Revelation 3 (NIV)
I know your deeds....
How comforting.
How alarming.
Unlike the other people in our spheres, Jesus is not only not fooled by our projections, carefully crafted images or reputations but he sees the entirety of us. Other people in our spheres may be suspicious that there may be more than meets the eye, some may even have direct insights into the reality behind the mask, but Jesus knows the first from last.
There is no where to hide.
I think Jesus' words here are amongst the most unsettling in the prophecy.
You have a reputation of being alive but you are dead.
Have you ever been to a church where these words seem to apply?
Sometimes froth can look like life, but it is lacking in a solid, breathing and active body.
How scary that we might even fall into the trap of believing our own press, but some how miss the very essence of a life of faith, of generous giving and sacrificial worship. Of love that costs as well as rewards, of holiness which shuns sinful immorality and of truth which stands against the lies of evil.
Jesus has some very sobering words for such people.
Two of them.
WAKE UP!
But there is comfort here. Although the body is pronounced dead, he says next, strengthen what remains and is ABOUT to die.
So there is still a chance.
I feel like the Sardisians are one step further down the road from the thyatirans. The Thyatirans have been told to hold on to what they have, to guard what Christ has done in them, but the Sardians are told that what they have.... Is about to die.
This is CPR. This is the paddle of a difubulator. 1 2 3 Clear.
WAKE UP!!
That we may never be so self deceived that we think we are alive when are clinging on to survival, sleep walking towards a precipice.
Are we truly alive in him? Oh that nothing should hinder us. Wash your hands you sinners, Purify your hearts you double minded. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.
I often comfort myself in failure that although God knows my deeds, he also knows my heart. And ;
1 John 3:19-21New International Version (NIV)
19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God.
I think we take this as an opportunity to ensure we are not caught up in the froth.
Lord Jesus, may we live fully awake in the daylight of your love and truth,
This day,
And all days,
Amen
To the Church in Sardis
3 “To the angel[a] of the church in Sardis write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[b] of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.I know your deeds....
How alarming.
Unlike the other people in our spheres, Jesus is not only not fooled by our projections, carefully crafted images or reputations but he sees the entirety of us. Other people in our spheres may be suspicious that there may be more than meets the eye, some may even have direct insights into the reality behind the mask, but Jesus knows the first from last.
There is no where to hide.
I think Jesus' words here are amongst the most unsettling in the prophecy.
You have a reputation of being alive but you are dead.
Have you ever been to a church where these words seem to apply?
Sometimes froth can look like life, but it is lacking in a solid, breathing and active body.
How scary that we might even fall into the trap of believing our own press, but some how miss the very essence of a life of faith, of generous giving and sacrificial worship. Of love that costs as well as rewards, of holiness which shuns sinful immorality and of truth which stands against the lies of evil.
Jesus has some very sobering words for such people.
Two of them.
WAKE UP!
But there is comfort here. Although the body is pronounced dead, he says next, strengthen what remains and is ABOUT to die.
So there is still a chance.
I feel like the Sardisians are one step further down the road from the thyatirans. The Thyatirans have been told to hold on to what they have, to guard what Christ has done in them, but the Sardians are told that what they have.... Is about to die.
This is CPR. This is the paddle of a difubulator. 1 2 3 Clear.
WAKE UP!!
That we may never be so self deceived that we think we are alive when are clinging on to survival, sleep walking towards a precipice.
Are we truly alive in him? Oh that nothing should hinder us. Wash your hands you sinners, Purify your hearts you double minded. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.
I often comfort myself in failure that although God knows my deeds, he also knows my heart. And ;
1 John 3:19-21New International Version (NIV)
19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God.
I think we take this as an opportunity to ensure we are not caught up in the froth.
Lord Jesus, may we live fully awake in the daylight of your love and truth,
This day,
And all days,
Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment