Heart of the Earth

Where do you believe the heart of the earth is? 

I was reading in Mathew this week where Jesus said, “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” We know Christ was not in the tomb three nights. He died on Friday and rose on Sunday. That is only two nights in the grave. So, if we go back one more night where was Jesus? He was alive, with His disciples at the Last Supper Passover meal and then the Garden to await His arrest. 

So, what did Jesus mean when He said he’d be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth? I realize not many will agree with me but I believe He could have been saying that for three days and nights He would be under the authority of man. 

The reason I'm thinking this is because from the time Jesus told Judas at the Passover meal to go do what he had to do and Judas left to betray Christ, Christ gave himself over to the will of man until He arose on the third day. For three days and three nights Christ was under the power/authority of man's will – what may be considered the very heart of the earth. 


"…and they shall mock Him, and shall scourge Him, and shall spit upon Him, and shall kill Him, and the third day He shall rise again."

References: Matthew 12:40 / John 13:27 / Mark 10:34

The Message to the Church of Smyrna

To the Church of Smyrna:

 

Read - Revelation 2:8-11

Smyrna was located about 40 miles north of Ephesus, and today is the area of Turkey known as the Province of Izmir. With the hope and promise of eternal life, this poverty-stricken congregation had spiritual wealth beyond measure though they were financially broken. The believers of Smyrna were undergoing persecution at the time this letter was written. This church received no condemnation from Christ in this passage, but were told to endure their persecutions and sufferings faithfully. Their faithful endurance would be rewarded with the crown of life.

 

Even though these people had nothing of this world, they possessed everything. They were rich spiritually; the blessings they enjoyed were beyond the comprehension of the unbelievers. It reminds me of the parable of the rich fool of Luke12:13-21 and makes me think of the prosperity preachers of today. Jesus said He knew “…the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan.” Jesus calls for believers to serve God and others not self. Jesus will not be a part of furthering people’s selfish interests. Prosperity preachers of today say they are of God, but are not. Their gospel is a blasphemy just as those spoken of in this scripture.

The rich fool of Luke 12 was not “rich” toward God, even though his worldly riches were great. If you are not familiar with this passage, I won’t spoil the passage for you by telling you what happened to the rich fool. Go to Luke and read it. 

Prosperity preachers further selfish interests and are false preachers. This false gospel (an oxymoron) teaches that you need prosperity in your material life vs prosperity in your spiritual life. This is an idolatrous teaching, elevating wealth and possessions above God. This places the created above the CREATOR. Paul tells us in Galatians 1:6-10 that there is no other Gospel and even if an angel from Heaven comes down to preach another gospel, the angel will be accursed and we are not to believe. Same he says goes for a man, if a man preaches any other gospel then that man will be accursed. When in the last part of John 10:10 Christ says that He came that we could have life more abundantly, he in no way is talking financially or materially.

As did the Church of Smyrna, Christians today will go through persecution and tribulation (references-John 16:33, Acts 14:22, 1 Thess. 3-4, 1 Peter 4:12). And we as Christians are to use what we have to help the poor. Christ is talking about in John 10:10 the abundance of His Spirit in our lives now and the abundance we will receive in Heaven.

Simple warning: If a preacher says something like this, “If you struggle financially, then you have not got the victory.” Or something like, “God didn’t create you to be common or poor.” Then flee from that man and his church. Satan can clothe his wolves as an angel of light, a wolf is not always ugly and mean but sometimes presents himself as humble, caring and gentle. But he is still a wolf. And his teaching a lie.

If you read God’s Word, you know that we do not need money to have victory, and money actually can make obtaining the victory in Jesus harder. Jesus let the Church of Smyrna know that He knew they were going through tough times and He cared. Jesus encouraged them, and promises for their endurance He would award them the crown of life. God knows my tribulations and yours, and He cares. And we can be comforted through this passage in Revelation that we too will receive the crown of life for our faithful endurance.

Verily I say unto you that a rich man will hardly enter into the kingdom of Heaven. And again, I say unto you, It is easier for camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. Matthew 19:23, 24

The Message to the Church at Ephesus

To the Church of Ephesus…

 

In each of the letters to the seven churches, we find a five-fold pattern where Christ first gives an assertion of what each is doing right, He then secondly lets them know where they have gone astray, and thirdly directs them how to rectify the problem. Fourth, He gives a challenge to hold fast and then finally, warning is given based on the characteristics and symptoms presented at each church. The letters to the seven churches are prophetically significant and strategically placed at the beginning of the book of Revelation with purpose. Christ projected Revelations writing when in John 16:13 he declared that the Holy Spirit would show the apostles “things to come.” The book is written to encourage Christians to endure persecutions and remain faithful because Christ’s victory over the world and Satan is certain. The book of Revelation also unites all prophecies in the Old and New Testament as well as addresses moral and doctrinal problems that existed then and still do today.

At the opening of the letter to Ephesus, Christ portrays himself as walking among the seven golden candlesticks. These candlesticks represent the seven churches and give a picture of how Christ desires personal fellowship with believers as He interacts within the church. It’s also remindful of - the book of Leviticus, under the listed blessings of obedience, in chapter 26 verse 12 God says, “And I will walk among you and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.”

Our focus, for this study, is a simple comparison of the churches waywardness and our own.  By doing so, we might recognize our shortcomings. And understand what Christ expects us to do to correct our failures so that we can please Him better with our lives and walk closer to Him than before.  Before we continue this exploration, take a couple minutes and read in your Bible Revelation 2:1-7.

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From the history I’ve read, Ephesus, at this time, was breathtaking. It simply overflowed and flourished and because of its locality, it became the export center for Asia. It provided an artificial harbor accessible to the large ships and it stood at the entrance of a valley that stretched far into the province. Its connection to important cities in the region via highways, made it accessible by both land as well as sea. Seems, Ephesus was the most easily accessible city in Asia.  Travelers from Rome proceeded up an avenue of magnificence that was thirty-five feet wide and lined with columns all the way from the harbor into the center of the city. The city, branded for its huge theater, large buildings, enormous stadium, and marketplace, was for many years the largest city in the Roman Empire next to Rome and boasted a population of more than a quarter million. It was rich, and famous for its diverse religions – its temple to the goddess Artemis (Diana of Ephesus), a huge structure made of marble, 220 by 425 feet at its base, supported by beautiful pillars and rising to a height of 60 feet, considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Christ commends The Church of Ephesus for their soundness of faith and perseverance through persecution. In verse two, He says He knows their works, their labor and patience. He knows they hated evil and had tested those who claimed to be apostles but lied. This church had not fallen away from laboring for Christ. But Christ had something against them. They had left their first love.

This is the point where my study seemed to linger. Seems to me, there is more here than I’d read from Bible Commentaries or had heard taught. Most give the impression this “first love” that the Church of Ephesus had left was their love for Christ. Assuming, a Christian’s “first Love” would naturally be love for Christ. Then conclusion would be that this is the case - They left their love for Christ. And yes, that would be a bad thing indeed. As many commentators have stated. But then I ask myself, how could that be? Can a true born again believer leave their love for Christ?

So I read again, what the church had done right in verses two and three. The things they continued to do that pleased Christ aren’t things I’d think people who have left their love for Christ behind somewhere would do. How could I hate evil if I didn’t have love for Christ? Why would I continue to labor in the church and remain steadfast if I’d left my love for Christ. My love for Him is the reason I’d be doing those things.

Okay, so I find myself reexamining the text. And in doing so, I’m not going to assume anything.  I determine I need to look at the Church of Ephesus to see what their first recorded love was.  And in going back to Acts chapters 18-19 and the book of Ephesians, I see this theme going on: This church was praised not for its “love for God” but for its “love of God.”  Their love was for all saints - as stated in Ephesians 1:15.

Their love of God flourished through their love for one another, Jews and Gentiles alike, as they kept the new commandment given directly by Christ in John 13:34-35.  At least, this is where my mind is going as I explore God’s word.

The Church of Ephesus was diligent at purging themselves of false teachings, which were widespread in their world just as it is in ours. They labored in the church and were patient and they hated evil with its destruction and devastation that escalates from sin. These good attributes pleased Christ, and we can look at these to evaluate our own lives to see if evidence of these Christ-like behaviors are in us. If not we need to fix that first, and then look at what the Ephesians were neglecting to do – Love.  Are we guilty of not loving one another? Christ said, “…love one another, as I have loved you. … By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Is the commandment to love one another a broken commandment of The Church of the Ephesians? The punishment Christ laid down for their failure to repent is grim.  He warned that he’d remove their candlestick. --Today, the entire city of Ephesus is in ruins, and the church is gone.

Where do we stand as individuals and as churches today with this commandment to have love for one another?

Sadly, I’m finding in the world around me a very self-centered selfish people. I’m not talking unbelievers, but in the professing believers. A popular mind frame has become that it is all about “ME.” If giving and doing isn’t self-profitable, interferes with our plans, or is burdensome then why bother.  I personally, can perceive a congregation or individual having love for God, and yet be caught up in selfishness and leave their love of God behind not showing forth the love of God because they are too busy taking care of and watching out for “self.”  I’m afraid it happens a lot.

The act of being selfish or self-sacrificing, whichever direction we seem to be leaning, comes through us with many levels of intensity. I believe, the more selfless we turn out to be the more pleasing to God we become - because we can show forth His love to others with more passion and power.  And from this, glory is given to God through our lives because the world will know that we are the Disciples of Christ.

If I am serious about pleasing God more and walking closer to Christ than before, then I need to get serious in showing forth the love of God to all my spiritual brothers and sisters. This means, I need to know how to love other Christians, no matter what. For I am as guilty as the next, and let me tell you there are some hard to love Christians among us! And I have no doubt that you know exactly what I'm talking about. We all experience those who annoy us and rub us the wrong way. If we are put in a room with them for very long and let ourselves express freely what's on our mind then things could get ugly fast.  You know, this self evaluating is truly hard to swallow when we are honest with ourselves. I see that I need to love others as Christ loves me, and yes He loved me when I was unlovable. Seems, I have work to do.
 
Just a little side note: I found a good article on Crosswalk that I enjoyed reading and believe I will grow from following its suggestions on how to love one another. With prayer and God's grace I am confident I will show forth the love of God like I've never done before. 

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. John 15:12



The link to the article is below, I pray you too will have an increased desire to please God more and walk closer to Him than ever before in this New Year.

Click here to learn to love other Christians – no matter what.

 

2014 New Year Challenge and The Seven Churches

I’ve challenged myself for the New Year - to judge myself and to see where I stand spiritually and what it is I need to do to live my life more pleasing and walk closer to God than ever before. So I’m studying the seven churches found in Revelation. Good place to start I thought. I invite you to explore God’s word with me and challenge yourself to see where you stand with God as well. I personally, can think of nothing I’d rather do in 2014 than walk closer to my Lord and please him better than I did in 2013.

While studying, I came across a simple map that put the location of these churches in perspective visually. As the seven churches, being literal first century Christian churches in the Roman province of Asia, existed along what appears could have been a Roman mail route. Jesus Christ instructs His servant, John, to write what he sees and send the letters to the seven churches. What we are about to study are words directly from Jesus Christ to the churches. We will see each city where a specific church congregation dwelt had its own unique features, some of which offered tests and temptations to those who were believers.  Jesus speaks to each congregation in terms that they can understand.

 

I believe, as many other do as well, that these literal seven churches characterizes the temptations, trials and challenges in each church congregation and Christian individuals from the first century all the way to today. The term “churches” refer to the actual congregation of people or community of believers not the literal building or buildings where the people met. As mentioned, the characteristics of each of these seven churches are found today in Christ believing New Testament congregations and Christian individuals in one way or another. For this reason, it is where I’ve chosen to study to judge where I presently stand and where I need to improve or grow as we enter a New Year.

It will be interesting to see which of these seven church/churches we have patterned our behavior after. We will study two short chapters in Revelation (chapters 2 and 3) and judge for ourselves to determine what Christ would say to each of us. This will help us to know what action Christ expects us to take as our New Year begins so that we can please God with our lives and walk closer with Him.  I have to admit I am a bit excited about these studies and yet fearful at the same time.  Honest self-evaluations can be a hard thing.

 

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