A Good Church in the Eyes of Christ

Two of the 7 churches in Revelation 2-3 are found without fault in the message from Jesus. And they both share one thing in common:

They both don't look that impressive to themselves.

The Lord describes the first church in Smyrna like this: Revelation 2:9 (ESV) ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

To the Church in Philadelphia, the Lord says: Revelation 3:8 (ESV) ‘I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

These two churches held in common the first Beatitude listed by the Lord's great Sermon on the Mount: They were both poor in spirit. That is they both understood that to stay humble and needful of the Lord is the greatest and most powerful place to live, because you shall have Him.

It is those who begin to feel they've made it, that they've acquired enough knowledge, reputation, power, numbers, cultural relevancy in their own ability that tend to lose their dependency on the Lord. What a scary place to be as one day all we have is dried up and useless.

But those who know they need Him, who rely whole upon Him for their power and ability to live for Him, these are the ones who are used by Him. May our churches never lose sight of this. It is not the church of great program or notoriety, skill and charisma that changes the world. It is the church totally dependent upon the Lord's power and strength working through them that stands the test of time and makes a great impact upon their culture.

We have a choice... and I see these 7 letters to these churches as the presentation of that choice. We can go in our own power and ability... trying hard to emulate some other church or Christian's lifestyle. Or we can totally and completely depend on God for a mighty powerful move in our generation and region. 

For me, the choice can only be the later. May my heart stay far from the Laodicean lethargy or the Ephesian emptiness of love. May we remember that apart from Him we can do nothing.

Amen.