Woodland Hills Church of Christ

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Woodland Hills Church of Christ episodes

February 04, 2024Revelation 2:12-17 The Ease of Compromise
The Ease of Compromise
Revelation 2:12-17 To the Church in Pergamum
Introduction: Chapter 1:16, in John’s description of his vision of Jesus walking in the midst of the churches, we read, “In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.” There are two OT texts to which the sharp two-edged sword alludes:
Isaiah 49:2 The Messiah speaks saying, “He made my mouth like a sharp sword…”
Isaiah 11:3-4 Describing the shoot from the stump of Jesse, “And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.”
We can see that the picture of the sharp sword coming from Jesus’ mouth indicates how he will judge the earth and do battle against evil. That he begins the letter to Pergamum with this same description also shows that he will judge and do battle with churches who compromise their faith. Upon hearing this introduction, Pergamum needs to brace themselves. Something is not right, and we need to pay heed as well.
I Know Where You Dwell, Where Satan’s Throne Is
If we thought Smyrna was bad with a Jewish “synagogue of Satan,” consider that the Christians in Pergamum were living where “Satan’s throne is.” Just as Satan was the instigator of the persecution in Smyrna, so he is at the root of the persecution in Pergamum. But in this case, he is not just controlling a synagogue, he is the king of the city.
Pergamum was a center of Roman government worship and pagan religion superseding any other city in Asia Minor. It was the first city in Asia Minor to build a temple dedicated to Caesar worship, elevating Augustus to the position of deity. Thus Pergamum was the capital of the whole area for the cult worship of the emperor and considered themselves as “temple warden” of the temple dedicated to Caesar worship (Beale).
Further, numerous other notable gods were worshiped in Pergamum giving it the deserved description as “the throne of Satan.”
Therefore, knowing the zeal of government and pagan worship in the city, it is easy to imagine how difficult life would be in the city as Christians were pressured to pay public homage to Caesar as a deity with the refusal to do so equating to high treason against the state.
Therefore, please imagine how difficult it would be to maintain a public confession of your faith. When we know in the book of Acts how quickly Paul encountered violence against him when he preached Christ in such cities, we can certainly sympathize with the challenge these Christians faced.
In fact, one of their own members, Antipas, was killed. Now, we all know the fear we faced when Covid first was released into this country and the threats that were made by certain governors and mayors of states and cities. Now imagine if one of us were killed by the local Nashville government for teaching Christ in the community. The government is sending a strong message of join us or bear the consequences!
The beautiful thing about these Christians is that in spite of one of their own being killed they still “held fast to” Jesus name and would not deny Christ! That is a fantastic compliment to this church.
I Have a Few Things Against You
However, just as with the church in Ephesus, just because they are doing notable and exemplary things in their service to Christ, that did not excuse blatant compromise in other teachings of Christ. With Ephesus, even though obedient, they had lost their passion of love for the Lord Jesus. In Pergamum, they did not give up the name of Jesus even when one of their own was murdered for the cause. But that did not excuse the fact that they were allowing some in the church who were compromising in the teachings of Christ.
To understand what was going in the church, we need to understand the teaching of Balaam and the Nicolaitans (who apparently were similar in compromising their lifestyle to fit in with the culture) and how it affected the Pergamum church.
You can read about the story of Balaam in Numbers 22-25. Balaam was an actual prophet of God who had been bribed by Balak the king of Moab to curse Israel. However, when God turned each attempt at cursing to a blessing on Israel, Balaam went to the next level by encouraging the women of Moab and Ammon seduce Israelite men into joining in worship to their gods through idolatrous feasts and sexual immorality. Balaam caused Israel to sin in order to enrich himself.
With that, it is not difficult to figure out what some of the Christians in Pergamum were doing. In order to keep from being shut out of jobs and food, they participated in the idolatrous feasts and even the sexual immorality that went with it. They may have also considered that there was no sense in dying like Antipas if there was another way.
It is possible that they rationalized their position by arguing that just because they “went through the motions of an idolatrous ceremony” didn’t mean they were giving up their faith or denying Christ. This was only an “empty gesture that fulfilled patriotic or social obligations” (Beale). [Cf. Acts 4:19] It would be like arguing that Daniel could have quit opening his window and praying three times a day to give the allusion that he obeying the king. He could have still prayed in secret.
The problem with this is that our service to Christ is not to see if we can placate those who insist on acceptance of their immoral and idolatrous culture, but to actually proclaim the authority of Christ and allegiance only to him. Revelation 12:11, “they overcame by…the word of their testimony…” Cf. Ephesians 5:11 “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”
That was not all, they encouraged others in the church to follow their example, just as in the example of Balaam. Consider how contagious the sin of joining Moabite women in sexual immorality and eating meat to their gods!
Many Christians do not consider the serious effect their lifestyle and the way they choose to live as a disciple of Christ affects the rest of the church. Just as in our physical bodies, a member of the body has a strong influence on the way the rest of the body functions.
Example: When I first started preaching we had a number of conversions out of the community. A large percentage of these new Christians became accustomed to only meeting on Sunday mornings. By the time we had 60 members, only about 40% of the members returned in the evening or on Wednesdays. As this habit progressed it became contagious. I could teach a new person, emphasizing the need for full commitment to Christ and the growth of the body (Eph. 4:11-16), but when they would begin to attend and see 60% of the church lacking full love and commitment, they would eventually become like the 60%. Teaching new people became nearly a waste of time because of the overwhelming influence toward mediocrity from the majority. We quickly became like the church in Ephesus – doing everything “right” but without Jesus and his cause being the first love.
Of course, as in the case of Pergamum, becoming a stumbling block goes far beyond assembling. Assembling is only one symptom that affects the rest of the body:
Unhealthy marriages
Unconcerned about our mission of saving souls
Inward thinking: primarily concerned about us and what makes us comfortable.
Lack of passion for the kingdom of God – “seek first the kingdom of heaven and his righteousness.”
Disagreements that are not solved with love and forbearance.
All of the above become contagious and deeply disables everything God has asked us to be and do as a church.
Consider also Balaam’s encouragement to committing sexual immorality. While we know that this was first physically being sexually immoral, it was also a spiritual immorality since this was part of Israel joining in worship to the gods of Moab. We are given a similar warning by James (4:4), “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the scripture says, ‘He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us’.”
“Repent or I will come to them soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.” Just as Balaam would have been killed with the sword of the angel of the Lord, so these who are following Balaam’s teaching will be judged by the Lord and lose eternal life. If they will not repent, his word will be used against them instead of his word used for their benefit. Cf. John 12:48
“To the One Who Overcomes/Conquers…”
“Hidden Manna” – The hidden manna reminds us of the manna that was hidden in the ark of the covenant. The manna was a reminder of God’s spiritual sustenance, the grace and faithfulness he provided for his people.
“White Stone with a New Name” – There are a few different ideas on the meaning. In my opinion, the most likely is that a white stone was often used as a sign of acquittal from guilt and/or used to give a person access to special occasions. When these Christians refused the idolatrous festivals, they would be given a white stone granting them entrance into the eternal marriage supper of the Lamb.
The “New Name” on the stone is parallel to 22:12 where the conquering Christ also has a “name written that no one knows but himself.” Remember that a “name” is not simply a title, some name that we think sounds nice and differentiates from something else. In scripture, name refers to the character of a person, that which he or she has become based on growth, experience, and accomplishments. For Christians, this is a mark that is given because they have conquered and therefore a mark of genuine membership in the family of God. Without this, entrance into the eternal city of God would be impossible.
Conclusion: The message to Pergamum is that there is no room to compromise either with the world culture or with the false religious practices around us. Added to that, the Lord will do battle with those who cause others to compromise their discipleship.
Berry Kercheville
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42 min
February 04, 2024 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
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46 min
February 01, 2024 Esther- The Unseen God- Lesson 4
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46 min
January 29, 2024 The Not So Secret Secret to Spiritual Growth
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37 min
January 28, 2024Revelation 2:8-11 Faithful Unto Death
Faithful Unto Death
To the Church in Smyrna #5
Introduction: How do you think you would handle a severe trial? In this case, we are not talking about a trial from illness or some catastrophe, which is bad enough. This is a trial where there is a threat from without; a trial in which both your life, your family’s lives, and your livelihood is threatened if you continue to confess and follow Christ.
The question is difficult to answer. Oh, we all know theoretically what we ought to do and what we intend to do if that day comes, but none of us can really know for sure until it happens. Peter was absolutely positive he wouldn’t deny the Lord, but he did. This is the ultimate test that every Christian must be prepared for. Smyrna faced that test. In this lesson, we will learn from the Smyrna church.
Background of the City
Smyrna was 35 miles north of Ephesus. It was a proud and deeply religious city, that is, deeply religious in its worship of the gods and was considered the center of Emperor worship.
Smyrna had built a shrine to the goddess Roma as early as 195 BC, 50 years prior to the death of Julius Caesar. At the time of Augustus (31 BC), the Roman cult instituted the worship of the emperor.
Later, Smyrna entered a contest to see who would erect a shrine to the defied Tiberius, and won. This became their pride and zeal and reputation, and anyone who did not wholeheartedly support this emperor cult, was risking their lives and livelihood.
Further, as the letter indicates, there were Jews in Smyrna, but not the kind of Jews that you might think. These are not zealous for God and the OT covenant. These are zealous for their own survival in the midst of a powerful Roman culture. These were the kind of Jews that joined and placated Antiochus Epiphanes during the Syrian persecution in the second century BC. They were happy to turn Christians over to the Roman authorities in order to gender good will among the Roman cult. This is the circumstances in which the Smyrna Christians found themselves.
“The Words of the First and the Last”
You will notice that in each of the letters Jesus introduces himself differently. To Ephesus he said, “him who…walks among the seven golden lampstands.” To Smyrna, “The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.” Each introduction relates to the condition of the church and who Jesus primarily is to that church. In this case, since Smyrna is suffering severe tribulation and will have some who will endure death for Christ, Jesus’ description of himself is strong encouragement. It is Jesus saying, “I’ve been where you are. I also died but I am alive. I am the first and the last. You can trust me. Those who persecute you are human, and therefore temporary in their power.”
“I know your tribulation and your poverty…”
First, please note this word “tribulation.” The word does not indicate an inconvenience or just the typical difficult period of time that all people endure. This is extreme pressure, a grinding, crushing pressure. It is so bad that it is impossible to think of anything else. It is overwhelming, pushing a person to the brink.
Their “poverty” indicates how this tribulation is affecting their lives. Their are two Greek words translated “poor” in the scriptures. There are those who are poor like those in the parable of the laborers in the vineyard – they go to the market place every morning hoping for someone to hire them for the day and are paid enough to feed their family for one more day. But the poverty spoken of here and by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount is being poor because there is no work and they are completely desolate. The Greek defines it as being a beggar.
When we know that Smyrna was a wealthy city, the implication is that these Christians were not allowed to work because they refused to give honor to the emperor cult of the city. Speaking of the earth beast, in 13:16-17, “Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is the name of the beast or the number of its name.”
Further, it is obvious that this persecution was being triggered by the “fake Jews” of the city who had caved to the Roman cult. What a amazing description the Lord gave of them. They are a “synagogue,” apparently looking an acting like Jews with their Sabbath keeping, but they are a synagogue of Satan. Satan is their clear leader.
In Revelation, Jesus clears something up for us concerning “religious people.” Religious does not mean a person is serving God. A church does not mean God is being served or honored. Satan takes over churches and religions. Listen to Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 –
“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.”
Smyrna was one of two churches among the seven that the Lord does not rebuke. Though not mentioned, the church obviously had all the positive traits mentioned in the other letters without any of the negatives. Therefore, Smyrna becomes a shining example of what the Lord values in a church and Christians individually. Therefore, we must ask the question, “How would we meet the challenges faced by the church in Smyrna?”
Put yourself in their condition. There is food everywhere. The supermarkets have everything you need. But you can’t get a job to make money and even if you had money, the marketplace will not sell to you. You and your family are reduced to begging! What will you do?
The remedy is fairly simple. Attend the festivals celebrating the gods and go to the temple of the city and burn a pinch of incense to the bust of Caesar and say, “Caesar is lord.” Now you can feed your family!
I have had a few times in my life where suddenly one of the members weren’t at worship any more. Their answer was, “Well, I had to take a job where I work all day every Sunday. What was I supposed to do? I had to feed my family.” Jesus made a wonderful promise in Matthew 6:33,
“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.”
And again, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)
Did you notice that Jesus added a parenthetical statement that would have kept them strong through their trial. “I know your poverty (but you are rich)…” That is something we do not think about enough. Regardless of what we have monetarily, the primary thoughts of our mind should be we are rich! We have at our fingertips all the wealth of the heavenly realm. Jesus said he came to give us life in abundance (John 10:10), and he wasn’t referring that which perishes. The glory that awaits us cannot be compared to the sufferings of the present. We will sit with the Lord on his throne just as he conquered and sat down next to the Father (Rev. 3:21). If we are not careful we will be just like Esau, selling our inheritance just to fill our stomachs in the short term.
“Do Not Fear…Be Faithful Unto Death”
Again, put yourself in the position of being Christians in Smyrna. You are already seriously suffering, but the Lord now tells you it’s going to get worse. Notice what we should take note of in Jesus’ words:
The devil is about to throw some of you in prison. When will we ever understand that what is happening against Christians and against the cause of Christ, is being done by the devil. We need to identify it plainly. The devil is doing everything to destroy God’s cause.
You will have tribulation 10 days. This is likely an allusion to the 10 days Daniel asked to be tested concerning eating vegetables instead of compromising himself at the king’s table, which would have implicated him as one who joined the king in serving the gods of the land. Ten days would be a limited duration of time.
“Be faithful unto death.” In other words, some of you are going to die in this trial. You are to remain faithful in spite of going through the trial of death. Do not compromise!
When we hear the words “fear not,” that is easy said but quite difficult to do. Here’s the answer:
First, there is no escape! We are going to be in the position of fearing whether we stand up to the trial or cave into the trial. Listen to Jesus’ words in Luke 12:4-5,
“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!” Therefore, which “fear” would we rather face? When we have a fear of God not man, there is an exit plan in which we have life everlasting. But if we fear man, there is no exit plan!
Second, notice the phrase, “that you may be tested.” For all those who think Christians aren’t suppose to suffer or that God wouldn’t put them through a painful trial, take a deep breath and read this text! Do we not know, have we not yet accepted that there is only one path to glory, and that is through suffering? How many ways does the Lord have to say it?
Hebrews 2:10-11, 7-18 The whole message of Hebrews is that we follow Jesus to glory through suffering. In these verses, Jesus is not ashamed to call us brothers, and then quotes Psalm 22, the psalm of the suffering of Jesus and all those who follow him! In verses 17-18, since Jesus has gone through it as our trailblazer, he is able to help us through it. Therefore, do not fear!
Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:10)
Paul told Timothy in a letter urging Timothy to not be ashamed, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:12-13).
Consider also that being tested is a blessing.
As with Job, this is the devil’s work and God must allow it. It is a test. Do we really love the Lord no matter what? The test will show whether or not we are just giving lip-service to God in times of ease. What an honor to be given the opportunity to glorify God under such circumstances!
Remember the apostles response when they were beaten in Acts 5:41-42? “Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.” Such a response is the result of being proven, tested for authenticity. This is the way we can know in ourselves “the tested genuineness of our faith” (1 Pet. 1:7).
Third, Jesus made a promise: “I will give you a crown of life.” The Romans were accustomed to people being rewarded with a wreath as a crown of victory when they won a contest in the games. Imagine being the winner and taking your wreath home and hanging on the wall. In a few days, all the flowers are dead, and nothing but a lifeless “crown” hangs on the wall. But Jesus gives a crown of life. It is worn every day because the life is forevermore.
The final words: “The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.” Cool ending! We all face two deaths, one is brief and just involves the body. No one escapes it. But the second death is forever, a forever separation from the Lord, and we can escape it. Be faithful even to the point of death and you will escape the second death! After all, the first death is going to happen sooner or later anyway!
Conclusion: Are you a Christian who serves God when it is convenient, or do you serve God no matter how difficult, no matter the suffering, no matter the sacrifice, and no matter the shame that is exacted upon you from the world?
Berry Kercheville
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41 min
January 28, 2024 1 Thessalonians 1:4-2:12
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45 min
January 25, 2024 Esther- The Unseen God- Intro Part 3
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41 min
January 22, 2024 A Relationship with God
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28 min
January 21, 2024Revelation 1:10-2:7 The Vision of the Son of Man & the Letter to Ephesus
The Vision of the Son of Man & The Letter to Ephesus
1:10–2:7
Introduction: It is striking to be in one of these seven churches when the reader stood up and began to read the words of 1:10-11. This is not just a “letter” written by John. This is a letter from Jesus and we suddenly we hear John describing a vision of Jesus in which he actually described what Jesus looked like. Consider that Isaiah’s prophecy began with a throne scene vision of God, but God was not described. And again, when Ezekiel was called as a prophet, his message began with an elaborate vision of God on his throne, but God was not described.
The significance of this is evident when we realize that most first century Christians never saw Jesus, and when persecution arose, many appeared to doubt:
Mark wrote to Roman Christians seemingly struggling with their belief – “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God…”
John wrote his gospel to help the belief of Christians who were teetering in unbelief.
And John began his letter (1 John) with, “we have heard, we have seen with our eyes, we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life.”
Now just imagine how a vision of the One who was dead but now is alive forevermore! Such encouragement in the midst of persecution.
Vision of the Son of Man
“On the Lord’s day” – appropriate timing of the revelation. It could refer to nothing else than the first day of the week. Jesus rose on that day; Pentecost was on that day; the L.S. on that day; giving on that day. That it is the Lord’s day, we ought to treat it as such.
“One like a son of man” connects him to Daniel 7:13-14 when a “son of man” ascended to the Ancient of Days and was given “dominion, glory, and a kingdom.”
When John heard a loud voice as a trumpet, he turned and saw seven golden lampstands with a son of man in the midst.
These lamps are defined as churches (20). They are seven distinct and separate lamps, independent of each other and yet bound together by a common Head who is in the midst.
They are lamps! They are light-bearers. Their purpose is to give light to the world. When a church is no longer shining forth the light of the gospel, they are not fulfilling their very nature and purpose.
They are golden – of great value.
Christ is in the midst. He knows every facet of the their life. He is there for counsel, comfort, and leadership. He is acutely aware of their circumstances and of their every need and is ready to come to their aid. But in the letters, he is also willing to rebuke them.
The character of Jesus is indicated by how he is described:
Garment: indicates His dignity, rank, and high office.
Head and hair: His purity and holiness.
Eyes like a flame of fire: penetrating deeply into the heart and soul of every person and church.
Feet: burnished brass to tread down the wicked into ashes (Mal. 4:3).
Voice of many waters: mighty, powerful, with authority.
Seven stars in His right hand: indicates the messengers bringing the letters are under His protection and control.
Out of His mouth a sharp two-edged sword: He is ready to do battle with His words by judging, discerning the right, and convicting the hearts of men.
Countenance as bright as the sun: perfect in character.
This is the One we worship and who is in our midst in every worship and with us every hour of the day. How can we offer ourselves half-heartedly to Him?
John’s reaction to the vision: fell at the feet of Jesus as though dead. The knowledge was too much for him; the presence of the King of kings too overwhelming and fearful. But the words of Jesus are the most precious we could hear. Wonderful comfort:
“He laid His hand on me” – personal tenderness.
“Do not be afraid” – no need to fear, He is the first and the last. Whether past, present, or future, he has this!
“Dead but alive forevermore” – He was not defeated in death, but victorious, never to die again. He has led the way to our victory as well.
“Keys to death and Hades” – no need to even fear death. He alive to open the doors of death for us.
Application: The vision illustrates for us that serving Jesus is worth all that we do to sacrifice for him and honor him. When we can appreciate seeing him in this vision now and live accordingly, how much better than waiting until judgment and seeing him then with sorrow and fear!
The Letter to the Church in Ephesus
First, consider that Jesus is writing to churches. Jesus is walking in the midst of churches. Jesus is communicating to, evaluating, and judging churches. This is not to take away from the fact that each individual will stand before God on Judgment. But these letters indicate our work within and as a part of a local church is extremely significant in evaluating our salvation. Further, it matters what kind of church we are a part of.
The church in Ephesus is an impressive church, especially considering the idolatry and wickedness of the city. Notice that Jesus speaks in the first person and begins the letter as he does all these letters to the churches: “I know your works…” Jesus is clearly letting us know, this is his church and he is always aware of what is going on. Nothing is hidden from him.
Ephesus was exemplary. They labored in God’s cause. They exercised “patient endurance” just as John highlighted in 1:9. They didn’t put up with false teaching nor those who tried to invade the church with false claims of being apostles. They even “labored for his name sake” (for the sake of glorifying Jesus), and did not grow weary! Super impressive!
Surely the Ephesus church would have been highly regarded throughout the brotherhood. We today would be thrilled to find a church like this. It is the truly the description of a faithful church…. Until verse 4.
This sentence is translated two different ways:
NASB: “…you have left your first love.”
ESV: “…you have abandoned the love you had at first.”
The object is either Christ being our first love above all else or abandoning the original love they had for Christ. Either way, Christ is not the number one object of their love nor do they pursue him passionately like they did in the beginning.
Since Jesus pictures our relationship as a bride with her bridegroom, it is not difficult to understand the Lord’s analogy. Can you imagine your spouse telling you that because of obligation he/she will continue to do all the duties of a faithful spouse, but “please know that I do not love you like I did when we married. Sorry honey, but I just don’t have those kinds of feelings for you anymore.” Can you imagine how hurtful?
Can you imagine a member coming to your aid, but after you expressed your deep appreciation for what they have done, they reply, “Well, I just did it because I knew I had to. It isn’t because I really care about you that much.”
This sin on the part of the Ephesian Christians is likely the greatest problem within churches both then and now. Most of us grew up taught to serve the Lord out of obligation “lest we go to hell.” If you serve Christ simply because you are trying to avoid Judgment, it is imperative that you carefully consider this letter.
Do you see the end of verse 5? Jesus said, “If you don’t change, I will remove your lampstand.” In other words, you are no longer my church. You are lost. You have abandoned this marriage. The consequences are on you.
The Remedy
Jesus never exposes sin without giving the key to the way back into a relationship with him.
Remember therefore from where you have fallen.
If you are married, you can easily look back to the beginning when you were dating, when you got engaged, the wedding, and the honeymoon. So exciting! So passionate! So special! Is that still the way you feel? You should, and even better!
Now remember when you came to Christ. How thrilling to have found a Savior to bring us out of the prison and bondage of sin. How exciting to serve the One who truly loves us, so much that he even died for us. And how that love created a commitment in us to give our lives for him. Do we remember that?
Do you know what is sad about Jesus’ command to “remember?” Some Christians can’t remember that original passion and love…because they didn’t have it. Their baptism was just fire insurance; just an escape from hell, but not a passion for Christ. In those cases, we need to discover Jesus all over again.
How do we lose that “first love” experience? Consider the words of Jeremiah: “Have you no respect for me? Why don’t you tremble in my presence? I, the LORD, define the ocean’s sandy shoreline as an everlasting boundary that the waters cannot cross. The waves may toss and roar, but they can never pass the boundaries I set. But my people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. They have turned away and abandoned me. They do not say from the heart, ‘Let us live in awe of the LORD our God, for he gives us rain each spring and fall, assuring us of a harvest when the time is right.” (Jeremiah 5:22–24 NLT)
“Repent, and do the works you did at first.”
Every Christian needs to regularly do a self-inspection. Each of us need to honestly ask ourselves, are we really serving the Lord as we should? That question deserves an answer.
You cannot approach change by thinking, “This will be easy.” Repentance is not easy because when we are not living and loving like we should it means we have developed other habits that are hard to break. We are living and loving something & someone other than Christ and his people!
So how does a person correct a waning love for God? Have you considered how challenging that is? Remember the song, “You’ve Lost that Loving Feelin’”? Yes, that’s the problem! When love wanes, the result is that we just don’t feel like it any more. I’ve run into that problem repeatedly in marriages. Upon urging a spouse to put more effort into the marriage in order to renew it, I get the answer, “That may seem easy to you, but those feelings are gone! How am I suppose to get back that loving feeling when I just don’t feel it?”
What would you tell a spouse like that? Is it possible? How would you answer that question?
First, yes! It is possible. How do I know? Because God told wives to love their husbands and God told husbands to love their wives, and he didn’t say a word about whether or not we feel like it!
Second, the process is not complicated. It starts with obedience (Rom. 12:2). The Lord’s said, “test me” and see. Spend time with God. Spend time in pursuing him to know him more deeply. Spend time in helping others spiritually and asking others to help you. Access the company of Christians – that’s why we assemble! In other words, there is and old saying that works quite well: act yourself into a new way of feeling. That’s exactly what Jesus is saying with the words, “Do the works you did at first.”
Berry Kercheville
The post Revelation 1:10-2:7 The Vision of the Son of Man & the Letter to Ephesus appeared first on Woodland Hills Church of Christ.
43 min
January 15, 2024Revelation 1:4-8 The One Who Is, Who Was, and Who Is to Come
Revelation #3: Who is, Who Was, Who Is to Come
Churches in Asia Minor: Historical Background
Let’s take just a moment to give a explanation of why these letters were written primarily to churches within the province of Asia. This area held a strong pro-Roman stance, of which temple worship of the gods and of the emperor was promoted. This is evident in Acts 19 and the riot in Ephesus that nearly ended Paul’s life.
Grant Osborn in his commentary (Revelation Verse by Verse) offers historical background of Asia during the time of the reign of Domitian (81-96 AD): “They were governed partly by the “Asiarchs” who oversaw civic and religious life and demanded that the populace participate in emperor worship. No one in that time and place could conduct the affairs of everyday existence, even commerce, without recognizing the gods. When Christians refused to participate, the effects were considerable. Persecution may not have been official, but it was widespread at the local level. Social ostracism, slanderous rumors, and loss of jobs were the natural result. It is likely that the social situation behind this book included both internal pressure from prosperity and secularization as well as external opposition and persecution.”
It is apparent that Christians may have been challenged most by the social pressure rather than governmental edict. The “emperor cult” under Domitian intensified pressure on Christians. Frequent banquets held by the guilds (trade associations that controlled the activities of artisans in a city) were always dedicated to the patron gods—to refuse to attend often meant one would be prohibited from working in the city. This led to tremendous pressure on Christians to participate in emperor worship (Scott’s notes).
In a limited way, we have seen this same kind of persecution today. The persecution was not so much by government edict as it was by corporate fiat that for the most part has been unheard of in American history. (1) Get vaccinated or lose your job. (2) Support Pride month or lose your job. (3) Bake a wedding cake depicting a gay couple or lose your business. Etc. We see this same method used in the book of Acts and in the Roman Empire throughout the 2nd and 3rd centuries.
When Paul and other Christians were persecuted in Acts, it was local and didn’t come from the emperor.
The same is true with the history of Rome up to the time of Constantine. Not every emperor insisted on being worshiped as a god with the consequence of death if not obeyed. But the culture of the Roman Empire was to insist on Rome-worship above all else.
Therefore, though Jesus made it clear to the Philadelphia church that the “hour trial” coming on the whole world is not yet, this helps us understand the culture in which Christians of the last third of the 1st century were living.
Greetings: 1:4-8
The greetings John delivers from God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, is unique in that the brief descriptions and introductory concepts give a us a foundation for how we are to endure in the midst of trial & persecution.
“Grace and peace from…” Can you hear God saying those words to John, saying, before all else, send them my grace and peace. Who can’t live through anything that comes our way when we hear the words of God, “Grace and peace…”
“Who is and who was and who is to come…” It is easy to pass over God’s repeated declaration about himself in the book, but this would be a huge mistake when we consider the message that is being sent.
First, notice the occasions in which these declarations are made:
Concerning God, the Father, we see these statements made in 1:4, 8; 21:6.
But then, we also see similar statements concerning Jesus: 1:17; 22:13.
Further, in 1:8, God proclaims that he is the “Alpha and the Omega,” coupled with Jesus’ proclamation in 1:17-18, “Fear not, I am the first and the last…I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever.”
This linking of the Father with the Son is significant to the message that neither God nor Christ have been defeated and that God in Christ is defeating the dragon and his offspring. Therefore, the upcoming trials should be endured with hope.
Even more encouraging is that these same statements were made by God about himself in Isaiah 44:6; 48:12-13
“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts, ‘I am the first and the last; besides me there is no god.’”
“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first and I am the last. My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth together.” The Lord goes on in the text to assure his people the he will defeat the Babylon of old. It is beautiful that the same “I am the first and I am the last” declaration made in Isaiah is made by Jesus in 1:17!
Consider also that the phrase, “Who is and who was and who is to come,” is not just a statement of God’s eternal nature. Saying that he is the one who is to come indicates a coming in judgment and salvation. Repeatedly, Jesus proclaims that “he is coming” (1:7; 22:12). in fact, when judgment is proclaimed as complete in 11:17 and 16:5, God is called, “who is and who was, for you brought these judgments.” He is not called, “who is to come” because his saving and judgment actions are complete.
Now quickly notice the importance of the other descriptions of Jesus:
“The faithful witness” in contrast to those who were cowardly (21:8) and not faithful witnesses (cf. 2:13, Antipas, a faithful witness).
“Firstborn from the dead” indicating that Jesus is the first of many who will be raised from the dead never to die again.
“Ruler of the kings of the earth” in contrast to the Dragon and the beast who have seduced the kings of the earth.
Verses 5b-6 then extol what Jesus has done for us, loving us and freeing us from our sins by his blood, and making us (or appointing us, NET) a kingdom, priests to his God…”
This is Daniel 7:23-27 imagery. Appointing us a kingdom is exactly what Daniel was foretold during the time of the fourth beast (kingdom). John and these first century Christians were at the beginning of living out the tribulation seen by Daniel 600 years previous.
Daniel 7:27 states that once the dominion of these beasts are taken away, “the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.” However, John is shown that before that day comes we have already been made a kingdom.
The idea is that we may seem powerless at the moment, but we have been granted royal power to participate in bringing God’s dominion on earth. And, we are made priests witnessing to the truth and bringing the nations to worship God.
Connect this to 1:9 where John speaks of himself and the saints as being in tribulation and the kingdom. Therefore, God’s kingdom “patiently endures” and testifies as priests during tribulation until God’s final judgment over the beastly kingdoms of the world. In fact, in verse 9, the very reason John is suffering is because he has been acting as a priest – “on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”
Verse 7 “Behold is coming with the clouds…” We typically read this and immediately think of the end of time. However, the same language is used for partial judgments (Isaiah 19:1; Matthew 24:29-30; Mark 14:62). Whether this is partial or end time doesn’t matter since the final judgment is a culmination of a series of partial judgments used to alert the world to that final day. This will be evident in the unveiling of the “seals” and the “trumpets.”
Though this verse begins with judgment, there is a surprising twist with the words, “even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will will mourn on account of him.” These words are a clear allusion to Zechariah 12:10–13:1, where there is a picture of the Jews coming to repentance when they realize what they have done and God offering them salvation. We see the same thing in Matthew 24:27-31.
But there is also another twist. The words, “every eye will see him,” is not in Zechariah, nor is, “all tribes of the earth” shall mourn on account of him. Therefore, the text is including both Jews and the rest of the world, in this context, alluding to the Roman Empire.
We know that the later visions of partial judgments are intended to bring people to repentance (9:20-21; 16:9-11). Ultimately, their wailing may not be because of repentance but because they have refused repentance and now must suffer the consequences.
Berry Kercheville
The post Revelation 1:4-8 The One Who Is, Who Was, and Who Is to Come appeared first on Woodland Hills Church of Christ.
55 min