Jesus Isn't Decaf (By Naomi Meyers)

Rising from the rough-hewn table before him, the elderly gentleman stretched his back and flexed his fingers. He’d been sitting there a while. Hunched over pieces of parchment. His fingers wrapped around a quill. His eyes squinting to see in the dimly lit room. The letters were finally written. All seven of them. His heart was filled with mixed emotions. The congratulatory remarks and corrective comments spoke volumes about the state of the churches outside his prison exile. As he contemplated the words he had just recorded, John’s heart bubbled with mixed emotions. The opening sentiment of each letter resounded ominously in his ears, giving him pause, and birthing the impossible desire to deliver the letters in person, “I know everything you do.” (Revelation 2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:1,8,15)

It wasn’t news. Not really. Definitely not new information. The truth that God sees every caper humanity gets up to was not an astonishing revelation. Not to John. Not to the members of the ancient church. It was a story as old as time. First exhibited when Adam and Eve decided to eat the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Further proven when Cain played innocent over Abel’s murder. Echoed through history in the sound of Sarah’s uncovered laughter at God’s promise of a child. Underscored by the prophet Nathan’s scathing rebuke of David’s secret affair with Bathsheba and the ensuing murder of Uriah. And it wasn’t just outward actions God saw. He knew their thoughts. Read their hearts. Saw the state of their souls. He knew when they were obeying on the outside but rebelling on the inside. Like the Pharisees and religious leaders of Jesus’ day. (Genesis 3; 4:8-10; 18:1-15; II Samuel 11:1-12:18)

No one could fault their keeping of the law. They were meticulous. About everything. At least everything one could see. They kept the Sabbath. Fasted regularly. Prayed openly. Gave publicly. They followed the verbiage of the law entirely, even if they left out the spirit of those words. They kept every tradition to the fullest extent and expected others to do the same. Their outer piety was legendary. Until Jesus called it worthless. Meaningless. If they were relying on their good works and proper words to get them to heaven, they were in for a sorrowful surprise. Their hearts were filthy. Underneath all the proper behavior and carefully phrased conversations that had others tricked into believing they were holy, their hearts were filled with greed, selfishness, hypocrisy, and sin. But Jesus wasn’t fooled. He wasn’t confused. He wasn’t taken in by their good works. He looked at their hearts. He saw their attitudes and intentions. He saw the deadly desires buried deep within. He knew them and had cautionary words for their situation. Watch your heart. Know it. Understand that he sin you harbor in your heart will eventually push its way out and become the thing that defiles you. Evil thoughts. Hatred. Adultery. Lying. Slander. Know yourself. Know your heart. Because God already does. He sees you. All of you. Public acts. Audible words. Private thoughts. Secret desires. (Matthew 15:1-20; 27:25-28)

The opening words of the letters to the churches held a similar message. God saw their actions and their circumstances, but He also knew their hearts. He commended them on their endurance and discernment, their faith and boldness, their obedience and strength. He applauded those who were constantly improving in service to God. These were all good things. But for most of the congregations, little things were creeping in. They were tired–physically and spiritually. The battle for their souls, their churches, and their lives was raging on and wearing them out. Exhaustion was winning. Every day seemed like a monumental effort to put one foot in front of the other. They were struggling, and it showed. Their love for God wasn’t as strong as it had been. Their fervor was waning. As a result, their strength to weed out false prophets and teachers had grown soft. They had become permissive. Adopted a “live and let live” philosophy inside God’s church. They had become complacent. Fallen asleep spiritually. Grown cold and indifferent. The parameters God had set for His church to uphold had wobbled, and bits had fallen down. As many good and commendable things as they were doing, they were also struggling. And they needed to tighten up. 

That was the purpose of these letters. John knew it. With every heartbreaking word he penned, with every tear that fell on the parchment, with every direction God spoke, John wished he could be there in person to remind them that God knows everything. What you do. What you think. What you feel. What you allow to take root in your heart and life and church…and why. He wished he could walk among them, sit down with them, personally remind them that God knows the thoughts and intentions of every heart, He sees every action in public or secret, and He will mete out the deserved punishment or reward. Yet there John was, a prisoner, with only a pen to share the words of God with the people of God. Only a prayer that the letters would reach them in time. Only a long shot hope that centuries later, the modern church of God would read those words of God and, being the people of God, would follow the ways of God. Without regret. Without apology. Without alteration. (Revelation 2-3)

In a moment of complete transparency, we must admit it hasn’t happened. In the ensuing centuries, we have often given way to complacency and hypocrisy. We have been tired and lackadaisical, distracted and careless. We have slipped from what we once had. Our dedication to God is often lackluster. Our devotion to Him is lukewarm. The holy fire present in the church of God in the book of Acts is clearly lacking today. We have adopted modern thinking, allowed alleged scholars to tamper with and twist the commands of God. We have become permissive, excusing sin and arrogantly presuming upon the grace of God. We have been happy to hear sermons that give us warm fuzzies, but less than content with ones that don’t. We aren’t looking for truth that comes close and searches our hearts. We are content the way we are. Happy to attend church, do good deeds, and pretend everything is okay. Content to continue believing that if we do all the right things and say all the right words, God will be tricked into believing we still love Him as much as we did at first. Know this now, He won’t. (II Timothy 4:3; II Peter 2:1-3; Matthew 24:11-12; Psalm 139:23-24)

God will not be mocked or tricked, or confused. He never is. He sees everything clearly. All the things you do. All the things you think. All the things you secretly hide in your heart. He knows if you are truly surrendered to Him and His will or if you are simply putting in the actions, speaking all the words, putting up a front like the Pharisees. He knows where your thoughts run in times of turmoil and trouble. He knows the private battle you fight. He is deeply, painfully aware when you choose to give in, give up, give over. And, if you listen, He will speak. To you. Words similar to the ones He sent to the seven churches. Congratulatory commendations. Careful corrections. Words reminding you that He knows everything you do, say, think, and feel. Words that call you to clean up, tighten up, toughen up. Words of love in the form of discipline, because everyone God loves, He disciplines. (Revelation 3:19; Hebrews 12:11; Galatians 6:7; Matthew 7:16-18; II Corinthians 9:6)

In expertly written and beautiful to read words, the Psalmist dutifully reminds us that there is no where we can go or be that will remove us from the sight and presence of God. He knew you would be in this specific place at this specific time in your life. He knows your future as well as He knows your past. Nothing you have done in the past is hidden from Him. Nothing you will do in the future is unknown to Him. The number of days allotted to your earthly existence are already written. God knows their beginning, middle, and end. He knows the events that will fill them. He also knows what fills your heart. Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow. So examine yourself. Determine if you are truly walking with Him, living for Him, submitted to Him. Find out if you are hot or cold spiritually. Know if hypocrisy, complacency, or indifference has begun to infiltrate your heart. Get back into right relationship with Him. Allow Him to give you His presence, peace, strength, and endurance. Ask Him for wisdom and discretion. Embrace obedience. Stand firm against the things that grieve His heart. Remembering this. God knows all the things you do. In public. In private. He searches your thoughts and intentions. He knows the posture of your heart and whether or not it matches the actions you show the world. And He wants to be lord of it all. Every single thing you do. (Psalm 139:1-18; I Corinthians 8;6; II Corinthians 13:5; Lamentations 3:40; James 1:5; Ephesians 6:12-14; I Timothy 6:15; Jeremiah 17:10)