Good
morning! We’re going to continue today
on the series in Revelation. I have to
confess that am still a little bit in shock that we’re actually doing a series
on Revelation. Carl had said enough
times in the past that he wouldn’t choose to do a series on Revelation. In March, when he read through the whole book
of Revelation in a single morning, he said it might happen, that the Lord was
opening that door as it were. Then, we
put it on the schedule, but I still didn’t really think about it. We announced it to the church. It seemed more certain, but it hadn’t
happened yet. Then, two weeks ago Carl
opened the series. Then, it should have
hit me right? We’re really doing it now.
But for me,
it wasn’t until I sat down and started preparing this message that a wave of
shock came over me again. We’re really
going to do it. We’re going to do a
series on the entire book of Revelation.
We’re not going to pick and choose.
We’re not going to skip over stuff.
We’re going to go through every verse in the book.
It is such a
good thing for us to do. As Carl already
shared that first week, “Blessed is the one who reads the words of this
prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written
in it.” (Revelation 1:3)
It is also
such a good thing for us to do because there is a lot of “interesting” stuff
floating around out there about this book of Scripture. When I say “interesting,” I mean not in
agreement with other Scripture which means it is wrong and if you were to latch
onto it, it would be dangerous to you.
Many cults have been based on men’s interpretations of what they thought
or wanted this book and other prophetic Scripture say. Tim talked about it last week, but one of the
complaints that Jesus had against the church at Thyatira was the people were
holding to “so-called deep secrets.”
We must not “be
lured away into the deep secrets, some special revelation that errs from
Biblical truth.” How then will we avoid
that danger? I can think of two
important ways. One is that we will
leave room for mystery. Some of what we
read in Revelation is figurative description and not literal
representation. And, we’re just not
going to know every detail about everything.
If someone claims to have it all figured out, then it’s probably a good
idea to give them a wide berth, stay away.
More
importantly, we will look at Revelation in light of all Scripture. As Carl described, there are hundreds of
allusions and quotes from the Old Testament.
In addition, God’s changeless character and attitudes are on display
throughout the Bible. Scripture cannot
contradict Scripture. So, if we run into
something that doesn’t seem to fit quite right, then it is safe to assume that
there is some gap in our interpretation rather than an error in one or other
place in the Bible.
We weren’t
here last week, so I did not get to hear Tim’s message first hand. Melissa asked me at some point this week if I
would listen to Tim’s message before I prepared mine for today. I said no probably not, I’d read the
transcript on the message blog because I could do that faster than
listening. And that’s exactly what I
did. What I found fascinating was that
as I read the transcript, I could hear Tim in my head. I could hear his tone of voice. I could hear his phrasing and pauses. It was as if he was reading it aloud in my
head. Knowing the author meant that I
could hear the author’s voice when I read what he wrote.
I’ve had
people tell me the same thing at work.
I’m not talking about messages or sermons now. I’m talking about writing a procedure on how
to do a certain aspect of a job, a step by step process say four pages
long. One lady read over it after I was
finished, and she said, “I could so hear you speaking when I read over
it.” Since she knew me and had heard me
talk many times, then she could hear me when she read what I had written.
There is
nothing like knowing the author. When
you know the Author, you can hear his voice in Scripture. When we believe in Jesus and put our faith in
Him, He sends the Holy Spirit into our hearts.
We not only have the chance to know the Author, we have the Author
living inside of us. His sheep know Him
and hear His voice and follow Him. (John
10:4) As we read through Revelation,
look for the Jesus that you know. That
will help you see and hear what God is saying to us through these pages.
So, let us
open up the book of Revelation to the light.
Let’s dig into these pages together without fear. Let’s see what God is saying to us today. Let’s receive the blessing of this book of
the Revelation. Let’s pray for God to be
with us on this journey.
Lord Jesus,
You are truly “the author and finisher of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2) You know the end from the beginning and your
purpose will stand. (Isaiah 46:10) Guide our journey through the pages and
verses of Your Revelation. Show us the
road signs along the way that we should heed.
Direct us into Your truth. Set
our feet upon the rock and do not let us slip or falter. Thank You for sharing this remarkable prophecy
with us. In Your Name we pray. Amen.
Today, we
pick up the torch at the beginning of chapter 3. We’re sort of in the middle of the
action. Last week, Tim unfolded the
first four “mini-epistles” from Jesus to the churches of Asia. This week, we’ll finish this section by
reading over the last three letters.
I have to
confess, that I did something nerdy while preparing for the message. I put Scripture into a … spreadsheet. Revelation 22:18-19 has a warning that
trouble will come to anyone who either adds or takes away from this book of
prophecy. It does not say anything about
putting the verses into a spreadsheet.
So, you all go ahead and roll your eyes.
(Click here to see the spreadsheet)
I hope that
by looking at the passage in this way, it will be easier for us to make comparisons
and to see things in common between the churches and contrasts as well.
I rather
arbitrarily chose to break down the passages into seven different
sections. You see them across the top
there, which church, the introduction of Jesus, His commendation, His
complaint, His correction or instruction, the consequence of failing to follow
His correction or instruction, and His promise of reward. I won’t go through every section side by
side, but a few brought out reflections that I had not seen previously. So, let’s dig in.
We see the
same introduction to each of these letters.
To the angel of the church in Ephesus
write: (Revelation 2:1)
To the angel of the church in Smyrna
write: (Revelation 2:8)
To the angel of the church in Pergamum
write: (Revelation 2:12)
To the angel of the church in Thyatira
write: (Revelation 2:18)
To the angel of the church in Sardis
write: (Revelation 3:1)
To the angel of the church in Philadelphia
write: (Revelation 3:7)
To the angel of the church in Laodicea
write: (Revelation 3:14)
The target audience
is given as the angel of each church.
Based on the content however, it is obvious that each message was meant
to be shared with the church. That and
Jesus told John to write everything down that he saw and send it all to those
seven churches.
The seven
churches are found in a relatively small region. The farthest distance is roughly 150 miles
from Pergamum to Laodicea. We don’t know
why these seven churches. We’re not
told, but it may have to do with John being the recipient of this message. Early church fathers place John mostly in
Ephesus and nearby Patmos over a period of 30 years. His ministry would likely have taken him to
these very churches more than once.
Each letter
is introduced with a description of Jesus the author.
These are the words of …
Him Who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands (Revelation 2:1)
Him Who is the First and the Last, Who died and came to life again. (Revelation 2:8)
Him Who has the sharp, double-edged sword. (Revelation 2:12)
the Son of God, Whose eyes are like blazing fire and Whose feet are like burnished bronze. (Revelation 2:18)
Him Who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. (Revelation 3:1)
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. (Revelation 3:7)
the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. (Revelation 3:14)
Him Who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands (Revelation 2:1)
Him Who is the First and the Last, Who died and came to life again. (Revelation 2:8)
Him Who has the sharp, double-edged sword. (Revelation 2:12)
the Son of God, Whose eyes are like blazing fire and Whose feet are like burnished bronze. (Revelation 2:18)
Him Who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. (Revelation 3:1)
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. (Revelation 3:7)
the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. (Revelation 3:14)
Very cool to
take these and pull them all together.
It gives us a sort of composite picture of our Savior and Lord.
Another
aspect that came out as I was reading and rereading these passages was the
relationship of each introduction with the message given to each of the
churches.
It is the One
Who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden
lampstands Whose words go to Ephesus.
Ephesus was probably the biggest and certainly one of the most
prestigious churches of Asia. Maybe they
needed the reminder that there is one who holds the stars and guards the lamps
of all the churches.
It is the
One Who is the First and the Last, Who died and came to life again Whose words
went to Smyrna. If you remember, Smyrna
was the church where they were afflicted and impoverished, and they would
suffer more. They were exhorted, “Do not
be afraid,” by the one who died and came to life again. Remember who Jesus is.
It is the
One Who has the sharp, double-edged sword Whose words went to Pergamum. This was the city which was where Satan had
his throne and Antipas had been martyred.
Wouldn’t they need the reminder than Jesus has the sword? And the one who has the sword does not bear
it for nothing. (Romans 13:4)
It is the
Son of God, Whose eyes are like blazing fire and Whose feet are like burnished
bronze Whose words went to Thyatira. This church tolerated Jezebel. Jezebel was scornful of God. She had no respect for Him. She supported false gods, idol worship. To this church Jesus’ words come as the
fulfillment of the same view that Daniel saw, the true God, the everlasting
God.
It is the
One Who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars Whose words went to
Sardis. Sardis as we will read was a
church that appeared to be alive, but was dead.
John 6:63 says, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing.” It is the one who holds the Spirit of God who
speaks to that church.
It is the
One 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. This is the One Who speaks to the
church in Philadelphia. This was the
weak church that had remained faithful.
Their message comes from the one who is strong and opens the door that allows
them to escape the tribulation.
Have you
ever watched the smaller kids try to get through this door to the sanctuary
area? The self-closing door. I’m thinking of little ones like
Eleanor. And in years gone by, Hannah
and Sarah, and in more years gone by, my own daughters. Once they finally get tall enough to reach
the handle, they pull with all their might, but they aren’t able to hold the
door open so that they can get through it.
The closer is just strong enough that they can’t hold the door open and
get around it. One of you compassionate
bigger people usually sees the situation and helps them get through.
For the weak
church in Philadelphia, Jesus opens the door to escape tribulation for them,
and holds it open so that no one can shut it.
Last one, it
is the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation Whose
words went to the Laodicea. This is the
church who thinks it is rich and do not need a thing when in reality they are
impoverished and naked and blind. These
deceived believers are confronted by the faithful and true Witness.
I share all
of these because Jesus comes to us in the way that we need Him to. He knows exactly your need. He knows exactly my need. If Jesus is speaking to you in a certain way,
listen to Him. He knows what is best for
you. The other thought I want to leave
with you is that Jesus is capable of handling any situation. He is not surprised by anything that is going
on in anyone’s life in this room or on the planet. Nothing surprises Him. “He does all things well.” (Mark 7:37)
If you need Jesus to come into a certain situation in your life, look
over this list. He is able to come into
your circumstances in just the right way for you.
Take a look
at the list again. Do you need Jesus to
come into a certain situation in a certain way?
Reflect on these and maybe write one down, and pray Jesus to come in
that way into your need.
After the
salutation and the introduction of Jesus, all the letters share the same
opener:
“To
Ephesus write: I know your
deeds …
“To
Smyrna write: I know your
afflictions …
“To
Pergamum write: I know where
you live …
“To
Thyatira write: I know your
deeds …
“To
Sardis write: I know your
deeds …
“To
Philadelphia write: I know your
deeds …
“To
Laodicea write: I know your
deeds …
Jesus knows. He doesn’t need to ask. He doesn’t need to hear it on the radio. He doesn’t need a phone call or an email or a
text message. He doesn’t need a messenger
to bring it to Him. He knows it all.
I’m still
geeking out about that simple two word opener.
There are seven churches receiving letters here in Revelation
right? Interestingly, there are letters
to seven churches among the other books of the Bible. Paul wrote to Rome, Corinth (twice), Galatia
(more of a region than a city), Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, and Thessalonica
(twice). Neither Paul (nor James, nor
Peter, nor John) ever say that they “know” anything about the recipients of
their letters except once. Paul says to
the Corinthians that he “knows” they are eager to help, to be generous in
giving. In the same paragraph Paul
admits that he is writing to make sure that they’re going to be ready when they
come to collect their promised gifts because he doesn’t want them to be
embarrassed in front of the Macedonians.
So, even when Paul says he knows something, he doesn’t really know.
Paul wrote
to the Ephesians and Colossians that he had “heard of their faith.” (Ephesians
1:15, Colossians 1:4, 9) Paul needed a
report from an external source. I said I
was geeking out about this. The reason
why I geek out about stuff like this is because Scripture is real. The stuff we read in here is faithful and
true. The things that it says are
rational and verifiable and reasonable.
They’re equally amazing and wonderful and unbelievable. The Bible is not off-the-wall. It’s not crazy talk. You don’t have to throw away half of it to
make it make sense. When it talks about
the future, we can have faith about what it says because it gets it right in
the particulars and it got it right in past prophecies which proved true and it
gets proven true again and again by science and archaeology and … and … and …
Paul and
other gospel writers don’t claim to know because they are human like us. They don’t know. BUT … Jesus does. Jesus knows.
There is nothing hidden from His sight.
There is nowhere any of us can go from His presence. (Psalm 139:7-12) Let’s just stop a minute and meditate on
that. Close your eyes. Think about those two words. Think about what it means. Apply it to yourself. Apply it to your circumstances. Let the Spirit guide you. Ready, eyes closed. Jesus knows.
Jesus knows
… Jesus knows … He knows what’s wrong.
He knows what to do. He knows how
to fix what is broken. He knows how to
find that which is lost. He knows the
true condition of our hearts. He knows
the games we play. He knows the good you
have done that seemingly goes unnoticed.
He knows the end from the beginning.
He knows you … Jesus knows … Jesus knows …
Let’s tackle
the three remaining churches in succession now:
Another
historical tidbit is the city was a defensive juggernaut. It was so well-placed on a mountain ridge
that the city was twice captured when they failed to place a guard and the
invaders learned of the secret entrances to the city. They failed to learn from history. It was also a major center of immorality. So bad that even in the pagan Roman Empire,
Sardis was known to be a loose-living, decadent, contemptuous place.
To the angel of the church in Sardis write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven
stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are
dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not
found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you
have received and heard; obey it, 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.
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. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never
blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before
my Father and his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says
to the churches. --Revelation 3:1-6
Pretty
blunt. You have the reputation for being
alive, but you are dead.
We love to look at externals. We
want stuff to look good. We want people
to draw the right conclusions about us based on what we let others see. Elijah had the girls’ iPod this week. It still blows my mind that a two year old
can operate an iPod, but there it is. He
likes to look at the pictures. He pulled
up the pictures and scrolled past several of the family, and then found what he
wanted. He held it up to me. It was a magazine photo that the girls took
of a lady in a dress. It was almost like
my two year old was saying, check this out.
Apparently,
Sardis looked good to others enough so that they had a reputation of life. In reality, they were dead. What did they need to do? Wake up!
Stop pretending. Drop the
charade. Find what’s left that’s not
dead and grab ahold of that. Strengthen
it.
It does not
tell us which works were left incomplete by the Sardis church. However, I’d say there is a reasonable chance
that they were no longer loving others.
This is the key command of Jesus.
We are instructed to love one another again and again and again. Forty percent of the “one another” verses are
about loving one another. Many of the
others can be understood as expressions of love. Business is not love.
Melissa and
I are going through a tough time now in our relationship. We are committed to one another. There is no doubt about that. Our relationship is not “on the rocks.” It’s just that the demands on our lives are
so great right now that we find ourselves without time to love one
another. We’re focused on what’s next
and hitting the target. It generally
works out okay, but there’s no time built in for “righting the ship.” As long as everything goes the way we think
it’s supposed to go, then all is well.
But … when we hit a curve and one of us needs a word of encouragement or
just some time from the other, there’s no chance. The lesson I take away is that we need to
anticipate our “neediness.” You think
that you’re going to outgrow neediness, but you don’t. It’s like the old Twila Paris song (I'm including the lyrics to this song at the end of the message). Deep inside this armor, the warrior is a
child. We all need relational love,
obviously from God, but also from one another.
If we stop loving one another, then the church dies.
I’ve woken
up to this need in my relationship with my wife, and I’m going to work to
strengthen our relationship.
There is
hope in Sardis. Not everyone has gone
the way of their own selfish ambitions and vain conceit soiling themselves with
the things and pursuits of the world.
There is hope from those robed in white.
(Guzik) Nakedness is the image of
how we are in our sins. Being dressed in
white clothing is the symbol of purity. “Jesus explained the absolute necessity of
this being clothed by God with His garments of purity and righteousness in His
parable of the wedding feast (Matthew 22:11-14).”
This was a
frontier city established by Greeks living in Asia Minor. It is the youngest city among the seven and
not yet 300 years old when Revelation was written. It was on the major trade route from Europe
to the Middle East and was a prosperous city.
It was known as Little Athens due to the number of temples scattered
throughout its streets.
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 upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have,
so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in
the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him 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 him my new
name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. --Revelation 3:7-13
It is
interesting that there are two words for true in the Greek language. One means true in the sense of true and
false. The other means true in the sense
of being genuine or real versus being fake.
This is the meaning here of Jesus as the one who is holy and true. Jesus is genuine and real.
We talked
already about this idea of opening doors.
It is key for us to realize that we are weak. It is in our weakness that God is able to
display and pour out His strength. Paul
was glad to boast in his weaknesses because it meant that the power of Christ
would rest on him. (II Corinthians 12:9)
Jesus had
nothing negative to say about the church in Philadelphia though they had little
strength. They had kept his word and had
not denied his name. They endured
patiently the sufferings and trials they encountered. What more should they do? Hold on to what they have. May we too hold on to that with which we have
been entrusted.
Vance Havner
wrote, “You are in no greater danger from anyone or anything than from
yourself.” Isn’t that the truth? If we depend on our strength, if we take our
eye off the Lord, we are bound to lose our grip.
Our last letter goes to the church at Laodicea.
That city was a commercial center exporting textiles
enjoying a corresponding financial wealth.
It also was known for its medical school and a particular eye
salve. Their water supply came by
aqueduct from a hot springs six miles from the city.
The water
was known for being unappealingly lukewarm.
Paul’s letter to the Colossians mentions a corresponding letter to
Laodicea. Those two cities were only 11
miles apart.
To the angel of the church in Laodicea
write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the
ruler of God’s creation. 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. You say, ‘I am rich; I
have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you
are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold
refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you
can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can
see.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.
So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone
hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with
me.
To him who overcomes, I will give the right
to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on
his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches.” --Revelation 3:14-22
Being
lukewarm is the unsatisfying compromise of trying to play both ends against the
middle, trying to be both things at the same time. You just can’t do it. It’s not that hot is good and cold is
bad. It’s that foods are usually meant
to be one or the other. There are few
dishes are intended to be served lukewarm, and I can’t think of any beverage
that should be served that way.
You cannot
please both the world and Jesus. It just
doesn’t work.
The
Laodicean church was not only lukewarm, but they were also deceived about their
condition. They said they were
okay. So, how can you tell if you’re
lukewarm if you’re not really sure? One
method is to ask yourself, how do I feel about my faith? Am I excited about my faith, about
Jesus? If that’s not the case, if you
find yourself kind of miserable and wondering what’s the point, then you may be
living in a lukewarm state. You cannot
be more miserable as a Christian that if you are perpetually stuck in a
lukewarm mode trying to play footsie with the world and keep up appearances
with Jesus. It’ll tear you apart.
Jesus said
in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.” The Laodiceans are
the opposite of that. They see in
themselves riches, wealth and independence.
They think that the do not need a thing.
They were blind to their neediness.
They could not see their miserable and wretched condition. They are the exact opposite of the church at
Smyrna which thought it was poor but Jesus declared was actually rich.
Jesus
prescribes that they must buy from Him.
How do we buy from Him? Certainly
not with our “righteous acts.” They are
as filthy rags. What about our worldly
wealth? That too has no attraction for
Jesus. We can buy from Him without cost
(Isaiah 55:1) when we acknowledge our need.
We must
“Seek the
LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked
forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the
LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely
pardon.” --Isaiah 55:6-7
It may seem
harsh to us, but Jesus rebuke and discipline comes out of love. His desire is to draw us back to Him. This verse about Jesus standing and the door
and knocking is often used in evangelism, but in the context here, He is
calling to the one who claims to know Him already. Jesus wants all lost people to come to Him
and be saved. He’s not just looking for
the so-called heathen. He desires a
vibrant love relationship with everyone.
If you’re feeling lukewarm, Jesus is at the door knocking for you,
too. Your life need not be a tepid
affair with just enough light and warmth to survive, but without real joy or
enthusiasm for living.
Laodicea
stands in contrast to Philadelphia.
Philadelphia was the church of the open door. Laodicea is the church of the closed
one. The door which is closed is the
door of their hearts. Jesus has all the
keys, authority and power. He can
certainly enter in to every life. But he
doesn’t. Why not?
I have a
friend who is in a really difficult personal situation. He’s been there for months now. In the beginning, I prayed and prayed that
God would break the unrepentant heart that was causing the situation in the
first place. I was thinking in prayer
that our weapons are mighty for the pulling down of strongholds, and I wanted
Jesus to break down that stronghold.
What God eventually showed me was the answer to my prayer would in fact
be the undoing of that person. If he
answered my prayer that way I was praying it, that person would be
destroyed. In essence, doing what I
wanted would kill that person. Jesus
doesn’t break down the door to get in to people’s hearts because if he did
that, they would be alive anymore. No
one can see God and live. Jesus can only
come into our lives by our invitation.
When we invite Him in, then He comes in by His blood. We are covered and made pure. If He comes in without our repentance, then
He comes in judgment only. There is
nothing else He can do. And so, in His
infinite compassion, the God of the entire universe and beyond stands at the
door to your heart and mine and he knocks and he waits. He calls out in love. He displays his kindnesses to us. He rebukes and disciplines us. He makes every effort to reach each heart,
each soul. Ultimately, it is each of our
own individual choices to open that door or to remain in the darkness apart
from Him.
Before we
close out, let’s look once more at all the letters together in two areas. First, let’s consider the commands or
instructions that Jesus gave to each church.
To
Ephesus: Remember and repent
To Smyrna: Do not be afraid … Be faithful
To
Pergamum: Repent
To
Thyatira: Repent … (hold
on to what you have)
To
Sardis: Wake up, strengthen
what remains, remember, obey, repent
To
Philadelphia: Hold on to
what you have
To
Laodicea: Buy from Me, be earnest, repent
There are
two general trends you see there. In
bold, repent. Underlined, be faithful or
hold on to what you have. It seems in
any case, these are the key action points.
In the case of Thyatira, we find them both together. I know for me, I do repent and cling more
tightly to Jesus when I have sinned or fallen short in some area.
Finally,
let’s read the promises of Jesus to each of the churches:
To him
who overcomes …
·
I will give the right to eat from the tree of
life, which is in the paradise of God.
·
He will not be hurt at all by the second
death.
·
I will give some of the hidden manna. I will
also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him
who receives it.
·
and does my will to the end, I will give
authority over the nations—‘He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will
dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my
Father. I will also give him the morning star.
·
He will be dressed in white. I will never
blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before
my Father and his angels.
·
I will make a pillar in the temple of my God.
Never again will he leave it. I will write on him 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 him my new name.
·
I will give the right to sit with me on my
throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Precious
promises for each church both the commended and the convicted. There is grace for all. The key to overcoming is found in I John
5:5.
Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the
one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
He who
has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
This message
is for all who would hear. This message
is not a message from men. This message
comes from God. The message is written
to specific churches called by name, but all churches should pay attention to
all the words and not just pick and choose.
I do not
know what the Lord may have put on your heart from this passage, but I pray
that you would be attentive to what He is saying to you. May the message not fade as you leave this
place, but rather stay in your heart and mind.
If there are action points, may you take the appropriate steps of
faith. May the Lord bless you for
hearing these words. Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus,
we are awed by the promises you have made to those who overcome. May each one here remain faithful until the
end of their days or until You return.
Bind up our broken hearts; enable us to strengthen our feeble arms and
weak knees. Our trust, our belief is in
You alone. You are the Son of God. You are the way, the truth, and the
life. No one comes to the Father and
eternal life except through You. We
worship You alone. Amen, Lord Jesus,
amen.
The Warrior
is a Child
Twila Paris
Album: Sanctuary
Lately I've
been winning battles left and right
But even
winners can get wounded in the fight
People say
that I'm amazing
Strong
beyond my years
I'm hiding
all the tears
Chorus:
They don't
know that I go running home when I fall down
They don't
know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my
sword and cry for just a while
'Cause deep
inside this armor
The warrior
is a child
Unafraid
because his armor is the best
But even
soldiers need a quiet place to rest
People say
that I'm amazing
Never face
retreat
But they
don't see the enemies
That lay me
at His feet
(Chorus x2)
I drop my
sword and look up for His smile
Because deep
inside this armor
Deep inside
this armor
Deep inside
this armor
The Warrior
is a Child
No comments:
Post a Comment