In the letter to the church in Sardis in Revelation 3:1-6, Jesus had a surprise announcement for the church and promised a surprise visit if things did not change for the better. The announcement was that, in spite of appearances of vitality, the church was really quite dead, which would have fallen as a huge surprise to the church itself and to everyone who knew the church’s great reputation. Jesus had called the church in Ephesus to remember its earlier works, but Jesus called the church in Sardis to remember something even more foundational: how they received and heard the gospel. His call to them forces us to ask ourselves how we are hearing it today.
Paul’s time in Athens provides an example of how to present Jesus and the resurrection to a cultured non-Christian audience.
Although the church in Smyrna may not have looked like much on the surface, Jesus’ evaluation of it was wholly positive. He did not...
Continuing the final conversation with his disciples in John 14:15-31, Jesus told them how to show their love for him and of the gifts...