This letter spends a lot of time in the context of the different religious temples and gods and goddesses, and certain practices that some folks in the community participated in. The Nicolations were a group within this church who chose to view other religions' practices as fine to incorporate into their daily life. Essentially a blending of other religious practices from their surrounding community and previous contexts, within their daily life as Jesus people. So the letter written to this church is essentially saying, "See how some folks are choosing to blur some of the lines and practice some kinda sketchy things alongside following Jesus? Well, don't do that. Here's what you should do instead."

If you really think about it, we aren't that different in the world today! We choose to ignore certain standards, allow violence to be enacted against our enemies via physical harm or gossip or slander, look past neglected and marginalized communities in need of justice. Our inaction and complacent acceptance of such wrongs is what it looks like to devote our attention to other gods.

So how do we remain faithful? How do we overcome? Well, maybe we dwell on the sword that comes out of Jesus' mouth; we dwell on the truth. Whatever is true, noble, right, and so on, think on such things, as it talks about in Philippians. What we fill our minds with impacts how we live.

But maybe it's even more than that. Jesus says, "To the one who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna." Maybe it's not enough to just avoid things that harm us. Maybe we're meant to overcome. Maybe Jesus is calling us to find things that are wrong in the world and work with him to set them right. And maybe it's only when we step into that work - the work of justice - that God gives us hidden manna...gives us exactly what we need to endure.

ReNew Community Worship Service

Speaker: Aaron Vis

Scripture: Revelation 2:12-17

http://bible.com/events/48889715