Church in the End Times - Part 1

[Music] you I want to welcome you to our first session and we're going to explore seven report cards we call them the epistles of the seven churches and that's the Lord's seven report cards in advance interesting we many people can be critical of the church in many ways but no better place to start than delight to see what the Lord's assessment was to see his seven report cards of the churches and so that's our exploration for the evening and of course the book of Revelation and you can always tell somebody who hasn't studied the book because they make it plural revelations I say amazing how often you hear that no the word is revelation it's singular it's the unveiling okay it's the consummation of all things it's the only book in the Bible that promises a special blessing to the reader all through the Bible encourages read the Bible but only one book has the hutzpah or the audacity to say read me I'm special and this is that book the reason that sounds strange to our ears is because they're in the 404 verses that make it up it contains over 800 allusions from the Old Testament alone and our commentary of course tracks all these down and you're welcome to explore that when you get serious about the book but it does present the climax of God's plan for man in fact be more specifically his plan for you and me so it has our attention the book as a whole but of this book the most relevant part of the book is chapters 2 & 3 all the rest are interesting but that's the ones that primary it in first of all most people don't realize to whom was this vision given and read the first sentence the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him unto him to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John who bare record of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ of all the things that he saw it was given to him to Jesus Christ let's understand that and to show unto his servants things which come to pass and he then sent and rendered it into signs signified it sign to find it if you will by his angel to his servant John who bear record and so on so it follows with a unique promise that I want you to remember and that is verse three of the first chapter blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for that time is at hand precious precious promise it's the one of the books of the Bible that has its own outline before the first chapter ends in verse the verse 19 of the 20 verses of it first chapter it gives you the divine outline of the entire book John is told write the things which thou hast seen write the things which are and write the things which shall be Hereafter that's three divisions that the book falls into write the things which thou S seen and that's chapter one the vision of Jesus Christ that opens the book write the things which are and that turns out to be the seven churches in chapters 2 and 3 and that's the focus of this review in the hour that we have here and that will be followed by the things which shall be Hereafter that which follows after the churches and once you understand that everything falls into place very understandably and so okay the keys to the book everything in the book is in signs or codes but every code is explained somewhere else in the Bible one reason it's such a blessing if you go through the book properly it'll take you virtually into every other book in the Bible to track down those signs but to give you an example the last verse of chapter 20 speaks of a mystery of seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand and the Seven golden lampstands and he explains what it means the seven stars are the angels or messengers of the seven churches and the seven lampstands which thou sawest are the seven churches I want you to notice that because most people miss this that those lampstands are on the earth when this thing opens they in Chapter four will be in heaven along with the church many people miss that it helps clarify a lot as we get into that but the seven churches that are focus yv7 by the way interesting question why these seven most of them you probably haven't heard of except for this chapter why not Jerusalem Antioch Rome listen Tony there's a lot of others as we read about and Paul's letters that are not here there's several to read about here's you haven't read anywhere else but why these seven Jesus picked these seven specifically and each of the seven letters has a closing phrase he that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches that the little phrase is going to be sort of a tag line a closure of each letter he that have an ear let him hear what the Spirit said know that we discover that there are four levels of application of each of these letters and the first one is local they actually Sir William Ramsay research this it turns out that they actually were local churches that had the problems that are alluded to in those days in that first century and so they have a local practical application but that's not where it ends you notice it says here what the he that having to learn here what the Spirit says to the churches plural each letter to the seven go to all seven you know which each one is applicable to all of them in some measure or another so it said monetary if you will to all churches fair enough it's also it says he that hath an ear how many of you have an ear lobe can I see a show of hands well that's most of you okay good what he that hath an ear let him hear that means it's personal if you have an ear this is for you personally not just as a church but as an individual is the idea we call that homiletic how does it affect your walk is the idea but that that's pretty obvious there's a fourth one that's a shock and a surprise to many they also lay out the history of the church in advance and one of the discoveries you make when you study these seven letters very carefully is that they were in any other order it wouldn't be true but then they lay out in an order which lays out the history of the church in advance in and that's going to be a surprise let's see we're going to examine that we'll discover that each letter has seven elements to it it has the name of the church and that turns out to be relevant each message a letter has a specific message and the message is embodied in the name of the church in the title that G chooses there are 24 titles of him introduced the first chapter he picks one of those different one each time for each of the seven letters and there's a commendation there's a good news and then there's some concern and then there's an exhortation and then there's a promise to the overcomer and then we have the closing phrase he that hath near that sir ties it off it's a report card the name of the church Jesus picks a particular part of his posture in that letter then there's some good news and some bad news what you've done well and what you need to fix and some exhortation and then it has a promise to the overcomer what is the overcomer we'll be talking about that and then the clothes okay seven elements the first one starts in chapter 2 verse 1 unto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus right now the word Ephesus by the way means darling or the desired one so even the label turns out to be relevant to the flavor the tone of the letter these things saith he that hold of the seven stars in his right hand who walketh in the midst of the seven golden lampstands now if you've been reading the book do you recognize that was an allusion Jesus Christ the first Shepherd he picks that one to refer to herself it's like a memo to Saul so from so-and-so it's to Ephesus from the Lord Jesus Christ but he uses that particular appellation for his purposes here and so uh so the he walks in the midst of the things his it's it's interesting that his nail-scarred hands are yet walking in yetis in their midst at the same time and so it was iured when it determined Deerman it goes on with a commendation Jesus says I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil and thou has tried them which say they are apostles then or not and has found them liars wow this hits it this doesn't mess around does it and has borne and has patience and for my name's sake hast laboured and hast not fainted pretty good report guard feeling pretty good about this so far they'll discover that there's actually seven specific positive things you're feeling good pretty good about it that far right but then your boss is giving you the your report card - the phrase nevertheless ouch okay so let me back up a little bit in Acts chapter 20 and there's a famous closing preachment by Paul to his elders Paul determined to sail by Ephesus because he would not spend the time in Asia if he hasted it would be possible for him to be in Jerusalem at the day of Pentecost so for mellitus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders to the church he didn't go to Ephesus he went around the other side of a peninsula now if Ephesus is in a Bay but to the south of that there is a nother Bay he goes to mellitus and has the elders come to him because he doesn't want a crowd he wants to deal with them privately that's basically what's going on here in Acts and so he so they they traveled to mellitus and and when they were come to him he said to them you know from the first day I came to Asia after what manner I have been with you all seasons serving the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears and temptations which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you but have showed you and taught you publicly and from house to house that's an interesting phrase we're going to talk more about this weekend that everything the in the New Testament that would took place in homes what we think of his church was invented in the third and fourth century so you see the house the house to house emphasis we'll be talking a lot about it was the original form of fellowship all incidents the book of Acts were in homes that may surprise you formal churches were established in the third century and home fellowships were ostracized by the medieval church by the Reformation churches surprisingly enough and many churches today still frown on home fellowships but it's the most viable form especially for underground churches for a lot of reasons we'll be exploring but let's go on here Paul contains testifying both the Jews into the Greeks repentance toward God and faith to our Lord Jesus Christ and now behold I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem not knowing the things that shall befall me there so this is Paul's farewell address to the Ephesian elders save that the holy ghost witnesses in every city saying that bonds and afflictions abide me then he gets to the point here but none of these things move me neither count on my life dear unto myself so that I might finish my course with joy and the Ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God and now behold I know that ye all among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God shall see my face no more so this is his farewell parting words to this game wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men and for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God that's a very key term the whole Council of God that's your protection against heresy you want to avoid one verse theology you want and all to metastasize to be included at all but he goes on here is this take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood for I know this that after my departing shall Grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock the church has never heard from the outside is always from the inside that's really the message here notice that after my departing shall Grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock and so for also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them therefore watch and remember that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears and now brethren I commend to you to God and to the word of His grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all of them which are sanctified so that is his main message here I have coveted no man's silver gold or apparel yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities and to them that were with me I've showed you all things how that's so laboring you ought to support the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus how he said it is more blessed to give than to receive very familiar line but you can't find it in the Bible except here those are the words of Jesus Christ that Paul tells you is anywhere we'll take his word for it but it's interesting for what that's worth we'll move on here and waited that spoke and he kneeled down and prayed with them all and they all wept sore and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake that they should see his face no more and they accompanied him to the ship and that's there just a quick picture of Ephesus to give you a flavor of it and we'll move on okay in the letter could return into the letter to Ephesus we now get to the concern that was the good news that they kept their faith but he has a concern okay never and by the way we understand from his commendation earlier that they followed Paul's advice they tried those that say they are apostles and were not they were very diligent about doctrine because of Paul's a challenge to them but we get to this first nevertheless Jesus says I have somewhat against thee ouch what does that be because thou hast left thy first love and that's the primary theme of this letter my first love they were too busy on the business of the King they have time for the King and so let thy first love first in rank influence on or whatever and so on so so he gives them this exhortation remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy lamp stand out of this place except thou repent with all that diligence the doctrine they needed to repent devotionally but he gives him one last positive at the very end but this thought has that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans which I also hate and that's something we're gonna be talking more about what on earth is that all about because they apparently worried what the what they the deeds they hate becomes doctrine in a later letter and we'll see what that's going to be all about there when the Nicolaitans some people think was the first century sect claiming apostolic authority for their pen is that an untranslated word is a more broadly held view the word nação means to conquer overcome and layoffs are lay any of the people though this is the establishment of what's called the clergy the idea of a professional pastor is the concept here and so using their clerical stature or position to rule over the laity is the concept that is associated with the Nicolaitans one way or the other in any case in contrast the way the Lord taught them to wash their feet not to lord over them but to be an enabler to be a help and just the opposite so so the admonitions here were for doctrinal purity by Paul of course the abhorrent of heresy and we should maintain that but what supersedes it if f success is devotion to our King they left their first love being too busy on the business of the King rather than for the king himself so the primary admonition he wants devotion not just doctrine and the first commandment remember that was the greatest commandment quoted the classic Hebrew the Jewish ma Deuteronomy 6:5 here is the Lord is one thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart soul strength in mind Jesus called that the greatest commandment that's what he's that's bigger than anything else and there's no thought of self that's what first screen is 13 hammers away so eloquently though I speak of the tongues of men and so forth first the first love is the abandonment of all for a love that is abandoned all and that's really that admonition here so okay so then we have he that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches and we have this promise to the overcomer every one of the seven letters has this promise to the overcomer except there's something strange here that it's not in the body of the letter it's like a PS it's added at the end to him that overcometh will I give to the eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God praise God praise God okay but that's after now as we look at the church's report cards we're going to discover that they have a name a title accommodation concerns Act they have seven elements thus everyone being the closing phrase you with me so far okay with emphasis we had each one of these things we had a name a title something a commendation a concern and the next rotation and the promise to the overcomer except something strange here they promised the overcomer is that the is after the closing later it's like it's what we would call a PS in our in our style and let me sounded like a trivial observation to bear with me there's some it we say we spend a full study on each letter we're just getting a summary here in this and I encourage you if you - there's it's really pays to get into the details of all the letters as much as much that we discover there and so we're going to take a profile of these letters the seven of them and of course emphasis is we'll discover it is suggestive it characterizes the apostolic church diligent and doctrine but falling away on devotion fair enough let's take a look at the next one then the letter to Smyrna the letter to Smyrna know the name Smyrna comes from the Greek word smyrna from the hebrew root that's translated myrrh that's it it's suggestive of death and embalming fluid some smart the very name suggests death and so okay we'll move on here myrrh of course is you're familiar with that was one of the gifts of the Magi Christ's birth remember Gold myrrh and frankincense gold speaks of royalty frankincense the priesthood and the myrrh suffering and death and the body of Jesus was embalmed by Joseph Nicodemus as you all know in the Millennium he's going to get two of those three gifts again you'll get the gold and frankincense are offered but no myrrh because his death is behind him interestingly enough we'll get that in Isaiah 60 but but let's take a look at this letter to the church of smyrna write these things saith on jesus picks a different title of him a different label from the first chapter these things say if the first and the last which was dead and is alive it's interesting that he alludes to his own death as an identity if you will for those that are in smyrna and the first in elastin was dead and is alive by the way it's worth your while to make a note of these quotes Isaiah 41 for isaiah 44:6 4812 and revelation 111 and what's interesting about those if you take a Jehovah's Witness through those and each one of those where he speaks on the first in the last he also indicate they all said they'll agree that that's that's what they call Jehovah God and you follow that right they'll agree that each one each other then you it finally end up of course with two eight and twenty two thirteen because there he says I'm the one that was dead and is alive and you've got the sufficient you've got the identity of Jesus Christ as deity that died and that's something they stumble they they have to quickly adjust their translations because they don't they don't see it that way but though so this this is a chain of references the useful if you're going to get into dealing with the sufficiency of Christ he's the first in the last and he was the one that was also dead in life but let's go on here the commendation is Smyrna I know that works in the tribulation and poverty but thou art rich and I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan who we're gonna talk a little more later about who is the sender who those are but I want first of all each one of these Jesus I know that works it's important for us to realize that each Church of the seven is surprised the ones that thought they were doing well weren't the ones that didn't think they were doing well are doing better than they thought that should humble all of us our assessment of where we think we are and the Lord's may be quite diverse but to the Smyrna people he says I know thy people in the tribulation and poverty but thou art rich and the know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan and there's several conjectures not to leave it hanging right now but there's more to talk about it some people claim to be that that the church replaces Israel that's a heresy out of the pit of hell and we'll talk more about that before it's over appropriating Israel's promises themselves but not dealing with the curses but anyway the other possibility is that they say they're Jews and are not or and that's a whole nother discussion of a different kind that either one could be applied here as the synagogue of Satan but we'll move on here the tears that were sown in the early church remember the terrorism in the wheat and so forth one of the tears was legalism legalism the denial of Christ completed work part of your critical doctrine is the sufficiency of Christ that and the cults and things will try to debase that denying Christ completed work there's also Gnosticism that's denying Christ's humanity that was another form of deviation in the early church and of course Caesar worship that's denial of Lords the Lord Christ's lordship so each of these are a kind of tears that were sown in the in that early century legalism Gnosticism Caesar where each one is different each one is a denial of Jesus Christ either his completed work his humanity or his lordship so those are each one of those there's a whole study you can undertake I'll let you follow that up on your own and then you have an expectation Jesus says to the Smyrna people fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that she may be tried and ye shall have tribulation 10 days be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life North it's life and death so that's the whole issue here and the crown here by the way is a Stefano's not the diadem it's it's the Victor's crown kind of thing and so and we could get into more of the background here in Smyrna but the ten days is interesting there the the crown is d'stefano's many scholars have divided the persecutions of the church in the ten eras from 54 to 68 under Nero of course 95 96 in addition that's when John was exiled to Patmos and then Trajan and then Marcus Aurelius and by the way it's interesting that Marcus Aurelius was killed in the arena that's another I mean that his son his son was and then anyway that's another we'll get to yeah and then we have the anyway the people have who study this have divided it into ten days finally and deletion so so that's the that's classically the Roman persecution of the early church but just to keep everything in perspective one Pope one afternoon murdered more Christians and all the Ceaser's put together that's a whole other dimension we'll get to later but the Crown's that are probably there are five crowns in the Bible promised a crown of life for those who have suffered for a safe the crown of righteousness for those that you know are looking for the rapture crown of glory for those who fed the flock crown incorruptible for those who press on steadfastly and crown of rejoicing for those who in souls know these are five Crown's there may be twenty I don't know these are the five they're named they also might be just five labels for the same crown I'm not gonna split hairs here but these are the classic 5 crowns you'll hear people talk about when they explore this and the exhortation he says for some of those things which thou shalt suffer behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that you may be tried and ye shall have tribulation 10 days be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life he that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches and then again the promise to the overcomer is that after the closing phrase says he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death so if you're born once you die twice but if you're born twice she died once that's why you want to be born again but but again the whole theme of the smyrna letter is life and death and so so we'll take a look at the let's take vitaly here oh by the way what is an overcomer that's something else we'll be talking about we write a hint my wife and I published a book called the kingdom power and glory which we call the overcomers handbook she talked about the origin of evil look the kingdom the eternal security issue the inheritance and rewards and the whole counsel of God is as a study but that's a if you will hopefully talk about the main issues as we go but it's interesting each of the letters is for all the churches and it's interesting that there are more Christians kills in the 20th century than all the other centuries put together we need to keep that in but so don't confuse persecution with a very specific period of persecution called the Great Tribulation and don't confuse those two we were promised persecution the Great Tribulation is a very definitive that we know a great deal about that for other reasons and so it's interesting where especially in America where do we get the arrogance to field will be exempted from what most of the body of in most of the world from most of the last 19 hundred years of had to endure and that's of course persecution but in need though as the church becomes more and more politically incorrect which it is everywhere that's going to drive more and more of the true believers underground so that's why we want to study we want to understand the history of the church here and we want to know a little bit more about who are these non-jews that it alludes to in the synagogue of satan' is that alluding to the replacement theology or are those the we've talked about that as a separate study as we go here but okay we've got the we're starting to knock off some of these and of course Ephesus is the Apostolic Church we're going to assume that the Smyrna represents the persecuted Church those very very rough early centuries and what Satan couldn't accomplish by persecution he accomplishes by marrying the church that's gonna take us to the next letter here and as we look at these report cards we went we saw Ephesus and we saw that the promise to the overcomer was after the closing phrase we look at Smyrna and we see the same thing except something strange there were no concerns there were no concerns if you know that if you know there's seven elements that there was there was no concern there was a commendation and an expectation but no concerns in other words he just said hang in there guys and so so let's take a look at the next one the letter to Pergamus in other word pergamus is a combination of two words per and gamos gama's means marriage like bigamy monogamy gommi Gausman / is a mixture objectionable one pergamus the word itself means objectionable marriage or mixed marriage and the church in Pergamos the very name suggests the flavor we're going to deal encounter here and that is what satan couldn't accomplish by persecution he comes by getting the world to marry the church these things say if he which hath the sharp sword with two edges whoa that's an interesting thing the two-edged sword the right of the sword the highest official authority the power of life and death is the flavor here let's go on here the commendation Pergamus did some things oh cases I know thy works and where thou dwellest even where Satan's seat is really and thou as hold as fast my name and hast not denied my faith even though days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth Satan dwelling he mentions that twice here and and we could get into some of the the understandings of Antipas but it just means against all but there's some some stories that that maybe alluding to will keep moving here for our purposes but it's concern is but I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the children Israel to eat things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication to understand this thoroughly read back into the whole Balaam Bay Lac thing but basically the king hired this Mesopotamian prophet to curse Israel and he couldn't and but he did teach the King how to get Israel in trouble by having their young girls mixed with the guys and get them to do idol worship and so it was that was the way they entered into the word fornication refers to a false worship obviously in probably both but it's the emphasis here spiritual so hast thou also them that hold the doctrine see what was deeds before now doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate so we want to understand what Nicolaitans are cuz Jesus hates that so then we have an expectation repent or else I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth Wow what what comes against them then is the word of God okay so he that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit says the churches and again the prompts the overcomer comes outside the letter to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna and will give him a white stone and a stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it and so so it's like an entrance ticket but who will move on here as we look at pergamus again we see the each of the elements is there but again the promise the overcomers outside the body the letter that's going to be in distinction with the next four letters are gonna be different well notice that as we go here and so we've seen Ephesus Smyrna Pergamum Thyatira so forth and we have the Apostolic Church the persecuted Church and then we'll have the married church the church that married the world and then we'll take the next one a letter to Fiat IRA and it was formerly called Semiramis which is a clue to this too by the way because he summarizes the concept of nimrod the mother of Tammuz and it was the foundation to the Babylonian mysteries and the sathya terrorist speaks of that in effect and the title of Christ uses here is these things say of the Son of God the Son of God that is not the son of the Queen of Heaven or anything like that these things save the son of God who have his eyes like a flame of fire and his feet are like fine brass that all speaks of judgment of course I know thy works there's that opening phrase I and charity and service and faith and patience and thy works and the last to be more than the first not bad but his concern is not withstanding I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel which calleth herself a prophetess to teach and seduce my servants to commit fornication to eat things sacrificed unto idols and I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not she's using the idiom the metaphor of the altar of Jezebel we'll talk about her in a minute behold I will cast her into a bed and them that commit adultery with her into Great Tribulation there's a promise that's interesting except they repent of their deeds in other words they don't repent there and we cast in the Great Tribulation what if they do repent they won't be that tells us a great deal that's a it's the first religion to the great tribulation in the book of and by the way another perspective you might want to have I believe John wrote his gospel after his Patmos experience incidentally which gives you a great coloration of both of them really Jesus making an allusion to the event in first Kings 21 called me boss vineyard barren tree study King Ahab desired this little guy's vineyard he had everything he needed but neighbor has little vineyard he wanted to buy it and they both didn't want to sell that was this place Queen Jezebel says don't sweat it I'll take care of this so she arranges an ink position and she arranges false witnesses and condemns him to death and he/she executes him and then seizes the property for the king that's why she handled that and so and so enabled vineyard receives for the king in if there's a obviously a metaphorical parallel here between the inquisition where the church they used that to gain lands and so forth and Navis heirs also were slain incidentally but so Jesus says I will kill her children with death and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins in the hearts and I will give unto every one of you according to your works it's interesting within this church was an evil for which there were no remedial measures sufficient his expectation is but Isanti but unto you I say on the rest in Thyatira as many as have not this doctrine which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak I will put upon you none other burden but that which you have already hold fast till I come whoops there's something interesting this is the first of the seven where there's an explicit reference to a second coming and we're going to discover the last four letters have two things in common the promise the overcomers in the body the letter and each one has a explicit allusion to a second coming I think that's significant promise to the overcomer comes next he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end to him will I give power over the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron as the vessels of a Potter shall be broken to shivers even as I received of my father and I will give him the morning star he that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches though this letter has that as the closing figure as the rest of them will by the way so let's take a look at this we now we've seen the previous ones here and so we have this one and we have it where the promisee overcomer is in the body of the letter so there is a distinction in the structure of these of the first three in the last four we're going to explore that a little further as we go okay so again we have these prophetic group and we have the Apostolic Church the persecuted Church of the married church and now we have what I'll call the medieval church the Protestant / commentators had a field day identifying site area with the Roman Catholic Church but I suggest to you it has it's much broader than that pal just a little bit together by calling it the medieval church keep it simple okay the next is Sardis now incidentally if if I attire speaks of the Roman Catholic Church sar dismiss speak of the Reformation let's see what's it unto the Angel of the church in Sardis and the word Sardis means name or denominator if you will these things say if he that hath the seven spirits of God and the Seven Stars how interesting it is we here have what may be an allusion to the Reformation but the thing that he highlights here is the holy spirit that's interesting the seven spirits of God which in chapter one is a really is an allusion to the Holy Spirit which is amplified in Isaiah chapter 11 lists the Sevenfold spirits of God and which is contains I know thy works that they get this that thou has to name the foul latest and our dead ouch that's the good news I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead that's a little disturbing a name the word Sardis really it means a denominator but we're going here but how art dead we could stop right there and give that some thought Sardis by the way in in history has a dismal history in 5:14 fell to the Persians that it was burned by the onions then it's surrendered to Alexander the Great taken by Antigonus then fell to the Seleucids it was in invincible claim to invisible but a name only he was always taken by subterfuge it's a city of failures the name became synonymous with pretensions unjustified promise without performance appearance without reality false confidence that heralded ruin that's the city betrayed by a lack of watchfulness and diligence that's William Ramsay's analysis having investigated archaeologically that's the history of Sardis did not denominational Church I'm going to see just as in view here and had soft hermeneutical traditions took the Bible just as a group of metaphors it denied the millennial reign just a metaphor denial of Israel's prophetic destiny ignores the Old Testament commitments absence of biblical devotional life is characterized the emphasis of the gospel of Christ ordination of homosexuals and goes on from there so Sardis is interesting because as you go through here you discover that in the place where there should have been a condemnation there wasn't one it's one of two churches that has nothing good said about it we need to understand that okay let's go ahead and take a look at Philadelphia so these are the good guys we're obviously all Philadelphia's Joe folks who's the county Petty's the pastor of Calvary Chapel in Philadelphia is proud of this by the he is and he himself is a prince he's he's ahead above the rest he's great and the Angel of the Church of Philadelphia right and Philadelphia by the way gives you a feeling for it it's as East most as you can go without getting pelea to see you and you get a feeling where Pat misses and where the rest of them are for what it's worth but let's move on here these things saith he that is holy he that is true he that hath the key of David he that openeth to no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth well boy that's very positive let's go on the key of David I like him when Sheba the Hezekiah stretcher was deposed and superseded took over he had full administrative authority he carried a heavy key on a loop over his shoulder indicating his power to grant and deny others an audience with a king so he controlled he was the gatekeeper so to speak and it's a messianic term you can set all your notes we'll go on from here Jesus goes on says I know thy works behold I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut it and thou hast a little strength and has kept my word has not denied my behold I will make them of the synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews and are not but do lie behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee Wow so here's another illusion but a positive one and so again we have a handful of positives there and goes on here I know thy works and behold I've set an open door no man can credit I haven't you have a little strength I just kept my word has not denied my name behold I'll make them to come and worship and also keep thee from the hour he's got the big one yet to come in the next verse I want you to look at this one very carefully in Revelation chapter 3 verse 10 this is the seventh and the big one for them Jesus says to them because thou has kept the word of my patience I also will keep thee from the hour or time of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth this is an incredible promise we need to understand it very carefully that from the hour of temptation and from the trial notice it's not keeping them from the temptation it's from the very time of the tribulation it's not protecting them through the tribulation it's removing them from the time of it I'll keep thee from the hour of so he's removing them from the with that which will come upon the whole world the Greek is very very clear the Greek is very very clear it's a time of testing and so forth but you won't even you won't pass the test you're going to be removed before the test is the point okay to try them that dwell upon the earth and this introduces another thing you need be aware of the concept earth dwellers all through the book of Revelation there's a group that dwell upon the earth you and I do not dwell upon the earth we're visitors but there are those that dwell upon the earth and there there's separated out and dealt with in the thing the earth dwellers and in the Greek it's intensive and there's plenty of verses on all this it's a very clear it's upon all mankind it's geographically comprehensive the earth dwellers and the raft for the is detailed all through the scripture it's all in your notes you can check that out people argue that removal or immunity no it's from its out of the actually removed these they're definite articles in the Greek from V our and from the temptation which makes it in the Greek very emphatic the specificity is helpful here although the trial will come up on all the world met what's what is he talking about in Revelation chapters six through 19 deals with while dealing with there we're talking about there and purpose is to try them that dwell upon the earth and all the Gentile believers will be killed some of the Jews will be sealed protected but that's a whole nother study let's go on here concerns by the way this is one of the letters one of two letters that has no concerns there isn't anything he doesn't say whoops you got a deal with that no he says behold I come quickly hold fast that which thou hast and that no man take thy crown that means there's a crown you can lose can you lose your salvation no no your crown yes we need to understand the difference hold fast with that which thou hast that no man take your crown let no man rob you Esau lost his place to jacob reuben lost his place to judah moses was superseded by joshua for his action at Meribah saul lost his place to David Sieben lost his place to like him Jonah by affair lost their places between two behalf and Zadok and Elisha was superseded by Elijah so the promise of the overcomer he that overcometh will i make a pillar in the temple of my god and he shall no more go out and i will write upon him the name of my god in the name of the city of my god which is New Jerusalem which cometh down out of heaven from my god and I will write upon him my new name and so we see the name all through here again but in the positive sense my God my God my God and so forth praise God for that but we'll move on here we have he that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit says the church is and again it's at in the in at the end of the letter so Philadelphia we have each one and we have interestingly enough there is no concern Smyrna and Philadelphia have nothing negative said about them well that brings us to Laodicea it's my contention that all these letters apply to all churches emphasis Smyrna Pergamum Thyatira Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicea emphasis devotion not just doctrine fair enough Smyrna endure persecution just hang in there Pergamus stand fast against the world is the point don't marry the world fight ours about all kinds of adopting pagan practices Sardis is watchful of diligence and filled up is basically a missionary outreach and late Asiya we're coming to and there isn't anything positive to the church there's some individual opportunities after the Angel of the Church of Laodicea okay now leão means people and to see is to rule over this is where the people rule the church rather than the king of kings and Lord of lords these things saith the Amen the faithful the true witness the beginning of the creation of God okay he says I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot I would thou wert cold or hot but then because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will spew thee out of my mouth boy John is on Patmos receiving the most amazing vision and disclosure ever given on the planet Earth but he must've been puzzled because here is Jesus himself so sick he's about to throw up when he gets the delighted to see him then I will spew thee out of my mouth whoa because thou sayest I am rich increased with Goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked that's your name it and claim it Bunch that's your your well his expectation I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with I said that thou may SC as many as I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent now here we have the miss most misunderstood one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible evangelists always loved to use this verse because it's a great verse if you take it out of context it is a great verse it really is Jesus behold I stand at the door and knock If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come into him and sup with him and he with me that's precious that's valid that's real but I want you to notice something that's not to the church and lay it Assyria it's to an individual where is Jesus outside the church knocking to get in he's not inside he's not among them like he speaks with emphasis and the rest of them he's outside knocking to get in the old I stand at the door and knock If any man if there's somebody in there maybe hear my voice and open the door I will come into him and sup with him and he with me individually praise God for that that's legitimate that's real but understand sitting words in context it's an indictment there is no call to the church as a group hey guys get your act together no no if there's anybody in there that hears me I will come into him and sup with him and he with me praise God for that but it's an individual one-on-one invitation what an indictment of that fellowship so what's the promise of the overcomer to him that overcometh I will grant to sit with me and my throne even as I also overcame and I'm set down with my father in his throne he that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches okay fair enough so there is a church in Germany that in a very ancient alphabet has carved on a door something that goes way way back in it but especially from the German the speak of Christ our Lord to us you call me master and obey me not you call me light and see me not she called me the way and be naughty call me life and choose me not call me wise and follow me not you call me fairer and love me not you call me rich and ask me not you call me eternal and seek me not you call me noble and serve me not you call me gracious and trust me not you call me might and honor me not you call me just and fear me not if I condemn you blame me not it's right I agree every time I go through that and that's actually an abbreviation and I thought I'd be gonna but here's later to see it the name the title there's no commendation it is one of two churches that has nothing good set about it before we get too smug about that realize Sardis is the other one this takes some very serious prayer very serious study and very serious consideration in our common turn revelation we do a detailed study of each of those seven churches I'm just giving you the highlights here to give you the flavor what's going on here but let's talk about the prophetic profile what's fascinating as you study these you discover that they are in an order that fits history the apostolic church the persecuted church the married church the medieval church the denominational Church I'll call it the Missionary Church and the apostate Church find a church today where they preach the gospel we'll talk more about that tomorrow in fact tomorrow we'll go through a secular history and see how it matches up here but what's interesting about this as we study this we notice that the first three letters are structured a little differently the promises are post scripted rather than in the body of the letter the promise of the overcomer that gets our attention there's something distinctive about those first three as we look at the last four we find they're the promises are in the body of the letter if for no other is that we should recognize there are two groups of letters here and as we examine them more carefully we discover something else about the last four that makes them distinctive every one of the last four has an explicit reference to the second coming of Jesus Christ Wow okay in fact one of them has a promise that if it doesn't get its act together it's going to be cashed in the Great Tribulation that's provocative that implies if they did get their act together they might miss it Wow in contrast that there's one of these four that has an explicit promise to be removed prior to the Great Tribulation church at Philadelphia that leaves Sardis and Lea to see a problematic what's going to happen to them they have nothing good said about them did they get there yet together I don't know I wouldn't presume Wow well we've been looking at a divine outline we chapter 91 in verse 19 we had three things write the things which thou has seen the things which are and the things which shall be Hereafter the things which thou hath seen was the vision that makes up chapter one of course the things which are what we've just summarized here in chapters 2 and 3 the seven churches and that's been and then we have that which follows after the churches so we've been looking of course at chapters 2 and 3 but the then show the things that show then the things which shall be Hereafter the words there in the Greek is meta tota and after these things the things which shall be after what things the churches okay and so we get to chapter 4 we skip two and three that's the letters you get to chapter four verse one after this I looked and behold a door was open the word after this there is Method Outta after this it's the it's the it's the marker if you will after this I looked and behold a door was opened in heaven and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me which said come up hither and I will show thee things which must be Hereafter and that's that same word Mediterra that's the marker and so very very key because that chapters five chapter five and six is in heaven six 219 is the Great Tribulation very clear in fact something else about chapter four you just ought to notice that in verse five it says and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the you go back to chapter one what do they represent the churches the churches are in heaven before the lamb takes the book and all and opens the seals and so forth very very fundamental stuff that we're dealing with here so revelation two and three had seven letters it's interesting when you get to Matthew 13 there are seven kingdom parables the sower and the forest soils the tares the wheat the bust had seen some Pergamus and the mustard seed put together mustard seed is a clamp it's usually three foot eye that goes into a tree that the birds get the bread the birds of Satan's ministers remember how interesting that that fits Pergamus Thyatira deals with a woman Jezebel and of course Matthew 13 is the woman in the leaven if you understand the Jewishness of that it's very clear in Philadelphia deals the pearl of great price pearls were not kosher pearls are Gentiles are a term they're a jewel that responds to an irritation that grows by accretion that is removed from his place of growth to be Acoma an item of adornment what an incredible metaphor of the rapture and so for what it's worth but seven letters of seven churches Jesus wrote seven letters did you know that Paul wrote seven charges how many letters Paul write fourteen okay but several of those are doubles right and then of those that are doubles there some that went to pastors but there are seven churches he wrote well Ephesus make set that pitch an obsession did he write one that is joy through suffering and so forth sure Philippians did he write one about marriage to the world share first and second californians okay and then do it does then how about the false marriage the Galatians I'd suggest Sardis the Romans Philadelphia is the the eschatological ones and then of course Leia to see it was the suburb of Colossians structured exchange letters how fascinating it is now see for Jesus they use this very mystical paradigm doesn't surprise me but Paul was not a mystic and the fact that his seven letters match those up in theme fascinates me as an architect holy spirits fingerprints are all over this thing well what about the overcomer each of the seven letters has a promise to the overcomer I'm assuming everybody in those churches if they're in the church were saved how many of them are overcomers how many lost their crowns that's why we wrote a book called the kingdom power and glory very controversial book when it first came out about the origin of evil and the thy kingdom come what we pray for what does that mean the real truth about eternal security which is fundamental that's an essential doctrine inheritance and rewards we won't like to talk about that but it's very crucial and of course the whole Council of God these are the backed up studies the deal that we have special and retreats on that so that's our quick summary of something that I hope most of you have studied the book of Revelation that is all by way of review if not I'm hoping that will entice you to get into a serious study book of Revelation because we're gonna move on tomorrow morning so in the meantime let's bow our hearts father we never fail to stand in awe as we discover the details detailed architecture of your word we treasure every word every detail we we just thank you Father for your word we do pray father through your Holy Spirit you will illuminate just what it is that we should appropriate for ourselves help us to really understand the admonitions and the cautions that you put here for our learning we pray that father we might grow in grace in the knowledge of our coming king that we might be more effective stewards of the opportunities that you've put before us as we commit ourselves into your hands in the name of Yeshua our coming King indeed amen [Music] you

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Length: 57min 56sec (3476 seconds)

Published: Wed May 27 2020