Nicolaitans].”

This is a hint at the heart of the problem: the heart. In their zealousness to reject things that ought to be rejected, the message of what they were for got overwhelmed by the message of what they were against. It’s not a good look when the best you can say of someone is that they  denounce or despise the right things. It’s the person who offers light in the darkness that makes a difference, not the one who simply keeps pointing our how dark it is. 

Unfortunately, there’s more. Some commentators point out that God hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans; the text doesn’t say he hated the Nicolaitans. Perhaps in their zealousness for protecting the truth, the church in Ephesus began to hate the people along with the problem rather than having hearts broken for those living in sinful darkness.[6] In the midst of their protection of doctrine[7] they forgot that they were supposed to love the people holding the false doctrine. This was Jonah’s problem, right? He didn’t want the Ninevites to escape judgment. There's something in this letter that desires to church in Ephesus to ground orthodoxy and orthopraxy with orthopathy, having the right heart (see 1 Corinthians 13). 

3. THEY LOST THEIR MISSIONAL FOCUS  

In this third reading, “they lost their first love” = “they lost their passion for spreading the message of the gospel.” Passionate love of and allegiance to Jesus leads us to love others so much we witness to them.[8]

You know how when you first start something that is life-changing, you can’t stop talking about it? It’s the running joke about crossfitters. I have a couple friends who have found a person to work with them on their physical health (losing weight, etc), and I am pretty sure they post at least 3 times a day about how amazing their coach is and how good they feel. If you learn how to ride a bike, or find an essential oil that feels like a miracle cure, or start fishing, or find an app that organizes your life, or discover you can draw….anything that has (in some sense) brought you life, there is often a rush at the beginning of excitement that bubbles over into evangelism – the spreading of the good news.[9]Besides enjoying life in a new way, people around you notice something different about you, or it just comes up in conversation, or you purposefully start recruiting.  

This, it seems, was lacking in the church in Ephesus. So what does God advise? Remember (how you loved the reality of salvation), repent (of distraction and disinterest), and do the deeds you did at first  (from a newly focused heart).

REMEMBER 

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is full of language of how life in Christ and in the community of the church changes everything. Some excerpts:

“2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air… 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 

 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions… [and] raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)10 and find out what pleases the Lord…

When Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, they were on the front end of this life-changing reality that Jesus brought them. They were once children of darkness; now they are children of light. It’s incredible. They are rooted in a love that will fill them with the fullness of God, so that they can do the good works God created them to do: bearing the fruit of goodness, righteousness, and truth. AMAZING!

That passion for the Savior spilled over onto one another and out to those in the culture they inhabited.[10] But…they had forgotten how glorious it was to be pulled into the light.  

• Maybe they had forgotten how deep in the darkness they really were, or how ugly that darkness truly was. Did you know that the act of remembering slowly and subtly changes our memories? The emotions and biases we bring reform our memories, such that over time we can gain a really distorted view of the past.[11] Our memory is like the telephone gameJ And the less honest or precise we are when we remember, the more distorted our memory becomes over time. We can convince ourselves that the darkness in which we were drowning wasn’t that bad. That makes it hard to appreciate the Savior who pulled us from it.

• Maybe they had stopped genuinely appreciating the gospel light into which they were drawn.That can happen when bad orthodoxy leads to disillusionment (“Why isn’t life like what you told me it would be?”) or when bad orthopraxy leads to pain (“How is it possible that transformed people are so mean and hypocritical?”). If they were known for what they hate rather than what they loved, I’ll bet life together in that church was hard. And if the kingdom of God stops feeling like home, Babylon –as trashy as it is – can start to look good. 

• Maybe they had become so busy cursing the darkness that they forgot to light the candle.Witch hunts are easy when you see witches everywhere and there’s lots of wood handy for a bonfire. But somebody needs to pray for, and love, and invite to a meal, and befriend those others want to burn. As Paul wrote in Romans 2:4, “Do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”

 Revelation doesn’t tell us the precise dynamic at work in Ephesus. I suspect all three example are reasonable possibilities – and can all probably see ourselves in one of these. So what do we do?

REPENT

“Remember from where you have fallen, and repent.” This is an act of the mind that will lead to a renewal of the heart. I have found that the things I need to revisit are the many times God has been merciful to me, the many times he has pulled me up from the mire of sin and set my feet on the rock of my salvation. It turns out I don’t have to go back decades to see God’s mercy at work. There’s already good examples from this September. 

How did the joy of my salvation stop motivating me to respond to God in a lifestyle of worship and to others with a lifestyle of gospel-oriented service? When did I start hating the sinner rather than praying for them and moving toward them so that they, too, might experience the joy of salvation? When did I stop appreciating the miraculous work of God in my life? Here’s part of David’s prayer after his sin with Bathsheba: 

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me….17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. (Psalm 51:10-17)

DO THE FIRST DEEDS

This is living missionally with a goal to broaden the boundaries of Kingdom. I left out a couple verses from the previous psalm. 

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. 14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. 15 Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.

That is God’s intended response to our appreciation of the glorious grace of salvation. How do we do this? There are a lot of ways. There is really only one rule: re-present Jesus wherever you go.

• Talk about Jesus (pray for people; share the gospel; give your testimony; mention life-giving things in your church – let your life in and with Jesus overflow naturally into your conversation).

• Live like Jesus – “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good work and glorify your father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

• Introduce people to the Kingdom of Jesus (invite them to church or small group or game times with the people of Jesus; talk about outreach ministries that embody the love of Jesus; share articles on social media about righteous kingdom work happening in the church around our community and the world.) 

* * * * * * * * * *

For our #practicerighteousness this week, I want to offer a condensed version of this message to focus our hearts and minds for the week. 

·      First love = our primary, worshipful allegiance in response to God’s love for us

·      First deeds = “Redeeming the time”[12] to make more and better disciples of Christ.

What will this look like practically for you this week with your family? Friends? Coworkers? Neighbors? Fellow church members?

 _______________________________________________

[1] Key resources that have heavily informed this series:

·      Apocalypse and Allegiance: Worship, Politics, and Devotion in the Book of Revelation,  by J. Nelson Kraybill

·      A teaching series by professor Shane J. Woods on Revelation (shanejwood.com)

·      The Bible Project’s videos, notes and podcast

·      Michael Heiser’s teaching on Revelation (Podcast: The Naked Bible)

·      Reading Revelation Responsibly: Uncivil Worship And Witness: Following The Lamb Into The New Creation, by Michael Gorman

·      Dragons, John, And Every Grain Of Sand, edited by Shane J. Wood.

·      Matt Chandler’s Revelation Series (Village Church)

·      Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture: Revelation, from IVP

·      Seven Deadly Spirits: The Message of Revelation’s Letters for Today's Church, written by T. Scott Daniels

·      The Letters To The Seven Churches: A History Of The Early Church, W.M. Ramsay

·      Commentary from Adam Clarke, Greg Beale’s, Bible Gateway, biblehub.com, and preceptaustin.com

[2] Old Testament connection: “Then the Lord said, “Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote…” (Isaiah 29:13)

[3] Thanks, IVP New Testament Commentary.

[4] People can serve very effectively in a ministry in the church and ignore God or even love their ministry more than God, and inevitably the sound of clashing cymbals will be heard. 

[5]  HELPS Word Studies

[6] “People are not our enemies; our enemies are the powers of evil themselves. We are called in Christ to love all—to hope that God can save even those embracing evil—and we are called to believe that the gospel is good news for all.”  Jamin Goggin, The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb: Searching for Jesus’ Path of Power in a Church that Has Abandoned It

[7] For what it’s worth, they kept their doctrinal tradition strong. “A decade or two later, Ignatius of Antioch would write to them that their bishop, Onesimus, had praised them because "you all live according to truth, and no heresy dwells among you; in fact you will not even listen to anyone who does not speak about Jesus Christ in truth." "I have learned," Ignatius added, "that some from elsewhere who have evil teaching stayed with you, but you did not allow them to sow it among you, and stopped your ears, so that you might not receive what they sow."  (IVP New Testament Commentary)

[8] Beale talks about this at length in his commentary

[9] Questions Greg Beale asks: “Why is there such a close relationship between lack of love and lack of evangelism? What counts as evangelism? Do we put structures or expectations around evangelism in a way that discourages us from doing it? If we see love for God as the heart of evangelism, how might that change how we view evangelism?”

[10] https://www.gotquestions.org/left-first-love.html

[11] “Your Memory Is Like The Telephone Game.” https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2012/09/your-memory-is-like-the-telephone-game

[12] Ephesians 5:16

EPHESUS, Part One: On Beasts And Babylon (Revelation 2:1-7)

[1] We are told to obey the prophecy of Revelation (1:3) – and how do you obey a prophecy? Well, prophecy in the Bible is usually (like, 85% of the time) a revelation of who God is, what God desires, and what God demands of us rather than a discussion of the future. So think of Revelation primarily (though not exclusively) as a handbook for Christian living in challenging times, with an ending to human history in which the supremacy of Christ is made clear.[2] Revelation is meant to strengthen our faith that God is with us now in our trials, and that He will one day end the groaning of a sin-soaked world and usher in a New Heaven and a New Earth. 

I think we typically focus on the apocalyptic stuff in Revelation when we think of the book, but that’s not how it starts. It starts with personal letters to churches acknowledging their hardship, commending or correcting them as needed, and pointing them toward the goodness of what God offers them in His Kingdom. Then John gives an artist’s illustration of all the dynamics referenced in the letter. 

If you have seen or read A Monster Calls or I Kill Giants,[3] you know how this works. They are stories about grief. Part of the movie is ‘real world’ conflict, but the story quickly bumps into an imaginative fantasy world with giants and monsters in which the same story unfolds in a way that captures our imaginations along with our hearts. 

So we are going to move through the letters, but I will try to bring in the artist’s illustrations as we go along.

THE 7 LETTERS

1:19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery[4] of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels[5] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

 The letters address 7 congregations in Asia Minor in the order a messenger taking a circuitous route would have traveled. There were surely more churches: weigh the number 7, the number of completion. It’s a message for all churches. There is a pattern in the letters: 

• the 1st and 7th – the bookends – are struggling with a lukewarmness that comes from a lack of passion for Christ and His Kingdom. For the 7th, God has nothing good to say.

•  The 2nd and 6th – the poor, the suffering, the powerless - are doing well spiritually. 

• The middle three are once again in trouble. 

 If these 7 churches represent the ‘church’ at the time (#weighthenumbers) and stand in for churches that are and will be, then we are more likely to be in a church that is struggling with spiritual compromise rather than flourishing in an unadulterated splendor. 

I don’t say this to discourage us. It’s just to point out that we have to be willing to do self-assessment and repent as needed. Odds are good that this needs to be the rhythm or our personal and corporate life, especially if we live in circumstances where we are comfortable.[6] Poverty and persecution do not guarantee holiness, but if this overview of churches is meant to reveal something important to us, it would suggest that cultural hardship has ability to refine the church in ways that cultural comfort does not. 

EPHESUS

Inscriptions record that Ephesus was one of the greatest cities of Asia with libraries, gymnasiums, and ornate administrative buildings. The city was a favorite with tourists of the time.[7] Ephesus was a major center for the worship of Roma, the spiritual embodiment of the Empire. It’s famous temple for Artemis was one of the Seven Wonders of the World.[8] This temple worship meant a lot of prostitutes since Artemis was the goddess of fertility. The economy was dependent on trade associated with trade guilds centered around temple worship.[9] So, Ephesus: beautiful, wealthy, exciting, full of alluring pleasures, the height of what Roman culture had to offer. 

2 The One: Write down My words, and send them to the messenger (angel) [10] of the church in Ephesus. [11]“These are the words of the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand[12], the One who walks and moves among the golden lampstands [13]:

This is to the church in Ephesus. Any interpretation of the book of Revelation needs to have made sense to the readers in those seven churches. We can and do benefit from what these churches were told because this is a Revelation of what was and what is to come, but the revelation was to them first, and it didn’t do them any good if they didn’t understand it :)

“I know your deeds, your tireless labor, and your patient endurance. I know you do not tolerate those who do evil. Furthermore, you have diligently tested those who claim to be apostles, and you have found that they are not true witnesses. You have correctly found them to be false.[14]  I know you are patiently enduring and holding firm on behalf of My name. You have not become faint.

 Okay, kudos to the Christians in Ephesus! They are enduring in the face of the hardships that come with being a Christian in Ephesus. That could be anything from resisting temptation, to paying the social and economic price of not worshipping in the cults of the empire, to physical persecution. They are also guarding the truths of the faith, and they are nailing it. These are big deals. Who wouldn’t want this on their resume?  

“However, I have this against you: you have abandoned your first love[15] [for Christ and others[16]]. Do you remember what it was like before you fell? It’s time to rethink and change your ways; go back to the deeds you did at first. However, if you do not return, I will come quickly and personally remove your lampstand from its place[17].

In Matthew, Jesus had predicted that "many false prophets will appear and deceive many people" and that "the love of most will grow cold" (Mt 24:11-12). Ephesus passed the first test but not the second. (More on abandoning and returning to our first love next week.)

But you do have this to your credit: you despise[18] the deeds of the Nicolaitans and how they concede to evil. I also hate what they do. 

Here’s what we know about the Nicolaitans. They taught that spiritual liberty gave them…well, liberty to pretty much do what they wanted: have multiple wives, do what they wanted sexually, eat meat offered to idols (probably as part of being in a trade guild). They even mixed pagan temple rituals with the Christian ceremonies. In the letter to Pergamum, this type of compromise will be called the teaching of Balaam (vv. 14–15); at Thyatira, it’s followers of Jezebel (v. 20).[19] 

* * * * *

In this first letter, we already see hints of two things that will be themes in Revelation.   

 First, Christians will be tempted to fall away because of hardship. Being true to the faith invited exclusion, expulsion, and even persecution by the Romans.[20] Following Jesus was costing them social standing, access to society, the ability to make a good living, and even personal safety. This letter will end with a reminder that some will be faithful “even unto death.” 

Second, Christians will be tempted to give in to the allure of sinful pleasures offered by the Empire. 

They are going to be intimidated by power and tempted by pleasure. This has been how empires have challenged the people of God for 2,000 years. That’s the text. Here comes the illustration. 

• Revelation 13 will introduce Satan as a dragon (a huge serpent, a snake; imagery beginning in Genesis). Satan is behind the forces of evil in the world. Satan motivates attacks on the church.

• A scarlet beast[21] comes out of ocean in Revelation 14; people will worship the dragon and then the beast: “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?” Pretty sure that’s Rome for the early church, the indomitable power at the time. More broadly, think of earthly empires in general. They were, are, and will be beastly.

•  A second beast (“false prophet” in Chapter 16) then emerges that will get people to worship the first beast. By worship, think allegiance. The empire becomes a source of hope; the empire dictates priorities; the empire establishes what the good life is and how it ought to be lived. This second beast “gives breath” to the Empire: it’s the propaganda machine (media, entertainment, education, politicians, industry heads, civic organizations… anything that promotes the agenda of the Empire.) It has horns like a lamb (leaders who look good to followers of Jesus) but speaks like a dragon. There are parts of the beast that remind people of a lamb. That’s the imagery used to describe Jesus just a couple verses earlier in Revelation 13. There’s at least a part of the false prophet/second beast that will look like home to Christians. It will be easy to compromise: “Yeah, but…look at those lamb-like horns!! I know, I know, it says dragony things, but…look at those little horns!” 

• To make things worse, Babylon rides into the story. The children of Israel were not invited or tempted to become Egyptians when they were enslaved. It was an easy empire to resist. But Babylon offered acceptance, wealth and even power when they were exiled. That was compelling, and thus dangerous. The most effective empire is one that seduces you. The spiritual survival of the early Christians depended on their ability to see Rome as a doomed Babylon (Revelation 19). So the Babylon side of Rome is portrayed as an alluring prostitute, sitting on the beast. She’s drunk with the blood of God’s people – in other words, she has consumed a lot of them. And though the language of prostitution makes us think about sex (and temple worship surely included that), Old Testament imagery of spiritual adultery was always spiritual adultery – that is, idolatry. And John makes clear that Babylon is all about the idol of wealth and power.[22]

How does a beast conquer? Through power and coercion. Even if it looks good at first, it always makes the turn.  How does a prostitute conquer? Through seduction. What two dangers face the Christians in Ephesus and everywhere? Compromising their faith from fear of the empire’s power or love of the empire’s pleasure.  

So let’s talk about Rome (the First Beast) and Domitian (the Second Beast/False Prophet who serves the empire and furthers its agenda). It’s 1st century specific, but Revelation is about what was andwhat is and what is to come. I think the “what was” included previous emperors, with Nero as the violent supervillain. “What is” is Domitian. Fill in as needed with all empires and leaders as history unfolds.  

• Domitian put in place economic, military, and cultural programs to restore the Empire’s splendor. And it was splendid in many ways.[23]

• He bumped the value of Roman currency to new levels.

• He spent lavishly on the reconstruction of Rome. 

• He spent a TON of money on congiaria (vessels filled with wine, grain or money) #bribes

• He revived the practice of public banquets. 

That’s how Babylon (with its love/idolatry of money, luxury and comfort) rides in on the back of the Beast. Now, the horns like a lamb. 

• After nominating himself to the office that supervised Roman morals, Domitian made adultery punishable by exile. When the Vestal Virgins were found to have broken their sacred vows of chastity, they were buried alive.

• Domitian punished people who made eunuchs. 

• Libel and slander became punishable by exile or death.

• He prosecuted corruption among public officials and removed jurors if they accepted bribes.

• He didn’t favor family members for public office. 

• Other religions were tolerated if they didn’t interfere with public order or could assimilate with Roman religions. Jews were heavily taxed, but history records no executions of Jewish worshipers based on religious offenses.

• A lot of the time, Christians were able to avoid physical persecution.[24] Provincial authorities did so occasionally under Domitian, but it was nothing like what Nero did. Most believers suffered more from the stigma of society rather than government harassment. Revelation actually names only one person from seven churches who had been killed. If they could just be ‘good enough citizens’ they might avoid being hurt, and they might even become comfortable.

 When the first century believers looked at Rome under Domitian’s reign, it was easier than it had been in a while to see an alluring goddess - Roma, Babylon -  who offered the potential for privilege, health and wealth to its citizens.[25] Did it not have some horns that looked a bit lamb-like? It can’t be that bad, right? 

John did not write Revelation to manufacture a crisis for people complacent about empire. Rather, at that moment, complacency about Rome was the crisis. Why push them into the arenas their parents experienced when a temple feast will do?[26] 

See, by this time, Christians in Asia Minor were involved in the trade system of Rome. This is clear from historical records. That’s not a bad thing in and of itself, but participating in meals that included worship of the gods or the emperor was typically required to enter a Trade Guild or to build political connections. In order to have a comfortable life economically and socially, followers of Christ had to participate in the guilds and/or pagan ceremonies.[27]

Christians may have figured out how to gain just a part of the world, but it was costing them their soul.[28] This, I believe, is at the heart of what John will later describe as a mark that says “property of the Beast”[29]  – a sign of loyalty to the Empire and to Domitian.[30]  

* * * * * 

This was something that made sense to those churches, but it’s for us also. #whatisandwhatwillbe  So how are we like and unlike them? What can we learn from their experience? (I’m going to talk about losing and regaining our first love next week, so that’s not included here). 

• We will be known by our deeds. What deeds are we known for? Think big picture, patterns of behavior. “I know you, that you are ________. But I have this against you: _________”

• Do people think of us when they think of patient endurance in the midst of trials, or do they think of us as fainting/falling apart? When the going gets tough, who demonstrates patient endurance? When a pandemic storm hits, who models stability? When an election get volatile, who is unruffled? In a world where it’s easy to be blown about by the winds of false, slanderous, and disturbing information, who shows a dedication to accuracy and truth? In a time that feels like we are being forced into “us vs. them” camps more than ever, who builds righteous and godly bridges? Is this the reputation of the church right now?

• Do we protect the foundational teaching and practice of the faith? Do we unthinkingly buy the latest best-selling devotional or hop on the current Christian celebrity bandwagon, or are we purposeful Bereans, searching the Scriptures so that we recognize wheat and chaff when we see it?

• Do we justify mindsets and decisions because we are afraid of our Rome, seduced by our Babylon, or deceived by lamblike horns that front for the voice of the dragon? The United States is not exempt from John’s imagery in Revelation. It’s an empire. It is a Beastly Babylon. So is Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Switzerland, Afghanistan, Haiti, Norway… Are we alert, self-assessing, surrendering our lives to the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit and the Bible to see how we are identifying and rejecting the coercive power and alluring pleasure of the False Prophets that do the bidding of the Beast? It is inevitable that we will struggle. Are we caving in spiritually or morally because it’s just too hard to be a consistent follower of Jesus in this Rome? Because it’s just too costly? Are we crumbling spiritually or morally because the idol of pleasure, comfort, money, sex, power just look so good in this Babylon? What voices are shaping how we think about and live in the world? Practical example: should the US be taking refugees from Afghanistan? How much have you been listening to your favorite news host or politician to get direction? How much have you been diving into your Bible and listening to pastors and theologians and Christian organizations that work with refugees?

• Are our hearts and minds shaped by a focus on a joyful future or on current afflictions? Have you heard the proverb, “It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness?” There is a place to curse the darkness – especially if people don’t realize they are in it - but we can become so enamored with cursing the darkness that we forget to light a candle. We can hide the light of Christ under a bushel of anger, and fear, and resentment, and hostility. Surely those of us who have the hope of everlasting joy set before us can let the hope and joy found in Jesus illuminate the darkness around us. We can call the darkness what it is and show the light for what it is at the same time. But the best way to pull people from a spiritual darkness (that they might even love) is to flood it with the compelling glory of the light of Jesus.

• Could people ever look at our life and reasonably say the evidence points toward us having been ‘marked’ by a nation or a cultural leader instead of by Christ and the Kingdom of God?Whose image do we obviously bear when people look at us? We are marked by the image we most prominently display. Here, for example, are things that characterized Jesus. The more they characterize us, the more we are marked as belonging to God. #practicerighteousness

1.    Loving – loving people well   

2.    Peacemaker – bringing order to chaos

3.    Merciful – giving grace wherever possible

4.    Kind – treating others with goodness

5.    Faithful – someone others can count on

6.    Humble – having a modest/honest estimate of ourselves 

7.    Generous – giving appropriately to those in need

8.    Self-controlled – not ruled by our appetites

9.    Godly – constantly mindful of God’s perspective 

10.Prayerful – regularly communicating with God

11.Righteous – doing what God would approve

12.Servant – looking to serve rather than be served

13.Nurturing – caring for those who are hurting or broken 

Is this us? Is this you? Are we marked as followers of Jesus? 

7 “Let the person who is able to hear, listen to and follow [31] what the Spirit proclaims to all the churches. I will allow the one who conquers through faithfulness even unto death to eat from the tree of life found in God’s lush paradise.”[32]

Recommended Soundtrack:

“Zion and Babylon” by Josh Garrels

“Bye Bye Babylon” by White Heart.

_________________________________________________________________________

[1] Key resources that have heavily informed this series:

·      Apocalypse and Allegiance: Worship, Politics, and Devotion in the Book of Revelation,  by J. Nelson Kraybill

·      A teaching series by professor Shane J. Woods on Revelation (shanejwood.com)

·      The Bible Project’s videos, notes and podcast

·      Michael Heiser’s teaching on Revelation (Podcast: The Naked Bible)

·      Reading Revelation Responsibly: Uncivil Worship And Witness: Following The Lamb Into The New Creation, by Michael Gorman

·      Dragons, John, And Every Grain Of Sand, edited by Shane J. Wood.

·      Matt Chandler’s Revelation Series (Village Church)

·      Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture: Revelation, from IVP

·      Seven Deadly Spirits: The Message of Revelation’s Letters for Today's Church, written by T. Scott Daniels

·      Adam Clarke’s commentary

·      Parts of Greg Beale’s commentary on Revelation

·      The commentaries available at Bible Gateway

·      The commentaries available at biblehub.com

·      The commentaries available at preceptaustin.com

[2] Apocalypse and Allegiance: worship, politics, and devotion in the Book of Revelation, J. Nelson Kraybill

[3] I recommend you watch or read A Monster Calls. Be ready to cry. It’s terribly beautiful.

[4] Beale suggests the “mystery” being revealed is that the reign of Christ and the suffering of the church can co-exist. Triumph is often intertwined with death. (Romans 11:25; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Ephesians 3:3-6)

[5] In Daniel 10 and 12, angels are show to help believers on earth.

[6] Hat tip to Beale for pointing this out.

[7]  Thanks to Seven Deadly Spirits: The Message of Revelation’s Letters for Today's Church, written by T. Scott Daniels, for intro material.

[8] Ephesus was known throughout the ancient world as the temple keeper (neōkoros; cf. Acts 19:35) of the goddess Artemis. 

[9] Acts 19:23-41

[10] “Jewish tradition recognized guardian angels of nations (based partly on Da 10:13,20 – 21) and of individuals; here the idea seems to be guardian angels of churches.” (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)  Beale argues this is to remind readers that their foundation is in heaven; their primary existence is spiritual. That makes sense to me.  However, Adam Clarke has a different perspective worth considering. “Unto the angel of the Church of Ephesus — By αγγελος, angel, we are to understand the messenger or person sent by God to preside over this Church; and to him the epistle is directed, not as pointing out his state, but the state of the Church under his care. Angel of the Church here answers exactly to that officer of the synagogue among the Jews called ציבור שליח sheliach tsibbur, the messenger of the Church, whose business it was to read, pray, and teach in the synagogue. The Church is first addressed, as being the place where John chiefly resided; and the city itself was the metropolis of that part of Asia. The angel or bishop at this time was most probably Timothy, who presided over that Church before St. John took up his residence there, and who is supposed to have continued in that office till A.D. 97, and to have been martyred a short time before St. John's return from Patmos.”  I like what Beale says; Clarke’s view makes a practical sense to me. It’s not a hill I’m going to die on J I’ll probably barely even put up a fight if we disagree.

[11] “The church had been founded by Paul about AD 53–56, and according to tradition, both John the Apostle and Mary (whom Christ committed to John's care at His crucifixion) lived in Ephesus.” (Orthodox Study Bible)

[12] Still making sure everyone knew Domitian’s son was not god….

[13] Churches. 7 of them. Weigh the numbers: it’s the weight of all the churches represented in these 7.

[14] “At Miletus Paul prophesied that even some of the Ephesian elders would tragically betray the cause of Christ by distorting the truth and leading away disciples (Acts 20:29–30). Timothy’s primary duty at Ephesus was to command certain persons to cease teaching false doctrine (1 Tim. 1:3). Hymenaeus, Alexander, and Philetus are even named as Ephesians who wandered from the truth (1:19–20; 2 Tim. 2:17–18).” (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary Of The New Testament)

[15] “agápē – properly, love which centers in moral preference. So too in secular ancient Greek focuses on preference; likewise… antiquity meant "to prefer."  (HELPS Word Studies) “Jeremiah 2:2  “This is what the Lord says:‘I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown.”

[16]  Love for Jesus (Eph 6:24) and/or one another (Eph 5:2).  

[17] “There is here an allusion to the candlestick in the tabernacle and temple, which could not be removed without suspending the whole Levitical service, so the threatening here intimates that, if they did not repent, c., he would unchurch them they should no longer have a pastor, no longer have the word and sacraments, and no longer have the presence of the Lord Jesus.” (Adam Clarke)

[18] Centers in moral choice, elevating one value over another. (HELPS Word Studies)

[19] (NIV Study Bible Notes)

[20] See Revelation 6:9-11

[21] Described as scarlet in Revelation 17

[22] “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins…Your merchants were the world’s important people; by your magic spell all the nations were led astray.” (Revelation 18:4; 23)  Chapter 18 shows an international economic power with clients around the world, all engaging in the unbounded and often immoral pursuit of pleasure.

[23] Got a lot of the info in this list from the Wikipedia entry for Domitian. 

[24] Eusebius maintain that Jews and Christians were heavily persecuted toward the end of Domitian's reign when he Book of Revelation and First Epistle of Clement were written.

[25] Seven Deadly spirits: The message of Revelations letters for today's Church, written by T. Scott Daniels. John says that this goddess is instead the Great Horror who corrupted the Earth with her fornication in Revelation 19 2. She does not hold the cup of life, but rather a golden cup full of Abominations and the impurities of her fornication. Revelation 17:4.

[26] It’s the crisis the Russian church is facing right now. Putin pushes the traditional family model pretty hard, and he’s been pretty easy on the church. This is appealing to Russian Christians. In talking with my pastor friends in the Ukraine, the Russian church has become fond of Putin, a man who does the work of the Russian beast. This is the timeless relevance of Revelation.

[27] Paul does not reject all Christian participation in society. For example, he advocated a “don't ask” policy when believers have food set before them.[27] But this was very, very different from outright Christian participation in pagan rituals and ceremonies.

[28] Matthew 16:26

[29] As noted by Craig Koester, Revelation challenges three intertwined components of life in the Empire: political domination (“beastly side of empire); religion where the church and state distinctions blur (“deification of human power”); economic networks that demanded compromise (“the seamy side of commerce”)

[30] See Revelation 13

[31] Jesus uses this phrase (Matthew 13), borrowing this from Isaiah (6:9-10), Jeremiah (5:21), and Ezekiel (3:27)

[32] Genesis reference. Adam and Eve fellowshipped with God when they ate from the Tree of Life. That promise of fellowship is extended to the faithful who endure.

Imitate What Is Good (3 John)

The elder, to my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.[1] Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from those outside the church. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.

The Middle East viewed hospitality as a key virtue. Because inns were usually of poor quality and often doubled as brothels, Christians who opened their homes to other Christians weren’t just saving people money; they were helping to guard their hearts.  

9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first,[2] will not welcome us. 10 So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us.[3] Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other [missionaries/evangelists]. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.

11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true. 

Demetrius probably took the letter to Gaius. He stands in contrast to Diotrephes as good does to evil. He has three witnesses to his character (which is what was needed in Jewish law to establish truth): his brethren all give him a good report, the Spirit of truth (the Holy Spirit), and John. 

13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.

Diotrephes and Demetrius

I grew up reading Goofus and Gallant, I think maybe in Highlights? They were a kid-level version of a contrast between what it looks like to be a decent human being vs. being a selfish jerk. Goofus loved to be first and often did malicious nonsense.  John offers here an an early version of that in which the stakes are much higher. 

Loves to serve vs. loves to be first. 

You know how the love of money is the root of all evil?[4] It’s not the money. It’s the love of it, craving it and getting it all cost, letting it control you, sacrificing others for it. This is the idea here. “Loves to be first” isn’t a slam on being first. Someone has to be first in a lot of situations. It’s not that. It’s craving it, getting it at all cost, letting it control you, sacrificing others for it.

•  It’s the difference between wanting your voice to be heard vs. demanding that your voice drown out all others.

• It’s the different between wanting to be seen vs. constantly bullying your way to the front.

•  It’s the difference between wanting to express a subjective opinion vs. shouting it until everyone else shuts up. 

• It’s the difference between leading as a servant vs. leading as a dictator. 

I think the antidote to this kind of narcissism[5] (I think that’s probably an assessment that’s at least in the ballpark of what I just described) is humility and empathy[6], which looks something like this:  

1.    Understanding Others (seeking to know and not just be known)

2.    Developing Others (helping others to flourish as God intends)

3.    Having a Service Orientation (having a heart to serve as Jesus served us)

4.    Reading The Room (working on sensing and responding to emotional and relational undercurrents so we can tailor our approach to the person(s) or situation. Confrontation or consolation? Just listen or solve the problem? What way does the scales tip in this moment as we balance truth and grace? Is it time to drop the topic or press in?).[7]

I don’t think it’s a bad idea to analyze ourselves and see if we are practicing to become the kind of person we are called to be –  one who is characterized by humility and righteous empathy

Inhospitable vs. hospitable 

The word is taken from two Greek words: philo (love) and xenia (strangers). Hospitality is specifically a friendship love for those whom we don’t know well.[8] (In this case, it is specifically referring to a church hospitality to traveling missionaries or evangelists which would include a kind of stated approval of their mission).  Other places in the Bible, beginning in the Old Testament, followers of God are commanded to be hospitable in a general, corporate sense. It is just part of being a decent human being.  

[Hospitality] is not something above and beyond the call of duty. It is a command; not to be hospitable is a sin. This is taught in the beautiful and telling parable of the Good Samaritan.. Christ taught that hospitality is a mark of the genuineness of our Christian confession. On the judgment day, Christ will say, “Come you who are blessed of my Father … For I was a stranger, and you invited me in,” or “Depart from me… for I was a stranger, and you did not invite me in” (Matthew 25).[9]

Inhospitality is, I think, a natural rotten fruit of narcissism or pride. If all you think about is yourself, you won’t even think of others. If you do, you consider them beneath you – which is probably their fault, right? Why would you serve the underserving? The inhospitable refuse to serve others with their actions, their words, their resources, and their power. They will not give; even worse, they are likely to take away.

 Yes, there are times helping/serving can become enabling. Let’s save that discussion for Message+. This message is focusing on the orientation of our heart in general.

The hospitable, on the other hand, love to find ways to serve others and make them feel welcome to whatever degree it is wise and appropriate to do so. This is not less than sharing resources and space, but it’s certainly more. It has to do with giving our lives so that others might flourish not just physically but spiritually.

“After looking at the examples we see in Scripture, the epistles from the Apostle John, and the implications from these examples we can formally define biblical hospitality as: The welcoming and fellowshipping with believers and non-believers out of truth and love for Jesus Christ so that they may see Christ more clearly and/or so they will join us as believers.”[10]

It’s probably no surprise that the arrogant person who is inhospitable talks malicious nonsense/evil slander/wicked words vs. speaks life-giving truth.

How do you keep all the attention if you are a narcissist? How can you keep all your stuff if you are inhospitable? Simple. Make sure you convince others that anyone who steals your spotlight or wants your stuff is a fool at best or evil at worst. 

I mean, if people are evil fools, you dare not give them the spotlight or “enable” them. The ‘righteous’ thing to do is neither help them nor hear them. You might even be thought of as discerning if you dedicate yourself to showing how everyone else – and I mean everyone - is wrong at best and dangerous at worst.  

That’s how cults start, by the way:[11] when only the self-appointed leader is right about everything, when only the gatekeeper has any idea how to set up the gates well, when everyone else is an idiot. If you look up characteristics of cults, this will show up in reference to how leaders operate with their authority.

• Questions, doubt, and dissent about the group or its leaders are discouraged or even punished. If you need clarification, you lack commitment.

• The group has a polarizing us-versus-them mentality in which everyone else is the enemy. There is a constant circling of the wagons amidst a growing number of enemies. (And as John shows, it’s not just a dynamic with those outside the church; it’s a dynamic that can happen inside the church).

• The leader is not accountable to any authority, and refuses to learn from others.

• Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends – anything that might compete for loyalty or puts them in a situation where they might find out the leader’s opinion might be wrong or that his reputation might not be above reproach. 

To have that kind of power, a leader (David Koresh and Jim Jones are probably the two most famous in the United States) must paint a never ending and overwhelming view of a monstrous world with monstrous people (both inside and outside the church) in which only a leader like Koresh or Jones is good enough and true enough to lead us to some type of Promised Land.

The first part of that claim is just false; all of us are fallen; all of us are flawed. The fault line between good and evil runs through every heart.  The second part is nonsense. There was and is and will be only one perfect human who can lead us to the true Promised Land, and that’s Jesus.

What is the antidote?  Speak life-giving truth with humble honesty. 

·      Build others up with our words 

·      Learn and teach the Scripture

·      Commit ourselves a true view of the world.

·      Take ourselves off of every pedestal

·      Learn from our church family no matter our position

·      Applaud those who speak life-giving truth with humble honesty.

·      Don’t be afraid of the monsters. God is bigger than the boogeyman! #veggietales

Hates competition vs. loves cooperation

This shouldn’t be a shock based on what we’ve covered so far. It’s one thing to exercise care over what voices are given access to a church. That’s a biblical responsibility. It’s another thing to refuse to play well with any other follower of Jesus.  

Surely – surely – there are a lot of God-fearing people outside our church. Dare I say millions? Tens of millions? Surely there are pastors, teachers, singers, theologians, philosophers, bloggers, writers, podcasters that have really good things to say about our faith. You are going to separate wheat from chaff in all of them, but that’s true here too. It’s just life on this side of heaven. 

I am not in competition with or set against those who plant wheat well albeit imperfectly. We are on the same team, with the same goal. Once again, Message+ is the place for us to talk more about those whose chaff drowns out their wheat, or who are actively planting tares (fake wheat).[12]

Now, I admit, I find myself cautious in terms of people and organizations with which I want to publicly align, and I find myself cautious about connecting our church with people and organizations with which we lack some kind of first hand knowledge. I don’t want to be stingy, but I also want to be wise. In today’s online world, we can end up aligning ourselves with a good thing that’s part of bigger not-so-good thing. It can be tricky and frustrating. 

I don’t want to send a message that everyone who cries “Lord, Lord,” is going to give us Kingdom gold.[13] That’s not biblical. There are charlatans and fools who use our faith as a mean of… charlatanry?… and foolishness; there are simply misguided people who have fallen into serious error not because their hearts were bad, but their formation was compromised.  

But I also don't want to send a message that everyone in the family of God who is not exactly like us is suspect. That’s just not biblical either. We are part of a church universal, a church with Holy-Spirit filled and biblically formed followers of Jesus who close their hands around the same cornerstones of theology and appropriately hold a lot of things in open hands. (See our Statement of Faith for reference to our church’s biblical foundations.)[i]

Revelation is a good example, btw. I posted some comments about Revelation and promptly started getting recommendations on what to read. It’s different from what I read. That’s okay. We all close our hand around the core message: “Life is hard. God is with us. Evil will not have the last word, as God will wrap up history on His triumphal terms.” Any discussion we have about numbers and symbols and dragons is informative and (hopefully) helpful in leading us toward better understanding of how Revelation points us toward the hope that we have in Christ, but God forbid it divide us. It’s not a competition to be right.

One day, we will be able to look back at how we all thought of end times stuff and say, “You nailed it!” or “That was a sketchy reading!” and we will all laugh and hug and move on because it won’t matter at that point. It’s not a competition on secondary things. It’s an opportunity for practice in cooperation as we walk together deeper into the truth of God’s word.  

Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.

#practicerighteousness

Pray that God will :

·      strengthen our humility

·      enlarge our hospitality

·      guide our ability to speak life-giving truth vs. malicious talk

·      practice wise cooperation

Then, look for opportunities to put this into practice.

_____________________________________________________________________

[1] Either “whom I truly love” or a statement meaning “whom I love as one who, like me, remains faithful to the gospel.”

[2] Highest honor is not supposed to attach to power but to humility and servanthood (Matthew 18:3; 23:11). 

[3] The word used here occurs nowhere else in N.T. It means ‘to talk non-sense.’ It’s conversation that is both wicked and senseless.

[4] 1 Timothy 6:10

[5] https://www.compellingtruth.org/Bible-narcissism.html

[6] https://www.compellingtruth.org/Bible-empathy.html

[7] I am paraphrasing a list from David Goleman.

[8] Great article here: https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/hospitality/

[9] Read the entire (really good) article from which the excerpt was taken here: https://www.christianstudylibrary.org/article/biblical-basis-hospitality

[10] http://www.doctrineanddevotion.com/blog/what-exactly-is-biblical-hospitality

[11] The following is from http://cultresearch.org/help/characteristics-associated-with-cults/

[12] Matthew 13:24-30

[13] Matthew 7

[i] STATEMENT OF FAITH

The Bible: We believe the Holy Bible to be the inspired Word of God, inerrant in its original manuscripts. It is our standard for faith and practice and the measure by which all of life and personal revelation is to be evaluated. (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21)

The Triune God: We believe that there is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4), eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (John 8:54-59). God is perfect in holiness, infinite in wisdom, and measureless in power.

God (The Father): He is Creator, Redeemer and the Sovereign Ruler of the universe. We believe that God is omnipotent (He can do anything that can be done), omniscient (He knows anything that can be known), omnipresent (there is no place or circumstance of which God is unaware or in which he is not active), and unchanging. He upholds all things by the Word of His power and grace, exercising sovereignty over all creation. He made all things for the praise of His glory and intends for people to live in fellowship with Himself. (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2, 102:27; John 3:16, 4:24; Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3; I Timothy 1:17; Titus 1:3).

God (The Son, Jesus Christ): We believe in the historical reality of Jesus Christ as the only incarnation of God. We believe in His deity, His virgin birth (Matthew 1:18-23), His sinless life (Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22), His miracles (Acts 2:22; Acts 10:38), His substitutionary death (1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21), His bodily resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:39; 1 Corinthians 15:4), His ascension to the right hand of the Father (Acts 1:9; Acts 1:11; Acts 2:33; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1:3), His intercession for the sins of His people (1 Timothy 2:5-6), and His future personal return in power and glory (Acts 1:10-11).

God (the Holy Spirit): We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells believers (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), confirming their salvation (Romans 8:14-16) and enabling them to bear godly fruit (Galatians 5:22). We believe that the Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). The Holy Spirit also empowers believers to have a bold and effective witness (i.e Luke 12:12), so He manifests His gifts in their daily lives for the edification of the church and as a testimony to the world. 

The fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) is the result of a Spirit-filled life, and evidence of spiritual maturity. True followers of God will be known by their fruit (Matthew 7:16).

The gifts of the Spirit are different manifestations of the Spirit to build up the body (Isaiah 11:5; I Corinthians 12:1-11). They ought always directly point people toward God (John 15:26; John 16:13-14). We are instructed to diligently seek the gifts (I Corinthians 12:31, 14:1), but they must be exercised in an orderly and understandable way (I Corinthians 14:26-33) and used in the context of love (I Corinthians 13:1-13), lest our expression cause others to stumble (1 Corinthians 8). We have different gifts given as the Holy Spirit wills, and the gifts must be expressed in love, sincerity, and in a way which honors others above ourselves (Romans 12:1-10).

Sin: We believe that we sin (i.e, “hamartia,” in Romans 3:23, and “chata” in Judges 20:16 and Exodus 20:20) when we disobey the commands of God’s inspired Word and reject His authority All of us have sinned and are therefore, in our natural state, lost and separated from God. We believe men and women were created in the image of God (Genesis 2:26). However, by a voluntary act of the will, Adam and Eve disobeyed God (Genesis 3:6). As a result, mankind began to die spiritually (Romans 5:12-19). Sin separated humankind from God (Ephesians 2:11-18) and left us in a fallen or sinful condition (Romans 3:23; Genesis 1:26,27; Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:6; Romans 5:12-19).

Salvation: We believe that God the Father showed His love for all people by sending His Son to die as a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins. (Luke 18:27; John 3:16,17; Romans 11:33; 1 Peter 1:16; 1 John 4:7-10; Revelation 4:8) 

We believe Jesus’ death paid the penalty our sins warranted, and His resurrection grants us the life we could not attain – both of these being necessary to reconcile us to right-standing before God. (Matthew 16:16,17 and 25:31-46; Mark 14:61,62; Luke 1:34,35 and 2:7; John 1:1 and 1:14 and 5:22-30 and 10:30 and 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22-24.) It is not through our efforts (Acts 4:12; John 3:3; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 2:8; 
Titus 2:11; Titus 3:5-7). When we admit our sin, confess that Jesus is Lord, and repent, we become a new creation and are gradually transformed into the image of Christ (Galatians 5:22, 23; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Corinthians 3:18)

Eternal Destiny: We believe in the resurrection of the saved and the lost, and that both will stand before the judgment seat of Christ; the saved will enter into everlasting life in God’s presence, and the lost will be sent into everlasting death, devoid of the presence of God. (Matthew 25:31-46; Mark 9:43-48; 1 Corinthians 4:5; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:8).

The Church: We believe that the Church is Christ’s symbolic body in the earth (Colossians 1:24; 1 Corinthians 12:27), and that it should reveal His character, His message, and His love to the world. We believe that the Church is to go into all the world, preach the gospel, and make disciples. This will lead people to have fellowship with God (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19,20; Mark 16:15,16) and community with others (1 Corinthians 12:13).

Human Life: We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image (Genesis 1:27). Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Psalm 139)

Marriage and Sexuality: We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. Together they reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman as delineated in Scripture (Genesis 2:18-25; Matthew 19:5-6). It is intended to be a covenant by which they unite themselves for life in a single, exclusive union, ordered toward the well-being of the spouses and designed to be the environment for the procreation and upbringing of children.

Baptism: In New Testament times, baptism followed repentance and faith. (Acts 2:38; Acts 18:8) This public witness marked the believer as a follower of Christ. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. Simply stated, it is an outward sign of an inward change. Baptism also symbolizes the believer’s union with Christ (Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:27).

YOUR FULL REWARD (2 John)

1 From the ·Elder to the ·chosen lady[1]: I love all of you in the truth [about the Gospel of Jesus Christ], and all those who know the truth love you. 2 We love you because of the truth that ·lives in us and will be with us forever. 3 Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, will be with us in truth and love.

4 I was very happy  to learn that some of your children are living as the Gospel requires, as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, this is not a new command I am writing, but is the same command we have had from the beginning. I ask you that we all love each other. 6 And love means living the way God commanded us to live. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is this: Live a life of love.[2]

7 For many ·false teachers have gone out into the world now who do not confess that Jesus Christ came to earth ·as a human. Anyone who does not confess this is ·a false teacher and ·an enemy of Christ [the antichrist].[3] Be careful that you do not lose everything you have worked for, but that you receive your full reward.

9 Anyone who ·goes beyond [runs ahead of] Christ’s teaching and does not ·continue to follow only his teaching does not have God. But whoever ·continues to follow ·the teaching of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If someone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not ·welcome that person or ·accept them into your house (into your house church and acknowledge them like a brother in Christ). 11 If you welcome such a person (this way), you participate in the evil work.[4]

12 I have many things to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk face to face so our joy can be complete. 13 The children of your ·chosen sister greet you.

____________________________________________________

I’m going to start toward the end then get back to the beginning. 

 Anyone who ·goes beyond [runs ahead of] Christ’s teaching and does not ·continue to follow only his teaching does not have God. But whoever ·continues to follow ·the teaching of Christ has both the Father and the Son.

Two ways to do false teaching: stop short of the full revelation of  Jesus and the Bible, or go beyond the revelation of Jesus and the Bible. We don’t need another prophet or any additional revelation to see and know Jesus the way that God intended. This is one reason we as Christians offer crucial correction to religious orientations that do the following (and I’m just going to focus on the Abrahamic religions rather than do a survey of all of them): 

• stop short of Jesus (Othodox Judaism)

• demand more than Jesus (Islam) 

•  add to (Islam, Mormonism[5]) or distort (Jehovah’s Witnesses[6]) the revelation of Scripture to accommodate a warped view of Jesus

And speaking of the revelation of Jesus – the Incarnation – that’s the linchpin holding this letter together. So, back to the top. 

And now, dear lady, this… is the same command we have had from the beginning. I ask you that we all love each other.  And love means living the way God commanded us to live. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is this: Live a life of love.[7]  For many false teachers have gone out into the world now who do not confess that Jesus Christ came to earth as a human. Anyone who does not confess this is ·a false teacher and ·an enemy of Christ [the antichrist].[8] Be careful that you do not lose everything you have worked for, but that you receive your full reward.

There is an interesting connect-the-dots going on here: 

• Many false teachers were denying the Incarnation of Jesus. 

• Because of this, church members were being deceived about the nature of Jesus. 

• One result of this deception: they were struggling to love each other well.[9]

• In failing to love each other well, they were losing a reward for which they had worked.

But here John specifies that they don’t want to lose everything they have worked for. This can’t be salvation[10], which is a free gift of unmerited grace. This must be something into which they invest sweat equity as part of God’s plan. If our reward is a combination of 

what awaits us in terms of the richness of this life by staying on the path of life (fullness of life in the Kingdom: maturity, virtue, honor, integrity, peace, joy, hope, etc.)  

what awaits us in the world to come (a glorious eternity in the New Heaven and New Earth in full communion with God and the saings)

then a reward we work for is something less than salvation but something very important in experiencing the fullness of life that Christ offers. 

I think John is referring to  some kind of reward that correlates with  sowing and reaping in the Kingdom of God.[11] To use a flawed analogy: my wife and I live in a marriage ‘kingdom.’ We have a covenant life together. But the quality of that life is going to reflect our investment into and love of each other. We have been given a land in which to flourish (covenental marriage), but we will plant, water, cultivate  and harvest in our marriage. And here we are 31 years in, and we don’t want to lose what we worked for. 

The Bible uses an analogy of Jesus and the church  as married (church=bride). There is a covenant reality in our salvation that gives us a sure foundation, but we will plant, water, cultivate and harvest within that that reality. 

And all of this – salvation, life in eternity, a full life now, the ability to love each other as Jesus loved us -  hinges on the reality of the Incarnation of Jesus. If we understand that, good things follow. If we don’t, bad things follow. So let’s take some time to look at the Incarnation and the implications that ground us and guide us.

Through The Incarnation, We Are Reconciled With God.

“When the eternal Word and Son of God ‘became flesh and dwelt among us’ (John 1:14), God decided in his omnipotent freedom to become who we are, without ever ceasing to be fully who He has always been, and always will be. He did this in order to grant us a life-giving, life-transforming share in His communion with the Father through the Holy Spirit, the glorious first-fruits of his reconciling all things in heaven and earth in Himself (Eph. 1:10; Col. 1:20).

Assuming our humanity… the man Christ Jesus personally lives and acts in our name, in our place, and on our behalf. Born of Mary to live out his divine life… in our human nature, all Christ is and does as our incarnate Savior he is and does for us—that is, in solidarity with us as one of us. Stating the matter clearly and concisely, Christ works out our salvation within the constitution of his own vicarious humanity. 

To speak of the vicarious humanity of Christ is thus to say that he assumed our humanity and made it his own in order to be for us who we could not and would not be, and to do for us what we could not and would not do.. God gives himself and all his saving benefits to us in and as man in our incarnate Savior. God draws near to us, and we no less draw near to God, in and through the God-man. 

The saving acts of Christ secure ‘at-one-ment’ between God and the redeemed because those acts occur within the being and life of our Mediator, within the very incarnate constitution of the One who unites God with man as the God-man. God the Son healed and saved the corrupted, estranged humanity he assumed from us so the incarnate Christ might himself be the ground and source of every aspect of our salvation—so the one Mediator of salvation might mediate the salvation that is his alone to give in and through the very humanity he healed and saved.[12]  

 Through The Incarnation, We Are Humbled 

“The  incarnation accomplishes the severe mercy of rendering absurd any notion that [a harmonious relationship] between God and humanity is accomplished from the side of humanity. We do not seek and find a reclusive God[13]; he pursues and overtakes a rebellious people. We do not perforate his unapproachable light; he penetrates our unsearchable darkness… that infinite and eternal God storms space and time to confront us face to face in the face of Christ.  

The incarnation scandalizes our desire for heroism without humility, for glory without grace, for human ascent without divine descent. That is because the incarnation sets before us the unsettling yet liberating reality that [a harmonious relationship] between God and humanity is accomplished only and ever from the side of God.”[14]

 Through The Incarnation, We Are Shown What Mercy Looks Like.

“He [Jesus Christ] condescends to assume my flesh and blood, my body and soul. He does not become an angel or another magnificent creature; He becomes man. This is a token of God’s mercy to wretched human beings; the human heart cannot grasp or understand, let alone express it.” (Martin Luther)

 Through The Incarnation, We Know Our Mission 

“As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (John 20:21)

“Paul writes in 2 Cor. 5:20, ‘we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.’ God intends to save the world by sending people. Who are you actually calling to drop nets and follow you as you follow Christ? Who are you ‘becoming flesh and dwelling amongst’? The incarnation is a critical doctrine when it comes to orthodoxy, but beware lest you fail to give it sufficient voice in orthopraxy.”[15]

 Through The Incarnation, We Learn Love

“The incarnation, therefore, serves as a model of sacrificial love, and it should exemplify for us not just who we are as people, but also who we are as workers. When we see problems at work or in our communities, we shouldn’t dismiss them as the problems of other people. Christ took on our problems, our sin and death, and provided a solution. As Christians who are now united to Christ, we reflect the love of God and the work of Christ when we sympathize with others and serve and love them.”[16]

The birth of Jesus was God’s being “with” us at the most fundamental and committed level…. And it’s our commitment to be with others which is one of our most distinctive responses to the incarnation. Our response to God’s gracious commitment to us has surely to be our commitment to be with our struggling neighbors with whom we paddle through the mud of life… we have a responsibility to go and be with them in whatever way we reasonably can.[17]

 Through The Incarnation, The Church Becomes The Body

Christ became one flesh with His Church (Eph. 5: 31-32). Without the Incarnation, the Church could not have become what it is: the body of Christ. 

“Jesus Christ is the present and living foundation of the church because by faith we have been incorporated in him – that is, united into his body.  We are the recipients of his saving blessings and his communion with the Father through the Spirit, continually drawing our life and nourishment from his resurrected and glorified humanity, and thus participating in his mission of recreating and reconciling the world to God… 

We are indeed the body of Christ… It was the confession of this profound and mysterious reality that drove Paul to one of the most breath-taking utterances in Holy Writ: “And God put all things under Christ’s feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Eph. 1:23)…the Greek in this verse is emphatic: hestis estin to soma auto – the church “which is indeed, or in truth, his body.” [18]

* * * * *

We “form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” (Romans 12:5).

Let’s do communion as one body, in which God intends the legacy of the reality of Incarnation to live on: reconciliation, humility, mercy, mission, love.

In Communion, we acknowledge this: “I know this is commanded of me: to be ‘broken and spilled out’ for you in humility, mercy and love in honor of Jesus being broken and spilled out for us on the cross. May our redeemed lives, united in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, display God’s glory in the fullness of the earth as God makes His appeal through us: His body, His church.

May God give us the strength and holiness to ‘incarnate’ his ministry of reconciliation, his model of humility, his gift of mercy, his focus on mission, and his capacity to love.

___________________________________________________________________________

[1] “The elect lady —As κυρια, kuria, may be the feminine of κυριος, kurios, lord, therefore it may signify lady; and so several, both ancients and moderns, have understood it. But others have considered it the proper name of a woman, Kyria; and that this is a very ancient opinion is evident from the Peshito Syriac, the oldest version we have, which uses it as a proper name [Syriac] koureea, as does also the Arabic [Arabic] kooreea. Some have thought that Eclecta was the name of this matron, from the word εκλεκτη, which we translate elect, and which here signifies the same as excellent, eminent, honourable, or the like. Others think that a particular Church is intended, which some suppose to be the Church at Jerusalem, and that the elect sister, 2 John 1:13, means the Church at Ephesus…I am satisfied that no metaphor is here intended; that the epistle was sent to some eminent Christian matron, not far from Ephesus, who was probably deaconess of the Church, who, it is likely, had a Church at her house, or at whose house the apostles and travelling evangelists frequently preached, and were entertained.” (Adam Clarke)

[2] To love God is to obey. (See John 14:15, 21, 23, 24; 15:10, 14.) “And why call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

[3] Just a quick note: this is likely the same John who wrote Revelation. We may want to consider that the Antichrist figure in Revelation comes from within the church, considering how John has used that term in both of his letters for false teachers.

[4] One of the early Christian documents, the Didache, gives similar instruction: “Let every apostle who comes to you be received as the Lord. . . . But not everyone who speaks in the spirit is a prophet; he is only a prophet if he has the ways of the Lord. The false and the genuine prophet will be known therefore by their ways” (Bettenson, 51). (Asbury Bible Commentary)

“The words mean, according to the eastern use of them, ‘Have no religious connection with him, nor act towards him so as to induce others to believe you acknowledge him as a brother.’" (Adam Clarke)

[5] The Quran and the Book of Mormon, respectively

[6] The New World Version of the Bible

[7] To love God is to obey. (See John 14:15, 21, 23, 24; 15:10, 14.) “And why call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

[8] Just a quick note: this is likely the same John who wrote Revelation. We may want to consider that the Antichrist figure in Revelation comes from within the church, considering how John has used that term in both of his letters for false teachers.

[9] The other danger, of course, is that they begin to follow a false Jesus #idolatry.

[10] Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

[11] The Bible has passages that refer to people being rewarded for what they have done both in this life and the life to come. Since John is focusing on how we love each other, my sense is that John is talking about implications for life together now. 

[12] Johnson and Clark, The Incarnation of God: The Mystery of the Gospel as the Foundation of Evangelical Theology

[13] Romans 3:10-12; John 6:44; Luke 19:10. Jeremiah 29 – ““You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you” – is God’s people experiencing revival, not finding God for the first time.

[14] Johnson and Clark, The Incarnation of God: The Mystery of the Gospel as the Foundation of Evangelical Theology

[15] Nick Moore, https://baptist21.com/blog-posts/2014/incarnation-implications/

[16] https://www.thenivbible.com/blog/what-incarnation-should-mean-in-our-daily-lives/

[17] “What the incarnation means for the here-and-now,”  JOHN PRITCHARD

[18] Johnson and Clark’s book, The Incarnation of God: The Mystery of the Gospel as the Foundation of Evangelical Theology

Make Incarnation Your Model

 A little girl, frightened by a storm, had trouble with her parents’ reminder that God was with her.  “I know that God is here, but I need someone in the room who has some skin!” This is, of course, the claim of Christianity. God showed up in skin.

“The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) 

“Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory.” (1 Timothy 3:16)

 So let’s talk today about incarnation; that is, “giving skin” to the presence of God in a way that carries on the legacy of Christ’s perfect embodiment.  This is why we are here, right? We are icons, image bearers, representatives, temples, the “body” of Christ.[1]  THIS IS WHO WE ARE. And because we are all that, we honor the Incarnate One who came to our world by living as an “incarnate church,”[2] a community humbly following the way of Jesus in everyday life so that we are “someone in the room who has skin” in the midst of life’s storms.  

We won’t do it perfectly; we can’t do it without the Holy Spirit empowering us. But…it’s our calling. It’s what we are made for. What follows can apply, I think to pretty much any situation: your family, friends, coworkers, fellow church members, those to whom we are trying to witness. 

GO

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2: 5-8)

God didn't wait for us to come to Him. He came to us.  We have a Great Commission: we have to go to where others are instead of wait for them to come to us. We often think of ‘going’ in a cross-cultural context. When we go to places not Traverse City, we eat new food, learn new languages, and celebrate with the different neighborhood customs (sometimes we do that right here in TC).  We live in that community in that context. Barring some sense in which we are asked to participate in something sinful, we are there to enter into their world, and that’s good and proper. 

We show people we care by engaging with and caring about them in their world as much as we can without compromise. This happens everywhere: from oversees to our homes, our church, our community.  It’s a universal principle.   

• Want to talk to little kids effectively? Kneel when you speak.

• Want to show your spouse you care? Plan a date he or she wants.  

• Want to connect with your kids? Play music they like too while you are driving; play Hi Ho Cherrio for hours; build a fort out of a box.

• Want to connect with someone who loves to fish, hike, or build stuff? Be ready to fish, hike or build stuff.

• Want to have a good relationship with someone with a different religious or political worldview? Take the time to get to know their ‘mental community.’ 

 Enter their world.  It’s a relationship-building principle that not only honors others, but paves the way for a) genuine friendship and b) the message of the gospel. Once you go, the next step is to know, and this starts by listening.

LISTEN THOROUGHLY

One of the best ways to get to know people is to listen to them – their story, hopes, dreams, fears, even opinions.  Listening is a way of saying, “It’s not all about me. I want to know about you. I want to see who you are. You matter.”  This does not always come easily. Try this checklist:

1)   I make a great effort to understand other people’s experiences.

2)   When people are angry, I can listen without reflecting their anger. 

3)   People freely share with me because they know I listen well.

4)   I learn from nonverbal cues, body language, and tone of voice. 

5)   I am able to show sympathy and empathy.

6)   I ask for clarification about how words are used and what emotion I am sensing rather than filling in the blanks. 

7)   I don’t wait impatiently to make my point or have my turn.

8)   I can file stuff away to think or learn more about rather than feeling like I have to address it right now.

9)   I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt rather than read the worst possibilities into what I don’t understand. 

10) I don’t speak when I should be listening. [3]

Listening well is a key starting point in incarnation. We listen to understand and value the image of God in other people. They have worth simply as people.  

“Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable.” – David Augsburger

 Now… it might be that what you hear is appalling. It might be obnoxious. It might lead you to mutter, “Get thee behind me, Satan!” It might just break your heart. Keep in mind that the LISTENING is not the same as:

• Approving

• Enabling

• Applauding

• Excusing 

Listening is an act of knowing.  And from that knowing, we respond. 

SPEAK CAREFULLY 

Once you have listened, there are some ways to respond that, once again, a) honor the image bearer, b) hopefully build relationship, and c) build a relationship on the foundations of gospel.[4] 

Reflect: “I think I hear you saying…” This is a call to accuracy and clarity.  It stops us from assuming, from reading between the lines, from filtering what someone ways so we hear what we wanted to hear.  We can hear even the hardest things without getting upset if our first goal is to reflect: “I think I hear you saying that…”

1.       “… my faith is foolish, and Christianity is hogwash.”

2.       “…I am aloof and stand-offish when I interact with people.”

3.       “…Christians hate the sin and the sinner.”

4.       “…bacon is not tasty.”[5]

 Validate:  I mean this like validating a parking lot ticket: you give a stamp that proves you were present with that person. This can happen in a number of ways. ‘I hear you… I think I understand… Based on what you have said, I can understand why you feel that way... It sounds like you have been through a lot.”  Validating for someone that they have been heard is not the same as approving or agreeing with everything they have told you. It’s simply an acknowledgment that they have been heard, you have attempted to understand, and maybe even that their response makes sense in that circumstance/ time/place – which is still different from applauding it.  “Considering your experiences…”

1.       “…I can see why it would be easy to think that about Christianity.”

2.       “… I can see why I appear that way at times.”

3.       “… No wonder you feel like it’s not possible to separate sin from the sinner.”

4.       “… your taste buds appear to have been terribly compromised.”

 Explore: “I have some follow up questions.”

1.     “What do you think about Jesus himself? What is it you find compelling about the life you have chosen?  Are you telling me this because you just want me to know, or you want me to engage with you?

2.     “What specifically can I do to make sure I don’t come across that way?”

3.     “When you read about Jesus, does he seem to balance these things, or does he seem hateful too? Do you think I hate sinners?  

4.     “Did a pig bite you at one time? Were you frightened by Porky Pig?”

 Engage:

No matter what approach is needed, our desire for those around ought to be that every conversation is characterized by speaking and learning God’s truth, and displaying God’s grace through our words and actions.   

1.  “I think there is another way of looking at faith that is more accurate and healthy than the picture you were given.”

2.  “I appreciate you giving me your honest assessment. I will see if I can get some feedback from others as well.” 

3. “I have found that people love me even when they don’t love everything about me. That’s what Jesus did for me. I try to pass that on.”

4. “Have you tried bacon with bacon? Because they go together well.”

 The journey might look different in each relationship, but the goal is the same.  We are praying for the wisdom to be as humble as we should be,[6] bold as we need to be, as kind as we can be for the sake of moving together further and higher into the Kingdom of God. 

What we are praying for is the ability to MATCH OUR MISSION TO THE MOMENT. When I was coaching, I learned that different people respond to different kinds of motivation (shocking insight, I know). Some players flourished when I encouraged them out of failure (big hug during a time out); others flourished when I got in their face (big hug after the game). 

With God’s help, knowing  others will help us to know when to do and say what. Parents, you know how it is with kids. They are different. One kid didn’t respond until you were all up in their business; the other one melted down when you looked a little but unhappy. The longer we know our spouse, the better (hopefully) we get at when to do and say what. There is an art to matching our engagement to the person. 

This is one reason we are focusing right now as a church on creating ways to just spend time together, from small groups to affinity groups to potlucks.  If we are present and invested in people in the moment, we build a track record of knowledge and experience that God uses to prepare us for the deep moments of relationship. 

The Holy Spirit inspires, of course; many of you have shared stories of this in Message+ over the years. God gives inspiration.  Here’s a both/and: the Holy Spirit also leads us into wisdom through practical experience and relationship.

All relationships are built in a context of experiences and people.  If we have taken the time to know the person, the place, the background, the culture, then as Christ moves us and the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom, we can most effectively match our messages (through word and deed) to moments. 

This helps us more fully model the incarnational love of Christ to our family, our church, our city. Because Christ entered our world, we enter into the world of others without compromise to represent Christ with care and confidence so the glory of His redemption is clear. 

I want to close with the broader context of the verses I quoted earlier from Philippians 2. You will see that the example of Jesus’ incarnation is situated right in the middle of a discussion on what modeling incarnation looks like in the church.  Since modeling incarnation was our focus this morning, it seems like a fitting close.

Philippians 2 If you find any comfort from being in the Anointed, if His love brings you some encouragement, if you experience true companionship with the Spirit, if His tenderness and mercy fill your heart; then, brothers and sisters, 2 here is one thing that would complete my joy:

Come together as one in mind and spirit and purpose, sharing in the same love. 3 Don’t let selfishness and prideful agendas take over. Embrace true humility, and lift your heads to extend love to others. 4 Get beyond yourselves and protecting your own interests; be sincere, and secure your neighbors’ interests first.5 In other words, adopt the mind-set of Jesus the Anointed. Live with His attitude in your hearts. Remember:

6 Though He was in the form of God, He chose not to cling to equality with God; 7 But He poured Himself out to fill a vessel brand new; a servant in form and a man indeed.
The very likeness of humanity, 8 He humbled Himself, obedient to death — a merciless death on the cross! 9 So God raised Him up to the highest place and gave Him the name above all. 10 So when His name is called, every knee will bow, in heaven, on earth, and below. 11 And every tongue will confess  “Jesus, the Anointed One, is Lord,”  to the glory of God our Father!

 12 So now, my beloved, obey as you have always done, not only when I am with you, but even more so when I can’t be. Continue to work out your salvation, with great fear and trembling.

•  labor; work it down to the end point, bring it to its right conclusion[7]’

• Carry to completion what is begun,”[8] or “carry into effect.”[9]

• “Watchful, loving, reverent consistency, for his Lord’s sake.”[10]

•  "Salvation" is "worked in" (Php 2:13; Eph 1:11) believers by the Spirit, who enables them through faith to be justified once for all; but it needs, as a progressive work, to be "worked out" by obedience, through the help of the same Spirit, unto perfection (2Pe 1:5-8).[11]

13 God is energizing you so that you will desire and do what always pleases Him.

14 Do all things without complaining or bickering with each other, 15 so you will be found innocent and blameless; you are God’s children called to live without a single stain on your reputations among this perverted and crooked generation. Shine like stars across the land. 16 Cling to the word of life so that on the day of judgment when the Anointed One returns I may have reason to rejoice, because it will be plain that I didn’t turn from His mission nor did I work in vain.

_______________________________________________________________________

[1] 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 3-4; Colossians 1

[2] “We are the body,” Paul says. We are a new and ongoing kind of incarnation – clearly different from Jesus (anyone here divine?) but nonetheless participatory in the representation of God on God’s behalf.

1)    [3] Why would we talk too much? Maybe…. 

·       Love? Because we love them, there is soooo much truth they need to hear. There are times, however, when great intentions can have misplaced application.

·       Nervousness?  We control the conversation or change to a more comfortable topic because we don’t want tension inside us or between us to escalate. (This can feel like peacemaking, when it’s peacekeeping). 

·       Narcissism?  We genuinely think anything we have to say is of utmost importance; “My speaking is a much better use of our time! Have you not heard my thoughts!!!”

·       Lack of Faith? Maybe there are times the Holy Spirit wants us to be quiet even though something is begging to be said. Do we trust that God can do work even if we don’t get all the words out in the timing we think we should?

[4]  I am assuming a conversation in which it is not overwhelmingly clear there is something terrible going on, btw. There is a time and place for OT prophet-style unleashing; Jesus himself had some blunt things to say in public to those who were ‘making disciples of hell.’[4]  That involves people Proverbs would call “Fools”. Those are not my focus today. We can talk about that more in Message+ if you wish.

[5] These are all reflections I have offered at some point. Even the bacon one.

[6] An honest look inside shows us that we are more broken than we feared, but God is more powerful than we imagined.  As we understand brokenness and then grace, we know who we are and it illuminates the goodness of God.  Grace, compassion, truth and humility flow from us as we desire for others to see Christ as we have seen him. 

[7] HELPS Word Studies

[8] Ellicott’s Commentary For English Readers

[9] Expositor’s Greek Testament

[10] Cambridge Bible For Schools And Colleges

[11] Jameison-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary