Welcome to Anchors Of Truth
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live from the
3ABN Worship Center.
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Good morning and happy Sabbath.
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Thank you for joining
us live around the world.
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This is a live program
today coming here from the
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3ABN Worship Center.
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And that's right here
between West Frankfort
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and Thompsonville,
Illinois; southern Illinois.
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So we're glad that you're
joining us around the world.
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And for those of you here, we're
glad you came out this morning.
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I know that you have been
blessed by brother Alvin Kibble.
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And he's here
again this morning.
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Pastor Kibble; we're so
thankful that he's here.
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North American
Division Vice President
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of Seventh-day Adventists.
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And he's been in
ministry, I was talking to him
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a while ago, 45 years.
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Can somebody say amen?
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Alright.
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Anybody that can do
anything for 45 years
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deserves an amen, right?
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And this brother
has an anointing on him.
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He's been serving the
Lord a long time in our church
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and the division headquarters
here in North America.
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We're so thankful for
the ministry that he has,
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that he has consented to come
here for our Anchors Of Truth.
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He and Jim Gilley
go back a long ways.
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He was telling me when
Jim and his offices were
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next to each other there in
the North American Division.
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He said, "When Jim
left, I felt lonely."
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And so they're good friends.
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Jim speaks highly of him.
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And we're so
glad that he's here.
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Thank you for joining
us from around the world.
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Thank you for your love and your
prayers and financial support
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of 3ABN as we continue
to take this great gospel
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of the kingdom
into all the world.
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Right before Pastor
Kibble comes out today,
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was have a special song.
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And I'm so thankful for
the ministry of Yvonne Lewis
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with Dare To Dream.
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And Yvonne, you're going to
be singing today, Amazing Grace.
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Thank you so much for what
you do for the cause of God.
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Thank you for Dare To Dream,
as now it's having an impact
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on many, many
people around the world.
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Praise the Lord. Thank you.
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Amazing grace,
how sweet the sound
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that saved a wretch like me.
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I once was lost
but now I'm found,
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was blind but now I see.
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'Twas grace that
taught my heart to fear,
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and grace my fears relieved.
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How precious did
that Grace appear
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the hour I first believed.
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Through many
dangers, toils, and snares
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I have already come;
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'Tis grace hath
brought me safe thus far,
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and grace will lead me home.
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When we've been
there ten thousand years,
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bright shining as the sun,
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we've no less days
to sing God's praise
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than when we'd first begun.
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Amazing grace.
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Great is the Lord.
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And greatly to be praised.
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In the city of our God, in
the mountain of His holiness,
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beautiful for situation,
the joy of the whole earth
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is Mount Zion.
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How grateful I am to be in
your presence one more time.
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This morning we have a wonderful
message to share with you.
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And I anticipate
that there will be many,
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as a result of
the message today,
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who will finally understand
the secret of being faithful
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unto death.
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You know, in the plan
of God, He does not always
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answer our prayers in the
exact way and at the exact time
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that we would want Him.
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The truth of it
is that sometimes
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God's answers are delayed.
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But they are never denied.
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And so we're going
to look at that today
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as a part of our study.
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We've been
considering the general theme
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of how a Christian
looks at trouble and suffering
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and heartache.
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There's really a
Christian view to all of life.
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Our joys and our sorrows.
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Our wealth as well as our need.
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There's a Christian way of
viewing marriage and parenting
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and fathering
and being a mother.
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There's a Christian view
of life's calling and purpose.
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But there's a also a
Christian's view of suffering.
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And that's why we thought
to engage you during this
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particular spring series.
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Because there is so much
suffering and hardship and
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heartache that is taking
place all around our world.
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I would like to direct
your attention this morning
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and for the next few minutes
to the book of Revelation
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chapter 2.
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And I would like to read in your
hearing verses 8 through 11.
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Revelation chapter
2 verses 8 through 11.
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"To the leader of the church
in Smyrna, write this letter:
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This message is from Him
who is the First and Last,
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who was dead and
then came back to life.
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I know how much you
suffer for the Lord,
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I know all about your poverty,
but you have heavenly riches.
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I know the slander
of those opposing you,
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who say that they are
Jews, the children of God,
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but they aren't, for they
support the cause of Satan.
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Stop being afraid of what
you are about to suffer..."
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I'm going to
repeat that for emphasis.
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Stop being afraid of the
things that you anticipate
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and that you
are about to suffer.
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"...for the devil
will soon throw some of you
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into prison to test you.
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You will be
persecuted for ten days.
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Remain faithful
even when facing death
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and I will give
you a crown of life."
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I've given title to this text.
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I want to talk to you about
a standard for faithfulness.
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Being faithful unto death.
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But before I talk
with you, please join me
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as we talk with God.
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Beyond the sacred
page we seek Thee, Lord.
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Our spirits crave for Thee,
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oh living Word.
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So Father, let the words
of my mouth and the sweet and
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sincere meditations of my heart
be acceptable in Thy sight.
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For You are my Strength
and You are our Redeemer.
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In the blessed and
holy name of Jesus, amen.
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What do you think about
when you hear this admonition,
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"Be thou faithful unto death."
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What does it mean?
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"Be thou faithful unto death."
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I asked my secretary, and
she said, "To be found faithful
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means to stay faithful.
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It means being
faithful every day.
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Drawing a line and saying,
'Thus far and no further.'
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It takes a lot of courage," she
said, "to be found faithful."
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Joseph was found faithful,
and he ended up in jail.
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Daniel was found faithful, and
he ended up in a den of lions.
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The three Hebrew
boys were found faithful,
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and they ended up
in a fiery furnace.
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Jesus was found faithful,
and He ended up on a cross.
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I asked another
friend, and she said,
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"It means doing everything that
the Holy Spirit tells you to do.
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And not doing those things
that the flesh wants you to do."
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Some time ago I asked
my mother at the age of 93,
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the daughter of one
of our pioneer ministers.
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And she said,
"Carrying out the will of God
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in everything you know.
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Living up to all that
God has called you to be.
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That all God requires of us.
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I asked my son in the
ministry, Dr. Andrew Harewood,
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and the scholar and
theologian that he is.
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His mind began to twirl,
and he said, "The answer, Pop,
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to that question is embedded
in the original question,
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which is the central
theme of the great controversy.
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It was the implied
defamation that Lucifer
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brought to the throne of
God, and that the fallen angels
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inferred in their expressions
and in their declarations
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throughout the courts of glory
as to whether God was just.
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Will the God of
the universe be fair?
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Will Jehovah do right?"
00:15:48.39\00:15:50.81
He said, "It's a
question of God's providence
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and God's power."
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David, he reminded me, in
Psalm 84:11, had declared,
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"For the Lord God
is a sun and a shield.
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The Lord will give grace
and glory; and no good thing
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will He withhold from
those who walk uprightly."
00:16:17.94\00:16:22.98
But I am here and God is there.
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And the haunting
question is whether or not
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God will be just in my regard.
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We're often prone to
think because God did not
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answer our prayers
the way we wanted Him to
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and how we wanted Him to,
that our prayers are denied.
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So he said, "Being
faithful unto death is about
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trusting God's clock.
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It's about waiting and trusting.
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It's about being
obedient and waiting.
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Waiting," he said, "has
to do with God's providence.
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And the miracles have
to do with God's power.
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And the bottom line," he
said, "it's not about us.
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It's about Him."
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But what does it mean to you...
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...to be found faithful?
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Is it a matter of
maintaining your daily devotion?
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Is it continuing to keep
the right day, the seventh day
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of the week, as you
would say, as the Sabbath?
00:17:58.41\00:18:03.11
Is it about maintaining
a certain dress style
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or a dress standard?
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What does it mean
to remain faithful?
00:18:17.30\00:18:20.84
Is it a matter of
returning a faithful tithe?
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Or better still,
a tithe and a half?
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Or making sure that
your candle doesn't go out?
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Because we have been
counseled that in the last days
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that some lights
are going to go out.
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What does it mean,
what does it really mean,
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to be found faithful?
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"Be thou faithful unto death,
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and I will give
thee a crown of life."
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Just four miles from the city of
Ephesus stood, and still stands,
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the city of Smyrna.
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Of all the seven cities of
Asia spoken of in the book of
00:19:09.98\00:19:14.71
Revelation, it alone is of
any really spiritual importance.
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The other cities
have gone into eclipse.
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All of the other messages of the
seven churches of Asia Minor,
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the messages of
the church at Smyrna...
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Of all the messages to the
seven churches of Asia Minor,
00:19:35.34\00:19:39.66
the message to the church
of Smyrna is the most gracious
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and the most complimentary.
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The risen exalted Christ
sent messages by way of John,
00:19:49.40\00:19:54.02
the Patmos prisoner,
to the seven churches.
00:19:54.95\00:19:57.82
Seven churches that were
both actual and symbolic.
00:19:58.40\00:20:02.93
These seven
churches actually existed.
00:20:03.95\00:20:06.74
But in a greater sense
they represented the seven ages
00:20:06.77\00:20:10.66
of the church,
00:20:10.69\00:20:11.91
through which the
church would pass through
00:20:13.90\00:20:16.97
prior to the great consummation.
00:20:17.53\00:20:20.10
And this message to
the church of Smyrna
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is rather short and succinct.
00:20:25.55\00:20:28.00
But the risen Lord has
ought against all the other six.
00:20:29.35\00:20:34.36
Ephesus, Pergamos,
Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia,
00:20:34.39\00:20:39.34
and Laodicea.
00:20:39.37\00:20:42.21
He's not happy
with their performance.
00:20:42.42\00:20:44.95
But Smyrna, of all the
seven, received no rebuke.
00:20:45.60\00:20:51.39
To the angel of this church,
to the pastor of this church,
00:20:52.41\00:20:57.04
to the messenger of this church,
He who is the First and the Last
00:20:57.07\00:21:03.42
who was dead and came to
life says, "I know your works,
00:21:03.45\00:21:08.48
your tribulation,
and your poverty."
00:21:11.66\00:21:14.42
And then parenthetically,
He adds, "But you are rich.
00:21:14.45\00:21:19.05
I know the blasphemy of
those who say they are Jews
00:21:22.12\00:21:25.35
and are not, but are
the synagogue of Satan.
00:21:25.38\00:21:29.14
Do not fear any of those things
which you are about to suffer.
00:21:30.21\00:21:33.84
Indeed, the devil is about
to throw some of you into prison
00:21:33.87\00:21:37.23
that you may be tested, and you
will have tribulation ten days.
00:21:37.26\00:21:43.40
But be thou..."
00:21:44.48\00:21:45.90
What, everybody?
00:21:46.39\00:21:47.64
"...faithful unto death, and I
will give you a crown of life."
00:21:47.67\00:21:54.17
Smyrna was a
very progressive city.
00:21:55.47\00:21:57.83
It was one of the few planned
cities of the ancient world.
00:21:58.30\00:22:02.76
It was founded by the Greeks
as a colony about 1000 BC.
00:22:03.20\00:22:09.54
The streets were
broad and straight.
00:22:09.91\00:22:13.12
And they were paved
with huge blocks of marble.
00:22:13.43\00:22:17.85
Can you believe that?
00:22:18.05\00:22:19.58
And it contained a
famous street of gold.
00:22:21.36\00:22:25.27
I don't know whether they called
it Main Street or Broad Street.
00:22:25.30\00:22:29.65
But the street began
at the temple of Zeus
00:22:34.16\00:22:38.66
and it ended at
the temple of Dionysus;
00:22:38.86\00:22:43.60
the god of
fertility and the god of joy.
00:22:47.43\00:22:50.29
Dionysus, I believe is
the correct pronunciation.
00:22:56.35\00:22:59.90
One of the loveliest
cities in all of Asia.
00:23:01.08\00:23:03.82
Smyrna became wealthy
as a commercial center
00:23:04.10\00:23:07.87
for the entire Hermas Valley.
00:23:07.90\00:23:10.43
It had one of
the safest harbors.
00:23:11.95\00:23:14.23
And it could be well
protected from all the
00:23:14.94\00:23:19.24
enemies round about.
00:23:19.27\00:23:21.52
The inhabitants of this
city were primarily Jews.
00:23:23.27\00:23:27.76
And these Jews had
become very friendly to Rome.
00:23:28.24\00:23:33.20
It appears, according to the
historians, that the Jews had
00:23:34.16\00:23:40.13
assimilated into the society.
00:23:40.16\00:23:43.31
And they had
gained wealth there.
00:23:43.34\00:23:45.50
And their chief
interest was in material things.
00:23:45.53\00:23:51.17
Does that sound familiar to you?
00:23:51.20\00:23:53.19
They were eager to stay on
good terms because they saw
00:23:54.76\00:23:58.66
that their livelihood depended
on being politically correct.
00:23:58.69\00:24:03.92
So along with their
other fellow citizens,
00:24:08.26\00:24:10.95
they built a statue to
the Roman Emperor Tiberius.
00:24:10.98\00:24:16.94
Now these Jews were
especially antagonistic
00:24:20.45\00:24:24.88
to the Christians.
00:24:25.35\00:24:26.72
In fact, the very
first persecutions suffered
00:24:27.32\00:24:30.71
by the Christian church
was at the hand of Jews.
00:24:30.74\00:24:35.43
And throughout the
record of the New Testament
00:24:37.15\00:24:39.13
the Jews had done all that
they could to stop the progress
00:24:39.48\00:24:43.88
of the gospel.
00:24:44.31\00:24:45.73
They had demanded the
death penalty of Christ,
00:24:46.73\00:24:49.29
they put Stephen to death, they
jailed many of the apostles,
00:24:49.49\00:24:53.15
and dogged the
footsteps of the apostle Paul
00:24:53.18\00:24:56.94
all throughout his
missionary journey.
00:24:56.97\00:24:59.45
It's no wonder that
in Revelation these Jews,
00:25:00.24\00:25:03.36
who were not the
spiritual sons of Abraham,
00:25:03.66\00:25:07.31
are called, the
synagogue of Satan.
00:25:07.34\00:25:11.20
Later, Rome picked up
their malice and continued to
00:25:12.55\00:25:16.82
meet out cruelty
toward the Christians.
00:25:16.85\00:25:20.01
Starting merely as a political
matter of loyalty to Rome,
00:25:21.17\00:25:26.03
it had grown into
compulsory worship of Caesar.
00:25:26.06\00:25:30.23
And once a year each
Roman citizen was compelled
00:25:30.92\00:25:36.97
to pinch some incense
00:25:39.15\00:25:42.90
out of the special vase or dish
00:25:44.96\00:25:51.67
and offer it on the
altar of the godhead of Caesar.
00:25:52.23\00:25:58.87
And it had to be done in
the presence of witnesses.
00:26:00.03\00:26:03.26
Like paying your taxes, they
had to go and pinch some incense
00:26:04.49\00:26:09.91
and place it there on the altar.
00:26:09.94\00:26:12.98
And they had to record who
did and who did not perform
00:26:14.67\00:26:20.24
this sacred rite.
00:26:20.34\00:26:22.22
And upon doing so, each
one received a certificate
00:26:23.58\00:26:28.58
of acknowledgement.
00:26:28.61\00:26:29.92
Oh, this thing gets good.
00:26:30.51\00:26:31.94
All that you had to do
was to burn some incense
00:26:33.78\00:26:38.79
on the altar and
say, "Caesar is Lord."
00:26:38.82\00:26:44.48
And you received your
certificate and you walked away.
00:26:45.39\00:26:49.54
But the true Christian
could never do that, could they?
00:26:51.54\00:26:54.52
The true Christian acknowledged
Jesus Christ as Lord.
00:26:56.16\00:27:01.60
So the threat of death
hung over every Christian's head
00:27:02.80\00:27:08.25
who lived in Smyrna.
00:27:09.02\00:27:10.84
In contrast to the Jews,
the Christians were poor.
00:27:11.91\00:27:15.26
Almost to the
point of destitution.
00:27:16.20\00:27:19.37
Generally speaking,
most early Christians.
00:27:20.09\00:27:24.13
Now all the Bible
characters were not poor.
00:27:24.16\00:27:28.32
Job certainly was not poor.
00:27:29.81\00:27:31.55
Abraham and Lot were not poor.
00:27:31.58\00:27:33.81
But many of the New Testament
Christians were very poor.
00:27:36.09\00:27:40.83
When Jesus chose His twelve
disciples, in effect He said,
00:27:42.38\00:27:46.26
"Give Me twelve ordinary men
00:27:46.29\00:27:48.85
and I will turn
the world upside down."
00:27:49.84\00:27:53.69
And from that we
could pretty clearly assume
00:27:56.75\00:28:03.58
that God is not really asking
anybody to be extraordinary.
00:28:03.61\00:28:08.71
In fact, God does not
require you to be successful.
00:28:09.37\00:28:13.43
What God is really
asking is that you be faithful.
00:28:16.93\00:28:20.99
God is looking
for ordinary people
00:28:23.16\00:28:26.56
whom He can fill with His
power, and then He declares,
00:28:28.29\00:28:33.30
"You will do
extraordinary things.
00:28:33.50\00:28:37.36
You will do greater
things than even I have done."
00:28:38.72\00:28:43.05
So what is the message...
00:28:44.31\00:28:45.92
...that was sent to
this church in Asia Minor?
00:28:47.98\00:28:52.14
This hard pressed church?
00:28:53.32\00:28:55.38
Four things the Lord recognized
in the persecutions suffered
00:28:57.76\00:29:05.35
by the church of Smyrna.
00:29:06.68\00:29:08.59
The Lord says first of
all, "I know your tribulation."
00:29:09.59\00:29:15.02
And the word literally means,
00:29:15.84\00:29:18.18
"The pressure
that you're under."
00:29:19.25\00:29:21.30
The world and the devil
are always trying to afflict
00:29:21.96\00:29:26.17
the Christian.
00:29:26.20\00:29:27.23
Because we are counter-culture.
00:29:27.26\00:29:30.28
We're trying to
swim, as it were, upstream.
00:29:30.65\00:29:33.78
Against the tide.
00:29:33.81\00:29:35.60
And so the world
says, "Be one of the crowd.
00:29:37.94\00:29:41.56
Just go with the flow.
00:29:41.59\00:29:43.37
Why do you have
to be so different?"
00:29:43.90\00:29:45.87
And this kind of pressure
is one of the devil's most
00:29:47.48\00:29:53.17
subtle temptations.
00:29:53.20\00:29:54.93
But the Bible says, "Be
not conformed to the world,
00:29:56.43\00:30:01.84
but be ye transformed by
the renewing of your mind."
00:30:02.07\00:30:07.85
Don't let the world
shape you into its mold.
00:30:08.67\00:30:13.33
Remember the sermon that
we preached the other night
00:30:15.00\00:30:17.27
on the potter and the clay.
00:30:17.30\00:30:20.33
You're in the Potter's hand.
00:30:20.63\00:30:22.43
The Potter is
trying to shape you.
00:30:22.46\00:30:25.64
Don't let the world
shape you into its mold.
00:30:25.67\00:30:30.04
There was pressure on
the Christians to conform.
00:30:32.77\00:30:36.73
Nevertheless, the Lord said,
"Be thou faithful unto death."
00:30:37.31\00:30:43.16
And then the Lord
says, "I know the blasphemy,
00:30:43.75\00:30:48.53
the slander that you
are receiving from those
00:30:49.09\00:30:53.67
who say that they are
Jews, but who aren't."
00:30:54.33\00:30:58.31
The Christian is always
in danger because of the
00:30:59.65\00:31:05.89
blasphemy of those who
are attacking the church.
00:31:05.92\00:31:11.85
In the ancient world, in
many cases, the Jews had the ear
00:31:12.71\00:31:16.87
of those in high places.
00:31:16.90\00:31:18.74
And it was their slanderous
and perverted information
00:31:19.82\00:31:23.73
which turned Nero
against the Christians.
00:31:23.93\00:31:27.41
When the Christians would
not conform, the next step
00:31:28.47\00:31:32.81
in persecution
was to slander them.
00:31:34.01\00:31:36.94
So the Christians
were falsely accused.
00:31:37.64\00:31:40.51
They were accused of
being disloyal to the state.
00:31:41.63\00:31:45.22
Of being revolutionaries.
00:31:46.83\00:31:48.79
Of being trouble makers.
00:31:49.26\00:31:51.23
In Acts chapter 6 and verse
14, the disciples were slandered
00:31:51.65\00:31:56.18
because they dared
to change the customs
00:31:56.21\00:32:00.57
which Moses had delivered.
00:32:00.77\00:32:03.29
Even so, the Lord said, "Be
thou faithful unto..." What?
00:32:06.01\00:32:10.97
"...unto death."
00:32:11.96\00:32:13.19
And the third thing that
our Lord observed about the
00:32:14.83\00:32:18.85
church of
Smyrna was its poverty.
00:32:18.88\00:32:22.54
If affliction and
slander do not work,
00:32:24.24\00:32:27.41
the next thing to issue
upon the church is poverty.
00:32:28.30\00:32:33.55
We're talking about how
a Christian views trouble,
00:32:35.41\00:32:39.05
heartache, and suffering.
00:32:40.78\00:32:44.35
Many Christians in
the first century were
00:32:45.48\00:32:48.81
forbidden employment.
00:32:48.84\00:32:50.95
And there are many people today
who are suffering unemployment.
00:32:53.48\00:32:59.10
Their homes and property
were pillaged and plundered.
00:33:01.68\00:33:06.62
And in many
cases foreclosed upon.
00:33:06.65\00:33:10.04
Back in those days,
they would have probably
00:33:11.36\00:33:13.23
called it confiscated.
00:33:13.26\00:33:15.01
The writer to the
Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 10:34,
00:33:16.18\00:33:20.79
"You received the pillaging
of your homes with joy."
00:33:20.82\00:33:25.92
Huh, these were some
amazing people, were they not?
00:33:26.10\00:33:29.00
People were confiscating
and pillaging their homes.
00:33:30.64\00:33:34.30
And the writer of
Hebrews says that the Christians
00:33:34.60\00:33:39.73
received it with joy.
00:33:39.93\00:33:42.03
In other words, like
Paul said, "Count it all joy."
00:33:42.73\00:33:46.27
After all, it's only on loan.
00:33:47.34\00:33:50.67
That's what I discovered
during my convalescence.
00:33:52.25\00:33:55.31
My job, it was on loan.
00:33:57.82\00:33:59.83
My gifts, they were on loan.
00:34:01.14\00:34:03.49
My clothes, they
were on loan too.
00:34:04.54\00:34:08.42
My house, my car, my health.
00:34:08.45\00:34:12.94
It was all on
loan. I'm not an owner.
00:34:13.66\00:34:16.32
Paul has it
right, I'm a steward.
00:34:16.80\00:34:19.51
And so these early Christians
in Smyrna suffered from
00:34:26.17\00:34:30.32
economic boycott.
00:34:30.35\00:34:32.25
They couldn't get a job,
not because there were no jobs,
00:34:33.86\00:34:37.85
but because of who
and what they represented.
00:34:37.88\00:34:42.00
In early days here in America,
00:34:48.41\00:34:51.11
people of my complexion were
often denied housing and jobs
00:34:54.49\00:34:59.88
because of what
is called, redlining.
00:34:59.91\00:35:02.36
These Christians
were being redlined.
00:35:07.59\00:35:10.57
When they called the
job seeking employment,
00:35:13.40\00:35:18.43
they would say,
"Well we're not hiring."
00:35:18.64\00:35:20.06
And then someone else
would come right behind them
00:35:20.09\00:35:22.70
and call, and they'd
say, "Well sure, absolutely.
00:35:22.73\00:35:25.35
Come right down."
00:35:25.45\00:35:26.73
And if a person insisted
on carrying their Christian
00:35:30.55\00:35:33.86
principles into their
business life or into their
00:35:33.89\00:35:37.69
everyday life, they
would be in a very real danger
00:35:37.72\00:35:42.41
of being fired.
00:35:43.43\00:35:45.10
So what is Christ's
message to this church?
00:35:46.40\00:35:50.07
What is the message to
the people of this age?
00:35:50.17\00:35:53.87
"I know your poverty,
but you are really rich."
00:35:53.90\00:35:57.73
This is a rich poor church.
00:35:59.59\00:36:02.25
Some churches are
poor rich churches.
00:36:03.61\00:36:07.44
They are rich in
material things, but poor
00:36:08.29\00:36:11.93
in those things
that pertain to God.
00:36:13.32\00:36:15.92
It doesn't matter whether
they have glass cathedrals,
00:36:18.20\00:36:22.97
or handmade organs,
or 500 voice choirs.
00:36:23.00\00:36:29.15
But Smyrna, although poverty
stricken, were declared rich
00:36:33.02\00:36:40.05
by the King of glory.
00:36:40.08\00:36:41.66
Their metal had been tested.
00:36:42.37\00:36:44.64
They had come through so much.
00:36:44.67\00:36:46.93
They had been tried in
the fire of persecution.
00:36:46.96\00:36:50.39
They are a society of sufferers.
00:36:50.42\00:36:54.92
The demonic had
made its move on them.
00:36:56.10\00:37:01.36
They were presently
under terrible persecution.
00:37:01.87\00:37:04.94
But in spite of all
that they had gone through,
00:37:04.97\00:37:08.10
they
persevered, they pressed on.
00:37:08.13\00:37:11.05
And they are rich in the
sense that they have everything
00:37:12.34\00:37:16.14
in abundance that they
need in order to hold out.
00:37:16.17\00:37:20.91
"I know your poverty,
but you are really rich."
00:37:24.22\00:37:28.34
Their poverty was of
body, but not of spirit.
00:37:29.62\00:37:33.69
And this
compliment is rather unique.
00:37:34.32\00:37:36.79
There's no other
church in the New Testament
00:37:37.53\00:37:39.81
that is described as being rich.
00:37:39.84\00:37:42.61
There is one that
thought itself to be rich
00:37:43.35\00:37:48.10
and increased with goods.
00:37:49.12\00:37:51.25
And beyond that,
having need of nothing.
00:37:52.02\00:37:55.33
They had a huge surplus.
00:37:55.36\00:38:01.27
They had trust funds
and they had investments
00:38:03.34\00:38:07.43
far greater than they would
ever be called upon to use.
00:38:08.28\00:38:14.11
But Jesus saw them as
pitiful, wretched, miserable,
00:38:16.37\00:38:24.58
blind, and naked.
00:38:25.25\00:38:29.05
This church was not
in reality rich at all.
00:38:30.36\00:38:34.63
It was rich in things,
but that wasn't enough.
00:38:34.83\00:38:38.84
A rich church is to be
prized, provided it is rich
00:38:39.53\00:38:43.66
in the right things.
00:38:43.69\00:38:45.52
The church at Laodicea
was suffering from a delusion
00:38:45.72\00:38:49.89
of grandeur.
00:38:50.09\00:38:51.56
In reality, it
was poverty stricken.
00:38:52.19\00:38:55.61
And the Master had some
lovely words of commendation
00:38:56.70\00:39:00.21
for the church at Ephesus.
00:39:00.24\00:39:02.25
But there was also
one bit of criticism.
00:39:03.55\00:39:06.39
He said, "I have
this against you,
00:39:07.17\00:39:09.74
because you have
left your first love."
00:39:10.69\00:39:13.59
But with this church,
00:39:15.27\00:39:16.73
I said this church,
00:39:17.71\00:39:19.26
it has no fault
that can be found.
00:39:19.46\00:39:23.03
It was absolutely perfect.
00:39:23.86\00:39:27.02
But it was on its way.
00:39:28.77\00:39:30.81
It was not
absolutely perfect. Correction.
00:39:30.84\00:39:33.48
But it was on its way.
00:39:33.51\00:39:35.73
So wherein was it rich?
00:39:37.79\00:39:39.52
Well, the First and
the Last declared Himself,
00:39:40.66\00:39:46.16
in the form of a challenge,
"Be thou faithful unto death."
00:39:48.56\00:39:58.34
That's it.
00:40:01.07\00:40:02.18
That is the key.
00:40:03.83\00:40:05.67
That was the gold
in them there hills.
00:40:08.37\00:40:11.21
It was their faithfulness.
00:40:11.31\00:40:13.45
It was their loyalty,
it was their fidelity.
00:40:14.39\00:40:18.22
He didn't say,
notice, "Become faithful."
00:40:18.25\00:40:21.83
He didn't say, "Get faithful."
00:40:22.51\00:40:24.54
He said, "Continue to be in
the future what you are now."
00:40:24.57\00:40:30.16
"Be thou faithful."
00:40:30.64\00:40:33.94
Now "faithful" is a
great word, to be sure.
00:40:35.24\00:40:38.61
But it is often a
greatly misunderstood word.
00:40:39.66\00:40:43.82
And therefore regularly misused.
00:40:45.78\00:40:50.68
We use the word,
"faithful," too loosely.
00:40:51.45\00:40:57.57
And today, almost
anybody is considered faithful.
00:40:58.29\00:41:02.89
Anybody who attends
church and supports the church
00:41:03.72\00:41:07.24
is faithful.
00:41:07.95\00:41:09.32
But that's not really what
is meant by being faithful.
00:41:09.80\00:41:14.00
That's simply regular,
punctual, and generous.
00:41:14.56\00:41:21.63
Faithful means something
far deeper than your attendance
00:41:22.68\00:41:28.34
and your financial
regularity of support.
00:41:28.37\00:41:33.41
It is "pistos" in the Greek.
00:41:35.19\00:41:37.52
And pistos is best
expressed as self surrender.
00:41:38.06\00:41:42.88
Pistos is more
than just showing up.
00:41:43.68\00:41:46.62
It's more than
just attending services.
00:41:46.95\00:41:49.97
It's more than just
being a dutiful member.
00:41:50.00\00:41:53.15
Pistos is, paying the price.
00:41:53.81\00:41:57.44
But with more than
just tithe and offerings.
00:41:59.19\00:42:02.32
If I am faithful,
three experiences are at work
00:42:02.86\00:42:07.20
in me in tandem.
00:42:07.23\00:42:09.50
If I am faithful I am believing,
I am trusting, and I am relying.
00:42:10.22\00:42:18.45
I am believing.
00:42:19.61\00:42:21.22
I am believing God;
not just in God, but God.
00:42:21.52\00:42:29.27
I believe the
revelation about God.
00:42:29.78\00:42:34.92
I believe His words to be true.
00:42:34.95\00:42:37.47
I believe His
promises are for real.
00:42:37.50\00:42:40.55
I believe, I believe, I believe.
00:42:40.58\00:42:44.74
You can't make me doubt Him,
00:42:44.77\00:42:46.97
because I know
too much about Him.
00:42:47.17\00:42:49.89
And then I am trusting.
00:42:51.37\00:42:53.52
I trust God.
00:42:54.42\00:42:56.10
I trust God to perform
according to His purposes,
00:42:56.53\00:43:00.58
according to His promises.
00:43:00.93\00:43:03.16
I trust His directions,
I trust His decisions,
00:43:03.80\00:43:07.31
with respect to my daily life.
00:43:07.34\00:43:09.55
I trust Him to
provide all of my needs.
00:43:09.58\00:43:13.48
I trust God.
00:43:13.51\00:43:15.10
He has my confidence.
00:43:15.96\00:43:17.90
On mountain bleak
or on the stormy sea,
00:43:17.93\00:43:21.69
though billows
roll He keeps my soul.
00:43:21.72\00:43:25.42
I know my heavenly
Father watches over me.
00:43:25.45\00:43:30.18
And finally, I am relying.
00:43:31.59\00:43:34.96
I believe God, I trust
God, I am relying on God.
00:43:37.29\00:43:43.07
Now this is beyond trust.
00:43:43.63\00:43:45.83
Reliance is
assurance based on experience.
00:43:47.25\00:43:52.44
Reliance is a positive assertion
predicated on the sure knowledge
00:43:54.04\00:44:00.42
that whatever I
get into in God's name
00:44:00.45\00:44:05.08
and for God's
kingdom, I can rely on Him
00:44:05.11\00:44:09.32
to not only be with me,
but to bring me through.
00:44:09.52\00:44:13.58
I believe God; I'm a follower.
00:44:14.90\00:44:18.11
I trust God; I am a servant.
00:44:18.14\00:44:21.46
I rely on God; I am a conqueror.
00:44:21.49\00:44:25.69
So then, to be faithful
is to be so full of faith...
00:44:26.33\00:44:31.17
...that you, through
your entire life, are obedient
00:44:35.69\00:44:42.80
to His will.
00:44:44.18\00:44:45.58
Knowing that He is
completely in charge.
00:44:46.91\00:44:50.61
This church at Smyrna gives
us a standard for faithfulness.
00:44:51.72\00:44:57.41
By example,
their faith declares,
00:44:58.29\00:45:00.90
"Lord, the answer is yes.
00:45:00.93\00:45:05.12
Now what's the question."
00:45:05.83\00:45:07.58
That's belief, that's trust,
and that is reliance in concert.
00:45:09.09\00:45:14.77
And that is what was happening
at the church of Smyrna.
00:45:15.33\00:45:19.60
And it caused the Lord to
say, "I know what you have
00:45:19.96\00:45:23.58
been through, and I know
what you're going through now.
00:45:23.61\00:45:26.91
And I want you to know
that your faith is of such
00:45:26.94\00:45:30.43
that you are
equipped to go on through.
00:45:30.46\00:45:33.67
So then, be thou
faithful unto death,
00:45:33.70\00:45:38.55
and I will give
thee a crown of life."
00:45:38.85\00:45:41.84
Look again at the text.
00:45:42.48\00:45:44.02
"Be thou faithful unto death."
00:45:44.56\00:45:46.10
He didn't say, "Be
thou faithful unto..."
00:45:46.13\00:45:48.59
He said...
00:45:48.63\00:45:49.78
Look again at the text,
"Be thou faithful unto death."
00:45:49.98\00:45:52.91
He didn't say, "Be
thou faithful until death."
00:45:52.94\00:45:57.76
He said, "...unto death."
00:45:58.56\00:46:01.39
"Until" is extensive.
00:46:01.74\00:46:04.76
"Unto" is intensive.
00:46:04.79\00:46:07.36
"Until" is time dimensional.
00:46:07.39\00:46:09.91
"Unto" is event dimensional.
00:46:09.94\00:46:12.69
"Until" is,
"chronos." It is clock time.
00:46:12.72\00:46:16.49
"Unto" is, "kairos." God time.
00:46:16.88\00:46:20.37
"Until" is quantitative.
00:46:20.40\00:46:23.45
"Unto" is qualitative.
00:46:23.48\00:46:25.73
So what is the message?
00:46:26.57\00:46:28.18
Glad you asked.
00:46:29.37\00:46:30.82
"Be thou faithful
to the point of death."
00:46:31.81\00:46:36.71
Die as you fight
the good fight of faith.
00:46:37.50\00:46:41.18
"Be thou faithful unto death."
00:46:41.62\00:46:44.68
That is what He told
this church of Smyrna.
00:46:45.70\00:46:48.19
And that is what He is
telling you and me today.
00:46:49.23\00:46:53.71
That's it.
00:46:54.08\00:46:55.11
That is the
standard of faithfulness.
00:46:55.81\00:47:01.98
And you know something?
00:47:03.03\00:47:04.37
They were.
00:47:05.70\00:47:06.98
Why, the angel, the messenger
of the church of Smyrna,
00:47:07.97\00:47:12.19
was a preacher named Polycarp.
00:47:12.22\00:47:14.94
I'm almost done.
00:47:15.60\00:47:16.98
And near the close
of the second century
00:47:17.72\00:47:20.52
he was martyred
for being faithful.
00:47:20.98\00:47:23.97
It was a festival day.
00:47:24.62\00:47:26.47
And the crowd was in
high and excitable gear.
00:47:26.65\00:47:30.46
Under the emotion, someone
cried out, "Away with Polycarp.
00:47:30.88\00:47:36.24
Away with Polycarp."
00:47:36.44\00:47:38.75
And so they searched out for the
pastor of the church of Smyrna.
00:47:40.88\00:47:46.91
His whereabouts were
made known by a slave child.
00:47:47.79\00:47:51.50
And he was arrested.
00:47:52.23\00:47:53.85
When the officials
came to arrest Polycarp,
00:47:54.59\00:47:57.51
he ordered that a
meal be prepared for them.
00:47:58.59\00:48:01.76
And he asked while they were
eating if they would give him
00:48:04.19\00:48:09.22
the privilege of
praying for one hour.
00:48:09.25\00:48:12.99
Just one hour.
00:48:13.51\00:48:15.93
The chief police was so
impressed that he didn't
00:48:16.68\00:48:19.38
want to carry out his orders.
00:48:19.41\00:48:21.30
And he pleaded with the pastor,
"Just say, 'Caesar is Lord.'
00:48:21.50\00:48:26.40
And if you did that, you
won't have to be burned."
00:48:27.96\00:48:31.45
And Polycarp replied,
"Eighty-six years have I
00:48:31.99\00:48:36.59
served my Lord, and
He has done me no wrong.
00:48:36.62\00:48:42.12
How can I blaspheme my
King who has saved me?"
00:48:42.76\00:48:47.92
Now martyrs were
normally nailed to the stake
00:48:49.08\00:48:53.58
before they were set on fire.
00:48:53.61\00:48:55.64
But Polycarp was
only tied to the stake
00:48:56.34\00:48:59.66
because he assured his murderers
that he wasn't going anywhere.
00:48:59.98\00:49:05.31
That's being
faithful unto death.
00:49:07.70\00:49:11.96
Don't, don't, don't,
don't tell me it can't be done.
00:49:12.37\00:49:16.06
Don't tell me that people
can't be faithful unto death.
00:49:19.15\00:49:23.48
Too many already have.
00:49:25.46\00:49:28.24
Finally, the members
of the church of Smyrna
00:49:29.51\00:49:32.02
discovered a quality of
life which neither tribulation,
00:49:32.05\00:49:35.76
nor poverty, nor slander,
nor death could destroy.
00:49:35.79\00:49:40.04
Though pillaged and peeled, they
were not utterly impoverished.
00:49:40.24\00:49:44.11
In fact, their
suffering only made them richer.
00:49:44.14\00:49:48.69
Their want brought
them greater wealth.
00:49:49.80\00:49:52.45
Their weakness was
a pathway to power.
00:49:52.94\00:49:55.92
Their crucifixion
enabled them to be crowned.
00:49:56.24\00:50:01.07
If we are faithful unto death,
then we will become candidates
00:50:03.95\00:50:09.54
for a robe and a crown.
00:50:10.24\00:50:14.01
If we are faithful,
something better awaits us
00:50:14.40\00:50:19.68
on yonder shore.
00:50:20.36\00:50:22.10
So be thou faithful unto death.
00:50:23.04\00:50:27.35
When the risen Lord made
this pronouncement to the
00:50:28.31\00:50:31.85
church members of Smyrna...
00:50:31.88\00:50:33.66
...He was not
speaking of the material crown.
00:50:40.77\00:50:44.61
He was not offering them
some fading laurel wreath
00:50:46.84\00:50:52.06
or tarnishing piece of metal.
00:50:52.09\00:50:54.83
No, there's a bright
crown, a glorious crown,
00:50:55.97\00:51:01.53
awaiting you and me
in the New Jerusalem.
00:51:02.17\00:51:06.53
But what kind of crown?
00:51:07.99\00:51:10.21
Glad you asked.
00:51:12.19\00:51:13.63
There are two, you know.
00:51:15.21\00:51:16.88
There is the diadem
and there is the stephanos.
00:51:17.92\00:51:22.83
Now the diadem, that's
what it is in the Greek,
00:51:23.79\00:51:28.16
is the one for the
person who occupies the throne.
00:51:28.46\00:51:34.60
It is the symbol
of kingly sovereignty,
00:51:35.36\00:51:38.23
imperial dignity,
majestic enthronement.
00:51:38.26\00:51:42.29
I can't wear that crown.
00:51:42.35\00:51:44.81
That is God's crown.
00:51:45.80\00:51:49.23
That's my Lord's crown.
00:51:50.01\00:51:51.34
I can't wear the diadem,
but I can wear the stephanos.
00:51:51.37\00:51:56.96
The stephanos is
the victor's crown.
00:51:57.61\00:52:01.23
I'm about to shout here now.
00:52:01.88\00:52:03.67
It's for those
who have run the race.
00:52:04.41\00:52:07.72
It's for those who
have kept the faith.
00:52:08.05\00:52:10.70
In God's great
Jerusalem I shall wear a crown.
00:52:12.31\00:52:19.34
And do you know
what I'm going to do?
00:52:20.09\00:52:22.13
I'm going to join the
saints of all the ages
00:52:22.76\00:52:26.30
and start singing with
that great coronation hymn,
00:52:26.40\00:52:31.49
"All hail the
power of Jesus' name;
00:52:31.52\00:52:35.53
let angels prostrate fall.
00:52:35.56\00:52:38.17
Bring forth the royal diadem
and crown Him, yes crown Him,
00:52:38.20\00:52:45.48
crown Him Lord of all.
00:52:45.84\00:52:49.13
O that, with
yonder sacred throng,
00:52:49.16\00:52:52.37
we at His feet may fall;
00:52:52.40\00:52:54.68
we'll join in the
everlasting song, and crown Him
00:52:54.71\00:52:58.91
Lord of all."
00:52:59.54\00:53:01.28
And if you are
faithful, He will crown you.
00:53:01.79\00:53:06.21
And you will have the
privilege of crowning Him.
00:53:06.80\00:53:10.69
My, my, my, what
gracious reciprocity.
00:53:11.26\00:53:14.82
He crowns me, and I share
in the process of crowning Him.
00:53:15.11\00:53:21.24
Thank you, Jesus.
00:53:21.87\00:53:23.48
Thank you,
Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.
00:53:23.88\00:53:27.03
Thank you, Lord.
00:53:27.33\00:53:28.39
You have brought me,
yes, you have brought me
00:53:28.59\00:53:31.25
from a mighty,
a mighty long way.
00:53:31.28\00:53:34.38
"Be thou faithful unto death,
00:53:34.41\00:53:39.06
and I will give
thee a crown of life."
00:53:42.04\00:53:46.98
Let us bow our heads as we pray.
00:53:50.52\00:53:52.60
What a precious promise,
00:53:57.00\00:53:58.95
oh God our Father.
00:54:02.59\00:54:04.60
We humbly bow before You,
00:54:07.14\00:54:11.12
we worship and adore You.
00:54:15.35\00:54:20.05
King of my life
I crown Thee now,
00:54:22.66\00:54:28.31
Thine shall the glory be;
00:54:30.15\00:54:33.67
but lest I forget
Thy thorn-crowned brow,
00:54:35.77\00:54:40.06
lead me, lead us to Calvary.
00:54:42.09\00:54:46.44
Help us, Holy One,
to remain faithful,
00:54:50.15\00:54:57.93
not until death, but unto death,
00:54:59.95\00:55:03.30
that we might have the
privilege of everlasting life.
00:55:06.20\00:55:11.43
And give someone today
listening to this message
00:55:13.28\00:55:17.56
the assurance and the peace
and the confidence of knowing
00:55:17.59\00:55:24.43
that in Christ
they too are victors.
00:55:25.49\00:55:32.17
Victory is mine,
00:55:34.86\00:55:36.66
victory is mine,
victory today is mine,
00:55:37.78\00:55:44.59
through the merits and
blessings of Jesus our Christ.
00:55:46.96\00:55:51.40
Amen, amen.
00:55:52.65\00:55:56.17
Thank you, Brother Kibble.
00:55:59.77\00:56:01.11
God bless.
00:56:01.64\00:56:02.67
We just appreciate
your ministry so much,
00:56:02.70\00:56:04.70
what you're doing
for the cause of God.
00:56:04.73\00:56:06.66
I know everything in life
has not been easy for you.
00:56:07.08\00:56:09.93
And health problems, you've
gone through all the things
00:56:10.40\00:56:13.24
that all the rest of
us have gone through.
00:56:13.27\00:56:14.87
Maybe some more.
00:56:14.90\00:56:16.00
But you're still
there serving the Lord.
00:56:16.20\00:56:18.84
And to me that's encouraging
to see 45 years of ministry,
00:56:19.20\00:56:23.22
still strong in the Lord.
00:56:23.50\00:56:25.10
We have less than a minute left.
00:56:25.13\00:56:26.46
If you could look in
that camera out here;
00:56:26.49\00:56:28.23
and somebody is wavering today.
00:56:28.26\00:56:30.03
They feel like they're the only
one's that are going through
00:56:30.33\00:56:32.67
some things that
nobody else has gone through.
00:56:32.70\00:56:34.81
Maybe the Lord
doesn't really love them.
00:56:35.08\00:56:37.52
They fell like giving up.
00:56:37.55\00:56:38.58
What would you say to them?
00:56:38.61\00:56:39.93
One person...
00:56:40.80\00:56:43.13
...one person...
00:56:44.93\00:56:46.50
...is so precious to God
00:56:49.04\00:56:51.10
that in comparison,
worlds slip into insignificance.
00:56:52.40\00:57:01.63
God has invested in you.
00:57:04.66\00:57:07.86
And all that He has
asked is that you trust in Him.
00:57:09.75\00:57:15.06
Trust in God.
00:57:16.33\00:57:17.96
Believe in God.
00:57:19.08\00:57:21.93
Rely upon God.
00:57:23.01\00:57:26.48
Alright, thank you so much.
00:57:26.68\00:57:28.68
God bless you and
those of you at home.
00:57:28.71\00:57:30.91