Revelation 3:14-22

I went to church last Sunday at Alamo City Fellowship in San Antonio (it's about a 40min drive) and it is well worth it (the drive I mean). Pastor David Walker preached on Revelation 3:14-22. There is a lot I could write on this (considering it was an hour long sermon), and maybe if I started taking notes I could do so, but what really stood out to me was his explanation of Rev. 3:20 : "Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and will dine with him and him with Me." Often, Christians will use this verse when sharing their faith and offering an explanation on how to accept Christ (I remember trying to memorize this verse for that purpose), but in the context of the passage, Christ was talking to the church, to the Christians! Christians can become so caught up in themselves, in having the good, easy life with the nice house and nice family that they forget Christ and the suffering he requires of us (Luke 14:33) and put Him to the outside. It was a very thought provoking and challenging message.

For the church-going crowd: do you ever notice the high school and junior high kids during the service and how many of them will constantly chatter and sometimes even get up and leave and then come back? I do, and it really, really bugs me. But at Alamoc City, a big Italian guy with the Mafia accent came up after Pastor David's sermon and called 'em out. (Imagine accent) "How can you teenagers disrespect Pastor like that? Gettin' up and walkin' 'round. How can you disrespect Pastor like that? You should be ashamed." If those weren't the exact words, it was pretty close. I don't think we get called out enough and it's always refreshing when it happens (okay, maybe I wouldn't feel the same if I was the one being called out, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't happen).

After rebuking the youth, he proceeded to pray for the pastor and asked others to do the same, and many men throughout the congregation stood and came to the front and laid hands on Pastor Walker. It was very emotional; never have I seen such love in a congregation like this one. It stirs me up now even as I think about it.

Thanks for reading Doubling Talents, I'm glad you could join me, and I always appreciate it when people leave comments on my blog.
Till next time...
Dan Reiter

"In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."
Luke 14:33

I understand not only that I am something incomplete and dependent upon another, something aspiring indefinitely for greater and greater or better things, but also that the being on whom I depend has in himself all those greater things -- not merely indefinitely and potentially, but infinitely and actually, and thus that he is God.
Meditation Three: Concerning God, That He Exists Rene Descartes