Terry Scheuffele

The Broken Hallelujah:
The Brokenness of This Present Age

Sunday, we will conclude our lesson series on The Broken Hallelujah.  These lessons were intended to be a necessary corrective to an insidious triumphalism that has permeated much of our Christian thinking. This is not a denial that God will not triumph in the end or that Christians will not participate in that victory.  This is a repudiation of an over-realized eschatology that views the Christian life as free from the struggle against sin, suffering, poverty, or any other moral or physical evil.

Check out our church blog (https://boisecoc.org/blog/), or sermon archive (https://boisecoc.org/sermons) for previous articles and sermons from this series.

In this final installation we will examine The Brokenness of this Present Age.

The Brokenness Now

Human Sinfulness, Now

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Psalm 14:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

Separation from God, Now

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

Curse on Creation, Now

Romans 8:20-22 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

Genesis 3:17-19 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

Death and Decay, Now

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:12  Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned–

Suffering and Injustice, Now

Psalm 10:2-4 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. He boasts of the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

Resolution in Eternity

Human Sinfulness, Resolution in Eternity

Revelation 21:27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Separation from God, Resolution in Eternity

Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

Curse on Creation, Resolution in Eternity

Revelation 22:3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.

Death and Decay, Resolution in Eternity

Revelation 21:4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’

Suffering and Injustice, Resolution in Eternity

2 Peter 3:13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’

Please join us!  — Joey

The Broken Hallelujah:

The Brokenness of Wealth

*Throughout human history, wealth has been interpreted as a divine endorsement or a mark of favor. In the Old Testament, prosperity often symbolized God’s covenant blessings. For instance, in Deuteronomy 28:1-14, Moses outlines blessings for obedience, including abundant crops, livestock, and wealth, The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands.  Abraham’s story in Genesis 13:2 describes him as very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold, a direct result of God’s promise (Genesis 12:2-3). Job, despite his trials, begins and ends with great riches—Job 1:3 calls him the greatest man among all the people of the East, and Job 42:12 restores him with double the wealth, underscoring restoration as divine favor. Solomon’s reign in 1 Kings 10:23-27 portrays his unparalleled riches—gold shields, ivory thrones— as evidence of God’s wisdom and blessing (1 Kings 3:13).

This idea continued within other wisdom literature, where the “prosperity of the righteous” was a common theme in Psalms and Proverbs. Psalm 112:3 declares, Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.  Proverbs 10:22 states, The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it.

This belief echoes in other ancient cultures. In Mesopotamian and Egyptian societies, pharaohs and kings amassed wealth as signs of godly favor from deities like Ra or Marduk. In Greco-Roman times, philosophers like Aristotle in his Nicomachean Ethics linked wealth to eudaimonia (flourishing), though not always divinely.

Fast-forward to the Protestant Reformation: John Calvin’s teachings on predestination indirectly fueled the “Protestant work ethic,” where material success indicated election by God, as explored in Max Weber’s The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1905). In America, this evolved into the “American Dream” and, more controversially, the 20th-century Prosperity Gospel movement. Pioneered by figures like Oral Roberts in the 1950s and popularized by televangelists like Kenneth Copeland, it teaches that faith, positive confession, and tithing lead to financial blessings as proof of God’s approval—drawing from verses like Malachi 3:10, Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse… and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven.

Yet, this history sets up a tension with New Testament warnings, like.

1 Timothy 6:3-10 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing. …Men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Is there a contradiction? Not at all. The Old Testament blessings were often corporate, tied to Israel’s covenant, and symbolic of spiritual realities. Wealth could be a blessing (as in Proverbs 13:18, Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored), but it was never the ultimate goal or infallible sign of favor. Job’s story itself challenges this—his suffering proves righteousness isn’t always prosperous (Job 1:1, 21). The New Testament shifts focus: Jesus fulfills the covenant, emphasizing eternal riches over earthly ones. Thus, 1 Timothy 6 doesn’t contradict but completes the picture, warning that in a fallen world, wealth’s pursuit often leads to brokenness, not blessing.

In Greek mythology, King Midas was granted a wish by Dionysus, Midas chose that everything he touched turn to gold. Initially a “blessing,” it became a curse—he couldn’t eat, drink, or embrace his daughter without turning her to gold. This story mirrors how unchecked desire for wealth destroys what truly matters, echoing biblical warnings.

In my lesson Sunday, we will continue our series, The Broken Hallelujah as we examine the brokenness that can come from wealth.

Join us as we learn to praise God in our brokenness……

Joey

* This biblical and historical survey was created 9/26/2025 by a research collaboration with Grok3.

The Broken Hallelujah:

The Brokenness of Suffering

In my current series of lessons, I am discussing The Broken Hallelujah, a phrase derived from the Leonard Cohen song, Hallelujah (see last week’s article, blog, and YouTube sermon). The full title of the series sounds like a research paper topic, but it helps me refine my thought processes—The Broken Hallelujah: Rescuing the Christian Life from the Tyranny of Triumphalism. Below, is a description of Christian Triumphalism gleaned from a synthesis of several internet sources.

Characteristics of Christian Triumphalism

Focus on Victory:

It emphasizes the “victorious Christian life” as an upward trajectory of overcoming sin and achieving righteousness, potentially leading to a performance-based view of faith.

Political and Cultural Engagement:

It views political affairs as central to the Christian life, with a commission to “win the culture wars” and mobilize Christians around a political agenda.

“Kingdom Now” Theology:

This is a belief that the kingdom of God is already fully present, allowing for the immediate realization of all its benefits (e.g., health and wealth), an idea sometimes called over-realized eschatology.

Dominionism:

Some adherents believe God intends Christians to take dominion over the world, leading to the imposition of Christian values on society.

Lack of Humility:

The emphasis on human pride and achievement can result in a lack of humility, self-criticism, and a failure to acknowledge ongoing struggles and sin.

Dangers and Criticisms of Christian Triumphalism

Disregard for Present Suffering:

By overly emphasizing future glory and present victory, triumphalism can overlook the reality of suffering, weakness, and the ongoing spiritual battle in a fallen world.

Inauthentic Faith:

The pressure to appear triumphant can discourage confession of sin and struggles, leading to a crushing burden for those dealing with depression or anxiety.

Pride and Boasting:

It can lead to pride, a sense of self-righteousness, and an assertion of superiority over other groups or beliefs.

Misinterpretation of Scripture:

Critics argue that this approach can be a distorted understanding of biblical passages that actually describe a life characterized by a tension between glory and suffering.

Historical Link to Imperialism:

In historical contexts, triumphalism has been intertwined with political and military conquest and the expansion of Christianity through power and domination.

This series is not intended to address the political or imperialistic dimensions of triumphalism. However, we would be wise to prayerfully consider and evaluate the current surge of Christian Nationalism in a sound theological context.

Below are some hotlinks for those of you who receive the bulletin by email or are reading on our church blog (https://boisecoc.org/blog/). These links will give you more information

What is triumphalism? Should Christians be triumphalists? | GotQuestions.org

Gordon Fee on “Triumphalistic” Theology – Questions That Matter

Balance: Combating Christian Triumphalism | Steve Schramm

Three Dangers of an Over-Realized Eschatology

How Two-Kingdoms Doctrine Helps Political Discourse

Sunday’s message will deal with the Brokenness of Suffering.

Join us as we learn to praise God in our brokenness……

Joey

The Broken Hallelujah

Sunday, I will be starting a brief sermon series entitled, The Broken Hallelujah. The phrase originates with the Leonard Cohen song Hallelujah. In the third verse of the original 1984 release, Cohen sings,

There’s a blaze of light in every word

It doesn’t matter which you heard

The holy or the broken Hallelujah

In the midst of the brokenness of life sometimes all we can offer God is the broken hallelujah, but it is every bit as valid as the triumphal hallelujah. Below is an article written by Fred Smith I ran across years ago; it introduced me to this line of thinking. Fred gave me permission to re-use it. My source is https://thesmithslant.com/cold-brokenhallelujah/. I share his thoughts verbatim.

I think we all like backstories. I especially like the stories behind songs. Did you know Paul McCartney’s original working title for “Yesterday” was “Scrambled Eggs”? Iron Butterfly’s “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” was originally titled “In The Garden of Eden,” but the lead singer was so inebriated he could not pronounce the words – so they left the title the only way he could say it.

Recently, I read the backstory of Leonard Cohen’s song, “Hallelujah,” written and recorded in 1984. Not known as a devout person, it came as a surprise to everyone that Cohen showed up in the studio having written a lyric normally reserved for religious artists. Years later, he said that he had “wanted to push the Hallelujah deep into the secular world, into the ordinary world…”

Cohen went on to say, “The world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled but there are moments when we can transcend…and reconcile and embrace the whole…mess, and that’s what I mean by ‘Hallelujah.’ That regardless of what the impossibility of the situation is, there is a moment when you open your mouth and throw open your arms and you embrace the thing and you just say, ‘Hallelujah! Blessed is the name.’ The only moment that you can live here comfortably in these absolutely irreconcilable conflicts is in this moment when you embrace it all and you say, ‘Look, I don’t understand …. at all – Hallelujah!’ That’s the only moment that we live here fully as human beings.”

His insight completely took me aback. We have all heard sacred words taken in vain or misrepresented but never had I heard a secular artist express such a complete understanding of what I think Scripture means to say Hallelujah.

I was raised in a world where Hallelujah was reserved for those moments at church when emotions were running high and, typically, the music was loud. There were isolated interjections when the pastor hit his stride or the offering had been especially good. A few in the congregation always wanted to say something other than “Amen” so they would throw in a “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!” now and then.

But on the whole, Hallelujah was not something we said outside of church. It was saved for Sunday and spring revivals – and certainly not used in the way as Cohen said: “It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah.”

So how do we as Christians push Hallelujah deep into what Cohen called “the ordinary world”? How can we embrace it all, even when we don’t understand?

Frederick Buechner would say that praise is not offering God compliments but that “we learn to praise by paying attention.” Nothing special. Nothing highly emotional or even calculated. Not waiting for a right moment or place. Hallelujah comes in the most ordinary ways. We say it when we see beauty in the most ordinary things.

Marilynne Robinson would say, “Wherever you turn your eyes the world can shine like transfiguration. You don’t have to bring a thing to it except a little willingness to see.”

Paul would say this is what he meant when he said to give thanks in all things. Life is joyful and people are kind. So we break bread and give thanks. We say Hallelujah. Life is difficult, irreconcilable, messy and painful, but we still break bread and give thanks. We still say Hallelujah.

At times, it may be a cold and broken Hallelujah. It may not be a shout, but we find a way to murmur God is faithful and we can trust him because we are His.

In the Psalms, Hallelujah is often used both to introduce and to conclude a poem. Everything is contained within them. All the glory and the loss. The exultations and the laments. Sorrow and success. The temporal and eternal. Life and death.

Everything is held between two Hallelujahs. I think it’s true of our lives as well and, in the end, I believe we will all sing Cohen’s words:

“I’ll stand before the Lord of Song

With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah.”

* * * * * * *

Join us as we learn to praise God in our brokenness…………… Joey

The Power of Small Groups:

A Biblical Call to House-to-House Faith

In the contemporary world of grand church buildings and large gatherings, it’s easy to overlook the intimate roots of Christianity. Yet the New Testament calls us back to something profound: small groups meeting house to house. As we prepare for this Sunday’s message on The Power of Small Groups, let’s explore Scripture’s blueprint for these gatherings—not as optional add-ons, but as vital for evangelism, growth, and community.

Consider the early church in Acts 2:46-47 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Here, large assembly temple worship complemented home-based fellowship. These house meetings weren’t mere social gatherings; they fueled daily conversions. In homes, barriers dissolve—conversations flow naturally, questions arise authentically, and the Gospel takes root in everyday life.

This pattern persists throughout Acts. Amid persecution, apostles taught “in the temple and from house to house” (Acts 5:42), refusing to cease preaching Christ. Paul echoed this in Acts 20:20, declaring helpful truths publicly and house to house in Ephesus.

Why the emphasis on homes? They foster depth. Romans 16:5 greets “the church in [Priscilla and Aquila’s] house,” while 1 Corinthians 16:19, Colossians 4:15, and Philemon 1:2 highlight similar house churches. These weren’t makeshift; they embodied Jesus’ relational vision, where everyone engages, not just observes.

The benefits are timeless. Small groups build fellowship, as Hebrews 10:24-25 urges: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another.”

In intimate settings, we confess sins and pray for healing (James 5:16), sharpening one another (echoing Proverbs 27:17 in NT community). Evangelism thrives organically—inviting a neighbor for coffee can spark faith, mirroring Acts’ daily growth. Discipleship deepens too: Acts 2:42 shows devotion to teaching and prayer in homes, building the body “in love” (Ephesians 4:16).

Today, amid isolation fueled by screens, small groups combat loneliness with real connection. Stories like Cornelius in Acts 10—gathering kin in his home—or Lydia in Acts 16, whose house became Philippi’s church hub, prove: open doors invite divine movement.

Join us Sunday to dive deeper. Whether you’re in a group or not, Scripture beckons—let’s embrace house-to-house faith for transformation. Making disciples (Matthew 28:19-20) starts small, but its impact echoes eternally.

I’ll say more in my lesson, Joey

Restore to Me the Joy of Your Salvation:

The Source of Our Joy

We all have experienced the waning, if not an occasional loss, of our Christian joy. What can we do when we can no longer find peace or celebrate what once was the greatest joy of our lives?

In Psalm 51, David lost his joy due to un-repented sin (Well, There’s Your Problem); the solution was repentance, ministry, and worship.

Elijah’s Mount Carmel Blues revealed three principles that can help us when we hit lows following spiritual highs: 1) Self care; 2) Spiritual grounding in the character and work of God; and 3) A refocused vision of the future.

Paul warned the Galatians not to Return to Slavery — religious legalism, perfectionism, or traditionalism. His remedy? 1) Stand firm in your freedom; 2) Trust Jesus alone for your righteousness, and 3) Keep in step with the Holy Spirit to avoid the sinful nature.

The church at Ephesus had Lost that Lovin’ Feelin’. Known for their good works, they had lost the one thing that really mattered, love. Jesus explains what they had to do: 1) Remember what it was like when their love was new; 2) Change the dynamics of their behavior; and 3) Do the things they did at first.

The church at Laodicea suffered from ignorance and apathy (I Don’t Know and I Don’t Care). Jesus commanded them to 1) Seek true spiritual wealth; 2) Repent, and accept his chastisement; and 3) Open the door to Jesus and a renewed relationship with him.

The natural reaction to receiving the word of God is joy and fruit bearing. In Matthew 13 (Hearing vs. Fruit Bearing), Jesus said the reception of the word will always be varied because of peoples hearts; callous, shallow, and crowded. Christian joy will always be found in 1) an open heart that is 2) bearing fruit for the master.

The Athenians were preoccupied with anything new (Acts17; Same O’ Same O’). Like them, perhaps the loss of our joy is the result of boredom with the familiar and preoccupation with all things new. Rediscovering the Old, Old Story of Paul’s preaching will help us reclaim our joy!

Sunday, I will conclude this series as we discuss The Source of Our Joy. We began with David in Psalm 51 and we will conclude with Psalm 16.

I’ll say more in my lesson, Joey

Restore to Me the Joy of Your Salvation:

Same O’ Same O’

We all have experienced the waning, if not an occasional loss, of our Christian joy. What can we do when we can no longer find peace or celebrate what once was the greatest joy of our lives?

In Psalm 51, David lost his joy due to un-repented sin (Well, There’s Your Problem); the solution was repentance, ministry, and worship.

Elijah’s Mount Carmel Blues revealed three principles that can help us when we hit lows following spiritual highs: 1) Self care; 2) Spiritual grounding in the character and work of God; and 3) A refocused vision of the future.

Paul warned the Galatians not to Return to Slavery — religious legalism, perfectionism, or traditionalism. His remedy? 1) Stand firm in your freedom; 2) Trust Jesus alone for your righteousness, and 3) Keep in step with the Holy Spirit to avoid the sinful nature.

The church at Ephesus had Lost that Lovin’ Feelin’. Known for their good works, they had lost the one thing that really mattered, love. Jesus explains what they had to do: 1) Remember what it was like when their love was new; 2) Change the dynamics of their behavior; and 3) Do the things they did at first.

The church at Laodicea suffered from ignorance and apathy (I Don’t Know and I Don’t Care). Jesus commanded them to 1) Seek true spiritual wealth; 2) Repent, and accept his chastisement; and 3) Open the door to Jesus and a renewed relationship with him.

The natural reaction to receiving the word of God is joy and fruit bearing. In Matthew 13 (Hearing vs. Fruit Bearing), Jesus said the reception of the word will always be varied because of peoples hearts; callous, shallow, and crowded. . Christian joy will always be found in 1) an open heart that is 2) bearing fruit for the master.

Sunday, my lesson is entitled, Same O’ Same O’. It refers to boredom with the familiar and preoccupation with all things new. My text is Acts 17:16-34 where it is said of the Athenians, “All the  Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas” Acts 17:21.

I’ll say more in my lesson, Joey 

Restore to Me the Joy of Your Salvation:

Hearing Vs. Fruit Bearing

We all have experienced the waning, if not an occasional loss, of our Christian joy. What can we do when we can no longer find peace or celebrate what once was the greatest joy of our lives?

In Psalm 51, David lost his joy due to un-repented sin (Well, There’s Your Problem); the solution was repentance, ministry, and worship.

Elijah’s Mount Carmel Blues revealed three principles that can help us when we hit lows following spiritual highs: (1) Self care; (2) Spiritual grounding in the character and work of God; and (3) A refocused vision of the future.

Paul warned the Galatians not to Return to Slavery — religious legalism, perfectionism, or traditionalism. His remedy? 1) Stand firm in your freedom; 2) Trust Jesus alone for your righteousness, and 3) Keep in step with the Holy Spirit to avoid the sinful nature.

The church at Ephesus had Lost that Lovin’ Feelin’. Known for their good works, they had lost the one thing that really mattered, love. Jesus explains what they had to do: 1) Remember what it was like when their love was new; 2) Change the dynamics of their behavior; and 3) Do the things they did at first.

The church at Laodicea suffered from ignorance and apathy. They were self deluded in their retched state and were lukewarm in their relationship with God (I Don’t Know and I Don’t Care). Jesus commanded them to 1) Seek true spiritual wealth; 2) Repent, and accept his chastisement; and 3) Open the door to Jesus and a renewed relationship with him.

Sunday, my lesson will be taken from Matthew 13. What we have called “The Parable of the Sower” gives us tremendous insight in how hearing the word of God relates to fruit bearing and how fruit bearing relates to our Christian joy.

I’ll say more in my lesson, Joey

Restore to Me the Joy of Your Salvation:

I Don’t Know and I Don’t Care

How can we deal with the waning, if not an occasional loss, of our Christian joy? It is devastating when we can no longer find peace or celebrate what once was the greatest joy of our lives!

In Psalm 51, David lost his joy due to un-repented sin (Well, There’s Your Problem); the solution was repentance, ministry, and worship.

Elijah’s Mount Carmel Blues revealed three principles that can help us when we hit lows following spiritual highs: (1) self care; (2) spiritual grounding in the character and work of God; and (3) a refocused vision of the future.

Paul’s warning in Galatians of a Return to Slavery has a modern analog, i.e., Christian freedom vs. religious legalism, perfectionism, and traditionalism. These three threaten our joy. Paul encourages us to 1) stand firm in our freedom; 2) trust Jesus alone for our righteousness, and 3) keep in step with the Holy Spirit to avoid the sinful nature.

In Revelation 2, Jesus tells the church in Ephesus they had “forsaken your first love” (You Lost that Lovin’ Feelin’). This describes a church that was known for their good works and perseverance. In all their hard work, religious polemic, and righteous endurance, they had lost the one thing that really mattered, love. Jesus explains what they had to do: 1) Remember what it was like when their love was new; 2) Change the dynamics of their behavior; and 3) Do the things they did at first.

Sunday, we will look at another church Jesus addressed in Revelation.

The church at Laodicea was described as “lukewarm– neither hot nor cold.” Their first problem was apathy. On a love/hate continuum of their relationship with God, their response was “meh.” Again, using the analogy of marriage, this is the death-knell—you just don’t care anymore. It’s easy to see how this would lead to a joyless faith.

Their second problem was ignorance. Or perhaps, more accurately expressed, self-delusion. In their material prosperity, they believed they were in need of nothing or no one. Perhaps, this is the root cause of their apathy toward God.

Jesus has some very harsh things to say to them about their condition.

You might legitimately ask why those who were so apathetic would care about having no Christian joy. Maybe the issue was that, in their ignorance, they thought their wealth brought them joy. Unfortunately, such dependence upon circumstances will eventually lead to the wretchedness Jesus described.

I’ll say more in my lesson, Joey

Restore to Me the Joy of Your Salvation:

You Lost that Lovin’ Feelin’

In Restore to Me the Joy of Your Salvation we are discussing the waning, if not an occasional loss, of our Christian joy. How tragic it is when we can no longer find peace or celebrate what once was the greatest joy of our lives!

We’ve discussed Psalm 51 and David’s loss of joy due to unrepented sin (Well, There’s Your Problem) and the solution: repentance, ministry, and worship.

We’ve examined Elijah’s Mount Carmel Blues and distilled three principles from his story that can help us when we hit lows following spiritual highs: (1) self care; (2) spiritual grounding in the character and work of God; and (3) a refocused vision of the future.

Galatians 5:1-6 gave us insight into an ancient problem that has a modern analog, i.e., Christian freedom vs. religious legalism, perfectionism, and traditionalism. These three form a deadly trifecta that threaten a Return to Slavery of law (the Torah and Stoichea) and thus threaten our joy. Galatians encourages us to 1) stand firm in our freedom; 2) trust Jesus alone for our righteousness, and 3) keep in step with the Holy Spirit to avoid the sinful nature.

Sunday, we will be studying the letter to the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2:1-7,

Immediately, in the text we are confronted with Jesus’ knowledge of his church and followers, “I know your deeds, hard work and perseverance.” It is both scary and comforting to know that Jesus is intimately aware of the details of our life and ministry. Ephesus is a working church; he knows their hard work and sacrifice.

Jesus knows their intolerance for wicked, false teachers and prophets and that they have tested them. They have been faithful to contend earnestly for the true faith.

Jesus knows how they suffered and endured hardships for his name and not grown weary.

With all of those praises, you would think the report would be all positive, but it is not. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. In all their hard work, religious polemic, and righteous endurance, they had lost the one thing that really mattered, love.

At the beginning of our faith we possessed an incredible joy tied to our wholehearted love for God, but like Israel something happened. Our joy waned and our love began to grow cold.

Jeremiah 2:2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: “‘I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert, through a land not sown. “

How can we bring back that lovin’ feelin’?

I’ll say more in my lesson, Joey