Amen Pastor Sean and Brother Beacon! Let us pray that God's will be done today.
Today's lesson is very pointed. Selfishness is sin, and like the Bereans we are to not to depend upon humanity, but upon God. We read that the disciples of Jesus had great difficulty in moving past what they had been taught in the church, in their homes, and the traditions of their society which was a theocracy in apostasy.
Do we believe we who have been in the church many years, and some since birth are not influenced by false doctrine? Are we different than Israel? We need to take to heart what we have read this morning. Especially when we read what Jesus has said about the last of the seven churches in Revelation.
3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Do we see our continual need of Jesus in order to do any good thing? If not, then the message given to the last of the seven churches applies to us individually and to the church as a whole. Do we understand that the greatest honor and the most weighty trust God has given to us is to partake in the sufferings of Christ? Peter did not understand. None of the disciples did as we read today. They had a lot to learn, and so it is today.
Peter loved his Lord; but Jesus did not commend him for thus manifesting the desire to shield Him from suffering. Peter's words were not such as would be a help and solace to Jesus in the great trial before Him. They were not in harmony with God's purpose of grace toward a lost world, nor with the lesson of self-sacrifice that Jesus had come to teach by His own example. Peter did not desire to see the cross in the work of Christ. The impression which his words would make was directly opposed to that which Christ desired to make on the minds of His followers, and the Saviour was moved to utter one of the sternest rebukes that ever fell from His lips: "Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offense unto Me: for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."
God does not rebuke sin and leave the sinner without hope. When He speaks to His church today, reproving us for being poor, blind, and naked, He also encourages us by telling us what we must do in order to be transformed from selfishness to holiness. "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Rev. 3:18-21.
Gold tried in the fire is faith, saving faith that shines as bright as gold that has been purified by fire. Yes, great trials are God's ordained method to purify our hearts and minds. Are we ready to exclaim that we will glory in tribulations because they work for our good and God's glory as we abide in Christ? If not, then we misunderstand the mission of Christ to this world. God loves us and wants us to experience love, joy, and peace in this world.......today. It is by self surrender that this happens. But, we cannot surrender all we have and all we are until we trust God fully. In order to trust Him, we need to know Him. We need to spend time with Him, reading of His power and love. It is by grace we are saved, grace transforms sinners into saints. Grace surrounds us, but it does no good unless we see it and allow it into the heart. When we do so, then we have purchased the "white raiment" offered to us at such great expense. Yes, the character of our God is not only imputed to repented sinners, but is imparted also. All of the fruits of the Spirit are imparted at conversion, not one is missing.
The last gift offered to us is that which will open blind eyes, the Holy Spirit. He opens our eyes to clearly see the truth about us and our God. He reveals to us that we are evil by nature and can do no good thing until He takes possession of the heart. Though our sins be as scarlet, if we will love Jesus with the whole heart, then our sins will be washed clean, as white as snow. The greatest of all miracles!
As a new year approaches, let us consider taking up Jesus on His offer of gold tried by fire, white raiment, and eye salve. Why not? The love joy and peace that Jesus offers to us it's quite different from what we see in the world today. And not only will we have great joy, so will our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He suffered and died that we might be transformed into His image.