September marked five years since Stephen’s ordination in Stranraer. In a recent sermon he reflected on some of the reasons that led to him accepting the call to come here, as he preached on a verse that is particularly relevant to the situation of the congregation both then and now. You can listen to the sermon below:
Where the Reformed Church in Scotland falls short
In our morning services, we’re currently working our way through Christ’s letters to the seven churches in Revelation. One of the classic commentaries on Revelation was written by the Scottish Covenanter James Durham and first published shortly after his death at the age of 36.
Of all the seven letters, Durham said that the letter to the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7) was the one that was most relevant to the Covenanted Church in Scotland, and called on his readers to ‘look upon this epistle as if Christ were writing a letter to Scotland’.
He says that Christ’s problem with the Reformed Church in Scotland in his day wouldn’t have been because of their lack of orthodoxy or zeal or outward worship - but a lack of love for God manifested in a lack of love for one another:
‘Wonder not why God quarrels with Scotland; we need not say it is for corruption in doctrine or discipline, nor for our zealous going about it; that was not his quarrel with Ephesus…Neither is it his quarrel with us, but as it was his quarrel with Ephesus, that she was fallen from her first love, so it is with us.
…Our Lord Jesus would never have quarrelled [with] Ephesus nor us for zeal and faithfulness. But…there is a declining love, especially love to God and love to one another, which may be seen in our walking uncharitably and untenderly. A defection in the manner of performing duties; our fasts have not been from a right principle, our censures not in love to the souls of the people; much roughness and untenderness in drawing them forth.
…Therefore look upon this epistle as if Christ were writing a letter to Scotland; and in his letter saying, “for as much purity and zeal as you have, yet you are fallen from your first love; much of your love, warmness and tenderness is away”’.
He says elsewhere that the church in Ephesus was zealous for the external worship of God, but had failed to live out the ‘one anothers’:
‘Though there was zeal in the external Worship of God: yet there was great defect of that love, sympathy and affection of one of them, with and to another, that should be; this being ordinary, that love inflamed toward God, and love one to another, go together: and therefore as it importeth they had fallen from their former warm impressions of love to God, so also from their kindly affection one to another, and had fallen in part to be more in sacrifice, and externals of Worship, than in Mercy and love one to another’.
Durham comments later on that it was likely that the outward state of their church was admired because of purity of their outward worship and the vigour of their discipline, as it is ‘too ordinary for men to think too much of external forms’.
He concludes: ‘Nothing has more influence in procuring judgement than coldness in love to God and others’.
Christ’s Wake-Up Call to the Church
As part of our series on the letters to the seven churches of Revelation, we’re coming this Lord’s Day morning to Jesus’ letter to the church in Ephesus. Here are a couple of resources on the passage, as well as the seven letters more generally.
Love or Die: Christ’s Wake-Up Call to the Church
Love or Die is a whole book devoted to Revelation 2:1-7 by Alexander Strauch. Respected Christian book reviewer Tim Challies says:
“I can think of few books I’ve read recently that have had so immediate an impact on me and have given me so much to think about. I trust, that with God’s help, the implications of this book will be with me always”.
Outside In
This is a 4-part Bible Study course by Reformation Scotland, available free on their website, based around some of the insights of the Scottish Covenanter James Durham. You can watch part 1 below:
The Seven Churches of Asia
This little booklet, based on addresses given by Robert Murray M’Cheyne is available free on Google books.
How to read Revelation
Stephen recently began preaching on the first 3 chapters of the book of Revelation. These chapters contain an introduction, a vision of the Lord Jesus, and letters written by him to seven churches.
There are a number of helpful resources online dealing with both Revelation in general and the seven letters in particular. One very readable commentary on Revelation, which is available to read free online is The Returning King by Vern Poythress (Westminster Theological Seminary). He also has a free study guide with questions on each section.
He gives the following guidance on how to read the book of Revelation:
• Read it prayerfully. Jesus Christ is the source of this Book (Rev. 1:1). He alone can give you spiritual eyes and hearts to understand it. Pray to the Lord that he would interpret this book to your heart.
• Focus on the central theme. Read Revelation to see what it says about God ruling history and bringing it to consummation in Christ. Read for the big picture. Don’t be discouraged when you do not understand some detail. Most people who get into difficulty fail right here. They want to understand the details and to predict future historical pinpricks before they have even begun to absorb the central message. They are doing things the wrong way around. Nobody can properly understand the details of a book without first understanding the main points.
• Be God-centred. Otherwise, you will be like someone who takes holds of a knife by the blade instead of the handle. Or you will be like someone who tries to understand a beautiful painting by looking in a magnifying glass at each blob of paint on the canvas.
• Focus on the hope for the coming of Christ. Watch how the whole book points forward to Christ’s return.
• Let the images “soak into you.” Get involved in the Book. Don’t try to puzzle it out. Enjoy it. Cheer for the saints. Detest the beast. Rejoice in God’s power and glory. Praise the Lamb.
• Pay attention to Old Testament themes and images that are used in a fresh way. The book of Revelation has many allusions to Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah, and the breadth of the Old Testament. Becoming familiar with the Old Testament will help you deepen your appreciation of Revelation, even though the basic message of Revelation comes through to all the servants of Christ.
• Recognise that the central part of the book is a prophetic vision given by God to John. Prophetic visions are full of symbols. They are symbolic representations of spiritual truth, not photographic copies of events.
• Use this book in times of distress, persecution, and death. Christians of all ages testify that it speaks powerfully to people in deep trouble.