Who doesn’t love a good cliff-hanger? Mallory and I recently watched a show together where every episode left us wanting more. The episode would end, we would look at each other, glance at the clock—ignoring all good sense to say enough is enough—and ask “one more?” Cliff hangers provide exhilarating and uneasy feelings. They shake up the snow globes in our brains and oftentimes we do not give enough time for things to settle. Our modern day media platforms have ruined the cliff-hanger. Instead, they have exploited the human desire for wanting more. And to quote the old JG Wentworth commercials that I hated as a kid, “we want it NOW!”

It seems that we have been conditioned to resist any and all tension that arises in our lives. Rather than sitting, reflecting, and forming real ideas around what we are consuming, we just watch more. We worry that we will miss out from a cultural conversation that lacks any real substance. Why sit and wait when you can just have what you want now? But what if this is not good for us?

This is a funny way of easing us into a less than desirable conversation: a conversation that involves embracing and enduring suffering. All human beings suffer. This is because all human beings are tested. Yet, humans treat the tension of testing the same as we treat the tension brought about by inconsequential cliff-hangers. Rather than embrace the tension—a place of intense formation and discipline—we either succumb to the test through lack of resistance or we race to the next thing to avoid it. Both of these ways expose our lack of preparation for testing.

Testing (peirasmos) is half of the the climactic close in the Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer, which we are well-acquainted with by now, goes as follows:

Our Father in Heaven,

May Your name be kept holy.

May Your Kingdom come.

May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And do not bring us to the time of trial [peirasmon, test],

but rescue us from the evil one.

A few weeks ago, I found myself rushing through the end of the prayer. It was as if I removed the comma break entirely. My conditioned soul raced past testing to find deliverance. Then a moment of conviction came. Instead of racing through the comma break, I began to treat this phrase about testing as a cliff-hanger.

“Lead us not into the test…”

Lingering in the tension of this phrase, I allowed the Holy Spirit to come and settle my soul in those three dots. In some way, it was accepting the reality I had been running from. I have been tested. I am being tested. I will face greater tests. And while the reality of testing is inescapable, so too is the Presence of God Who guides me through testing and equips me with strength to endure.

This cliff-hanger—those three dots—allow us to remember that testing reveals trust. Testing acts as revelation of an inward reality, exposing the true allegiances within us. While initially the thought of testing may seem repulsive (as it should to our flesh), it often serves as a way in which we are formed and God’s glory is revealed. In reflecting on the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, Deuteronomy 8:2 reads:

Remember the long way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commandments.

As humans, we often glorify short-cuts and efficiency. God in His wisdom and patience may not agree with this, especially in the area of formation. He uses tests to reveal what is inside of us. This is true of all human beings, not just the unlucky few. No matter the demographics, testing will come. This brings to mind 1 Corinthians 10:13 from this Sunday’s sermon:

No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and He will not let be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing He will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.

The most important part of this verse is not what you may think. The key takeaway here is not “provide a way out” but “God is faithful.” The “way out” is not escaping the test, but being able to endure the test on account of God’s faithfulness. Not only does testing reveal what is inside of us, but it reveals the nature of Who God is. It is here that testing becomes something worthy of our attention. For if we try to outrun the testing set before us, we not only reveal our faith-lessness but we miss out on experiencing God’s faithfulness. This is hard pill to swallow, but a necessary one. It is here we look to Christ as our example.

Jesus Christ was fully human and fully God. This idea is known as the hypostatic union and is integral to orthodox Christian doctrine. Because Jesus Christ was fully human, we know that Christ was tried and tested in all ways known to humans except He was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). We should not be so dismissive to this fact, attributing it only to His divinity, but with humility we should sit at our Master’s feet and learn from how He handled testing. For it is true of us who are in Christ that we have been equipped to the good work prepared for us in advance to do and that the Spirit of God who raised Christ from the dead now lives in us and guides us into all truth, especially in times of testing. In short, Jesus submitted fully to the Father’s will, not His own. This is captured in the Garden of Gethsemane (the Garden of Pressing) as He prays before His betrayal, arrest, torture, and crucifixion.

Jesus understood the test set before Him. He did not blink. He did not run. He yielded. In doing so, the test revealed the trust He had in the Father and would lead to proving the Father’s faithfulness to Him through His resurrection. Testing revealed the true nature of Christ and the true nature of the Father: faithful. The tests we face present the same opportunities.

A simple way of concluding this reflection is as follows: in order to experience the glory of the empty tomb we must embrace the Cross. This week, the Church observes the final week of Jesus’ life. Let us not forgo the reality of Good Friday in exchange for Easter Sunday, but hold both together. Let us embrace the tension of testing. While it may bring suffering, this is temporary state will be exchanged for eternal glory. In short, He is worth it. Therefore, we embrace the temporariness of the cliff-hangers that life gives as we settle deeper into the reality that God’s faithfulness is eternal.

As we approach Easter Sunday and face testing in our own lives, consider this verse:

The saying is sure:

If we have died with Him, we will also live with Him;

If we endure, we will also reign with Him;

If we deny Him, He will also deny us;

If we are faithless, He remains faithful—

He cannot deny Himself.

2 Timothy 2:11-13

“…and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

Have you ever noticed that this is not a new sentence? It’s the compound sentence to “give us our daily bread.” Give us our daily bread, AND forgive us of our trespasses. So it made me wonder, “What do bread and forgiveness have in common so much so that Jesus doesn’t even separate them with a complete thought?”

Bread is about provision. With the ask for bread, we are reminded to ask. We are not self-sustaining, and in the same breath, forgiveness reminds us that we are not self-saving. Both are prayers of submission, admitting our need and keeping us anchored in dependence on our Father.

When Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive, “up to seven times?”(Peter thought that was a pretty good answer.) Jesus responds, “not seven times, but seventy times seven.”1 490. In Jewish thought, the number seven represented completeness, so when Jesus multiplies it, He’s saying that forgiveness is limitless. When it comes to forgiveness, you don’t get to keep score.

And there’s even more layered meaning here.

490 is the numerical value of the biblical Hebrew word “tamim” which means to “complete,” “perfect,” or “finished.” A person who can’t forgive will always live an imperfect, and incomplete life that lacks a true understanding of the “finished” gracious work of the cross. 490 is also the value of the Hebrew phrase “Let your heart be perfect” (1 Kings 8:61). Forgiving helps to make us complete and is key to perfecting our hearts.

But there are some even deeper connections. The words nativity and Bethlehem, the city where Messiah was born, both individually add up to 490. This makes perfect sense since Jesus was born so that we might be forgiven. And forgiveness is associated with bread in the Lord’s Prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespass as we forgive those who trespass against us” (Matt). We celebrate this forgiveness by partaking of the broken bread of Communion concerning which Jesus said, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). Just like a person can’t live without their daily bread, an individual can’t survive spiritually and relationally without forgiveness. All of us need to learn to forgive and to be forgiven.2

The place where the Bread of Life was born, the number that represents limitless forgiveness, and the invitation to receive and give what we cannot produce on our own all point to Jesus.

As John Mark Comer writes, “Forgiveness is at the very heart of the way of Jesus. It’s not optional; it’s essential to apprenticeship to Him.” And there is the other half of the ask: as we forgive those who trespass against us. We are not just receivers of forgiveness; it must flow through us to others. If I cannot forgive my brother or sister, I am essentially saying, “My standards of forgiveness are higher than God’s.” Unforgiveness builds little fake thrones for ourselves. That’s why forgiveness matters so much. Unforgiveness keeps us bound. It rehearses the wound and quietly keeps us in the role of judge. But forgiveness releases. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Jesus, may we be a people of mercy. Soften our hearts and teach us the unforced rhythms of grace.3

Take a few moments, repeat the phrase of the Lord’s prayer in your own prayer: “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us as we forgive others.” Who is someone you need to forgive today? Where are you still rehearsing a wound? Bring that before the Father. Just as you ask Him for your daily bread, ask Him for the grace to forgive.

Give us this day our daily bread.

The prayer shifts here. After lifting our eyes to His holiness, recognizing the goodness of our Father, and aligning our will with His, Jesus gently brings us to a place where we ask. And what is it we ask for? Daily bread. That’s interesting. Jesus could have included anything He wanted in the Lord’s Prayer. He chose to add the recognition of our utter dependence upon the Father for daily provision using the most ordinary, everyday food.

The word Jesus uses for “daily” is the Greek word epiousios. It is used only in the context of the Lord’s Prayer (“Give us this day our epiousios bread”). This is a unique word that means “bread for the moment.” Within the Bible, it’s only found in the Lord’s Prayer in both Matthew and Luke’s account. (You can go down a rabbit hole with this word alone, trust me, I started to.) Scholars have their disagreements, but it seems that because Jesus only used it here in the prayer, and because this Greek word is not even found in Greek literature outside of the Bible, there seems to be a very special meaning assigned to it. Mysterious: almost spiritual. Almost manna-like. Maybe even eucharist-like.

Manna, the daily bread rained down on the Israelites from heaven literally means, “what is it?” It had a flaky-like substance with a sweet taste, like that of honey wafers1 or cakes baked with the finest oil.2 Every morning, the Israelites woke up and gathered manna. Every day was an invitation to believe that God would show up yet again. If they collected too much, the manna would rot. If they didn’t collect enough, God would miraculously provide them with exactly what they needed but only for the day. They always had enough.

When Jesus is teaching us to pray this way, He is teaching us to live in daily dependence. To resist the urge to grab for control, stockpile security, or worry about tomorrow. He is teaching us to ask. We are invited to receive what God is giving in the present moment because we learn through the asking.

In his book Pray Like a Monk, Live Like a Fool, Tyler Staton notes, “Jesus insists on ‘world hunger’ prayers and ‘parking lot space’ prayers alike. He won’t have it any other way. Right in the middle of a prayer as cosmic as ‘hallowed be your name,’ as apocalyptic as ‘forgive us,’ and as spiritual as ‘deliver us from the evil one,’ Jesus includes the unavoidably practical, circumstantial, and immediate ‘give us today our daily bread.’”

In John 6, Jesus makes the connection even clearer. The people say, “Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus responds, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.” He then goes on to say, I am the bread of life. Jesus repeats this again in verse 48, “I am the bread of life.”3

While the manna was beautiful and good, a gift from heaven that physically sustained the Israelites during the 40 years in the wilderness; it was even more-so a foreshadowing of Jesus and the spiritual and eternal nourishment he promises: Himself.

He is the true bread from heaven. He is the source of eternal life. We slowly learn in the utterance of the ask for daily bread again and again that God does not turn a blind eye to the daily necessities of life, but he invites us to ask him for the grace and provision we need each day, no matter the size of the need. It’s the everyday, ordinary prayers that invite Him into the here and now. Everyday-food prayers. On-earth-as-it- is-in-heaven prayers. And what’s beautiful about our loving God-of-abundance is he doesn’t just provide the daily bread (though that would have been enough) He lavishes us with more - The Bread of Life.

Remember, the kingdom refers to the space—or domain—in which God rules and will refers the the ways in which His rule is exercised. This makes God’s Kingdom and God’s will interrelated ideas; not two separate things, but two sides of the same coin. As stated before, where the Kingdom comes, God’s will is being done and vise versa (where God’s will is being done, the Kingdom comes). This understanding allows us to dig deeper into where is the Kingdom and what is His will.

Where is the Kingdom?

The answer to this is simple: The Kingdom is there and the Kingdom is here. There and here. Our Holy Father in Heaven reigns and resides there, in Heaven. But the prayer given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ encourages us to become active participants in His reign here on Earth. When Jesus came to Earth, this is what He said about the our Heavenly Father:

My Father is still working, and I also am working… Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on His own but only what He sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. The Father loves the Son and shows Him all that He is doing, and He will show Him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished.

John 5:17, 19-20

The Father was active on Earth. Jesus was joining the Father in this work. Best of all, this reality of participation in the Heavenly invasion of Earth is one that has always been established in love. Jesus knew who He was. Jesus knew Whose He was. Therefore, the joining in Kingdom building was natural. Jesus’ life and ministry shows us what our lives in Him ought to look like. Just as He and the Father were one, so too are we one with Him and the Father. The Father is still working. Christ is still reigning and ruling at His right hand. It is natural for us, now by His Spirit, to participate in His Kingdom. It is who we are in Him. The highest honor of humanity is participation with God in establishing His Kingdom and magnifying His glory.

This there and here distinction reveals that God’s plan all along is for overlap between these two spaces. Connection has always been His goal, seen in Creation and reinforced in His second coming where He will be all in all. God desires to be found amongst His people. This “there and here” acknowledge the perceived gaps between Heaven and Earth yet reinforce the active participation—stewardship—the Church is invited to be a part of. This active participation in taking this concept of “there and here” to be actualized “here and now” leads us to the next part: God’s will.

What is His will?

If the Kingdom is there and here, God’s will is how and when “there and here” come together. The will of God is not something unique to be discovered in our own lives. My experience pastoring has led to many anxious conversations around futures and finding God’s will for one’s life. This is a noble thing to consider. But it is not a mystery to decode. God is not silent about His will, nor secretive about what He desires. Scripture itself testifies to the will of God.

Jesus’ ministry was the exercising of the coming Kingdom and the will of God. This understanding of God’s will actually provided a confidence, not an anxiousness, to Jesus and His ministry.

37 Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away, 38 for I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of Him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me but raise it up on the last day. 40 This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day.”

John 6:37-40

Then soberingly, there is this statement from Jesus highlighting the connection between Kingdom and will being centered on intimacy and participation.

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, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you who behave lawlessly.’

Matthew 7:21-23

Yet, ultimately, there is closure find in Jesus’ prayer in the Gospel of John before going to the Cross. After His final discourse to the disciples (John 13-16), Jesus prays for them and for the future Church. This re-emphasizes the will of God—namely the revelation of God and the reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ—for us. Consider Christ’s prayer:

1 After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. 5 So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

John 17:1-5

Christ accomplished the task set before Him. He established the Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. He submitted to the will of the Father—our reconciliation and sanctification—and endured the Cross. Paul elaborates on this in his first letter to the Thessalonians:

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification

1 Thessalonians 4:3

In summary, the will of God for our lives is not unique to each individual. The will of God is that we, humans, would come to know Him and the One He sent—Jesus Christ, the Son of God—and experience eternal life. This is ultimately for His glory. Knowing Him leads to eternal life—the Kingdom of God. Knowing Him also provides great confidence for how we ought to exercise this Kingdom rule—His will. It is with confidence that we set out do the good works that have been prepared for us to by the Father. In entrusting our lives, our wills, to Him, we seek to make Him and His Kingdom known through our livelihood. This leads us to consider this as we come to a close: what are the good works that have been prepared for me to do?

For the sake of stimulating our imaginations, here are some ways to consider our participation in Christ’s ongoing and everlasting reign.

• Good work looks like bringing order to chaos.

• Good work looks like treasuring holiness and living holy lives.

• Good work looks like loving Jesus and doing what He has commanded us to do.

• Good work looks like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and temperance.

• Good work looks like extending forgiveness.

This list goes on and on. Yet, the most important point remains: good work cannot be done apart from Christ—knowing Him and submitting to His lordship. Rather than creating a task list of good works to perform, would we desire to know Him. This intimate knowledge leads to eternal life. As recipients of eternal life, as citizens of the Kingdom of God, we go onto the share this life with others. In doing so, we proclaim the Kingdom has come and we make Him known.

Some extra things to reflect on:

“We do what is right and we face the consequences.” (Scot McKnight)

• Applying this phrase to our lives, how would it change the way we work at our jobs? How would it affect the way we interact with what is happening in our neighborhoods and cities? Does this change how we think, talk, and act? Does it change what we allow to be said and done in our presence? Would it embolden us, the Church, to speak up and out against injustices happening to our neighbors?

“The earth is the LORD’S and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it”

Psalms 24:1

“The heavens are the LORD’S heavens, but the earth he has given to human beings.”

Psalms 115:16

How does reflecting on these verses provide color to “kingdom” and “will”?

According to N. T. Wright, when Jesus teaches us to say “Our Father,” He is inviting us into His own relationship with God. We are not praying to a distant deity but participating in the Son’s communion with the Father. We are immediately met with belonging before any ask of doing.

The unique status Jesus holds as the Son is not guarded; it is shared. As the writer of Hebrews reminds us:

“For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying: I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters;
I will sing hymns to you in the congregation” (Hebrews 2:11-12)

The Lord’s Prayer is not an individualistic prayer but a kingdom-prayer prayed by a people. “Our Father” encompasses all of us - yes, even those who have wounded us or frustrate us. The word Our is an act of surrender. If He is Father, then I do not get to choose who belongs at the table. How beautiful that the opening address immediately invites participation and unity.

We could linger on these two words alone and it would undo us. But there is more.

Who art in Heaven. As Dallas Willard once observed, this phrase has sadly come to mean, “our Father who is far away and much later.” But that is not what Jesus intended. This phrase is often misunderstood. “heaven” does not mean “far away” but rather it is God’s own realm. Heaven and earth are distinct yet overlapping spheres. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus repeatedly speaks of the “kingdom of heaven” being here now. When Jesus says “in heaven,” He is not describing geography. He is proclaiming authority.

And yet at the same time, to say God is “in heaven” is to confess His transcendence - that He is not contained within creation. He is not limited by what limits us. To pray to our Father “in heaven” is to anchor ourselves in that deeper, truer layer of reality. It steadies us with the assurance that beneath the visible chaos and mess of earth, there is a throne. And beyond our fear, there is a reign that cannot be shaken: a reign that belongs to our Father.

Hallowed be Thy Name. In the Bible, the primary Hebrew word for holy is qadosh, which means set apart, distinct, other. In Book of Isaiah, the seraphim cry, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.”2 The repetition of holy is intensifying the truth to the reader. When we say God is holy, we are describing who He is in Himself.

“Hallow” is the verb form. It means to treat as holy, to hold as sacred, to set apart. In Matthew 6:9, the Greek word is hagiazō: to sanctify, to make holy. When we pray these words we are aligning ourselves with who is. Holiness belongs to God. Hallowing belongs to the worshipers. So when we pray, “Hallowed be Thy Name,” we are asking for two things at once: first, that the world would see God as He truly is. And second, that our lives would reflect that reality. We are aligning with the intent that nothing in us would make His name seem casual or common.

God is holy whether we recognize it or not, but we are invited to live in such a way that His name is treated as weighty through reverence and honor. To pray “hallowed be Thy Name” is both worship and surrender.

Lent invites us to return to the beginning of prayer, to slow down long enough to remember who God is and who we are in Him. When we pray, “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name”, we are re-centering ourselves in belonging and reverence. May we pray this phrase slowly enough to feel both its comfort, its weight, and its truth that The One who loves us is the One who reigns. As Lance Humphreys ended our sermon on Sunday, “Abba, I love you and you love me.”

Our Father in heaven,

may Your name be revered as holy.

May Your kingdom come.

May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And do not bring us to the time of trial,

but rescue us from the evil one.

Matthew 6:1, 9-13

In His teaching (the Sermon on the Mount) Jesus warns against practicing righteousness before others in order to be seen by them. This implicitly reveals the importance about practicing righteousness. How do we—or ought we—practice righteousness? Thankfully, according to Jesus’ teaching, He reveals three importance spiritual disciplines that make up “practicing righteousness.” These are almsgiving, fasting, and prayer.

In the past, I was made aware of an off-handed comment made by someone who professed Christ as their Lord. They had mentioned the “pointlessness” of prayer. The reasoning behind it was based in the idea that if our Father already knows what we need, why ask Him? Clearly, they had not considered to read Luke 11:5-11 where Jesus follows up His teaching on prayer with emphasizing the importance in persisting in prayer. Needless to say this was, and still is, poor theological work. It is also a gross misunderstanding of the text and neglects the teachings of Jesus and inspired Scriptures that fill up our New Testament.

Prayer is life for the believer. It acts as oxygen to our souls. It must be practiced. But how? This is the big question. Unfortunately, eloquence and lengthiness of prayer have crept into the Christian subconsciousness for what is to be considered a “good prayer.” Thus, if we fear our eloquence or if we do not have much to say, we become discouraged to pray. This is a crafty way in which Satan has attempted to stymie the power of the Church and its advancement against the powers of darkness. But this is where the beauty of the Lord’s Prayer comes to be realized.

The Lord’s Prayer is a simple prayer given to us by Jesus that, when practiced regularly, forms our lives and gives power to our prayers. For in this prayer, we find the basis of all prayer. There is acknowledgement of God and His character, there is a sense of belonging, there is participation in what He is doing, there is provision and forgiveness, and there is deliverance. Each word is packed full of wonder. Each phrase is bursting with unending streams of life. This prayer ought to be cherished as a gift, not seen as a religious obligation. It clearly was a gift for the disciples.

There is a book called the Didache, or teaching, which consisted of the collection of teachings of the twelve apostles. It is the earliest known “manual” for Christian doctrine and practice outside the New Testament, being traced to the late 1st-early 2nd century. In it, one finds echoes of Jesus’ teachings that were preserved and taught by the disciples. There is a section on prayer. It reads:

“Neither are you to pray as the hypocrites, but as the Lord commanded in His gospel, ‘Pray in this way: Our Father who is in heaven, may Your name be holy, may Your kingdom come, may Your will be done as in heaven, so also upon earth; give to us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debt as also we forgive our debtors, and do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one, because Yours is the power and the glory forever.’ Pray in this way three times each day.”

The Didache, 8.2-3

Clearly, the disciples cherished the words given to them by their Lord. They recognized the magnitude and beauty of the instruction given to them by Jesus their Master. They practiced it often and taught others to practice it often—three times a day. If done out of religious obligation, these words may succumb to the empty phrases that the Gentiles heap up in order to be heard by their gods. But when practiced in hopes of learning from our Lord—receiving from Him—this prayer becomes the practice that begins and ends our day, while offering a refreshing reset in the middle of it. This practice awakens our senses. It postures us humbly in Christ. It prompts us to remain in His love. Life flourishes here.

Paul tells us to pray unceasingly.1 This is more a means of awareness than it is a challenge to talk all day long. Prayer awakens us to His Presence and His Presence awakens us to pray. Practicing the Lord’s Prayer refines this sense of awareness. It opens our eyes and ears to see and hear what God is doing and speaking in every moment of every day. In observing this prayer together throughout this season, would we cherish these words as a gift and come to discover the beauty, power, and life found within them. I pray that our eyes would be trained to remain fixed on Him and our hearts to remain steadily in His love, resulting in faithfulness, peace, and love. I pray that the abundance of life found in Christ would be realized in our lives, our church, and our city as we faithfully practice righteousness before God alone. For He is our reward!

Luke 11:27-28

Blessedness is not a reality for the lucky few, but a reality for all who call Jesus Christ Lord. It is easy to read stories in our Bibles and elevate these few men and women—who without a doubt did wonderful and amazing things—and elevate them into a stratosphere that we will never inhabit. The pursuit of holiness is the pursuit of Christ. We do not try to be holy. We simply listen and obey. This faithfulness unto Jesus Christ is what begets the blessedness of those who follow Him.

Before we examine at greater length the text above from the the Gospel of Luke, consider this question: Am I blessed? My hope is that this short devotional challenges the assumption that only a few—the monk, the priest, the biblical hero, that one Jesus freak you know who admittedly weirds you out—are worthy of blessedness. Rather, I hope that your imagination would be reformed to accept that blessedness is the reality for all who are faithful to Christ.

This anonymous woman proclaims the blessedness of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. The question I want to wrestle with is this: was she right? This wrestling match begins at the Annunciation.

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

Luke 1:26-29

How does Gabriel address Mary? Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you. What a magnificent greeting! Judging by Mary’s response to Gabriel’s greeting, Mary probably did not consider herself as someone who was highly favored. Rather, she was someone more acquainted with obscurity and lowliness. As she ponders, Gabriel continues their interaction:

30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:30-37

Mary—who in this text is being revealed as someone who is very thoughtful—has the logical response of how can this be? The magnificence of this exchange grows more intense. For this child is not simply going to be a great man, this Son of hers is the One in whom she had probably been hoping in. With the revelation of her relative Elizabeth being miraculously pregnant, Gabriel proclaims nothing will be impossible with God. As Mary is processing this information in real time, she speaks some of the most faith-filled words we find in Scripture: Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word. Mary did not simply believe Gabriel’s announcement, she accepted it. The repercussions of this decision had to have been swirling in Mary’s mind. Despite the possible future stigmatizations of her and her character, Mary had come to realize that she was highly favored, that God was with her, and that her Son was the fulfillment of what she, and so many others, had been hoping for. A costly decision, but a radically faithful one.

Fast forward back to the Luke 11 exchange. After hearing this woman exclaim the blessedness of His mother, Jesus responds: Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it! In Jesus’ response, we find an invitation not a rebuke. Jesus is not dishonoring His mother. Of course not! Instead, Jesus may be honoring His mother. When Mary heard the word of the Lord, she responded in faithful obedience. Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be done with me according to your word. Jesus’ response does not lower His mother’s status, it invites us to join her as faithful obeyers of God’s word. This is the meaning of true blessedness—to hear the word of the Lord and to obey it!

Jesus’ response challenges the woman and it challenges the reader still today. Blessedness is not a state for the chosen few or the spiritually elite. This state of blessedness is open to all who follow Christ and do the will of the One Who sent Him. Like Mary, the awareness of this reality may be perplexing and cause you to stop and think. Yet, would we learn from Mary’s response to Gabriel and accept Christ’s invitation: faithful obedience to God leads to true blessedness.

1. Where might God be inviting you into experiencing true blessedness? (Hearing His word and obeying it.)

2. Mary’s obedience and blessedness came at a cost. In considering the cost of blessedness, what are the things that would potentially hinder you from obeying the word of God?

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14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin of God’s creation: 15 “I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.’ You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 Therefore I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white robes to clothe yourself and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19 I reprove and discipline those whom I love. Be earnest, therefore, and repent. 20 Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you with me. 21 To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”

Revelation 3:14-22

“For even though the Resurrection doesn’t grow dim, we do.”

Eugene Peterson, The Hallelujah Banquet, 130

Introduction

There is a familiar saying that goes: We saved the best for last! Well, in this case, it is the opposite. Some may find that Jesus saved the worst for last. I wonder what the Laodicean believers were expecting as they awaited their moment to be addressed by the Faithful and True Witness, the Origin of Creation. This may sound silly, but the letter of Revelation is widely regarded as being an circular letter (along with being apocalyptic and prophetic). This means that the seven churches of Revelation 2-3 were seven real churches that John was acquainted with enough to write to them amidst his exile. This means that as the letter traveled around, each church would hear not only their message from Jesus, but the other churches as well. Below you can reference the map to see how the letter likely traveled from Patmos, from Ephesus to Laodicea in the referenced order.

Whatever hopes the Laodiceans held that they would be held up as exemplars in the Christian faith by Jesus to the rest of the six churches was quickly abandoned. Shock was likely the response from the lukewarm community. Before jumping into what was wrong with the Laodicean church, I believe it is wisest to do a quick deep dive into the culture of Laodicea to further understand the pointedness of Jesus’ rebuke.

Laodicea was a first century hub of culture: medicine, fashion, and wealth. Let me briefly explain these. As I do, reference how Jesus addresses this particular church and see if you can spot any similarities:

Medicine

Scholars believe that Laodicea accrued much wealth from their medicinal advancements. The best school of medicine in the Roman Empire was located in Laodicea, where they specialized in ophthalmology, or the treatment of eyes. They were particularly famous for their “Phrygian powder,” an eye salve that was an effective treatment for ailments of the eyes in antiquity. Interestingly, Jesus’ rebuke contains references to blindness and salve to anoint [their] eyes so that [they] may see.

Fashion

Laodicea produced some of the most elegant garments in the Roman Empire. So much so, the textile industry in Laodicea was coveted by social elite throughout the Empire.1 This was because of the unique black wool produced by the flocks in Laodicea, in which scholars believe was aided in the water supply of Laodicea. This water was not great for the people of Laodicea, but seemed to aid in producing precious wool in the sheep who didn’t mind the water’s bitter taste (more on the water supply later). Consider how this may have been received by the listeners when Jesus addressed the nakedness of the Laodiceans and urged them to be clothed with white robes in order that the shame of their nakedness from being seen.

Wealth

If the fashion and medical industries of this city weren’t enough to lead them to boasting in the wealth of the city, the fact that Laodicea was a massive banking center for the Empire who had access to treasuries of gold surely didn’t help. The city was so wealthy, that in AD 60 they refused the help of Rome to rebuild their city after an earthquake citing they were self-sufficient enough to do it themselves. Considering that Revelation is believed to be written years after AD 60, this adds interesting context the boastful claims referenced by Jesus in verse 17: For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.’ You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Jesus follows this up by exhorting the believers of Laodicea to buy gold from [Him] so that they may truly be rich.

With these insights, we move onto exploring the root of what was wrong in Laodicea.

What was wrong?

Some of the savvy readers of this devotional series may notice something different about this reflection. He forgot to include the “What was right?” section for Laodicea! Yet, this is intentional (though you get brownie points for noticing). The reason behind this is Jesus offers no commendation to the Laodiceans. It is his most severe word yet. This leaves us only with unpacking what was wrong. The root of their problems is found in an often-identified, but often-misunderstood, issue: lukewarmness.

Like the sections above, Jesus’ mention of lukewarmness would have been easily understood by the recipients of His message. Despite all the cultural excellence the city boasted of, they had a problem with their water supply. Laodicea’s water supply was notorious in antiquity. Its lukewarm temperature and heavy mineral makeup made it unpleasant to drink. The Laodicean valley was supplied with water from two other water sources: the cold, refreshing springs of Colossae and the hot, therapeutic springs of Hierapolis. Both cold and hot water have unique benefits in this situation. Thus, Jesus is not saying I wish you were either with me or against me, but you are neither. That is silly. Clearly Jesus is exhorting them to be with Him. That is His desire for His Church. Rather, Jesus is communicating that He wishes them to effective, whether by means of being cold (refreshing to drink) or hot (therapeutic and healing). Laodicea’s lukewarmness is an indicator that they are neither. Michael Gorman elaborates on this in his book Reading Revelation Responsibly:

Lukewarmness is not an ancient metaphor for indifference… “Lukewarm” here means so prosperous and supposedly self-sufficient (3:17) as to be completely out of fellowship with Jesus. This is not a middle-of-the-road church but the most accommodating, not only in participating in the status quo when necessary as a means of survival, but fully embracing the lifestyle and values of the elite and powerful.

The only solution for this church is to re-invite Jesus into its corporate life (3:20), which will necessitate a rejection of the idolatries that have impoverished, denuded, and blinded the church (3:18). The challenge is to accept a complete makeover.2

The Laodiceans had been deceived by the cultural comfortability that they inhabited. There was little resistance to their way of life. This was a wildly different environment than the other churches. They had been enticed by worldly success. Jesus was an accessory to their status, wealth, and privilege. In their mind, Jesus offered them convenience for their future destination of paradise after they died, but little incentive to their present circumstances. Eugene Peterson remarks on the necessity for this scathing critique:

Money, fashion, and medicine—these three successes brought the Laodiceans affluence and prosperity. They were so completely successful in these material blessings that they quite forgot about any other aspects of the world or existence. They were anesthetized by their affluence, and they lost all sense of God.3

In playing with the imagery of lukewarmness presented in Christ’s rebuke, His initial words were likely a bucket of cold water poured on the souls of those in Laodicea. In the aftermath of being shocked back into reality, it is the promise of Christ that acts as the therapeutic invitation for the Laodiceans to recognize their need for healing.

What was promised?

There are two promises to the Laodiceans, one present and one future. Each resonate with a common hope. Let us briefly examine both.

Present

Jesus exclaims Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you with me. This promise begins with an urgent plea to take heed to His word. This creates an urgency for the fledgling Laodiceans. Then there is the spatial component to the promise: Jesus is outside the Church. He stands at the door knocking, desiring to come back into their presence and share a meal with them. The promise itself is not a meal with Jesus, but it is the promise of proximity and with-ness. This promise hinges on the exclamatory statement and the ability to hear Jesus’ plea and act. Remember how Jesus concluded His sermon on the Mount:

24 “Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”

Matthew 7:24-27

Notice the emboldened verses above and consider how they relate to Jesus’ message to those in Laodicea. The foolish ones are not the non-believers, per se. They are the ones who hear and do not act. Intrinsic to this present promise for the Laodiceans is the invitation to be wise, not foolish, builders; to be proximate, not distant.

Future

To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. This echoes in line with some of the former promises Jesus had extended to other churches. The idea of conquering is inseparable from faithful witnessing, which we have examined to be a major theme throughout the narrative of Revelation as a whole. Here, the conquering is tied into Christ’s own identity. Christ has conquered, thus the invitation for us to conquer through the Conqueror is extended. This is not done through will-power, but through the blood of the Lamb and the word of [our] testimony (Revelation 12:11).4 This is future promise holds eschatological weight, but builds on the present promise: we will be with Christ. The present promise seems to indicate His presence in the space we inhabit in this world. The future promise seems to indicate our presence with Him in the space He eternally occupies, that is the throne.

Ultimately, these promises reveal something missing from the Laodicean community, which is the presence of Christ. Despite the tragedy, it is Christ Who invites the Laodiceans to cherish and share in His presence both in this world and the one to come.

Conclusion

While standing in front of the pillar with the engraving of a menorah, a cross, and a strong right arm (photo below), I listened to a classmate of mine lead us in a reflection over the message to the Laodicean Church. Though wretchedly poor, naked, and blind (despite thinking quite the opposite), they were still loved. Christ’s heart for the Laodiceans is made visible in verse 19. This truth filled me with hope, as I pray it fills you with hope as you read this. Despite the lack of the Laodicean church (spiritually speaking), Christ had not abandoned them. He stood at the door knocking. He urged them to invite Him back in, not to reprimand them but to share a meal with them. He proclaimed that those who listen and act will share the most intimate space with Him in eternity. Though severe, this concluding message to the seven churches reveals God’s desire to be found amongst His people. We end this series with a question:

• Where is Jesus? If He is on the outside of your life, take a moment to still yourself from the distractions of this world (wealth, health, and image). May the ears of your souls be opened to hear His knocking. May the feet of your souls be quick to run to the door. May the eyes of your souls meet the eyes of your Savior. May the words “Come in, Lord.” be spoken.

He is near.

He is coming soon.

Resist the deception of false comfort.

Remain in Him.

These are the words of the Holy One, the True One,

who has the key of David,

who opens and no one will shut,

who shuts and no one opens:

8 “I know your works. Look, I have set before you an open door that no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not but are lying—I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept my word of endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. 11 I am coming soon; hold fast to what you have, so that no one takes away your crown. 12 If you conquer, I will make you a pillar in the temple of my God; you will never go out of it. I will write on you the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem that comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. 13 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

Revelation 3:7-13

“Will you go through the open door? Or will you huddle in the comfort of religion? That is the bravery test, the test of our witness.”

Eugene Peterson, The Hallelujah Banquet, 119

Introduction

Not too long ago, Mallory and I began child-proofing our home. In doing this, my eyes were opened to a new world of technological power: magnets. In the attempt to keep toddlers out of cabinet doors in the kitchen, one must wield a powerful key to open the doors equipped with the magnetic locks. No matter how hard these toddlers try, without the key their efforts were all in vain. Admittedly, we ended up not getting these magnet door locks in fear of the likelihood of losing the key. For those who do not fear losing small magnetic keys, they are able to open and shut doors at their convenience. I am sure this little dose of power provides comfort for the parents—and possibly frustration for the toddlers.

The Philadelphian Church (not in Pennsylvania) were becoming aware of a different form of power: the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Though this power may have given them boldness to withstand the external pressures of their society, it also came with much resistance. Philadelphia was city of “great Greek culture” and held “deep devotion to Rome.”1 Along with this, the church faced not only pressures to conform to the greater Greco-Roman culture, but from the Jewish population in that city as well. Their hope was not in cultural comforts, but in the reality of Christ’s power amidst their persecution.

What was right? (and wrong)

Like Smyrna, Philadelphia does not receive a challenge from Christ to repent. Instead, they are exhorted to “hold fast” to Christ. (For this reason, I have taken liberties to connect the two sections of “what was right?” and “what was wrong?”) Over the last few weeks, we have developed language for this—being faithful witnesses. Despite the external pressures that were building, the Philadelphian believers had not yet succumbed to the siren songs of cultural comfort. Instead, they remained allegiant to Christ. This undoubtedly led to the powerlessness of their situation. But it was through their powerlessness that the fullness of power was realized by them and by their persecutors.

Jesus reveals Himself as the Holy One, the True One, who holds the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. There are a few interesting remarks here. If we call back to how Jesus has addressed Himself to other churches, His introduction has relevance to the present conditions of those He addresses. They also can be traced back to Revelation 1:12-20. But this introduction is unique. Let’s examine a little deeper the introduction statement of Jesus below:

• The Holy One, the True One, who holds the key of David…

In Revelation 1, there is mention to Jesus holding the keys of Death and Hades (1:18), but there is no reference to the key of David at all. This is different. Instead of drawing from the language of Revelation’s opening chapter, Jesus is alluding to Isaiah 22:22. Here is that quotation placed in its greater context:

20 “On that day I will call my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah 21 and will clothe him with your robe and bind your sash on him. I will commit your authority to his hand, and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. 22 I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open. 23 I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his ancestral house. 24 And they will hang on him the whole weight of his ancestral house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons.

Isaiah 22:20-24

With this in mind, Jesus is addressing the Philadelphian persecution coming from the hands of the Jewish synagogue in that city. He is affirming that He is the true authority of Israel, not the synagogue of Philadelphia, and that salvation (the open door of access to Him and the Father) has been opened by Him and only by Him.2 Jesus is the true fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, perfectly assuming what was spoken of Eliakim son of Hilkiah. Despite their powerlessness in contrast to the Jewish persecutors, Jesus is asserting His strength as being the true Messianic figure that the prophets of old spoke of. But there is one more cool observation in Jesus’ introduction…

• Who opens and no one will shut, Who shuts and no one opens…

Take notice of the verb tenses in this statement of Jesus. And I know what you are thinking… Really? You are going to talk about grammar? But stay with me, for there is wonderful theological significance revealed in this statement. There are four verbs found present in this statement: opens, will shut, shuts, and opens. Which looks different? If you noticed, all the verbs except one are present tense verbs; one is future tense. In saying “no one will shut,” Jesus is speaking of His eternal, ongoing reign that will have no end. Access to the Father and the heavenlies has been made through Him. This door will never close. This theological truth can be found elsewhere: (look at the similarities here)

[In acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah]18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not [future tense again] prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 16:18-19

Truth revealed: The One who holds the key of David grants us keys [access] to the eternal, incorruptible kingdom of Heaven.

What this means for the Philadelphian believers is that they have unrestricted access to their Heavenly Father and to Christ through the door (Christ Himself) that has been eternally opened. This truth had to have given the believers—both Jew and Gentile—in Philadelphia much encouragement: that nothing, not enough persecution or death, can separate them from their King.

(Who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens) — gates of hell won’t prevail, darkness will not overcome it.

Jesus exhorted the Philadelphians to hold fast, trusting that He is the One who has opened the door for them to come into the family of God (both Jews and Greeks alike in the Philadelphian Church) and that He is the True and Holy One, not the lying Jewish persecutors.

What was promised?

If you conquer, I will make you a pillar in the temple of my God; you will never go out of it…

The promise was simple: enduring witness leads to eternal with-ness. Sorry if that sounds a little cheesy and preachy, but it is true. The invitation was to remain bold in their endurance in witnessing to the Lamb and His way. For those who did this, they would become pillars in the Temple of God; enduring witnesses in the presence of God forever. Just as Christ has opened a door that can will never be shut by anyone, these faithful witnesses will stand secure before God forever.

How we live now testifies to where we will exist forever. Because of Christ, we have access to the fullness of His Presence which gives us strength to endure any trial. After faithfully enduring in His way, we will share in His victory and be found with Him forevermore. Not only is Christ was secures us in this life, He is the One who secures us in the next.

In writing this, it is interesting to consider the only remains I was able to observe in Turkey for the Church of Philadelphia were pillars of St. John’s Basilica which was built in the 6th Century AD (see pictures below). As these pillars endure to this day, testifying to the glory of God, would we boldly endure in the faith in our day as we do the same.

Revelation 3:1-6

“John called his Sardis congregation to wake up. To be consciously alive to the presence of God at both earth and altar.”

Eugene Peterson, The Hallelujah Banquet, 109

Introduction

There are few things more exhilarating (if I can use that word here) than the first 60 seconds of your day after realizing you have overslept the alarm you set. One minute you are fast asleep. The next you are multi-tasking like never before. Despite all your efforts to catch up in order to make up for lost time, the time is still lost.

Sardis was a city that was built on a steep acropolis and was surrounded by walls that were boasted by their rulers as “impregnable.” This overconfidence in the security of the city led to not one, but two separate events in which the city would be overtaken by foreign invaders. The first siege of Sardis came at the hands of the Persian king, Cyrus the Great (547 BC). As the story would go, one of Cyrus’ soldiers identified a weak point in the walls, to which the Persians scaled and entered the city at night. The city fell quickly with little resistance. The second siege came centuries later at the hands of Antiochus III of the Seleucid Empire (214 BC). In almost the exact same fashion, the impenetrable walls of Sardis provided an apathetic and dismissive response from those within its walls. Like the Persians, the invading army scaled the weak point in the walls to find guards sleeping their way through the night watch. Sardis fell again.

Jesus is speaking directly to the believers in Sardis through provoking the tragic history of the city that they inhabit.

What was right?

For Sardis, there were only a few bright spots: those who had not soiled their clothes. These bright spots were the faithful witnesses who had not yet fallen asleep. They had not grown overconfident in themselves, but rather they had continued to foster a life of faithfulness unto the Lamb. Their walls were fortified and diligently being tended, not left neglected. Unsoiled clothes are a result of unrelenting pursuit of the Lamb.

Though not much was right in Sardis, this little glimpse of light amidst their community provides us with encouragement. What we do matters. In the West, we have become experts in evaluating the rot and decay of religious institutions. Every day there seems to be a new story breaking that further exposes this. But we must be very careful on what we focus our attention on. There are many of critics—and sometimes these criticisms are warranted—but there are few faithful witnesses. Instead of being discouraged by the state of an apathetic church culture, we ought to be encouraged by these few in Sardis that it is possible to remain faithful. There is much hope found in the Lamb. Thus, it is important to highlight the beauty of faithfulness rather than the ugliness of faithlessness.

In concluding this section, I posit a question worth pondering: What would it look like if I was more concerned with my faithfulness to the Lamb than I was with the lack of faithlessness in others?

What was wrong?

The biggest problem for the Church in Sardis was its false confidence. Look at how Jesus addresses them in the opening verse:

I know your works; you have a name for being alive, but you are dead. (3:1)

Appearances can be deceiving. For the believers in Sardis, their reality did not match their reputation. Their attitude toward their faith in Christ matched the centuries old attitude of their city: I need not worry, for I am secure and fortified. Jesus warns them that if they do not learn from their city’s past, they too, will fall into ruin through negligence and false confidence based in a facade of faithfulness. Look at verses 2-3:

Wake up and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard; obey it and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. (3:2-3)

In other churches, the existential threat was rooted in idolatrous behavior. For Sardis, their apathy was killing them. Love for Christ is exercised in daily living. If forgotten, spiritual atrophy begins to set in. Ultimately, death looms. In the grace of revealing Himself to the Church in Sardis, Jesus exhorts them to wake up from their spiritual coma and exercise their faith in Him so that they may live. Spiritual slumber does not only happen when one detaches from Christian community and its rhythms. It can occur as one coasts through Sunday mornings, relying on past experiences with Christ while neglecting His Presence in the present moments of each day. This is a sort of spiritual sleepwalking.

I had a friend that used to sleep walk. Come morning, he would have no recollection of mumbled conversations that he tried to have with me, nor have any idea that he had walked down the stairs from his room into mine to have this mumbled conversation. This history of sleepwalking actually kept him from being able to pursue his interest in joining the Special Forces.

Just as the few faithful witnesses illuminate a dark landscape in the Sardis community, so too does the character of Christ. Jesus graciously appears to them before it is too late. He urges them to wake up. He invites them to walk with Him. This ought to bring us comfort as well. Despite our sleepwalking, He is alert and awake and is wanting to wake us up to share in His life. For if we do not, He will come like a thief in the night. Then, our confidence and security rooted in our reputations will become the very things that testify to our foolishness. Like how Sardis who trusted in its impenetrable walls was proven foolish in a night, so too will our lives.

What was promised?

Those who would heed Christ’s warning to wake up would have the chance to conquer and be clothed in white garments, along with inclusion in the book of life and having their names confessed by Christ before the Father and His angels. This last bit sounds reminiscent of Jesus’ words in Luke 9:26:

Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

For this reflection, I want to focus on the white robes and their significance in Revelation.

White garments are mentioned multiple times in Revelation. Here are these instances (other than the references in today’s passage):

Around the throne are twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones are twenty-four elders, dressed in white robes, with golden crowns on their heads. (4:4)

They [those martyred] were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed. (6:11)

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. (7:9)

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (7:13-14)

And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. (19:14)

From this, there is an understanding that these “white clothes” are worn by those who belong to the Lamb and share in His victory. Even more, the white garments represent a purity of the faith of the believer. Thus, those wearing white have an uncontaminated, uncompromising allegiance to the Lamb and His way. As faithful witnesses, those who wear fine, white garments are those who participate in the righteousness of the Lamb. Though it does not mention the fine linens being white, John does mention what the fine linen indicates in Revelation 19:8. Here is that instance placed within its immediate context:

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunder peals, crying out,

“Hallelujah!

For the Lord God

the Almighty reigns.

7 Let us rejoice and exult

and give him the glory,

for the marriage of the Lamb has come,

and his bride has made herself ready;

8 to her it has been granted to be clothed

with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

In essence, the purity of the Bride comes from the purity of the Bridegroom. The blood of the Lamb has cleansed the Bride of its impurity, and now the Bride stands adorned in white (that is adorned with the righteous deeds of the saints that glorify the Lamb) awaiting her Bridegroom.

In short, those who woke up would find themselves belonging to Christ and participating with Christ in sowing righteousness. This is not something reserved only in the age to come, but is realized now through daily acts of faithfulness to Jesus Christ alone.

Conclusion

Faithfulness may seem boring. Boring things tend to lull us to sleep. But the message to the Church in Sardis stands in contrast to this line of thinking. When faithfulness is practiced carefully every day, one finds themselves not falling asleep but full of life. Relying on the yesterday’s righteousness misses the point that Christ’s righteousness is offered to us in the present moments each day.

There is a temptation to hit “snooze” on the Spirit’s invitation to participate in the righteousness of Christ right now. Resist this. Wake up! Walk with Him. Be adorned with white. This is the way.

26 To everyone who conquers and continues to do my works to the end,

I will give authority over the nations,

27 to rule them with an iron scepter,

as when clay pots are shattered—

28 “even as I also received authority from my Father. To the one who conquers I will also give the morning star. 29 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

Revelation 2:18-29

“Any examination that we undergo must include an examination of our relation to society.”

Eugene Peterson, The Hallelujah Banquet, 97

Introduction

Everyone has their quirks. One of mine is sniffing my water bottles that have been left unattended before drinking out of them. Far too many times I have reached for a drink of water and gulped down something far less pleasant. These experiences come as a result of having two little brothers who love pranks and from my own lack of awareness in grabbing the wrong bottle. Regardless, I have learned to be diligent about knowing what is in my water bottle before drinking it.

If we are not careful—especially those in the Body of Christ—we can be quick to gulp down things before testing them to ensure that they are in fact good for us. For Thyatira, they had essentially been offered a defiling drink by Jezebel. Some had carelessly drank of it. Others hadn’t… yet.

There is a great temptation in our time to rely upon counterfeit compassion; to be accommodating and tolerant. Neither of these things are true compassion since they are more focused on external perceptions of others than internal conviction of ourselves. They are examples of compromise parading as holiness. For Christians, both those in Thyatira and those of us today, we must not be allured by the temptation of tolerance. Our faithful witness is built upon Christ’s holiness and love, not the fragile desire to be liked and perceived as good.

What was right?

I know your works: your love, faith, service, and endurance. I know that your latest works are greater than the first.

This sounds pretty great. I wonder what those in Thyatira were feeling up until verse 19. They were actively practicing the way of Jesus in the midst of a society riddled with temptations, especially economic ones. They were growing in love. They were living out their faith confidently. They had not stopped serving others and one another. They were enduring hardship. It is safe to assume that the believers in Thyatira were growing in spiritual maturity. But spiritual maturity does not make one immune to the temptation of compromise.

Here more than anywhere, the descriptions of Christ stand out. He is presented with having fiery eyes and wearing sandals of burnished bronze. Thus He is able to see through to the heart of the matter and is One who has proven strong enough to endure all things. Both of these come into play for the address to Thyatira. Despite having things that are admirable, Christ can still see the tolerance for the idolatrous Jezebel which is causing them to stumble in their faithfulness. As our exemplar in the faith, Jesus discerns and withstands temptation. For those who witness Him, they are invited into the same discernment and endurance as Jesus Christ Himself.

What was wrong?

In order to grasp the significance to what was wrong in Thyatira, it will help to understand who Jezebel was and is. Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab. Long story short—not a great king or queen by Israel’s standards! Jezebel was one who promoted the worship of Baal and persecuted the prophets of YHWH. Because of her wickedness, she became a symbol of idolatry. Biblically speaking, idolatry is spiritual infidelity which is why it is often associated with sexual immorality.

Jezebel disrupted the Israelites “marriage covenant” with YHWH through seducing them over to Baal worship. With this in mind, it is likely that Jesus (through John) is not calling out a literal woman named Jezebel in the Thyatira Christian community. Instead, He is addressing a prophetess who is promoting an idolatrous relationship between the Christians allegiance to the Lamb and tolerance of the Dragon. Christ’s warning to the Church regarding His judgement of Jezebel and her inevitable death is heightened when compared to Jezebel’s dramatic death in 2 Kings 9.

(For deeper study into Jezebel, read 1 Kings 16-21)

What was promised?

Rather than compromising with the ruling powers of the day through the encouragement of the false prophetess Jezebel, Christ promises that those who conquer and continue to do His works until the end that they will share in His rule and reign. The seductions of compromise with those who hold cultural relevance and power become less enticing when we are reminded that Christ is the ruler of kings of the Earth (Revelation 1:5).

Today, Christians continue to be seduced by those in places of power. This is no different than Thyatira, but it goes back even further than that. The original sin in Eden in some ways is the dragon’s way of usurping the God-given power of human beings. The temptation of our day is not too much different than how Satan tempted Jesus Christ in the wilderness:

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, 9 and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”

10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,

‘Worship the Lord your God,

and serve only him.’”

Matthew 4:8-10

I am not sure what Satan desires more: our worship of him or for us to worship anything but God. I am beginning to lean toward the latter. Regardless, the dragon has compromised many Christians today through enticing them with political power, cultural celebrity, and vast amounts of wealth. What begins with pure-hearted attempts to “influence” these places of power result in one being trained not in righteousness, but in the deep things of Satan. True power that comes from Christ and His Lordship is swapped for fleeting moments of relevance, ecstasy, and security.

Ultimately, Christ promises those who endure with receiving the morning star. The Morning Star is Christ Himself. Fast forward to the last chapter of Revelation and one will read this:

“It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

Revelation 22:16

In light of this, the decision for Thyatira is simple: Jezebel or Jesus?

This is our decision, too.

Conclusion

One cannot practice the way of the Lamb and tolerate the seductions of Jezebel. These two things are incompatible. There will always be a temptation to compromise. “Don’t be so stuck up!” “Have a little fun and relax!” “It’s not that serious!” “Life is short. Live a little!” These are the siren songs of culture, sung beautifully in the attempt to ease one into compromise. But a compromised Church is a powerless Church. Christ’s Church is being made blemish-less; uncompromising, bold, and glorious. We belong to this Bride. No short-lived compromise can compare with this reality.

In this world, we are innocent as doves and shrewd as serpents. Sniff the water before you drink it.

His flaming eyes,

examining faithfulness and faithlessness within,

drawing me toward Him.

For it is the Light of His eyes,

the flaming passion of His gaze,

that brings forth the purification of my soul.

His bronze feet,

enduring and strong,

steadfast and true.

They prove Him ever faithful,

leading me through suffering into His glorious Presence,

giving strength to me to stand strong as well.

This is our Bridegroom; our Beloved.

Revelation 2:12-17

“Sometimes it is easier to die for the truth in a crisis than to live the truth through a dull week at work.”

Eugene Peterson, The Hallelujah Banquet, 83

Introduction

I remember having to memorize the fruit of the Spirit back when I was younger. I would quickly, but confidently, rattle each one of them off: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, and self-control. When finished, I expected to hear: Great job! Instead, what I heard was: You forgot faithfulness.

It is possible that upon reading the list above that you relate to me, not even noticing that faithfulness was absent from the list. This story points to a greater issue that I have perceived in the Church the older I have grown in it: it is so easy to overlook faithfulness. Rarely are testimonies of simple, ordinary faithfulness celebrated in churches. The radical and miraculous stories tend to be better at captivating audiences. Yet, forgetting simple faithfulness may explain the discipleship crisis we face in the Western part of the world as of late. Faithfulness’ beauty is experienced in its modesty. We fear that our simple acts of obedience and wholehearted allegiance to Christ may not captivate those watching. But it is in one’s enduring faithfulness that one experiences the power of God’s grace in the present.

Pergamum was on the verge of a faithfulness crisis. Compromise was beginning to infiltrate the Church present there and its effects would have been catastrophic. It is in this that One wielding a sharp, two-edged sword appears to surgically remove the cancer of compromise from the Pergamum believers.

What was right?

Pergamum housed the Temple of Trajan and the Great Altar of Zeus (pictured at the end of this section) atop its acropolis. Thus, imperial worship and the worship of the god, Zeus, were set on high overlooking the rest of the city beneath it. This could be what Jesus is alluding to addressing the Pergamum believer’s predicament living in the midst of Satan’s throne. Despite this ever present reality of the Church there, they had done well in remaining faithful. So much so that one of its beloved brothers, Antipas, was martyred there.

This causes us to pause and reflect on the tension within this community. Seedlings of compromise are beginning infect the community of faithful witnesses. Years of past faithfulness do not make us immune to the ongoing invitations of compromise. Faithfulness is not a thing of the past, but a thing of the present. Jesus is revealing Himself to this community recognized for its faithfulness in hopes to cut out the beginnings of compromise.

What was wrong?

Why is compromise such a big deal? Jesus calls back to the Old Testament story involving Balaam and Balak (Numbers 22-25). Yes, this is the same Balaam whose donkey spoke! But that is another story for another day. Balak was king of the Moabites and feared the Israelites. He hired Balaam, a sorceror, to come and curse the Israelites for they were stronger than him [Balak]. After refusing the first two times, Balaam eventually goes to do as Balak asked, but something strange happens: rather than cursing the Israelites, Balaam blesses them. This makes Balak extremely upset.

Yet at the beginning of Numbers 25, the Israelites—who had been led by YHWH through the wilderness, experiencing His provision of daily needs, His protection against violent threats, and preservation against threats—find themselves compromised in their allegiance to YHWH through partaking in the festivities of Baal. Numbers 25:1-3 outlines this:

While Israel was staying at Shittim, the people began to have sexual relations with the women of Moab. 2 These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 Thus Israel yoked itself to the Baal of Peor, and the LORD’S anger was kindled against Israel.

Balaam’s complicity is exposed by Moses later in Numbers 31:16:

These women here, on Balaam’s advice, made the Israelites act treacherously against the LORD in the affair of Peor, so that the plague came among the congregation of the LORD.

The Nicolaitans seem to have adopted these same ideas and presented them to the Church in Pergamum which struggled to blend in to its society. Through sexual promiscuity and idol worship (both cultural norms), the Nicolaitans promoted a way in which the believers in Pergamum could appear “normal” and take some of the heat off their backs. Yet, Christ is clear: He is coming to judge the Nicolaitans, and any who are with them, for their evil practices. Compromise can find no place to settle in the Body of Christ.

What was promised?

To those who repented, hidden manna and a white stone with a name etched on it were promised. While there are a variety of of interpretations to what this could mean, it most simply depicts two things: provision and belonging. Those who remain faithful to Christ alone will experience the sustaining power of His Presence. They need not fear the death of Antipas nor dread the shame of isolation in their society. In Christ, our hungering for righteousness and our longing for connection is satisfied.

Conclusion

When cultural norms begin to compromise our allegiance to the Faithful and True One, He speaks truthfully and directly, calling us back into full faithfulness and cautioning us to the destructive destination of compromised living. Like our brothers and sisters from 1st century Pergamum who know inhabit the Great Cloud of Witnesses, Satan seeks to render our witness to Christ powerless through compromise. A deceptive trap is laid in the message that being “normal” in our American society is an evangelical advantage. Like those in Pergamum, we are called to resist compromise at all costs and remain faithful to the Lamb.

This test of our faithfulness is an important one. Eugene Peterson reflects on this test in saying:

“The truth test comes, though, not on the heights to which we rise under pressure but through those ordinary hours when we don’t know we are being examined at all.” (Hallelujah Banquet, 83)

Let us learn from my mistaken, youthful memory and never forget faithfulness.

Revelation 2:8-11

“Those who maintain their faith through suffering will never suffer the pangs of separation from God. We will suffer the pain of separation from health, from friends, from children, and from this beautiful world, but we will never be separated from God.”

Eugene Peterson, The Hallelujah Banquet, 66

Introduction

No one likes to suffer. Most would rather avoid it, treating like a plague. Yet, the illusion of avoiding suffering is granted only to those with privilege. Suffering happens every day. No human can avoid it. If to suffer is to be human, what then is the point of suffering? Abraham Joshua Heschel profoundly posits that “suffering does not redeem; it only makes one worthy of redemption.”1 This is wonderful if true. For Christian life, redemption is not found in suffering, but in the One who suffers with us.

What was right?

If you have not noticed yet, there is something to the way that Jesus addresses Himself to each church. These titles come from the end of Revelation 1 (1:12-20).

And to the angel of the Church of Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last, who was dead and came to life. I know your affliction and your poverty, even though you are rich. I know the slander on the part of those who say that they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer.

Though poor and afflicted, these believers are rich (opposite of their Laodicean brothers and sisters… more on that in a few weeks!). Their faithfulness unto the Lamb had proven strong thus far in facing the economic persecution from not involving themselves in the Roman cultic religion. They would have been excluded from guilds and the like for their refusal to take part in the rituals of the Roman empire. Ironically, they would have been viewed as “atheists.” But now Jesus is inviting them to keep that same faith in the face of increased persecution.

Jesus does not offer correction to the Smyrna church, but encouragement. It must be stated that the encouragement Jesus offers the believers in Smyrna is specifically tied up in Who He is. In this is the invitation to share in Christ’s life through experiencing suffering.

What was wrong?

For the Church in Smyrna, the wrongs were external not internal. The were facing an increasing pressure to economically “bend the knee” and compromise themselves in doing so. Because a compromised Church is a powerless Church, Satan only needs to seek compromise and allow the devastating effects of this state of stagnancy to run its course. But those in Smyrna were strong in faith.

Despite being in the “belly of the beast,” these faithful in Smyrna had resisted the satanic attacks slander and economic exclusion. What was coming was something greater: imprisonment, and possible death. To this, Jesus urges the believers in Smyrna to be “faithful unto death.” Though Jesus does not posit correction from within, He still warns of the growing external pressure that is about to intensify. This is a different kind of difficult message than the Ephesians (and most of the other churches for that matter), but it is still difficult nonetheless. Despite the pending difficulty, Christ extends a promise to the believers.

What was promised?

Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life…

As the Living One Who was once dead, there is no greater authority, or co-laborer in Smyrna’s sufferings, than Jesus Christ. The promise is as simple as it is paradoxical: faithfulness unto death will result in life. This crown of life is different than a king’s crown. The crown a king would wear to signify his rule and authority is the greek word diadema. Diadema is used three times in Revelation: once worn by the dragon (12:3), once worn by the beast (13:1), and finally, once worn by the rider of the white horse called ‘Faithful’ and ‘True’ (19:12). While this may sound surprising that two of the three uses is for the enemies of Christ, it is not surprising in light of how Empire asserts itself as the final authority on Earth. But it is Christ, at the climactic part of Revelation who returns as the King of Kings wearing the diadema.

The crown that is promised the believers in Smyrna is a victor’s crown (stephanos). For example, the stephanos is the reward of one who was victorious and honorable. This is the same crown that other New Testament writers spoke of:

From now on there is reserved for me the crown [stephanos] of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

2 Timothy 4:8

Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown [stephanos] of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

James 1:12

And when the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown [stephanos] of glory that never fades away.

1 Peter 5:4

The crown promised to the believers in Smyrna, and to us still today, is not a crown of rulership (for that crown belongs to Christ), but a crown of victory. Victory is promised to those who remain faithful to the One Who conquered death by death. In referencing Jesus’ encouraging words to those who loved Him in Smyrna, Eugene Peterson writes: “those words gave strength and eternity to the lives of Polycarp2 and the suffering Christians of Smyrna. And they have the power to give strength and eternity to our lives to.” As the crown of life awaited those victorious through the centuries, so too does it await us.

Conclusion

Suffering is not a means to salvation. But salvation, to those who have it, outlasts suffering. Patient endurance of trials and pressures we face are never done in vain, for Christ is with us. Thus, suffering is not an indicator of absence of His Presence, though it may be the indicator that His Presence is all I truly have. We do not cling to our lives, nor our sufferings. We cling to Christ. He has overcome. This is true. This is enough. To those who endure, a crown of life awaits.

1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your toil and your endurance. I know that you cannot tolerate evildoers; you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not and have found them to be false. 3 I also know that you are enduring and bearing up for the sake of my name and that you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember, then, from where you have fallen; repent and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this is to your credit: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers, I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God.

Revelation 2:1-7

“For love is not what we do after we get the other things done, if we have energy left over. Love is what we do, period. It is not how we work; it is our work.”

Eugene Peterson, The Hallelujah Banquet, 36

Introduction

Ephesus is a place steeped heavily in Church tradition. This is where it is said that St. John the Apostle and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, would settle and establish a church. This was the place in which the whole of the city was turned into a riotous uproar as a result of Paul’s work in the city and its economic impacts on those belonging to the cult of Artemis of the Ephesians. It was to the Church in Ephesus that Paul penned one of his most beautiful letters. Timothy would be found at the Church in Ephesus. Finally, Ephesus would be one of the seven churches John, and ultimately Jesus Christ, would address in Revelation.

What was right?

In light of all this history regarding the Church in Ephesus, it is no surprise that there were things going right there. When Jesus addressed the Ephesians in the Book of Revelation, He commends them for their works and their endurance. The Ephesian Church had remained faithful to the commands of Jesus. They were diligent in the preservation of their Church family, not allowing compromised teachings and false apostles into their midst. Even with this persistence, they had not wavered or grown weary in their commitment to Christ.

For all intents and purposes, the Ephesian Church may appear to the human eye as healthy and strong. The Ephesians were committed followers of Jesus. The took seriously His commands and held fast to the faith. This leads most to wonder what could possibly be wrong here? Yet, one thing was found lacking.

What was wrong?

But I have this against you… These words cause one’s heart to stop and break. Can you imagine being one of the Ephesian members? How much surprise did it cause amidst the other six churches addressed in Revelation? With these words, the illusions of faithfulness shatter only to reveal a heart that had grown cold.

You have abandoned the love had at first… It was not the strict obedience that served as the foundation for the faithful Ephesian Church. It was love. Love empowered them to resist evil and do what is good. Love strengthened them to not grow weary. It was in receiving the love of Christ that they were so compelled to release the love of Christ with their Ephesian neighbors. I imagine this sobering assessment from the risen Christ acted as a defibrillator on the Ephesian hearts. For in the revelation of Jesus Christ came revelation of a cancer within the Church: loveless obedience. Without love for Christ and for neighbor, the Ephesians were merely acting out, not experiencing, the reality of Kingdom life. Without Christ’s diagnosis of the disease of lovelessness, the Ephesian Church would have surely died. This reminds me of the words of St. Paul in the first letter to the Corinthians:

If I speak in the tongues of humans and of angels but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all my possessions and if I hand over my body so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

The Ephesians had done well resisting compromise with the Empire, yet they had no love. But it is as if they were walking through life holding their breath: they were not letting any toxicity into their bodies, but they were lacking the oxygen necessary to carry out their lives. Love, being the oxygen of faith, is necessary to be fully allegiant to Christ and His way. Jesus reminded the Ephesians to breathe again. In doing so, they would be fully alive.

What was promised?

The shock of this news came with a hopeful promise: To everyone who conquers, I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God.

Love for God and neighbor propels us into abundant and everlasting life. Love propels us to participation in the Kingdom of God. Love transforms us and the places we inhabit. All of this is sure, because it was the love of Christ that made this kind of life possible. It was out of love that He endured the cross and it is with love that reigns today and forevermore. The love of Christ has created access for those who love Him to be with Him now and forever. We would respond to Him, and to all those we encounter today, with the love He has for us and has filled us with abundantly through His Spirit.

Conclusion

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is simply to love. Yet, it is the necessity of love that is required to do any good thing. Love of God and then love of neighbor. Can any good thing be done apart from these? Or is it true, what Jesus said and then embodied in laying down His own life at of love for us, His enemies and opposition, that the fulfillment of the Law hangs on those two things?

Questions from The Hallelujah Banquet

Have you strayed from your first love of Christ and those early bursts of love for your neighbors? What might it look like to return to it?

Sometimes guidance looks less like casting vision of the future and more like careful reflection of the past. We do this now, carefully reflecting upon a story of one of the great fathers we have in the faith—Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. Apart from having an awesome name, Church tradition affirms that Polycarp was a disciple of the Apostle John, a dear friend to St. Ignatius of Antioch, and the presiding authority over Smyrna. Smyrna (modern day Izmir, Turkey) may sound familiar to some, as it is one of the seven churches addressed in Revelation. Interestingly, Smyrna is one of two churches that does not receive a rebuke, rather a commendation to remain faithful amidst persecution. Thus, Polycarp’s role in 2nd century Smyrna was not one that came with modern comforts of authority. He was leading a church through intensifying persecutions and embodying faithful allegiance to Christ.

As the story goes, Polycarp became aware of the imperial forces who sought his arrest. Despite betrayal and arrest, Polycarp did not flee from his flock. He committed himself to prayer and remained present amongst those he led. It is written that in the days leading up to his betrayal, Polycarp could be found amongst a few of his friends “praying on behalf of everyone, and the churches throughout the world, as was his custom.”1 When those who came to arrest him arrived, Polycarp went to talk with his captors and commanded that those under his care serve them food and drink. It is recounted that his only request to his captors is that he could spend an hour in undisturbed prayer, to which the captors allowed. It is written, “Those who heard were greatly astounded, and many regretted that they had come against such a godly man.”2 In recalling the life of Polycarp, the authors of The Martyrdom of Polycarp urge those to imitate Polycarp in not only looking out for their own concerns, but the concerns of their neighbors.3 Clearly, Polycarp had taken to heart what Paul had urged the Philippian believers (Philippians 2:1-11), or even more so the commands of Jesus Christ in loving God and loving neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39; Mark 12:30-31; Luke 10:27). The authors continue in concluding their opening with this remark: “For true and steadfast love is not only to desire oneself to be saved, but all the brothers [and sisters] as well.”4

Yet, there is no happy ending. At least not in the way our modern minds would hope. Polycarp would still experience martyrdom. Despite relentless threats of death by beasts, fire, and the like, Polycarp would not revile Christ. Instead, some of Polycarp’s last words would be: “Eighty-six years I have served Him and He has done me no wrong. How could I blaspheme my king who saved me?”5

It was total allegiance to Christ that led Polycarp to display the beauty of our Lord Jesus Christ in his actions, both to enemy and friend. Like Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, “Do not be overcome by evil. But overcome evil by good.”6 Would we take to heart the wonderful invitation of Christian life, to be wholly devoted in heart and deed to the ever-increasing glory of God in our world.

Practices to consider…

1. Pray for those who love you. Pray for those who oppose you. Do both by name, asking the Spirit to guide you in the way of Truth, Light, and Life.

2. Act impulsively on every generous, self-emptying thought today. Do so in the name of Christ Jesus our Lord, who by displaying His self-emptying love for us on the Cross has given us the fullness of Himself.

This day is easy to overlook in our modern observances of Holy Week. With so much going on this week, there is a reflexive response to go back to normal on Saturday in the anticipation of Sunday. The things we were unable to do because of the rhythms of this week seem to get pushed to today. But have you ever wondered… What was going on during this day?

There is very little biblical insight into Holy Saturday. Yet its silence on the next 24 hours speaks volumes to the significance of this day. Here are some educated guesses to what could have been going on this day…

The disciples of Jesus are still in shock over what has taken place. Imagine their confusion. Despite Jesus’ warnings to the disciples concerning His impending death, they are disoriented with their present reality. Their Teacher, their Messiah, has been brutally murdered as a result of a conspiracy against Jesus. It is likely they are consumed with grief, fear, and disappointment.

Rome continues to be Rome. Nothing has changed for the Empire. They are still in power. They still oversee the festivities of Jerusalem during Passover, an ever-present reminder of who really is in charge. The crucifixion of Jesus was simply another crucifixion; an unfortunate end to someone who got ran over by the violent machine of Empire. Maybe Pilate is still pondering the interaction with Jesus, haunted by the response of silence to his question, “What is truth?” Or maybe Pilate is relieved that there is no longer a building riot under his watch. Maybe he thinks, “Better Him than me…”

Jerusalem exists in tension. No longer in a frenzy, people observe Sabbath and Passover. How does one feel as families go through the motions of one of the most important days of the year in light of Jesus’ death? There is no doubt it is on the minds of many. Some may pretend it never happened. Others, may celebrate the success of the night before. Others are confronted with grim realities. Maybe Jesus’ cries of “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” echo in the mind and prompt some to consider the fullness of Psalm 22. What about the earthquake? What about the veil torn in the Temple, exposing the holiest place in the city? Some are plagued with the lack of answers as the attempt to draw conclusions of what just happened and what it all means?

These lack of answers magnify the silence of this day. There are seemingly no answers… yet. Despite the silence, there is not an absence of activity. While all are left to ponder what has happened, it is likely that no one considered what Jesus was doing. As tradition would have it, Jesus is at work, though silent and unseen. Here are some liturgical Orthodox texts worth considering to activate our imaginations to what was taking place amid the silence of this day:

“The gates of Hell opened to you, O Lord, in fear; Hades’ gatekeepers shuddered when they saw You, for You have destroyed the gates of brass and crushed to powder the iron bars…”

“The Redeemer has emptied the tombs and taken Hell captive…”

“You laid to waste the mighty strongholds of the enemy and plundered his wealth with Your all-powerful hand, raising me with You from the vaults of Hell, O Christ…”

“You despoiled Hell and emerged unscathed…”

In the silence of Holy Saturday, we tune our hearts to the ongoing work of Christ. As we wait, we hear the plundering of Hell, the trampling of Death, the cries of the Evil One as our Lord Jesus Christ advances into the heart of the grave’s darkness with His holy light. Though we have not yet seen the empty tomb, we imagine Him taking the keys of death in one hand, and leading us out of the depths of the grave with the other.

In its silence, Holy Saturday testifies to the ongoing victorious work of Christ. Though quiet and unseen, something is happening. When it is revealed, lament and struggle are transformed into rejoicing and celebration.

As we embrace the silence of this Saturday, reflect on this parable of Jesus:

27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered. (Mark 3:27 NRSV)

Christ, the stronger man, has tied up Satan and plundered hell, creating a way to eternal life.

Mark 1:9-13 NRSV

Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” 43 [Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. 44 In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.]

Luke 22:41-44 NRSV

Jesus’ ministry is bookended with testing narratives. But what is interesting about the testing narratives of Christ is how they display the Sonship of Christ. Before being led by the Spirit into the wilderness for 40 days, Jesus is baptized by His cousin. It is at this baptism that the heavens open up, the Spirit descends upon Christ as like a dove, and a voice proclaims: “This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” It is affirmation of who Jesus has always been to the Father, His Beloved Son, that kickstarts His ministry. This affirmation may actually be more informative for those in attendance than for Jesus Himself, for it was as if they suddenly got to peek behind the scenes and look into Jesus’ conversations with the Father. This affirmation of identity preceded testing. Jesus’ Sonship did not resolve Him from being tested, it became the thing in which He held fast to during the testing. Being His Beloved does not remove testing and trial, but carries us through it.

Then, at the end of His ministry, Jesus finds Himself in a Garden being tested again. Though troubled, He spends His time speaking to the Father. This time we do not hear the booming voice of Heaven. It is more likely to hear the drops of sweat falling from Christ’s brow, or His agonizing whispers and cries as He prays to His Father, or the snores of the troubled disciples who cannot stay awake. All of these noises are magnified in the silence of the Father’s voice… But the Father did respond. In this test, an angel is sent to strengthen Jesus. The cup would not be removed, but that does not mean that the Son would not be tended to. The Son in His final test, death by crucifixion, fulfilled the will of the Father.

Our identity in Christ does not remove the trial and tests of life from our earthly experience. It empowers us to endure them, with Christ, just as He endured the Cross. Though trying and excruciating, we are strengthened. We do not enter into testing to prove who we are in Christ, but to realize that nothing can separate us from Him. Not even death. For even in this final test, this final wilderness called Death, we are not alone. He is with us.

If the wilderness is the place we encounter the Living God and are formed into His image. It is the place where He provides for us miraculously, giving us moments to hold fast to and remember. It is the place where we learn to connect with Him and grow in intimacy with Him. It is a place that affirms who we are: His Beloved. Because of this identity, we have all we need for when the testing comes.

Let us, like Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith, hold fast to who God is and who we are in Him, that we may endure the tests of this life and share in His glory forevermore. For death is only the threshold that leads to life for those who are called the beloved children of God; trial the stage for participating with Him and sharing in His glory.

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. 5 So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

John 17:1-5

For your love is better than wine,

3 your anointing oils are fragrant,

your name is perfume poured out;

therefore the maidens love you.

4 Draw me after you, let us make haste.

The king has brought me into his chambers.

We will exult and rejoice in you;

we will extol your love more than wine;

rightly do they love you.

Song of Songs 1:2-4

Some may take offense at the extravagant language of the love between the Bride and Her Beloved. Public displays of affection rarely stir up wonder in my heart. Intimacy too often is associated with privacy. This idea of intimacy being cultivated in privacy is not wrong, but it might fall short of fully grasping intimacy’s power. While cultivated in private, it finds itself being exposed in public. Think about Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount… “Pray in private… Give in private… Fast in private… In doing these things, My Father will reward you!”

Jesus is not talking about living a life of private faith. Jesus is critiquing our value systems. Somewhere along the way, people began to pray publicly in order to be noticed by other human beings. Today, YouTube vloggers and virtue signalers perform acts of righteousness (not necessarily biblical righteousness, but cultural righteousness) in order to be praised by some and rebuked by others. In some weird way, we find recognition and a shaky-sense of belonging as well as pushback and ostracization in doing these things. Jesus rightfully exposes the human desire to be known and offers us to make ourselves known before God. This is an incorruptible reward. While momentarily hidden, there is a greater sense of satisfaction found in the depths of intimacy with our God.

Song of Songs is saturated with longing and lovesickness. It is unashamed in its explicit desires. Only one thing satisfies the desire for intimacy between the Bride and Her Beloved. The poetry can make you blush. But it also may soften your heart. It may call you out from performing for lesser lovers into being present with the One who calls us His Beloved. It is true that He is jealous for His Bride. He is jealous for you! This book poetically displays the lengths in which those who are swept up in love will go to satiate their longing. The temptation is to satisfy this deep desire with quick hits of fake intimacy. But these lovers are too focused, too desperate for one another to settle. This is how it ought to be with us and Christ.

For any shame one may feel for the intense desire and longing for Christ is the lingering symptom of the fall in Eden. It may be more reflexive for us to cover our vulnerability up, either because we are afraid of being fully known by another or being rejected. But it was not so when all was very good. Now with Christ and our reconciliation to God, there is no longer any need for covering. There is no threat of exposure. For our desire for Him is birthed out of His desire for us. This desire to be with one another is not unrequited, but mutually shared. Cultivate this intimacy with Him in the hiddenness of your life that your burning love for one another may be put on display publicly. If our relationship with Christ testifies to anything, let it be that there is no greater love to be found than our deep love for Him.

To be known by God,

A scary thing to consider.

My flaws, my worries, my quirks,

Seemingly off-putting to the One who created me out of love.

This is tragedy,

That I withhold any of myself from You the One who longs for me.

This is lie,

That I can keep parts of myself separate from You.

This is truth,

That You will consume all of me,

With burning and impassioned flames of love that cannot be quelled.

In the hiddenness,

Know me and I you.

As I fully give myself over to Him,

I drown in the never-ending mysteries of His love for me.

To be known by God,

There is no greater thing.

John 15:1-5

The ministry of Jesus was to do the will of His Father (John 6:38). This ministry was maintained through connection with the Father; connection that was fostered through an active life of prayer. Prayer is the act of knowing God and allowing oneself to be known fully by God.

Ultimately, human beings were created for connection with God. Disconnection from God is ultimately a “non-human” way of living. This is why Jesus, in His upper room discourse, famously tells His disciples that He is the Vine, His Father is the Vinedresser, and that we are branches. Fruit-producing life stems from connectedness to Jesus. We cannot do anything apart from Him. All of this we probably know. But look at this…

We are made clean by the word spoken over us by Jesus. What would life look like if we operated with the confidence that we are made clean by the word spoken over us by Jesus? It ought to remove any weight that we have lived under leading us to think we make ourselves clean in order to present ourselves to Christ. No. He has already made us clean by His word. Would we listen to these words of cleansing? No longer do we strive, but we remain in Him. Prayer looks like being cleansed by the word of God.

If that does not rattle your cage enough, maybe this will. Jesus says that those who do not remain in Him are removed, and those who are producing fruit by remaining in Him will be pruned. Sometimes, we associate the pruning of God with the removal from His presence. Pruning does not disconnect us from God, but strengthens our connection with Him. Pruning is conviction. Pruning is transformation. Pruning is essential to the health of the life of a Christian. Essential because it strengthens our connection to life itself, that is Christ the Vine. Prayer looks like being pruned by the hand of God.

Prayer is not going to Heavenly HR Department to get our expenses approved so that we can do fun stuff free of charge. Prayer is the practice of formation. It is the language we learn in the wilderness as we grow in depending on God. It is the breath that stokes the burning fires of devotion in our hearts for Him and Him alone. Prayer is knowing God and His will. Prayer is allowing oneself to be known fully by God. Prayer is revelation of Christ and revelation of the new creation that we are in Him. Prayer is connection, and connection is how we are fruitful. As we participate in the ministry of Christ, this beautiful ministry of connection with God, we will produce much fruit.

Ask the Lord what He is speaking over you. What is this word?

Ask the Lord if He is wanting to prune you. What is He doing in you today?

Jesus,

You have made a way for me to be with You and to behold Your glory.

Thank You that Your word has cleansed me.

Thank You, Father, that by the Spirit of God You are pruning me.

Would the word you speak and the act of pruning result in an interrupted connection with You today.

I am Yours.

You are mine.

Forevermore.

Thank You, Jesus.

Thank You, Father.

Thank You, Spirit.

Reveal Your glory through me today as I keep You at the center of my day.

Amen.

Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?

12 “You stretch out your right hand, and the earth swallows your enemies.

13 In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed.

In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.

Exodus 15:11-13

Breathtaking moments come as a result of the revelation of God’s character. It is the miraculous moments of an almighty God that leave us astonished. While swept up in these moments, one may ask the question: how could I ever forget what the Lord has done for me? If only our astonishment was nurtured and we did not forget what God has done for us!

Only a few days after singing the song above, the Israelites had already forgotten the redemptive act of God in crossing the Red Sea. An act in which they walked on dry land through a sea while their pursuing enemy, and former enslavers, were swallowed up by the crashing waves. It is easy for us to want to grab these people by their shoulders, shaking them while screaming at them, “Do you not just remember what God has done for you? Have you really forgotten?” Yet, it is also easy for us to be just like the Israelites: overwhelmed by the gracious and powerful acts of God in one moment, forgetful and full of complaint in the next. What fickle creatures humans can be!

Forgetfulness begets complaining. Complaining is the language of disbelief (according to the theologian Greg Dewey). If this is true, it begs the question: who do we believe God is? Though we may claim we believe that God is one thing—say, God is awesome in glory, working wonders—we confess with our mouths quite the opposite. This dissonance between the reality of God and our own disbelief is alleviated by recalling the acts of God in our lives and the lives of others. Remembering God is how we combat complaining against God.

Complaining is absent of faith and filled with fear. Prayer is an act of faith and filled with love. Whether we can’t believe what we are seeing with our eyes (like a sea being parted) or we can’t seem to see God at all, remembering who God is and what He has done builds our faith and fills us with hope. Then prayer activates our faith and unleashes His power.

Heavenly Father,

All-knowing and all-powerful God,

There is nothing too great for You.

Grant us the grace to hold fast to what You have done and are doing,

That we may never forget who You are and what You can do.

Spirit of Truth, our Guide and Comforter,

Reveal the Son and the Father’s glory to us today,

And remind of how He has brought us into life and life abundant.

Praise be to You always,

For You are always at work.

Amen.