Bible Stories for Kids - A New Heaven and a New Earth

On Thursdays, Pastor Rudiger reads a story to the children who attend the Dancer’s Studio Performing Arts Christian Preschool in Clarion, Pennsylvania. On May 3, he shared with the children the story of John's vision of a new heaven and a new earth. Below is a recording of their time together.

A New Devotion - Love Is Most Important

Here's a new devotion that I wrote. It's based on the passage below. You can find a recording of this devotion at the bottom of the page.

Revelation 2:1-7 [Contemporary English Version]

This is what you must write to the angel of the church in Ephesus:

I am the one who holds the seven stars in my right hand, and I walk among the seven gold lampstands. Listen to what I say.

I know everything you have done, including your hard work and how you have endured. I know you won't put up with anyone who is evil. When some people pretended to be apostles, you tested them and found out they were liars. You have endured and gone through hard times because of me, yet you have not given up.

But I do have something against you! And it is this: You don't have as much love as you used to. Think about where you have fallen from, and then turn back and do as you did at first. If you don't turn back, I will come and take away your lampstand. But there is one thing you are doing right. You hate what the Nicolaitans are doing, and so do I.

 If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. I will let everyone who wins the victory eat from the life-giving tree in God's wonderful garden.

Love Is Most Important

Right now, we’ve taken down most of the Christmas decorations. And that’s given me a little time to start reflecting on how we celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ both at home and in the church. And even though I had a bunch of goals to attain and mistakes to avoid, I sincerely hope that the reason for this season didn’t get buried under the decorations and the presents and the roasted turkey with stuffing. You see, although all this other stuff is meaningful, remembering the simplicity of the birth and the humility of the shepherds and the glory of the Magi must always be most important. As a matter of fact, even if we got all the other stuff right, it’s pretty much irrelevant, if the coming of God’s son gets lost in the shuffle.

And I’ll tell you, that’s exactly what John of Patmos was saying to the church in Ephesus as well as the church in our modern world. You see, although they were getting a lot of it right, somehow, somewhere, they’d forgotten about doing what God commanded us all to do. They just weren’t as loving as they used to be, something I hope is never directed at me or the congregation I serve. And so, let’s intentionally remember that, as we plan the services and teach the classes and maintain the property, what we do will ultimately be judged by the mercy and compassion we show. And with that, let’s move into the new year, remembering that, when you get right down to it, love really is most important.