Looking Forward to 2019

Revelation 2:1 NASB95

1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

Today we want to take a look at these letters as visions for our new year. Jesus is giving feedback to 7 churches who have 1 distinct purpose. Jesus is here reflecting, exhorting and encouraging them concerning how they have been doing fulfilling that purpose.

Notice how Jesus describes his relationship to the Churches and how he sees them. This must color to how you see yourself. Jesus is among “his people” The Church is a lamp stand - giving light to the world in which it exists. We often talk about what it is supposed to be, what we are supposed to be, but we don’t often talk about if we can know if a person or a congregation is the “lampstand” they are supposed to be? He is present with His people. He is not absentee or uncaring unless something is going on. He is an attentive gardener, shepherd.

We looked at 2 of the churches last week, lets continue looking at the final 5 doing the same technique as last week. I will split up the group so that individuals are looking at different churches at the same time.

Pull apart what is on the handout on the board then pass out the handout

If we were to look at the information here we should come to a specific vision that Christ has for his people.

The picture painted here is of a distinct path walked that bears distinct witness to God in the world. A community of these “distinct light path-walkers” should be those that overcome the darkness and bear witness. When the distinct light path-walkers meet it should be a ton of light coming together and when we leave from gathering it should be dispersed into the world.

We have a bad habit of snuffing our wicks when we go into the world and only lighting them up again when we come together. Take the popular passage.

And they devoted themselves to...

the apostles teaching

fellowship

breaking of bread

prayer

These are light giving, producing, intensifying exercises