My Dear Smyrna, I’ve Written You A Letter

so in the foyer of our church we have as a representative these images these symbols if you would we have this stone an uncut Jerusalem stone that speaks about Jesus Christ Himself being the chief Cornerstone and depicting the churches we have the menorah now the menorah first appears in the Old Testament where God speaks to Moses and gives him the description to make a seven lampstand menorah this is obviously long before the church age but the answer and the principle is still the same in each of these events that are depicted on this menorah which is Israel's official symbol it talks about biblical events seven lampstands seven events and they're carved out in these brass bronze images to tell you the biblical story or the account of what happened when we read again and when we see again the seven lampstand making its appearance we see that it's in the book of Revelation the Bible tells us that Jesus walks through the midst of the seven lampstands and so what we understand to mean is that the fellowship of God among his people is that he walks through the midst of their witness he walks through the midst of their testimony and so last time together we looked at what we'll call church number one the church at Ephesus and we studied that nature and that drama and that aspect of the church and how it applies to our age today now we look to the Church of Smyrna for our argument we would consider it as lampstand number two Smyrna a church that was designed and commissioned by God to represent those of a persecuted age so today as we get into this I want you to remember this image and these pictures of our own FOIA here at church that God is speaking to us God speaks to us in types and in symbols and in images and now we continue our study in the seven letters to the seven churches and Jesus introduces us to the concept that each of them have their light each of them have their witness and he exhorts them to be careful where they're at with the Lord in their walk well I'm gonna ask you with that if you would get your Bibles ready if you would get them ready and get your heart ready by going to Revelation chapter 2 verse 8 and while you're preparing that in your home maybe around your family maybe you're alone right now but you would get your Bible out in fact if you happen to be in a hotel somewhere in the world you might want to reach and grab a drawer there could be a Gideon Bible there and turn to the book of Revelation chapter 2 and while you're turning there a couple of real quick announcements we want to remind you that getting back now with the Holy Days behind us getting back to Wednesday night's Bible study one that is critically important to the church around the world and that is we're going through what is entitled the wise series and we've dialed down on why the Holy Spirit is needed in the life of the believer how prominent is the Holy Spirit in your life we're going to be looking at that and many other things as the week's go on we're going to be looking at the gifts of the Holy Spirit and how they are to be active in your life what does that mean and what doesn't it mean and all that the Word of God gives us that's going to be at 7:00 p.m. Pacific time 7:00 p.m. Pacific time and we want you to mark your calendars or set a reminder on your smart device to join us we want to also take advantage of this sub this season as the coronavirus has disrupted so much of our world and yet for the church globally has been so effective and so a precious and we'll talk actually a little bit about that today in our letter to the church at Smyrna but because of all that's going on we have an opportunity to change things up so mark your calendar this coming Thursday live at 4 p.m. Pacific time 4 p.m. Pacific time Thursday April 23rd we're gonna do something that we've never done here before and that is we're gonna take your live call-in questions and we're gonna answer them on Bible prophecy I say we I mean the Holy Spirit and myself it's not anyone else I'll be here with the Lord and we're gonna just take on these questions because so many people have so many questions at this time they look around the world and they're wondering is this the end of the world no it's not move tell you why will things ever get back to normal that's up to God and you know what does the end look like are we mirror and we're gonna unpack all that but whatever you ask we're gonna start answering those questions live without any scripting without any rehearsal we're gonna meet with you as though we're sitting around a coffee table okay can you do that even though it's an amazing even though we're with spanning continents and 24 time zones around the world we're gonna get together and we're gonna have coffee as it were or tea with Bible open taking your questions so that's going to be at 4 o'clock April 23rd Pacific time so with that church let's do this together I will read all of the verses through and follow along with me if you would as we look to the seven letters of the seven churches at this time during this global pandemic we've stopped our study in 2nd Peter for now and we are looking at the letters of the 7 churches the the last words of Jesus Christ to his church and we begin revelation 2 verse 8 picking up in our second study we look at the church that is at Smyrna and to the Angel of the church in Smyrna write these things who says the first and the last who was dead and came to life I know your works tribulation poverty but you are rich and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan do not fear any of those things which are about 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 10 days be fruitful unto death are faithful unto death and I will give you bestow gift the crown of life verse 11 he who has an ear to hear let him hear what the Spirit that is the Holy Spirit says to the churches he who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death let's pray together father we ask you Lord that right now in our time as a church family God that you would just cause us to get down into your word and Lord that we would settle in to glean up and out of it all that you have for us right here right now on this day in the 21st century we know that as we look to the Bible any chapter any verse of the Bible though it may have been written thousands and thousands of years ago is applicable to now and to tomorrow and forever so father we pray that you would be glorified we ask in Jesus name and all of God's people said amen well listen you remember perhaps I hope last week when we started looking at the first letter to the seven churches we looked at the church at Ephesus and I titled these addresses this way from last week we saw that Jesus was speaking and saying my dear Ephesus I write or I have written to you a letter and so today we keep that theme going and the reason why I've set or crafted the title this way is to make it personal for us because when we get to the end of this series we're gonna examine our own lives we're gonna check and look inside of what kind of letter would Jesus write to you or to me or to us or to your church that is your home Church so today we look at my dear Smyrna I've written you a letter Smyrna if you're a note taker a little bit of background is essential to understanding why Jesus said what he said to this church Smyrna is located 35 miles north of where Ephesus was now we remember that Ephesus was Church number one and that it was the first stop or the origin of the ancient Roman postal route and that postal route was world-famous at the time and that it began in Ephesus as mail would arrive from the world it would come in to the Mediterranean it would come to the port of Ephesus and the mail would be delivered there and are offloaded and then the circuit would go all the way around to these seven Roman cities of asia minor and so 35 miles north of Ephesus is this city called Smyrna by the way there is no more Ephesus it is only a archaeological stop today but I've got to tell you Smyrna is still in existence today in fact there are thousands and thousands of Christians who live carefully they live in Smyrna or today is Meir Turkey they're under the threat of persecution as they were then so they are today but it's important to know that we go north now in your mind and a map go north and as you look at some of these things in your heart or in your mind or in your head or on your map you would see that as you head up into Smyrna you are now making your way to what will become almost a grand loop as it ends with the Church of Laodicea in future studies but what do we know about Smyrna Smyrna was in existence a thousand years before Jesus Christ it's extremely old city and it is well documented Smyrna or Izmir as I said today is an extremely beautiful place by the way much of Turkey is extremely beautiful if you've never been deterred is a beautiful country now under Islamic rule but Izmir is today the modern name for Smyrna and it's a very prosperous city it was then it is now and it's either second or third largest city in all of Turkey it's a very important seaport village or I should say was a village and then a city and then even now today a great prosperous area but a little bit of background regarding its origins or I should say listen carefully its resurrection we know that Smyrna was the city that was leveled by many wars throughout antiquity it had been devastated numerous times by great earthquakes but when Alexander the Great came under his command of the Grecian or the Greek Empire as Alexander the Great established it when he came to Smyrna that day and saw it and captured it and took it Alexander the Great it is reported laid down and went to sleep he took a nap or he was sleeping it doesn't say but daddy was sleeping and that he was given a vision from the gods and that vision from the gods Alexander the Great reports was this rise up rebuild resurrect this once great city and so Alexander the Great was in his mind commissioned by the Greek gods to do that the truth of the matter is Lusa Mekas one of his generals he had four key generals one of his generals were actually the one that having served Alexander the Great actually completed that task he restored the city to its once great status and listen to this and the citizens of Smyrna history records boasted and this is what they said in fact this became their City motto you know how all of our cities have mottos where you pull into the town and sometimes it says something like welcome to Los Angeles listen to this welcome to Los Angeles the City of Angels that's what it means I don't know but that's what it says you can go to Philadelphia and you and as you enter it says welcome to Philadelphia the City of Brotherly Love and on and on that goes every city every village had its theme and they established a new theme and their new theme was simply this we once were dead but now we live that's what happened when you pulled in on your camel or on your donkey as you were riding in to Smyrna it said welcome to Smyrna we once were dead but now we live and that is important to where we're going and what Jesus says a little bit of background also continues the design of the city according to historians was splendid indeed I'm reading now from the Mediterranean Sea you would ascend up through the city of Mount Pegasus where atop the Mount were beautifully designed buildings and that from the distance due to its elevation caused the Mount or Mount Pegasus to take on an appearance front from a distance as a golden crown those who lived in Smyrna I want I'm tempted to call them Smurfs but that's probably disrespectful affectionately called the peak of that mountain pega pega s' they called it the crown of Smyrna the crown of life so if you're a careful student you're already picking up on two identification markers that are in verses 8 through 11 I once was dead and I'm alive and the crown of life this was the birthplace of the famed Homer it was Smyrna where Emperor worship began that's important there Roman emperors were first elevated as gods and the personification of those gods on earth listen the Romans called them Caesars the Romans believed that Caesars were men who embodied the demigods of Roman paganism and Smyrna is that birthplace not only of Homer but of the Caesars and it is in Smyrna where the crowds first proclaimed Caesar is Lord and you need to know that by the way that spirit is coming back we know from Bible prophecy that that spirit is going to return to the world where Jesus will be challenged in the world because another man is coming the Bible says who is the Antichrist and he is going to demand that he is Lord history always repeats itself so as we look back or even looking to the future as we study the book of Revelation and the seven letters to the seven churches we learn also and we can show you some images on this that Smyrna got its name from its chief export material and that was a balm like resin that came from a tree Kampfer family of trees and when the listen to this are you listening when the tree was poked stabbed or thrashed hit wounded out from the tree came this amber colored resin and it was considered to be extremely valuable why because of the interesting way of which it was gotten that the trees were raised or grown up but they had to be smitten before they would produce the resin mmm Smyrna has a root word smyrna comes out of a root word and that root word is myrrh this resin is what we know of as myrrh and it's beautiful to look at it looks a lot like motor oil like brand-new fresh motor oil but once it comes out and it hardens it looks like kind of to me like like a like golden raisins but they when that's resin sets it is as hard as a rock and it was very very precious it was ex all around the world but there was one place that paid top dollar for myrrh and that was Egypt Egypt used myrrh to embalm its dead and that shouldn't surprise any of us because we might remember very well that myrrh was part of the gifts that Jesus received at his birth remember that the Magi came from Persia and they brought him what was it gold frankincense and what everybody say it were you at myrrh gold frankincense and myrrh Gold's speaks about the deity of Christ the frankincense speaks about the priesthood of Christ and the myrrh speaks about the sacrifice of Christ because myrrh being so precious and so beautiful to the beholder it was their way of saying to the dead I love you and I'm giving to you what your life was worthy of receiving it was a it was a display of devotion and of love it's quite remarkable Smyrna the city Acts chapter 19 verse 9 says that Paul reasoned with the people daily in the school of Tyrannus that would have been in this region and this he continued for two years so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus both Jews and Greeks many scholars believe that the school of Tyrannus was actually based in Smyrna and so if that's true then either the church was started by Paul the Apostle or by disciples of Paul the Apostle but what's interesting as we get into our study today there's no negative words that come from Jesus regarding the Church of Smyrna there's no rebuke there's no criticism he only assures them and encourages them now that's different than last week and Ephesians in Ephesus to the letter the church at Ephesus Jesus rebuked them he exhorted them he challenged them to get back to their first love notice this Smyrna has no problem loving God and we're gonna find out why today and right now all around the world all of us we need to examine where our relationship is with the Lord so again no takers mark this down Revelation chapter 1 verse 4 Revelation chapter 1 verse 4 says John is speaking to the seven churches which are in Asia that's that place of Asia Minor not Asia in your mind today but Asia Minor that area of Turkey let's keep going by way of background Revelation chapter 1 verse 12 notice that the number seven and you saw in the introductory video of our menorah and our foyer that there's the seven lampstands in Revelation 112 then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me and having turned I saw seven golden lampstands and in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of man stood and I made mention of that in the video Revelation chapter 1 verse 20 the Bible tells us there the mystery of the Seven Stars which you saw in my right hand and the Seven golden lampstands the seven stars are the seven angels of the churches the messengers or we do no damage to the scripture by saying the pastors the messengers assigned to those churches ordained to those churches and he goes on in the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches and that's pretty remarkable so I want you to think about a church and of course it's not a church like the building I'm in we've mentioned this before it's very heightened in our awareness now pastors all around the world delivering messages inside of empty churches but when I say an empty church it's an empty building I should be very accurate about that it's an empty address it's an empty building but the fact of the matter is the church is that spiritual entity that we've been talking about so Jesus is writing to seven churches of Asia Minor they were actual geographical locations and that they were places of assembly but he never means the building he means the people who have a spiritual DNA that make up the church and I am completely impressed and maybe you are too that all around the world right now we have been stripped of our physical churches haven't we and now listen I believe this is the hand of God that God is speaking to every single human being on earth regarding our identity are you a member of his church not a building are you the the one written down in the Lamb's Book of Life or are you trusting in your name to appear on some church record or ledger now we've been stripped of this security blanket as it were by the building and we've all been made to be alone and we've all been put out as it were to be alone with Christ and he's asking you in this down time as it were who are you what are you and and what church most describes who you are and today is very significant because Smyrna was a Church of great persecution so mark it if you would number one Jesus is saying my dear Smyrna I've written you a letter and here's and what we get in verse eight is that it's to remind you of Who I am in your life Christian will you write that down Jesus is using every situation in this world right now to communicate this truth to you and I and that is you need to Remember Who I am in your life we get that out of verse eight and to the Angel of the church at Smyrna right here it comes these things says the first and the last who was dead and came to life now do you see by way of introduction the people of Smyrna would have immediately thought wow I got that we live in the city that once was dead and now it's alive Jesus Pete is speaking directly to us is that a powerful truth you think about that we can read the Bible you know we can read the Bible in our daily Bible reading and get nothing out of it and that's that's too easy to do you know if we have a daily Bible reading routine we can we can often get into the rut of just reading yep I did my chapter is yet I'll be through the the Bible in one year and get nothing out of it you don't want that what you want is for the word of God to speak to you personally and all of a sudden the letter arrives to the Church of Smyrna and it opens up can you imagine it opens up by this incredible word of encouragement and assurance Jesus says to them I'm the first in the last that's significant and secondly the power of his statement that I'm the one who was dead and came back to life just like the motto on their city streets the word Smyrna as you heard already myrrh is the root but it means bitter listen it means bitter it means strong pungent the word means that it has an aroma a scent a taste and experience to it it's something that we know from it from antiquity and from history that myrrh is a treatment for ailments it's interesting to find out that myrrh is an aroma and by the way how you deal with myrrh it produces an aroma by how you treat it differently isn't it amazing - thank you say what do you mean by that well I did a little homework and first of all if you I ingest myrrh I don't do it but it's supposed to be very carefully regulated it's supposed to heal in intestinal issues and skin issues if if taken in right it was known as a as a medical treatment in those days but listen if you were to put that ground-up myrrh in your mouth it would be very very bitter to the taste however listen if you crushed it and aroma came out of it if you were to beat myrrh you would smell a very beautiful aroma I have to tell you I have myrrh in my office and when you hold it up to your nose you can barely smell anything at all but if I scrape it on my desk or on a piece of metal and then smell it again you can smell a sweet there's a sweet cinnamon like smell to it it's quite unique quite powerful just by scratching it on something abrasive but if you crush it it releases an aroma if you burn it it very much fills the room with sweet-smelling cinnamon type aroma and that's significant the city that was known to produce this great treasure of the ancient world that it depended upon how an individual experience of their myrrh that sent a message and Jesus is saying I'm speaking to you the church at Smyrna the church that experiences bitterness the church that experiences actually being an aroma and a church that can be a healer if taken in rightly a church that can be effective don't be discouraged don't give up because in that crushing Smyrna you're going to be releasing great great value to me and that's a tremendous thing to think about and so we know that in Revelation look at mark it down if you in Revelation chapter 1 verse 11 Jesus said I am the Alpha and the Omega the first and the last just like right here in verse 8 and what you see right in a book what a powerful statement so this one who is the first and the last immediately brings this comfort to the believer all around the world today Jesus Christ of the Bible is saying I am the first in the last that means I am read it don't believe a word I'm telling you right now go and see you just google this who is the first and the last of the Bible and you're gonna get this answer oh mighty God the Lord of Heaven and Earth the Creator God the God of the heavens the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob that's who the first and the last is but then as you keep reading and you come to even the book of Isaac you wind up finding out that there's attributes given over to someone else a person called the son who was labeled as the first in the last also listen by structure you can only have one first and last God and his trinity share those attributes and those titles because the New Testament announces over and over again especially Revelation chapter 1 and then Revelation chapter 22 the fact that Jesus is the first and the last it means that he is the eternal one that he listened he was there before the beginning and he will be there after the end that's what first in the last means the Alpha and the Omega means that he is the all and all that whatever is has come from him and whatever shall be will be of his origin he's the great bookends or there are the great parentheses of existence and in Revelation 1:11 John is told to write it down and that's what you have in your lap the Bible the book of Revelation but I just want to remind you Church that he's saying you need to at this time all around the world Christian I'm writing you this letter to those of you who are in fear of death to those of you who are being persecuted in the world what a remarkable thing I'm standing here in Southern California on a beautiful day it's so strange right now and I've battled with this out outside these walls inside these right here for crying out loud is is a sense of paradise Southern California is in all of its beautiful glory right now and again like I mentioned a week or so ago this campus though it's empty is full of the aroma of orange blossoms from our orange trees here on this campus it smells like paradise and you would look around and you you see is there anybody alive is anybody living there's nobody here the place is empty but boy does it smell good and the world is like that right now the world is empty so to speak but there's an aroma that's coming out and being infused around the entire world and in the midst of persecution and difficulty too many of you in the world as I speak from luxury here in Southern California and absolute beauty I know we all know here at church because we see where this message goes that there are those of you many of you living in countries where the gospel is illegal and if you're caught with a Bible you could be imprisoned or even killed you live in countries that you cannot wear christian t-shirts or put a cross on this as a sticker on your car or tell people praise the Lord it could cost you your life and Jesus is announcing to you you need to remember who I am in your life I am the first and the last I am the God who watches over you so much so I communicate to you personally and this is what I'm saying he's saying I'm the one I'm really the one who died and lives again it's not just a city motto where you live church at Ephesus I'm the one who's eternal listen sounds like a contradiction I'm the one who's eternal I'm the one who died I'm the one who lives again how could that possibly be but that's what God's Word says that's what the Bible teaches us the second thing that we see today is in verse 9 that he writes to the church at Smyrna this letter to remind you to remind us Jesus is saying that I know about your life I know about your life he says look in verse 9 I know you ought to circle the word know right there I know your works now some of your Bibles have the word works there and some of your Bibles do not and that's simply because of manuscript translation in many manuscripts of the Bible the word works does not apply or is not there some manuscripts it is the works is actually irrelevant to the argument so if it's there or not it doesn't matter he says for I know your tribulation and poverty he and search but you are rich and I here it is again know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not but are of the synagogue seyton God wants you and I to hear today that we understand that if our life is called upon to go through the crushing and the persecution of this world that it is not something that comes to us by accident Christians listen if you are following Christ and the world attacks you and hurts you and goes after you and defraud you and robbed you and brings and kicks you out of the gathering fires you from your job when they find out that you're a Christian Jesus says know something I'm with you in this your suffering because of my name Jesus is saying he's making the announcement that that's an powerful one at that that the tribulation and the poverty that you're going through it's actually making you rich so think about it in Smyrna the harvesting of those resins from those trees are being produced the economy's thriving and Smyrna is rich and then there is a host of sequestered hidden Christians who are really the aroma to God from that city they are really what's valuable to God in that city in your community at your job in your family being a Christian and all that's going on will pastor my family's rich but they know I'm a Christian so they cut me out that's just like Smyrna this poverty here by the way that's mentioned about them is a poverty that is thrust upon them by tyrannical acts they're not poor because there's no jobs they're not poor because they're lazy they're poor because of their tribulation they were mistreated for being a believer and God says I want to remind you I know about your life I know what you're going through the things that are going on in your life think about what are those things in your life what are those things that are in your life that's causing this crushing is it the care of a loved one we're now your life has been changed and you are dialing down and giving the love and the care and it's hard and the demand is bigger than you it's impossible for you to fulfill all of these things God sees that that's that's a form of difficulty and trial and testing is it the pressures of business now we hear this week yesterday or Friday that there's some 23 million brand-new unemployed people in America they have families to feed can you imagine the crushing emotional pressure that comes upon them they're not lazy they want to work they had jobs but because of this pandemic they've lost their jobs because the economy has collapsed in on itself and by God's grace will recover we'll see but they're under the weight of crushing maybe it's relational and the crushing is upon you and it's just crushing you and I want you to know that God says I know exactly where you're at and I know exactly how you feel and I want you to know that the situation you're in is something I'm keenly aware about I I didn't I didn't wake up to this situation jack I know exactly where you are and God is saying that to all of you that are hearing this message God knows where you're at and your brokenness and your joy and the fact that you are wondering if you should even live any longer to some of you who feel on top of the world he wants to remind you that he is the I am that's in your life and that he is also very knowledgeable about your life and what's going on in it it's amazing to me look at verse 9 where he says that I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan I'm not going to spend much time on this only to get you to go study more that is a reference by the way to actual documented historical records of the Church of the city of Smyrna the city of Smyrna had a large Jewish population in the midst of Roman paganism but that Jewish population rather than practicing the Old Testament went down the path that man's formula of Judaism took them rules regulations and man-made laws and traditions that negated the Bible and instead of them being faithful Jews to the Word of God they had become faithful watch my fingers now faithful Jews to the traditions of men and Jesus says to them to this church of believers I know where you're at I know that you're under the blasphemy that is the conduct of those who say they are Jews and are nuts now I'm going to say something that is radical and it's only radical because of our ignorance it's not radical because it's never been before it said or available to know so you ready here it is true Judaism is the obedience to the entire Old Testament revelation not any traditions of rabbis are the writings of men for a Jew to be involved in Judaism to honor God is to listen now carefully is to go to your Old Testament and to know it and if you do that true Judaism is going to lead you to your one and only rabbi he's all over the Old Testament and that one and only rabbi is the one who has prophesied in your scriptures the Jewish Scriptures that he would become a human and that he would live in Israel that he would die in Jerusalem and that he would be resurrected on the third day the true Judaism and the true Jew is the one who believes that Jesus is Messiah that's a true Jew if today you were claiming to be a Jew and you reject the lordship of Jesus Christ guess what you're not a jewel says the Bible you say who are you to tell me that you Gentile hey listen guess what according to Romans chapter 2 verses 28 and 29 I'm more of a Jew than any Jew in the world that doesn't worship God I am a Jew in the heart it says my heart's been circumcised by the will of God and by the work of God and so that my life as a Gentile God doesn't see me like that anymore he sees me as a listen as a spiritual Jew in the sense that the word Jew or if your name is Judy or Jude that word means to be a praiser of God a worshipper of God and the Bible says if you do not worship the son you do not acknowledge the father you do not know the father jesus said Abraham knew me and in doing that Jesus said Abraham gave glory to God is that radical that's radical and yet its own a percent true rora Keable this also obviously speaks of the omniscience of God that God is everywhere and all-knowing he's the omnipotent God all-powerful God but the all-knowing God the omniscience of God he's saying to us I know every act of kindness that you've done nothing escapes him you don't have to have a camera recording all your good deeds you don't have to have a camera to cover you feeding the homeless or giving a piece of bread to someone in need God sees it and he loves it he's encouraging them by him saying that he knows them he's saying that I also know every wrong that's been done against you in life have you been wronged in life have you been ripped off God knows you see Jack if God knows why does he do something about it oh he is well it doesn't seem like it I understand that God doesn't God doesn't work according to our time God is working according to his own time but this word for poverty is abject poverty this is this is a form of poverty that we would say today that it's it's even it's even greater of a poverty than than a homeless person because a homeless person listen a homeless person you'll often see them with their shopping card and with them cereals they've got their their tent or a chair something I saw the strangest thing not too long ago a homeless person with their shopping cart under a freeway overpass on a cell phone I thought it was weird but be that as it may this word poverty this the people the believers of Smyrna had none of it they had nothing they were completely stripped of everything they probably had the shirt on their back but they had to live like animals they were so destitute and it was brought on by persecution that house of Judaism history tells us turned and attacked the Christians the Jews of Smyrna teamed up with Roman paganism and went after the believing Christians many of them were Jews who had come out of Judaism to receive Christ as Lord and they were turned out again also many of them were Gentiles but again that word here is a tyrannical meaning that they were brought to the place of a cast out with nothing listen um see us Lewis I want to give you this quote this is kind of it's kind of prophetic this is from 1944 ladies and gentlemen it sounds like CS Lewis is describing some countries today today this Sunday morning CS Lewis in Oxford England 1944 wrote quote of all tyrannies a tyrant or a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims maybe the most impressive oppressive it would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies listen carefully the robber barons cruelty may sometimes sleep his cupidity may at some point be satiated or satisfied but those who torment torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience you say what is he talking about there are tyrants who say this is for your good and they impose upon the people their decision and see us Lewis says it's better to be under the heel of a robber baron than to be under a leadership that says I'm doing this to you but it's for your own good and we have two interesting about that I wanted to get off-topic on this but let's make it applicable or know kinds of ways figure this one out everybody now I know this is a global audience but for those of us in America right now Stanford among other medical universities that have produced their their findings and Stanford just published theirs on Thursday or Friday and it's interesting to me that I understand that at first all the rules were made where you can't go outside you got to have gloves and masks and you can't do this you can't do that and you live in a bubble and we'll tell you when you can come out and I understand the care of it I understand the direction of that mmm excuse me I got something in my throat here going on but so these rules were made and we all get that but this has gone on for weeks upon weeks upon weeks and now with the findings of the corona virus activity in the United States there's some amazing things that are being unpacked by the research scientists and there are they are concluding that in many ways we and the spirit of safety overreacted but one of the concerns now is that as we begin to reintroduce ourselves back into a culture of meeting up again with other people that our immune systems have gotten so weak it's called herd immunity that because we've been in isolation we can't ward off the dangers the bugs that are out there where beforehand we could easily do that because we had an immune system built up because we're constantly talking to people constantly shaking hands constantly meeting people and now we have a doing that so now our immune system has been compromised I find that interesting as a Christian being in a monastery never works if you're a monk that's sad because you can't affect the world by being isolated you've got to get and you were designed with the gospel to get back out into the world and we need to meet people brothers and sisters alike saved and unsaved we need to get back into the world I think listen I think it could be construed i'm sure this could be taken out of context that in in some ways the enemy would use this to keep the church from gathering together ever again I think God is using this time but I also believe that for this time God is about to turn a new chip new chapter in the church's life and what will that look like but jesus said to them you may be according to the world poverty-stricken but I tell you you're rich and the Bible tells us in James chapter 2 verse 5 James - 5 it says listen my beloved brethren has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith that's a powerful statement that doesn't mean just because you're poor you're going to heaven or that you have faith what it does mean is that when poverty comes upon you that you put your faith in God did you hear what I just said is God sending a message to the world right now that in your joblessness or in your isolation God is speaking to you and saying you need to put your faith in me I have no doubt in my mind that that's what God is saying can you get ready to write down some verses I'm going to paraphrase them to you but you're gonna need them you're gonna need them this week you're gonna need them for the rest of your life Matthew 10:29 you won't see him on the screens just writing down Matthew 10 verse 29 Jesus spoke to us about the sparrow falling to the ground will not happen without your father's notice so how much more will your father watch and care for you write this verse down Luke twelve seven Luke twelve seven tells us that Jesus says all the hairs of your head are numbered by God so don't worry he knows the hair count on your head Philippians chapter 4 verse 6 Philippians 4:6 says do not be anxious regarding the things of your life or your life situations don't be anxious the Bible says here comes another one Psalm 103 verse 13 in fact these next two are connected Psalm 103 verse 13 says as a father pities his children so the Lord pities those who fear him the next verse is Psalm 103 verse 14 he says when he speaks to us and you need to hear this he says I know that you in your own strength that you're as dust that your frame is weak gut says that to you aren't you glad I'm glad he knows how weak I am he knows that I am prone to worry he knows that I am prone to be anxious now don't look at me like they sold I didn't think he he's a pastor I didn't think you know he would be anxious every human being faces the temptation and succumbs frequently to anxieties and the pressures of this life that the issue is do you resist and fight them it's very important and then one more matthew 6 36 30 says jesus said that the flowers of the field are here today and the Sun rises and wilts them all and now they're gone how much more does your heavenly father care would provide and looks out for you if you blankets the hillside in such splendor you and I are the ones that are to determine my friend just exactly who's gonna rule us or what you see Jack that sounds a little bossy no no no I said you and I will determine meaning this the truth is before us you and I can either worry ourselves sick because you know they're talking about other things now that are coming we can worry selves sick and do that literally worry ourselves sick or you can say lord I had no say coming into this world and I woke up to my existence over the course of being a young kid I know your Bible tells me that you care for me and that I have declared you to be my Lord and Savior and so I am determining right now that you will rule over me Jesus not this anxiety not this worry about my job or my employees or about my employment or my coworkers stop it stop that now remember this and preach it to yourself if you must he tells us clearly that we are to determine who today will be our Lord and when we declare Christ as Lord everything changes because the believers at Smyrna remember now from the introduction it was there in Smyrna that the same was throughout the Rome Roman Empire born Caesar is Lord Caesar is Lord and if anybody didn't say Caesar was Lord they lost there we would call it passport they lost their City credentials they lost their they lost their ID card because listen they were no longer bowing to Emperor worship and they would not say Jesus is Lord I'll check this out it's not in my notes but I I need to tell you about this the the the gospel writer John the author the human author that is the scribe of the book of Revelation had a disciple he had a young man who became a follower of Jesus Christ and that young man knew John personally over decades of time and this young man was named or ordained as a pastor and that pastor at the age of 80 six years of age in the year 150 151 can you imagine and a year 151 AD living to be 86 years old that guy's name was pauly carp and pastor Polycarp was burned at the stake for his testimony and witness and he was loved listen he was loved by the population of the city but he was hated by the Jewish leadership and he was hated by the priests and the deity protectors of Roman paganism because they couldn't match his witness and so Polycarp was known as the great lover of God and people hated him because he loved God but people who are outcasts loved him and when he was arrested that the Roman guards that were dispatched to arrest him did so without their pleasure did so without their approval they were they were obeying the empires you know eat it to go do that and on the way to polycarp's martyrdom it is famously recorded in history that one of the Roman centurions said old man please don't bring this upon yourself simply say that Caesar is God and it will be fine with you Polycarp turned to him without any judgment in his eyes and with all love and kindness said to that Roman sir 86 years Jesus has never abandoned me can I abandon my master and Lord now in this hour of glory Polycarp was there put in the center of the city and he was burned alive and he gave glory to God what a remarkable display of God's grace being there he determined who was going to be Lord is the government going to be Lord or is Jesus Christ Lord is it is it the new world order that's going to be Lord or is it going to be Jesus Christ is Lord and we're heading in that direction Church I'm not a prophet or the son of a prophet but I know my Bible and from this pandemic stuff already there's been so many movements behind the scene of those that want a one-world global government and a one-world global medical overseer in the one-world government you fill in the blank so how's the world going to now be identified how how is everyone in the world now going to be able to prove that they have been inoculated against the covet or the the wuhan virus you how do you prove that that shouldn't be a surprise to many of us who have food and passports by the way where we've gone to countries where to get the visa for that country you had to get a bunch of shots I don't remember that for those of us who had to do that there were there are countries where you can't go unless you take your passport you go to a medical professional you get a series of shots then they give you data that is now attached to either your visa or your passport and when you enter in to that other country they let you in based on two things you belong and you have been inoculated against this stuff and so this is going to be fast-tracked now and that's going to possibly bring on other forms of global encroachment upon your life at the same time we're talking about a cashless world we don't the government's now are saying we've got to do away with cash and we talked about that last Wednesday night but we live in a tremendous time write it down now third third is this where Jesus is writing to Smyrna a letter of love to them and he says I want to remind you that I'm doing with what I'm doing with your life I want to remind you what I'm doing with your life God is literally using you now see Jack how can you say that when I'm I'm a single person I have nobody in my life I've got a cat and I've been I've been locked in my home during this time how can I be used let me ask you something hidden in praying has God been speaking to you have you been reading your Bible he wants you to know he wants to remind you that he's doing something in your life he's at work verse 10 do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer oh my goodness I love this watch indeed the devil is about to throw some of you into prison and that you may be tested and you will have tribulation 10 days let me get out of the way something that is assumed see the word the statement 10 days most scholars believe this and will just go on with it no need to be be labored by it the ten days most scholars believe is that which is referring to the Roman persecutions that began with Nero they were ten Emperor's that deliberately and exclusively tortured Christians it was their way of government and it started with Nero and it ended with Diocletian it ended with Diocletian when I studied that this week and I was reminded several months ago I was in I actually got to go to Diocletian's summer house and connected to his house Diocletian the Emperor was his his own private worship Chapel and so we saw where he lived for the summer there in what is modern-day croatia and he could step right out of his house and go right next door to his own little chapel and in the chapel where all these various gods of paganism all represented there and Diocletian was the last of those ten Emperor's many believe that that 10 days refers to the ten phases of the ten Roman emperors I just wanted to say that to get it out of the teaching because you'd be thinking what does that mean what's what the ten days that that is what's understood to be regarding the ten days the point that I want you to look at carefully is look down in your Bible where Jesus begins by saying do not fear he knows what's and he wants you to be reminded of the fact that he knows what he's doing with your life Jesus says don't fear are you near death have as somebody told you you don't have long to live now here's the difference between you and I you may have been told that you've got six months to live no one has told me nothing because I don't think I'm sick but I could drop dead today so which one of us is truly closer to the kingdom of God or II or eternity we don't know honestly let's be honest you do not know what our death comes for you Jesus says don't fear I want to remind you he's saying I'm doing something with your life so don't fear in other words Jesus is saying I see no need for you to fear look into my eyes Jesus is saying look into my eyes listen to me I see no need for you to fear he goes on to there goes on and says any of those things any of those things please mark that down you want to mark that down any of those things do not fear what does that mean Jesus is saying I'm aware of everything how about this I'm also aware of anything I'm aware of everything you're dealing with everything you're coping with Smyrna to the believers in Smyrna everything and oh by the way keep this in mind and anything a lot of people worry about tomorrow Jesus tells us this in the Bible numerous times but we don't have to have Jesus tell us people fret about tomorrow and Jesus says I am here to tell you I'm aware of everything and anything everything tells us in the now and anything speaks to us about the future he says there look at it mark it in your Bible the third observation is you are about to suffer some that brings me comfort you say Jack what are you nuts how can I bring you comfort because Jesus says you're about to suffer that means he already knows about it friends listen the Bible tells us that God is not going to have you and I suffer something that is beyond our ability to deal with it with His grace when he says that he's knowledgeable of the things that you're about to suffer should send a message to you then it's okay that's how Polycarp went to the flames that's how martyrs go to the sword they're not kicking and screaming they know that he knows and that God is well able to intervene in that moment if he wants things changed we spend so much energy running around trying to change things that God doesn't want us even touching you know so Ephesus last time was a church that was rich and busy and big and beautiful but they had left their first love they were comfortable they were probably highly respected Smyrna is a church that is rejected poor and Jesus who says nothing negative about them I believe because he said nothing negative about them I believe that they had total love for God extreme love for God because they were in extreme situations this is the connection I'm trying to make are you in some extreme situation according to you is that situation now one that is producing in your heart love for God or is your extreme situation missing what he's trying to do in your life he goes on in that short statement there and he says indeed the devil is about to and I believe that he's saying I know I love this I know what the devil's up to I love that the Bible teaches this clearly that God knows what the devil's up to the devil is not omnipresent the devil is not omniscient the devil has no none of those attributes the devil is not a little God he's an angel he's localized he can only be in one place at one time is he powerful yes but are we not more powerful as a believer first John 4:4 tells us greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world that's a reference to the dwelling of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer versus the demonic powers that are at work in this world Christian listen up in this world there's a demonic power of foot to bring you into fear and to steal your joy and to crush your peace and Jesus says my peace I give to you not the kind of peace the world gives by the way the peace the world gives is spell different I think and it's peace and peace the world will take a piece of this out of you and a piece of that out of you and a piece of this and a piece of that and Jesus says I give you peace the peace of God the Shalom of God the word suffer here you're about to suffer it means to experience listen this is not a joke this is what the word means it means to experience the sensation of pain you say well duh no but wait a minute to experience the sensation of pain that is brought to you by a direct assault listen it's the kind of pain that is brought against you unnaturally unusual pain it's not like a pain when you stub your toe this is a pain that is directed at you and it's a pain that someone is engineered it is a pain that did that the devil is up to to try to if inflict you to get you to denounce Christ to try to get you to turn your bike back on Christ to try to get you to run away from Jesus to cave in it's a very fascinating word it means to be vex ated we don't use that word anymore to be constantly surrounded and poked at regarding this pain and Jesus says I know what's going on and by the way the word here to suffer means listen it means to either suffer or to bring suffering upon you that will you torture you or martyr you it'll either kill you Sainz out to kill you or by torture or by crippling to silence you I believe I looked blame this on me this is my thing I speculate right now I believe that even in America that there's a movement afoot to silence the church which is amazing because the church has been amazing in the world all around the world at this time of suffering atheist that in nowhere they can't offer you nothing but sorrow and defeat this time has silenced the atheists that they got nothing to say I said that last week I did I'm just happily taking advantage of it to say it again we've got the message of hope but there's a demonic power that manipulates the principality is working in the municipalities to try to silence the voice of the church thank God the Bible tells us Jesus knows what's up I'm going to show you a few things because fear can be a cruel executioner fear and the days in which you and I are living I want to show you now I'm giving you this to prepare you not to scare you so the first thing I want you to see and maybe you can see it right now in your screens regarding now what they're saying well you know we survived the this pandemic what's next well now they're telling us that world the world oil analysis is this that researchers show that current or price collapse near-record proportions they're they're announcing that the the plotting of oil prices could spawn some of those oil-producing nations to collapse well okay thank you add insult to injury one more thing I need to care about look at the next slide if you would the second one is this they're saying that the real pandemic danger is social collapse that after the pandemic of the virus now there is the threat of social collapse and you say Jack what are you talking about the social structure of where you live the social structure of your government of your nation of your town of your city will it go back to normal or will something else takeover will it be different if so why now people are having to be concerned about that and I got to tell you for those of you who don't live in America there is I saw some of it this last weekend in America people are starting to tell the government I'm going back to work I am going outside it's very American of us by the way to be rebels like that but they were protests this weekend in America where people had their flags people had constitutions people had red white and blue shirts on people got out onto the streets they took their masks off they're waving their flags the rebels that we are I'm not saying I did it I'm just saying I saw them but there's there's a sense where what follows now and then the third image I want to show you is that the they're saying that there's a complete collapse of economies that are ahead as Africa faces the virus so Africa is going through this as well and the news to the world is hey if the fluid didn't get you if the virus didn't get you if sickness didn't get you worries gonna get you and God says don't fear I want you to remember I'm doing something with your life and that's a comforting truth many of us need this verse we you jump this down if you would second Corinthians 12:7 says second Corinthians 12:7 and lists lest I should be exalted above measure says Paul by the abundance of revelations that his God has shown me so many wonderful things and God has done so many wonderful things in my life Paul is saying a thorn in the flesh was given to me as a messenger of Satan to buffett me this is one this is Paul the Apostle saying that God allowed some demonic power of Satan to bother Paul's body physical body why well he says lest I be exalted above measure concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me but he the Lord said to me my grace is sufficient for you for my strength is made perfect in weakness by the way if you keep reading that chapter Paul goes on and says in that case bring on the suffering because if the suffering that comes from the attack brings the power of God let's do this job chapter 23 verse 10 job 23 verse 10 says for we know for but he knows the way that I take and when he has tested me I shall come forth as gold but he knows the way that I take God knows and when he has tested me I shall come forth as gold what an awesome truth that is so listen I want to just say something to you if it matters fine if not fine in my notes I have personal application note to myself hear me out I'm speaking just to the church in the United States I personally do not believe I do not believe that the church will ever be the same since this pandemic has come and that's a good thing why I made some notes to myself and I'm just going to share them with you what good things have come out of this worldwide crisis number one the gospel going out to the entire world like never before number two millions of people are being saved around the world by the preaching of the gospel 3 I love this one 3 now every single church on earth that has a smartphone or a tablet or an iPad has exactly the same influence as any mega church ever had think about it any any church during this time that as a smart device can go online they can just hold that phone and their pastor can preach and stream to the world may that never stop number 4 the simplicity of the gospel has become more paramount than ever kind of like myrrh you crush it you go after it you think Satan is out to destroy the church I don't have to guess about that jesus said that Satan's plan is to destroy you and the church remember and not talking about a building Satan could care less about buildings he goes after God's kids and one of you is called a Christian and a group of us is called the church and Satan is after the church jesus said in Matthew's Gospel that Satan is seeking to destroy the church but the gates of Hell will not prevail against it that's awesome so I don't think the church will ever be the same in the West I don't think it will ever be the same listen secondly I believe the church in the United States will never be the same and that's a good thing to see what do you mean by that okay hang on to your seats this is what I mean what good things do I also see coming out of this crisis listen it's gonna sting a little bit number one there will be those who once attended church that will never be mean back to any church that they attended previously they've gotten used to being and living without church they haven't missed anyone they haven't they haven't been missed and they haven't missed anyone and so when when God rias reassembles the physical gathering of his people there's going to be people missing because like Demuth's of old they've gone back into the world they've embraced the world our faith all of us is being tried right now will you continue to be in the midst of your smyrna and your in your mirror in your crushing a beautiful aroma will you continue to let God work with you I don't know we'll see some I'm sure we'll never see again secondly things like church buildings church as an edifice has fallen along the roadway the side of the road has it not just fallen away all building is stopped all of a sudden the carpet the color the this the that is not important anymore there's a sense of a temporary presence in all of us that's a good thing thirdly peripheral events are no longer the focus we're not distracted anymore it's just the simple gospel and it's us hearing the voice of God and walking just so simply with them fourthly the age I listen I'm gonna get mail on this one I'm gonna get hate mail on this but I believe that the age of the seeker-friendly feel good only church movement is dead the seeker-friendly fluff cross lists sin sinless resurrection less announcement of the gospel is dead I personally believe that in this time God is purifying his church and the seeker-friendly feel-good experience is dead number five that the hour of the church to change her garments is now upon us we've had weeks to change our garments as a an individual or as a church the way that we think and how we conduct ourselves and the carnality of our lives and it got in this mercy has given you and I a lot of time to quit our drinking or to quit our fornicating or to quit our pornography or to quit our drugs and whatever it is all of this merciful acts I believe that God is speaking and the crushing is now causing us to become purified that is awesome I believe also that God is calling the church to change her garments from looking cool and trendy to put in on her battle fatigues for the war that's before us spiritually speaking and I believe that God is speaking to the church like never before to take off the face of pretense and being so what's the word polished and to get the helmet of salvation on I don't think the church will ever be the same in America and that's good why is that Ephesians chapter 6 verse 10 I'm now I'm going a little bit over but we need this Ephesians 6 verse 10 tells us finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers against the rulers of the darkness of this age invisible things against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places therefore take up the whole armour of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and that's now and having done all to stand stand therefore having girded your waist with truth and have you put on the breastplate of righteousness and have shot your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace and above all taking the shield of faith which will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God pray in always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints God is stripping away so much that we might focus on him we're nearly done number four God has written a letter to Smyrna saying I want to remind you of what I have done for your life he says in verse 10 be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life you need to hear this they needed to hear it they will be the ones resurrected it's not the city of Smyrna that was resurrected in reality they were going to be faithful to death but the promise was given to them by Jesus this is what I have done for your life I have given you guaranteed in waiting the crown of life be faithful unto death just take it I've got this don't worry but look what I've got for you I'm about to give you the crown of life do you remember what I told you in the opening that when you approached Smyrna that atop the Mount pegas what were those temples and from a distance because they were gilded they looked like a crown Jesus says that's nothing compared to what I'm going to give you there is that supposed crown of this beautiful diadem city of the Roman Empire but I'm giving you a crown of life the word speaks of eternal life forever life what a tremendous statement at first Peter 5 verse 4 the Bible says when Christ our chief Shepherd appears you will receive a crown of glory not only a crown of life but a crown of glory and in Philippians three ten and eleven three ten and eleven Philippians the Bible there says that I may know him listen the power of his resurrection and the Fellowship of his sufferings why Christiaan were to embrace sufferings that's brought on against us by our faith in an unbelieving world being conformed to his death if by any means it may obtain the resurrection from the dead Paul said that's what we have in store for us and then number five we end here verse eleven I've written to the church at Smyrna to remind you of what I promised you in life the promises of God in life the Word of God the Bible look read with me verse 11 he who has an ear to hear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches he who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death that passage of Scripture means this that as you listen to God's Word being prompted by the Holy Spirit in your life you can rejoice in this fact you will not experience the second death the first death is when our bodies die in this world the second death is when your soul dies in eternity but when your soul dies in eternity it doesn't die in the sense that it ceases to exist it dies awake it stays awake it suffers an ongoing perpetual death it's called Hell and that's called the second death and the believer has no part in the second death only those who reject Christ die the second death everyone has to die a first death everyone's body must die but for the believer we die once but because we're born again we live on in eternity we die once because we've been born again but to those who are only born into this world they not only die once they die twice in eternity without Christ John 16:33 these things I've spoken to you that in me you may have peace in the world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer I've overcome the world that's a promise and I love it first John 4:18 first John four verse 18 says there is no fear in love perfect love casts out all fear because fear involves torment but he who fears has not been made perfect in love in other words there is a love that God has promised you that you can relax in the midst of all this suffering listen for times sake I'm gonna wrap this up I'm gonna give you verses I won't read them all but for you you can continue on in your study as we close this out these are for you for anxiety for fear to know that God is doing a work in your life Psalm 94 19 write that down Psalm 94 19 2nd Timothy 1:7 where God promises you to give you a sound mind and not a spirit of fear Psalm 23 verse 4 famously God announces to us that though we walked through the valley of the shadow of death we will fear no evil proverbs 12 verse 25 tells us that in our anxieties and in our depression God will bring us gladness you need to know that in 1st Peter 5 verse 6 and 7 I know I've gone long we're almost done hang in there 1st Peter 5 verses 6 & 7 says therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that you may be exalted in due time watch verse 7 casting all your care all of your care upon him because he cares for you casting all your care now this may be a corny ending but bear with me for a moment I'm gonna show you a video it's old but it's cool and we'll we'll show it to you a few times watch this video about casting a care [Applause] hit toward the hole Jeter back hands to the out glass this is about strength here now watch how far he goes in the hole to make this play and then to be strong enough to leap in the air and Mingus strong and that is about the strength right there I mean this is a beautiful play I don't know how many shortstops can make that play you've got to be pretty strong to be able to do that you got to have a lot of range which he has to get to it and then the strength to make a throw from deep on the outfield grass and retire the runner at first base that is so awesome for this reason first Peter 5:7 says cast all your care upon the Lord the church at Smyrna succeeded and tipped it today in the 21st century right now there are Christians worshiping the Lord Jesus Christ in the city of Izmir or Smyrna today that church survives Ephesians the church at Ephesus the Ephesians long gone so listen church cast all your care Derek Jeter took that baseball and notice just as an illustration that care was hit to him his goal as a shortstop was to simply get that ball the first base in time that's his job so the hit is driving that ball or that care at you you've been hit by something and the care is coming and you're supposed to do what Derek Jeter did there in the Yankees as soon as you get that care you grab it right back and you throw it to where it belongs you throw it right to first base Jesus is standing right there with his glove to take that care anytime every time a care comes upon you you throw it back to Christ you give it to Jesus you return it back to him somebody says something to you grab it turn it to Christ somebody comes after you and hurts you and defames you and muxu and lies about you grab it turn it over to Christ do it and the reason why I played that video is to put a picture in your hand and I hope that you'll keep that picture in your head cast all your care upon him because he cares for you let's pray together father we thank you Lord that as a Church of Smyrna there are believers today in this world that are living out a life that matches that beautiful word of assurance and the beautiful word of comfort that you know you're the first and the last the one who is dead and is now alive though you are the resurrection you're the one that can and you're the only one that can say to us I've conquered the grave I've conquered death and for people in the world today that are facing persecution and possible even death at the hands of those who hate Christ Jesus wants you to know that he's not only aware he knows what's coming he's got it and he might even have things come into your life that to you seem unbearable and he says right back to you you just cast it to me you just throw it to me and I'll take care of it do that my dear friend put your trust in Christ Jesus he died on the cross for you he rose again from the dead for you and the Word of God is this message to you until he comes again trust Christ call out to him pray to him believe him more now than ever for we are one day closer to the meeting of Christ and are you ready to meet him he will be faithful he will be faithful to keep his promises to us to you even to the point of death because for us death rushers in our resurrection to his very presence thanks for watching the real-life youtube channel we love bringing you content we'll help you grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ you can subscribe to this channel so that you don't miss one single video or live stream and you can share it with friends and family if you'd like to support this ministry by helping us reach others by taking the gospel and the teaching around the world you can do so by clicking the give Now button so thanks again for watching and God bless

Channel: Real Life with Jack Hibbs

Views: 67,753

Keywords: letters to the 7 churches, the church of ephesus, revelation song, the book of revelation, end times prophecy, amir tsarfati update, jack hibbs live, jack hibbs rapture, real life with jack hibbs, letters to the 7 churches sermons, letters to the 7 churches audio books, seven churches, revelation, book of revelation

Id: xlE9tW8PtE4

Length: 91min 25sec (5485 seconds)

Published: Sun Apr 19 2020