Pure Faith

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Jesus Unveiled

Pure Faith

(Revelation 2:12-17)

 

INTRODUCTION

“I grew up in a China that had been ravaged by two centuries of European and American adventuring, and then by World War II and a brutal civil war. We lived in Nanjing, which was then the nation's capital, but there were few good schools to go to, so at the age of five I found myself setting off by plane to a boarding school in Shanghai.

 

Obviously, the conditions behind the decision to send me out at that age were extreme, and I was not the only one launched on that path so young. But it was the first time in my life that I had been away from my parents and on my own. So, to give me a constant reminder of the North Star of the faith at the center of our family life, my father had searched for two small, smooth, flat stones and painted on them his life motto and that of my mother. For many years those two little stones were tangible memos in the pockets of my gray flannel shorts that were the uniform of most English schoolboys in those days. In my right-hand pocket was my father's motto, ‘Found Faithful,’ and in my left-hand pocket was my mother's, ‘Please Him.’

 

Many years have passed since then, and both of those little painted stones were lost in the chaos of escaping from China when Mao Zedong and the People's Army eventually overran Nanjing, returned the capital to Beijing and began their iron and bloody rule of the entire country. But I have never forgotten the lesson of the little stones. Followers of Jesus are called to be "found faithful" and to "please him," always, everywhere and in spite of everyone and everything.”

 

Os Guinness, Impossible People (InterVarsity Press, 2016)

 

http://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2016/september/5092616.html.

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Compromising my speed

        • When we were living in Ohio and I was the local director of CEF, I would travel to various churches and worship with them as a way to develop relationships

        • One day, we were traveling to a church and I was following another vehicle

        • I wasn’t paying attention to the speedometer until a state trooper passed us going the other direction

        • It was then that I looked down at my speedometer and realized that I was going over the speed limit

        • I looked in my rearview mirror to see the state trooper turning around and turning on her lights

        • I immediately pulled over and waited for her (Yes, I got a ticket)

        • I was not consciously speeding, but I had compromised my speed by simply following the person in front of me

        • I suffered the consequences of compromising, by having to pay a speeding ticket

    • Least favorite saying

        • “It’s easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission.” ​​ (Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper)

        • While that saying may work in some situations, I feel like our culture has misused it in order to do whatever they want

        • The idea is that, “if I get caught doing something wrong, I will ask for forgiveness, but if I don’t get caught than it was alright for me to do.”

        • This is another way our culture compromises some moral and ethical principles

  • WE

    • Compromise can be good

        • I want us to think for a moment about a time when you compromised for a good reason

        • Perhaps it was so our children could enjoy their favorite food

        • Maybe it was so our spouses could watch their favorite kind of movie or TV show

        • We may compromise doing something for ourselves in order to help a classmate with homework

        • There are all kinds of ways that we compromise that are good

    • Compromise can be bad

        • When we compromise our covenant with our spouse in order to participate in an emotional or physical affair

        • As an addict (drugs, alcohol, food, sex, pornography, etc.), we may compromise just once, which leads to more than just once, and we’re addicted once again

        • We may even compromise the truths of God’s Word and justify it by saying, “Well, everyone else is doing it, even my Christian friends.” ​​ (living together before marriage, premarital sex, pornography, gossip, lying, cheating, hatred in our hearts, etc.)

 

Jesus wants us to understand from the letter to the believers at Pergamum that we need to remain . . .

 

BIG IDEA – Faithful among the faithless.

 

They were complimented for doing that in one scenario, but criticized for not doing it in another.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Revelation 2:12-17)

    • Pergamum

        • Pergamum was the capital city of the Roman province of Asia Minor

        • It was north of Smyrna and east of the Aegean Sea

        • It was built on cone-shaped hill a thousand feet high

        • Its name in Greek (Pergamon) means “citadel”

          • There was a citadel that sat on top of the hill and housed both royal and sacred buildings

          • The most breathtaking part of the citadel was the altar to Zeus that basically sprung from the top of the mountain

        • Pergamum had a library that included 200,000 volumes, which was second only to Alexandria, Egypt

        • Religion flourished in Pergamum

          • They were the center of worship for the four main pagan cults of the day (Zeus, Athene, Dionysos, and Asklepios)

          • Asklepios was the god of healing and this shrine attracted great attention from all over the world – people came there for medical treatment

          • The symbols used for Asklepios were a serpent and a staff (show picture of the Rod of Asklepios)

          • Most of us are familiar with the Staff of Hermes (show picture of the Staff of Hermes) as it pertains to medicine

          • I’m reminded of Moses and the bronze snake in Numbers 21:4-9 (the Israelites who were bitten by the poisonous snakes would survive is they looked at the bronze snake on a pole – this was God’s plan to save them)

        • We see that Christianity had many competitors in Pergamum and that had created some problems for them

    • Characteristic of the Sender (v. 12)

        • This letter is again written to the angel of the church

        • The characteristic of Jesus that is highlighted here is also found in Rev. 1:16b

        • The sharp double-edged sword

          • In the Roman empire, the type of sword being referred to would have been the Thracian broadsword (show picture of a Thracian broadsword)

          • This sword represented Roman justice and became a symbol of their might

          • They would use it to bring about justice within the empire

        • ATTRIBUTES – Jesus is sovereign and just

          • The fact that Jesus is characterized as having this sharp double-edged sword coming out of his mouth is important

          • “The sword is the Word of God. ​​ Because it is God’s Word, it is true and trustworthy, inerrant and infallible. ​​ And here it is coming from the mouth of Christ! ​​ His Word is authoritative and sure.” ​​ [Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition, Revelation, 57]

          • We see this in Isaiah’s prophecy . . . but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. ​​ He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. ​​ (Isaiah 11:4)

          • The writer of Hebrews also mentions the authoritative power of God’s Word

          • Hebrews 4:12, For the word of God is living and active. ​​ Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

          • As we’ll see in verse 16, if the believers in Pergamum do not repent, Jesus will bring justice through the Word of God – He will speak truth

            • Jesus has the right to rule and rules rightly (sovereign)

            • He is also just, which means that He judges fairly, He always makes the right decision

        • Jesus has some good things to say about the church in Pergamum – they have remained faithful among the faithless

    • Compliment to the Recipients (v. 13)

        • Faithless

          • The Greek word for “live” suggests a permanent residence and not something temporary (these believers were committed to living in Pergamum regardless of the danger or the cost to them personally)

          • Jesus knew that the believers in Pergamum lived in a culture that was controlled by Satan

          • He recognized that Satan had his throne there

            • Satan was alive and well in Pergamum and he was using multiple avenues to control the people there

            • The four main pagan cults were represented there

            • But most scholars agree that the throne of Satan is represented by the fact that Pergamum was the official cult center of emperor worship in Asia

            • They had built a temple to Augustus in 29 B.C. and a second temple was built during the time of Trajan

            • They were fiercely loyal to Rome and to the worship of the Emperor

            • As the capital city of Rome in Asia Minor, Satan had established his presence there through the governing authorities

            • ‘The imperial cult [is] the major problem behind Revelation as a whole . . .” [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 141]

          • Satan not only had his throne there, but also lived there

          • Under this incredible pressure from outside the church, the believers remained faithful

        • Faithful

          • The believers in Pergamum remained true to Jesus’ name

            • Multiple versions of the Bible translate “remained true” as “hold fast” (KJV, NKJV, ESV, NASB, RSV)

            • “The verb means to ‘grasp forcibly’ or, in this figurative use, to ‘remain firm.’” ​​ [Osborne, 141]

            • The believers were not about to let go of their faith in Jesus

          • They did not renounce their faith in Jesus

            • There was pressure from their neighbors, I’m sure, to show their loyalty to the Roman state

            • They were probably being pressured to burn incense to the emperor and declare that “Caesar is Lord,” or that Caesar was Savior

            • I’m sure they felt even more pressure when Antipas was martyred

              • This is the only place in the New Testament where Antipas is mentioned, so we don’t know much about him

              • What we do know is from Jesus and His description of him – he was a faithful witness

              • He had remained true to the Gospel even to the point of death

              • What Jesus was encouraging the believers in Smyrna to endure, Antipas had already endured – death

            • Perhaps Christians in other parts of the Roman world had folded under that kind of pressure, but Jesus commends the believers in Pergamum for remaining strong through it all

        • PRINCIPLE – God gives His people the power to remain faithful in a faithless society.

          • “In The Global War on Christians, respected author and journalist John Allen notes that ‘80% of all acts of religious discrimination in the world today are directed against Christians’ (Allen Global War, 33). ​​ When it comes to deaths, ‘90% of all people killed on the basis of religious beliefs in the world today are Christians.’” ​​ [Akin, 59]

          • While we certainly haven’t dealt with martyrdom in our community, there are other ways in which we are persecuted and have to remain faithful

            • Societal, Institutional, Employment, and Legal discrimination

              • God’s Not Dead movies highlight institutional discrimination

              • Children and teens being told they cannot pray for their meal at school or read their Bible during study hall

            • Violence against individual Christians

            • Suppression of Christian missions, conversion to Christianity, and corporate worship (pastors in Houston, TX being subpoenaed to turn over their sermons to the mayor)

            • Forced conversion from Christianity

            • Community oppression

          • More of this is on the way for Christians in the United States

          • The great thing is that God gives us His power to hold fast to His name and to not renounce our faith even when persecution comes

          • We can remain faithful among the faithless.

        • While the believers in Pergamum remained faithful during external attacks, some of them did not remain faithful during internal attacks

        • Satan was unable to defeat the believers with a frontal attack, so he used a more devious tactic and that was what Jesus had against them

    • Criticism of the Recipients (vv. 14-15)

        • The believers in Pergamum did the opposite of the believers in Ephesus – they accepted these false teachers instead of testing them and rejecting them [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 38]

        • Those in the church, who held to the teachings of the Nicolaitans, were doing the same thing that Balaam did with Balak and the Moabites and Midianites

          • Most scholars believe that the teachings of the Nicolaitans were the same as that of Balaam from the Old Testament – idolatry and sexual immorality

          • The story of Balaam and Balak is found in Numbers 22-24

          • Balak, king of Moab, sent for Balaam, a Gentile prophet

          • After consulting with the Lord, Balaam refused to go with them

          • Balak sends for Balaam a second time and God tells him he can go, but he can only do and say what God tells him

          • Balak asks Balaam three times to curse the Israelites, but Balaam is unable to do that because the Israelites are blessed by God

          • Satan’s frontal attack through Balak did not work, so he used more deceptive ways to bring down the Israelites

          • Numbers 25:1-3, While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. ​​ The people ate and bowed down before these gods. ​​ So Israel joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor. ​​ And the Lord’s anger burned against them.

          • So what was Balaam’s part in teaching the Moabites and Midianites?

            • We see in Numbers 31 the Lord’s vengeance on the Midianites

            • It’s here that we find out Balaam’s part in tempting the Israelites to compromise

            • Numbers 31:15-16, “Have you allowed all the women to live?” ​​ he asked them. ​​ “They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the Lord in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the Lord’s people.”

            • So, Balaam told the Midianites how to entice the Israelites to sin against the Lord and bring about God’s punishment on them

        • There were believers in the church at Pergamum who were holding to the teachings of the Nicolaitans

          • They were misleading the church into thinking that worshiping the emperor, participating in guild banquets, and practicing sexual immorality were alright

          • It was a subtle distortion, that the violation of conscience was fine [Easley, 39]

          • What identified this subtle distortion was compromise and accommodation

            • This was a difficult city to live in and remain spiritually pure

              • They were constantly being bombarded with festivals and feasts to the various gods

              • There was a three-day festival in the spring to Dionysus [Osborne, 144]

              • There was a procession to Dionysia in March [Osborne, 144]

              • The month of May brought the feast to Aphrodite (the goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation), which included, as you can imagine, sexual immorality [Osborne, 144]

            • “On the theological level, compromise with the imperial cult to save one’s life and compromise with the pagan activities of trade guilds to save one’s livelihood are all of one piece (cr. 13:17); they represent accommodation to the world at the expense of one’s total devotion to God’s standards.” ​​ [Keener, The NIV Application Commentary, Revelation, 125]

            • What was happening is that the believers in Pergamum were trying to serve God, but they allowed, what the culture said was alright, to determine how they lived their lives

            • They were neglecting the truth of God’s Word as presented by the Apostle Paul, Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. ​​ Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. ​​ (Romans 12:2)

            • They had also forgotten the warning from James, You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? ​​ Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. ​​ (James 4:4)

            • What the believers in Pergamum were struggling with was spiritual adultery

              • They wanted to be in a relationship with Jesus Christ, but they also wanted to enjoy the benefits of the imperial cult and the trade guilds

              • They were struggling with syncretism – trying to merge differing religious beliefs into one (perhaps taking the best of every religion and adding it to their belief system)

              • Theirs was not a pure faith

        • Application

          • We struggle with the same desires as the believers in Pergamum

          • Some of us may bend to the wishes of the federal, state, and local governments in order to avoid persecution

          • Others of us may compromise God’s standards in order to satisfy our own desires and to be accepted by those in our family, school, work, or neighborhood

            • We justify living together before marriage, because it will help us out financially

            • We give in to the temptation to have sex before marriage, because all of our friends are doing it and we are going to get married anyhow, so what will it hurt

            • Paul makes it clear in 1 Corinthians 5-7 that for Christians, sexual relationships are only to be enjoyed within the bonds of marriage

            • We justify looking at pornography, because of a false belief that it isn’t hurting anyone, yet Jesus sets the standard higher for adultery when He says, But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ​​ (Matt. 5:28)

            • Jesus also raise the bar when it comes to murder, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ ​​ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. (Matt. 5:21-22a)

          • We may even compromise our standards in order to save our job or livelihood

            • Tax season is in full swing and we may sometimes do certain things in order to avoid paying taxes

            • Jesus told the Pharisees to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s (Mark 12:17)

          • Our culture wants us to believe that certain lifestyles are acceptable and natural or that human life begins at birth instead of conception

          • In the past there was the belief that certain skin colors were somehow inferior to others

          • The gossip trail can be long, because we enjoy juicy details and have our own opinions that we have to share

          • Our culture, without God, will always try to push the envelope of what is acceptable

          • “Compromise is one of Satan’s favorite and most effective weapons. ​​ This is so for at least four reasons:” ​​ [Akin, 61]

            • It never occurs quickly, so you hardly notice the change

            • It always lowers the original standards you once held important

            • It is seldom offensive because it is perceived as loving

            • It eventually leads you to accept what you once rejected and even thought repulsive. ​​ It has been well said that what one generation tolerates, the next generation will accept; what that generation accepts, the next generation will celebrate.

        • Jesus commands the believers in Pergamum to push back against the culture – to remain faithful among the faithless

    • Command to the Recipients (v. 16)

        • Repent

          • To repent means to “change” our previous ways, both spiritually and ethically – it is a 180 degree turn from our sin to following Jesus Christ and God’s standards

          • How about you?

            • Perhaps you’ve compromised in some way with the culture of our day

            • You’ve allowed the beliefs of our culture to change your thinking and lifestyle to something that’s less than God’s standard

            • It’s not too late to repent

            • 1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness

            • As a follower of Jesus Christ this promise is for you

            • He will give you the power to be faithful among the faithless

            • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Claim God’s promise that He will forgive me when I repent and confess my sins to Him.

              • Once you have done that, I encourage you to return to God’s standard as outlined in His Word

              • Find someone that can hold you accountable to your commitment

          • As the body of Christ

            • Jesus was not only asking individuals in the church to repent, He was asking the entire church to repent

            • They had to change their minds about allowing the teaching of the Nicolaitans to continue within the church

            • They had not done what the church in Ephesus had done

            • The believers in Ephesus hated the teachings of the Nicolaitans and didn’t allow it to spread within the church

            • Corporate repentance is important as well

            • God promise to forgive is available for the body of Christ also

            • 2 Chronicles 7:14, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

          • We have a free will and can decide whether or not to heed God’s warning

          • Jesus understood that about the church in Pergamum, but He also explained the consequences of refusing to repent

        • Refusal to repent

          • The believers repentance meant they needed to deal with the heretical teachers and their followers

            • It wasn’t just saying they were sorry that they allowed this false teaching to infiltrate the church, but it was taking action to eliminate from the body

            • “The church cannot tolerate evil in any form. ​​ To the boastful Corinthians, proudly tolerating a man guilty of incest, Paul wrote, ‘Your boasting is not good. ​​ Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? ​​ Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened’ (1 Cor. 5:6-7). ​​ Sinning believers should be made to feel miserable in the fellowship and worship of the church by being confronted powerfully with the Word of God. ​​ Neither is the goal of the church to provide an environment where unbelievers feel comfortable; it is to be a place where they can hear the truth and be convicted of their sins so as to be saved (Rom. 10:13-17). ​​ Gently (cf. 2 Tim. 2:24-26), lovingly, graciously, yet firmly, unbelievers need to be confronted with the reality of their sin and God’s gracious provision through the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ. ​​ Error will never be suppressed by compromising with it. ​​ Today’s nonconfrontive church is largely repeating the error of the Pergamum church on a grand scale, and faces the judgment of the Lord of the church. ​​ (Revelation 1-11, 90) ​​ [John MacArthur cited by Akin, 62-63]

            • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Gently, lovingly, graciously, and firmly confront those in the church who are sinning, whether they are believers or unbelievers.

          • Jesus would come to the church and fight against those who were holding to the teachings of the Nicolaitans

            • Jesus switches from the second-person pronoun, “to you,” to the third-person pronoun, “to them”

            • What this communicates is that Jesus will be coming to the whole church – “to you” ​​ [Osborne, 146]

            • It also communicates that His wrath will be especially directed to the heretical teachers and their followers – “to them” ​​ [Osborne, 146]

          • He would come with the sword of His mouth

            • He would come to judge

            • He would use the truths of God’s Word to accomplish that judgment

        • Jesus realized that some within the church would heed His command to repent, so He explains His commitment to those who overcome/conquer

    • Commitment to all who Overcome (v. 17)

        • Jesus promises two things to those who conquer the desire to compromise – to those who remain faithful among the faithless

        • Both of these symbols represent eternal life – one is Jewish in nature (hidden manna), the other is Gentile (white stone)

        • Two items

          • Hidden manna

            • God sustained the Israelites in the desert with manna from heaven

            • He will sustain His faithful followers through suffering when they refuse to compromise

          • White stone with a new name written on it

            • A white stone was used in the ancient pagan world as an entrance token to public assemblies and festivals

            • This would have spoken volumes to anyone living in Pergamum, because of the numerous pagan feasts and festivals

            • The white stone that Jesus is giving to those who overcome would have been symbolic of the messianic banquet celebration that is still to come in the eschaton (Rev. 19:9)

  • YOU

    • We have to repent of our sins, both individually and corporately

  • WE

    • We have to lovingly and graciously confront those who are sinning within the church and leading others to do the same

12

 

/by

The Victor’s Crown

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Jesus Unveiled

The Victor’s Crown

(Revelation 2:8-11)

 

INTRODUCTION

“If you become an evangelical Christian in Laos, the communist neighbor of Vietnam and Cambodia, you likely will be "asked" to sign a fill-in-the-blank form. And it's not a membership card at your neighborhood church.

 

The form reads, in part

 

I, (name), who live in (location), believe in a foreign religion, which the imperialists have used for their own benefit to divide the united front and to build power for themselves against the local authorities. Now I and my family clearly see the intentions of the enemy and regret the deeds which we have committed. We have clearly seen the goodness of the Party and the Government. Therefore, I and my family voluntarily and unequivocally resign from believing in this foreign religion.

 

If you sign, you promise not to participate in this "foreign religion"—Christianity in every reported case—under punishment of law. If you don't sign, you can expect humiliation, harassment, and persecution, including probable imprisonment and torture.

 

The document's widespread use by Laotian officials has been authenticated by the World Evangelical Fellowship's Religious Liberty Commission and other sources. Hundreds of rural Christians reportedly have been forced to sign the form in public, then compelled to participate in animistic sacrifices.”

 

Baptist Press (10-9-00 article); submitted by Ken Taylor, New Orleans, Louisiana

 

[http://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2001/february/12881.html].

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Poor or Rich

        • Judy and I are frugal and we watch our spending pretty carefully

        • We are great window shoppers – we can look at stuff without feeling like we have to buy it

        • Our boys have said over the years that we are poor

          • The reason they feel that way is because of how we communicated our desire to be frugal

          • We would tell them that we didn’t have the money to buy a particular item or do a particular activity

          • It wasn’t that we didn’t have the money, but that we were choosing not to spend it on those things

          • Wade was reading a book several years ago about budgeting and finances and the author said that many times, as parents, we tell our children we don’t have the money, but the reality is we don’t want to spend our money that way

          • The author recommended that instead of saying, “we don’t have the money,” that we should explain to our children that we don’t want to spend our money that way

          • This would have a alleviated the misconception that our boys had, that we were poor

          • We let our boys know, now, ​​ that we have the money, but are choosing not to spend it that way

        • Statistically, compared to the rest of the world, we are rich

        • There are times when we have struggled financially

    • Financial struggles

        • After moving back to Ohio from Florida, there was a period of time when I did not have a job

          • We had been putting Judy’s salary away into savings and living off my income while she was expecting Wade

          • So, we had a nice savings account that we would be able to use while she stayed at home with Wade and I worked

          • The only problem was I didn’t find a job right away and we had to live off of our savings for several months

          • It didn’t take long for our savings to diminish

          • We weren’t worried, because we knew that God had put the desire in our hearts to save her salary and live off mine

          • He knew what the future held and was preparing us for that

        • Medical bills

          • We ended last year and started this year with some medical visits to the ER and the cardiologist that were unexpected

          • It doesn’t take long to accumulate some significant medical bills

          • We realize that none of this came as a surprise to God and we are trusting Him to provide

        • We may look at these financial struggles as suffering

          • But, we certainly have not suffered like believers in Laos or like the church in Smyrna

          • They were suffering much greater things

          • It’s sometimes difficult for us to relate to the suffering that believers experience in other parts of the world where Christianity is not accepted

 

  • WE

    • Not really suffering

        • We may get picked on at school, if we even dare to let anyone know that we are a Christian, but we certainly aren’t in danger of being kicked out of school or losing our life (some students have given their lives instead of denying Jesus Christ)

        • We may get ridiculed at work, but in most cases we don’t lose our job or fear for our lives

        • We may be ostracized in our community because of our faith in Jesus, but we certainly aren’t kicked out of our houses or concerned that someone will kill us

    • More suffering is coming

        • We are being told today that our Judeo-Christian beliefs are wrong

          • The media and others are saying that our beliefs are dangerous

          • They are telling the culture that we are evil

          • This is all a part of Isaiah’s prophecy

          • Isaiah 5:20, Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

        • There is a verbal war that is raging in our culture where Christians are being called bigots, intolerant, and homophobes

          • Christians are labeled as antichoice, antidiversity, antigay, anti-inclusion, and anti-intolerance

          • From these labels we can expect economic boycotts, governmental restrictions, and social ostracism [Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, 48]

          • We don’t have to look very far to see these kinds of things already happening (Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of since-closed Sweet Cakes by Melissa in Portland, Oregon – $135,000 fine for refusing to make a cake for a same-sex wedding)

        • While we currently don’t fear for our lives, that day will probably come sooner than later and when that happens, we can find hope and comfort from Jesus’ words to the church in Smyrna

 

In the letter to Smyrna, Jesus wants us to understand that . . .

 

BIG IDEA – Because He has overcome, we can overcome.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Revelation 2:8-11)

    • Smyrna

        • Of the seven cities mentioned in Revelation, only Smyrna still exists today as the modern city of Izmir, Turkey

        • Smyrna’s geography

          • It was 35 miles north of Ephesus

          • It was on the eastern shore of the Aegean Sea and had a harbor that supported its import-export industry

          • Mt. Pagus rose 500 feet above the harbor and looked down over it

            • There was a famous thoroughfare that encircled Mt. Pagus that was called the “Street of Gold”

            • Mt. Pagus had two temples at either end of the roadway, the local temple to Cybele, known as Sipylene Mother (a patron divinity), and a temple to Zeus

        • It was the first city in the ancient world to build a temple to the goddess Roma (195 B.C.)

        • Smyrna was known for its loyalty to Rome and because of that loyalty, it beat out ten other Asian cities to be the first to build a temple to the emperor Tiberius

        • Because of the strong connection to Rome and the large Jewish population that was hostile towards Christians, it was very difficult to live in Smyrna and claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ

        • With this background knowledge we find Jesus’ words to the church in Smyrna very practical

    • Characteristic of the Sender (v. 8)

        • Last week we talked about the structure of each of the letters (this letter and the letter to the church in Philadelphia do not have a word of criticism or correction

        • Again, the letter is written to the angel of the church in Smyrna

        • The characteristics of Jesus that are shared from Revelation 1:8-18 are particularly applicable for what the church in Smyrna is facing

          • First and Last

            • This characteristic comes from Revelation 1:17

            • As was discussed there, this title relates to Jesus’ attributes of being sovereign and eternal

            • He has power over time – he was there at Creation and He will be there at the end of time

            • He is aware of the circumstances of His people

            • He knows what you are currently going through – it does not come as a surprise to Him

          • Died and came to life again

            • This characteristic is also found in Revelation 1:18

            • This expresses Jesus’ power over sin and death

            • He took all of our sin on Himself when He died on the cross

            • Jesus experienced everything the believers in Smyrna were going to experience – slander, persecution, rejection, imprisonment, and death

            • He didn’t stay dead, He overcame! ​​ He came to life again, through the power of God

            • Because He overcame, we can overcome! ​​ 

        • Jesus wanted the believers in Smyrna to know that He had experienced the same things they were experiencing – He knew

    • Compliment to the Recipients (vv. 9)

        • We see again that Jesus is omniscient (all-knowing)

        • Jesus knows:

          • Their afflictions

            • It wasn’t just some basic affliction that would be easily overcome – it was intense and extensive

            • It can be translated tribulations

            • This was the basic term and the next two things, that Jesus says He knows about, explain the depth of the afflictions

          • Their poverty

            • Poverty was part of the persecution the church was experiencing

            • It was extensive, to the point of not even having the basics of life

            • Their poverty resulted from losing their jobs and then not being able to get new ones in a hostile pagan culture

            • The antagonism from the Jews and the Gentiles was intense and included damage to and/or theft of their property

            • Most Christians in the 1st Century were already part of the poorer classes of society

            • They couldn’t catch a break in the culture of Smyrna – it was a difficult life

            • It didn’t stop with intense poverty, but they were also being slandered

          • The slander of the Jews

            • The Jews were granted a status with the Roman Empire that enabled them to practice Judaism without being persecuted or experiencing social ostracism by the culture

            • They were an accepted religion and were not required to participate in emperor worship

            • Christianity grew out of the Jewish faith, but as they continued to grow the Jews were not interested in having them under their privileged status

              • It’s interesting that the Jews wanted to make this hard distinction

              • Jesus was Jewish

              • At least eleven of the twelve apostles were Jewish

            • While we don’t know exactly what was being said about Christians in Smyrna, we do have an idea of some of the things that were said about Christians in the 1st and 2nd Century [Patterson, The New American Commentary, Revelation, 96-97]

              • They were charged with cannibalism since they talked about “eating the body” and “drinking the blood” of Christ

              • They were accused of being sexually immoral because they had “love feasts”

              • They were labeled as atheists, because they didn’t accept the Greek gods

              • They were accused of being arsonists or incendiaries because of the continual references to the fire of the Spirit and the fires of divine judgment

              • Their unwillingness to participate in emperor worship caused them to be identified as disloyal to Rome

              • Their intense loyalty to one another and to Jesus would often get them disowned by their Jewish families – so they were “home wreckers”

            • The Jews weren’t free from the criticism of Jesus

              • While they were saying all kinds of false things about the Christians, Jesus says they are not really Jews

              • Paul explains what Jesus is saying here

                • Romans 2:28-29, A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. ​​ No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. ​​ Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.

                • Paul explains further that Gentile believers have been grafted in where the Israelites have been removed

                • Romans 11:17-21, If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. ​​ If you do, consider this: ​​ You do not support the root, but the root supports you. ​​ You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ​​ Granted. ​​ But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. ​​ Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. ​​ For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

                • The Israelites were God’s chosen people, but when Jesus came He opened the door for all people to be His chosen people, to be part of His family, through faith in Jesus Christ

                • John 1:12, Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

              • The Jews in Smyrna were persecuting the Christians, because they were being led by Satan

                • Read John 8:31-47

                • This can happen even within the church – fellow Christians can be led astray and begin teaching false doctrine

                • Acts 20:29-30, I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. ​​ Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.

          • Jesus is commending them for enduring under some extreme conditions in Smyrna (afflictions, poverty, and slander), but He commends them also for their rich spiritual life

        • They are rich!

          • While they may be materially poor, they are rich spiritually

          • James 2:5, Listen, my dear brothers: ​​ Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

          • We have seen it time and time again in the lives of believers around the world

            • Whenever they have been stripped of everything, they lean on Jesus – their faith is deep and enduring

            • “Jonathan Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, once referenced what he called the "counter-intuitive phenomena of Jewish history"—a phenomena that applies to Christians as well. ​​ "When it was hard to be a Jew," Sacks wrote, "people stayed Jewish. When it was easy to be a Jew, people stopped being Jewish. Globally, this is the major Jewish problem of our time."

              Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Future Tense: Jews, Judaism, and Israel in the Twenty-first Century (Schocken Books, 2009), page 51
              [http://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2016/september/6092616.html]

            • This is true of Christianity too, those who are not experiencing persecution, affliction, poverty, and slander can very easily stop being Christians, but when persecution, affliction, poverty, and slander are present, Christians remain strong

            • Perhaps our prayer today should be that God would allow us to experience persecution, affliction, poverty, and slander, so we will turn to Him and rely on Him completely – our Christian walk may be too easy

        • Jesus does not have any criticism for the church at Smyrna, but His command is very serious

    • Command to the Recipients (v. 10)

        • Don’t be afraid

          • The Greek here has the meaning of “stop being afraid”

          • It is also emphatic here, which would mean “don’t be afraid of anyone” ​​ [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 132]

          • The Psalmist encourages us with these words, God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. ​​ Therefore we will not fear . . . (Psalm 46:1-2a)

          • Jesus give us this command, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. ​​ Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ​​ (Matthew 10:28)

          • Paul reminds Timothy that everyone who wants to live a godly life will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12)

        • Suffering is imminent

          • Jesus was warning the believers in Smyrna that suffering was coming

          • Some of them would be imprisoned for a period of time

            • We see in this passage that ten days is given as a period of time that they would be in prison

            • Some scholars see the time period as symbolic of a limited period of time [Mounce & Easley]

            • Most scholars agree that in the 1st Century, long term imprisonment was not a valid punishment

            • “The State would not burden itself with custody of criminals, except as a preliminary stage to their trial, or in the interval between trial and execution. ​​ Fine, exile, and death constituted the usual range of penalties; and in many cases, where a crime would in modern times be punished by imprisonment, it was visited with death in Roman law.” ​​ [Ramsey cited by Patterson, 98]

            • The result of being imprisoned was most likely going to be death

          • It was a test of their faith

            • The devil wanted to see how resilient these Christians were

            • Could he persuade them to apostatize – to curse Jesus, to denounce their faith

          • They would be able to overcome, because Jesus had overcome

          • Jesus encourages His followers to remain faithful even to the point of death, because they will be rewarded with something far greater than their physical life

        • Faithfulness is rewarded

          • PRINCIPLE – God promises to reward His people who are faithful even unto death.

          • Jesus promises to give them the crown of life

          • There are two Greek words for crown

            • Diadēma which is the royal crown (it represented authority and honor)

            • Stephanos is the victor’s crown or wreath that was placed around the head of the athlete who won the games or the general who was victorious in battle (it was a wreath made out of olive, laurel, pine, or celery)

            • Stephanos is used here

          • Jesus promises his faithful followers the crown of life (eternal life)

            • Eternal life is the kind of life we need here on earth to obey God and it’s the kind of life we need to spend eternity with God

            • John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life

            • God showed His great love for us that while we were still sinners, He sent Jesus to die for us (Romans 5:8)

            • We’re all born as sinners (Romans 3:23)

            • Out of God’s great love for us, He sent Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice to take away the sin of the world (2 Cor. 5:21)

            • All we have to do is repent of our sins, recognize God’s love for us, and believe in Jesus’ perfect sacrifice for us

            • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Repent of my sins, accept God’s love for me, believe in Jesus’ perfect sacrifice, and receive God’s eternal life.

        • When we make that decision, then Jesus makes a commitment to us

    • Commitment to all who Overcome (v. 11)

        • Jesus is speaking to all the churches again – the other six churches in Asia Minor and all churches today

        • Jesus promises that to those who faithfully conqueror the afflictions, poverty, slander, imprisonment, and death that is coming, will not be hurt by the second death

        • “The Lord who ‘died and came to life again’ is powerful enough to keep his faithful people safe even if they pass through the gates of martyrdom.” ​​ [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 37]

        • The first death is the separation of the soul from the body, while the second death is the separation of the soul from God [Patterson, 99]

        • Revelation helps us understand the meaning of second death

          • Revelation 20:14, Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. ​​ The lake of fire is the second death.

          • Revelation 21:8, But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice the magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. ​​ This is the second death.

 

  • YOU

    • Your suffering

        • Whether you’re being picked on at school, ridiculed at work, or ostracized in your community, you can be encouraged by knowing that because Jesus overcame, you can overcome

        • Your Judeo-Christian beliefs may come under attack in the near future

          • What will your response be?

          • It should be the same as the believers in Smyrna – you don’t have to be afraid

          • You can be faithful through the testing (afflictions, poverty, and slander)?

          • You can remain faithful even to the point of death?

          • My prayer is that you will, through the power of Jesus Christ

          • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Trust God to remain faithful to Him even through afflictions, poverty, slander, imprisonment, and death.

    • Are you spiritually rich?

        • Perhaps the lack of persecution, afflictions, poverty, and slander have made it easy for you to claim to be a Christian, but not really to live it out

        • Does the fruit of your life show a deep commitment to Jesus Christ or the culture of our day?

        • What priorities dominate your life?

        • Do you need to ask the Lord to bring persecution, afflictions, poverty, and slander into your life in order to motivate you to follow Him more closely?

        • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Evaluate my life and make any necessary changes to my priorities in order to follow Jesus more deeply.

 

  • WE

    • As a church we have to be ready to face the onslaught of criticism, afflictions, and slander that will surely come our way as we continue to hold to the truths of the Bible

    • We will experience persecution, potentially imprisonment, and perhaps death

    • The believers in Smyrna experienced that with one of their own not long after John sent the letter to them

 

CONCLUSION

“Approximately 60 years after John wrote these words to the church at Smyrna, there would indeed be a man ‘who would not be afraid of what you are about to suffer’ and who was ‘faithful until death.’”

 

We learn of his final hours and words from the book Early Church Fathers.

 

“Polycarp, when he first heard of it, was not perturbed, but desired to remain in the city. ​​ But the majority induced him to withdraw, so he retired to a farm not far from the city and there stayed with a few friends, doing nothing else night and day but pray for all men and for the churches throughout the world, as was his constant habit . . . Forthwith those searching for him arrived. ​​ And when they did not find him, they seized two young slaves, one of whom confessed under torture. ​​ For it was really impossible to conceal him, since the very ones who betrayed him were of his own household . . . Late in the evening they came up with him and found him in bed in the upper room of a small cottage. ​​ Even so he could have escaped to another farm, but he did not wish to do so, saying, ‘God’s will be done.’ Thus, when he heard of their arrival, he went downstairs and talked with them, while those who looked on marveled at his age and constancy, and at how there should be such zeal over the arrest of so old a man. ​​ Straightway he ordered food and drink, as much as they wished, to be set before them at that hour, and he asked them to give him an hour so that he might pray undisturbed. ​​ And when they consented, he stood and prayed – being filled with the grace of God that for two hours he could not hold his peace, to the amazement of those who heard. ​​ And many repented that they had come to get such a devout old man.

When at last he had finished his prayer, in which he remembered all who had met with him at any time, both small and great, both those with and those without renown, and the whole [universal] church throughout the world, the hour of departure having come, they mounted him on an ass and brought him into the city . . . There the chief of the police, Herod, and his father, Nicetas, met him and transferred him to their carriage, and tried to persuade him, as they sat beside him, saying, ‘What harm is there to say ‘Lord Caesar,’ and to offer incense and all that sort of thing, and to save yourself?’

At first he did not answer them. ​​ But when they persisted, he said, ‘I am not going to do what you advise me.’

Then when they failed to persuade him, they uttered dire threats and made him get out with such speed that in dismounting from the carriage he bruised his shin. ​​ But without turning around, as though nothing had happened, he proceeded swiftly, and was led into the arena, there being such a tumult in the arena that no one could be heard . . . and when finally he was brought up, there was a great tumult on hearing that Polycarp had been arrested. ​​ Therefore, when he was brought before him, the proconsul asked him if he were Polycarp. ​​ And when he confessed that he was, he tried to persuade him to deny [the faith], saying, ‘Have respect to your age’ – and other things that customarily follow this, such as, ‘Swear by the fortune of Caesar; change your mind’; . . . the proconsul was insistent and said: ​​ ‘Take the oath, and I shall release you. ​​ Curse Christ.’

Polycarp said: ​​ ‘Eighty-six years I have served him, and he never did me any wrong. ​​ How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?’ . . . The proconsul said: ​​ ‘I have wild beasts. ​​ I shall throw you to them, if you do not change your mind.’

But he said: ​​ ‘Call them. ​​ For repentance from the better to the worse is not permitted us; but it is noble to change from what is evil to what is righteous.’

And again [he said] to him, ‘I shall have you consumed with fire, if you despise the wild beasts, unless you change your mind.’

But Polycarp said: ​​ ‘The fire you threaten burns but an hour and is quenched after a little; for you do not know the fire of the coming judgment and everlasting punishment that is laid up for the ungodly. ​​ But why do you delay? ​​ Come, do what you will.’

And when he had said these things and many more besides he was inspired with courage and joy, and his face was full of grace, so that not only did it not fall with dismay at the things said to him, but on the contrary, the proconsul was astonished, and sent his own herald into the midst of the arena to proclaim three times: ​​ ‘Polycarp has confessed himself to be a Christian.’

When this was said by the herald, the entire crowd of Gentiles and Jews who lived in Smyrna shouted with uncontrollable anger and a great cry: ​​ ‘This one is the teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians, the destroyer of our gods, who teaches many not to sacrifice nor to worship.’

Such things they shouted and asked the official Philip that he let loose the lion on Polycarp. ​​ But he said it was not possible for him to do so, since he had brought the wild-beast sports to a close. ​​ Then they decided to shout with one accord that he burn Polycarp alive . . . Then these things happened with such dispatch, quicker than can be told – the crowds in so great a hurry to gather wood and kindling from the workshops and the baths, the Jews being especially zealous, as usual, to assist with this . . . Straightway then, they set about him the material prepared for the pyre. ​​ And when they were about to nail him also, he said: ​​ ‘Leave me as I am. ​​ For he who grants me to endure the fire will enable me also to remain on the pyre unmoved, without the security you desire from the nail.’

So they did not nail him, but tied him. ​​ And with his hands put behind him and tied, like a noble ram out of a great flock ready for sacrifice, a burnt offering ready and acceptable to God, he looked up to heaven and said:

‘Lord God Almighty, Father of thy beloved and blessed Servant Jesus Christ, through whom we have received full knowledge of thee, ‘the God of angels and powers and all creation’ and of the whole race of the righteous who live in thy presence: ​​ I bless thee, because thou hast deemed me worthy of this day and hour, to take my part in the number of the martyrs, in the cup of thy Christ, for ‘resurrection to eternal life’ of soul and body in the immortality of the Holy Spirit; among whom may I be received in thy presence this day as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, just as thou has prepared and revealed beforehand and fulfilled, thou that art the true God without any falsehood. ​​ For this and for everything I praise thee, I bless thee, I glorify thee, through the eternal and heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ, thy beloved Servant, through whom be glory to thee with him and Holy Spirit both now and unto the ages to come. ​​ Amen.’

And when he had concluded the Amen and finished his prayer, the men attending to the fire lighted it . . .

But the jealous and malicious evil one . . . pled with the magistrate not to give up his body, ‘else,’ said he, ‘they will abandon the Crucified and begin worshiping this one.’ ​​ This was done at the instigation and insistence of the Jews, who also watched when we were going to take him from the fire, being ignorant that we can never forsake Christ, who suffered for the salvation of the whole world of those who are saved, the faultless for the sinners, nor can we ever worship any other. ​​ For we worship this One as Son of God, but we love the martyrs as disciples and imitators of the Lord, deservedly so, because of their unsurpassable devotion to their own King and Teacher. ​​ May it be also our lot to be their companions and fellow disciples! ​​ (“Martyrdom of Polycarp,” Early Church Fathers, 150-55) ​​ [Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, 50-53]

12

 

/by

Keeping Our Lampstand

,

Jesus Unveiled

Keeping Our Lampstand

(Revelation 2:1-7)

 

INTRODUCTION

“Among young adults in the U.S., sociologists are seeing a major shift taking place away from Christianity. Recent studies have brought the trend to light. Among the findings released in 2009 from the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS), one stood out. The percentage of Americans claiming "no religion" almost doubled in about two decades, climbing from 8.1 percent in 1990 to 15 percent in 2008. The trend wasn't confined to one region. Those marking "no religion," called the "Nones," made up the only group to have grown in every state, from the secular Northeast to the conservative Bible Belt. The Nones were most numerous among the young: a whopping 22 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds claimed no religion, up from 11 percent in 1990. The study also found that 73 percent of Nones came from religious homes; 66 percent were described by the study as "de-converts."

 

Other survey results have been grimmer. At the May 2009 Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, top political scientists Robert Putnam and David Campbell presented research from their book American Grace, released last month. They reported that "young Americans are dropping out of religion at an alarming rate of five to six times the historic rate (30 to 40 percent have no religion today, versus 5 to 10 percent a generation ago)."

 

[Drew Dyck, "The Leavers,"Christianity Today (November, 2010), p. 40; excerpted from Generation Ex-Christian (Moody, 2010); http://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2010/november/1111510.html].

 

What we see with this report is that for some young people, they have forsaken their first love. ​​ They are “de-converts.” ​​ They are abandoning what they grew up learning and understanding. ​​ There are probably multiple reasons why that is happening and perhaps it is based on what was happening in the Ephesian church during John’s time. ​​ In our attempt to preserve the truth (orthodoxy) we have lost the importance of love (orthopraxy), which results in a false religion [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 117] that drives the younger generation away.

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Love for Christ

        • Judy and I have always prioritized church attendance, since we have lived away from family for so many years

        • Even while in college, we made it a priority to get involved in a church

        • It has always been more than just attending church, but also volunteering (youth, stewardship committee, board of administration, Sunday school teacher, small group facilitators, etc.)

        • I know for me personally, there have been times when I have served with the wrong motives – it was more out of duty than out of love

    • Truth without love

        • When we were searching for a church home in California, we tried several churches before finding Calvary Chapel of Temecula Valley

        • We attended one church for several months and had started to get more involved there

          • One Sunday we were surprised by what was said in Sunday school by one of the assistant pastors and then the same idea was shared during the sermon by the senior pastor

          • The basic concept was that their denomination and beliefs were right

          • They were bashing every other denomination

          • In their pursuit of truth and being right, they had lost their love for other believers

          • We decided that day that we could no longer continue to attend that church

 

  • WE

    • Doing something without love

        • Perhaps we can all think of a time when someone did something without love

        • Maybe it was at a previous church

        • It could be within our family – this one happens frequently, because we are most comfortable around our family

        • Friends at school can do or say things without love

        • Coworkers or supervisors, when they are being pressured from management, can react without love

    • Hurt prevails

        • When things are said and done without love, we are often hurt by those words or actions

        • In some cases those relationships do not withstand the hurt and they die

 

We’ll see in the letter to the Ephesian church that Jesus tells them and us that . . .

BIG IDEA – Truth without love is death.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Revelation 2:1-7)

    • Easley provides a beautiful outline for this letter to the Ephesian church [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 33-34]. ​​ I’ll be using his outline headings as the main points this morning

    • Characteristic of the Sender (v. 1)

        • We first see that the letter is written to the angel of the church in Ephesus

          • Whether it is an actual angel, the pastor/leader of the church in Ephesus, or the spirit of the church as a whole is debated and defended by Biblical scholars

          • As mentioned in the last weeks message, what is most important is that Jesus holds/possesses and protects that individual or entity – they are in His control and under His authority

        • This aspect of the letter, characteristic of the sender, will be found in each of the seven letters and will refer back to one of the characteristics/attributes of Jesus Christ found in Revelation 1:5-18

          • Jesus refers to Himself in this letter as the One who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands

          • Holds the seven stars in his right hand

            • This characteristic refers back to 1:16, In his right hand he held seven stars

            • The only difference from 1:16 and 2:1 is that the verb is now a present active participle, which means that Jesus is continually holding on to the “angels”

            • The angels of the seven churches are continually in His control

            • This would have brought comfort to those churches who were experiencing persecution

            • This should also bring us comfort, knowing that Jesus is continually in control of what happens within our church

          • Walks among the seven golden lampstands

            • This characteristics refers back to 1:12-13, And I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,” . . .

            • The only difference here is that in the vision in 1:12-13, Jesus was among the golden lampstands

            • Now He is walking among the seven golden lampstands (the seven churches)

            • This verb is again in the present active participle form, which tells us that Jesus was continually walking among those churches

            • Jesus is continually aware of everything that is happening in His churches

            • ATTRIBUTE – Jesus is omnipresent

              • This should be an encouragement to us as followers of Jesus Christ and as a body of believers here at Idaville Church

              • Jesus is aware of everything that is happening in our church, because He is walking among us through the Holy Spirit

        • Jesus is not only omnipresent, but He is also omniscient (all-knowing)

        • This is how Jesus begins the section where He compliments the Ephesian church

    • Compliment to the Recipients (vv. 2-3, 6)

        • Twice in verse 2 Jesus says, I know

          • ATTRIBUTE – Jesus is omniscient (all-knowing)

          • This compliments His attribute of being omnipresent

          • Since He is walking among the churches, He knows everything that is going on

          • For us, Jesus knows the vision God has given us

          • He also knows the attitudes of everyone’s heart as it pertains to that vision

          • Nothing is hidden from Him

          • Since He knows everything about us, He knows how to guide us

        • We see the things that Jesus knows about the church at Ephesus

          • Deeds

            • This is a general description of what the Ephesian believers were doing, with the next two nouns providing further information about those deeds

            • Here we see it referring to the entire spiritual walk of the believers in Ephesus

          • Hard work

            • This is the active side of the spiritual lifestyle the Ephesians had

            • Mounce says that they toiled to the point of exhaustion [Mounce, New International Commentary on the New Testament, 68]

            • The same term, “toiled” or “hard work,” was used by Paul in describing what he did to support himself

              • 1 Thessalonians 2:9, Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.

              • 2 Thessalonians 3:8, On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.

            • While hard work was the active side of their spiritual lifestyle, there was also a passive side

          • Perseverance

            • That’s what we see with the term “perseverance”

            • Mounce continues by saying that the Ephesians were very patient with those in their city who were hostile and against their goals and efforts [Mounce, 68]

            • Hostility from those in Ephesus was not something new, Paul dealt with it when he was there

              • There were unbelieving Jews who opposed him (Acts 19:8-9)

              • The artisans who produced the shrines of Artemis were led by Demetrius to begin rioting as a result of Paul’s preaching (Acts 19:23-41)

            • We see in verse 3 that they persevered and endures hardships for the name of Jesus

              • “The Ephesian Christians faced special challenges. ​​ Because they refused to bow the knee to the goddess Diana or the images of the emperor, they found themselves maligned, slandered, boycotted, and abused. ​​ Not unlike Jewish merchants in Berlin in the 1930’s Christians in Ephesus would have been the objects of physical violence, social ostracism, and economic repression. ​​ Yet they endured. ​​ They bore up under the load. ​​ Clearly, Ephesus had been taught well by its predecessors, Paul, Timothy, and John. (Insights, 38).” ​​ [Swindoll cited by Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, 34]

              • They did this without growing weary

              • “Actor Jim Caviezel, who played Jesus in the movie The Passion of the Christ, suffered during filming. He was struck by lightning more than once. Carrying the cross through the streets of Jerusalem, he fell, separating a shoulder. The harsh Italian weather, grueling days on the set, and hours in the makeup chair every day, contributed to his battles with pneumonia, and hypothermia. During the brutal whipping scene, the actors playing Roman guards accidentally missed the board protecting his back—twice—causing severe pain and wounds.

                During the filming of the crucifixion, Caviezel hung on a cross, buffeted by stiff winds. The cross swayed as much as three feet in either direction, aggravating his shoulder injury. That was when Caviezel wondered if he had made a mistake.

                ‘For the first time, I started questioning whether I had done the right thing. More important, I wondered whether it would be possible to finish the film.

                I actually had the thought that this cross is killing me…. It wasn't funny at the time. I was in pain and I was freezing. Then something happened. It's hard to explain, except to say it might be what an athlete goes through when he seems to be thoroughly beaten and defeated, and then he finds the strength within him to overcome and win.’”

                [                Barry Koltnow, "'Christ' Tested Caviezel's Resolve," The Cincinnati Enquirer (2-25-04, F 7); submitted by Matt Neace, Silver Grove, Kentucky; http://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2004/march/14888.html]

            • The Ephesian believers, during the writing of Revelation, were still having to persevere through the hostilities of their culture

            • We may be seeing the beginnings of that kind of hostilities that the Ephesians faced, but my guess is that we really haven’t had to endure many hardships for the name of Jesus

          • Cannot tolerate wicked men

            • Jesus knew that the Christians in Ephesus were committed to correct teaching and doctrine – their orthodoxy was solid

            • Part of the hard work that the Ephesian Christians were doing, had to do with testing those who were claiming to be apostles

              • We see two active responses

              • They could not tolerate wicked men

                • It was something that bothered them as they were pursuing a pure doctrine

                • The Ephesians continued the practice of pursuing pure doctrine years after Revelation was written

                • “Ignatius, leader of the church in Antioch, wrote them, ‘You all live according to truth, and no heresy has a home among you; indeed, you do not so much as listen to anyone if they speak of anything except concerning Jesus Christ in truth.’ (Letter to the Ephesians, 6).” ​​ [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, 34-35]

                • These believers were using Scripture to guide their moral behavior instead of the culture and those claiming to be apostles [Akin, 33]

                • It appears as though the Ephesian believers took to heart Paul’s parting words to them

                • Acts 20:29, I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.

                • We see that Paul’s prophecy had come true

                • The Ephesian believers seemed to be ready for these “savage wolves” and took the time to test them

              • They tested everyone who made a claim to be an apostle

                • It is highly likely that John had instructed the Ephesian believers in how to determine the legitimacy of someone claiming to be an apostle

                • He had written his first Epistle sometime between AD 85 and 90 from Ephesus, and it is in this Epistle that we find these instructions:

                • 1 John 4:1-3, Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. ​​ This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: ​​ Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. ​​ This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

                • Akin gives some examples of what the “theological test” may have encompassed [Akin, 34]

                  • What do you believe about Jesus – His person and work?

                  • What is the gospel, and how are people born again?

                  • Do you believe a holy life should complement our confession of Christ?

                  • Do you teach anything contrary to or in addition to the Word of God and the witness of the 12 apostles?

                • These questions are applicable for us in the modern era – we can and should be asking these same questions of those who are claiming some special position within God’s kingdom

        • PRINCIPLE – God is pleased when His people work hard, persevere and endure hardships, and strive for doctrinal purity.

          • My prayer is that Jesus would say the same things about Idaville Church

          • Application

            • We have to ask ourselves if we are toiling hard to the point of exhaustion so that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is spread throughout our community

              • The old adage applies to us – 20% of the people do 80% of the work

              • We need 100% of the people doing 100% of the work

              • There are volunteer opportunities available

              • There are individuals who need to hear the saving and transforming message of the Gospel

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Commit to work hard at Idaville Church so that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can be shared with those in our community.

            • We have to determine if we are persevering and enduring hardships for the name of Jesus Christ

              • As we continue to follow God’s Word, we will experience persecution and hardships

              • We may lose people when they begin attending other churches

              • There will be people who criticize various aspects of the worship service, children’s ministry, youth ministry, other ministries in the church, and the vision

              • If we are focusing on Jesus Christ in those areas, we will be able to persevere and endure

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Persevere and endure any persecution or hardships through the power of Jesus Christ.

            • We have to make sure that we are testing those who desire to teach, preach, and serve in leadership, to make sure they have pure doctrinal beliefs that match God’s Word

              • Every one of us should be diligent in this area

              • It is our responsibility to guard and protect God’s flock

        • Practices of the Nicolaitans

          • In verse 6 we see one additional thing that Jesus compliments the Ephesian Christians about

          • They hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which Jesus also hates

            • Important note – Jesus and the Ephesians do not hate the Nicolaitans, but rather their practices

            • This is important for us to understand

              • We should never hate an individual or a group of people

              • We can and should hate the practices of individuals or groups

            • We don’t really know who the Nicolaitans were – they appear again in the letter to Pergamum (Revelation 2:15)

            • What were the practices of the Nicolaitans?

              • The best evidence we have for what their practices were is found in Revelation 2:14, which says that individuals in the church at Pergamum were practicing idolatry (eating food sacrificed to idols) and immorality (sexual in nature)

              • We see these same practices in the church of Thyatira (Rev. 2:20-21)

        • The Ephesian believers were doing some really good things in their city, but Jesus had one thing against them and we see that in verse 4

    • Criticism against the Recipients (v. 4)

        • They had forsaken their first love

        • There is debate concerning what their first love was

          • Some believe it was their love for Christ

          • Others see it as love for fellow believers

          • But, Jesus doesn’t separate love for God and love for others

          • Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus replied, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ​​ This is the first and greatest commandment. ​​ And the second is like it: ​​ ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ​​ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

        • The Ephesians’ push for doctrinal purity had taken priority

          • The reason behind why they did what they did was no longer based on their love for Christ – it had become a duty, a chore, a task to maintain right teaching

          • “I once heard a preacher refer to people whose theology was ‘clear as ice and just as cold.’” ​​ [Easley, 35]

          • “A cooling of personal love for God inevitably results in the loss of harmonious relationships within the body of believers.” ​​ [Mounce, 70]

          • In the process of maintaining right teaching they had sacrificed love for each other

          • Perhaps they were suspicious of one another – “Is Stuart one of those savage wolves that Paul warned us about?”

          • “There were in danger of a legalism that in time would be their death. ​​ They were still doing all the right things, but sometime in the past they had forsaken the right motivation. ​​ They didn’t have a head problem but a heart problem. ​​ Obedience out of duty had replaced obedience out of love for Christ. ​​ The difference between the two is massive. ​​ It is the difference between ‘I obey and Jesus accepts me’ and ‘Jesus accepts me and I gladly obey.’” ​​ [Akin, 36-37]

        • Truth without love is death.

          • We can easily fall into the same pattern as the church in Ephesus

          • The motivation behind pursuing right doctrine can be void of love

          • In our attempt to maintain a pure doctrine, we can treat others in a way that is not loving – simply focusing on truth without love

        • The Ephesians had a problem, but Jesus didn’t just criticize them and leave it at that, He offered them a three-fold solution to the problem

    • Command to the Recipients (v. 5)

        • Remember

          • The Greek word is in the present tense, which means that the Ephesians needed to “keep on remembering” – it wasn’t a once and done kind of thing, but a continual action

          • They needed to remember what they did when they were first saved

            • Do you remember what it was like when you first became a Christian?

            • There was a fervency there – a desire to learn more about God and Jesus Christ (going to church, Bible study, praying, and reading God’s Word brought you great joy – it wasn’t a task or burden)

            • You were uninhibited and excited – you couldn’t wait to share your transformation experience with others

            • Your faith was openly displayed – you didn’t care what other people thought

            • Are you still that way today?

            • If not, you need to “take an inventory and evaluate where you are now compared to where you were then. ​​ Go back to the time when your love for Jesus was a burning passion and all that mattered. ​​ What was it like? ​​ What is missing now?” ​​ [Akin, 38]

          • They needed to remember what it looked like when the church in Ephesus was first formed

            • There was a oneness because of a common experience, salvation through faith in Jesus Christ

            • Idaville Church was founded over 120 years ago

              • None of us were here to experience the joy, excitement, and oneness that the original members felt as they started meeting for the first time

              • We can get a sense of what it was like when the very first Christian church was formed

              • Read Acts 2:42-47

              • There was joy, excitement, love, and oneness

              • The exciting part of that passage for me is that when the church was functioning properly, the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved

              • That is love for God and love for others in action

          • Remembering is important, but we can’t stop there

        • Repent

          • When we recognize where we have fallen from, we have to repent

            • The Ephesian believers had to repent of their loveless attitudes toward God and others

            • Repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of our attitudes and actions

            • It is a 180 degree turn from what we have been doing to what we should be doing

            • 1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

          • Once we remember, and repent, then we have to return to the things we did at first

        • Return

          • As a church we have to do ministry and corporate life together with the correct motivation – love

          • We have to serve others out of love instead of duty

          • We have to worship God out of love and not obligation

        • Application

          • Perhaps you need to take an inventory and evaluate where you are now compared to where you were when you were first saved

            • Are there attitudes and actions that you need to repent of?

            • Are you worshiping God out of love for Him or obligation?

            • Are you serving others and the church out of love or duty?

          • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Remember where I have fallen from, repent of any wrong attitudes, and return to my first love.

        • Consequences of not repenting

          • The Ephesian believers had a choice, they could repent or not

          • Not repenting meant that Jesus would come and remove their lampstand

            • This means that they would no longer provide spiritual light in the dark and evil world in their city and surrounding villages

            • If they ignored the warning and command from Jesus to be motivated by love in their worship and service, then the church there would die

            • Truth without love is death.

            • We run the same risk as the Ephesian church, if we reject Jesus’ command for us to be motivated to worship Him and serve others out of love, then Idaville Church will die

        • The final thing that Jesus communicates to the believers in Ephesus is a commitment to those who remain faithful

    • Commitment to all who Overcome (v. 7)

        • Here is the first time we read the words, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches

          • This phrase is repeated at the end of all seven letters

          • The fact that the plural form of church is used means that all seven letters were intended for the seven churches

          • It is also indicative of the fact that these letters are applicable for us today as a body of believers

          • “All who read this letter are to ask whether their church fits this situation and whether they too should ‘listen’ and ‘repent.’” ​​ [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 122]

        • To him who overcomes

          • All seven letters have a commitment to those who overcome

          • Sometimes it comes before the phrase about listening to what the Spirit says and other times it comes after

          • The Greek word for “overcome” also means “conqueror”

            • It is historically an athletic and military metaphor, which represents both superiority and victory over a defeated enemy [Osborne, 122]

            • It comes from the Greek nikaō, which is where we get our English word “Nike”

            • So, Nike’s tag line, “Just Do It” is really meaning to conquer whatever you are doing in their shoes (basketball, running, tennis, hiking, etc.)

          • PRINCIPLE – God rewards His people who are faithful to Him.

            • We see that the reward for any church, in the 1st Century or today, that conquers the drift away from their first love, is the right to eat from the tree of life

              • The tree of life was originally part of the Garden of Eden

              • It was there with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil

              • When Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were removed from the Garden of Eden, and cherubim and a flaming sword were put in place to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24)

              • The tree of life is found again in Revelation 22:1-2, Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. ​​ On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. ​​ And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

            • This metaphor is talking about receiving eternal life

            • That is the reward for those who overcome

 

  • YOU

    • Is God pleased with your deeds?

        • Are you working hard for him?

        • Are you persevering and enduring hardships without growing weary?

        • Are you testing those who are preaching, teaching, and leading, against God’s Word?

    • Have you forsaken your first love?

        • Do you need to remember where you’ve fallen from?

        • Do you need to repent of any wrong attitudes?

        • Do you need to return to your first love?

  • WE

    • We have to ask the same questions as the body of believers at Idaville Church

    • We have to determine if we are pursuing truth without love

 

CONCLUSION

“Tell me what you think about, and I will tell you what you love. ​​ Tell me what you talk about, and I will tell you what you love. ​​ Tell me what excites you, and I will tell you what you love. ​​ My prayer for you, as well as for myself, is that the answer will be the same for all these. ​​ May the answer always be Jesus.” ​​ [Akin, 40]

13

 

/by

God’s Plan From Beginning to End

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Jesus Unveiled

God’s Plan From Beginning to End

(Revelation 1:1-8)

 

INTRODUCTION

How many of you are familiar with J. R. R. Tolkien’s series of books, Lord of the Rings? ​​ Perhaps you’re more familiar with the three movies that were produced. ​​ The premise behind the books and the movies is that there is a battle between good and evil.

 

At the end of the third book we read these words, “When Aragorn arose all that beheld him gazed in silence, for is seemed to them that he was revealed to them now for the first time. ​​ Tall as the sea-kings of old, he stood above all that were near; ancient of days he seemed and yet in the flower of manhood; and wisdom sat upon his brow, and strength and healing were in his hands, and a light was about him. ​​ And then Faramir cried: ​​ ‘Behold the King!’”

 

Kendell H. Easley in his commentary says, “This excerpt suggests that Tolkien knew the true King of kings. ​​ He knew that human history is all about a real battle between good and evil. ​​ He knew that the true King has not yet been revealed in his splendor, but will one day.” [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, 11]

 

Aragorn was with the Hobbits and the other characters as they fought their way to the mountain where the one ring would be destroyed. ​​ He was known to them as Strider, but He was with them nonetheless.

 

Jesus was physically with humanity for a period of time. ​​ He is with us now through the Holy Spirit that lives within every believer. ​​ We see through all of Scripture that God’s sovereign plan continues to unfold throughout history. ​​ It is His redemptive plan that was set into motion when Adam and Eve sinned. ​​ It continues today and will one day be fulfilled when Jesus Christ returns.

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Past

        • I’ve seen God’s redemptive plan at work in my life in the past

        • I was four years old when I believed in Jesus Christ for salvation

        • I didn’t understand all that a relationship with Jesus meant at that age, but God continued to work in my life as I learned more and more about His Son

        • As a teenager, I felt the call to missionary work, but didn’t know when or where

        • It wasn’t until three years after graduating college that I began to serve with Child Evangelism Fellowship

        • God’s sovereign plan for my life continued to unfold as I was obedient to His call into pastoral ministry

    • Present

        • I’ve seen God working in my life even now

        • As a family we’ve been reading through the Bible and praying for the nations this year

        • It has been an incredible time of bonding as a family and it’s brought up good conversations and some laughter

        • God has also been working in my life through several books I’ve read recently

          • Not A Fan and Radical have challenged me to deny myself, take up my cross daily, and follow Jesus Christ

          • I’m still working through what that looks like for me

    • Future

        • I recently started reading Visioneering by Andy Stanley and that has been challenging me to think about the future and the vision God has given me in several areas: ​​ career, finances, spouse, children, ministry, etc.

        • I’m looking forward to developing and praying about those visions

        • I don’t know when some of them will come to fruition, but I know that God’s sovereign plan will be revealed and accomplished in His time

​​ 

  • WE

    • How have you seen God’s sovereign plan at work in your past? ​​ (spouse, job, career, salvation, etc.)

    • How do you see God’s sovereign plan working in your life right now?

    • Do you believe that God’s sovereign plan will be accomplished in your life in the future?

 

As John begins his letter to the seven churches in the province of Asia, he wants us to understand that . . .

 

BIG IDEA – God’s sovereign plan is seen in the past, present, and future.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Revelation 1:1-8)

    • Theme

        • The theme for the entire book of Revelation is “Jesus Unveiled”

          • The very first word in the original Greek text is ʹΑποκάλυψις and it means “the act of uncovering, unveiling, revealing, revelation.” ​​ [Rogers & Rogers, The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament, 610]

          • The book of Revelation is the unveiling of the culmination of God’s plan to redeem humanity

          • That plan includes Jesus Christ at every step

          • We’ll see Jesus unveiled in multiple ways throughout this book

          • If you remember, I told you that I would give you the greatest teaching of Revelation that isn’t found in most commentaries – “right before the final judgment, God is still wooing the people of this world. ​​ His judgments are designed to call everyone to repentance. ​​ God may do His greatest act of evangelism at the very end. ​​ This may be why believers are still here.” ​​ [Dr. Douglas Buckwalter, lecture at Evangelical Seminary]

        • Apocalypse

          • Most movies today that portrait the apocalypse make it look scary and something that should be feared

          • Yet, that is not how we should look at the Apocalypse

          • This is God’s fulfillment of His sovereign redemption plan

            • We saw His sovereign redemption plan in the past

              • He promised Adam and Eve that He would send a Savior

              • He made a covenant with Abraham

              • He promised David that someone from His line would always sit on the throne – it is Jesus!

              • He sent Jesus over two thousand years ago to be the perfect Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world

            • We see His sovereign redemption plan in the present

              • The presentation we showed during halftime at the “Super Game” Night from Sports Spectrum and Football Sunday highlighted interviews from NFL players talking about what Seeking, Surrendering, and Serving looks like for them

              • This past year, the Philadelphia Eagles team saw several players give their lives to Jesus Christ and be baptized

              • It’s not just through NFL players that we see God’s sovereign redemption plan at work in the present, but also through every individual who surrenders their life to Jesus Christ

            • Through Revelation we have a glimpse into His sovereign redemption plan for the future

    • Introduction (vv. 1-3)

        • Transmission of the revelation (vv. 1-2)

          • John gives us a little introductory explanation about how the revelation of Jesus was transmitted to him

            • The revelation that John receives is not his own revelation, but rather Jesus’ revelation

            • There is great discussion about whether the revelation is about Jesus or from Jesus

            • Most scholars believe the original Greek within context favors the subjective genitive meaning – from Jesus – instead of the objective genitive – about Jesus

            • But the meaning of the Greek can be both of/about and from

            • It is definitely from Jesus, but I believe we’ll see that this revelation is an unveiling of Jesus as God’s fulfillment of His sovereign plan

          • There was a chain of communication that took place

            • The revelation was transmitted from God to Jesus

            • Jesus then shared it with an angel who in turn shared it with His servant John

            • In writing this book of the Bible, John then shares it with Jesus’ servants, the congregations of the seven churches in the province of Asia and of course with all believers down through history (that includes us)

          • What must soon take place

            • This phrase has caused some confusion and controversy over the years

            • How can this revelation be something that is soon to take place, if it has been two thousand years since John wrote these words?

            • How is John defining “soon”?

            • The Greek word means “speed, swiftness,” but with the preposition can mean “quickly, suddenly, soon.” ​​ Walvoord explains that the word indicates rapidity of execution [Rogers & Rogers, 610]

            • “It’s the same Greek word from which we get the word ‘tachometer’ – the instrument used to determine the speed of an engine. ​​ Thus, the Lord is telling us in this verse that when end-time events begin to happen, they’ll increase their rpms and happen with greater rapidity.” ​​ [Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary New Testament, 1663-1664]

            • We also have to remember that God works outside of our time/space continuum

              • Jesus’ return is always imminent in prophecy

              • Chronological sequence is always a secondary concern when speaking about prophecy [Mounce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, 41]

              • We should have a sense of expectation and responsibility when we read that the end will soon take place [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, 55]

              • Live each day as if Christ is returning today

          • Testifying to everything he saw

            • John is letting us know that what he wrote down is everything he saw when he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day (Rev. 1:10)

            • He also clarifies that what he saw was the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ

            • Those two statements are one in the same

        • Beatitude (v. 3)

          • This is the first of seven beatitudes that we will find in Revelation (14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14)

          • The same Greek word is used here as in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:1-12 and Luke 6:17-26

          • It can be defined as “happy”

          • Two groups can count themselves blessed/happy

            • Those who read it

              • There weren’t many in the 1st Century church who were able to read

              • So, it’s not hard to understand why those who could read and did read Holy Scripture were blessed or happy

              • They were sharing the very words of God to those who couldn’t read

              • This is how the Gospel was spread throughout the Roman world

            • Those who hear it and take it to heart

              • To take it to heart meant to “keep” or “observe”

              • Both the reader and hearer were to obey what was read

              • Jesus expresses in Luke 11:28 almost the exact same words as here, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

              • The theme of listening continues throughout Revelation, especially when addressing the seven churches

              • In each letter we hear these words, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22)

              • Even though each church is addressed individually, all of the churches are to listen and obey what is being said to the other churches

          • PRINCIPLE – God will bless His people who read His word and those who hear it and obey it.

            • We have the opportunity to experience God’s blessing in ​​ our lives – to be happy

            • There are individuals in our culture who cannot read (children, the elderly, the illiterate)

              • What greater privilege than to read God’s Word to them, so they can hear and obey His Word

              • Through reading Scripture to others, we allow them to experience God’s blessing – to be happy

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Commit to reading God’s Word to someone who is unable to read it.

            • We also have the opportunity to be blessed by God when we hear and obey His Word

              • James 1:22-25, Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. ​​ Do what it says. ​​ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ​​ But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.

              • Is there some way God has been challenging you to obey Him through the reading or hearing of His Word?

              • Have you been obedient?

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Experience God’s blessing and be happy by being obedient to His Word.

          • The reason why they are to listen and obey is because the time is near

        • After explaining how he received the revelation of Jesus, John shares the traditional greeting of the 1st Century

    • Greeting (vv. 4-5a)

        • He identifies himself as the sender – John (the beloved disciple of Jesus)

        • The recipients are the seven churches in the province of Asia

          • This region would have been western Asia Minor

          • Today it is western Turkey

          • “Furthermore, the seven cities were located ‘on the great circular road that bound together the most populous, wealthy, and influential part of the Province.’” ​​ [Mounce, 45]

          • The letter would start at Ephesus, which was closest to the island of Patmos, and would end at Laodicea after completing the circular route

          • Each church probably hand-copied their own, so they could read it again and again

          • The other cities and villages within Asia Minor would learn of this great revelation from those seven churches

        • The greeting

          • Grace and peace

            • This was the standard Christian greeting in the 1st Century

            • We see Paul using this greeting in his letters to the various churches

            • Grace is God’s unmerited favor (unconditional and undeserved kindness)

              • This would have been the traditional Hellenistic greeting

              • The Greek word is chairein

            • Peace refers to wholeness and well-being

              • This would have been the common Hebrew greeting

              • The Hebrew word is shalom

            • It is through Christ that Christians can experience true grace and peace in their lives

          • The source of grace and peace – threefold

            • God

              • John doesn’t say God directly, but we understand that’s who it is from his description – from him who is, and who was, and who is to come

              • This is the first of two times that John uses this description of God – the other is in Rev. 1:8

              • A similar form is also used in Rev. 4:8; 11:17; and 16:5

              • “This paraphrase of the divine name (YHWH) stems from Exod 3:14-15 and calls attention to the fact that all time is embraced within God’s eternal presence.” ​​ [Mounce, 45-46]

              • Exodus 3:14-15, God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. ​​ This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ​​ ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” ​​ God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you.’ ​​ This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.

              • PRINCIPLES – God is eternal and sovereign

                • Eternal – God has no beginning or ending. ​​ He is not affected by time. ​​ He has already lived your tomorrows (Because He is eternal we see His sovereign plan in the present, the past, and the future)

                • Sovereign – God has the right to plan my life. ​​ He has the right to rule and make any decision He wants to. ​​ He has the right the change things. ​​ “He has the right to rule and He rules rightly.”

              • Grace and peace don’t just come from God, but also the Holy Spirit

            • The Holy Spirit

              • The description John gives of the Holy Spirit here seems confusing

              • The seven spirits before the throne

              • Most translations have the seven spirits, but some put in a footnote, the sevenfold Spirit

              • Some scholars think it refers to seven angels, but that doesn’t seem to hold true within the context and how the seven spirits is used elsewhere in Revelation

              • Using Zechariah 4:2-6, some scholars believe that the seven spirits are talking about the Holy Spirit, since the angel explains to Zechariah that the seven lamps on the lampstand represent the work of the Holy Spirit and not might or power

                • “While there is but one Holy Spirit, he does not invest himself incrementally in the churches but is always available simultaneously, in his fullness, to all seven congregations.” ​​ [Patterson, New American Commentary, 59]

                • We see this spelled out in the individual addresses to each church to hear what the Spirit says to the churches

              • There is one final source of this grace and peace and it comes from Jesus

            • Jesus

              • John describes Jesus in three ways: ​​ the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth

              • Faithful witness

                • Jesus faithfully passed on to the angel the revelation from God

                • His life on earth was a witness to the truth from God

                • John 3:11, I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.

                • We see Jesus saying it again in John 3:32-33

                • Jesus was the model for the Asian churches who were about to go through a time of persecution

                • 1 Timothy 6:13, In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession . . .

                • He wasn’t just a faithful witness, but was also the firstborn from the dead

              • Firstborn from the dead

                • This simply expresses that Jesus was the first One to rise from the dead

                • This is significant for followers of Jesus Christ, because His resurrection guarantees that we will also be raised from the dead

                • 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ​​ For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. ​​ For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. ​​ But each in his own turn: ​​ Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

                • John describes then the future of Christ

              • Ruler of the kings of the earth

                • This is a reference to His sovereign role as King

                • This expression looks forward ​​ to Rev. 19:16

              • “There is a sense in which Jesus may be observed in his three ministries as prophet (faithful witness), priest (conquering for man the wage of sin exacted against man through his victory over death), and king (ruling all other kings).” ​​ [Patterson, 60-61]

        • John moves from the greeting to a doxology

    • Doxology (v. 5b-6)

        • John listed three titles for Jesus in the ending of his greeting and now he lists three works of Jesus

          • He loves us

            • Jesus’ love for us was manifested in His death, burial, and resurrection

            • John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life

            • Read Romans 5:5-8 [Bible marker #2]

            • Galatians 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. ​​ The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

            • It was through His perfect sacrifice that we are freed from our sins

          • He freed us from our sins

            • Sin

              • Anything we think, say, or do that displeases God

              • Our sin creates a separation between us and God (Rom. 6:23)

              • This separation comes as a result of our own choices

              • We try to bridge the gap that our separation has created with good works, religion, philosophy, morality, and many other things

              • There is only one thing that can bridge the gap of separation – it’s the blood of Jesus Christ

            • Blood

              • Hebrews 9:22, In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

              • 1 John 1:7, But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

            • Become God’s child

              • John 1:12, Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Become a child of God by believing in Jesus name and receiving Him into my life.

            • “John reminds his audience that salvation is not just what God saves us from (our sins, 1:5), but what he saves us for – for a destiny as his agents and worshipers (1:6).” ​​ [Keener, The NIV Application Commentary, 71]

          • Made us to be a kingdom and priests

            • Exodus 19:5-6, Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. ​​ Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

            • 1 Peter 2:9, But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

            • These words for Israel in the OT and for us in the NT are to encourage us to remember that we are God’s special people – The Israelites and the Christians in Asia Minor were experiencing persecution and these words would have brought them comfort

            • We are to continue what God initially charged the Israelites to do – to show those around us what a relationship with Jesus Christ looks like

        • Praise for Jesus

          • John concludes this doxology with glory and power to Jesus

          • Amen means “so let it be”

        • Before John begins to share the vision he had, he reminds the churches about Christ’s promised return

    • Promise of Christ’s Return (vv. 7-8)

        • This promise comes from two Old Testament passages

          • Daniel 7:13, “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven.”

          • Zechariah 12:10, “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. ​​ They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”

        • Jesus return will not be missed

          • It will be seen by everyone

          • Every eye will see Him

          • Everyone will recognize who Jesus is

            • This is obviously a reference to those who crucified Jesus – they will realize that they pierced the Messiah

            • But it is much broader than just the Jews who crucified Him

            • It also encompasses all fallen humanity – there are individuals from every generation that have rejected Jesus, marginalized Him, and have not believed that He is the Son of God or the only way to the Father

            • They will mourn when He returns, because it will be clear to them who Jesus is

          • It’s imperative that we recognize who Jesus is now and not when He returns

            • It will be too late when He returns – we will be one of those who mourns because we will understand who Jesus is and recognize that we have rejected Him

            • 2 Corinthians 6:2, For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” ​​ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

          • John affirms this message from the prophets of old – so shall it be! ​​ Amen.

        • There are three principles that God highlights about Himself in v. 8

          • PRINCIPLE – God is omniscient [all-knowing]

            • Alpha and Omega were the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet

            • Alpha and Omega also represent all of the letters in between

            • God was there at the beginning (creation) and He will be there at the end

            • God is also right here with us now

          • PRINCIPLE – God is immutable [unchanging]

            • He is continuing to fulfill His sovereign plan through the past, present, and future

            • God doesn’t change – He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)

            • God’s sovereign plan is seen in the past, present, and future.

          • PRINCIPLE – God is omnipotent [all-powerful]

            • Almighty simply means that God is all-powerful (omnipotent)

            • There is nothing He cannot do

 ​​​​ 

  • YOU

    • Jesus’ return is imminent – it will happen!

    • Are you reading, hearing, and obeying God’s Word until Jesus returns?

    • Have you prepared for Jesus return?

  • WE

    • We have a responsibility as followers of Jesus Christ to share the good news of Jesus Christ

    • We will be blessed when we read God’s Words to those who can’t read

    • Those who hear and obey God’s Word will also be blessed

 

CONCLUSION

There are many ways that people are preparing for the Apocalypse. ​​ Here is one example.

 

“Are you ready for the end of the world? If not, a company named Vivos can help you and your loved ones get prepared. The Vivos website says, ‘Whether we want to believe it or not … we are on the cusp of an increase in number and magnitude of events that may, in the twinkling of an eye, change the world, as we know it.’ They list a range of possible cataclysmic disasters, including Armageddon, plagues, a solar kill shot, a super volcanic eruption, major earth changes, killer asteroids and comets, mega tsunami's, an economic meltdown—not to mention manmade threats, including nuclear explosions, a reactor meltdown, biological or chemical disasters, terrorism, and widespread anarchy.

 

But for a mere $35,000 per person, you can co-own an underground Vivos shelter in one of their airtight, fully self-contained, impervious complexes designed to survive any catastrophe. Their website advertises:

Our [complexes] comfortably accommodate community groups from 50 to 1,000 people, in spacious living quarters, outfitted and stocked for a minimum of 1 year of autonomous survival to ride out the potential events. Every detail has been considered and planned for. Members need to only arrive before their facility is locked down and secured from the chaos above.

 

Their website warns that ‘millions will perish or worse yet, struggle to survive.’ But they also boldly promise, ‘Vivos is your solution to ride out these catastrophes, so you may survive to be a part of the next Genesis!’ They also offer this reminder: ‘It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.’”

 

Matt Woodley, managing editor, PreachingToday.com; source: Douglas Rushkoff, Present Shock (Penguin Group, 2013), p. 245; Vivos website (accessed on April 10, 2013).

 

There is only one way to be prepared for the Apocalypse and John is unveiling that truth in the book of Revelation. ​​ He is unveiling Jesus as God’s sovereign plan that we see in the past, present, and future.

13

 

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G.R.O.W. Campaign Devotional 1

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G.R.O.W. Campaign Devotional

February 4, 2018

 

G.R.O.W. Campaign Packet

  • I am excited to share with you about the capital campaign

    • We are calling it the G.R.O.W. Campaign

    • The acrostic stands for Give to Revive Our Worship

    • [Show the GROW Logo]

  • The Board of Administration has been diligently working to prepare a comprehensive document for the capital campaign

    • We have a packet for each family this morning as you leave the worship service

    • This project has been something that the board has been discussing for several years

    • We have been sharing it with you all through the Mission Possible Meetings over the last year

    • We believe that expanding is God’s vision for Idaville Church at this time

  • We realize that this requires a step of faith

    • So over the next four weeks you will be hearing devotionals from four leaders about faith and growth

    • As leadership we are committed to taking the step of faith that we are asking you all to take

 

Rebellion Against God’s Plan (Numbers 13:1-14:45)

  • The Lord instructed Moses to send some men into Canaan to explore the land (God said He was giving the Israelites the land)

  • If you remember Moses chose one leader from each tribe to be part of the scouting party

    • They spent 40 days exploring the land

    • They brought back a cluster of grapes that required two men to carry and also pomegranates and figs

  • Caleb immediately tells the Israelites that they should go up and take possession of the land, because they can certainly do it

  • The other 10 leaders didn’t feel the same way

    • They were probably afraid, which drove them to lead by fear instead of faith

    • They began to spread a bad report about the land among the people

    • Their tactic worked – the people wept and grumbled against Moses and Aaron

  • Leading by faith

    • Moses and Aaron fell facedown before the Israelites

    • Joshua, and Caleb tore their clothes and said this to the assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. ​​ If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. ​​ Only do not rebel against the Lord. ​​ And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. ​​ Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. ​​ Do not be afraid of them.”

    • God speaks to Moses and wants to destroy the entire Israelite community, but Moses intercedes for them

  • God’s punishment for being unfaithful

    • God explains to Moses that the punishment for the Israelite’s lack of faith in Him would be wandering through the desert for 40 years

    • The ten leaders who rebelled against the Lord and incited the Israelite community to do the same, were all struck down with a plague and died before the Lord

  • Continued rebellion

    • The morning after all of these things happened the Israelites went up toward the hill country

    • Moses told them not to disobey the Lord’s command

    • They didn’t listen and were beaten down by the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived there

    • The Lord was no longer with them

  • Application

    • We as leadership have a choice to lead in fear or faith – we are choosing to lead in faith

    • You all have a choice to follow fear or faith

    • Our prayer is that you will follow faith instead of fear

      • We have an incredible opportunity over the coming weeks, months, and years to see God do something miraculous

      • This project is beyond our ability

      • If we try to do it in our own strength, we will fail

      • If we trust God to do it in His power, we will succeed, because God will grow our faith and He will be glorified

      • Isaiah 45:3, I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

    • The greatest way for us to follow in faith is through prayer

      • I want to challenge everyone to commit to praying about the “Give to Revive Our Worship” Campaign over the next seven weeks

      • We will be opening the church up every Tuesday and Thursday from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm for anyone who would like to come and pray at the church for the church and this campaign

      • I also want to challenge everyone to commit to pray for the campaign on a daily basis

      • Fasting and prayer are a powerful combination, so I’m also challenging everyone to consider fasting at least once a week or more to pray for the growth of our church and this expansion plan

      • Ephesians 3:20-21, Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! ​​ Amen.

    • ​​ Timeline

      • We will hear from three more leaders during the month of February

      • On March 4, 2018 we will have our regular quarterly Mission Possible Meeting during the Sunday school hour (9-10 am)

      • On March 25, 2018 we will have a special Commitment Service during the worship service where each person or family can privately choose to make a faith promise commitment for the next three years toward the G.R.O.W. Campaign [show commitment card]

        • In the coming weeks you will see the outline of a tree trunk painted on the green wall in the entryway to the gym

        • During the Commitment Service we will be asking everyone to place their hand print on the tree as a way of committing to the growth of the church

        • [Show the GROW Logo]

        • We will fill in the trunk of the tree as we grow through the capital campaign

      • If you have any questions about the packet, please contact any of the Campaign Team members at any time (their names are listed on the back page of the packet)

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Treasuring Church Membership

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I AM A CHURCH MEMBER

Treasuring Church Membership

(Matthew 13:44-46)

 

INTRODUCTION

Most of you know how a pearl is formed. ​​ A foreign object, like a piece of sand, gets caught inside the shell of an oyster. ​​ Because the oyster doesn’t have hands and can’t sweep the item out of its shell, it begins to cover it with nacre. ​​ This is the substance that creates a pearl. ​​ The irritant for the oyster eventually becomes something that is smooth and round and doesn’t cause the oyster pain and suffering anymore. ​​ It’s something that takes time and effort on the part of the oyster.

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Epcot Center

        • My favorite Disney park in Florida is Epcot Center

        • There are fascinating things to see and do there

        • They always try to stay on the cutting edge of technology in their exhibits on the front side of the lake

        • But my favorite part of Epcot Center is what is on the backside of the lake – it’s all the foreign country exhibits

        • I could spend the whole day or week just exploring all the various countries and what they have to offer

        • Two times ago, when we were at Epcot Center, we spent some time in the Japanese exhibit

          • One particular thing caught my eye

          • They had a display where live oysters were kept

          • You could purchase an oyster and the Japanese lady would carefully open it and remove the pearl that had been growing there

          • Levi and I spent several minutes watching as different individuals purchased an oyster and waited expectantly to find out how big the pearl was that was inside

          • Of the ones we saw, they were about the same size – they were mid-range

          • They were not the smallest and definitely not the largest

        • God’s creation is incredible!

          • He made the oyster just this way to be able to transform something that’s an irritant into something beautiful and valuable

          • You and I are His incredible creation too!

 

  • WE

    • Irritants

        • At work

          • It’s not hard to identify the person at work that irritates the other employees

          • If you are having a hard time thinking of whom that person is, it’s probably you!

        • In your neighborhood

          • When a new neighbor moves in it can be scary

          • What are they going to be like?

          • Will they be friendly, angry, or distant?

          • Will you get along with them?

          • Will they be irritating to you and your other neighbors?

          • For a time, the houses on either side of us were vacant and I was concerned that maybe we were the irritating neighbors

        • At church

          • It can happen within the church as well

          • Certain people can irritate you

          • They can get under your skin

    • God’s work, God’s institution

        • God is the one who instituted the church

        • He has created you and I with the incredible ability to transform something that is an irritant into something valuable

        • The nacre He has given to us, is love – unconditional/sacrificial love

        • Christ sees the church as a valuable treasure, a pearl of great value

        • He is again our model for exercising and expressing sacrificial love as we’ll see in Matthew 13:44-46

        • Let’s commit this message to the Lord in prayer

 

BIG IDEA – Make love your nacre.

 

  • GOD (Matthew 13:44-46)

    • Background

        • In the 13th chapter of Matthew Jesus shares seven parables about the kingdom of heaven

        • Four of those parables He shared with a crowd of people

        • The last three He shares with only His disciples in a house

        • He begins His time of sharing with the disciples by explaining the parable of the weeds

          • His explanation is very important for our understanding of the meaning of the other six parables

          • The person who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man – Jesus!

          • The field is the world – all humanity

          • The good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom – believers/followers of Jesus Christ

          • The weeds are the sons of the evil one – those who are not believers/followers of Jesus Christ

          • The enemy who sows the weeds – the devil

        • So, keep Jesus’ explanation of the various parts and players in mind as we look at two of the parables He shares with His disciples

    • Hidden Treasure (v. 44)

        • Jesus is again trying to help us understand what the kingdom of heaven is like

        • He talks about a treasure that is hidden in a field

          • If we follow Jesus’ explanation of the parable of the weeds, then we would identify the field as all humanity/the world

          • So, there’s a treasure that’s hidden within all humanity that is obviously very valuable, because the man who found it hides it again and goes and sells all he has and purchases the field

        • What is the treasure that’s hidden in all humanity?

          • It’s not a hard question

          • It can either be the church or better yet the Israelite people

          • Exodus 19:5-6, Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. ​​ Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. ​​ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.

          • Psalm 135:3-4, Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant. ​​ For the Lord has chosen Jacob to be his own, Israel to be his treasured possession.

          • God set aside the Israelites in order that they would be a showcase of theocracy to all the other nations of the world [Stedman, 4]

          • The Israelites were supposed to demonstrate what a relationship with God looks like, but they failed

          • They were supposed to show what glorifying God looks like

          • They were to model for all the other nations this incredible relationship, so the other nations would be drawn to God, but instead they kept it to themselves, they focused inwardly

            • They were a nation hidden, a treasure not being invested to produce dividends for God [Wiersbe, 47]

            • Israel was an obscure, tiny nation for hundreds of years

            • There was no voice of God in their midst

            • God was not speaking to them through the prophets during this 400 year period

        • Who is the man that hides the treasure again and sells everything to purchase the field?

          • The man would be Jesus Christ

          • When He came from heaven to earth, He briefly uncovered the glory that was Israel

            • You know what happened though

            • Most of the Israelites rejected Him

            • They didn’t believe He was the Messiah

            • He couldn’t be if He died on a cross, because He would have been rejected by God

              • Jesus eliminated this misconception when He rose from the grave

              • He won over sin and death

            • Even though they rejected Jesus, God still has an important role for the Israelites to play during the end of times

            • Romans 11:11-14, Again I ask: ​​ Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? ​​ Not at all! ​​ Rather, because of their transgressions, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. ​​ But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! ​​ I am talking to you Gentiles. ​​ Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.

              • This promise from God is not only for the Israelites today

              • It’s for you as a follower of Jesus Christ

              • Have you temporarily turned away from God and giving in to your own selfish desires

              • Are you struggling in your relationship with God right now

              • Everyone goes through those times in their lives where they feel distant from God

              • Maybe you’re questioning today whether you’ve gone too far and are beyond recovery?

              • The answer Paul gives is for you – Not at all!

              • 2 Chronicles 7:13-16, “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ​​ Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. ​​ I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. ​​ My eyes and my heart will always be there.

              • 1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

              • It’s not too late, you haven’t gone too far

              • God is ready to forgive, just cry out to Him

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Claim God’s promise to forgive me by crying out to Him and confessing that I’ve temporarily turned away from Him and have neglected my relationship with Him.

            • He has hidden them once again until His second coming

            • Until He returns, the privilege of demonstrating the grace of God has been given to the church

            • Matthew 21:43, “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

          • Jesus was overjoyed when he found Israelites and gave everything He had to purchase humanity, which included them

            • John 11:51, He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation

            • Isaiah 53:8, By oppression and judgment he was taken away. ​​ And who can speak of his descendants? ​​ For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

    • Pearl Merchant (vv. 45-46)

        • Who is the merchant?

          • In the other parables the main character is represented as Jesus Christ

            • He is the sower who went out to sow

            • He is the one who scattered the sons of the kingdom throughout the world

            • He is the one who planted the mustard seed in the field

          • So, the merchant is Jesus Christ

        • Who is the pearl?

          • It is the church

          • Why a pearl to represent the church instead of another gem?

            • “. . . the pearl is the only jewel which is the product of living matter.” ​​ [Stedman, 2]

            • “Unlike most other gems, the pearl is a unity – it cannot be carved like a diamond or emerald. ​​ The church is a unity (Eph. 4:4-6), even though the professing church on earth is divided. ​​ Like a pearl, the church is the product of suffering.” ​​ [Wiersbe, 47]

            • There are times when you and I suffer through some difficult things at church – most of those are related to relationships with other people

            • Paul tells us how God desires for us to deal with those difficult relational situations

            • We are to use the nacre of unconditional/sacrificial love

            • John Oxenham wrote a poem that expresses this principle perfectly:
              He drew a circle that shut me out,
              Rebel, heretic, a thing to flout.
              But God and I had the wit to win:
              We drew a circle that took him in!

            • Sanctification is a continual growing process, it’s not a one and done kind of thing

              • You and I have to work at it

              • We can’t ignore the problems within our church – they won’t just go away

              • You and I have to step out of our cultural norms and comfort zones in order to sit down together and lovingly and patiently work out our differences

              • Is there someone within the church that’s irritating you right now?

              • You need to take time this week to meet with them and patiently and loving talk it out

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Ask God to give me the strength to meet, this week, with the individual(s) within Idaville Church that I’m struggling with.

            • When you and I truly grasp the great value that Christ places on the church and why it’s being formed, it should motivate us to treasure the church in the same way He does

              • Jesus is making for Himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any blemish (Eph. 5:25b, 27)

              • The church has been given the task of pointing the rest of the world to Jesus

              • The church is to be demonstrating what a relationship with God and Jesus looks like

              • “A pearl grows gradually, and the church grows gradually as the Spirit convicts and converts sinners.” ​​ [Wiersbe, 47]

              • Is Idaville Church doing that?

              • Are you doing that?

              • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Look for ways this week to demonstrate to my family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers what a relationship with Jesus Christ looks like.

        • What did the merchant do to obtain this pearl?

          • Jesus gave everything He had in order to obtain the church

            • He considers the church something of great value

            • The church is the vessel He is currently using to demonstrate to the rest of the world the kind of relationship He desires with them

          • He willingly sacrificed the glories of heaven to come to earth

          • He took on the form of a human being and suffered just like you and I do, yet without sin

          • He fulfilled God’s purpose for Him on earth by being falsely accused, beaten, and hung on a cross to die, to take your punishment for sin

 

  • YOU

    • Salvation

        • We’re all born with a desire to have our own way (Romans 3:10-12, As it is written: ​​ “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. ​​ All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”)

        • Because God is just, He cannot allow sin to go unpunished (Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.)

        • God’s not only just, but He is also loving (Romans 5:8, But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: ​​ While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.)

        • He made a way for you to be in a right relationship with Him (2 Corinthians 5:21, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.)

        • My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Believe in Jesus and His ultimate sacrifice to purchase me, so I can be in a right relationship with God.

 

  • WE

    • Jesus modeled love

        • It was love that motivated Jesus to give everything He had to purchase humanity so that He will be able to use Israel, an incredible treasure, when He returns again

        • It was love that motivated Jesus to sacrifice everything in order to purchase the church, which is the pearl in humanity that points to Jesus

        • It was God’s great love for us that motivated Him to fulfill His plan of redemption through Jesus Christ

    • Love is our nacre

        • 1 Peter 4:8, Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

        • Make love your nacre.

        • God showed grace towards us – He didn’t give us what we deserved for our sin

        • We also should extend grace to those around us, which is an expression of love

        • When we allow love to be our nacre, it can cover over the irritation that we may be feeling toward our coworkers, neighbors, family, friends, and fellow believers

 

CONCLUSION

The Sixth Pledge

 

This membership is a gift. ​​ When I received the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, I became a part of the body of Christ. ​​ I soon thereafter identified with a local body and was baptized. ​​ And now I am humbled and honored to serve and to love others in our church. ​​ I pray that I will never take my membership for granted, but see it as a gift and an opportunity to serve others and to be a part of something so much greater than any one person or member.

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