WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:10.900 There's probably no religious text that has more captured the imagination in the West than the book of Revelation. 00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:17.460 If you think about all of the movies, all of the books, all of the genres it has inspired, 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:25.000 all of this endless speculation that has been produced as a result of trying to understand this book. 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:30.820 Post-apocalyptic literature is one of my personal favorite forms of fiction. 00:00:31.160 --> 00:00:39.780 Cormac McCarthy's The Road and books like that just sort of ignited my imagination the moment I began to discover this world. 00:00:40.280 --> 00:00:45.900 And a lot of that is inspired from this writing of the Apostle John. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:50.960 And today we're going to start a series looking at this book. 00:00:51.219 --> 00:00:54.379 And it's a long book and so it's going to be a long series. 00:00:54.380 --> 00:00:58.460 We're probably going to follow this book all the way into the summer. 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:02.719 So we're going to do this deep dive into the book of Revelation. 00:01:03.140 --> 00:01:06.740 I've personally found this book to be very intimidating. 00:01:07.100 --> 00:01:10.379 That's why I've never preached on it because I had no idea what it was saying. 00:01:11.219 --> 00:01:17.200 And so it's taken me a good 12, 13 years to get some sense maybe of what I think it's saying. 00:01:17.240 --> 00:01:20.599 But I think that what we're going to find is that this is going to be a rich study. 00:01:21.140 --> 00:01:22.700 It's going to be a deep study. 00:01:22.700 --> 00:01:26.320 And I think ultimately it's going to help us fall in love more with Jesus. 00:01:26.859 --> 00:01:28.460 Because I think that's the point of the book. 00:01:29.700 --> 00:01:32.719 So I want to say a couple of things about reading Revelation. 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:38.620 We'll say a lot more as we go through the series about how we're interpreting things the way we are. 00:01:38.659 --> 00:01:41.460 But I just want to say a couple of things up front as we dive in. 00:01:41.540 --> 00:01:43.719 Number one, Revelation is poetry. 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:47.079 And it has to be read like poetry. 00:01:47.980 --> 00:01:53.599 If we don't read it like poetry, it's not going to make any sense at all. 00:01:54.140 --> 00:01:59.420 Because poetry does not give us objective explanations of things. 00:02:00.519 --> 00:02:02.939 Poetry is aimed squarely at the imagination. 00:02:02.939 --> 00:02:07.399 And so there are some parts of Scripture that are aimed at our heads to help us think better. 00:02:07.480 --> 00:02:09.699 There are some parts of Scripture that are aimed at our hearts. 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:12.780 Revelation is aimed at our imagination. 00:02:14.039 --> 00:02:15.599 And so we need to read it that way. 00:02:15.819 --> 00:02:20.219 And poetry uses vivid language and vivid imagery. 00:02:20.219 --> 00:02:29.759 Because the goal of poetry is to ignite our imagination and give us fresh ways of experiencing reality. 00:02:30.520 --> 00:02:31.860 That's what it's meant to do. 00:02:32.199 --> 00:02:39.099 And so all of the imagery that we're going to encounter in Revelation is crazy and bizarre to us. 00:02:39.639 --> 00:02:44.900 But what we need to understand is that most of this imagery is drawn directly out of the Old Testament. 00:02:44.900 --> 00:02:51.260 In fact, Revelation alludes to every single book of the Old Testament. 00:02:51.960 --> 00:02:58.960 And so while it seems unfamiliar to us, we have to remember for the early readers, the first readers of Revelation, 00:02:59.719 --> 00:03:08.159 this would have ignited their imagination and it would have kindled their memory of all the old great stories of their forefathers. 00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:15.479 All the stories that were told by grandparents to grandchildren around the fire at night. 00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:18.079 All of the great works of God in history. 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:21.060 All of that imagery would conjure up those memories. 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:23.180 Would remind people who God is. 00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:25.780 And so there's lots of fantastic imagery. 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:27.519 We're going to talk more about that in this series. 00:03:28.099 --> 00:03:30.199 Number two, I'll say this about reading Revelation. 00:03:30.439 --> 00:03:31.400 It is a story. 00:03:32.359 --> 00:03:33.400 It's a story. 00:03:33.400 --> 00:03:39.319 From beginning to end, it is telling one coherent narrative. 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:41.420 And we're going to treat it like that. 00:03:41.740 --> 00:03:45.280 The point of the story, it's a complicated story. 00:03:45.460 --> 00:03:46.700 A lot of twists and turns. 00:03:47.159 --> 00:03:50.819 But ultimately the point of the story is summed up in Revelation 11, 15. 00:03:50.939 --> 00:03:53.099 Here's, I believe, the theme of the entire book. 00:03:53.879 --> 00:03:57.580 The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord. 00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:00.099 And of his Christ. 00:04:00.659 --> 00:04:02.640 And he shall reign forever and ever. 00:04:03.400 --> 00:04:04.980 That's what the story is about. 00:04:05.780 --> 00:04:09.939 If all this seems a bit esoteric, it's okay. 00:04:10.200 --> 00:04:14.439 We're going to actually ease our way into Revelation during the season of Lent. 00:04:14.560 --> 00:04:17.720 By taking the first section of this book. 00:04:17.879 --> 00:04:19.000 Chapters 2 and 3. 00:04:19.220 --> 00:04:22.699 And we're going to look at this in detail between now and Easter. 00:04:22.939 --> 00:04:25.340 Because what we have in these chapters are letters. 00:04:26.180 --> 00:04:30.960 These are letters that Jesus instructs the Apostle John to write. 00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:32.639 Jesus says, I want you to write letters. 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:35.579 Seven letters to be delivered to seven churches. 00:04:35.699 --> 00:04:38.860 And all of these churches are in Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey. 00:04:39.339 --> 00:04:41.779 And where John is at this moment, he's at Patmos. 00:04:42.199 --> 00:04:47.300 And geographically, these would have been the churches that were near him. 00:04:47.300 --> 00:04:50.039 Starting with the church at Ephesus. 00:04:50.259 --> 00:04:53.680 And so Jesus instructs him to write these letters to all of these churches. 00:04:53.680 --> 00:04:56.160 And these are meant to be open letters. 00:04:56.319 --> 00:04:57.959 They're not, this is not private mail. 00:04:58.459 --> 00:05:02.360 These are letters that are meant to be read, not just by these churches, but by all churches. 00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:07.460 So they're letters to us as well as to these churches in Asia Minor. 00:05:07.819 --> 00:05:12.259 Jesus wants us to read these as though they were to us. 00:05:12.519 --> 00:05:13.879 And they're love letters. 00:05:15.340 --> 00:05:16.300 They're love letters. 00:05:16.300 --> 00:05:26.040 One of the most central images in Revelation, really in Scripture, is of Christ as a bridegroom and the church as a bride. 00:05:26.640 --> 00:05:30.240 And so you can imagine later in Revelation, there's going to be this climactic wedding. 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:35.480 And this wedding celebration of the bride and the groom coming together, the church and Christ. 00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:41.220 And this is like a time of preparation before that wedding day. 00:05:41.400 --> 00:05:43.759 And Jesus is writing letters to his bride. 00:05:43.800 --> 00:05:48.860 And he's showing us what kind of bride he hopes that we will be. 00:05:48.860 --> 00:05:55.439 And if we could summarize all the letters in one word, we would say that Jesus is a lover who desires a passionate bride. 00:05:56.319 --> 00:06:03.639 He wants a bride who is head over heels in love with him and devoted to him and willing to do anything for him. 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:06.900 Because that's how he feels about his bride. 00:06:07.620 --> 00:06:09.460 And so this is what we're going to look at in more detail. 00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:11.060 These love letters from Jesus. 00:06:11.460 --> 00:06:13.319 And each week we're going to look at one letter. 00:06:13.500 --> 00:06:17.080 And we're starting with the letter to the church in Ephesus. 00:06:17.079 --> 00:06:19.479 And this is Revelation 2, 1 through 7. 00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:22.099 And there are three things I want to look at in this letter. 00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:24.500 First, Jesus offers a word of encouragement. 00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:26.919 And then he offers a word of warning. 00:06:27.180 --> 00:06:29.479 And then lastly, he makes an amazing promise. 00:06:29.919 --> 00:06:32.060 So encouragement, warning, promise. 00:06:32.419 --> 00:06:32.919 Let's pray. 00:06:34.139 --> 00:06:35.740 Lord, we thank you for your word. 00:06:35.839 --> 00:06:39.060 And we thank you that without it, we are in the dark. 00:06:40.099 --> 00:06:42.779 But with it, Lord, you illuminate our lives. 00:06:43.180 --> 00:06:44.560 You illuminate this world. 00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:47.819 Lord, you illuminate the hope that we have in your son, Jesus Christ. 00:06:48.579 --> 00:06:52.319 We pray that we would sit under your word now and that you would speak to us through it, Lord. 00:06:52.379 --> 00:06:56.980 That you would have us hear these words that John wrote so long ago. 00:06:57.819 --> 00:07:01.180 This letter that has come through time and now is in our hands. 00:07:01.840 --> 00:07:03.459 We pray this in your son's holy name. 00:07:03.620 --> 00:07:03.860 Amen. 00:07:03.860 --> 00:07:11.500 So first of all, Jesus offers a word of encouragement to his bride, to the church. 00:07:13.180 --> 00:07:14.439 I should say this. 00:07:14.520 --> 00:07:20.100 It must have come as a bit of a shock to John to hear these instructions from Jesus. 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:23.360 And Jesus says, okay, the first letter needs to go to the church in Ephesus. 00:07:23.879 --> 00:07:26.720 Because if you know anything about the tradition around the apostle John, 00:07:27.040 --> 00:07:31.100 John was the bishop of the church in Ephesus for many, many, many years. 00:07:31.100 --> 00:07:35.080 And so you can imagine Jesus coming to you and saying, I want to write a letter to this church. 00:07:35.320 --> 00:07:37.439 And it's your church that he's talking about. 00:07:37.720 --> 00:07:40.740 So John probably perked up and paid really close attention. 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:42.060 And here's what Jesus says. 00:07:43.100 --> 00:07:46.820 I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, 00:07:47.220 --> 00:07:49.360 and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, 00:07:49.680 --> 00:07:53.379 but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, 00:07:53.660 --> 00:07:55.180 and found them to be false. 00:07:55.180 --> 00:07:59.199 I know you're enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:01.860 and you have not grown weary. 00:08:02.340 --> 00:08:08.620 So Jesus is beginning by affirming these things that he sees in his church that he thinks are good. 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:11.360 He says, number one, you're a hardworking church. 00:08:12.060 --> 00:08:13.280 This church is not idle. 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:14.220 They're not lazy. 00:08:14.360 --> 00:08:15.280 They're not complacent. 00:08:15.340 --> 00:08:16.079 They're not passive. 00:08:16.300 --> 00:08:19.100 They're out there, and they are doing good in the community. 00:08:19.399 --> 00:08:20.899 They're working hard. 00:08:21.079 --> 00:08:23.720 They're making an impact, making a difference. 00:08:23.720 --> 00:08:27.460 And then he says, you've held up well under persecution. 00:08:29.240 --> 00:08:31.800 If you know anything about the early church, the first couple of centuries, 00:08:31.940 --> 00:08:35.080 the persecution was fierce, especially under Emperor Nero. 00:08:35.620 --> 00:08:37.580 And so Christians were tortured. 00:08:38.100 --> 00:08:39.200 They were burned. 00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:43.879 Nero illuminated his garden with burning bodies of Christians. 00:08:44.519 --> 00:08:49.560 They were dressed in animal skins and torn apart by wild animals for sport. 00:08:50.120 --> 00:08:52.120 Christians were persecuted in all kinds of ways. 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:57.600 And he says, you're not only facing this persecution and enduring it, 00:08:57.639 --> 00:08:59.779 but you're actually thriving. 00:09:00.580 --> 00:09:01.879 You're holding up well. 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:07.240 And one of the things that we know is that the church was persecuted in the hopes that it would extinguish the faith, 00:09:07.500 --> 00:09:10.980 and yet it only strengthened the faith. 00:09:10.980 --> 00:09:18.379 The martyrdom of the early Christians laid the groundwork for the thriving church that emerged. 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:24.879 The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church, or so Tertullian said. 00:09:25.560 --> 00:09:27.920 And so they're holding up well under persecution. 00:09:28.379 --> 00:09:30.700 And then thirdly, they're committed to the truth. 00:09:30.700 --> 00:09:32.940 This is a church. 00:09:33.140 --> 00:09:36.259 They are committed to doctrinal purity. 00:09:36.820 --> 00:09:38.140 They know God's word. 00:09:39.240 --> 00:09:41.960 They're devoted to the teachings of the apostles. 00:09:42.200 --> 00:09:44.540 And so when somebody comes in and starts teaching, 00:09:44.800 --> 00:09:48.900 these aren't people that are just sitting back and just receiving whatever anybody says, 00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:50.400 as long as it's somewhat entertaining. 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:51.860 They're discerning. 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:52.540 They're listening. 00:09:52.700 --> 00:09:56.600 They're thinking, you know, I, you know, he's saying that, but I don't think that's in Scripture. 00:09:56.600 --> 00:10:02.060 And they're opening the word, and they're reading, and they're saying, yeah, that doesn't align with what I read here. 00:10:02.200 --> 00:10:05.860 And they're going to these false teachers and saying, you're no longer welcome here. 00:10:06.220 --> 00:10:07.720 You're not teaching God's truth. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:09.759 And so they're actively discerning. 00:10:10.540 --> 00:10:12.860 They're actively rejecting false teachers. 00:10:12.960 --> 00:10:17.220 And by the way, the word it says is actually self-appointed apostles, which is an oxymoron. 00:10:17.700 --> 00:10:20.060 You can't have a self-appointed apostle. 00:10:20.519 --> 00:10:25.720 By definition, an apostle is someone who Jesus appoints and sends with news, right? 00:10:25.720 --> 00:10:29.399 So if you're a self-appointed apostle, you're sort of, you know, dead from the start. 00:10:29.920 --> 00:10:32.340 And so they're rejecting people like this. 00:10:33.560 --> 00:10:40.680 This is extremely important in Ephesus because you have this massive temple of Artemis 00:10:40.680 --> 00:10:45.980 that dominated not only the skyline of Ephesus, but also the public life of Ephesus. 00:10:46.820 --> 00:10:50.080 This cult of worship was very influential. 00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:55.120 You also had Ephesus being the center of occult practices. 00:10:55.720 --> 00:10:58.700 And then there was also this group called the Nicolaitans. 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:01.800 And we're not quite sure who the Nicolaitans are. 00:11:01.879 --> 00:11:03.360 Frankly, we just don't have a lot of information. 00:11:03.680 --> 00:11:09.960 But based on what we do know, we can safely assume that the Nicolaitans were Christians 00:11:09.960 --> 00:11:16.000 who had taken Christian doctrine and they had refined it and revised it and smoothed it out 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:23.740 so that it fit in easily and seamlessly with the prevailing cultural values. 00:11:23.740 --> 00:11:29.639 So they sort of integrated Christianity into the prevailing worldviews and values of the day 00:11:29.639 --> 00:11:32.060 so as to not have any conflict. 00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:35.060 And, you know, and we see that in every era, right? 00:11:35.100 --> 00:11:39.759 People sort of dumbing down and refining Christian faith to make it fit. 00:11:39.980 --> 00:11:41.620 And that's what the Nicolaitans were doing. 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:43.060 And he says, you've rejected that. 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:46.919 And so this is all strong, high words of praise from Jesus. 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:50.680 You know, he's giving the state of the union on the church, the state of the church. 00:11:50.679 --> 00:11:53.879 And he says, here's all the things that we should celebrate about you. 00:11:54.699 --> 00:11:55.500 High praise. 00:11:56.759 --> 00:12:00.679 And so when you look at this alone, you think, man, on paper, this church is amazing. 00:12:01.459 --> 00:12:05.620 If I had just moved to Ephesus, you know, I graduated, you know, grad school, had an internship, 00:12:05.819 --> 00:12:07.319 took me to Ephesus, and I'm looking for a church. 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:08.739 This is the kind of church I'd want to go to. 00:12:09.319 --> 00:12:10.739 They got everything right, you know? 00:12:11.179 --> 00:12:13.319 And so it looks amazing. 00:12:13.320 --> 00:12:16.520 And yet there's one problem. 00:12:17.500 --> 00:12:19.660 And so we now turn to the warning. 00:12:19.820 --> 00:12:23.740 The problem is they are doing all the right things. 00:12:24.300 --> 00:12:26.760 They're believing all the right things. 00:12:27.420 --> 00:12:31.280 And yet there is no love in this community. 00:12:32.860 --> 00:12:33.980 They've lost their love. 00:12:34.560 --> 00:12:35.379 He says in verse 4, 00:12:35.379 --> 00:12:44.480 And think about a marriage. 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:49.679 Think about when you meet and you begin dating and spending time with somebody. 00:12:50.019 --> 00:12:54.559 And as you're falling in love, you start to learn all kinds of things about this person, 00:12:54.659 --> 00:12:56.559 things that they like and things they don't like, right? 00:12:56.740 --> 00:13:00.259 So when I met Laura way back in college, I started to get to know her. 00:13:00.259 --> 00:13:03.740 I started learning that there are certain things that really delight Laura, 00:13:03.879 --> 00:13:05.559 things that she loves and things that she enjoys. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:07.299 You know, Laura loves folk music. 00:13:07.639 --> 00:13:08.899 Yeah, I didn't like folk music. 00:13:09.240 --> 00:13:10.319 But Laura loves folk music. 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:12.220 Laura loves doing things like eating vegetables. 00:13:14.379 --> 00:13:17.759 Laura loves doing things like talking about her feelings, things like that. 00:13:18.279 --> 00:13:19.439 She loves these things. 00:13:19.600 --> 00:13:23.039 And so I started doing all of these things because I wanted to make Laura happy. 00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:25.419 Because when you love somebody, you want to make them happy. 00:13:25.860 --> 00:13:27.679 And you have to change things. 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:29.559 You know, like I used to drive like a maniac. 00:13:30.259 --> 00:13:32.879 Laura does not like always feeling like she's going to die. 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:37.919 So I had to change how I drive so that Laura would enjoy being in the car with me. 00:13:38.679 --> 00:13:41.279 And so, you know, and this is what love is. 00:13:41.319 --> 00:13:42.500 And this is what marriage is. 00:13:42.939 --> 00:13:44.340 It's a lot of work. 00:13:44.439 --> 00:13:45.740 It's a lot of change. 00:13:46.059 --> 00:13:50.879 You're doing things because you love this person and you want to make them happy. 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:52.340 And that brings you joy. 00:13:52.899 --> 00:13:55.480 But then imagine years into a marriage. 00:13:55.480 --> 00:13:59.080 And imagine that long ago the intimacy died. 00:14:00.220 --> 00:14:03.379 You're coexisting in the same home but you barely speak to each other. 00:14:03.460 --> 00:14:04.639 You're having your separate silos. 00:14:05.000 --> 00:14:05.980 Your separate orbits. 00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:09.740 You, you know, one of you goes to bed early. 00:14:09.820 --> 00:14:12.360 The other stays up till one o'clock in the morning watching TV. 00:14:12.580 --> 00:14:13.200 You're just not. 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:14.940 There's no time, you know. 00:14:14.940 --> 00:14:17.060 And imagine that you barely talk. 00:14:17.880 --> 00:14:19.840 But yet you're still doing all the things. 00:14:20.460 --> 00:14:21.800 You're still doing all the things. 00:14:21.920 --> 00:14:24.060 You're still eating the vegetables and listening to the folk music. 00:14:24.140 --> 00:14:26.580 And you're still going and you're still driving safely. 00:14:26.740 --> 00:14:27.900 And you're still doing all those things. 00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:30.420 And yet there's no love. 00:14:30.520 --> 00:14:31.140 There's no warmth. 00:14:31.320 --> 00:14:32.460 There's no joy anymore. 00:14:32.920 --> 00:14:37.700 And those good works that used to be a source of joy and delight and it was your pleasure 00:14:37.700 --> 00:14:39.520 maybe even become a source of resentment. 00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:43.600 But they don't even appreciate me. 00:14:44.419 --> 00:14:46.639 And Jesus is saying this is what's happened in this church. 00:14:47.019 --> 00:14:48.019 You've lost the love. 00:14:48.600 --> 00:14:49.399 There's no warmth here. 00:14:49.460 --> 00:14:50.340 There's no intimacy here. 00:14:50.939 --> 00:14:52.639 I feel disconnected from you. 00:14:53.199 --> 00:14:54.779 I feel like we have nothing in common anymore. 00:14:55.100 --> 00:14:56.879 You know, you can imagine this happening. 00:14:57.860 --> 00:15:02.659 And Jesus is saying this and then we look around at the church and we realize that the 00:15:02.659 --> 00:15:06.699 church is full of people who are doing things for Jesus. 00:15:07.699 --> 00:15:09.360 Doing lots of good stuff. 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:10.360 In the community. 00:15:10.519 --> 00:15:13.220 Doing lots of good work for justice and mercy. 00:15:13.460 --> 00:15:17.879 And doing things that, you know, ways that we talk about serving Jesus. 00:15:18.500 --> 00:15:21.620 And there are many valiant defenders of truth out there. 00:15:22.039 --> 00:15:23.699 People who are holding the line. 00:15:25.899 --> 00:15:29.340 Who are refusing to compromise. 00:15:30.019 --> 00:15:32.159 In the culture of relativism. 00:15:33.079 --> 00:15:34.500 We're standing firm. 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:36.679 And yet there's no love. 00:15:37.939 --> 00:15:38.659 There's no love. 00:15:40.019 --> 00:15:41.199 No love for Christ. 00:15:41.899 --> 00:15:43.159 No love for other people. 00:15:43.460 --> 00:15:43.559 Right? 00:15:43.639 --> 00:15:48.240 Because if you have no love for Christ, then you really, your love for others begins to fade. 00:15:49.360 --> 00:15:52.100 And so this is a church where, imagine a church like this. 00:15:52.100 --> 00:15:58.700 They're so confident that they have the right doctrine that they scoff at other churches and denominations. 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:02.080 How could they possibly believe that? 00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:03.399 You know? 00:16:03.580 --> 00:16:05.379 How could they worship without a liturgy? 00:16:05.460 --> 00:16:06.460 Everybody has a liturgy. 00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:07.040 Don't they know that? 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:07.240 Right? 00:16:07.740 --> 00:16:10.300 Or how could they possibly baptize babies? 00:16:10.379 --> 00:16:12.360 Or how could they possibly not baptize babies? 00:16:12.440 --> 00:16:12.659 Or how? 00:16:12.659 --> 00:16:15.179 And they scoff these idiot Christians. 00:16:16.740 --> 00:16:18.339 They may not even be saved. 00:16:18.579 --> 00:16:18.719 You know? 00:16:19.240 --> 00:16:20.879 So they're scoffers. 00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:21.100 Right? 00:16:21.259 --> 00:16:23.959 This is a church where they're so clear in their beliefs. 00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:25.659 Everything is mapped out. 00:16:25.779 --> 00:16:26.719 Everything is explained. 00:16:26.839 --> 00:16:28.360 It is all laid out systematically. 00:16:28.360 --> 00:16:36.519 And so anybody who has questions or doubts or pushes back on anything, they're treated with suspicion. 00:16:37.220 --> 00:16:40.740 They need some remedial education in the basics. 00:16:41.060 --> 00:16:41.159 Right? 00:16:41.580 --> 00:16:50.240 This is a church that has forgotten that the church exists not only for God's glory but for the sake of others. 00:16:51.019 --> 00:16:54.860 You know, the church exists for the sake of those outside the church. 00:16:54.860 --> 00:16:59.200 And one of the main ways we glorify God is by loving those neighbors. 00:17:00.620 --> 00:17:03.840 And this is a church that has forgotten that. 00:17:03.960 --> 00:17:05.440 This is a church that has developed. 00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:08.940 They're looking at the changing tides. 00:17:09.160 --> 00:17:11.019 They're looking at where culture is going. 00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:13.480 They're reading the news and watching the news. 00:17:13.980 --> 00:17:17.860 And they're developing a fear toward the outsider. 00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:20.920 They're developing this us-them mentality. 00:17:21.220 --> 00:17:23.360 They're becoming more combative. 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:26.259 Wanting to make sure that they get the right people in office. 00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:29.119 Wanting to make sure that they're protecting themselves. 00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:36.439 And so they begin, instead of loving and serving and engaging all of the difficult people and issues and questions in their neighborhoods, 00:17:36.579 --> 00:17:38.099 they're starting to circle the wagons. 00:17:38.419 --> 00:17:40.139 And they're starting to protect themselves. 00:17:40.379 --> 00:17:44.059 And just make sure that we take care of ourselves and that our kids are taken care of. 00:17:44.199 --> 00:17:45.059 And that's what really matters. 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:48.479 We need to be protected from this scary outside world. 00:17:48.959 --> 00:17:50.479 And so this is what's happening. 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:56.779 And we realize that love is the one virtue without which all other virtues are worthless. 00:17:58.460 --> 00:17:58.900 Right? 00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:00.660 And so here is Jesus' warning. 00:18:01.019 --> 00:18:02.079 Listen to this, verse 5. 00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:05.099 Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen. 00:18:05.559 --> 00:18:08.140 Repent and do the works you did at first. 00:18:08.299 --> 00:18:09.720 Now, they're doing lots of works. 00:18:09.779 --> 00:18:10.440 So what does he mean? 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:12.599 He means works that are infused with love. 00:18:12.599 --> 00:18:17.379 Love for Christ and love for the people that Christ loves. 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:19.980 Do the works you did at the first. 00:18:20.199 --> 00:18:24.779 If not, I will come to you and I will remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent. 00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:30.719 He says, recenter your life on love for Christ and one another. 00:18:30.839 --> 00:18:34.159 Or Jesus says, I will come to you and remove your lamp. 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:38.459 Now, that's not just Jesus taking the lamp away, right? 00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:39.459 This is poetic imagery. 00:18:39.539 --> 00:18:40.259 What's he talking about? 00:18:40.259 --> 00:18:43.299 Well, earlier in Revelation, we're told that the lamps are the churches. 00:18:44.839 --> 00:18:49.140 And so what he's saying is, you will cease to be a church. 00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:53.940 Repent, return to that first love, or you will cease to be a church. 00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:57.160 The building may remain. 00:18:58.039 --> 00:19:00.359 The people may still come on Sunday. 00:19:00.900 --> 00:19:03.099 Your programs may still be full. 00:19:03.500 --> 00:19:05.519 Your endowment may be strong. 00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:12.720 But the life-giving, spirit-warming, illuminating presence of God will be gone. 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:19.759 Because let's remember, what makes a church a church is not the programs or the building or the people. 00:19:20.139 --> 00:19:21.460 It's the presence of God. 00:19:23.299 --> 00:19:26.220 And Jesus says, I'm going to remove your lamp. 00:19:26.220 --> 00:19:33.519 And this is extremely important because it tells us, it warns us, that you can have all of the right doctrines. 00:19:33.700 --> 00:19:36.279 And you can be valiantly defending the truth. 00:19:36.660 --> 00:19:38.980 And you can be doing lots of good works. 00:19:39.720 --> 00:19:42.460 And yet you can still be spiritually dead. 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:45.140 Because you have no love. 00:19:45.940 --> 00:19:47.420 So this is the warning. 00:19:48.059 --> 00:19:51.319 Loveless churches become lampless churches. 00:19:51.319 --> 00:19:55.379 And a lampless church is a lifeless church. 00:19:56.899 --> 00:20:00.899 Loveless churches become lampless churches, which are lifeless churches. 00:20:01.799 --> 00:20:04.339 But along with the warning, Jesus doesn't leave us there. 00:20:04.579 --> 00:20:05.619 He makes a promise. 00:20:06.339 --> 00:20:09.079 And he gives us a reason for tremendous hope. 00:20:09.139 --> 00:20:10.339 And here's the promise, verse 7. 00:20:11.220 --> 00:20:14.240 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:21.200 To the one who conquers, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. 00:20:21.900 --> 00:20:24.140 It's going to start to get cool here in just a second. 00:20:24.460 --> 00:20:27.620 But what he's saying is, what he's saying is, it's not too late. 00:20:28.259 --> 00:20:28.960 It's not too late. 00:20:29.299 --> 00:20:33.559 The reason I'm telling you this now, the reason I'm sending you this letter, is because there's still time. 00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:35.819 And he says, it's not too late. 00:20:35.880 --> 00:20:36.779 There's still time to repent. 00:20:36.920 --> 00:20:41.000 There's still time to return to the love that you had at the first. 00:20:41.099 --> 00:20:42.779 There's still time to overcome. 00:20:42.779 --> 00:20:49.920 And he says, for those who do overcome, for those who do endure, for those who continue to remain faithful to the end, 00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:55.920 Jesus says, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. 00:20:56.019 --> 00:20:57.819 Now, watch this. 00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:00.440 What does this mean? 00:21:02.359 --> 00:21:06.980 The first thing that most people think, if they're in the first century, second century, and they're reading this, 00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:08.160 is they think back to Genesis. 00:21:08.379 --> 00:21:11.460 They think back to the tree of life that's in the garden before the fall. 00:21:12.779 --> 00:21:14.420 But we're no longer in Genesis. 00:21:14.680 --> 00:21:17.599 We're a long way away from that garden. 00:21:17.879 --> 00:21:19.920 And so, what is he talking about? 00:21:21.240 --> 00:21:25.839 Well, what's even more interesting is the normal word that you would use for tree, 00:21:26.139 --> 00:21:28.099 dendron, is not used here. 00:21:28.099 --> 00:21:31.420 There's kind of an odd word used for tree of life. 00:21:31.420 --> 00:21:36.100 And that word sometimes is translated wood. 00:21:36.920 --> 00:21:38.720 So, wood of life. 00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:40.860 You could eat of the wood of life. 00:21:41.220 --> 00:21:48.980 It's often also translated as stocks, like what you would put prisoners in, stocks, like wooden stocks. 00:21:48.980 --> 00:21:54.019 Then the third translation, it's very often translated as cross. 00:21:55.079 --> 00:21:59.180 A wooden cross, like you would hang a traitor from until they died. 00:21:59.180 --> 00:22:05.060 And so, what we see here is Jesus is saying to his church, 00:22:05.160 --> 00:22:08.400 to those who conquer, I will grant to eat of the cross of life. 00:22:09.740 --> 00:22:13.000 You will eat the food that comes from the cross. 00:22:13.140 --> 00:22:15.840 And so, we ask, what is the food that comes from the cross? 00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:21.299 And this starts to kind of make sense when you look at the broader context of Revelation 00:22:21.299 --> 00:22:25.740 and realize that in Revelation, Jesus is the tree of life. 00:22:26.679 --> 00:22:31.839 Whenever you see the tree of life, that is another poetic image that's talking about Jesus. 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:33.519 Jesus is the tree of life. 00:22:34.639 --> 00:22:39.720 And so, what is the food that comes from Jesus on the cross that gives us life? 00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:43.000 Well, we should know it because we have it every week. 00:22:43.000 --> 00:22:49.160 We have it in the body and the blood of Jesus that we receive in the Eucharist. 00:22:50.039 --> 00:22:53.900 And so, the promise is this, that as we love Jesus, as we serve Jesus, 00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:57.920 Jesus will sustain us with his own body and his own blood. 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:01.480 The food that comes from the cross of life, the tree of life. 00:23:01.980 --> 00:23:08.039 He'll sustain us with that food until the day when we share in the great wedding feast. 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:10.740 This is one of the climactic moments in Revelation 00:23:10.740 --> 00:23:17.599 when this meal that God's people have shared for centuries is consummated. 00:23:17.819 --> 00:23:19.740 It reaches its ideal. 00:23:20.620 --> 00:23:25.339 Everything that this points to is realized in the great wedding supper of the Lamb. 00:23:26.200 --> 00:23:28.319 And Jesus says, I'm going to sustain you at this table 00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:31.900 until you are welcomed and given a permanent place at that table. 00:23:32.440 --> 00:23:33.440 That's pretty cool. 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:38.600 And so, this is the promise that Jesus gives his people. 00:23:39.820 --> 00:23:43.840 And so, what we need to see as we're wanting to kind of draw all this together is this. 00:23:45.360 --> 00:23:49.140 The church, when we ask Jesus, what do you want from us? 00:23:49.900 --> 00:23:50.860 You know, why are we here? 00:23:50.940 --> 00:23:51.860 What should we be thinking? 00:23:51.960 --> 00:23:53.420 What kind of church should we be? 00:23:53.640 --> 00:23:56.500 And Jesus writes us a letter and says, here's what I desire from you. 00:23:56.640 --> 00:23:58.120 Here's the kind of bride I want you to be. 00:23:58.299 --> 00:23:59.039 Here's what he's saying. 00:23:59.039 --> 00:24:04.819 I want you to be people who are devoted to truth and devoted to love. 00:24:05.480 --> 00:24:09.720 I want you to be devoted equally and passionately to both. 00:24:10.299 --> 00:24:14.240 And I think we really need to hear that message, particularly now, 00:24:14.519 --> 00:24:18.180 because I think in our society, a lot of people think, a lot of churches think, 00:24:18.299 --> 00:24:21.399 that you have to choose what kind of church you're going to be. 00:24:21.559 --> 00:24:25.899 As though truth and love are like a zero-sum game. 00:24:25.900 --> 00:24:26.340 Right? 00:24:27.660 --> 00:24:31.720 Either you are a church that is devoted to truth, and you're devoted to doctrine, 00:24:31.840 --> 00:24:34.160 and you're devoted to the word, and you're devoted to faithfulness, 00:24:34.200 --> 00:24:35.720 and you're devoted to the good works of the kingdom. 00:24:35.900 --> 00:24:43.560 You're devoted to all these things at the expense of welcoming and including people, 00:24:43.620 --> 00:24:46.460 at the expense of loving those outside the church. 00:24:46.600 --> 00:24:51.440 You're sort of phobic of anyone outside of the immediate community. 00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:56.920 That you either have to be that kind of church, or you can be a church that is devoted to love, 00:24:57.019 --> 00:24:59.240 and inclusion, and welcoming everybody. 00:24:59.559 --> 00:25:01.600 But you have to do it at the expense of biblical truth. 00:25:02.940 --> 00:25:04.019 And you're kind of soft. 00:25:04.539 --> 00:25:06.120 You're kind of soft on scripture. 00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:08.000 It's helpful sometimes. 00:25:08.299 --> 00:25:11.180 You're kind of soft on it, but really what we're about is loving and including and welcoming. 00:25:11.860 --> 00:25:12.220 Right? 00:25:12.299 --> 00:25:13.660 And Jesus says, neither one will do. 00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:15.759 Neither one will do. 00:25:16.539 --> 00:25:17.700 He calls us to both. 00:25:18.680 --> 00:25:21.480 He says, I want you to be passionate about biblical truth. 00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:23.379 I want you to be passionate about your doctrine. 00:25:23.640 --> 00:25:24.379 And doctrine matters. 00:25:24.500 --> 00:25:28.839 Paul says the main way that we become mature is by being mature in our doctrine. 00:25:29.759 --> 00:25:30.839 This is what he says in Ephesians. 00:25:31.519 --> 00:25:33.720 That this is a part of Christian growth and maturity. 00:25:34.980 --> 00:25:37.960 And Jesus says, I want you to be passionate in your devotion to biblical truth. 00:25:38.039 --> 00:25:39.019 I want you to know the word. 00:25:39.019 --> 00:25:41.059 I want you to reject false teachers. 00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:44.599 I do not want you to compromise in your doctrine. 00:25:44.599 --> 00:25:46.779 I want you to live lives of faithfulness. 00:25:47.399 --> 00:25:49.079 Every word of scripture matters. 00:25:49.179 --> 00:25:50.539 And I want you to uphold all of it. 00:25:51.699 --> 00:25:52.679 So Jesus is saying that. 00:25:52.719 --> 00:26:03.839 But he also says, be passionate every bit as passionate in your devotion to loving and serving and caring for the people that God loves. 00:26:04.679 --> 00:26:05.579 Love God. 00:26:06.039 --> 00:26:06.779 Love your neighbor. 00:26:06.779 --> 00:26:07.399 Love your neighbor. 00:26:07.399 --> 00:26:11.960 Go overboard in showing hospitality and compassion and mercy. 00:26:12.359 --> 00:26:14.920 And serve those God puts in front of you. 00:26:15.099 --> 00:26:15.799 And you know what? 00:26:15.879 --> 00:26:17.200 That's going to be really messy. 00:26:17.960 --> 00:26:19.559 And it's going to be really complicated. 00:26:19.819 --> 00:26:22.639 And it's going to cause all kinds of uncomfortable conversations. 00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:26.700 But this is what Jesus calls his bride to be. 00:26:27.920 --> 00:26:28.279 Right? 00:26:28.420 --> 00:26:32.019 Serve the people that God puts in front of you as though you were serving Christ himself. 00:26:32.019 --> 00:26:36.099 And you know, a lot of us hear this and we think, well, how is that possible? 00:26:36.220 --> 00:26:37.539 How can you do both? 00:26:37.639 --> 00:26:40.460 Don't you have to give in one category or the other? 00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:46.079 And if we wonder whether this is possible, we have only to look to the cross. 00:26:46.980 --> 00:26:54.720 Because the cross is the place where the truth of God and the love and mercy of God come together as one. 00:26:54.720 --> 00:27:00.299 And so on the cross, you see Jesus is nailed to the wood. 00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:04.900 And the reason he is nailed to the wood is because truth matters. 00:27:05.880 --> 00:27:08.100 It's because there is such a thing as sin. 00:27:08.700 --> 00:27:10.779 It's because there is such a thing as righteousness. 00:27:11.380 --> 00:27:13.579 It's because God does not overlook sin. 00:27:13.960 --> 00:27:17.319 It's because God does not let it roll off his shoulders. 00:27:17.819 --> 00:27:21.000 It's because God doesn't just go lax with some people. 00:27:21.000 --> 00:27:25.380 That God's only standard for us is perfect righteousness. 00:27:25.819 --> 00:27:29.279 And he will not tolerate anything less. 00:27:30.220 --> 00:27:31.099 Truth matters. 00:27:31.720 --> 00:27:34.119 And that's why Jesus is nailed to the wood. 00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:36.640 Because it matters. 00:27:37.059 --> 00:27:37.980 And God won't flex. 00:27:39.380 --> 00:27:42.240 And yet he's nailed to the wood with his arms wide open. 00:27:42.920 --> 00:27:46.660 In a posture of embrace to the world. 00:27:46.660 --> 00:27:55.180 Arms spread wide to accept and embrace and welcome anyone who comes to him regardless of who they are. 00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:56.680 All are welcome. 00:27:57.519 --> 00:27:58.519 Come and receive. 00:27:59.540 --> 00:28:00.920 And that's the love of God. 00:28:02.120 --> 00:28:07.320 And so you see both on display on the cross of Christ. 00:28:07.319 --> 00:28:12.799 And so every week as we eat the food that comes from the cross of Christ. 00:28:13.539 --> 00:28:14.720 The tree of life. 00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:16.399 The son of God. 00:28:17.299 --> 00:28:22.000 Every week that we come to this table we are invited to return to our first love. 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:25.879 And to fall in love with Jesus once again. 00:28:27.019 --> 00:28:30.939 I'm going to end with this collect that comes from the book of common prayer. 00:28:31.500 --> 00:28:32.720 That I think is appropriate. 00:28:32.980 --> 00:28:33.419 Let's pray. 00:28:33.420 --> 00:28:35.720 Lord Jesus Christ. 00:28:36.840 --> 00:28:39.980 You stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross. 00:28:40.519 --> 00:28:43.880 That everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace. 00:28:44.560 --> 00:28:48.460 So clothe us in your spirit that we reaching forth our hands in love. 00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:50.880 May bring those who do not know you. 00:28:51.120 --> 00:28:53.340 To the knowledge and love of you. 00:28:53.640 --> 00:28:54.840 For the honor of your name. 00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:55.740 Amen.