How did God speak to us in the Old Testament? Further, how does God speak to us today? That is my theme today:

How did God speak to us in the Old Testament? Further, how does God speak to us today?

We have already looked at a video of stars praising the Lord. Last week we talked about Rev. 4:1-11 and how we see worship in Heaven. We have this great and awesome God and guess what, He has revealed Himself to us in more than one way.

C. S. Lewis said God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our consciousness, and shouts to us in our pain.^[1]

1. In the Bible God spoke through General Revelation. God still speaks through General Revelation. General Revelation means that God has revealed Himself through creation.
   1. Psalm 19: The heavens declare the glory of God;
      the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
      ² Day after day they pour forth speech;
      night after night they reveal knowledge.
      ³ They have no speech, they use no words;
      no sound is heard from them.
      ⁴ Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
      their words to the ends of the world.
      In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
      ⁵ It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
      like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
      ⁶ It rises at one end of the heavens
      and makes its circuit to the other;
      nothing is deprived of its warmth.
   2. ⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect,
      refreshing the soul.
      The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
      making wise the simple.
      ⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right,
      giving joy to the heart.
      The commands of the Lord are radiant,
      giving light to the eyes.
      ⁹ The fear of the Lord is pure,
      enduring forever.
      The decrees of the Lord are firm,
      and all of them are righteous.
   3. ¹⁰ They are more precious than gold,
      than much pure gold;
      they are sweeter than honey,
      than honey from the honeycomb.
      ¹¹ By them your servant is warned;
      in keeping them there is great reward.
      ¹² But who can discern their own errors?
      Forgive my hidden faults.
      ¹³ Keep your servant also from willful sins;
      may they not rule over me.
      Then I will be blameless,
      innocent of great transgression.
   4. ¹⁴ May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
      be pleasing in your sight,
      Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
   5. There are other passages concerning General Revelation and they are in your sermon notes. (John 1:14-18; Acts 17:22-31; Romans 1:17-21; Hebrews 1:1-4)
2. But what I think you really want to talk about is Special Revelation: group together: How many different ways?
   1. Special Revelation is the Word of God, the Bible, today. But in the Old Testament and the New Testament this meant that God revealed Himself to people in real forms.
   2. Name some? Anyone name some ways that God communicated to people in the Bible…
      1. Verbal: God talked with Adam: Genesis 2 indicates that God spoke to Adam about his needs both personal (“I will make a helper suitable for you”) and in regard to civilization (“Be fruitful and multiply”).
      2. Visions (Gen. 15)
      3. Angels (Luke 1 and 2)
      4. Dreams (Matthew chapters 1 and 2)
      5. Animals, specifically a donkey (Numbers 22:28)
      6. Weather events (2 Kings 19:12)
      7. Urim and Thummim: (Ex. 28:30)
         1. So that would be 7 different ways that God communicated to people and I have the verses in your sermon notes. I also have further references available upon request of various ways that God communicated.[2]

• How does God speak today?
  1. The Holy Spirit is the agent who brings revelation home to the human heart (John 14:26: 16:13–15; Rom. 8:15–16; 1 Cor. 2:10–12; Gal. 4:6).^[3]
  2. Today God speaks through His Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
  3. John Piper: “How Important is the Bible?”given at Lausanne 2010:
     1. “God talks to me no other way, but don’t get this wrong, he talks to me very personally. I open my Bible in the morning to meet my friend, my Savior, my Creator, my Sustainer. I meet him and he talks to me. … I’m not denying providence, not denying circumstances, not denying people, I’m just saying that the only authoritative communion I have with God with any certainty comes through the words of this book.”
  4. Let’s apply this…
     1. It was 1991 and it was announced that we were sending troops into Iraq, it was now the Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm. My dad came home from work and wanted to watch the news, something important was happening. I remember how serious that was and how my dad would not let me talk over the news that night. He wanted to know what was happening.
     2. I have grown up a little bit in the five years since 1991, 25 years, and I realize now, sometimes you need to listen.
     3. If something important is happening, you tune in and listen.
     4. God has spoken, God continues to speak, tune in and listen.
     5. We tune in by going to the Lord in prayer and opening our Bible. That is like tuning in on a radio, or television. Tune in to what God has to say.
     6. Anyone remember Bob Ross? Bob Ross taught people to paint. But you would follow his instructions on Television when you tuned in to his program. Tune in to God’s Word, listen to Him.

Closing:

Jesus was baptized and at His baptism the Spirit came down like a dove and there was a voice from the Father saying, “This is my Son in Whom I am well pleased.” We have that same opportunity today. We have the opportunity to follow Jesus’ footsteps in baptism and also to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has not changed either. (Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 1)

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

Footnotes:

^[1] G. Curtis Jones, 1000 Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1986), 145.

1. [2] Abraham’s meeting with the three travelers (Gen. 18:1-19:1).
2. Moses heard him calling from the fiery bush. (Exodus 3)
3. God spoke through Balaam’s donkey (Numbers 22:28).
4. Job heard God speaking from the whirlwind. (Job 38)
5. Samuel heard him calling in the dark. (1 Samuel 3)
6. David heard him speak through the prophet Nathan. (2 Samuel 12)
7. Elijah heard God speak through a gentle blowing (2 Kings 19:12), though God was not in a strong wind (2 Kings 19:11), the Lord was not in an earthquake (2 Kings 19:11), and the Lord was not in a fire (2 Kings 19:12).
8. Isaiah felt the burning coal and heard assurance that his guilt was taken away and sin atoned for. (Isaiah 6)
9. God spoke through symbolic actions (Jeremiah 18:1-10).
10. Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37)
11. God spoke through dreams such as Matthew 1 and 2 and Acts 10:9ff with Peter
12. God spoke through angels (Luke 2)
13. This is my Son in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 1).

1. Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch
2. Saul and those traveling with him on the road to Damascus heard Jesus asking why Saul was persecuting him. (Acts 9)
3. Prophets and teachers at Antioch heard the Holy Spirit tell them to set apart Barnabas and to send out Saul. (Acts 13)
4. 2 Cor. 12:1-4 Paul was told to keep what he saw hidden.
5. John felt the glorified Jesus touch him and heard his assurance that he didn’t have to be afraid.

^[3] Allen C. Myers, The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1987), 884.

Introduction:

Another time and another place I was in college. I was sitting outside the lecture hall where my Old Testament class was supposed to meet. As I was sitting there, probably reading, the professor came and sat down. This professor was also a pastor. We started a conversation and I commented on the church I attended and something going on and he responded, “Worship wars.” I don’t know where the conversation went from there, all I remember is “worship wars.” I had never heard that phrase before. I am not criticizing what he called it, but I will be critical that it happens. We can have wars about many things, but not worship. Maybe part of the problem is that we worship the wrong things. We may worship our food, or our car, or even the past and miss the future.

I like to eat and I once received email that may make it easier for me to eat with a good conscience: this is only part of it.

HEALTH QUESTION & ANSWERS with Dr. Kenmiester:
Q: I’ve heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that’s it…don’t waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that’s like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.
Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn.  And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.
Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.
Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can’t think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain…good!
Q: Aren’t fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU’RE NOT LISTENING!!! These days, foods are fried in vegetable oil. In fact, they’re permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?
Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.
Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO! Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It’s the best feel-good food around!
Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, then explain whales to me.
Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! ‘Round’ is a shape!

Now, certainly that is humorous, but we do put food in front of God, right. Worship is our response to what we desire most. What do we most desire? We can follow the trail of our time, energy and money and then find out what we worship.

If our understanding of worship is off to begin with, then it will follow that we will have wars about worship.

I want to come back to this after we read the passage. Let’s read Rev. 4:1-11 and talk about Worship in Heaven.

Our Theme is that in Heaven we see unashamed worship of God. This is unashamed exaltation of Jesus Christ.

Our Application is that we also worship God now as unashamed believers exalting Jesus.

Read Rev. 4:1-11:

After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures   had six wings   and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’

who was, and is, and is to come.”

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

1. Let’s briefly look at this passage in order to gain some understanding.
   1. When I was a kid my parents took me to see Mount Rushmoore and I really was not that amazed or that shocked. It was a cloudy day and it just did not strike me.
   2. A few years later my parents took me to see the Grand Canyon and wow! That is all I can see. The Grand Canyon is amazing! I went there a few years later and it was the same reaction on my part. When I see the Grand Canyon, I am reminded of how little I am and how Great God is.
   3. But, even before that, I was going into third grade and we went to Myrtle Beach and I saw the ocean for the first time. I love, absolutely love looking out on the ocean. The ocean reminded me of how great God is and how big the world is.
   4. I remember being a child going into a planetarium at the Dayton Museum of Natural History. “Radical” was an adjective that I recently had learned. The person leading the show was showing us all the galaxies and where earth is and I said, “Radical” in a way that everyone could hear. Then the man leading the show said, “Is that the word these days?” “Radical” is a good word, but “awesome” is the best word. Seeing how big outer space is shows our awesome creator.
   5. We are little God is not just big, but amazing.
   6. In this text John is trying to describe the indescribable.
   7. Verse 1 is the beginning of this vision. John says that there was a door and a voice like a trumpet said “Come up here so that I can show you what must happen after these things.”
   8. In verse 2 John is “immediately” “in the Spirit.” This could mean that he was in the Holy Spirit, or Spirit just is a spiritual state.
   9. So, it appears what he is describing in this passage is similar to Revelation 21:9 so it is possible that John is seeing the New Jerusalem right here and then he particularizes the New Jerusalem in chapter 21.
   10. So, he describes a beautiful throne room with all kinds of jewels. Then he describes 24 thrones with elders on the thrones. The elders had crowns. I like the belief that the elders are reflecting all believers. For example, in Rev. 3:11 Jesus said not to let them take your crown. In Rev. 1:6 we are called a Kingdom of Priests. In the Old Testament there were 24 priests. 24 was an important number in Judaism. 1 Chronicles 24 we have a listing of the 24 orders of priests. The beginning of Luke’s Gospel we see Zechariah’s vision and we see Abijah was one of the 24 priests.
   11. Verse 5 references flashes of lightning and thunder. These are always signs of God’s presence. God is in the middle of this throne room. Remember what I said, John is trying to describe the indescribable. There is more in here but let’s skip to verses 8-11.
   12. There are four living creatures that never rest. They are contantly worshipping the Lord.“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”
   13. Up until now we have talked about the setting and Who was at the setting and that is God. God’s presence was with them. Now, the response to the setting is worship.
   14. Look they say “Holy” how many times. Anyone, share how many times we see the adjective “Holy.” Three times. In Jewish language they could not say “holiest” so they would say something three times and that meant “most holy.” They are saying that God is most holy. He is the holiest. He Is Lord, He is God, He is most powerful or almighty.
       1. He is eternal.
       2. Then, whenever they gave glory, honor and thanks to God, the elders would throw themselves down. Wow!

• That is humility. Dr. Mulholland of Asburyt Theological Seminary shared:

1. We are not a bowing culture. When Dr. Mulholland enters the room the students do not bow to him, but when he taught in Korea when he came in they would bow and if a student came in late they would bow. Bowing acknowledges God as God.
2. Worship is allowing God to be God. Not just praising God and saying God you are God, but allowing God to be God.
3. Next, these elders did not simply fall down. They offer their crowns before the throne. This is surrender. They cast their crowns. The crown represents role, authority. The Elders, who represent us, are surrendering their rule of their relationship to God, to God. Are we allowing God to be God on His terms or our terms. Casting crowns allows God to be God on His terms. John uses the present tense, they “are casting.” They are continually casting crowns. Our relationship with God is a love relationship which means we are free to say “no.” This means that we continually offer our authority and power before God and surrender and say, “You are Lord and I am not.”

• Lastly, they worship as well.“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

1. Some applications:
   1. Who is worthy to be worshipped? God.
   2. Who created all things? God.
   3. Your will they were and were created.
   4. John is seeing who we are and who all creation is, what all creation is.
   5. John is seeing that we existed in the heart of God’s love before we were created.
   6. Ephesians 1:3: Paul notes that our lives are immersed in blessings. Verse 4: God chose us before the foundation of the world. “chose” this means to speak forth. Genesis 1: God spoke forth creation. We were in the heart of God before we were created, before anything created. There was no emergency in Heaven when we were conceived, maybe in our mother’s life.
   7. Psalm 139
   8. By God’s hand we existed and were created.
   9. We are not accidents.
   10. The only response is self sacrificial worship. The only response is worship in humility.
   11. The only response is to join the elders, which we may be in that group anyways and say, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power.”

• How can we let the devil make us fight over worship?
  1. Look at this picture of the throne room of God. Does it not move you to worship?
  2. 6:10-12 says that we wrestle not with flesh and blood, but the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms… (My paraphrase)
  3. The devil wants to do everything he can to take our attention off of God.
  4. As church leaders it is critical that we try our best to exalt Jesus in the worship service.
  5. As Christians it is important that you try your best to focus on Jesus and make it about Him.
  6. The devil wants you to focus on what is not right.
  7. The devil wants you to focus on your own preferences, whatever they may be and that is not at all to say they are no important.
  8. Listen, preferences are important. We all have them. We all have certain desires that effect how we worship. That is okay. Without those desires there is no way we would even begin worship individually or collectively.
  9. Think about it:
     1. Do you like drums? That is a preference and that is okay.
     2. Do you like guitar? That is a preference and it is okay.
     3. Do you like piano? That is preference and it is okay.
     4. Do you like organ? That is a preference and it is okay.
     5. Do you like Air Conditioning in the sanctuary and what temperature? Preference.
     6. What type of lighting do you want?
     7. What color carpet?
     8. These also effect worship.
  10. What is not okay is treating preferences equal to Scripture and that leads to worship wars. The worship wars are all about preferences.
  11. Sometimes we make these preferences into idols, but then we are in idolatry. If we can’t worship without___________ fill in the blank, then what are we worshipping instead of who are we worshipping.
  12. Churches die over preferences.
  13. People stay away from churches because they are so burnt out over preference wars.
  14. I get them and I am burnt out by them. There are a number of complaints I get that are about why something is somewhere and it must be there, but rarely or almost never is it a Biblical issue.
  15. I really wish that the concerns would be about Biblical issues because those must really be taken care of.
  16. How can we miss Jesus and let anything get in the way of worship?

James MacDonald writes:

“Nothing brings glory down in church as quickly and as powerfully as when God’s people unashamedly adore God’s great Son, Jesus Christ. Not just a few enthusiasts in the front row when the service starts but a room packed to the walls with fired-up Christians. Not simply testimony to personal benefit resulting from gospel belief but passionate ascription of worth to the God of the gospel. When that happens, an unbeliever coming in will “worship God and declare that God is really among you.” A whole body of believers worshipping with their whole beings can expect to get the only thing we have to offer this world: “Is it not in [God’s] going with us … that we are distinct … from every other people on the face of the earth?” All church activities that dilute, diminish, or detract from worship destroy Verticality, deny the priority of doxology, and forfeit what Vertical Church is all about—glory.”

Excerpt From: James Macdonald. “Vertical Church.” iBooks. https://itun.es/us/hePBG.l

Close:

Jesus is greater than food. Food will keep you alive and yet kill you, but Jesus gives you eternity.

Jesus is greater than the organ, the piano, the drums, the guitar, the church building itself. I did not come here to worship you, this building or any other instrument, so I cannot allow the use of anything or the absence of anything to keep me from worship. I must address it as it is, it is the devil keeping me from worshipping God.

What about you?

What is keeping you from worship?

When you look at this passage about the throne room of God, does it compel you to worship?

Let’s unashamedly worship Him now.

Pray

Introduction:

Just a show of hands…

• How many of you remember prayer in schools?
• How many of you remember when businesses were closed on Sundays?
• How many of you remember when it was normal to go to church more than once a week?

Times are changing, right? I read the following:

Inoffensive Celebration

To avoid offending anybody, the schools dropped religion altogether and started singing about the weather. At my son’s school, they now hold the winter program in February and sing increasingly nonmemorable songs such as “Winter Wonderland,” “Frosty the Snowman” and–this is a real song–“Suzy Snowflake,” all of which is pretty funny because we live in Miami. A visitor from another planet would assume that the children belonged to the Church of Meteorology.[1]

I think there is some truth to that. The times are changing, but at least in beliefs the church cannot change.

Look at this passage: Hebrews 13:8: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Jesus does not change, the Word does not change.

My theme and application today:

Theme: Laodicea, the Church that Wasn’t a Church

Application: Are we cold, hot, or lukewarm? Be zealous and repent.

Let’s read the passage from the Message:

To Laodicea

¹⁴          Write to Laodicea, to the Angel of the church. God’s Yes, the Faithful and Accurate Witness, the First of God’s creation, says:

^15–17                  “I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ oblivious that in fact you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.

¹⁸                       “Here’s what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that’s been through the refiner’s fire. Then you’ll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You’ve gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see.

¹⁹                       “The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they’ll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!

^20–21                  “Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors!

²²                       “Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches.”^[2]

1. First, our great and awesome Jesus is speaking to us (verse 14)
   1. The second part of verse 14 reads: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.
   2. This is about Jesus. This is also a different introduction. The other introductions to the churches were more about an attribute of Jesus, but this introduction seems more conclusive of His being. This introduction is more about Jesus as the authority.
   3. This church is the worst of the churches and this could be why Jesus is setting up His authority.
   4. Laodicea was a very affluent city. They were on a north-south, east-west trade route. They had a major earthquake in 60 A.D. and Rome offered loans to help them rebuild but they chose to do it on their own. They were a city of banking, a city of commerce, specifically wool, and they were a city with a medicine trade. They would trade a type of eye salve. Laodicea was also the home of a medical school and the manufacture of collyrium, a famous eye salve. But the city had no good water, so they would pipe the water in from a city some 5 miles away. They got their water from Hierapolis, the soda- laden, lukewarm water piped in from Hierapolis. By the time the water got to Laodicea it was filled with sediment and was lukewarm. It would make one vomit. They had a type of black clothes they would wear which contrasts the white robes which Jesus will mention later on.
   5. So, they thought they had it altogether. This church thought they were okay because of their great wealth, but nothing could be further from the truth. They were fake.
   6. This is the worst of the seven churches. Jesus has nothing good to say about them.
   7. So, Jesus sets up His authority. Jesus is the Amen.
   8. This has the idea of “The Truth.” This as the idea “so let it be.” Jesus is the final amen meaning what He says is to be done and it is the truth.
   9. Jesus is the faithful witness. He is the witness that matters, He is the resurrection and the life. (John 11:25)
   10. Jesus is the beginning of creation. Don’t get confused thinking that Jesus had a beginning. The Greek word really means first place. You can see this in Col. 1:18. This means that Jesus is the Ruler of all creation. If we read Col. 1:15-20 (maybe read it now) we see that Jesus has all authority over creation.
   11. Colossae was very close to Laodicea and they may have had the same heresies denying Jesus.
2. Before we get the tough stuff consider what happens when we overcome (verse 21)
   1. Verse 21 reads: To the one who is victorious,I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.
   2. This is a very powerful and encouraging ending.
   3. When we overcome we rule with Jesus. Don’t miss this. We must stay loyal to Jesus, we must stay true to Jesus, but we will be with Him in the end when we do.

• Here is the application: We must be hot or cold, don’t be lukewarm. Look at verses 15-16: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
  1. Being hot or cold are both good things. Cold is a benefit on a hot day. Hot is a benefit on a cold day, but lukewarm is not any benefit. Jesus vomits this church out. They really are not a church. Jesus says that they make Him sick. So, they must repent. Jesus stands at the door and knocks. This means that He is waiting for them to repent. It was always a big deal to dine in those days and that is what Jesus is talking about.
  2. Repent: David Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote on repentance: “Repentance means that you realize that you’re a guilty, vile sinner in the presence of God, that you deserve the wrath and punishment of God, and that you are hell bound. It means that you begin to realize that this thing called sin is in you, and that you long to get rid of it, and that you turn your back on it in every shape and form; you renounce the world, whatever the cost – the world in its mind and outlook, as well as its practice – and you deny yourself, and take up the cross, and go after Christ, your nearest and dearest. And the whole world may call you a fool or say you have religious mania. You may have to suffer financially, but it makes no difference: that is repentance. Repentance is only going to come if you realize you’re not rich, and you’re not wealthy and in need of nothing.
  3. Repentance is not simply saying your sorry. Dr. Mulholland of Asbury Theological Seminary tells the story of learning to fly when he was in the Naval Academy. He had to learn how to stall the plane, they were old World War I type planes. He stalled the plane once and started moving again and then a second time and the plane did not come out of the stall. All he saw was the Chesapeake Bay. He says that being sorry was not good enough. He could be sorry all the way down to the ocean. His instructor said to let go of the controls and he would take over. Repenting means changing our actions. We are sorry and we let God take control.
  4. Some principles under the application:
     1. This means we must have a correct understanding of Jesus (verse 14).

John MacArthur shares: There’s a wonderful story about a woman theologian named Lindemann – you remember the story, I know it’s deep – who was a Christ-denying, Scripture-denying liberal scholar. And by the grace of God – and, of course, a part of a church that was no church, a church where Christ was outside. But she opened the door, Christ came in and saved her – very rare – in the midst of liberalism. And she had written books and books and books, denying Christ, scholastic books denying Scripture. And after Christ came in, people asked her, “What do we do with your books?” Her famous answer is this: “Throw them away like I did; they’re worthless.”

2. This means that we must go to Jesus (verse 18). Go to Jesus for our well being not riches and material things.
3. This means we must be zealous and repent (verse 19).

Times are changing:

A Church Building Gets ‘Converted’ into a Luxurious Home

It was an online description of a real estate listing in Dallas. The headline just said, “Converted church.” Once it had been a church, now it was somebody’s house. According to John Whiteside, the realtor showing the house, “De-sanctified churches are the number-one type of building converted to residential use.” Whew! That’s something of a mind-bender for Christians who call each other brother and sister, and talk about their church home.

The article said, “The altar has been adapted for use as a granite and stainless steel themed kitchen, in homage to the cooking gods.” That’s the words they used—”in homage to the cooking gods”! It went on, “The choir loft has been rewired for a home theater.” There was no baptistery, but there was a soaking tub—and, among other things, a game room, a music room and an exercise studio. All this for about $2 million!

Oh, and the 15,000 square foot church/home now has 11 bedrooms. Nice to know the folks there can sleep comfortably, once the church has been “de-sanctified” and “converted.”[3]

When things like that happen it doesn’t matter because the church is already dead, or was never a church to begin with. The church at Laodicea was dead.

I hope that we are never this way. I hope that we are real and authentic and it does start with our understanding of Jesus.

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] Dave Barry in his “Notes on Western Civilization” (Chicago Tribune Magazine, July 28, 1991), Christianity Today, Vol. 35, no.

^[2] Eugene H. Peterson, The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2005), Re 3:13–22.

[3] CNNMoney.com, 5/28/10; “Live in a cave or a tower: 6 cool homes”; submitted by Lee Eclov, Vernon Hills, Illinois

Let’s begin by reading John 20:1-10:

John 20:1-10:

The Empty Tomb

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. ² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴ Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹ (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) ¹⁰ Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

We just sang that wonderful hymn, Because He Lives

Think about it:

God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

And then one day, I’ll cross the river,
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to vict’ry,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

I wish to talk about what the resurrection means.

1. Because of sin we have death. (Genesis 2:17; 3:19)
   1. We were created to live forever. All of you, all of us, we were created to live eternally. What do you think it means to be created in the image of God? It is not appearance, at least I don’t think it is appearance. I believe it is that we have emotions and God has emotions (Isaiah 66:13), I believe it is that we are physical and God is physical. I believe it is that we are spiritual and God is spiritual (Genesis 2:7; John 4:24). In Genesis 2:7 we find that God breathed into man the breath of life. I believe at this point God made us a spiritual being. We don’t see God doing this for the animals. This is only for humans. God created us to live forever.
   2. But God told them they can eat of any tree they wish to, but not the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Or, they will die. (Genesis 2:17)
   3. All throughout the book of Genesis we find the emphasis that people die.
   4. But even in death, we were still created spiritually. We cannot just die like that.
   5. So, even in the Old Testament we have this term Sheol. This is the same as our word for Hades. This is a consequence of sin. (Genesis 37:35; 42:38; 44:29, etc.)
   6. How else are we to go to God? The Old Testament teaches that God is too pure to behold sin (Psalm 66:18: If I had cherished sin in my heart the Lord would not hear my prayer.)
   7. Romans 3:23 teaches us that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s standard.
   8. The Bible even says that we have placed a separation between God and us for the fact that we have sinned (Isaiah 59:2).
   9. In 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 the Bible says that those who do not know God will be punished. Yet, God loves us. God is just.

Just think about it this way, imagine this government leader guy, let’s call him Garcia.  Well, Garcia’s people are starving and food has been rationed.  One morning he learns that someone has been stealing from the food supply.  Garcia called the people together and told them of the missing food and then warned them that if the stealing did not stop and the thief was caught, he or she would be beaten until the point of death. The stealing did stop for a short time, but eventually the thief returned.  About a week later, Garcia’s lieutenant told Garcia that the thief had been caught the previous night. “Garcia,” he said. “The thief is your mother.” Garcia is in one of a dilemma.  He had said before with everyone as a witness, that the thief would be punished and that the punishment was death. He can’t go back on his word without going against his own authority. 

Well, you see, in the same way God says that He is unchanging and that He won’t change His mind (1 Sam. 15.29).  Well, He already declared that He will not let the guilty go unpunished (Ex. 34.7b) so, because we committed the crime we must face the consequences.  You see, God can’t tell a lie, or He wouldn’t be God (Num. 23.19).  It’s kind of like signing a contract.  What would you think of someone who signed a contract agreeing to do something for you, but never kept his end of the deal?  Personally, I’d never trust him again. His Word is His contract and He is bound by His own nature.  God can’t go back on His word without marring His character. We can see that Garcia is in a delimma and it kinda looks like God’s in a similar delimma.

Transition:  He can’t just forget the sin, so He must have come up with something to erase them completely.  This is where the “good” news comes in…

It is because of the cross and the resurrection that we can live eternally. Our sins are washed away.

1. Because of Jesus, and the resurrection, we have life. (Romans 6:23 and 1 Cor. 15:55-57)

Look at two passages:

1. Look at Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2. Look at 1 Cor. 15:55-57: “Where, O death, is your victory?
   Where, O death, is your sting?”
3. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
4. We do not have to fear death anymore. We were created to live forever and under sin we would have to fear death because death brought judgment. But now, under Christ, we no longer have to fear death. Jesus took our punishment. We were created to live forever either in heaven or in hell. Because Jesus lives we will live eternally in paradise.
5. Remember the hymn: Because He Lives?
6. We have life. Our life would be in vain if it were not for the resurrection. I mean, yea we can live our best life now, but that is it. It is because of the resurrection that it is sweet to hold a newborn baby. As the hymn says, “This child can face uncertain days because He lives.”
7. It is because Jesus lives that we can have a relationship with Him.
8. How many of you have a relationship with George Washington? You can’t because George Washington is dead. Now, In Christ, if he knew Christ, he is still living eternally and we can as well.
9. We can have a relationship with Jesus and many people do. How sweet to hold a newborn baby—knowing that baby can have a relationship with Jesus. The baby will have eternal life in Jesus. In Jesus the baby will not face life’s challenges alone.
10. Tennent, the President of Asbury Theological Seminary said the following: “Buddhist travel to remains of Buddha, Muslims travel to Medina for remains of Muhammed but there is no place in the world you can travel to worship the remains of Christ!” (1Cor 15) We cannot do that because Jesus arose.
11. The resurrection separates Christianity from other religion. Our Savior lives, we will live again. Death no longer has a sting.

• This is the case with you, you can have eternal life in Jesus. You can have a relationship with Jesus.
  1. Where are you at in your life right now?
  2. Have you trusted in Jesus as Lord and Savior?
  3. Do you know that since He lives you will live eternally? Do you believe that?
  4. Do you know that your sins are washed away by Jesus?
  5. Do you know that you do not face life’s challenges alone?
  6. Is it the case for you that because Jesus lives you can face tomorrow?
  7. Think about this question: Does the resurrection give you hope?

The grave could not contain Jesus. The stone was rolled away and the stone was rolled away not to let Jesus out, but to let us in. The stone was rolled away so that we could see that He lives.

Do you know Jesus as Lord and Savior?

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

Opening:

The Savior Enters Jerusalem

Humility and Royalty, we like to contrasting things right? We like both of them. For example, many, many people watched when Prince William was married a few years ago. Remember Princess Diana. I think people liked Princess Diana because she was royal and humble. We like those things. We like strength with humility. We like someone who can save us, but also not act better than us, right? In Science fiction this is Superman, but in reality this is Jesus.

This year is a very important year. This is the year that Superman vs. Batman comes out in theatres. I have been eagerly waiting for this movie. Back in 2013 Superman Man of Steel came out and that was a good movie. I loved it! But I grew up under a different Superman. Actually, if you recall, three years ago I referenced the superman music that was so famous from the superman movies with Christopher Reeve.

Clip from superman II when superman flies and you hear the music and then he says “Zod, you care to step outside?”

I love that clip, that is so awesome! The next few minutes in the movie are great! It is exciting, we know that they are about to be rescued. I see the same idea when Jesus enters Jerusalem.

As I looked at this passage I was trying to think of a different theme, but I kept coming back to what I had talked about before. Four years ago, I preached this passage for Palm Sunday say that Jesus enters Jerusalem and the people are ready for a king. Today, I see the same idea. He enters in humility, but is worshipped. Later, Jesus is humble all the way to the cross.

My theme today is that our Savior Enters Jerusalem

Application: worship Him as Savior

Read Mark 11:1-11:

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, ² saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”

⁴ They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, ⁵ some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” ⁶ They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.⁷ When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.⁸ Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. ⁹ Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

“Hosanna!^[a]”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”^[b]

¹⁰ “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

¹¹ Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

1. I know this is a familiar story, but try to think about it with fresh eyes.
   1. We need to try to read the Bible as if you have ever read it before. When this happens we will notice all kinds of new things.
   2. We notice where Jesus was coming from being Bethphage. That may not mean anything to us, but if we cross reference with the rest of the New Testament it will. It would have meant a lot to them.
   3. We can notice that in the first few verses Jesus’ disciples obeyed Him and went and got a colt.
   4. Then we see the parade in the following verses.
   5. Before we get there, it is important to make note that in the Gospel Mark Jesus’ Divinity is called a “Messianic secret.” Jesus would tell them not to tell anyone. An example of this is Mark 8:29-30. Peter had confessed Jesus as the Messiah and Jesus told him not to tell anyone about this. (Mark 1:43-45 is another example.)
   6. However, in this case Jesus allows people to worship Him. In this case He allows Himself to be known as King.
   7. Jesus is the authentic King, He is the True King. When I was twenty years old I was looking for a car. I was at a dealership and my dad showed up. I thought, “This is great, my dad is here and can co-sign.” I did not realize that that was not why he was there. My dad came to the dealership because a few weeks earlier my older brother bought a car at this dealership and traded in his old car. But when my brother traded in his old car he gave the dealership a fake title. Really. What happened was that my brother was making payments on his car to my dad and mom. When my brother turned 21 my dad declared the debt paid and gave him a title, but it wasn’t the real title. The real title was in my dad’s safe. My dad made a simple title on the computer. What is funny in this mess is that the dealership did not figure it out. My dad realized this was the case and brought in the real title.
   8. There are a lot of fake Messiahs. In fact, there had already been fake Messiahs in Judaism. But Jesus is authentic. There are people out there who promise eternity and all the answers. Just watch politicians. Jesus is Truth and He has the answer to eternity. When He came into Jerusalem the people recognized this.
2. In verses 8-11 we find the parade. Jesus now makes His entrance.
   1. But He is going to enter riding on a donkey. Come on, you and I know that no one of importance rides on a donkey!!! A donkey! Well, to the Jewish people it was quite royal to ride on a donkey. In fact in 1 King 1:33 we see David having his son ride into town on his donkey.
   2. Now, to the Romans the donkey wouldn’t be anything of royalty. In fact, a few years ago I heard that while Jesus is riding into one end of Jerusalem on a donkey, Pilate of Rome was riding into the other end of Jerusalem on a war horse with soldiers. What a contrast. But Jesus is the real King.
   3. Now, they put coats on the donkey for Jesus to sit on and then they put coats and leafy or palm branches on the road. Spreading coats under a person was recognition of royalty.
   4. Now, this happens during Passover and Jewish hopes of a Savior ran high, so Rome, not wanting any trouble, had extra soldiers around.
   5. People in front and all around Jesus were shouting: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; blessed is the coming Kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!” This comes from Psalm 118:26. Hosanna is Hebrew and means “save us.”
   6. Someone wrote:

On Palm Sunday, my 5-year-old niece, Stephanie, sat on my lap while we listened to the pastor’s sermon. He described Jesus’ approach to Jerusalem and how the crowds cried, “Hosanna, Hosanna!” At that, Stephanie perked up and began to sing, “Oh, Hosanna, now don’t you cry for me!”

Brenda Fossum, Duluth, MN. Today’s Christian Woman, “Heart to Heart.”

1. The people are ready for a Savior. They are worshipping Jesus as King. Now as they shout and worship the Lord this bothered some. It’s not listed in Mark, but John’s Gospel chapter 19:39-40 adds: Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”
2. Jesus will be worshipped one way or another. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

• The people worshipped Him then, are we worshipping Jesus now?

1. The Romans weren’t worried and they shouldn’t have been. For less than a week later Jesus would hang on the cross and say, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
2. Jesus, the King comes into Jerusalem, the people worship Him, the people were eager for a Savior.
3. A few years ago, okay, maybe like twenty-two years ago, ESPN believed the Vinny Testeverde was the Savior for the Browns. He wasn’t and couldn’t have been. There is One Savior and He is not a sports player.

• Let’s apply this a little more. We must think about the following:
  1. We must also worship Jesus as King.
     1. He is your king as well. The Romans missed this, the Jewish elite missed this. They missed that the King and Savior of the world is making His entrance. They missed it, you don’t have to.
     2. When you leave this place, leave in worship and leave in excitement. Praise God that He did enter Jerusalem on a donkey for if He hadn’t we wouldn’t be saved. He had to come to Jerusalem to die in our place. Worship Jesus as King!
  2. They were excited about Jesus entering Jerusalem, am I excited about Jesus in my life?
  3. Think about Jesus’ example. Jesus enters in humility and He goes all the way to the cross in humility. Live this example.

Author and educator, Howard Hendricks, sat in a plane that was delayed for take off. After a long wait, the passengers became more and more irritated. Hendricks noticed how gracious one of the flight attendants was as she spoke with them. After the plane finally took off, he told the flight attendant how amazed he was at her poise and self-control, and said he wanted to write a letter of commendation for her to the airline. The stewardess replied that she didn’t work for the airline company, but for Jesus Christ. She said that just before going to work she and her husband prayed together that she would be a good representative of Christ.

Doing it for Christ’s sake adds another dimension to submission. You are submitting not just to your employer or husband or parent, but to the Lord, because of your love and gratitude for him.

Lorne Sanny, “The Right Way to Respond to Authority,” Discipleship Journal (March/April 1982)

Can we humbly bow to Jesus in this way?

Clip from Superman II when Lex Luther and Zod think they beat Superman by making him a human again, but it is Superman playing the trick.

In reality, later during Holy Week they think that they defeat Jesus, by killing Him, but in killing Him we all win.

Jesus, our King, Our Savior, hailed as royalty right now, will humbly go to the cross and Win on our behalf. He did this for us.

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

Introduction:

Think with me today about patient endurance. Think with me about staying the course, holding fast to something. If we say that we must stick with something, then we how much can we take?

How Long Can We Endure in a Crisis?

How much can an adult endure? If you’re ever stranded in the wilderness, are caught in a burning building, or find that your scuba tank has run out of oxygen, remember these survival rules courtesy of National Geographic magazine:

• Humans can survive for just 2 to 3 minutes without air, but with training it’s possible to hold your breath for 11 minutes.
• Humans can survive for just 10 minutes at 300° F (children can only survive a few minutes at 120° F).
• Humans can endure barely 30 minutes of exposure to 40° F water.
• Humans can survive for up to 7 days without water.
• Humans can survive for about 45 days without food.[1]

I don’t really know how they figured those numbers out. I really do not even want to know how they figured some of them out. But I like to hear stories about people who “stay the course.” I like to hear about people who persevere under trial. Take for example this story of one who finished the Boston Marathon, though late:

Long after the sun had set on the Boston Marathon, the official clock turned off, and the crowds had all but gone home, 39 year old Venezuelan, Maickel Melamed crossed the finish line around 4 A.M., 20 hours after the race began. What made Maickel’s race significant is that he suffers from a disease similar to muscular dystrophy, which meant he didn’t so much run the race as walk it. As he reflected on his accomplishment, Maickel stated, “In any marathon, you have to know why you’re doing it. Because in the last mile, the marathon will ask you.” Part of Maickel’s motivation came from wanting to honor Boston Children’s Hospital where he was treated as a child.[2]

I absolutely love stories like that! He kept with it and he did finish the race. This was the case even though he was at a severe disadvantage.

This is also the case for the church in today’s world as well as the church in Philadelphia. As we look at this church we see a theme of waiting. We see a theme of patient endurance.

So a theme:

In the letter to the church at Philadelphia we see a theme of Patient endurance.

An application for us is that we also must patiently endure this world as we wait for Jesus.

Let’s read the letter to the church at Philadelphia:

Revelation 3:7-13:

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Let’s look at the promises to the church in Philadelphia. They must have patient endurance. They must patiently endure and then they will receive these promises:

• Their enemies will fall down before them (3:9)
  9. Notice that in verse 9. Those who are the synagogue of satan will fall down before them. We talked about the synagogue of satan with the church in Smyrna in Revelation 2:8-11.
  10. Smyrna was another of the good churches in Revelation. We know that the Christians in Philadelphia had been thrown out of the synagogue. It appears that the Jewish people had been aligning themselves with the Roman empire which would represent the fallen Babylonian system. In aligning themselves with Rome and all that they represent they are a synagogue of Satan.
  11. Jesus says that these people will recognize that Jesus really does love them. Jesus loves everyone. This goes back to the argument about who the real chosen people are. There were Jewish groups who thought they were it, they, and they alone, were chosen by God. But God had called the Jews to be a light to the Gentiles. When they didn’t do that, God still chose Gentiles. God is showing that He does love them.
• They will be kept from the hour of trial (3:10)
  10. We see the idea of a time of trial here in verse 10. They have kept the Word of Jesus in persevering, so Jesus will also take care of them and keep them from the time of trial.
  11. Scholars debate whether this means the tribulation period as we think of and this means that Jesus will take them up to be with Him. 1 Thess. 4:16-18 is a reference to the tribulation period: For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
  12. It appears to me that this verse leads us to believe that Jesus will take us up with Him. But this may not have to do with the 7 year tribulation period. Christians have been persecuted through the years and continue to be and Jesus tells us to patiently endure.
  13. Regardless of what this means—this church is called to patiently endure.
  14. Sometimes hard time can help us grow:

The albatross, a majestic seabird with the longest wingspan of any bird, spends eighteen months at sea, touching down only on water, losing their ability to make smooth earth-landings. Returning to nest and lay eggs, they come in like drunken sailors, tumbling, skidding, crashing, earning these regal birds the epithet gooney birds.

These powerful seabirds spread enormous wings, sometimes reaching an eleven-foot span, and glide above turbulent seas. They need storm-strong wind currents to keep them aloft. In calm seas, they are virtually unable to get airborne. Consistently smooth weather conditions prevent albatross migration from the Southern Hemisphere.

Storms will come for us, too. Like the albatross, we need the storms. Our intended wing, our high desire for God, will be tested and developed in strong winds and troubled waters. I eagerly expect and hope that God will enable me to ride the turbulence and learn the currents of grace. Riding on currents of grace doesn’t preclude stumbles, skids, or nosedives. Though I want to soar, maybe God will make me, like the albatross, fruitful even after a crash landing.[3]

• They will become pillars in the Temple of God (3:12a).
  1. In beginning of verse 12 they are told that they will be Pillars in the Temple of God.
  2. Now, this is after verse 11 which tells them to hold fast.
  3. They must stay the course and then they will be a pillar in the new temple.
  4. Think about this it was common in their day for names to inscribed in the pillars in the temples. But in this case, they will be the pillars. This means that they will be a part of the temple. They will never leave the temple. That is awesome.
  5. But this is more than that. In Revelation 21 we find out that there is no temple in the New Jerusalem. This is because the whole city is the holy of Holies. How can you see the Temple when you are in it? They are in the Temple, they are pillars of the Temple, they are always in the Holy of Holies.
• They will be given new names (3:12b–13)
  1. This is awesome.
  2. A name had to do with who one was. This has to do with belonging to God and the new Jerusalem.
  3. When they patiently endure they are awarded with God’s presence and service as priests. (Rev. 1:6) In chapter one they are called to be priests. They are awarded with forever presence in the new Jerusalem.
• Last details: there is a lot in this passage that I did not reference.
  1. In Rev. 3:7-8 we find out about Jesus and that He can open and no one can shut and He can shut what no one can open. Remember in Revelation 1:18 Jesus said that He has the keys to death and hades.
  2. This is saying that Jesus can bring them out of fallen Babylon. Jesus can bring them to the New Jerusalem. We are saved from the fallen Babylon. Jesus has the keys of David. This could be a reference to the eternal throne of David. But also a reference to Isaiah 22:22: I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.
  3. Jesus has all authority (Matt. 28:18).
  4. There are more details about the geography and background of Philadelphia, things such as that they were prone to earthquakes and they were named after Attalus II devotion to his brother. You can find out more in a study Bible.

Patient perseverance, we must also persevere and stick with Jesus.

In her book, A Place of Healing, author Joni Eareckson Tada reflects on “normal”: “Relief from chronic pain—even though I remain paralyzed—would be blissfully, peacefully, joyously ‘normal’ for me these days … and all I could ask for. I don’t remember where I saw the following Mary Jane Iron quote, but it comes pretty close to my take on ‘normal’:

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are … Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in my pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return.

Joni continues, “That’s my take on normal. Come to think of it, I’m not even a ‘normal’ quad. I have now exceeded the expected lifespan of a person with my level of injury and paralysis. The bare, unadorned fact is this: Many people in my condition simply don’t live as long as I have lived. So my thoughts haven’t been so much on picking up the old life on my feet I left behind in 1967, as much as stepping into the new life and body that await me.”[4]

How is that for perseverance?

You know what? She served the Lord that whole time as well. Can we?

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] Temptation—How long can you hold on when tough trials come into your life?

Lesley Alderman, The Book of Times (William Morrow, 2013), page 311

[2] Stephen Nordbye; source: Evan Allen, “Marathon provides a lesson: Inspiring guys can finish last” Boston Globe (4-22-15)

[3] Adapted from Jean Fleming, Pursue the Intentional Life (NavPress, 2013), page 44

[4] Joni Eareckson Tada, A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain, and God’s Sovereignty (David C. Cook, 2010), p. 38; submitted by Van Morris, Mt. Washington, Kentucky

Oh, what is that noise? Hmmm. I wonder how this alarm got up here??? Well, let me turn it off. Do you still ever use an alar clock? I don’t have to much because usually my children wake me up, but if I want to run early or have an early meeting, I will set an alarm or three. When I was a McDonald’s manager I had to be at work at O’dark-thirty and so I would set three alarms and one of them I actually had to get up and walk to turn off. If I was late for work they would be in the parking lot waiting to get in as I had the keys.

I bet you have other tricks, better tricks for waking up.

I have tried to time the coffee maker to go off and start making coffee when I need to get up, that helps a little.

The church at Sardis is exhorted to wake up! This is very, very interesting because the church at Sardis has a history of sleeping through bad things, very bad things. In 549 B.C. Cyrus the Persian conquered Sardis by scaling the wall. See, they thought they were safe because they lived high up in the cliffs. So, if invaders were coming, they just all went inside and they could sleep. But you would think one time would teach them a lesson, no, the same thing happened again later on. A second time, they were attacked, they slept, the invaders scaled the wall and they were conquered. Wow! How often do we think we are okay and we are not okay.

Does this ever happen spiritually? We think we are okay, but we are giving the devil a foothold (Eph. 4:27), ignoring temptation, lacking in our relationship with God.

My theme today is:

Sardis, wake up and persevere!

My application is for us to wake up, remember our salvation and persevere in the faith.

Let’s read Rev. 3:1-6:

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[b] of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.

4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

1. Wake up! Remember your salvation (Verses 2-3)
   1. This is an application. Some of us, maybe many—- maybe all of us— yes, all of us. We need the spiritual alarm clock. We need to wake up.
   2. Look at this. In verse 1, Jesus holds the seven stars, this means that He holds the seven churches. In verse 1, Jesus holds the Seven Spirits. This likely means that He has the fullness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit proceeds from Jesus, though in chapter 4, He proceeds from God, the Father.
   3. Going further in verse 1: they have a reputation of being alive, but they are dead.
   4. How many of us like to seem fake? How many of us get frustrated when we work with people who lack integrity?
   5. How many of us like that to be said of us?
   6. I have heard that a problem with pornography is that they are not real women. Seriously, pornography, actually even the pictures on the magazine covers at the store that is not real pornography, though it should be, it is all fake. Some of those pictures are even a composite of the best of a few women. Professionals actually adjust features and then an innocent teenage girls sees that and thinks she needs to look like that. A young man sees that and thinks that is what a woman should be. But it is fake.
   7. Sardis was fake. They are exhorted to wake up and make their inside match their outside.
   8. Don’t just look like a Christian, be a Christian.
   9. How are you? Are you real?
   10. I can’t, I really can’t tell you how to apply that. It is internal. Okay, so I could say:
       1. Be nice to people
       2. Have integrity
       3. Show love to someone
       4. Give up something for the rest of Lent
       5. Quit cussing
       6. Don’t gossip on Facebook, or in the church hallway, or on the phone, or anywhere else
       7. Buy someone’s lunch this week
       8. Install on internet filter so you don’t look at pornography.
       9. Tell your wife you love her
       10. Kiss your kids and grandkids
       11. Tell your kids that you love them
           1. Those are all good applications, but they are all on the outside. Sardis was fine on the outside. Sardis looked like a saint.
           2. Also, we aren’t saved by works, but grace (Eph. 2:8-10).
           3. How are you on the outside?
           4. How are you on the inside? The inside matters most.
           5. Turn to Psalm 51:12: Restore to me the joy of your salvationand grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
           6. This is a repentant Psalm. David is repenting of his sin with Bathsheba and he prays that God restores to him the joy of his salvation.
           7. I think that is what Sardis is told as well. Jesus says remember how you were saved.
           8. I think that is our best application. Remember. Recall. Meditate on the day, the season of your salvation.
           9. Maybe as you do this you will think and think and realize that you have been trusting in good works for salvation and that you need to quit trusting in good works. Give your life to Jesus.
           10. Don’t only think about your salvation, think of the joy of your salvation. Ask God to renew that joy.
           11. Application: spend 30 minutes this week thinking about your salvation and how you are saved. Some ideas to find this time:
               1. Turn the radio off in the car and think, or reflect, as you drive.
               2. Get up early and pray asking God to remind you of the joy of your salvation and then just be quiet.
               3. Stay up late and pray about this.
               4. Spend time at lunch.
               5. Simply journal about this.
               6. Meet with a friend and talk about this.
           12. Another application is to keep going, persevere following the Lord, there is encouragement (verses 4-5).
               1. There were a few on Sardis who were good. Jesus says that had not soiled their garments. This means they weren’t impure, they weren’t fake.
               2. Jesus says for these that overcome we are to have white garments. White garments in the Bible symbolize purity. Jesus says that he will confess our name to the Father.

• That is absolutely awesome!

1. So, praise God! As you reflect, persevere in your Christian life.
2. It may be that you are staying true to the Lord, It may be that your heart matches your actions, great, stay true. Persevere.

Close:

Alarm clock goes off.

Oh, sorry, I have to set alarms to remember things.

This alarm is reminding me to remind you to stay true to the Lord. Think, remember your salvation. Ask the Lord to encourage you with your salvation.

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

Introduction:

[Get a bag of apples and let them go for a few weeks, take one bad apple and put it in a bag of good apples]

These apples were all good one week ago, but this one bad apple ruined the other apples.

Navy Admiral ‘Turns a Blind Eye’ to Order

Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase “turn a blind eye,” which means to ignore undesirable information. The saying comes from a 19th century British naval battle. On April 2, 1801, during the Battle of Copenhagen, the British fleet was attacking the combined navies of Denmark and Norway. Three British ships ran aground, so the admiral, Hyde Parker, decided that the fire of battle was “too hot for Nelson to oppose.” So Parker sent an order, through signal flags, that the younger admiral Horatio Nelson should “Discontinue Action” and withdraw.

When Nelson heard his own signalman relay the order, he pretended not to hear him. Mesmerized by the thrill of battle, Nelson had no intention of obeying the order. He turned to his captain and said, “This day may be the last for us at any moment,” even as a Danish cannonball struck his ship’s mainmast, scattering splinters all around him. This was typical of Nelson’s stubborn and aggressive approach to war. In fact, he’d already lost sight in his right eye in a previous battle. So when he pressed again to respond to Parker’s order, Nelson told his flag captain Thomas Foley, “You know, Foley, I only have one eye—I have the right to be blind sometimes,” and then Nelson held up his telescope to his right eye and said, “I really do not see the signal!”

Sometimes we are all like Nelson, with one good eye and one blind eye, and when an order comes through from God, we hold up the telescope to the blind eye. As a result, we willfully ignore the leading of the Holy Spirit.[1]

That is exactly what happens in our churches and that is exactly what happened in the church at Thyatira. They were commended by Jesus for doing many good things, but they overlooked certain belief issues. They condoned sin in their church. They tolerated EVIL!

My theme today: The Letter to the Church at Thyatira (2:18–29): Thyatira: Keep doing good, but don’t tolerate evil.

The application: We must make sure we do not overlook or condone sin as a church.

Let’s read Revelation 2:18-29. Please turn in your Bibles to the passage.

“To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:

These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.

24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’

26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

This church is divided into 3 parts:

1. Jezebel and followers (verses 20-22)
2. Those who do not participate in the activity but tolerate (verse 22 and notice the word “tolerate”)
3. Those who do not tolerate this teaching (Verse 24)

1. The church is commended, notice that in verse 19: I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
   1. Once again, notice that Jesus knows. He knows that bad and the good that we are involved in.
   2. They are commended for their love, faith, service, perseverance. They are also growing in these ways.
   3. However, it appears that they are still not quite right. They “tolerate” Jezebel.
2. Let’s talk about Jezebel and her followers.
   1. Jezebel was a real woman in the Old Testament. She was the queen of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and she led King Ahab and many others astray. She killed many prophets and set up worship of baal. (1 Kings 16:30-33; 19:1-2; 2 Kings 9)
   2. It seems that in this case there may be a real woman or group who are metaphorically called Jezebel.
   3. We do know what they are doing. Verse 20: Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.
   4. She is misleading them into sexual immorality and eating of food sacrificed to idols.
   5. These likely went together. It seems that they would participate in sexual immorality at the pagan temples while they ate the food which was sacrificed to idols. This likely happened while being in a trade guild.
   6. It could be likely that the Jezebel group would tell the others that something was okay when God’s Word already spoke to the issue.
      1. Does this sound familiar?
      2. Do you know anyone or group saying something is okay when God’s Word says otherwise?
      3. We must listen to the Bible over the other voices.
      4. We have the same issue, sexual immorality is not okay, God speaks to it through the whole Bible. Try 1 Cor. 5:1 and 1 Cor. 6:13 for instance.
      5. The Word of God is our foundation and it topples every world system. We have that theme in Revelation, we must believe that today.

• There are also those who are not a part of the Jezebel group but tolerate them (verse 20).
  1. Notice how verse 20 specifies that they “tolerate.”
  2. We are not to condone sin in the church, whether in belief or in action.
  3. This is not talking about a simple error or a mistake, this is talking about a condoned behavior.
  4. Remember these apples, they were all okay until the bad apple was misked in with them.
  5. These people are not all participating in the sin and/or the belief, but they are guilty by condoning.
  6. We, as a church, must watch our doctrine closely in order to make sure it is correct.
  7. We, as a church, must not condone behaviors or inappropriate beliefs.
  8. See 1 Cor. 5:9ff: I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.

1. Then we see that there people who are pure, they are not condoning this behavior or belief system.
   1. In verse 24 it reads: 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you…
   2. I hope our goal is that we are like that group.
   3. They are encouraged to hold fast, Jesus is coming again. (verse 25)
   4. Verse 26: They will receive authority over the nations, I am thinking this is in the new Kingdom.
   5. Verse 27 has a Jewish image.
   6. The rod of iron is a Jewish image of the way Jesus is to rule. Psalm 2:9: ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,

You shall shatter them like earthenware.’ ”^[2]

1. This is talking about God the Father and now Jesus is talking about the same description.
2. Everyone thought Rome was solid, but Jesus, in this passage is saying that He will break Rome, like clay pots it will shatter.
3. Every fallen system, including the U.S., will someday shatter because Jesus is the ultimate ruler. Dr. Mulholland of Asbury Theological Seminary was teaching Revelation in the Soviet Union in the 80’s and he would tell them that their fallen Babylon was the Soviet Union, he had people in his group who were arrested and who lost loved ones as they disappeared being taken by the Communist. He would say that the Soviet Union would crumble, but they did not believe it. They thought that it would never happen, but it did. During this time, no one would think Rome would crumble, but it has.
4. Jesus will rule and if we persevere, we will rule with Him.
5. Jesus says that those who persevere and do not participate in this Jezebel system, will receive the “Morning Star.” The Morning Star is Jesus, we see that in Rev. 22:16: “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
6. It pays to persevere, eternally, it pays. It pays eternally to not condone sin and give in to the systems of this world.

Conclusion:

So, what is our final application.

We must keep doing good as they were commended for.

We must not tolerate evil, but we also must not give in to evil with the church. We must not condone evil.

This means that we must be in the Word of God so we know truth.

Up here I have monopoly money:

Is it real?

How do you know it is not real?

Really, how do you know?

Would you know that this was not real if you never saw real money?

So, if I had a store, just pretending, if a few people, just a few people want to pay with this money at my store, should I allow it? No, of course not. If I start allowing bad money in my store, it would start affecting my store.

But I must know what real money is and not tolerate fake money.

I commend you as the Word of God commends you, know the Truth. Get in the Bible, live the Bible, do good, don’t condone evil and wrong beliefs within the church. That is a church application and you are part of the church.

The application for you:

Search your heart, spend time in God’s Word and in prayer asking God what you are in that is not right. Repentance is part of all of our lives, always.

Then, be encouraged: living for Jesus means reigning with Jesus.

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] Submitted by Kevin Miller, Wheaton, Illinois; source: Christopher Hibbert, Nelson: A Personal History (Basic Books, 1994), pp. 260-261

^[2] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ps 2:9.

Intro:

In other words, Theology is practical: especially now.
In the old days, when there was less education and discussion,
perhaps it was possible to get on with a very few simple ideas about God.
But it is not so now. Everyone reads, everyone hears things discussed.
Consequently, if you do not listen to Theology, that will not mean
that you have no ideas about God [i.e., theology].
It will mean that you have a lot of wrong ones —
bad, muddled, out-of-date ideas.

— C.S. Lewis 

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, if we read it and read it and read it more. When we make the Bible part of us, the Holy Spirit will really guide our lives by His Own Words. Then there is the problem that happened with slavery, this happens 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 come because we don’t know any better. We don’t know any better than the wrong beliefs, the wrong doctrine that is taught.

As we look at the church in Pergamum we see that 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 and watch out for false teaching, 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 and 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 actually books, called, “Codex,” were not yet invented. The book form, codex, were likely invented by Christians. That is another way Christians might have changed the world.
   5. In verse 12, we, once again, see the idea of the two edged sword. It reads: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.
   6. Then we come to verse 13: I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.
   7. Notice that Jesus knows, we’ll come back to that.
   8. 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’ name. May we stay true to Jesus’ name.
   9. Pergamum was called the city where Satan had his throne.
   10. 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: “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.”
   11. 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’s are the ways of the Roman culture. So, to give into Satan’s ways means to surrender to the dominant ways of the culture. James 4:4 says that Friendship with the world is enmity against God.
   12. Verses 14-15 show that there are a few things against them: Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
   13. 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 and 31. Balaam was told to curse Isarel by the local king Balak, but God would not let him and he only blessed them. 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. This could be a metaphor for what is going on here. In this case some Christians are participating in worldly practices. 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. chapters 8-10, but the problem is not the food. The problem is what goes on with the food. When the food was sacrificed there was pornographic sexual activities, temple prostitution and pagan, idol worship. It was not just the eating, it was the festival.
   14. The problem was that many times the trade guilds or business unions would have their own idol and to have a job meant participating in these trade guilds, but for the Christian participation in these guilds meant idolatry and sexual immorality.
   15. This means that part of the persecution meant that Christians could not work.
   16. This may be a definition of the Nicolaitans in verse 15.
   17. Verse 16: Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
   18. 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.
   19. Verse 17: Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.
   20. We are not dumb, fake idols. We have ears, listen. The Holy Spirit is speaking.
   21. This idea of hidden manna likely is the idea of The golden pot of manna was “laid up before God in the ark” (Ex. 16:23). It was believed that Jeremiah hid the ark, before the destruction of Jerusalem, where it would not be discovered till Israel was restored (2 Macc. 2:5ff.). Christ is the true bread from heaven (John 6:31–33, 48–51) and that may be the idea here.
   22. 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.
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 persection 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 strong. He knows.
   5. I am also encouraged that Jesus gives 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)

• Apply: Let’s make some final applications.
  1. Stay true to Jesus’ name (verse 13). I see hear that 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 actually deny the faith.
  4. Staying true to Jesus means that 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 idols 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? I used to like the Big Bang theory as well, but that is likely the type of thing I shouldn’t be entertained by. That type of conversation, that type of crudeness is what sent Jesus to the cross. Turn it off. 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 have a reference to the Word of God, the Sword of the Spirit. This is in verse 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.

Conclusion:

I stand by my belief that false Doctrine, which means incorrect and improper beliefs, are what hurts the church and hurts 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 and that is Resurrection Sunday. It is a true and major part of Christianity that Jesus lived, died and rose again. That is doctrine, that 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.