What does the Spirit say to the churches?

To the church in Thyatira - the compromising Church - Revelation 2:19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. & . 28 I will also give that one the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

The problem with the church at Thyatira was that they were prone to compromise their faith, although it appears from the report in Revelations that their faith had become strengthened and purposeful. But what is a compromise? A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece. Of course this is an impossibility.

Aesop, the great teller of fables explains compromise this way. The Birds and the Beasts declared war against each other. No compromise was possible, and so they went at it tooth and claw. It is said the quarrel grew out of the persecution the race of Geese suffered at the teeth of the Fox family. The Beasts, too, had cause for fight. The Eagle was constantly pouncing on the Hare, and the Owl dined daily on Mice.

It was a terrible battle. Many a Hare and many a Mouse died. Chickens and Geese fell by the score—and the victor always stopped for a feast.

Now the Bat family had not openly joined either side. They were a very politic race. So when they saw the Birds getting the better of it, they were Birds for all there was in it. But when the tide of battle turned, they immediately sided with the Beasts.

When the battle was over, the conduct of the Bats was discussed at the peace conference. Such deceit was unpardonable, and Birds and Beasts made common cause to drive out the Bats. And since then the Bat family hides in dark towers and deserted ruins, flying out only in the night.

A compromising church often lacks boldness; it’s easier to be be passive and is in danger o of allowing false teaching because it doesn’t want to rock-the-boat.

Father, thank You for inviting me to come boldly and confidently to You in prayer. I’m so thankful I don’t need to feel embarrassed or sheepish when I come to You with vital needs in my life. As I stand on the promises of Your Word, I will lift my voice in humility and confidence, believing that You hear me and knowing that if I ask anything according to Your will, I will receive it. Amen

What does the Spirit say to the churches?

To the church in Pergamum - the over-tolerant Church - Revelations 2:10 To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

Pergamum, also referred to by its modern Greek form Pergamos, was a rich and powerful ancient Greek city in Mysia. It is located 26 kilometres from the modern coastline of the Aegean Sea on a promontory on the north side of the river Caicus and northwest of the modern city of Bergama, Turkey.

I wonder what the commentator of the book of Revelations meant by the phrase. “Over-tolerant Church”. In may ways our world needs tolerance, in fact did you know the was a world tolerance day. However two quotes come to mind. The first by John F. Kennedy, “Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others.” The second attributed to to Voltaire , “I do not like what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Is what the writer of Revelations is getting at is that these church members bend to every whim, fancy or theological nuance. In other words, do they over-compensate to the extent that they dilute their faith in Christ and their profession becomes almost unrecognisable. 

A New York family bought a ranch out West where they intended to raise cattle. Friends visited and asked if the ranch had a name. "Well," said the would-be cattleman, "I wanted to name it the Bar-J. My wife favored Suzy-Q, one son liked the Flying-W, and the other wanted the Lazy-Y. So we're calling it the Bar-J-Suzy-Q-Flying-W-Lazy-Y." "But where are all your cattle?" the friends asked. "None survived the branding."

It could be said that when a person tries to justify their wrong behaviour by pointing to the conduct of others, they are not  aiming high enough. 

This is also true if they patterns themselves after someone who gives the Lord only partial obedience. A college student learned this lesson when he was reprimanded by the school president for misbehaviour. The young person offered this lame excuse for their questionable conduct: “But, Sir, you’d find it difficult to locate 10 students in this school who wouldn’t have done as I did if they had been in my circumstances.” The president replied, “Has it ever occurred to you that you could have been one of those 10?” 

Father God, I thank you for today. To wake me up today, you didn’t compromise. So I don’t want to compromise today, I want to stand strong in the faith, and I want to stand with you, Lord. Help me to be strong in you. Whenever temptation comes my way today, help me to stand strong in you. If I have for once compromised, Lord have mercy on me. Amen

What does the Spirit say to the churches?

To the church in Smyrna - the persecuted Church - Revelations 2:10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.

We now move to the church in Smyrna. Smyrna in ancient times was a very wealthy and powerful city, indeed it vied with Ephesus and Pergamon for influence in the region. Today, Smyrna is located within modern-day İzmir, a city that has almost continuously been inhabited for centuries. 

Clearly the Smyrna church was facing hostilities and possibly persecution, a situation far from our 21st century church setting. We can only imagine the horror of such a situation.

Shiela Cassidy knew such hostilities whilst serving as a Doctor in Chile. In 1975, Cassidy was caught up in the violence of the Pinochet regime. She gave medical care to Nelson Gutiérrez, a political opponent of the new regime who was being sought by the police. As a result, she was herself arrested on 1 November 1975 by the Chilean secret police, the DINA, and kept in custody without trial. During the early part of her custody, she was severely tortured in the notorious Villa Grimaldi near Santiago, Chile, to force her to disclose information about her patient and her other contacts.

Later in 1975, Cassidy was released from custody and returned to the UK with the assistance of the British government and Roberto Kozak. Her subsequent description of her experiences, including her account of her torture on the parrilla and her imprisonment, did much to bring to the attention of the UK public the widespread human rights abuses that were occurring at the time in Chile. Her story appeared in news media and in her book, Audacity to Believe.

From her experience she writes, “Slowly I learn the importance of powerlessness. I experience it in my own life and I live with it in my work. The secret is not to be afraid of it—not to run away. The dying know that we are not God… All they ask is that we do not desert them.”

Heavenly Father,

When I feel crushed by my own worries,

Lift my mind and help me to see the truth.

When fear grips me tight and I feel I cannot move,

Free my heart and help me to take things one step at a time.

When I can’t express the turmoil inside,

Calm me with Your quiet words of love.

I choose to trust in You, each day, each hour, each moment of my life.

I know deep down that I in Your grace, forgiven, restored by Your sacrifice, You have set me free.

Amen.

Ascension Day Thought

Luke 24:50-53 Then he led them outside as far as Bethany, where he blessed them with uplifted hands. While he was in the act of blessing them he was parted from them and was carried up to Heaven. They worshipped him, and turned back to Jerusalem with great joy, and spent their days in the Temple, praising and blessing God. (J B Phillips paraphrase.)

What a change; what a difference! Where had the fear that paralysed the disciple to huddle behind closed doors in the upper room disappeared. What a change; paralysis  now morphed into public praise, grief to joyous gratitude, and bitter loss into blessing God.

Joshua David Stone in his book Path to Ascension writes, “We are not trapped by our thoughts. What we generally do, however, is create thoughts that trap us.” (p.162)” Perhaps this is where the words of Paul come into play, “Let Christ himself be your example as to what your attitude should be.” Philippians 2:1

So what are we to make of Christ’s Ascension.

The ministry of Jesus does not end with his resurrection. In his ascension he does not abandon his humanity. He is not the ascended Lord apart from everything that has happened between his incarnation and resurrection. Borrowing an insight from Gerrit Dawson of First Presbyterian Church, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, we can say that by his ascension the past incarnate ministry of the Jesus who was raised from the dead becomes through his Spirit present to every age and person. The earthly ministry of Jesus that was past and particular now becomes present and universal.

This reminds me of Fred Pratt Green’s hymn that says:-

The Church of Christ in every age

Beset by change but Spirit led,

Must claim and test its heritage

And keep on rising from the dead.

Litany of  the Ascension

Because Jesus ascended and sits at the right hand of God,

a new world has broken into ours—

a world in which justice does come for the poor,

freedom comes for the prisoners,

and healing for the sick.

Because Jesus ascended and sits at the right hand of God,

a new community has been formed—

a community that loves and cares for all members,

a family that welcomes all who are abandoned and rejected,

a place where all find a place of belonging.

Because Jesus ascended and sits at the right hand of God,

a new creation has begun— 

all that was distorted is being restored,

all that is corrupted is being renewed,

all that was broken is being made whole.

Because Jesus ascended and sits at the right hand of God,

God’s new world has begun. Amen

What does the Spirit say to the churches?

 To the church in Ephesus - the loveless Church - Revelation 2:7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

It could be said that the church at Ephesus had become weary in well doing and had forgotten their first love. From the 2nd chapter of Revelation it is noted that they remained quit active but they actions of love had become diminished.

No doubt they had heard of the  teaching of Jesus regarding loving God and neighbour as the primary drivers of faith. Had they understood his teaching that there was no greater love than to lay down their lives for their friends? In fact it could be said that the Ephesian church had become love-less. 

It was D. H. Lawrence  who said, “Those that go searching for love only make manifest their own lovelessness, and the loveless never find love, only the loving find love, and they never have to seek for it.”

Stuart Townend is a modern hymn writer. His songs are deep, complex, and thought-provoking. Like “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” became a huge anthem for the church when it was released in 1995.

To read the lyrics, “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” seems more like a simple expression of our faith, and Townsend wanted it that way. In a discussion with Crosswalk about emotionalism in worship, he said, “The danger now is that we are so focused on the experience our worship can become self-seeking and self-serving. When all of our songs are about how we feel and what we need, we’re missing the point. There is a wonderful, omnipotent God who deserves our highest praise, and how we feel about it is in many ways irrelevant! I want to encourage the expression of joy, passion, and adoration, but I want those things to be the by-product of focusing on God—I don’t want them to become the subject matter.”

Had the mechanics of Church life and worship become the main drivers of the church in Ephesus of which the writer of Revelation called them to repentance and to live a love of unadulterated love. 

In another of Townsends songs we find the words:-

What love is this, that always gives
And never counts the cost,
That beats within the heart of God
With passion for the lost;
That lifts me from my wretchedness
And clothes me in His righteousness?
Everlasting love,
Everlasting love,
Everlasting love,
Be my joy and my light.

What does the Spirit say to the churches?

The book of Revelations is at one and same time a fascinating, yet confusing dialogue  riven through mystical overtones. The title of the book, Revelation, comes from the Greek word for apocalypse and refers to an unveiling or a disclosure of something as yet unknown. This title is certainly appropriate for the book, a work so interested in making known the events of the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

The modern interpretation of the word apocalypse often sets an angst in many a mind.  It is variously defined as the complete final destruction of the world, as described in the biblical book of Revelation or an event involving destruction or damage on a catastrophic scale. Yet this seems a far cry from from the original meaning of the word apocalypse coming from the Greek word which literally means to pull the lid off something.

The opening sentences of Revelation clearly states its purpose. “This is a Revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him so that he might show his servants what must very soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who is the witness of all that he saw—the message of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (J B PHILLIPS paraphrase)

In Chapter 2 and 3 we find the title we have used in this series.  “What does the Spirit say to the Churches?” It almost reads as an end of term report. E M Bounds says of such uncovering, “God’s revelation does not need the light of human genius, the polish and strength of human culture, the brilliancy of human thought, the force of human brains to adorn or enforce it. But it does demand the simplicity, docility, humility, and faith of a child’s heart.”

Over the next few days we will look at the end of term reports given to the 7 churches recorded in the book of Revelation and through it ask the question what is the Spirit saying to our church and even to me. Perhaps that most beautiful part of this book is found in chapter 21:1-4, “ I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: “Look! Look! God has moved into the neighbourhood, making his home with men and women! They’re his people, he’s their God. He’ll wipe every tear from their eyes.” (The Message)

May we dream of a world made new,

Where together we shout for justice,

And as one we fight against oppression.

May we dream of a world made new,

Where together we seek God’s righteousness

And as one we sing God’s praise.

May we dream of a world made new,

Where together we climb God’s mountain,

And as one we enter the promised land.

May we dream of a world made new,

Where together we proclaim the good news of God’s kingdom,

And as one we enjoy its peace, and abundance and love. Amen

What does the Spirit say to the churches?

2 Timothy 1:7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control

When we look at the conflicts within our world we see an arena were the use of fear and the misuse of power are so evident, often exacerbated where control of one over another is exhibited. Yet so often it is our misuse of power, our lack of self-control and the paralysing effect of fear that can imprison our own well-being.

In the book, The Three Edwards, Thomas Costain described the life of Raynald III, a 14th century duke in what is now Belgium. Grossly overweight, Raynald was commonly called by his Latin nickname, Crassus, which means "fat."

After a violent quarrel, Raynald's younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him. Edward captured Raynald but did not kill him. Instead, he built a room around Raynald in the Nieuwkerk castle and promised him he could regain his title and property as soon as he was able to leave the room.

This would not have been difficult for most people since the room had several windows and a door of near-normal size, and none was locked or barred. The problem was Raynald's size. To regain his freedom, he needed to lose weight. But Edward knew his older brother, and each day he sent a variety of delicious foods. Instead of dieting his way out of prison, Raynald grew fatter.

When Duke Edward was accused of cruelty, he had a ready answer: "My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills." Raynald stayed in that room for ten years and wasn't released until after Edward died in battle. By then his health was so ruined he died within a year… a prisoner of his own appetite.

In Paul’s letter he hi-lights that Timothy, like us all, needed to be reminded that we have the permanently indwelling Holy Spirit of God Who has gifted us and empowered us with all that we need for life and godliness, no matter how difficult or dangerous life in this world may become.

Heavenly Father, I praise and thank You for Your indwelling Holy Spirit and thank You that my life is hid with Christ in God. Thank You that You have not given me a spirit of fear, but one of power, and love, and of a sound mind. May I not fear rejection or ridicule in this increasingly hostile world, nor fear the likelihood of persecution, pain, or even death. But may I fan into flame my faith in Christ so that in Him, I may stand firm in the evil day. In Jesus' name, AMEN.