By way of introduction to the letter today, I want to take a look at the first two verses, and then look at the message of the letter. We will consider: (1) the author, (2) the recipients, (3) the greeting, (4) the message. What is interesting about the church in Ephesus is that even though it had an amazing history, the final mention in Revelation 2:1-7 about this great church is that they “lost their first love.” Sadly, as you look at the ruins of Ephesus you see that they never got their first love back. Have you lost your first love? Has your love for Jesus grown cold? Let’s pray for our love for Christ to be rekindled in this series.
Rejoice, for your father has an unbreakable grasp of you. God the Father has planned this adoption; God the Son has made this adoption possible; and God the Spirit has applied it to our hearts. May the truth of adoption radically motivate us, and personally sustain us, as we seek to care for the least of these.
When we hear the gospel there are 3 questions we must answer. One, who is Jesus? Two, What did Jesus come to do? Three, what does Jesus call us to do? These are basic fundamental questions that everyone must answer.
A father with two different sons, with one great need: the gospel. That’s what this parable is teaching. It’s amazing how much theology is packed into this story! God, man, sin, Christ, grace, repentance, heaven, kingdom: All here! Many want to divide the world into “bad” guys, and “good” guys. But Jesus says no. There are three ways. Bad guys, those who think they’re good (and in no need of repentant) and those who repent and have life. Let’s spread the gospel of grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone for the sake of the younger and elder brothers in our congregations, and when they repent, let’s party. Do you know this God? Will you come home?
We are in a short series on the nature of our mission at IDC called “Love Your Neighbor.” We see that command in this popular story typically referred to as “The Good Samaritan.” Part of the problem with talking about “love” is that people have a misunderstanding about what love is. But the Bible cuts threw the confusion. John, for example, says in 1 John 3:16a, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us” For the Christian, we don’t have to guess at what love is. It’s not mystical, philosophical, nor just “being nice” (whatever that means). It’s about the cross of Jesus. I like to describe love as: A passion that leads to action. Jesus’ (com)passion lead him to act. He just didn’t say he loved us, or had compassion and mercy, he demonstrated it.
