December 11, 2011

Yesterday was a busy day! I exercised at the gym in the morning, prepared for and led the funeral, hosted a table at the mission dinner and opened/closed the evening musical. This morning at 8:15 and 11 the musical will be presented, and at 9:30 and 10:30 Pastor Mi Hyeon will be preaching.

I had an unusual dream last night. I was outside of church, but the facility was not Wesley. Two vans of painters were there on Sunday morning to start remodeling. I tried to find their foreman, and was delayed getting to the worship service. There was some confusion whether my watch was accurate or an hour behind – was it 8:30 or 9:30? This was a dream from which I was happy to be awakened.

Rev 2:18-29; 3:1-6

I have often found great benefit in reading the letters of Jesus to the 7 churches found in chapters 2 and 3. When I was a church planter, I led a Bible study covering these letters as a foundation for starting a new church. In today’s reading from the one year Bible, we have the letters to Thyatira and Sardis.

Jesus says “I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first.” This would be good for any church to hear from its Bridegroom. I hope that Wesley would be commended in this way. Love and faith are tangible in deeds and service. There is a crescendo of deeds getting greater, no backing off. May this be true of my ministry also.

Jesus does have something against this church – they “tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads my bond-servants astray, so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.” It is not exactly clear what is meant in this condemnation. The warning for me is to be ever so careful in discerning the motives and the fruit of individuals in the church. Unfortunately many churches “tolerate” people who are destructive to the body. In verse 21 Jesus says “I gave her time to repent; and she does not want to repent for her immorality.” Much care must be given to these matters in each church.

To the church in Sardis Jesus says “I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Wake up and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.” (Rev. 3:1b-2) This could describe any number of churches today. I could see a whole book being written about how to “strengthen the things that remain.” This could be a great approach to visioning for churches – to discern what it is that remains, that could be strengthened, which were about to die.

Guide me today most Holy, Living Lord as I serve you through the church.