December 14, 2015

“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: “I know your works, your toil and your patient 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. I also know that you are enduring patiently and bearing up for the sake of my name, and that you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then from what 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.” Revelation 2:1 – 5

“I once heard a man, then a young professor, tell of being on a plane on the late sixties and finding himself sitting next to Dr. Martin Luther King. He introduced himself to Dr. King and, as their journey progressed, he revealed to Dr. King that he was active in the Civil Rights struggle on his own campus. Because of his work in the racial struggle, he had become alienated from his father. He told Dr. King how his father could not understand him and how they had grown apart. Dr. King put his hand on the angry young man’s hand and said, “You father is doing the best he can. As a Christian you must be patient with him and love him.” Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 – 1968) As told by William H. Willimon in Pulpit Resource, Vol. 23, No. 7, “For All The Saints” volume III, (p. 54 -55)

Do you believe that your Lord does not know your toils and your works, your struggles, and your failures? We are told again and again that it is not our works that save us, but that does not mean that our work for the sake of the Gospel is in vain. We either believe that G-d is ever-present, or that G-d is aloof and un-concerned.

The Lord tells the angel in the church in Ephesus that their toils and concerns are all known by G-d. But the Lord also knows they have abandoned the love they first had. This is the problem with trials and tribulations, they can rip the love we have for each other right out of our hearts. Nothing destroys love for each other more than constant struggles and persecutions. The young man says to Dr. King that his relationship with his father is estranged because they do not agree on how to respond to racism and the Civil Rights campaign. In the midst of disagreement and argument, love is replaced with hurt and anger.

Nothing is harder than to love those who hate you, who disagree with you, or who openly persecute you. But remember, evil does not know what to do with love. The greatest between the spiritual gifts of faith, hope and love is neither faith nor hope – it is love. All three are necessary – but love conquers all things.

Pastor Dave