Sunday 15th September, 6:30 service, Tom Pollard.

Revelation 2:1-7.

What does God want His church to look like? John Stott writes in his commentary on Revelation; “although their message is related to the specific situations of those churches, it expresses concerns which apply to all churches. By praise and censure, by warning and exhortation, Christ reveals what he wants his church to be like in all places and at all times.”

Notice the reading structure: The Address (2:1a), The Description (2:1b), The Commendation (2:2-3, 6), The Complaint (2:4), The Command (2:5a), The Warning (2:5b), The Appeal (2:7a) & The Promise (2:7b).

Christ commends His church for their activity in ministry and observes the suffering that they face, yet what Christ seeks above all is their love; love being the mark of a true and living church. Jesus seeks our love.

How might we repent of our activity being given greater priority then our first love, Jesus? Christs appeal, his invitation is to pay attention to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. How might we listen to the Spirit at this time in our church life?

Other passages that relate to the life of the church in Ephesus: Acts 18:19-21, 24-26, Acts 19, leadership transition 1 Tim 1:3.

Sunday 15th September, 9:30 service, George Eapen.

Revelation 2:1-7.

What does God want His church to look like? John Stott writes in his commentary on Revelation; “although their message is related to the specific situations of those churches, it expresses concerns which apply to all churches. By praise and censure, by warning and exhortation, Christ reveals what he wants his church to be like in all places and at all times.”

Notice the reading structure: The Address (2:1a), The Description (2:1b), The Commendation (2:2-3, 6), The Complaint (2:4), The Command (2:5a), The Warning (2:5b), The Appeal (2:7a) & The Promise (2:7b).

Christ commends His church for their activity in ministry and observes the suffering that they face, yet what Christ seeks above all is their love; love being the mark of a true and living church. Jesus seeks our love.

How might we repent of our activity being given greater priority then our first love, Jesus? Christs appeal, his invitation is to pay attention to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. How might we listen to the Spirit at this time in our church life?

Other passages that relate to the life of the church in Ephesus: Acts 18:19-21, 24-26, Acts 19, leadership transition 1 Tim 1:3.

Sunday 8th September, 9:30 service, Natalie Worsfold.

Revelation 1:9-20.

NB. Apologies for the poor sound quality at the beginning – if you’d like to avoid a touch of feedback, please fast forward to 01minute 47seconds to where Natalie swaps microphones!

In God’s grand plan for the world there is a victory that comes and we long even now, to be part of that victory. We want to stand firmly as we await God’s ultimate triumph. We need like John to have a vision of Jesus.

Jesus: The Voice that shapes us to serve God and to be part of his work in the world. Jesus speaks to John about all that will happen grounding John in the knowledge of who HE is and reminding him that unless HE is our vision we’re at risk of growing weary, disheartened and disillusioned.

John’s vision isn’t of a gentle baby Jesus sung of in Christmas hymns, rather out of Christ’s mouth comes a sharp double-edged sword and his face shines like the sun. This Jesus walks around among the lampstands that represent the churches and the stars depicting messengers to the church (‘angels’ oft associated with church leaders). Jesus is the focus of this vision walking amid (v13) churches and their leaders.

At the sight of Jesus John falls down as if dead. This is a posture we are called to share with John; on our faces before Jesus, as we seek his wisdom for who we should become as Jesus followers. In his good time, Jesus will reveal to us our next church leader.