feeding . . . gathering . . . carrying . . . leading . (Isaiah 40:11)
Dearest family,
On Sunday we continued our journey around the postal circuit in Asia Minor that has us opening again the letters that John sent to the churches along the route. Our last port of call was Thyatira, but we traveled another 30 miles SE of that city to Sardis, where no less than five of the then-world’s major trade routes converged. What we have discovered so far is that there is a common and distinctive pattern to these letters as they address the differing situations of the churches in these cities. There is confrontation and condemnation, but also commendation and comfort. The warnings about consequences are accompanied by loving counsel that if heeded, will save the hearers, and preserve the church. We have also noticed that in every case, the nature and condition of the life of the city, is used as illustrative of the problems within the church. Historical, political, geographical and commercial factors become images and analogies of the spiritual issues facing the local believers. We found that Sardis was no different. However, in her case, it was a geological feature that was the most telling indication of its problem. We did note some obvious differences though. There was no commendation of anything in the church at Sardis. Conspicuous by its absence was any mention of the external enemy of persecution, or the internal enemy of false teaching. The sad fact is that there wasn’t much for opposition to oppose. It wasn’t Christian enough to be led astray and it wasn’t in danger of suffering because there was no battle that it engaged. I cannot sum it up better than one old commentator: “Sunken in spiritual deadness and torpor, the lamp of faith waning and almost extinguished in their hearts, the Lord presents himself as having the fullness of all spiritual gifts; able therefore to revive, able to recover, able to bring back from the very gates of spiritual death, those who would employ the little last remaining strength which they still retained, in calling, even when thus in extremis, upon Him.”
An historian has written this of Sardis: “It was the city whose name was almost synonymous with pretension unjustified, promise unfulfilled, appearance without reality, confidence that heralded ruin.” Another historical observer wrote “she lived on ancient prestige rather than on its suitability to present conditions.” Herein was the problem for both city and church. There was a huge credibility gap between: reputation and reality, between promise and performance, between past prestige and present practice. It’s not that they did not have a reputation, they did – but with men. The key disturbing phrase here is “in the sight of God.” Was it not Jesus himself who said, “Stop judging by mere appearances and make a right judgment.” (Jn.7:24) Does not scripture say, “Man looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart.” When all is said and done, the estimation of others counts for nothing. In men’s eyes, things looked fine. The fig tree that the disciples saw with Jesus looked fine, but on closer examination it was nothing but leaves. What was fine was just finery. The greenery of charisma could not ultimately hide the absence of the fruit of character. The moral is clear. Worry more about what God knows than what others see.
Sardis ended up as a poser. It is somewhat alarming that we can end up in a place we never imagined we could be. This is a church that began well but did not finish well. It’s not that it wasn’t producing deeds. It was, but because they were dead they were dead works. I’m sure they thought they were enough and that there were enough of them. Enough for them, enough for the community but they turned out not to be enough for Christ. His verdict was that they were incomplete. They had not finished what they were called to start. They had not fulfilled what they were called to be and do. They had stopped short, given up, drawn back, dropped out, passed by, slowed down, stepped out, side-tracked. The result was incompletion. As Paul asked the Galatians, “What cut in to your persuasion?”
The concern of the apostle Paul, which is the heart concern of Jesus for us, is that we may stand…complete. (Cols.4:12) Throughout the NT we are presented with the invitation to mature in our faith without any interruptions or deviations and diversions or back-slidings. “Let us go on to perfection” says the writer to the Hebrews (6:1) and in another place he talks of the work of the risen Christ to bring us to completion (13:21) Paul talks to the Ephesians about the “perfecting of the saints” (4:22) He exhorts the Thessalonians to “perfect what is lacking” (1Th 3:10) and instructs the Corinthians in “perfecting holiness” (2Cor.7:1) The apostle John talked about the perfecting of our love. Sadly, thousands of Christians get caught in this credibility gap, as do thousands of churches, with the same result as in Sardis: their works are not complete. This was the problem Jesus himself confronted in the Pharisees, whose degeneration from a holiness movement to a hypocritical one resulted in him calling them “whited sepulchres.” Like Sardis, they appeared to be alive but they were dead.
We studied the text under three headings: reputation challenged, revival urged, rewards given. You’ll need to get the tape or download the MP3 for the details. Let me at least remind you of that geological feature that becomes a telling image of the problem. So how did Sardis fall, given those sheer precipices on three sides and its easily defended position. It was sitting 1500 feet high on a rock that was impregnable. How did it fall? Unfortunately, the plateau on which Sardis stood was not the rock they thought it to be. How true this is of so many people who think the foundation of their lives is sure and secure. It was a different kind of material. The best way it has been described is “compacted mud”. Over time, tiny fissures appeared in the rock, and what was deemed unassailable by an enemy could in fact be scaled. It turned out that it did not take a large army to bring Sardis down. Just a couple of enemy soldiers silently and slowly making their way up the fissures until they got over the wall and opened the gates of the city to their army from the inside. There is no other foundation for life than that which is laid in Jesus Christ. Everything else may serve the part, may appear to be an impregnable philosophy, a secure system of life management, but at the end of the day it is compacted mud, vulnerable to the wear and tear of life’s assaults, and in the end it will be found wanting. The self-confidence and complacency with which these foundations are lauded and applauded will be overcome by the enemy of man’s eternal safety – the world, the flesh and the devil. No wonder we love to sing “He is our Rock”. No wonder Jesus said that obedience to him was the rock foundation of life.
When it is mud that you live on, you inevitably get a little muddy. I came across a great C.S. Lewis quote this week that is relevant here. “We shall of course be very muddy… But the bathrooms are all ready, the towels put out and the clean clothes in the airing cupboard…It is when we notice the dirt that God is most present in us; it is the very sign of his presence.” I quote this to let you know that the revelation of our sin is always an invitation not to live in self-condemnation but to live receiving the commendation of the Lord that we so need and long for and that is so readily available to us when we repent and turn to him. As in the letter here at Sardis, the revelation of the savior is always greater than the revelation of our sin. Hallelujah!
The sleeping church of Sardis, that was dead not alive, was given an opportunity to be revived, and so are we, whenever we too are caught in the no man’s land between appearance and reality. Thank God for the wake up calls of the Spirit and for the revelation of Christ with all of the Spirit at his disposal, to give to all of us who are running on empty, with things that are about to die, the opportunity to be revived and raised from our death. Charles Wesley got it right in his hymn “O for a thousand tongues to sing”:
He speaks and listening to His voice
New life the dead receive.
Pastorally yours,
Stuart
http://www.christourshepherd.org/pastlet.htm (and follow links to download MP3 audio file of sermon)
Announcements
We are planning a water baptism service on April 19. Please contact the office if you are interested.
Free CS Lewis Seminar: The Meaning of Sex: How to Approach the Tough Issues with speaker Dennis Hollinger, president and professor of ethics at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, at The Falls Church March 14 9am -11:30 am. http://www.cslewisinstitute.org/node/643
FREE Apologetics Evangelism Seminar Series
Apologetics Evangelism with Postmodern People, April 3-4 with Prof. Jerram Barrs
Tactics in Defending the Faith, May 15-16 with Greg Koukl These will both be at McLean Presbyterian Church. Free attendance with registration at www.cslewisinstitute.org
COSC Softball Team—The Flock is in need of female players. We will be playing on Monday evenings at 7:00pm. Email Matthew.Tropiano@navy.mil or anne.hall16@gmail.com to learn more! Registration will be about $30/person for the city softball league fee.
Care Company Opportunities: (202-422-7032 or monique@carecompanydc.org)
The next Righteous Renovation is an urban collaboration with other local non-profits to build a playground at Hopkins. Come and help on the planning committee!
Adult Literacy Volunteer—We are looking for men interested in mentoring men from Central Union Mission who have a desire to learn to read. Please contact us ASAP if you would like to find out more information.
Intercession News: “Seek God For The City 2009” (Feb. 25 to Apr. 5) booklets available. Suggested donation $3
For the men of COSC:
For those looking for weekly connection, come and visit our Samson Society Meeting on Tuesdays from 7:30- 8:30pm (with time for continued fellowship afterward) at 616 South Carolina Avenue SE. For more information, email Matthew at matthew.tropiano@navy.mil
For the women of COSC:
Ladies, you are invited to a double baby shower for Sarah Lasmanis & Melanie Sunukjian on Saturday, March 14, at 2:00pm at Meghan Livingston’s home. RSVP to Kristi ( 202-379-8930) and indicate if you are interested in a group gift.
The next Saturday Supper is on March 21
On April 13, the next book club meeting will be held at Laurie Chenoweth’s house to discuss the book Expecting Adam by Martha Beck.
Women’s Retreat June 6-7 at the Bishop Claggett retreat center in Maryland
Bulletin Board
Postings not officially sanctioned by COSC.
JESSE TREE BANNER WORKSHOP: “Christmas in July”. During the workshop, each participant/family will create a custom made Jesse Tree Banner and all associated elements. Contact Amy if you’re interested in learning more. She’ll send you all the pertinent details. Amy, amyherbert@verizon.net or 202- 549-1112
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER for Grace DC Church: (www.gracedc.net) to oversee 4-6 year old class Sunday evenings. Duties include preparing lesson (with the help of the nursery coordinator), overseeing the care of the children, and teaching the lesson. Hours would be Sunday evenings, 4:30-7pm, plus time spent during the week preparing. Compensation is $22/hour. Emily, emily.baldwin@gmail.com
MARCH 7 THRU EASTER “Simple Gifts” EXHIBIT: a local painter painted several Capitol Hill church buildings to portray the lyrics to Simple Gifts. Ours is one of the buildings. The exhibit will be at Capitol Hill Presbyterian (4th & Independence SE). They will have paintings and prints available for purchase.
HOUSING Dupont area sublet: Furnished studio, 400 sq. ft. available immediately on a week-byweek basis. 1500 Massachusetts Av NW. Near Dupont Circle/McPherson Sq, convenient to groceries, restaurants and Dupont area. $325/week, plus $100 security deposit. Includes utils (energy, heating/AC), small grocery store in building, 24-hour reception desk, laundry area. Smoke-free, pet-free. Jacqui, jveloz@hotmail.com
Capitol Hill: $1250/month 1 BR, 1 BA apt available mid-March. 1st floor of rowhouse on a corner, access to shared patio. Renovated in 2003. Full-size windows in LR and exposed brick. All new kitchen includes single unit washer/dryer. The bedroom has 2 full sized windows and built-in bookcases. 5 min walk to Lincoln Park, 10-15 to Union Station, Capitol and Senate buildings, Atlas District, 15-20 to House Buildings, Eastern Market. Rent incl water/sewage. Heather, hamcolvin@yahoo.com or 202-495-8120
Brookland/Catholic Univ: 4 BR, 2.5 BA four story house with semi-finished basement & backyard. W/D, Central AC, dishwasher, parking. 7 minute walk to red line metro (Rhode Island Av). $3000/mo, 1 year lease, security deposit, application & credit check. Available mid-April. Tom and Dee Scriven, 703-403- 5026
JOB OPENING: Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center is looking for a part-time bookkeeper/office manager. Need general office skills, must be organized; experience in or ability to adapt to donor base technology and computer finance recordkeeping. Janet Durig, 202-546-1018