Saint Valentine’s Sunday (Revelation 2:8-11)
Gary McManus, 02/09/2020Part of the Life With Jesus is Better series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
February 9, 2020 Saint Valentine’s Sunday
Revelation 2:8-11
From last time: If you’re not sure which is
the right decision or the right way to go because of God’s commandments and God’s will. . .
And why do we struggle with those two?
Because like the Pharisees forgot:
God’s commands FLOW from God’s love
. . .God’s will. God’s love IS God’s will.
That is why Jesus can say:
“Go and learn what this means,
I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” [Hosea 6:6]
What did the Apostle Paul say. . .
(1 Corinthians 13)
February 14th. . .SAINT Valentine’s Day. . .
Saint Valentine, a follower of Jesus. .
270 AD. . .50 years before Christianity
became legal under the Roman Emperor.
Valentine probably died because he was
a follower of Jesus and refused to be
anything except a follower of Jesus. . .
Fast forward 1,000 years plus. . .During the
Reformation. Protestants are leaving
the Catholic Church.
Protestants also quit venerating the Saints. Why?
--because we are all saints
--pray to the saints? why?
So Protestants dropped the idea of saints.
They did so mostly from fear.
SO. . .Saint Valentine, I’m sorry that we in the
21st Century are TOO afraid to celebrate Jesus
in you.
How can we be afraid to celebrate Halloween
AND Saint Valentine? It makes no sense.
Because we are afraid. . .
Are you seeing a theme here?
Where in the Bible might we find love dealing with fear?
The Book of Revelation!
Chapter 1 begins with a blessed reminder
of the love Jesus has for YOU.
Revelation 2:4
“You have forsaken the love you had at first.”
The congregation at Thyatira is more positive. .
Revelation 2:19
I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service
and perseverance, and that you are now doing more
than you did at first.
Rev 2:10 Do not be afraid
There’s a phrase Jesus and the Heavenly Father
have to say to us. . .a LOT!
See Luke 12:32
“Do not be afraid, little flock,
for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
(See below: translation trouble.)
Some topics are uncomfortable
According to the World Health Organization,
there are over one million completed suicides
every year. In the U.S. today there are twice
as many suicides as there are murders.
[For every murder you hear about. . .there
were two suicides in this country!
Hear about Kevin Hines and Don Ritchie. . .
TO you all, a blessed and happy
SAINT Valentine’s Day. . .Amen
--------
Translation trouble?
“Fear the Lord”: Deuteronomy 10:12-22
And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask
of you but to fear the Lord your God,
(132 times)
“Fear not”: Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed,
for I am your God.
(82 times)
With some overlap with “fear not”; “do not fear”(45 times)
See the problem?: Exodus 20:20
Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid.
God has come to test you, so that
the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” Fearing God while being unafraid is quite a trick. Perhaps “fearing God”=awe, divine respect, holy respect, grave respect, even “serious respect”
How does one draw near to God if afraid of God?
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