Emory Baptist Church

To the Dead Church

If you have your Bibles this morning, I invite you to take them and turn to Revelation 3:1.  I want to share a message with you this morning entitled, “To the Sleeping Church.”

 

So far in our study of Revelation, we have seen some real, first-century churches located in what is modern-day Turkey.  The Ephesus Church has been called the Waning Church.  The Smyrna Church has been called the Suffering Church.  The Pergamos Church has been called the Worldly Church.  The Thyatira Church has been called the Tolerant Church.  This morning, we turn our attention to the Sardis Church, which has been called the Dead or Sleeping Church.

 

When talking about first-century Sardis, I want to remind you of two observations.  First, Sardis was known for its wealth because it was a trading center for dyes, jewelry, and textiles.  Second, it was known to be impregnable.  That is another way to say unconquerable because of its geography and its military citadel. Ironically, it was captured twice before the writing of this letter first by Cyrus and second by Antiochus. 

 

Now, let’s consider the Sardis Church.  In verse one, you will see that this letter or message, as they all are, was given to the pastor of the church at Sardis and is noted as the angel or messenger. 

 

It was from and written by He who had the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.  Looking back at Revelation 1:4, 1:16, and 1:20, we know this was the Lord Jesus.

 

He has the Holy Spirit with Him. To say the seven spirits is to say the complete or fullest or perfect or may have been a reference to Isaiah 11:2 and His seven-fold ministry.

 

2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

 

The seven stars were the pastors of these churches.  Therefore, Jesus knew and could see all from a spiritual perspective and an earthly perspective. 

 

Verse 1 even says, “I know your works.”  He knew all about them. 

 

As we move on in the text, join me in seeing 5 observations of the Dead or Sleeping Church.

 

 

1. The Reputation of Life, Revelation 3:1c

1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

 

Jesus began this message differently than the previous four.  While the others began with a compliment, this one begins with an admonition or a rebuke and sets the tone for the entire message.

 

By the way, Jesus had no praise for the Sardis Church.  While this message is full of admonition, it is absent of appreciation.  Therefore, if my sermon this morning is going to follow the lead of the text, there won’t be praise for our church in today’s message.

 

The Sardis Church had a name or a reputation for being alive.  What does that mean?  It means they had a good reputation for being the going church in the area.  Maybe they were known for being the first church or the biggest church or the contemporary church or the young church or the community-minded church.  Regardless, they had a positive reputation in the area for being a good, solid, ministering church.  But…

 

Does EBC have a good or positive reputation?  Are we known as big church or the down-town church or community-minded church? 

 

 

2. The Reality of Death, Revelation 3:1d.

1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

 

However, don’t miss this.  “But you are dead!”

 

It was a mirage.  It was a myth.  It was a show.  The Sardis Church was a legend in her own mind.  She was dead. 

 

What does that mean?  It may very well have meant that the overwhelming majority of the church was unsaved church members. 

 

They had spiritual religion, but they didn’t have a saving relationship.  They had been baptized, but they weren’t born-again.  They had walked an aisle, but they weren’t walking with Jesus.  See Matthew 23:27-28.

 

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

 

And what about EBC?  I am one hundred percent confident that we have church members today who if their heart stopped beating and they physically died, they would also die spiritually and spend an eternity separated from Christ.  Is that you?

 

Let’s do a little spiritual check-up.  Do you remember a specific time and place when you were born-again?  Do you remember when you surrendered your life to Jesus as Lord and Savior?  Can you point to a specific time when you stepped off the thrown of your heart and Jesus took over your life? 

 

If you can’t, look at your life. 

1. Do you love God?
2. Do you hate sin?

• Do you desire to live a life characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?

1. Do you pray?
2. Do you read your Bible?
3. Do you attend church?

• Do you want to see lost people saved?
• Are you growing spiritually?

1. Are you living obediently?
2. Do you give sacrificially?

 

Now, if you’re trying to convince yourself that you’re saved, I would say there is a good chance you’re not.  Would you call on the name of the Lord to save you this morning?

 

 

3. The Remnant of Believers, Revelation 3:4.

4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.

 

However, the Sardis Church was not completely dead as it included a remnant or a small number of born-again members as indicated in verse four.  Defiled their garments was Jesus’ way of saying they were not stained with sin. 

 

They had been washed in the blood of the Lamb, and in heaven, they would walk with Jesus dressed in white symbolic of holiness and purity.

 

Certainly, EBC has the same.  Even though we have plenty of unconverted church members, we also have a remnant of believers who called on the name of the Lord and have been saved!  One day, you will walk with Jesus in heaven wearing white. 

 

 

4. The Requirements of Jesus, Revelation 3:2-3.

2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

 

What did Jesus require or request for the Sardis Church to turn things around?  If you’re dead or sleeping, be watchful or wake up or be constantly alert or recognize there is a problem.  Be honest and address the situation. 

 

Second, strengthen or reinforce what remains, what is close to dying.  You’re not fulfilling God’s calling on your life.  The lost in the church needed to get saved. 

 

I would say that as well this morning.  Swallow your pride and quit being concerned about what others might think or say.  If you’re playing the church game and even if you’ve fooled everybody else, you haven’t fooled Jesus.  You may have been a member of EBC for forty plus years, but you’re not a member of heaven.  Wake up this morning and be saved.

 

Third, remember.  Remember what you have heard from God’s word, and obey it.  Obey the Lord in your personal life and in your marriage and with your children and with your money and with your business and with your health.  Remember what you’ve been taught and obey it.

 

Fourth, hold fast or resolve.  Persevere through the end.  If you don’t you’ve never been saved from the beginning. 

 

Finally, repent.  Repent of your lostness and belief.  Make the change in your head and then in your heart.  Those are the Requirements of Jesus.

 

If the lost members of the Saris Church didn’t wake up, they would experience the judgment of Christ.  He would come like a thief, unexpected and uninvited. 

 

Certainly, this is in line with the reputation of Sardis.  They thought they were unconquerable, and yet, on more than one occasion, they were captured. 

 

 

5. The Rewards of Heaven, Revelation 3:5-6.

5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.  6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’

 

Our final observation this morning is regarding those that are saved and for those who get saved.  In heaven, the overcomers will wear garments of white symbolic of their purity and holiness because they take on the sinlessness of Christ, and their eternity is secure. 

 

In John’s day, rulers kept actual records of the city’s citizens on a membership list.  If a person died, their name was removed from the list. 

 

That will never happen to the follower of Christ.  There is no chance that their name will ever be erased from the book of life.  You see the second half of verse five is a promise not a threat. 

 

Finally, the very last part of verse five says that Jesus will confess your name before His Father and His angels.  Keep in mind that this will not happen if you don’t confess Him here on earth.  See Matthew 10:32-33. 

 

32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

 

 

 

Conclusion

I want to close this morning with this.  It doesn’t matter a hill of beans what our reputation is.  What matters is reality.  We might have a reputation for being dignified, but are we really dead?  We might have a reputation for being spiritual, but are we really stagnant?  We might have a reputation for being large, but are we really lifeless?

 

Here is the bottom line.  To the Dead Church made up of dead church members, wake up!

 

How Can I Please God on Wednesday...After Election Tuesday?

Thank you for being so kind and understanding during my family’s quarantine and also so kind and gracious in my decision to delay our return to Revelation 3 next week instead of today.

 

Today is the Sunday before Election Tuesday.  Pastors all over the country will be addressing the same issue as I am addressing today.  Others already have.  Others won’t, and that is fine.

 

Tuesday is Election Day.  I commend all of you who have already voted.  For those of you who haven’t, I implore you to make it your second priority of Tuesday after reading your bible and praying.  For those who have decided not to vote, please change your mind.  By the way, if I owned my own my home in Rains County, I would be voting to increase teacher pay for Rains ISD. 

 

How can you and I please God on Wednesday and going forward regardless of who is elected POTUS?  Regardless of who wins, my eschatology tells me that the sun will still come up on Wednesday morning, and unless you and I are with the Lord, we will be here to live in the aftermath, but what would please God?

 

If you have your Bibles, please find 1 Timothy 2.  Paul wrote a letter to Timothy as he pastored the Church in Ephesus.  Timothy probably pastored this church before John and before Polycarp as we saw in Revelation 2.

 

The occasion for 1 Timothy 2 is found in 1 Timothy 1.  There were some false teachers that were causing trouble in Ephesus and in the church, and Timothy needed counsel on how to deal with them. 

 

Verse 3-11 of chapter 1 details their actions, and in verses 19-20, Paul even named a two Fake Believers by name who had abandoned the faith.

 

19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, 20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

 

Consequently, Paul told Timothy in 2:1-6 how to please God in light of these false teachers and opposition.  Pray personally.  Live peacefully.  Evangelize passionately. 

 

I want to make sure you understand the context of today’s verses because I believe what Paul told Timothy to do and instruct the church to do has application for us this morning. 

 

Regardless of who votes for President Trump and regardless of who votes for Vice-President Biden and regardless of who wins on Tuesday, if you want to please God on Wednesday and moving forward, pray personally, live peacefully, and evangelize passionately. 

 

 

1. I can please God after Election Tuesday by praying personally, 2:1-2a.

1 Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority,

 

I have already addressed the context and the reason for therefore.  Paul said praying is the most important act for us to do.  It’s more important than anything else.  It’s first of all.

 

Paul then used at least three, if not four, words for praying.  Essentially, there is not much difference in the three: supplications, prayers, and intercessions. 

 

I believe he is emphasizing the priority.  It would be like me saying, “I ask you, I beg you, I’m pleading with you to vote on Tuesday.”  Asking, begging, pleading have subtle differences, but the bottom line is that I am requesting of you.

 

We must pray.  It can’t be our last option or even our second option.  It, according to God, should be option number one.

 

We are to pray personally.  That means for all men…regardless if they voted like we did.  Especially, we are to pray for those in authority, and that includes our commander in chief. 

 

Don’t forget thanksgiving as you pray.  You can be thankful that you live in the greatest nation in world, and you can be thankful that you living in a country where we can vote and have more than one option. 

 

By the way, it is my opinion, that not voting is wrong and not voting for one of the two main candidates is wasteful, not sinful, but wasteful.  I know some of you will have a problem voting for Trump or Biden, but you can vote for policy and or platform.  You can find each party’s platform and read it and then read your Bible and try to understand which platform lines up most with your biblical convictions. 

 

Now allow me to be very candid.  If who wins on Tuesday will be the determining factor as to whether or not you’re going to pray, you’ve got a major problem, and it’s with God.

 

Just to remind you, when Paul wrote this letter, the Roman Emperor was Nero.  Paul probably had just gotten out of jail.  Do you know who put him there?  Nero.  Do you know who took his life?  Nero.  Do you know who took Peter’s life? Nero.  Do you know who bound Christians and sewed them up in animal skins and threw them to the lions?  Nero. Do you know who tied Christians to what we think of as wooden utility poles and set them on fire to light the night?  Nero.  So please don’t lecture me on how awful these our two options are today.

 

Yes, I can’t stand many things President Trump says and has done before he was president, and yes, I can’t stand what VP Biden said recently about transgender children and his position on same-sex marriage and abortion, but regardless of who my President is, I will pray for him as Paul prayed for Nero.

 

What will I pray?  For of all, our context is and our application is praying for our president’s salvation.  Brother Richard, you don’t think President Trump is saved?  No, and let me be clear.

 

Republican does not mean saved.  Conservative does not mean saved.  Patriotism doesn’t mean saved.  Pro-life doesn’t mean saved.  Capitalism doesn’t mean saved.  Person of faith doesn’t mean saved.  Spiritual background doesn’t mean saved.  And neither does any description that you can think of that is opposite of everything I said. 

 

Has POTUS made some decisions that a saved person would make?  Yes, but I want to hear from his mouth and Joe Biden and your mouth, “Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and the only way for anyone to have forgiveness of sin, heaven, and eternal life.” 

 

I will pray for his salvation.  I will pray for him to have wisdom and to be surrounded by godly wisdom, and I will pray for his protection and the protection of his family. 

 

If you want to please God on Wednesday, we must pray first.  We pray for whoever POTUS is.  We must pray personally.

 

 

2. I can please God after election Tuesday by living peacefully, 2:2b-3.

that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.

 

I am speaking to preacher in the mirror more than anyone else.  Regardless of who wins, the body of Christ needs to be seen more and heard less. 

 

Notice what Paul said…that we may lead a quiet and peaceable and godly and reverent life. 

 

Please don’t get me wrong.  We can’t be quiet about Jesus, but we can be quiet about our opinions and preferences. 

 

To my Red brothers and sisters, what if you were excited and enthusiastic about Jesus as you President Trump and MAGA?  What is you hated the devil as much as you hate those Democrats?  You will answer to God.

 

To my Blue brothers and sisters, what if you hated abortion and same-sex marriage and the assault on religious freedom as much as you hate President Trump?  What if you hated the devil as much as you hate the Republican Party?  You will answer to God.

 

For many of us, you need to get off of social media, and just to be clear, I had to answer to some church members for some of my social media posts, and rightfully so.

 

Notice verse 3.  Praying personally and living peacefully is pleasing to the only true and living God.  However, my sermon has one more point, and it is implicit from verses 4-6 rather than explicit like the first two.

 

 

3. I can please God after election Tuesday by evangelizing passionately, 2:4-6.

4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

 

Verse 4 says it is God’s desire for all to be saved.  There are no exceptions to all.

 

Furthermore, there is only one way to be saved, and it is through Jesus Christ.  He is the only mediator or negotiator or bridge or substitute or sacrifice.  Only He has paid the ransom for your soul through His death on the cross.

 

The time is now.  If you’re not saved, I invite you to be saved.

 

If you saved and you want to please God after Tuesday, evangelize passionately anyone who will listen that Jesus loves them and died on the cross so that if they will believe, they can have forgiveness of sins, heaven, and eternal life.

 

 

Conclusion

1. I will pray for him sincerely. 1 Timothy 2:1
2. On every occasion when I can, I will praise good things he does. Ephesians 4:29
3. I will look for the opportunity to pass over criticism of bad things he does. Philippians 2:14-15
4. Where I must criticize, I will do so with civility. James 5:9
5. I will not tell jokes that are demeaning of him, nor will I encourage others in sharing such jokes with me.
6. I will not slander him by listening to, sharing, tweeting, or posting conspiracy theories about him. Titus 3:1-2
7. Whenever I can do so without disobeying God, I will obey him. Romans 13:1-2

 

 

Ephesians 4:29

New Kings James Version

29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

 

Philippians 2:14-15

New King James Version

14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

 

James 5:9

New King James Version

9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!

 

Titus 3:1-2

New King James Version

Graces of the Heirs of Grace

3 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.

 

Romans 13:1-2

New King James Version

13 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

 

Hold What You Got!

Rip Off the Roof!

In the World but Not of the World

Worldliness can be defined as “relating to this world as contrasted with heaven or spiritual life.”  God’s word has a few things to say about worldliness or affection for the world.

 

John 15:19

“…you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world.”

 

Romans 12:2

“2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

 

James 1:27

“27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

 

1 John 2:15-17

“15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

 

This morning, we our study in Revelation takes us what has been called the Worldly Church.  I’m speaking of the church at Pergamos in Revelation 2:12-17.

 

We have seen the Ephesian Church who left their first love.  We have seen the Smyrna Church who was persecuted for their faith in Christ.  Today, we turn to the Pergamos Church who was in the world and seems to have become of the world.

 

Pergamos was built on a large hill raising some one thousand feet above the plain, and was famous for at least four major structures.  These structures will go a long way in helping us understand some of what Jesus said to this church. 

 

First, Pergamos was known for its pagan worship.  It was home to highly decorated alter of Zeus, the Greek God.  This was at the top of the city. 

 

Second, Pergamos was known for its emperor worship.  The city was also home to the temple built in honor of Emperor Augustus, which was the first one built in honor of a Roman emperor in Asia. 

 

Third, in a lower level of the city, you had the famous Asclepion.  This was a complex of several buildings serving as a combination hospital/temple. Patients came from all over the world to be healed by the god Asclepius.

 

You probably have seen Asclepius’ rod, even though you didn’t know it by that name.  Here is the symbol of Asclepius. 

 

Finally, you had Pergamos’ famous public library that boasted over 200,000 handwritten volumes.  This collection of works was second in size only to Alexandria, and parchments made of animal skins originated in Pergamos in order to move it ahead of Alexandria. 

 

As I told you two weeks ago, Jesus’ normal letter writing structure included a praise, a rebuke, and instruction.  That is true for this letter to the Pergamos Church, and let us as the Emory Church listen closely. 

As usual, you find in verse twelve that this message was directed to the pastor of the church in Pergamos.  Then notice who it is from.  It is from the One who has the sharp two-edged sword.  When we look back at Revelation 1:16, we know that this message is from the resurrected Christ.

 

Revelation 1:16

16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

 

Did Jesus really have a two-edged sword coming from His mouth?  No, His word came from His mouth, and His word is an instrument of judgment.  See Hebrews 4:12.

 

Hebrews 4:12

12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 

 

13. Jesus praised the perseverance of the Pergamos Church, Revelation 2:13.

13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

 

As Jesus knew the good of the Ephesian Church and the Smyrna Church, He knew the good of the Pergamos Church.  Their good was that they persevered in the face of persecution. 

 

They held fast to His name and didn’t deny the faith.  Even in the face of death, they persevered and in a hostile environment. 

 

Jesus called this hostile environment of Pergamos a place where the throne of Satan was.  He could have been referencing the alter to Zeus or the temple built in honor of Emperor Augustus or the Asclepion.  Regardless, the city of Pergamos was a difficult place for Christians to live because of its opposition to Christ.

 

Also in verse 13, we are introduced to Antipas.  We know absolutely nothing more about this person.  He was probably a leader in this church but was martyred for his faith in Christ. 

 

However, again, that did not deter the Pergamos Christians.  They persevered, and Jesus praised them for it.   

 

And brothers and sisters, make no mistake, the Bible is clear.  Sooner or later, those who name the name of Christ and live accordingly will be persecuted in some form or fashion.

 

2 Timothy 3:12

12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

 

 

15. Jesus complained about the compromise of the Pergamos Church, Revelation 2:14-15.

14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

 

In verse 14, Jesus complained or said He had a few things against the Pergamos Church.  His complaint can be summed up in one word, “compromise.”  While their belief remained solid in the midst of persecution, their behavior was compromised in the face of temptation with idolatry and immorality.     

 

Some in this church were holding to the teaching of Balaam.  Jesus clarified what He meant by saying that Balaam taught Balak to put a stumbling block before Israel in the form of eating things sacrificed to idols and committing sexual immorality. 

 

In short, Balaam was a prophet for hire.  Balak was pagan king trying to destroy Israel.  Ultimately, what Balaam suggested to Balak came to pass. 

 

Numbers 25:1-3

1 Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. 2 They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel.

This idolatry and immorality was not only true of the doctrine or teaching of Balaam in the OT, but it was also true of the doctrine or teaching of the Nicolaitans in the NT. 

 

Notice the words in verse 15 “Thus you also.”  Those words equate Balaam and Nicolas. 

 

The Pergamos Church had allowed these individuals and these two groups to influence them to go the way of the world, to do that which God had forbade.  They allowed it, and they tolerated it. 

 

They didn’t do anything about it.  They didn’t hold them accountable or initiate church discipline.  They compromised with idolatry and immorality. 

 

The Corinthian Church was guilty of the same.  See 1 Corinthians 5:1-2, 6.

 

1 Corinthians 5:1-2, 6

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife! 2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you…6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

 

 

• Jesus requested repentance of the Pergamum Church, Revelation 2:17.

16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth

 

Jesus had one word for His instruction or need of the Pergamum Church.  In verse 16, it was repent.  To repent is to change your mind in such a way that changes your action.  The Pergamos Church needed to change their minds to recognize that idolatry and immorality was wrong and couldn’t be tolerated.  Then, they needed to change their action from tolerating these individuals to correcting these individuals.    

 

Otherwise, Jesus gave them a warning.  He would come to them and render judgement with His double-edged sword. 

 

It is interesting to note the change in pronouns in verse 16.  It wasn’t just the false teachers who were at fault.  The entire church was at fault for tolerating them.  Note the change from plural you to plural them.  If they didn’t repent, Jesus would come to the Pergamos Church as a whole and fight against them who held to these compromised behaviors.

 

 

Revelation 2:17

17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’ 

 

The Pergamos Letter ends with a promise like to the other churches.  However, it isn’t as clear to understand as the others. 

 

To the overcomers or sincere Christians in Pergamos, Jesus promised hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name.

 

When it comes to identifying these three items, the options are as numerous as the opinions.  Here is what I think. 

 

I believe the hidden manna to be Jesus Christ as the Bread of life from heaven.  For the Pergamos Christian, He may not have been seen at the time, but Jesus was their complete satisfaction and motivation for persevering and repenting. 

 

As for the white stone, first century judges would sometimes render their difficult verdicts by placing a white stone and a black stone in an urn.  When shaken, if the black stone emerged, the verdict was guilty.  If the white stone, innocent. 

 

If you put your faith and trust in Christ, you are declared innocent.  There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. 

 

Finally, the new name, although a mystery, is only for God’s chosen people.  It might be something like the change from sinner to saint.

 

 

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, do you need to leave your worldliness of idolatry and immorality behind?  If you’re guilty, yes, you do.

Is anyone or anything sitting on the throne of your heart other than Jesus?  You can know by looking at what takes up your time and energy and finances.  Repent of your idolatry.

 

Are you guilty of immorality in your thoughts and or actions?  Immorality is any physical intimacy outside of the parameters of marriage.  God’s plan is one man in a one flesh relationship with one woman.  Anything else is immorality. 

 

Finally, if you’ve never called on the Lord to save you, you won’t get a white stone when you die.  You’ll get a black stone, and your name will remain sinner instead of saint.  Will call on Jesus today to save you?

 

Is Jesus Better Than Life?

If you were to look at a modern-day map of Turkey and find her western-most largest city of more than 200,000 people, you would find the seaport city of Izmir on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea.  However, 2,000 years ago, that city was called Smyrna, and just as the Lord Jesus had a message for the Ephesian Church last Sunday, today, He has a message for the Smyrna Church and the Emory Church.

 

This morning, we are continuing in our verse-by-verse study of John’s Revelation.  Last week, we began looking at Jesus’ messages to the seven churches of Asia Minor that were named specifically in Revelation 1:11.  The first was the Church at Ephesus.  The second is the Church at Smyrna. 

 

Smyrna means myrrh, which was an ordinary perfume.  The Smyrna Church was known for its suffering.  Perhaps, in that suffering, she was a fragrant aroma to the Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

My sermon is entitled, “Is Jesus Better Than Life?”  Think about that question.  Is He?  Psalm 63:3 uses some similar language.

 

3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.

 

We’ll come back to the question in just a moment, but keep thinking, “Is Jesus better than life?”

 

In verse 8, we again see that the message was originally given to the angel or messenger or pastor of this church to be read to the entire congregation.  Some commentators have identified Polycarp as the pastor of the Smyrna Church at this time.  Again, we’ll hear more about him later.

 

The message is from Jesus Christ, and He describes Himself in a way that was revealed to John back in chapter one verses 17-18.  He is the first and the last.  He was dead, and has come to life. 

 

To describe yourself as first and last is to clarify your eternality.  Jesus always has been and always will be.  He was before all things and in the end, He will be after all things.

 

However, that should spark a question in your mind.  If Jesus is eternal, how did He die?  See 1 Peter 3:18. 

 

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.

 

The fact that He was dead and has come back to life is very significant for the Smyrna Church because some of these first-century Christians will be persecuted to the point of death.    

 

 

9. Jesus Saw the Suffering of the Smyrna Church or complimented them, Revelation 2:9.

9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

 

In verse 9, Jesus said He saw or knew their suffering or tribulation or persecution. This was intense tribulation that meant physical harm along with loss of friends and family.

 

However, their suffering not only included physical persecution, but it also included financial poverty.  Verse 9 says that Jesus knew their persecution and their poverty.

 

First century Christians were most definitely in the lowest socio-economic class of their culture.  However, spiritually, they were rich.  See 2 Corinthians 6:10 and James 2:5.

 

10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

 

5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

 

The next part of the verse says that Jesus knew of the blasphemy or slander against the Smyrna Church.  Undoubtedly, it was spoken by Unbelieving Gentiles as well as Pagan Jews. 

 

What were they saying?  First century Believers were accused of cannibalism because they talked of eating the body of Christ and drinking His blood.  They were accused of sexual immorality because they held love feasts or fellowship meals in conjunction with the Lord’s Supper. They were accused of incest because they talked about giving a holy kiss to their brothers and sisters.  They were called atheists because they didn’t accept the Greek gods.  They were accused of arson because they spoke of the fire of the Spirit and the fires of divine judgment.  Finally, they accused of being polytheists because they believed in the Trinity. 

 

Again, this slander was spoken by those who said they were Jews but were not.  What was Jesus saying? 

 

Perhaps we can understand this better by looking to Paul in his letter to the Roman Church.  See Romans 2:28-29.

 

28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

 

These were ethnic Jews who were blaspheming these Smyrna Christians because in fact they were pagan Jews. 

 

In other words, your actions speak louder than your words.  You can say you are follower of Christ, but what does your life look like?  You can say you’re a Christian but when your FB is littered with profanity and racism, are you?  You can say you’re a part of the Body of Christ, but if you never gather with the Body of Christ, are you?  You can say you believe the Bible, but when you constantly make choices in opposition to it, do you?

 

The last part of verse 9 is the most astonishing to me.  Jesus called their meeting place the synagogue of Satan. 

 

For two thousand years, pagan Jews have been persecuting Christians.  It is still true today, and even though, generally speaking, I want to support the nation of Israel as God’s chosen people and because the Bible tells me to do so, as a Believer, I have a greater obligation to support a Palestinian Christian in most endeavors rather than a pagan Jew.

 

I don’t think we have any church members this morning that are suffering like the Smyrna Church, but I know that some of you are in a bad situation that is not of your own doing.  I want you to know that Jesus sees your suffering.  He feels your pain.  You are not alone.

 

 

10. Jesus Encouraged the Endurance of the Smyrna Church or instructed them, Revelation 2:10.

10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

 

Unfortunately, Jesus knew their tribulation and intense suffering was not over.  However, He encouraged them to endure because it wouldn’t last long.

 

In verse 10, Jesus told them to be fearless.  Again, He was speaking about suffering to come.  Specifically, the devil was about to put them in jail. 

 

However, why would Lord allow Christians to suffer?  First, notice that this suffering is for our testing.  I hate that, and I know that you do too, but in the providence of God, He allows the devil to test us to make us more like Jesus.  He did it with Job. He did it with Peter, and He is doing it again her in the Smyrna Church.

 

Second, we might experience suffering as punishment.  1 Corinthians 11:30-32.

 

30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

 

Third, we might experience suffering to teach us.  See 2 Corinthians 12:7.

 

7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.

 

Finally, we might experience suffering to further our witness for Christ.  See Acts 9:16.

 

16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

 

Regardless, this suffering would not last long.  It won’t be years or months or even weeks.  It will be ten days. 

 

Is there something more here?  It is possible, but I don’t have any reason to believe ten days means anything other than ten days.  Jesus knew the exact time, and that their suffering would be limited, and He told their pastor to encourage them. 

 

Not only did Jesus encourage their endurance by telling them to fearless, He also exhorted them to be faithful until death.  Endure through the end.  It is significant to note that Jesus didn’t promise their earthly deliverance but their spiritual deliverance. 

 

Jesus encouraged their endurance. 

 

 

• Jesus Promised the Payment to the Smyrna Church or reminded them, Revelation 2:10c-11.

and I will give you the crown of life.  11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”’

 

When I say payment, maybe a better word is reward.  Jesus reminded them of two promised rewards: the crown of life and eternal life. 

As they walk into eternity and heaven, they will receive the victor’s crown.  This is the crown for winning.  James also spoke of it in James 1:12. 

 

12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

 

The end of this message is similar to that for the Ephesian Church.  Jesus promised that those who overcome will not be hurt by the second death. 

 

As for the second death, every human has been born once and will die at least once.  Unfortunately, most will be born once and die twice.  The first death is physical.  The second death is spiritual.

 

Jesus promised the payment for the Smyrna Church and reminded them of it.

 

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, first, some will be born twice, but only die once.  That is the individual who puts his or her faith in Christ as Lord and Savior.  See John 11:25-26.

 

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

 

Second, notice that there was no rebuke in this letter.  Could that be because the persecuted church is an obedient church?  The persecuted church has often been purged of all the hypocrites.

 

My last thought is back to where we began this morning, and it is for the Christians in the room.  Is Jesus better than life?  Polycarp said yes.

 

“Polycarp, who was a student of the Apostle John and the overseer of the church in Smyrna, heard that soldiers were looking for him and tried to escape but was discovered by a child.

 

After feeding the guards who captured him, he asked for an hour in prayer, which they gave him.  He prayed with such fervency that his guards said they were sorry that they were the ones who captured him.

 

Nevertheless, he was taken before the governor and condemned to be burned in the market place.  After his sentence was given, the governor said to him, ‘Reproach Christ, and I will release you.’

 

Polycarp answered, ‘Eighty-six years I have served him, and he never once wronged me. How then shall I blaspheme my King who has saved me?’

 

In the market place, he was tied to the stake rather than nailed, as was the usual custom, because he assured them he would stand immovable in the flames and not fight them.  As the dry sticks placed around him were lit, the flames rose up and circled his body without touching him. 

 

The executioner was then ordered to pierce him with a sword.  When he did, a great quantity of blood gushed out and put out the fire.  Although his Christian friends asked to be given his body as it was so they could bury him, the enemies of the Gospel, especially Jews, insisted that it be burned in the fire, which was done.”

 

Is Jesus better than life?  Polycarp said yes.  What about you?

Remember When?

This morning, we return to Revelation 2.  Beginning this morning and for the next several Sundays, we will be looking at Jesus’ words or instructions or correspondence with the seven churches of Asia Minor or modern-day Western Turkey that we have already identified.  That is chapters two and three of Revelation.  John was told to write what WAS at that time, and he did.

 

When hearing these instructions, remember that these were actual churches of the first century with real members, and Jesus was speaking to their present condition then.  However, His instructions are still applicable today and will speak to our condition.  Just as we read God’s word through Paul to the churches at Rome, Corinth, Galatia, etc., and apply them to EBC, we will do the same with these.

 

This morning, we consider Jesus’ message to the church at Ephesus.  This church was most likely the mother church of these seven churches and was extremely prominent in the first century.  After all, Luke wrote about her in Acts.  Paul wrote to her in Ephesians, and John recorded a message to her here.  

 

Acts 18-19 tells us that Paul began the church.  The first members of the church most likely included Priscilla and Aquila and Apollos. 

 

We know from 1 and 2 Timothy that Timothy pastored this church, and more than likely, John was her pastor when he was banished to Patmos and at the time of this writing.

 

This church was doing wonderful ministry in reaching Ephesus with the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ, and these first seven verses of chapter two are addressed to them.

 

Look at verse 1.  The message was originally given to the pastor of the Ephesian Church.  In this case, it would have been whomever had followed John, and he would read have read it to this congregation.

 

Notice who sent the message.  It is the One who holds (present tense) the seven stars in His right hand, and the One who walks (present tense) among the seven golden lampstands.  This is none other than the Lord Jesus.  We saw this back in 1:12 and 1:16. 

 

Remember also that the seven stars are the pastors of the churches, and the golden lampstands are the churches.  That is spelled out for us in 1:20.

 

As we move to verse two, I want you to see Jesus’ appreciation for the Ephesian Church or His recognition, Jesus’ complication with the Ephesian Church or the His rebuke, and Jesus’ exhortation for the Ephesian Church or His resolution.

 

 

3. Jesus’ Appreciation for the Ephesian Church, Revelation 2:2-3.

2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.

 

By the way, generally speaking, this is the way Jesus will address all seven churches.  He will praise them, correct them, and instruct them.

 

In verse 2, He told them of His appreciation for them and specifically for their works or deeds.  First, He says He knows their labor.  He appreciated their diligence.  This was a hard-working and always-working church. 

 

He also recognized their patience.  Ministry is hard and time consuming, but that didn’t stop the Ephesian Church from doing what God called them to do and trusting God for the results. 

 

Third, He appreciated their purity.  They didn’t tolerate the sins of their members. 

 

Also, not only were they pure in not tolerating sin, they also didn’t tolerate heresy.  They tested those who said they were apostles and found them to be liars. 

 

When Paul left Ephesus in Acts 20, he warned them of false teachers who would come after him.  See Acts 20:28-30.

 

28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.

 

If you skip down to verse 6, you will find that the Ephesian Church again demonstrated their purity in hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans.  Allow me to make several comments here. 

 

First of all, notice they hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans and not the Nicolaitans themselves.  Therefore, it does seem possible to hate the sin without hating the sinner.  I pray EBC would do the same. 

 

Second, it is imperative EBC hate the things that the Lord hates and love the things that the Lord loves.  What the Bible calls sin we must hate.  It matters not what your political affiliation is or what your hobby is or what you like.  If it is called sin by the Bible from the Lord, we must hate it, and we must love what the Lord loves. 

 

Third, we don’t know for sure who the Nicolaitans were.  It is possible that they were followers of Nicolas, one of the first deacons mentioned in Acts 6.  Regardless, we know from Revelation 2:14-15 that they were connected to the church at Pergamos and those that taught the doctrine of Balaam.

 

Finally, in verse 3, Jesus appreciated the Ephesian church’s perseverance.  They had not grown weary.  They never went into retirement mode.  They kept fighting the good fight of faith. 

 

We can transition from one life stage to another and even retire from a place of employment, but we cannot cease to do the Lord’s work.  Jesus appreciated their perseverance. 

 

 

4. Jesus’ Complication with Ephesian Church, Revelation 2:4.

4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

 

In verse 4, Jesus said He had one thing against the Ephesian church or one rebuke.  They had one problem, one area of concern, one reason they were not excelling. 

 

They had left their first love.

 

Commentators have filled thousands of pages pontificating as to what this first love was.  Had they left their love for one another?  That’s possible. 

 

Had they left their love of ministry?  That is not likely considering what Jesus appreciated about them. 

 

I would contend this morning that the Ephesian church had left their first love of Jesus.  I’m not saying they had abandoned the faith. 

 

I’m saying they were doing the right things with a cold heart.  They were busy, but their motivation was empty.

 

They had left their first love, and that was their love for God and His Son.  Jesus tells us in the Gospels that the greatest commandment of all is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. 

 

However, our love can wane.  Our love can dwindle.  Our love can grow cold. 

 

We see it in marriages all the time.  Husband and wife are married for twenty and thirty and forty years, but then their love for one another begins to wane, and instead of correcting that problem, they continue out of habit or duty.  Then one day, they finally decide to end the marriage and love relationship with a divorce.

 

Brothers and sisters, have you left your first love, and again, I’m not talking about your spouse, your family, your team, your business or your candidate.  I’m talking about Jesus. 

 

 

• Jesus’ Exhortation for the Ephesian Church, Revelation 2:5.

5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.

 

In verse 5, Jesus exhorted the Ephesians or instructed them or provided them with the resolution to their problem.  He gave to them three steps in rekindling their first love. 

 

First, remember.  Remember how the relationship used to be.  Do you remember when you were first saved?  When I was first saved, I read my Bible every day without fail.  I prayed long and hard every day without fail.  I had a burning desire to witness to every one of my friends in the fourth grade. 

 

We laugh, but we must remember our initial enthusiasm and passion and love for the Lord.  Remember the good ole’ days.    

 

If you’re here this morning and your love for your spouse is waning, your marriage is in trouble.  Remember today why you married your spouse.  Remember when you were dating.  Remember when you were engaged.  Remember when you were romantic and wanted nothing more than to please and impress your partner.  We must remember.

 

Secondly, we must repent.  To repent is to confess and forsake.  Jesus called on the Ephesians to repent.  They needed to confess that they had left their first love. 

 

They needed to see it is as wrong and bad and a mistake and then forsake their cold hearts.  See your waning love as Jesus sees it.  It is a complication.  It is a problem.  It is a barrier in your relationship with the Lord. 

 

Remember.  Repent.

 

Finally, repeat.  Do the deeds you did at first.  Repeat your initial actions.  Repeat your initial enthusiasm.  Repeat your initial passion.  Repeat your initial love for the Lord. 

 

Look at the end of verse five.  If the Ephesian church didn’t repent, the Lord Jesus promised to remove their lampstand.  If they didn’t repent, the Lord was going to take away their witness. 

 

In verse 7, the message to the Ephesian church ends with a promise to him who overcomes.  This is the follower of Christ.  The follower of Christ is one who overcomes by returning to his first love, and Jesus promises eternal life, eating of the tree of life in the Paradise of God or heaven.

 

 

Conclusion

So what do we do EBC?  We remember.  We repent.  We repeat or love Jesus again with everything we are and everything we have. 

 

Brothers and sisters, if we don’t love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, we are no more than a civic organization, a community group.

 

Now, I am not speaking negatively of them.  They serve.  They provide.  They encourage our community.  We do the same, but our motivation and the driving force behind all we do must be our passionate, all-consuming, white-hot love of God and His Son Jesus Christ. 

 

What is it that we repeat?  I want to challenge you to do what those that love Jesus ought to do.  Talk to Him through prayer.  Hear from Him by reading His word, and tell others about Him in sharing your testimony, what He has done in your life. 

A Dream Like No Other...

I invite you to take your Bibles this morning and find Revelation 1:9. If you weren’t with us last Sunday morning, we began a verse-by-verse or expositional study of the book of Revelation.  It is the last book of the Bible and the New Testament and speaks rather clearly about the future.

 

We saw that this book is the Revelation about Jesus and from Jesus to John and to first and second century Christians and any and all who would come after them.  It speaks of a blessing for you if you hear it and obey it, and we saw that Revelation’s announcement is the second coming of Christ.  We must get that word out!

 

This morning, we look at 1:9-20.  My message is entitled, “A Dream Like No Other…”  Here in these verses, we see the first of several of John’s dreams or visions or revelations while exiled on the island of Patmos.

 

Beginning in verse 9, we find out why John was exiled to Patmos.  Notice John’s humility in describing himself not as Jesus’ best friend or even an Apostle but simply as a brother noting that we are part of the family of God because we are in Jesus. 

 

He then says that he is a partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance in following Christ.  Make no mistake about it.  John was being punished because he preached the word of God and gave testimony about Jesus while he was the pastor of the church at Ephesus. 

 

He did such a good job that the Roman Emperor Domitian was threatened.  As a result, John was exiled.  Other Christians at the time were under persecution as well.  They experienced tribulation also. 

 

Brother and sisters, regardless of what well-known Christian pastors say about living your best life now, if you have ever been told that being a Christian makes all of your problems go away, you have been duped.  In fact, God’s word says just the opposite.

 

Being a follow of Christ then and now guarantees your tribulation and need for perseverance.  See Matthew 24:9, Acts 14:22, Romans 12:12, 1 Thessalonians 3:2-3, and 2 Timothy 3:12.

 

Matthew 24:9, 9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.

 

Acts 14:22, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”

 

Romans 12:12, 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;

 

1 Thessalonians 3:2-3, 2 and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, 3 that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.

 

2 Timothy 3:12, 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

 

Now, beginning in verse 10, I want you to notice that John’s revelation was heard and seen and interpreted.

 

 

11. John’s revelation was heard, Revelation 1:10-11.

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

 

Verse 10 says that John was in the Spirit.  Simply, this was some type of supernatural experience.  I would not call it normative or even happening today.  The grammar of this verse simply says this was John worshipping the Lord on Sunday and hearing from the Lord about the future. 

 

By the way, don’t miss this truth.  The Lord’s Day is not for hunting or for fishing or for ballgames without hearing from the Lord through His word and His church first.  If you want to hear from the Lord through His word and through His church, make sure, on the Lord’s Day, that you are not at the deer lease or the lake or the ballfield.  Don’t expect to hear from the Lord there.  It is no coincidence that this first vision that John experienced was on Sunday. 

 

Again, the Lord’s Day is the day Jesus was resurrected from the grave, and John heard a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet telling him to write what he sees in a book and share it with the seven churches of Asia or modern-day Turkey.

 

John was the author, his assignment was to write down what he saw, and his immediate audience was the seven churches of Asia. 

 

 

18. John’s revelation was seen, Revelation 1:12-18.

12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

 

Verses 12 through 18 explain that John’s revelation was seen.  First of all, John saw seven golden lampstands.  What were these?  See verse 20. 

 

20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

 

These correspond to the seven churches from verse 11.  In addition, there were seven stars that were symbolic of the angels of the churches.  What were these?  Again, see verse 20.

 

20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

 

These could be guardian angels of each church.  However, I would contend that these are the pastors of these churches.  Remember, angel means messenger, and the blessing from 1:3 is for he who reads and those who hear.  John is going to be specifically sharing his vision with these pastors who will then share with their respective churches.

 

3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

 

In the middle of these churches is one like the Son of Man.  This is Jesus. 

 

Make no mistake about it.  These churches and this church does not belong to me.  It does not belong to you.  It does not belong to Emory or the Southern Baptist Convention.  This church belongs to Jesus Christ.  This church, like all others, is the bride of Christ.

 

The rest of verse 13 and following describes the Lord.  We first saw the seven lampstands.  Now, we’re going to see the Son of Man.  Then, you’ll notice the stars of verse 16.

 

This “Son of Man” language was taken from Daniel 7:13. It is also John’s favorite title for Jesus in his gospel as it is used at least 11 times in that book.

 

Daniel 7:13, 13 “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven!  He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.

 

Remember what I said last week.  Revelation is a prophetic, circular letter that contains a lot of apocalyptic language or symbolic language.  Therefore, we are going to interpret it literally unless the text demands otherwise.  Here is an example of otherwise. 

 

Certainly John saw this Jesus, but notice the use of the words “like” and “as.”  They are used as a simile on seven different occasions in verses 12-16.  Therefore, we aren’t seeing the following as literally how Jesus is or was but as John was able to describe Him. 

 

We see that He had a robe reaching to His feet and a golden sash across His chest.  He was dressed as an OT high priest, and He is your high priest if you have been born-again. 

 

His head and hair were white.  White is symbolic of holiness and purity but also knowledge and experience.  Gray hair is a sign of maturity. 

 

His eyes were like a flame of fire.  This is fire of judgment.  He sees everything and everyone.  Nothing is beyond His vision. 

 

The fine brass is symbolic of His own experience, and He has been tempted and tried and remained perfect. 

 

His voice is powerful.  It spoke the world into being, it calmed the storms, and it will pronounce judgment, and that judgment will be right and fair as it will be according to God’s word, that doubled-edged sword. 

 

Finally, His face was shining displaying His glory.  This is the resurrected Christ, Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

 

By the way, just like God, because He is God, Jesus’ white hair and experience remind us of His omniscience…He knows all.

 

His eyes like a flame of fire demonstrates ability to judge all.  He is omnipresent.  He sees everything because He is everywhere.

 

His feet of fine brass remind us of a general’s strength and putting his feet on the defeated enemy’s neck.  Jesus is omnipotent…all powerful. 

 

Consequently, John fell at His feet like a dead man.  By the way, this is the verse that our charismatic brothers and sisters point to as biblical justification for being slain in or by the Spirit. 

 

However, Jesus comforted John.  He told him not to be afraid. 

 

He is the first and the last, and the living One.  He was dead but is now alive forever, and He has the final authority over all humanity.  Jesus has the keys of death and the place of the dead, Hades.  Those are basically synonymous. 

 

 

• John’s revelation was interpreted, Revelation 1:19-20.

 19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. 20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

 

Verse 19 has one of the clearest book outlines in all of the Bible.  John was to write about what he saw, and he did.  That is verses 9-20 of chapter 1. 

 

He was to write about what was currently, that is about the seven churches, and he did.  That is chapters 2 and 3. 

 

He was to write about the things which will take place after these things.  Those are the future events.  That is chapters 4-22.  If that is not clear, I don’t know what is. 

 

Finally, we’ve actually already seen the interpretation of this revelation. The stars are the angels or messengers or pastors of the churches.  The lampstands are the seven churches. 

 

 

Conclusion

But what does all of this mean for me today?  First, Jesus is all about His church and the local church.  He stands in the middle of them.  He speaks to them.  He protects them.  His plan centers on them.  He died for them.

 

Consequently, if you’re not connected to a local church today, you are missing out on the heartbeat of God.  Get connected today to this one or another one, but get formally connected today.

 

Secondly, biblically, you can’t be part of a local church unless you are part of the global church, and that only happens by receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life. 

 

 

The Beginning of the End...

Most people love to know the future.  We want to know the future of our family and our health and our money.

 

Some folks even go to the extent of reading horoscopes, consulting psychics, and looking at tarot cards.  Well, today is your day.  Today, we are going to look at the beginning of the end…the book of Revelation.

 

Think with me about 19 years ago.  Do you remember where you were on September 11, 2001?  I had just dropped Christy off at school in Forney, Texas and went to my office at FBC Forney. 

 

When I got inside, the secretaries and staff were gathered around a 13 inch, black and white, television with rabbit hears.  They were trying to make out the events of the morning in New York City and Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania.

 

What if you knew on September 10^th what was going to happen on September 11^th?  What would you do?  Would you warn anyone?  Would make some phone calls?

 

In our study of Revelation, were going to find out the end.  Therefore, you’re going to know the end in advance.  However, what are you going to do about it?  Are you going to warn anyone?  Are you going to make some phone calls, send some text messages, have some hard conversations? 

 

As we look this morning at the first eight verses of this book, I’m going to ask and answer some introductory questions that will get us started in the right direction for our study. 

 

 

1. What is Revelation about?

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ…

 

Look at verse 1.  This book is about Jesus and from Jesus.  Revelation means to unveil.  Therefore, Jesus is going to unveil or draw back the curtain so that we can see Him clearly. 

 

Verse 5 tells us more.  In verses 5, 6, and 8, there are no less than seven truths about who Jesus is.  First, He is the faithful witness so you can trust Him.  Second, He is the firstborn of the dead.  There will be more who will be resurrected, but He was the first.  Third, He is the ruler over the kings of the earth.  That truth speaks to His coming earthly kingdom. Fourth, He loved us.  We know that because we saw Him die on the cross for us in Mark.  Fifth, He washed us with His own blood.  His washing assumes we were stained, and we were with our sins. 

 

In verse 8, He is the Alpha and Omega.  Those are first and last letters in the Greek alphabet.  He is all encompassing.  Seventh, He is the Lord Almighty.  No one is more powerful than Him.

 

 

2. Who is Revelation’s author?

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.

 

If we’re talking about the human author, that was John.  He was the son of Zebedee and the brother of James and a fisherman.  Revelation is the last of five NT books that he wrote including John, 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John.

 

However, notice this authorial chain beginning in verse 1.  This revelation was from God and given to Jesus who gave it to His angel and then to John. 

 

More than likely, this is the latest NT book, written approximately 95 AD.  John wrote it after he was exiled to island of Patmos when he was pastoring the church at Ephesus because he had gotten cross with the Roman Emperor Domitian. 

 

 

3. What is Revelation’s award?

3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

 

That question may surprise you.  Perhaps a better word would be reward instead of award.  For those that read and hear and keep or obey, there is a blessing.  There is reward or an award. 

 

Also, from this third verse, we found out what type of book this is, and it will go a long way in helping us understand.  Revelation is a prophetic, circular letter that uses apocalyptic language.

 

John said it is prophecy.  That is the prediction of future events.  Therefore, in our understanding, we are going to operate from a futurist stand point.  John even says things which must shortly take place in verse 1.

 

This was a letter written to the seven churches in Asia.  Those are named and addressed specifically in chapters 2 and 3.  However, it was circular letter that was to be read aloud in the worship service.  Notice that one reads and those hear and keep.

 

Finally, because Revelation is apocalyptic, John uses highly symbolic language.  However, we still interpret this book literally even with symbolic language. 

 

For example, Jesus said if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  We take literally the idea of dealing severely with our sin.  However, how no one has plucked out their eye because we know that is symbolic language. 

 

4. Who was Revelation’s audience?

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ.

 

As I mentioned a moment ago, John’s primary audience was the churches addressed in chapters 2 and 3: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

 

However, don’t miss the secondary audience.  Look at verse 1.  God gave this revelation to Jesus to show His servants.  That is us.  We are His servants or bondservants.  Therefore, make sure your eyes and ears are ready each and every week as we open this book together. 

 

John’s salutation reminds us that the book of Revelation is for believers…those who have received the grace of God and who are peace with God through Holy Trinity.  God the Father is who is and was and is to come.  The seven Spirits is the Holy Spirit. 

 

Why seven?  Seven is the number of perfection or completion in the Bible.  He could also be making the correlation between the Holy Spirit being present in each of the seven churches.  However, he may simply be referring to the seven-fold ministry of the Holy Spirit referenced in Isaiah 11:2.

 

Isaiah 11:2, The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

 

 

5. What is Revelation’s announcement?

7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. 

 

Are you ready for this? Jesus is coming again.  That’s the announcement, and everyone will know it.  The unbelieving Jews will know it.  The unbelieving Gentiles will know it, and if you haven’t received Him as Lord and Savior, it will be too late.  That is why you will mourn and weep and grieve for eternity. 

 

 

Conclusion/Invitation

So will you receive Him today as Lord and Savior?

 

If you already have, this is your September 10^th.  You know what is going to happen on September 11^th.  What are you going to do about it?  Are you go to warn someone?  Are you going to call someone?  Are you to text someone?  Are you going to have some hard conversations because you love family and friends and you know?  

 

Our Reason for Living...

Last Sunday, we looked closely at the crucifixion of the Lord, and today, we consider His resurrection.  I would suggest that the fact of Jesus’ resurrection is our reason for living today and our hope for living eternally. 

 

If you have your Bibles this morning, please take them and find Mark 15:42.  If you are able, please stand for the reading of God’s word.

 

When we ended last Sunday, Jesus was on the cross.  However, according to the OT, He could not stay there.  This was true regardless of who the individual was.

 

Deuteronomy 21:22-23

22 “If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.

 

However, remember that the Twelve had deserted Jesus.  They were nowhere to be found. 

 

Matthew 26:56

56 But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”  Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.

 

Also, Jesus’ closest disciple was charged with caring for His mother.  Furthermore, His family was probably too distraught to do anything with His body at this time.

 

John 19:26-27

26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

 

 

1. A Disciple of Faith, Mark 15:42-47

42 Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. 45 So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.

 

In verse 42, it seems to be a few hours before sundown on Friday, sometime between 3 and 4 PM.  We know that it was Friday because we know that Saturday was the Sabbath. 

 

The Sabbath actually began at sundown on Friday and lasted until sundown on Saturday.  Friday was called the Preparation Day because families had to prepare meals and do chores to prepare for not doing any of those things on the Sabbath. 

 

In verse 43, we are introduced to Joseph of Arimathea.  He was a prominent member of the Jewish Sanhedrin or council. 

 

He was a disciple of faith.  Mark said he was waiting for the kingdom of God.  Therefore, we know that his faith was active. 

 

Mark said his faith was also courageous because he came to Pilate to request Jesus’ body.  That took courage because Pilate was not a fan of the Jews and felt like the Sanhedrin forced him to execute an innocent man.

 

His faith was now public.  John 19 described Joseph as a secret disciple.  The secret was no longer.  Joseph publicly demonstrated his faith by asking to bury Jesus’ body with the Twelve and Jesus’ family not in the picture.

 

When skeptics question the resurrection of Jesus, some wonder if He actually died.  Consider these proofs. Pilate confirmed that He was dead.  The Roman centurion in verses 44-45 confirmed that He was dead, and Joseph wrapped His dead body in linen and placed Him in a previously unused tomb.  Absolutely, positively, Jesus physically and literally died on the cross.

 

 

1. A Deed of Love, Mark 16:1-5

1 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

 

Beginning in 16:1, you see that the Sabbath is over.  It was now Saturday night, and we see three of Jesus’ female disciples.  This was Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. 

 

It seems that they expected Jesus to still be dead.  They had bought spices on Saturday night to take to the tomb on Sunday morning.  They had no thoughts of Him being resurrected.  Instead, they expected His body to be decaying and stinking so they were coming with spices to combat the odor.

 

Verse 2 says they came to the tomb on Sunday morning.  Remember the end of chapter 15?  They saw were Jesus was laid.  Therefore, they knew where to go.

 

As they were on the way to the tomb, they began to get worried about who would move the stone.  They probably saw that Joseph had arranged for the stone to protect the tomb and Jesus’ body from grave robbers and wild animals.   

 

This would have been a round stone that would have been rolled down hill into a track.  Therefore, while it was easier to put in place, it would have been difficult to move and would have required the efforts of multiple men.

 

As for this happening on Sunday morning, Mark says it was the first day of the week, and we know that to be Sunday.  By the way, it is because Jesus was resurrected on Sunday that we worship today rather than Saturday. 

 

Saturday is still the Sabbath.  However, the Christian Church changed the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday to memorialize the day these women found the tomb empty and Jesus resurrected. 

 

Matthew’s gospel speaks of a localized earthquake that dislodged the stone and allowed an angel to move it.  Keep in mind that Jesus was already gone.  Therefore, moving the stone was to allow the witnesses in, not to let Jesus out.

 

When they arrived, the stone had been rolled away, and they were greeted by an angel.  Again, the other gospels tell us there were two angels, but only one of them spoke.  However, these women were deathly afraid which is the common human response to interactions with angels in the Bible.

 

 

• A Directive of Hope, Mark 16:6-8

6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

 

Beginning in verse 6, we see the angel’s conversation with the women. He informed the ladies that Jesus was in fact alive.  The Jesus they were seeking, who had been crucified (another way of saying He was certainly dead), had been raised. 

 

The NKJV says He is risen.  That is better translated, “He has risen.”  Like the stone, an outside forced raised Jesus.  He didn’t raise Himself.  God the Father brought Him from the tomb.  He was no longer there. 

 

The angel then invited the ladies to look at the place where Jesus had been laid.  He was gone.  He was not there.  He had risen. 

 

Then in verse 7, he said that the ladies were to tell the disciples that Jesus would be awaiting them in Galilee.  Not only was He alive, but they would get to see Him again. 

 

Verse 8 says they left the tomb amazed at the prospect of Jesus, whom they saw die with their own eyes, living again. 

 

I want to make one final point and then conclude.  Look back at verse 7.  Remember that this is really Peter’s gospel that was written down by Mark.  That is the same Peter back in Mark 14 who denied any association with the Lord on three occasions.

 

However, in this verse, we see the foreshadowing of Peter’s restoration from a mistake and for ministry.  Again, Peter didn’t just deny the Lord once or even twice but three times. 

 

This was a huge mistake, but the Lord wasn’t done with Peter.  He would later use him mightily in the book of Acts preaching and seeing thousands saved and as a prominent leader in the early church.

 

Some of you are here today and the devil has told you that your time and opportunity of the Lord using you is done because of mistakes in your past.  I want you to know that the Lord can and will restore you for future ministry if you let Him. 

 

Tell the Lord that you’re sorry for those mistakes and ask for His forgiveness.  Then, ask Him to restore you and use you again in ministry for His Church. 

 

 

Conclusion

This morning, we have seen a disciple of faith and a deed of love and a directive of hope.  Do those words sound familiar?

 

1 Corinthians 13:13

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

 

Brothers and sisters, my encouragement to you this morning is to commit to being a disciple of faith who lives out deeds of love with a directive of hope in the gospel of Jesus.

 

Since we know that love is what remains, let us be faithful in living lives characterized by loving God and loving our neighbors.

 

Matthew 22:37-38

37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

 

We can do this no better than by sharing the gospel with every tongue and tribe that God brings to us.

 

Matthew 28:19

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.