Reading: Hebrews 10:32-39

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A good friend of mine referred to his house this way.  “It’s all the Lord’s!  He can do what He wants with it.”  Even though, this man would probably be considered part of the 99%, to many in the world who lack food and shelter, he’s definitely in the 1%.  Wealth is relative, and while he isn’t raking in the dough; he isn’t starving either.

What makes my friend wealthy isn’t his possessions but rather his attitude.  Recently we read Luke 18 and the story of the rich man.  What does Jesus tell His disciples?  “It’s difficult for a rich man to enter heaven.”  It’s difficult but not impossible.  What makes it difficult is that possessions – money, property, clothes, toys, etc. so easily can become idols.  Jesus’ approach with the rich young man is to get him to think in terms of getting to love God rather than having to give up something.  That’s what makes you rich.

Smyrna was rich – not because they had or didn’t have wealth but because they had a heavenly perspective.  In a rich city where they were probably blacklisted because of their faith in Jesus, they had very little.  They were just holding on.  Jesus commends them.  “To the world, you may seem poor, but to me, you are rich.”

I marvel at the martyrs.  I look at paintings of them huddled in a theater about to be devoured by a pack of hungry lions.  Fear floods their eyes, as the look up to heaven.  The sheer terror of the moment breaks my heart.  Yet, they do not dare renounce their faith.  How is it that these men, women, and children stood firm in the face of death?  It is because they had a heavenly perspective.  They not only considered their possessions belonging to the Lord, they considered their entire lives belonging to the Lord.

What do they receive?  Jesus promises them a victor’s crown.  The Greek word is stephanos – the very name of the first Christian martyr – Stephen.  How poetic that the first martyr’s name means victor’s crown – the very reward he will receive for standing firm in his faith even to the point of death.  How poetic that these martyrs will “lose” in the earthly arena but be crowned the victors in heaven.  How poetic that they will give up everything and yet Jesus considers them rich.

In Revelation 4, we see these victors with their heads crowned with stephanos.  And what do they do?  They display the same attitude that they had on earth, placing the crown at Jesus’ feet.  “You are the One who is worthy Jesus!” they say. “All of this is yours!”

Reading: James 1:2-12

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Polycarp was the pastor of the Church of Smyrna.  A disciple of the Apostle John , he was reportedly the last person alive who personally knew the original Apostles.  Around the year 155 A.D., Polycarp was told to make an incense sacrifice to the Emperor, as was the custom and law in Smyrna.  Polycarp refused, saying, “Eighty-six years I have served him.  How then can I blaspheme my King and Saviour?  Bring forth what thou wilt.”

According to tradition, Polycarp was sentenced to be burned at the stake.  However, when the soldiers lit the flames, the fire did not touch him.  Finally a Roman guard stabbed and killed Polycarp, and because of his fervent faithfulness, he is revered throughout all circles of Christendom.

Christian persecution is a central theme of the Book of Revelation.  While Jesus warned Smyrna about the upcoming persecution, the threat that Rome would impose on the church applied to the entire church around the world.  When John wrote that the persecution would last for 10 days, he was most likely giving a cryptic message indicating that their testing would occur for a period of time marked by 10.  Scholars agree that the major persecution of the Christian Church by the Romans began with Nero and ended with Diocletian – about a 250 year persecution over the span of 10 emperors.

The final portion of this persecution, the Diocletianic persecution, was the most intense, lasting for 10 years (303-313 A.D.).  The numbers of those martyred in those final 10 years are astounding.  17,000 martyred in one month, 144,000 Egyptian Christians martyred, 700,000 Christians were condemned to deplorable conditions, which later resulted in their deaths.

A sobering estimate of 70 million Christians have been martyred since the first century.  Yet with all of those staggering numbers, many believe that the 20th Century saw more Christian martyrs than all of the previous centuries combined.

Why so many casualties among a people that professes finding peace with God?  Jesus tells us in John 15:18-19, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”

While we are fortunate to worship God freely in our country, there will be times where we may face subtle persecution.  We need to be ready for it and stand firm in our faith.  But while we are fortunate, there are Christians this very minute who are being executed for their faithfulness to Jesus.  They are at an important crossroad, defending the faith in hostile areas, preaching the love of Jesus to a hating and hurting world.  Take some time to pray for them, write a note of encouragement to them, and if you are able, generously support them financially.

But no matter what type of persecution we will face, we must remember Jesus’ words as He introduces Himself to Smyrna.  “I am the First and the Last, the One who died and came to life.”  Whatever opposition we face will not outlast our King and will stand in judgment before Him on the last day.  Whatever we give of our lives now – whether it’s our time, money, energy, or even facing physical harm – we know that it’s for a better life to come.  A line from a Christian rap song called “Hypnotized” comes to mind.  “And you can beat me with a bat ‘til I’m dead, black and blue, my soul’s intact by the fact this ain’t my home.  See, I’m just passin’ through.”

We have hope in another life that doesn’t just begin where this one ends.  It begins the moment we believe.  And though we face opposition for our faith in Jesus, our citizenship in Heaven means we are citizens of Him who is the First and Last, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the King of kings and Lord of lords.  We can therefore be confident of Jesus’ words in John 16:33, “In this world you will have troubles, but take heart!  I have overcome the world.”

Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21

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The most nerve-wracking part of playing varsity sports in high school were the tryouts.  I’ll never forget the first time I went out for the soccer team, and the coach came up to me after practice and said, “Thanks for coming out, but I think we’re all set with the roster for this year.”  It was the one time I got cut, and it didn’t feel good.  I wanted a place on the team.  I wanted to wear the jersey, but there just wasn’t room.  I wasn’t good enough to make the cut.  I felt rejected.

As we have talked about, the seven lampstands (the seven branch menorahs) that John sees in Revelation 1 represent the churches.  In Leviticus we learn that the menorah was the light of the Holy Place of God’s Tabernacle and His Temple.  Each branch was to remain lit to represent the perpetual presence of God.

In Revelation 2, Ephesus, the church that failed to love God, is given a very severe warning.  “Repent, or I will remove your lampstand.”

Notice two things.  First, God does not threaten to extinguish the flame.  The flame represents the presence of God.  As long as there are believers, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit exists, and God is present.  But He does threaten to remove the lampstand entirely.

In looking at Revelation 1, I imagine that the imagery of the Heavenly Tabernacle is adorned with many menorahs (as numerous as the stars), each representing a church.  Every one of those churches has a purpose, a part in God’s Kingdom, and in His plan for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

So what does it mean if He says, “I’ll remove your lampstand?”  It means that the lampstand has become so useless, it is not fit to bear the light of God.  Yikes, what a frightening warning!  Imagine the fear with which John wrote this letter to Ephesus.  “Dear Ephesus, Unless you change, the all-powerful God can’t use you for His plan.”

But the inability to be useful doesn’t reflect on God but on the motivation of Ephesus.  They left their first love.  They forgot what it meant to be a people of God.  The love of God was no longer their purpose.  Throughout history, God used foreign nations to judge Israel for their lack of love.  Each time, the armies invaded and stole the menorah from the Temple.  In a similar way, Ephesus was just going through the motions, and it was stealing their joy and their place in God’s Kingdom.

In our efforts to be relevant to the world, the most important thing we must be first is relevant to our Lord Jesus.  As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13, we may do all sorts of wonderful things, but without love, we accomplish nothing.

As we will see throughout this series, some of these seven churches had little to offer God in the way of ability.  Some were just holding on.  If this were a soccer team, they would appear  quite feeble and weak in the arena of professionals.  But God’s Kingdom works a little different than a high school varsity sports team.  The criteria for making the team isn’t what we can do, it is about a relationship with Jesus – a reciprocated love between us and the only Begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth.

Reading: Luke 18:18-30

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It seems like just yesterday I was standing at the altar in a small church in Minnesota promising a young girl that I would “love, cherish, and honor her in sickness and in health for the rest of my life.”  Next month, my wife and I will be celebrating our ninth anniversary.  Where has the time gone?

Someone told me that if a marriage makes it past seven years, then the statistical chances of divorce drop exponentially.  I wonder why that is.  Maybe the first years are so stressful – the adjustments of living with someone new, the major change of caring for a family, and the immaturity of youth are factors that lead to divorce.

Or maybe people learn how to work through difficulty and realize that love is not just a feeling but a commitment as well.

How many times have you heard someone justify their divorce by saying, “We just fell out of love?”  Do you know of couples that experienced the struggle of the “empty nest,” and divorced once all their kids left the house?

Perhaps many failed marriages occur because couples forget the reason for their relationship.  A relationship that was once fueled by passion has fizzled out into a mere business relationship.  “Did you get the kids from school?  What’s for dinner?  Are all the bills paid?”  Romantic dates have given way to the hectic life.  “What is the purpose of your marriage?”  Would love be a part of your answer?

Our reading today in Luke 18 is about purpose and love.  The story is of a rich man who asks Jesus what he can do to get to heaven.  What a typical human question to ask.  As a teacher, it reminds me of all the times my students asked, “What is the minimum we have to do to get an ‘A?’”  This man wants the minimum.

Jesus offers a curious response, instructing him to obey the last six commandments. Of the Ten Commandments, the first four deal with our relationship with God while the last six address our relationship with man. The rich gentleman confirms that he has obeyed those six.  This provokes Jesus to give an even stranger response.  “Go sell your posessions and give it to the poor.”

Why instead of then telling the man to follow the first four commandments, Jesus tells him to do something difficult?  The answer is that Jesus is making a point about the Law.  As Jesus tells the Pharisees in Matthew 22, the first and greatest command is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.”  It is what suspends all of the Law and Prophets.   It’s as if Jesus were saying, “Okay, here’s the test.  Here’s what it means to have heaven.  It means to follow me.  It means to love me.  Do you love me more than your stuff?  Would you do this for me?  Would you make this sacrifice, not out of obligation and reward but out of a general desire to follow me?”  The man walked away.

And so with that one response, Jesus tells us what it means to follow Him.  The central purpose for our relationship with God is not to get something but to love someone.

Ephesus left their love for God.  Over time, church became a tradition.  It became a set of rules.  It became a get-together.  It wasn’t about loving Jesus.  Maybe it was about the doctrine.  Maybe like the Pharisees they were so consumed with protecting the faith that they just followed the rules and the policies.  Like the Pharisees, they honored God with their lips but their hearts were far from Him.

Why do we exist as a chuch?  Why do we exist as a human being?  The Westminster Chatechism answers this profoundly and beautifully.  “Man’s chief purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”  Do you wake up in the morning and say, “My purpose today in everything I do is to worship God, to enjoy Him?”  What a discipline that is, but it ought to be our goal – as an individual and as a collective Body of Christ.

Reading: Acts 20:17-35

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A few years ago, I was talking to my friend, who used to attend New Hope Chapel years ago before moving to North Carolina.  He’s the type of guy who likes to get involved in ministry, so at one particular church he attended, he said,  “I’d like to host a Bible Study.” As a former member of New Hope Chapel, he was shocked by the response.  “Sorry, you have to be a member before you can take any leadership role in our church.”

Over the years, churches have wrestled with how to protect themselves – how to effectively keep alert for the savage wolves, the selfish manipulators, and the power hungry about which Paul warned the Ephesians.  Many churches have formed policies like my friend experienced.  Other churches like ours, desirous to encourage involvement from new attendees, have steered in a different direction.  I’m not sure there’s a perfect answer.

In some ways, not much has changed in 2000 years.  As I shared on Sunday, there have been factions within churches and outside groups who have voted out pastors, severely altered the doctrine and practices of the church, and hijacked control of the church’s property.  It’s a frightening reality for many churches.  You can understand why many take Paul’s exhortation in Acts 20 very seriously.

What’s important to note is that Paul’s focus isn’t on policy; it’s on relationships.  Paul encourages the Elders at Ephesus to keep watch.  Like a shepherd watches over the sheep, Elders and Pastors are also to do the same.  How does one watch over their sheep?  Jesus says in John 14:10, “I know my sheep, and my sheep know me.”  The Greek word used for knowledge is ginosko.  It doesn’t refer to head knowledge; it refers to a relationship.  Jesus, our Good Shepherd, has a relationship with us, and he models for us the type of shepherds we need to be.

As Jesus demonstrates, the best way to get to know someone, to get to experience their heart, to see where they’re at spiritually, to evaluate their motives is by building a relationship with them.  Relationships are built through fellowship and vulnerability, and in turn they build accountability and trust.  This is a two-fold commitment on our part.  We have to make time to fellowship together and take our relationships beyond a superficial level.

I’m encouraged to know that if I ever did something really stupid, I would have a bunch of guys from within the church either calling me or knocking on my door, saying, “Justin, what are you thinking?  Let’s talk about this for a minute.”  But those relationships will also cause me to pause and say, “How will my motives or my actions affect these people I love dearly?”  That’s accountability, and it’s part of what Paul means when he says, “Keep watch over yourselves and each other.”

Reading: Ephesians 4:1-16

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Church has evolved quite a bit from the first century that it’s hard to read about these churches  in its proper context.  Today, we have churches at every corner.  It seems rather fitting in our consumer-driven society.  What flavor do you like?  How much Calvinism would you like with your cup of tea?  How high would you like your hierarchical church?  Do you like greater denomination accountability or less?  What type of polity sandwich would you like?  How hot do you prefer your corporate worship – the mild organ or the flaming electric guitar?  Oh, the choices we have!

On one hand, choices are good.  As a friend of mine says, “It takes all types of churches to reach all types of people.” On the other hand, choices can limit us.  They can limit us because what we look for in a church are people who are just like us.  They believe the same things (or close enough to it), they act the same, they look the same as us, perhaps they are in the same economic class.  We go where we’re most comfortable.  That doesn’t stretch us very much, and as a result, we’ve become very bad at working out our differences.

In the first century, because accepting Christ often meant being ostracized from one’s family, finding people who were also believers was everything.  They didn’t have an extensive library on how to live the Christian life, lessons on theology, or sermon podcasts.  Forget the notion of “Bedside Baptist” or “Mattress Methodist.”  For them, church was their community, their kinship, and their family.

There weren’t churches on every corner; generally there was just one for every major city or so. The church had a challenge.  People brought their baggage – their sinful habits, their heresies, their personal problems, their emotional tendencies, their cultural differences to the group.  In 1 Corinthians, we get a hint of just how screwed up that can be. The church had to balance the seeker sensitive and the mature.  It had to take stands on theology, and it didn’t even have a canon of Scripture.  Imagine the difficulty they had in working out their differences.  They couldn’t just leave.  They didn’t have anywhere to go.

Over the years, I’ve seen people leave a church and go to another one for a variety of reasons.  Most of us have done the same.  But can I be honest with you from a leadership standpoint?  One of the most frustrating things is when someone leaves over an issue without trying to help fix the problem.  I could understand it if people said, “I brought this issue up to the leadership months ago and nothing seems to have been resolved, and I’ve done everything I could.”  But many times the individuals do not say anything, let the situation brew, and finally they just leave.  “This is what the problem is, and by the way, we’re outta here.”

Could you imagine having a home with a leaky roof and saying, “Okay family, we’re leaving this house!” No, of course not.  You have too much invested.  Unless you’ve got oodles of money, you’re going to have to sell the home (after you make the necessary repairs) and buy a new one.  You don’t just leave.  You do what you can to fix what’s broken.

Churches are not perfect and never will be.  Period.  That is such a critical point to understand.  We all have issues because the church body is made up of people with issues.  We all bring our baggage to the table.  Nobody is perfect – not the Sunday School teacher, not the Elder, not the Pastor.  We have quirky personalities and odd habits, not to mention our wide spectrum of beliefs.  The key is to commit ourselves to a ministry of love and grace.  Church isn’t just a place to be entertained and be ministered to, it is a place where we minister, and we ought to expect the changing power of the Holy Spirit to work in both our lives and those within our church community.