I’m taking a break from my Bible of study of the book of Revelation. This passage struck me while reading it to my children one night.
While its important for us to be active in our local churches, the motivation should be out of love. I look in the mirror and I see an Ephesian Christian. I’m great at being vigilant, rooting out evil, and talking the talk but I’m a weak on my love for God and even weaker on my love for my neighbor. Sometimes its best to get back to basics and what is more basic then
What more can be said then this.
Matthew 13:47-50Jesus being a great teacher used different parables throughout his ministry to teach about how during the end times, the angels will separate the righteous and the wicked. Matthew 7:21-23 touches upon this and clearly there will be those in the wicked camp that will cry out to Jesus stating they worked for him.
47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large net thrown into the sea. It collected every kind of fish, 48 and when it was full, they dragged it ashore, sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, but threw out the worthless ones. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out, separate the evil people from the righteous, 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 7:21-23Just because people are involved in ministries or are faithful in attending church means they’re guaranteed to go to heaven. Its not our outward profession that matters but rather what’s in our heart. How many times have we sat in the pew only to look at the our watch waiting for the service to get over, or inwardly groaning when we see a missionary come up to give the message. We all know that when missionaries talk, the service ALWAYS runs long. How can our desire to escape church be glorifying to God. How can we worship the One true God when we’re aching to leave his presence.
21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord!' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to Me, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?' 23 Then I will announce to them, 'I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!'
1 Samuel 15:22
22 Then Samuel said:
Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the Lord?
Look: to obey is better than sacrifice,
to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.
Matthew 22:37-40God calls us to love him with ALL of your heart, soul and mind. If we were to practice that with sincerity, we’d look less at our watches and more towards him raising up our hands in worship. Loving God or the lack of love has been on my heart so much so that Revelation 2:1-7 has been convicting me greatly.
37 He said to him, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important commandment. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments."
Revelation 2:1-5The church of Ephesus started by the Apostle Paul was a great church and many years later God writes a letter to them, he commends them for being vigilant, rooting out evil, and possessing endurance but yet they lacked the love that should mark a Christian. God does not want us to be busy on missions boards, or outreach committees. He wants our total undivided love and attention, its out of our love for God that we should be active in his ministry.
2 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
"The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand and who walks among the seven gold lampstands says: 2 I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil. You have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you have found them to be liars. 3 You also possess endurance and have tolerated many things because of My name, and have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you: you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
While its important for us to be active in our local churches, the motivation should be out of love. I look in the mirror and I see an Ephesian Christian. I’m great at being vigilant, rooting out evil, and talking the talk but I’m a weak on my love for God and even weaker on my love for my neighbor. Sometimes its best to get back to basics and what is more basic then
John 3:16His sacrifice on the cross was for my disobedience, my pride, my selfishness. I cannot work myself into heaven Matthew 7:21-23 shows us that as well as Isaiah 64:6
16 "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
Isaiah 64:6
6 All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
How often have we tried to love God with all of our heart, mind and soul today? Our busyness should not be our defining character trait to the world but rather our love for God and thanksgiving to him for paying the penalty for our disobedience.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important commandment. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself”What more can be said then this.
