Pray as Jesus Taught (Matthew 6:9-13)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, March 30, 2025

I heard about this man that was walking on the beach. God said, “Son, you’ve been so faithful, I’m going to grant you one special wish.” He was so excited, he said “God, I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii but I’m afraid to fly, so my wish is that you would build me a bridge across the ocean”. God said, “Son, that’s totally impossible! Think of the logistics of that. Now, take some time and wish again!”.

He said, “Okay God, I’ve been married four times. All my ex-wives say I’m so insensitive. So, my wish is that I’d be able to understand a woman. I wanna know why they think like they think, why they feel like they feel.” There was a long pause, God said, “Do you want two lanes or four lanes on that bridge?”

“Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep; if I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.” That may be the prayer that you learned when you were a child. When I was in preschool, I learned: “God is great, God is good, God we thank you for this food, Amen.” We might have learned these prayers because we grew up in homes or had extended family to teach us to pray. Others may not have had that privilege:

In the passage we will examine, Jesus teaches the disciples to pray. For the last several weeks, we have been discussing the letters to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation. Why? We have been in the season of Lent. Lent is a period of preparation for Easter, and Easter is about Jesus’ death and resurrection. Typically, during Lent, Christians focus on repentance. What is the theme of those letters? Repentance. A theme is staying close to Jesus. Today, we will shift to prayer. For the next two Sundays, I want to focus on praying like Jesus. Today, we use the memorable, Lord’s Prayer. Next Sunday, we will use John 17 and Jesus’s High Priestly prayer.

Jesus teaches the disciples a meaningful order for prayer.

Turn in your Bibles to Matthew 6:9-13 and read this passage with me.

Matthew 6:9–13 (ESV)

⁹ Pray then like this:

                  “Our Father in heaven,

                  hallowed be your name.

         ¹⁰       Your kingdom come,

                  your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

         ¹¹       Give us this day our daily bread,

         ¹²       and forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

         ¹³       And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

My theme today is: Pray like Jesus.

1. Context:
   • This passage is also found in Luke 11.
   • In Luke 11:1, it says that Jesus was praying in a certain place and then the disciples asked Him to teach them to pray.
   • Actions speak louder than words. The disciples saw Jesus’ actions. They saw Jesus praying often, and they saw the miracles that He did. In Luke 9:28ff, they saw the transfiguration. In Luke 9:12ff, they saw Jesus feed 5000. In Luke 8:40ff and 49-56, they saw Jesus heal Jairus’ daughter. In Luke 8:43ff, they saw Jesus heal a woman with an issue of blood simply because she touched His garment. In Luke 8:22ff, they saw Jesus still the sea. In Luke 4:31ff, they saw or heard about Jesus casting out demons in Capernaum. They had also seen Jesus praying a lot: in Mark 1:35, after Jesus had healed many people He retreated to a secluded place to pray. The disciples likely connected prayer with the miracles. So, they ask Jesus to teach them to pray.
   • The question is: In the context of Jesus’ life, is the passage in Luke the same as the passage in Matthew? That is possible. It is also possible that Jesus taught this more than once. This was important to Jesus.
2. Let’s look at the passage.
   1. Notice in verse 9 that Jesus says, “Pray then in this way.” This is important. Jesus didn’t say, “Pray these words.” No, Jesus was giving a pattern, an order for our prayers.
   2. For us to grasp the significance of this we must look at the verses preceding this passage.
   3. Jesus started teaching about prayer in verse 5. Notice in verse 7 Jesus said do not use “meaningless repetition as the gentiles do.” The key word is “meaningless.”
   4. There is nothing wrong with occasionally reciting this prayer in corporate worship, but we must be careful of meaningless repetition. That is exactly what Jesus was going against. He taught them this order of prayer.
   5. Greek prayers piled up as many titles of the deity addressed as possible, hoping to secure his or her attention. Pagan prayers typically reminded the deity of favors done or sacrifices offered, attempting to get a response from the god on contractual grounds.^[1]
   6. Jesus doesn’t condemn long prayers but wants meaningful verbiage.[2]
   7. What I want to communicate is that Jesus taught the disciples a meaningful order for prayer.
3. Jesus teaches His disciples to start prayer with a worshipful petition.
   1. In the Greek “be Holy” is the same word.
   2. When we are praying as Jesus taught us to pray, we are not simply saying “Lord, Your name is Holy.” We are saying, “Let Your name be holy.” There is a simple difference. The difference is that we are asking God’s name to be revered as holy. The name of the Lord is who He is.
   3. We are asking God’s name to be set apart, sanctified, sacred. This is worship as we are ascribing to God what He is. He is holy.
   4. This is also a petition.
   5. In verse 10, we are praying for God’s Kingdom to come. In verse 10, I see the focus on God. I notice a repeated personal pronoun “you,” or “your” in the English.
   6. Do we realize what we are saying when we use this prayer. This is a powerful line. God’s Kingdom= submission.
   7. “Your Kingdom come.”
   8. “Your will be done.” (second person)
   9. This means that our prayers must not be about us but about God. It starts with God.
   10. Later, forgiveness, daily bread, deliverance from evil, lead us not into temptation, are about us, but still under God.
   11. In this prayer, we are praying for God’s Kingdom to come about. This is a strong prayer. We are praying for His Reign.
   12. This means that we must submit to His rule!
   13. Thomas Watson, a seventeenth century writer, put it in a frightening way, but it’s obviously true. He said when you pray, “Thy will be done,” Jesus is telling you to pray two things. You are praying that you might do diligently all he commands and that you also might submit patiently to all he inflicts. Two things. You’re not only saying, “Oh Lord, may I do diligently all you command.” You’re also saying, “Oh Lord, may I submit patiently to all you inflict.”^[3]
   14. Are we ready for the Kingdom to come? Do we mean this request?
   15. God reigns in Heaven; we are asking for God’s reign and will to come about on earth (Heb 1:3; 8:1; 1 Peter 3:22).
   16. So, meaningful prayer starts with a worshipful petition. Meaningful prayer ascribes to God the attributes that He has and we request that He maintains His holiness. Meaningful prayer asks for the Lord’s will not my own. Meaningful prayer asks for His kingdom to come about. Meaningful prayer implies submission to His will and kingdom.
4. Meaningful prayer includes daily needs.

1. 1. Verse 11 shows us the second category of meaningful prayer. Meaningful prayer includes requests for our daily needs. Give us this day our daily bread.
   2. Richard Foster, who wrote Celebration of Disciplines, says that this shows that we are allowed to make personal requests in our prayers. If we need a babysitter today, pray for that. If we need help shoveling snow, pray for that. But we pray for what we need, not what we want.
   3. We may have many needs. We could also request for other people’s needs.
   4. A mentor of mine was laid off from work back in the 1970’s. One Sunday they were on their way to church, and it was their day to tithe. His wife asked him if they should tithe their last few dollars. He (Dave) said, “yes, that is the Lord’s money.” They went to church and gave that money in the offering plate. They didn’t tell anyone about their needs. The next day was their daughter’s birthday. That night the wife, Sharon, made a list of what they could use to make a birthday cake. The next day all the items on the list were at their front door.
   5. It is good to ask for our daily needs. God could have dropped those items from Heaven, or He might have led someone to drop them off during the night. God answers prayer.
   6. This may also be able to be translated: “Give us this day our bread for tomorrow.” According to Dr. Stamps, a professor of worship Theology, this had the idea of a servant during the New Testament times receiving bread for the following day from the master. The master would leave this under his bed early in the morning. This was not discovered until the 19^th
   7. So, meaningful prayer includes the request for needs.

Request for forgiveness:

1. 1. • Verse 12 shows us that a meaningful order of prayer includes a request for forgiveness. Notice that this request implies that we have forgiven others.
      • Richard Foster says that we always must give in order to be able to receive. He says, “It is simply that by the very nature of the created order we must give in order to receive. I cannot, for instance, receive love if I do not give love. People may try to offer me love, but if resentment and vindictiveness fill my heart, their offers will roll off me like water off a duck’s back. If my fists are clenched and my arms folded tightly around myself, I cannot hold anything.”[4]
      • So, we forgive others, and we receive God’s forgiveness.

Deliverance:

1. 1. 1. 1. In verse 13, Jesus shows that a meaningful order for prayer includes a request not to be led into temptation and deliverance from evil.
         2. God does not tempt (James 1:13).
         3. But God will test us. Richard Foster says: “In praying this we are saying: ‘Lord, may there be nothing in me that will force you to put me to the test in order to reveal what is in my heart.’”[5] The Lord can also intervene so that satan doesn’t tempt us.
         4. But God can strengthen us through tests:
         5. Tim Keller shares: When coal goes under pressure, it turns into a diamond. When your tests come upon you, if you respond with honesty, if you respond with compassion, if you respond with unselfishness, if you respond with faithfulness, it’ll just turn you into a diamond. It’s not the circumstance, it’s not the difficulties that are your trouble. If you respond to your situation with impatience, with faithlessness, with bitterness, with selfishness, it’ll ruin you. Don’t you see? You won’t be a diamond; you’ll be powde^[6]
         6. Deliver us from evil is deliverance from the devil.

So, that is it. That is a meaningful pattern of prayer as opposed to the meaningless repetitions that the others were praying.

• We must start prayer with worshipful petitions.
• We must move on to requests for our needs.
• We must then request forgiveness.
• We then request deliverance from evil and that the Lord keeps us from the test or temptation.

This meaningful order of prayer implies that prayer is very important. Remember, Jesus taught the disciples to pray and Jesus modeled a prayer life.

As we continue this Lenten season, I exhort you to pray like Jesus taught us to pray.

^[1]Keener, C. S., & InterVarsity Press. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary : New Testament (Mt 6:7). Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.

[2] ver•biage \ˈvər-bē-ij also -bij\ noun

[French, from Middle French verbier to chatter, from verbe speech, from Latin verbum word]

(circa 1721)

1 : a profusion of words usually of little or obscure content 〈such a tangled maze of evasive verbiage as a typical party platform —Marcia Davenport〉

2 : manner of expressing oneself in words : diction 〈sportswriters guarded their verbiage so jealously —Raymond Sokolov〉

Merriam-Webster, I. (1996, c1993). Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary. (10th ed.). Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.: Merriam-Webster.

^[3] Timothy J. Keller, The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).

[4] Richard Foster’s book on Prayer page 186-187

[5] Richard Foster on prayer page 189

^[6] Timothy J. Keller, The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).

The Letter to the Church at Pergamum (Rev. 2:12–17)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, March 23, 2025

I recently saw an article which stated that bad doctrine is what led to the apartheid in West Africa. This made me think it is wrong beliefs that have always plagued the church and caused much of our problems. We used Scripture, though wrongly, to justify slavery. On the other hand, many don’t even care about Scriptures; therefore, we have our own problems for lack of study. Most of the Bible is fairly easy to understand. When we make the Bible part of us, the Holy Spirit will guide our lives by His Own Words. Then there is the problem that happened with slavery, this occurs when we read the Scriptures trying to make them say what we want them to say. That is called Eisegesis. We can make the Bible say the wrong things instead of letting the Bible speak.

But generally, the problems arise because we don’t know better. We don’t know any better than the wrong beliefs, the wrong doctrine that is taught.

Looking at the church in Pergamum, we see they held true to the faith, even in persecution, but they tolerated false teaching. They tolerated false doctrine.

Let’s look at the good and the bad of Pergamum and apply this to our lives.

Theme: Pergamum stuck with Christ, but they tolerated false teaching.

Application: Stick with Christ, watch out for false teaching, and know correct teaching.

Please turn to Revelation 2:12-17 and we will look at the verses as we talk about them:

1. Learn: Let’s learn about this church, and then we will be encouraged to apply.
   1. The church at Pergamum was an important city: The Life Application Study Bible says it very well:
   2. The city of Pergamum was built on a hill 1,000 feet above the surrounding countryside, creating a natural fortress. It was a sophisticated city, a center of Greek culture and education, with a 200,000-volume library. But it was also the center of four cults, and it rivaled Ephesus in its worship of idols. The city’s chief god was Asclepius, whose symbol was a serpent and who was considered the god of healing. People came to Pergamum from all over the world to seek healing from this god.[1]
   3. We get our word parchment from Pergamum.
   4. Just as a note, back then libraries were not for lending. You went to the library, and you would read the scroll there, and books, called “Codex,” were not yet invented. The book form, codex, was likely invented by Christians.
   5. In verse 12, we, once again, see the idea of the two edged sword. It reads:
   6. 2:12: “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.
   7. Then we come to verse 13: “ ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
   8. Notice that Jesus knows, we’ll come back to that.
   9. The church in Pergamum is kissed before they are hit, isn’t that nice? In other words, they are encouraged before they are rebuked. They are commended because despite the area where they live, they have not renounced their faith. They stayed true to Jesus’s name. May we stay true to Jesus’s name.
   10. Pergamum was called the city where Satan had his throne.
   11. They were in heavy persecution, but still did not renounce the faith. We don’t know much about Antipas, but there are thoughts about him:
   12. “Antipas is said to have been a dentist and a physician, but the Aesculapiades suspected that he was propagating Christianity secretly and they accused him of disloyalty to Caesar. He was condemned to death and was shut up in a brazen (or copper) bull, which was then heated until it was red-hot.”^[2]
   13. This idea of satan’s throne. It is thought that there was all this pagan worship, but there was also imperial worship, and in Revelation, satan’s throne, or the ways of satan, are the ways of the Roman culture. So, to give into Satan’s ways means to surrender to the dominant ways of the culture.
   14. James 4:4 says that friendship with the world is enmity against God.
   15. Verses 14-15 show that there are a few things against them:
   16. But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
   17. This is where we come to teaching. Teaching matters. Doctrine matters. I don’t know if this is a literal teaching of Balaam or not. You can read about Balaam and Balak in Numbers chapters 22-25 and 31. Balaam was told to curse Israel by the local king Balak, but God would not let him and he only blessed them.
   18. However, in Numbers 25 we see that the Israelites intermarried with the Moabite women, which was forbidden, and we see that Balaam realized if you get them to intermarry, then you can take down Israel internally (Deut. 7:3; Joshua 23:12; 2 Cor. 6:14). We receive some of this information from the Jewish Historian Josephus.
   19. This could be a metaphor for what is going on here. In this case, some Christians are participating in worldly practices.
   20. The passage says that they are eating food sacrificed to idols and participating in sexual immorality. Paul dealt with this in Romans 14 and 1 Cor. 8-10, but the problem is not the food.
   21. The problem is what goes on with the food. When the food was sacrificed, there were pornographic sexual activities, temple prostitution, and pagan, idol worship. It was not just the eating; it was the festival.
   22. The problem was that the trade guilds or business unions often would have their own idol, and having a job meant participating in these trade guilds. For the Christian, participation in these guilds meant idolatry and sexual immorality.
   23. This means that part of the persecution meant that Christians could not work.
   24. This may be a definition of the Nicolaitans in verse 15.
   25. Verse 16: Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
   26. We once again see the idea of the Word of God. The Word of God is Truth, and it exposes and takes down the falsehood of the imperial and satanic systems.
   27. Verse 17: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’
   28. We are not dumb, fake idols. We have ears, listen. The Holy Spirit is speaking.
   29. Mulholland from Asbury Seminary shares:
   30. In the midst of the problems at Pergamum, Jesus gave a call for the believers to rise up and be “victorious” (2:17). The promise to those who become “victorious” relates directly to the situation of the church in Pergamum. In contrast to “food offered to idols,” Jesus promised “the manna that has been hidden away” (there is no mention of “in heaven” in the Greek text of 2:17). This promise would resonate with John’s audience, shaped by Jewish understanding. One of the Jewish expectations associated with the restoration of the kingdom was the full restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem. This meant the return of the manna that had been in the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies until Jeremiah took it out and hid it just before the destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians. (See Heb 9:4 for the tradition of manna in the Ark of the Covenant, 2 Macc 2:4–8 for Jeremiah hiding the sacred objects from the Temple [although the manna is not explicitly mentioned], and 2 Baruch 29:8 for the restoration of the manna in the consummation.) By promising this manna, Jesus was giving the church another intimation that the restoration of the kingdom had come.^[3]
   31. In Roman times they would vote with stones. A white stone was a positive ballot and black was negative. So, a white stone means that we overcome and we have entrance into Heaven.
   32. Again from Dr. Mulholland:
   33. Jesus also promised the victorious ones a “white stone” with “a new name” (2:17). This may refer to the ballot that was used by citizens of a Roman city to cast their votes during meetings. To have such a stone, one’s name had to be on the citizenship rolls of the city. Jesus seems to be indicating that God’s faithful people are citizens of God’s kingdom. This would appear to be confirmed by the presence of the new name on the white stone. Since a person’s “name” is representative of their nature (see note on 2:13), faithful believers have a new nature as citizens of God’s New Jerusalem. Jesus’ final remark that “no one understands” the new name “except the one who receives it,” points to the experiential reality of citizenship in the New Jerusalem. Citizenship is not a legal formality conferred from without, but an existential reality of life in intimate union with Christ.^[4]
2. Be encouraged.
   1. As I look at this passage, I am greatly encouraged that Jesus knows.
   2. I see that Jesus knows that though they are in a city of satan, they are holding fast to their faith (verse 13).
   3. Jesus knows about their persecution and the death of Antipas (verse 13).
   4. Jesus knows what we go through as well. Jesus knows if we are persecuted. He knows if we are making stands for our faith and how difficult it is to stand firm. He knows.
   5. I am also encouraged that Jesus gives us the opportunity to repent. Jesus gives second chances in this life.
   6. This opportunity to repent is for us as well. This instruction is for us. Be encouraged that Jesus has given us this instruction (verse 16).
   7. Overcoming means eternal life (verse 17).
3. Apply: Let’s make some final applications.
   1. Stay true to Jesus’ name (verse 13). I see they are commended for holding fast to the faith. This is an application for us.
   2. If you are with your family, your friends, or your co-workers, stay true to Jesus.
   3. Staying true to Jesus means that you don’t deny the faith.
   4. Staying true to Jesus means you don’t fail to say anything about the faith. Sometimes we deny the faith by omitting to share when we need to.
   5. Sometimes we deny the faith by not living as a Christian. In their case, they would have denied the faith by going into the idol’s temple and participating. Are we participating in things like that? What about pornography? What about the sexually explicit and crude conversations? What about how we are entertained? Ask God to Create in you a clean heart… (Psalm 51:10). Don’t deny Christ in commission or omission.
   6. Teaching matters, doctrine matters (verses 14-15). Learn the Gospel, the true Gospel. Learn doctrine, read the Bible. They are essentially rebuked because of false doctrine. We can know false doctrine by learning true doctrine. Just read the Bible.
   7. Twice we have a reference to the Word of God, the Sword of the Spirit. This is in verses 12 and 16 (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12).
   8. Repent: if we are involved in these false beliefs or lacking the faith, repent. Jesus has given us a second chance right here.

I stand by my belief that false Doctrine, which means incorrect and improper beliefs, hurts the church and people. When we have wrong beliefs, we harm many in the name of a supposed religion, we harm ourselves. So, don’t be afraid to get into the Bible and know the Truth.

Right now, we are coming up on the most important holy day of Christianity, Resurrection Sunday. It is a true, and major part of Christianity that Jesus lived, died, and rose again. That doctrine is the correct teaching of the Bible about Jesus. But people have tried to thwart it (1 John 4:2). This is why we must stand on the strong foundation of the Word of God. We must stand for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:2, 9).

Stand strong in your beliefs and in not denying Christ.

Prayer                               

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

[1] Tyndale House Publishers (2011-08-01). Life Application Study Bible NLT (LASB: Full Size) (Kindle Locations 161746-161749). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

^[2] Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Re 2:13.

^[3] M. Robert Mulholland Jr., “Revelation,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary: James, 1–2 Peter, Jude, Revelation, ed. Philip W. Comfort, Cornerstone Biblical Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2011), 440–441.

^[4] M. Robert Mulholland Jr., “Revelation,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary: James, 1–2 Peter, Jude, Revelation, ed. Philip W. Comfort, Cornerstone Biblical Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2011), 441.

Lent message: The Letter to the Church at Smyrna, No Rebuke, only Encouragement (2:8–11)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, March 16, 2025

Psalm 23 is probably the most memorable and memorized:

Let’s say it together:

Psalm 23:title–6 (ESV)

23 A Psalm of David.

¹    The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

²       He makes me lie down in green pastures.

     He leads me beside still waters.

³       He restores my soul.

     He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

⁴    Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

     for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

⁵    You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

     you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

⁶    Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

     and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

I invited all of us to read it together because those words must have been so crucial to the church in Smyrna.

Today’s Theme:

In pulling back the veil, Jesus encourages the church in Smyrna. Jesus tells them they will have trouble but receive a crown of life.  

Let’s read

Revelation 2:8–11 (ESV)

To the Church in Smyrna

⁸ “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.

⁹ “ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰ Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. ¹¹ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

1. Come! Take Your Crown. That is the main point.
   1. As we look at these verses, we see a Goal—A Crown of Life Won by Jesus Awaits Us.
   2. I believe that is to be encouraging. Who here does not want to receive a Crown?
   3. Don’t you want to receive a crown from King Jesus?
   4. Do we want to hear Jesus say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21 and 23).
   5. I once heard of a son who may not have said it, but he wanted his father to be proud of him. No matter what, he wanted his father to be proud of him. His father always expressed his pride in his other son, but not the younger one.
   6. Isn’t it encouraging that we can receive a Crown from King Jesus. However, receiving this crown may not be easy. I dare say that it isn’t easy.
   7. Let’s pause a moment. Is this Christian life easy?
   8. Is the Christian life supposed to be easy?
   9. 2 Timothy 3:12: In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…
   10. The Christian life is not the easiest life. We will face hardships.
   11. So, let’s look at what Jesus says regarding this.
2. Persecution: many frightening things stand between us and the Crown of Life.
   1. This is what Jesus says. There will be difficult times. However, we are to stand firm. We are to stay the course. We are to persevere.
   2. This instruction is first and foremost to the church at Smyrna, but I believe it is also to us. I think these letters represent all the churches as well as specific churches. Let’s consider Smyrna.
   3. Smyrna was a beautiful and important seaport boasting a population of about 200,000, quite large for its time. It was a center for science and medicine, and the birthplace of the noted author Homer. It was also a regional center for emperor worship in the first century, whose citizens were expected to burn incense to Zeus once a year.[1]
   4. Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, was born in A.D. 69 and could have known the Apostle John whose writing he quotes. A defender of orthodoxy, Polycarp was martyred about A.D. 155 because he refused to deny his faith in Christ.
   5. Marcion will later deny that the God who created the world is the Lord, Jesus Christ. He will claim that there is nothing to God but love, then an evil, false god was responsible for the suffering and death of Jesus. Valentinus will convince many that everything physical is evil, that the spiritual world alone is good, that heaven is made up of “aeons”— angel-like, almost divine beings, one of which fell into sin and created the world. To Valentinus, even Christ is an aeon that adopted a human body.
   6. Many will consider this nonsense to be wisdom, but Polycarp will know better. He will defend the truth of the Trinity, the truth of the Divine and human natures of Christ, the truth of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection for sinners.
   7. The year was A.D. 155, and the persecution against Christians swept across the Roman Empire and came to the city of Smyrna. The proconsul of Symrna, swept up in this persecution, put out an order that the Bishop of Symrna, Polycarp, was to be found, arrested, and brought to the public arena for execution. They found Polycarp and brought him before thousands of spectators screaming for blood. But the proconsul had compassion on this man who was almost a hundred years old. He signaled the crowd to silence. To Polycarp he said, “Curse the Christ and live.”
   8. The crowd waited for the old man to answer. In an amazingly strong voice, he said, “Eighty and six years have I served him, and he has done me no wrong. How dare I blaspheme the name of my king and Lord!” With that Polycarp became a martyr.[2]
   9. So, Jesus calls these people a “Synagogue of Satan.” That is strong. What does that mean? Citizens of fallen Babylon worship the beast.
   10. A Synagogue of Satan may mean that they are aligning themselves with the Roman culture.
   11. Consider Paul’s ministry. He would go to the synagogue first and declare Jesus the Messiah. Sometimes he would be there one week or three weeks or months. He eventually gets kicked out and goes to the Gentiles and evangelizes Gentiles.
   12. In the Roman world, the Jews were a legal religion.
   13. In 48 B.C. Julius Caesar passed a law prohibiting all new religions except those of ancient standing. From 125 B.C. until that time (48 B.C.) Rome had been in civil war and the new religions were the hot beds of the war. So, he got rid of all new religions. Judaism predates the Roman Empire. Romans could trace their history to about 700 B.C., but Jews could trace themselves back to the second millennium. There were many court cases where Gentiles would drag Jews into court saying that they were illegal, but every time the Jews won as an ancient religion. They were allowed to govern themselves from their Torah. They could not be drafted into the army. They had to be able to have stalls to buy their food at the market. There were limits: If the Jews are proselytizing or getting into the Roman government, then Rome put their foot down. In 17 A.D. The Jews were expelled from Rome: The Roman Historians and Josephus say this is because a high-level Roman official becomes a proselyte. Later in Acts, the Jews are expelled from Rome again by Claudius. Historians suggest this was due to a disturbance caused by Christus. In Acts, when Paul and Silas are in Philippi, they are arrested and accused of being Jews and causing a disturbance to the status quo. The worst thing to do in Rome was to disturb the status quo.
   14. Paul would go to the synagogue and then be kicked out.
   15. He then proselytizes Gentiles. To the Romans, this makes it look like the Jews are proselytizing. This puts the Jewish community in threat from Rome. So, in several places in Acts, the Jews align themselves with the political leaders.
   16. In Revelation: The Jewish community aligning themselves with Rome against the Christians makes them a Synagogue of Satan.
   17. This only appears in two places: Smyrna and Philadelphia: the two good churches.
   18. The source of the persecution of these churches is the Jewish actions.
   19. Lastly, regarding this, Jesus says that they will be persecuted 10 days. In their time, 10 was a number of completion much like the number 7. This is from the Jewish pool of imagery. They will be persecuted until the time is complete.
   20. Means: Because Jesus died and lives again, our crown of life awaits us.
   21. If we persevere to the end, stay strong, and overcome, we will receive the crown. Now, if we notice this crown of life means we will not receive the second death.
   22. Let’s go a step further, what is the second death? I notice that John does not tell us what the second death is.
   23. John wants to leave us hanging. This was common in their culture. In literature, they would introduce an idea and let it wait. In Rev. 20:14, we find the second death is the Lake of Fire.
   24. Notice that in persevering, you will receive a crown from Jesus.

• Some applications:
  1. I find it encouraging to know that Jesus knows what we go through.
  2. In verse 9, Jesus tells them that He knows. He knows what they are facing.
  3. Jesus knows when we are facing troubles having to do with our faith.
  4. We are now in a post-Christian society and when we have to stand up for our faith, Jesus knows.
  5. If you need to stand up and have integrity at the workplace and face negative ramifications, have no fear, Jesus knows.
  6. If you lose friends because you are not involved in the behavior of the world, Jesus knows.
  7. If you witness for Christ and you lose friends for that or face ridicule, have no fear, Jesus knows.
  8. If your business is threatened because of your Christian integrity, have no fear.
  9. If you, your family, your morals, are in danger because you stand for life and marriage, have no fear, Jesus knows.
  10. This post-Christian culture has been a surprise to us, but not to King Jesus, He knows.
  11. It is going to be okay.
  12. When we overcome, there will be a crown of life eternal.

Closing:

Psalm 23:4: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, the Lord is with me.

How can you fear the valley if your Savior has trod its path ahead of you and returns to carry you safely through it.

The American missionary Adoniram Judson arrived in Burma, or Myanmar, in 1812, and died there thirty-eight years later in 1850. During that time, he suffered much for the cause of the gospel. He was imprisoned, tortured, and kept in shackles. After the death of his first wife, Ann, to whom he was devoted, for several months he was so depressed that he sat daily beside her tomb. Three years later, he wrote: God is to me the Great Unknown. I believe in him, but I cannot find him.

But Adoniram’s faith sustained him, and he threw himself into the tasks to which he believed God had called him. He worked feverishly on his translation of the Bible. The New Testament had now been printed, and he finished the Old Testament in early 1834.

Statistics are unclear, but there were only somewhere between twelve and twenty-five professing Christians in the country when he died, and there were not churches to speak of.

At the 150th anniversary of the translation of the Bible into the Burmese language, Paul Borthwick was addressing a group that was celebrating Judson’s work. Just before he got up to speak, he noticed in small print on the first page the words: “Translated by Rev. A. Judson.” So Borthwick turned to his interpreter, a Burmese man named Matthew Hia Win, and asked him, “Matthew, what do you know of this man?” Matthew began to weep as he said,

We know him—we know how he loved the Burmese people, how he suffered for the gospel because of us, out of love for us. He died a pauper, but left the Bible for us. When he died, there were few believers, but today there are over 600,000 of us, and every single one of us traces our spiritual heritage to one man: the Rev. Adoniram Judson.

But Adoniram Judson never saw it!

And that will be the case for some of us. We may be called to invest our lives in ministries for which we do not see much immediate fruit, trusting that the God of all grace who oversees our work will ensure that our labor is not in vain.[3]

Do you know Jesus?

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

Pray

[1]   (2014-03-15). The Moody Bible Commentary (Kindle Locations 82566-82570). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

[2] Leith Anderson, “Can Jesus Trust Us?” Preaching Today, Tape No. 126.

[3] Adapted from Julia Cameron, editor, Christ Our Reconciler (InterVarsity Press, 2012), pp. 200-201

Lent series intro: The Letter to the Church at Ephesus, Stick with our First Love (2:1–7)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, March 9, 2025

Think with me for a moment about when you first fell in love with your spouse, your children, or someone else. Think with me about love. It can be a love for a friend or sibling as well, but it cannot be a love for an object. Studies will show that when you first fall in love your whole mentality changes. The brain literally changes. When you are new in love you have more energy, and this is why you can stay up late at night to go on dates and spend time together. Employers will complain about employees that were once good employees until they met that someone. Love changes us, and to an extent that needs to happen. Pastors will often not officiate a wedding for a couple that hasn’t been together longer than six months because they have yet to realize each other’s idiosyncrasies. Many of you have raised children and maybe you have had to have that conversation with your daughter. She is saying, “I love him.” But you are saying don’t you realize that he is wanted in six states for something…” She doesn’t get it, because love is like a drug.

Then things change. You stay together and get married. Maybe you have children. Eventually, maybe you think, “Do we love each other?” This is because we associate love with that euphoria we once had. The euphoria changes but that does not mean the love isn’t there. Everything we do for each other is because of the love that is there. This is also true of our commitment to Jesus. Let’s talk about that.

In Rev. 2:1-7 The Church at Ephesus is exhorted to not forget their first love.

My burning theme today is that we love Jesus.

My burning application is that all we do stems from our love for Jesus.

Let’s read Rev. 2:1-7:

Revelation 2:1–7 (ESV)

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

² “ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. ³ I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. ⁴ But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. ⁵ Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. ⁶ Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. ⁷ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

1. All that we do must stem from our love for God.
   2. The church at Ephesus persevered (verse 2), we see this in verse 2. There was a real church at Ephesus, but I do believe these letters are to apply to all the churches. In fact, if you look at verse 7 it says for us to hear what the Spirit says to the “churches,” plural.
   3. This likely included persecution.
   4. We must persevere. But we must not forget about why we are in this. We must remember that it is all about Jesus.
   5. We will face hardship and maybe persecution, but we must persevere as well.
   6. The church at Ephesus did not tolerate evil (verse 2), we see this in verse 2. It actually says “evil people.” I would refer you to 1 Cor. 5:9-13:
   7. 1 Corinthians 5:9–13 (ESV)
   8. ⁹ I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— ¹⁰ not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. ¹¹ But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. ¹² For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? ¹³ God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
   9. The issue is when we condone evil within the church.
   10. The church at Ephesus would test the apostles and would not tolerate false apostles (verse 2).
   11. Testing church leaders is critical.
   12. 1 John 4:1–3 (ESV)
   13. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. ² By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.
   14. 2 Cor. 11:13: For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
   15. The church at Ephesus endured for Jesus and did not grow weary (verse 3).
   16. The church at Ephesus hates the Nicolaitans as does Jesus (verse 6).
   17. It is difficult to say who the Nicolaitans were, but they were some form of cult that may have denied moral values during that time, or it could be metaphorical of something else. We could get into that at another time or give me a call or an email if you want more answers to who they were.
2. The church at Ephesus neglected their first love (verse 4).
   1. This is the key application for us. Let’s break it down.
      1. We can be very good about a routine of studying the Word and prayer, but we must do these because of our intense love for God.
      2. Our Christian life must not be simply about blind orthodoxy. Orthodoxy means correct beliefs.
      3. We must be careful about always learning but never coming to a knowledge of the Truth (2 Timothy 3:7).
      4. We must love Jesus.
      5. We must desire Jesus.
      6. We must be satisfied in Jesus.
      7. Loving Jesus means that we do love His Word because we want to be close to Him and being in His Word means that we are listening to Him.
      8. Loving Jesus means that we love prayer because this is communicating with Him.
      9. Loving Jesus means that we love the church because He loves the church (Eph. 5:25-26).
      10. Timothy Keller shares:

          We had a set of trees at our house in Virginia. They were odd trees. They were some kind of oak trees. (Maybe Kathy remembers them.)

          The leaves would die in the fall, but they wouldn’t fall off. They’d stay on the tree, and they didn’t fall off until the spring when the new leaves came out of the buds and pushed the old leaves off. You see, there’s a way of trying to change that simply relies on willpower. It says, “I’m going to stop this. I’m not going to do this anymore.” But the Christian approach is so different. Christianity says you have to be continually in worship and in prayer and in study of the Word.

          Through the sacraments and through a personal encounter with God you have to be constantly meeting him so you’re changing and growing, and as Christ’s character begins to grow in you, it comes out and pushes off the old leaves. It pushes off the anger. It’s not something that happens overnight. It comes gradually. It comes bit by bit. For example, some of you know … I guess you can be too personal in a sermon. Some of you know if you were here earlier today at any of those other services, I was talking about how the gospel came to Korea.

          I went back into an old history book I had in order to tell this story. In the story, as many of you know, there was a man who came to Korea back when it was illegal in the 1860s for a foreigner to come to Korea. When his boat was sinking, he came out of the boat and waded out of the river with his arms full of Bibles, and as the people on the shore killed him, clubbing him, and knifing him, he thrust the Bibles into their hands as they were killing him. That’s how the gospel came to Korea.

          Today, at the place where he died, there’s a big, beautiful Thomas Memorial Chapel for Robert J. Thomas, the first missionary to Korea. I read about him, and I got so tremendously convicted, and I realized I had an opportunity to worship. This was happening on Friday. I was typing the thing into the computer for my sermon. I was reading the book, and I suddenly found as I was reading it, I started to cry. I realized, “Here’s a guy who was just so faithful,” and I began to feel like a baby.

          I began to say, “I think my problems are so great. I think the things God’s called me to do are so important and so hard,” and I got convicted of self-pity. I had an opportunity to worship. You stop every thing. You know, when the Spirit of God is preaching to you, is bringing something home, you say, “Here’s a chance.” So you stop everything. You sit down and say, “I see what you’re telling me,” and you begin to worship. You repent. You praise him. You receive forgiveness, and you sense yourself being renewed in the attitude of your mind. That’s the little leaf coming in and pushing off the old leaf. Christianity is an organic thing, it’s a process.[1]

          [1] Timothy J. Keller, The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).

   2. This means that we must be a part of the church. In connecting with the church, we are connecting with Jesus indirectly and directly (Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12:14-31 and chapter 13).
   3. We must remember our first love, we must remember the Gospel which saved us (verse 5).
   4. The church at Ephesus is called to repent.
   5. Repent is listed twice (verse 5). Jesus is giving them a chance to repent. This is showing that there are second chances.
   6. If they don’t repent the Lampstand is removed. Remember the Jewish pool of imagery. I like what the Life Application Study Bible says: For Jesus to “remove your lampstand from its place” would mean the church would cease to be an effective church. Just as the seven-branched candlestick in the Temple gave light for the priests to see, the churches were to give light to their surrounding communities. But Jesus warned them that their lights could go out. In fact, Jesus himself would extinguish any light that did not fulfill its purpose. The church needed to repent of its sins.[1]
   7. Kierkegaard wrote: There are, in the end, only two ways open to us: to honestly and honorably make an admission of how far we are from the Christianity of the New Testament, or to perform skillful tricks to conceal the true situation.[2]

All that we do must stem from our love for Jesus. How do you know whether you really love Jesus? I think in your daily walk with Him examine yourself, think about it. 2 Cor. 13:5 says to examine yourself and see if you are in the faith.

When we think about love I notice that with my children there was instant love.

Once I heard a message from a well-known Christian writer. He was speaking at Moody’s Founder’s week. He referenced how one of Winston Churchill’s generals said, “Winston, I never told you about my grandkids.” Winston said, “Yes, thank you!” The speaker said, “I am going to tell you about my grandkids. He proceeded to talk about how how his daughter was looking for her keys. At that point she said, “I’m losing my mind.” The four year old, said, “Don’t lose your heart mom, I’m in there.”

We are in the heart of God, He loves us. Don’t forget your first love.

I struggle with the question of my true love for Jesus. I struggle thinking to be sure that I am satisfied in Him. Reflect and pray.

Do you know Jesus?

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

Pray

[1] Tyndale House Publishers (2011-08-01). Life Application Study Bible NLT (Kindle Locations 161702-161705). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

[2] Soren Kierkegaard, “What Madness,” in Provocations: The Spiritual Writings of Kierkegaard (Plough, 1999), p. 180; submitted by Mark Galli, Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Special Topic: Revelation Introduction: intro the series

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, March 2, 2025

In the eighties, there was a show called Quantum Leap. In this series, the main character leaps between different time periods. One thought to consider is that God exists outside of time and can leap to any moment He wishes. God is the keeper of the timeline; He is in charge.

I’ve used this illustration before, but I think it is worth repeating:

I have a rope up here, and I have plenty of it. I’m going to pull it out and just watch it fall to the floor. Now, imagine that this first end of the rope represents Genesis 1:1. This signifies creation. As I move, observe this rope and envision it representing all of time. We would place Abraham somewhere near this end, followed by Moses, then David, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and eventually Ezra—that’s about 3,500 years of history. Then we go another 400 years to the birth of Jesus, followed by 2,000 years until now. From there, we continue until Jesus returns and sets everything right. Now, as we examine this rope-like timeline, we find ourselves here [pointing toward the opposite end of the beginning]. We are limited to our small segment of time. We are caught in the rope. But God, He created the rope. God created time, and He is powerful and in control. Take this thought a bit further and realize that God placed you in your position for a reason. Wow!

Be encouraged, truly be encouraged. We can quickly glance at this rope and feel discouraged by all the time and existence, but no, be encouraged because God, who is not bound by time, chose to place you on this earth during this time. God can go wherever He wishes along our rope timeline. God can “quantum leap.” But let’s take it a step further: God is to time as we are to this rope. He sees all of time at once. He is not limited by it, for He created it.

As we look at Revelation 1:1, we will “Quantum Leap” back to around 96 A.D.

Today, I want to introduce Revelation. Then, for the next seven weeks, we will study the letters to the churches in Revelation chapters two and three.

My theme today is:

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, God Tells Us The Rest of the Story, An Intro to Revelation (Revelation 1:1-3)

Our Two Applications:

1. Be encouraged; God is in control of everything [everyone say everything], even time.
2. Take this book seriously.

Revelation 1:1–3 (ESV)

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, ² who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. ³ Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

1. This letter is a revelation from Jesus Christ. This is all in verse 1.
   1. It is from the Father to the Son.
   2. It is from the Son, Jesus, to the angel.
   3. It is from the angel to John.
   4. It is from John to us.
   5. The verse says that God gave this to His servants to show His servants what soon must take place.
   6. Be encouraged that God is not limited. Nothing is limiting God. God wanted to show us and all Christians through the ages things that must take place.
   7. I must pause here because you are likely looking at this and thinking, “But it says must ‘soon take place.’” Let’s handle some of the background to this letter.
   8. First, notice that it is titled the ‘“Revelation’ to John.” It is not “Revelation’s.’” This work, a letter in the New Testament format, is one ginormous Revelation of Jesus Christ given to John.
   9. Remember that God is outside of time. The Bible says in:
   10. 2 Peter 3:8–9 (ESV)
   11. ⁸ But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
   12. There are four primary ways of interpreting Revelation.
   13. One of these is the Historicism method:
   14. This method interprets chapters 1-3 as taking place in the first century, chapters 4-20:6 taking place between the second century and the end times, and then chapters 20:7-22 as when Jesus makes things right.
   15. Second is Futurism: With this method, most of Revelation is in the future, chapter 4 and throughout chapter 22.
   16. Then there is the Preterist. The preterist is a past fulfillment or contemporary to John’s readers. Those would believe that it had to do with the Roman Empire and the fall of the Roman Empire. Fulfillment is entirely in the past by the fall of Constantine and Rome in 476 AD. Some see it as the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, but this view is very narrow. This seemed to start in the late 1500s or early 1600s. This would be the earliest understanding of Revelation in the period following its dissemination
   17. Then there is the idealist: They see Revelation operating at two levels.
   18. General spiritual principles operating at all ages.
   19. There was an immediate meaning for John and his readers, but there is also a profound spiritual reality for all ages.
   20. There is the idea that there is a clash between good and evil.
   21. There are variations on each of those interpretations, especially when we get to the Millennial reign and the tribulation period, and we are not getting into that today.
   22. Next, let’s look at dating. It appears that John is exiled to the island of Patmos, and this was under persecution. He might have been there forced to work the mines. This could have been the great persecution under Caesar Nero in the 60’s AD or in the 90’s AD under Domitian, which many believe.
2. John witnessed for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ with all he saw. This is verse 2.
   1. We may wonder what he saw. This gets into the type of literature of Revelation. It is a letter with apocalyptic literature and prophesy. Think of the idea of pulling back a curtain and revealing something. That is the idea of apocalyptic literature. It means that God is showing us the spiritual realm. God is pulling back the curtain and showing us the end.
   2. John uses a pool of images that are familiar to him and his readers but not familiar to us.
   3. John uses a Jewish pool of images.
   4. He uses a few from Hellenistic culture.
   5. Most of the imagery is from the Old Testament and intertestamental period. They are plain to his audience.
   6. We must understand this. If we divorce Revelation from its original context and meaning we can have multiple understandings and make it say whatever we want.
   7. In an early 80s Reader’s Digest article titled “The Motel of the Mysteries,” the writer presents it as an archaeological report. The article discusses late twentieth-century America, now buried under dirt. An archaeologist discovers a motel, but the description suggests it was actually a late-twentieth-century burial site. The toilet seat is described as something worn on the head, the bathtub as a sacred tower, and the shower as a musical instrument. The article continues in detail, but we understand it better. If we don’t, it surprisingly makes perfect sense.
   8. Time Magazine in 1992, when the Republicans took over Congress, shows a Donkey under the Republican Elephant. We understand the image because it is part of our time, but in hundreds of years, they may not know that.
   9. John’s audience understands the image.
   10. Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah are primary examples of John’s Old Testament imagery.
   11. Also, imagery from Baruch, Song of Songs, and other intertestamental imagery.
   12. There is no single quotation in Revelation. John is steeped in his Jewish context, and these images flow out of him.
   13. John was a witness to what God was showing him.

• Verse 3 tells us we are blessed when we read this letter.
  1. This is the only Bible book that says this.
  2. But we may not feel blessed. We may feel cursed as we try to get through.
  3. I remember sitting with my older brother on his bed, and I was probably in grade school, as he read the whole book of Revelation to me. I was confused. Yet, we are interested, aren’t we?
  4. The great Martin Luther mistrusted Revelation because of its obscurity. “A revelation should be revealing,” he said.
  5. One wrote (Dr. Constable): “The symbolism is drawn from many previous Bible books. Revelation is similar to an airport, or a railway terminal, where materials from many other sources come together.” I like that description.
  6. We must read the letter. We must study the letter.
  7. Revelation 22:10: And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.

Close:

1. Be encouraged, God is in control of everything [everyone say everything], even time.

Speaking of encouragement, it is not directly related, but I want to exhort all of us to be encouragers. I recently heard the following in a Chuck Swindoll message:

In a message such as this, because it illustrates to me that even the President of the United States at times needs a word of encouragement. Another of those golden moments turned up on television the other day, only a small minority must have seen it because not only was it on PBS, but it was a documentary on that most staid of subjects, a library.

His was an agony that reflected the suffering and turmoil of his country. And there is something touchingly pathetic in the picture of this great leader seeking solace and self-assurance from the comfort of a few old newspaper clippings. Who would have thought the night of his tragic death that earlier that evening in the Oval Office under candlelight, the man was reading the words of somebody who believed in him?[1]

[1] From Insight for Living Daily Broadcast: Strengthening Your Grip on Encouragement, Part 3, Feb 27, 2025
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/insight-for-living-daily-broadcast/id89603501?i=1000696323884&r=1115
This material may be protected by copyright.

2. Take this book seriously.

I don’t know about you, but I can get discouraged when I hear the news. But isn’t it encouraging to know that God is in control? Look at this rope. [Have someone in the back row pick up the other end.] God is in control of time. God placed each of us here for a reason. God entered John’s time and told him of the things to come.

Revelation is part of the Bible, the Word of God.

Do you know Jesus?

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

Pray