May the mumbling commence!
Jesus sent open letters to seven churches at the beginning of Revelation (Rev. 2-3). Some of the letters contained admonition to turn from their evil ways – actually most of the letters had this element. In fact, only two out of the seven churches did not receive an admonition from Jesus.
These churches – Smyrna and Philadelphia – were told to continue what they were doing. We can learn much about what is being asked of us if we study these two churches. Let’s look carefully at the letters to these two churches. Read Smyrna’s letter from Revelation chapter two:
"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty – yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.” (Verses 8-11)
A faithful church will harbor different thoughts on being rich. They will march to a beat of a different drummer. They will be rich not in the eyes of the world but in the eyes of Jesus. It means acting independently from the accumulation of human praise and from the acculturation of human wisdom.
This independence from the ways of the world will lead to being slandered. It will lead to suffering, to prison, and possibly to death. Be faithful in the face of all these things.
Be faithful and receive the crown of life. Faithful churches march to the beat of a different drummer – Jesus Christ. Know let’s turn to Philadelphia’s letter from Revelation chapter three:
"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars – I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Verses 7-13)
Not only do faithful churches march to the beat of a different drummer, they also do deeds in accordance to this different beat. Faithful churches find the strength in God to keep the Word of the Lord – not denying the Name.
Faithful churches are not stronger than any other churches. They just know where to go for an endless supply of strength and patience. With this supply, we can become pillars of the eternal church in heaven!
To march to the beat of a different drummer and to do deeds in accordance with that beat is the heart of worship of God. The next two chapters of Revelation (4-5) are about worship. Can we doubt that worship in Spirit and truth is important?
In the end, all creation will worship the Lamb that was slain – Jesus the Christ (Rev. 5:13). Let us go and do likewise.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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