Sermons About Life
The Essence of Love (John 3 16-17) 10-18-09
Exploring the wonder of the love of God that comes through Jesus Christ.
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The Church in Smyrna: Revelation 2:8
The church in Smyrna was made up of poor people who had endured many hardships. Jesus, the First and the Last, who defeated death, knows their tribulation, poverty, and the slander from the Jews that they have endured. Jesus tells them that he hears them, and yet they continue suffering. Not only does he call the church to not be afraid, he calls them to be faithful by treasuring him above all else, even to the point of death. He promises that the sufferings we experience right now, no matter how heavy they are, will one day seem light and momentary compared to the glory that he holds in store for his people. He suffered to end our suffering. He suffered so that no matter how much we have suffered at death, it is over. We will have an eternity with him.
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God wants to say yes
When Jesus tells us to, "Ask, and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you..." what does He mean? Can that possible mean that God wants us to have what we want? All we have to do is ask? Well, sort of, the catch is that God wants us to ask Him for the things He is already doing, for Kingdom impact. He wants us to seek after intimacy with Him, and he wants us to knock on the door of heaven as week seek to be aliens here on earth. When what we want becomes what the Father wants, we finally understand the context for this promise.
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