What do you use to measure people?
Money
Position
Personality
Looks
Abilities
What do you use to measure a church?
Music
Nice Pastor
Services: Preaching & Worship Style
Your Needs Getting Met
Your Comfort & If It Is fun
Or do you measure a church by whether:
It Has a Clear Godly Mission
Jesus is Really the Head of the Church
Disciples Are Being Made
The Church is Making a Difference in the Community
The Church is United & Loving
The church at Smyrna was a paradox.
Revelation 2:8-11
To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of Him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty - yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.
Jesus tells us three things about this church:
They were under heavy pressure and great stress.
They were financial bankrupt, they had nothing materially.
They were slandered by both the Romans and Jews.
In the middle of these three truths Jesus tells the church that they:
Are Rich
and
Are Not to Be Afraid
and
Have an Eternal Relationship with the Father.
How could Jesus say they are rich?
Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the Lord says: Don’t let wise people brag about their wisdom. Don’t let strong people brag about their strength. Don’t let rich people brag about their riches. If they want to brag, they should brag that they understand and know Me. They should brag that I, the Lord, act out of love, righteousness, and justice on the earth. This kind of bragging pleases Me, declares the Lord.
Wealth and success are not measured by God as they are measured by we humans. God measures wealth and success in terms of how intimate we are with Him and how much we are being made to be like Him.
Material wealth, position, power, success do not bring what we are longing for in life.
Knowing Jesus, experiencing His love and being in an intimate relationship with Him does bring us what we long for in life. It brings us:
Purpose/Meaning
Joy
Peace
Knowing We Are Loved for Who We Are
Fulfillment
The church at Smyrna was poor and weak by human standards, but rich and strong by God’s standards.
But, based on what Jesus tells us about this church, their poverty and persecution, how could they not be afraid?
Romans 8:35, 37-39
Who will separate us from Christ’s love? Will we be separated by trouble, or distress, or harassment, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
But in all these things we win a sweeping victory through the one who loves us. I’m convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future things, not powers or height or depth, or any other thing that is created.
Hebrews 13:5
I will never leave you or forsake you.
We can know that God loves us.
How? - He tells us.
How does He tell us? - The Cross
We can experience that love because Jesus promises us that He will never give up on us or leave us helpless. Even in the middle of the very worst thing we will ever go through, He is there and He is loving us.
The trials we go through are meant by the Father to strengthen us, not defeat us.
James 1:2-4
My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when you faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
God wants the best for you and everything He does is for your benefit. We can know that God will use every circumstance in our lives to somehow grow us, make us more like Him.
Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.
God will use the hard times, the difficult times, the confusing times, and yes, even the absolutely crappy times to make us complete in Him.
What does not kill us makes us stronger. And remember that death is not a bad thing for followers of Jesus.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that “We are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord.”
The church at Smyrna and the church at Corinthians had some things in common.
Paul writes to the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 1:26-29. He says, “Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to privileged position. But God chose what the world thinks is foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, so that no can boast in His presence.”
The churches in Smyrna and Corinth didn’t make sense.
They were poor, but rich.
They were weak, but powerful
They were of no influence, but wise.
The church at Smyrna was like that because it followed Jesus wholeheartedly. They loved Jesus passionately and wanted more than anything to please Him.
The church was never intended to fit into the culture. The church is not to feel comfortable with the culture. Cultures, all cultures, are fallen.
The church is to be counter-cultural. It is to be different than whatever ever culture it lives in. It should be a living organism that God uses to transform the culture.
You may be trying to fit the church into some pattern that you think is what the church should be. You may be trying to fit the church into some pattern that someone else has told you is what the church is to be. Many people today think that the church is to be part of the established culture. The church is to a revolutionary group of called- out people who are letting Jesus use them to transform culture.
What are you chasing? What drives your life?
Money
Position
Power
Privilege
Wisdom
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is surrendering your life to Jesus and letting Him be your:
Wealth
Position
Power
Privilege
Wisdom
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is being part of the church that, like the church at Smyrna, give themselves and everything they have to Jesus.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is being the church that doesn’t make sense to the world.
Poor But Rich Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
What do you use to measure people?
Money
Position
Personality
Looks
Abilities
What do you use to measure a church?
Music
Nice Pastor
Services: Preaching & Worship Style
Your Needs Getting Met
Your Comfort & If It Is fun
Or do you measure a church by whether:
It Has a Clear Godly Mission
Jesus is Really the Head of the Church
Disciples Are Being Made
The Church is Making a Difference in the Community
The Church is United & Loving
The church at Smyrna was a paradox.
Revelation 2:8-11
To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of Him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty - yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.
Jesus tells us three things about this church:
They were under heavy pressure and great stress.
They were financial bankrupt, they had nothing materially.
They were slandered by both the Romans and Jews.
In the middle of these three truths Jesus tells the church that they:
Are Rich
and
Are Not to Be Afraid
and
Have an Eternal Relationship with the Father.
How could Jesus say they are rich?
Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the Lord says: Don’t let wise people brag about their wisdom. Don’t let strong people brag about their strength. Don’t let rich people brag about their riches. If they want to brag, they should brag that they understand and know Me. They should brag that I, the Lord, act out of love, righteousness, and justice on the earth. This kind of bragging pleases Me, declares the Lord.
Wealth and success are not measured by God as they are measured by we humans. God measures wealth and success in terms of how intimate we are with Him and how much we are being made to be like Him.
Material wealth, position, power, success do not bring what we are longing for in life.
Knowing Jesus, experiencing His love and being in an intimate relationship with Him does bring us what we long for in life. It brings us:
Purpose/Meaning
Joy
Peace
Knowing We Are Loved for Who We Are
Fulfillment
The church at Smyrna was poor and weak by human standards, but rich and strong by God’s standards.
But, based on what Jesus tells us about this church, their poverty and persecution, how could they not be afraid?
Romans 8:35, 37-39
Who will separate us from Christ’s love? Will we be separated by trouble, or distress, or harassment, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
But in all these things we win a sweeping victory through the one who loves us. I’m convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future things, not powers or height or depth, or any other thing that is created.
Hebrews 13:5
I will never leave you or forsake you.
We can know that God loves us.
How? - He tells us.
How does He tell us? - The Cross
We can experience that love because Jesus promises us that He will never give up on us or leave us helpless. Even in the middle of the very worst thing we will ever go through, He is there and He is loving us.
The trials we go through are meant by the Father to strengthen us, not defeat us.
James 1:2-4
My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when you faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
God wants the best for you and everything He does is for your benefit. We can know that God will use every circumstance in our lives to somehow grow us, make us more like Him.
Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.
God will use the hard times, the difficult times, the confusing times, and yes, even the absolutely crappy times to make us complete in Him.
What does not kill us makes us stronger. And remember that death is not a bad thing for followers of Jesus.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that “We are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord.”
The church at Smyrna and the church at Corinthians had some things in common.
Paul writes to the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 1:26-29. He says, “Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to privileged position. But God chose what the world thinks is foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, so that no can boast in His presence.”
The churches in Smyrna and Corinth didn’t make sense.
They were poor, but rich.
They were weak, but powerful
They were of no influence, but wise.
The church at Smyrna was like that because it followed Jesus wholeheartedly. They loved Jesus passionately and wanted more than anything to please Him.
The church was never intended to fit into the culture. The church is not to feel comfortable with the culture. Cultures, all cultures, are fallen.
The church is to be counter-cultural. It is to be different than whatever ever culture it lives in. It should be a living organism that God uses to transform the culture.
You may be trying to fit the church into some pattern that you think is what the church should be. You may be trying to fit the church into some pattern that someone else has told you is what the church is to be. Many people today think that the church is to be part of the established culture. The church is to a revolutionary group of called- out people who are letting Jesus use them to transform culture.
What are you chasing? What drives your life?
Money
Position
Power
Privilege
Wisdom
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is surrendering your life to Jesus and letting Him be your:
Wealth
Position
Power
Privilege
Wisdom
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is being part of the church that, like the church at Smyrna, give themselves and everything they have to Jesus.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is being the church that doesn’t make sense to the world.
Poor But Rich Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
What do you use to measure people?
Money
Position
Personality
Looks
Abilities
What do you use to measure a church?
Music
Nice Pastor
Services: Preaching & Worship Style
Your Needs Getting Met
Your Comfort & If It Is fun
Or do you measure a church by whether:
It Has a Clear Godly Mission
Jesus is Really the Head of the Church
Disciples Are Being Made
The Church is Making a Difference in the Community
The Church is United & Loving
The church at Smyrna was a paradox.
Revelation 2:8-11
To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of Him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty - yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.
Jesus tells us three things about this church:
They were under heavy pressure and great stress.
They were financial bankrupt, they had nothing materially.
They were slandered by both the Romans and Jews.
In the middle of these three truths Jesus tells the church that they:
Are Rich
and
Are Not to Be Afraid
and
Have an Eternal Relationship with the Father.
How could Jesus say they are rich?
Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the Lord says: Don’t let wise people brag about their wisdom. Don’t let strong people brag about their strength. Don’t let rich people brag about their riches. If they want to brag, they should brag that they understand and know Me. They should brag that I, the Lord, act out of love, righteousness, and justice on the earth. This kind of bragging pleases Me, declares the Lord.
Wealth and success are not measured by God as they are measured by we humans. God measures wealth and success in terms of how intimate we are with Him and how much we are being made to be like Him.
Material wealth, position, power, success do not bring what we are longing for in life.
Knowing Jesus, experiencing His love and being in an intimate relationship with Him does bring us what we long for in life. It brings us:
Purpose/Meaning
Joy
Peace
Knowing We Are Loved for Who We Are
Fulfillment
The church at Smyrna was poor and weak by human standards, but rich and strong by God’s standards.
But, based on what Jesus tells us about this church, their poverty and persecution, how could they not be afraid?
Romans 8:35, 37-39
Who will separate us from Christ’s love? Will we be separated by trouble, or distress, or harassment, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
But in all these things we win a sweeping victory through the one who loves us. I’m convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future things, not powers or height or depth, or any other thing that is created.
Hebrews 13:5
I will never leave you or forsake you.
We can know that God loves us.
How? - He tells us.
How does He tell us? - The Cross
We can experience that love because Jesus promises us that He will never give up on us or leave us helpless. Even in the middle of the very worst thing we will ever go through, He is there and He is loving us.
The trials we go through are meant by the Father to strengthen us, not defeat us.
James 1:2-4
My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when you faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
God wants the best for you and everything He does is for your benefit. We can know that God will use every circumstance in our lives to somehow grow us, make us more like Him.
Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.
God will use the hard times, the difficult times, the confusing times, and yes, even the absolutely crappy times to make us complete in Him.
What does not kill us makes us stronger. And remember that death is not a bad thing for followers of Jesus.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that “We are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord.”
The church at Smyrna and the church at Corinthians had some things in common.
Paul writes to the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 1:26-29. He says, “Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to privileged position. But God chose what the world thinks is foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, so that no can boast in His presence.”
The churches in Smyrna and Corinth didn’t make sense.
They were poor, but rich.
They were weak, but powerful
They were of no influence, but wise.
The church at Smyrna was like that because it followed Jesus wholeheartedly. They loved Jesus passionately and wanted more than anything to please Him.
The church was never intended to fit into the culture. The church is not to feel comfortable with the culture. Cultures, all cultures, are fallen.
The church is to be counter-cultural. It is to be different than whatever ever culture it lives in. It should be a living organism that God uses to transform the culture.
You may be trying to fit the church into some pattern that you think is what the church should be. You may be trying to fit the church into some pattern that someone else has told you is what the church is to be. Many people today think that the church is to be part of the established culture. The church is to a revolutionary group of called- out people who are letting Jesus use them to transform culture.
What are you chasing? What drives your life?
Money
Position
Power
Privilege
Wisdom
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is surrendering your life to Jesus and letting Him be your:
Wealth
Position
Power
Privilege
Wisdom
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is being part of the church that, like the church at Smyrna, give themselves and everything they have to Jesus.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is being the church that doesn’t make sense to the world.
Poor But Rich Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
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