It has stood the test of time.
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God's book, the Bible.
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Still relevant in
today's complex world.
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It Is Written ...
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sharing hope around the globe.
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Thanks for joining me
today on It is Written.
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I'm John Bradshaw and I
am going to start today by
00:00:38.53\00:00:41.66
telling you a little
story that might even be true.
00:00:41.66\00:00:44.96
[Background music].
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A man is driving
in heavy traffic.
00:00:47.26\00:00:49.13
And he's not having a good
morning on his way to work.
00:00:49.13\00:00:51.06
He's getting worked up
about what the other drivers are
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doing, and he starts
shouting at the other motorists.
00:00:54.26\00:00:57.53
He gets so mad he starts
pounding his steering wheel
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and he shakes his fist
when someone ducks quickly in
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front of him.
00:01:03.23\00:01:04.33
He honks his horn,
makes a scene, and then in his
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rear-view mirror he
sees flashing lights.
00:01:08.43\00:01:11.40
He's being pulled up.
00:01:11.40\00:01:12.66
"What in the world
have I done wrong?"
00:01:12.66\00:01:15.83
he wonders.
00:01:15.83\00:01:16.83
I haven't broken any laws?
00:01:16.83\00:01:18.23
So the police officer
comes -you know what happens--
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takes his license and heads
back to his squad car while
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our man sits there
brooding and stewing.
00:01:22.50\00:01:25.43
"What a terrible morning!
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I'm late, all these
people are driving like maniacs.
00:01:26.93\00:01:29.56
I'm going nowhere...
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and I get pulled up!"
00:01:30.73\00:01:32.23
He stews a while until the
officer comes back and gives
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him his license back.
00:01:35.90\00:01:37.50
The man says,
"Officer, what did I do wrong?
00:01:37.50\00:01:41.33
I don't think I
was breaking any laws!
00:01:41.33\00:01:43.33
I wasn't driving dangerously!"
00:01:43.33\00:01:45.33
The police officer says,
"I saw the way you were acting
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back there - shouting, and
screaming, and shaking your
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fist, and
honking on your horn..."
00:01:50.70\00:01:52.70
The man cut in and he
said "Officer, you can't pull
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someone up for shouting or
shaking their fist, can you?"
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The officer says,
"That's not why I stopped you.
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I saw the sticker on the
back of your car that says, "God
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bless you," and the other
one on the back of your car that
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says, "Honk if you love Jesus.
00:02:08.60\00:02:11.33
And then I saw your
license place holder that says,
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"Follow me to my church!"
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The officer said, "When I
saw all that, I thought you must
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have stolen that car!"
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I know...
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I know ...
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but the story makes a point.
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Very often God's
people don't get it right.
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And that goes for church
members, for pastors, church
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administrators and
church school teachers.
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Sometimes church leaders make
decisions nobody understands,
00:02:36.83\00:02:40.13
and sometimes
church folks just blow it.
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You'll get differences
of opinion in church,
00:02:43.23\00:02:45.40
personality
clashes, hurt feelings...
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And the saints will sometimes
respond by getting mad.
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I'm not going to
come to church anymore.
00:02:52.20\00:02:54.20
I'm not going to return
my tithe or give offerings to
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the church anymore.
00:02:56.23\00:02:58.03
Some people choose to stay
away from church altogether!
00:02:58.03\00:03:00.76
"I'm never going back THERE!"
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You know, people get upset
with hypocrites in the church
00:03:03.50\00:03:05.50
and they stay away.
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I'll tell you what
I've told many people.
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I've often said I'd rather
go to church with hypocrites
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than go to hell
with hyprocrites!
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Now you'll hear people say
for a variety of reasons, "I
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don't like my church".
00:03:17.70\00:03:19.90
And I guess you can
understand that to a point.
00:03:19.90\00:03:22.96
But wait a minute!
00:03:22.96\00:03:25.70
Just whose church is it anyway?
00:03:25.70\00:03:28.10
And when you figure that out,
ask yourself how Jesus feels,
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when He looks on, at HIS church.
00:03:32.86\00:03:36.50
How does Jesus feel when
He sees the way people act in
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church, the way they treat
each other, the way they get
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mad with each other,
refuse to speak to each other.
00:03:41.80\00:03:45.40
You think there are things
about your church that bug
00:03:45.40\00:03:47.40
YOU?
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Jesus sees it ALL.
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He's there when parents go
home from church and yell at
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their kids, He sees when
people smile at the preacher
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and then criticize him
all the way home in the car.
00:03:57.63\00:04:00.76
He is acquainted with all
the different kinds of church
00:04:00.76\00:04:03.26
politics, He hears the gossip
and He sees when God's people
00:04:03.26\00:04:06.90
say one thing and do another.
00:04:06.90\00:04:09.36
Jesus sees dishonesty;
he sees the infidelity that
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sometimes goes on in church.
00:04:12.70\00:04:15.16
You think YOU have problems
with what goes on in church?
00:04:15.16\00:04:18.13
How do you think JESUS feels?!
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Well, the Bible opens some
of this up to our understanding.
00:04:21.36\00:04:24.43
In the Book of Revelation
Jesus comes straight out and
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says what He doesn't
like about His church.
00:04:27.80\00:04:30.60
You might be surprised
with some of what he says, so
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don't go away,
I'll be right back.
00:04:33.43\00:04:37.26
In Matthew 4:4 the Word of
God says "It is written 'Man
00:04:38.46\00:04:42.30
shall not live by bread
alone but by every word that
00:04:42.30\00:04:46.03
proceeds out of
the mouth of God'."
00:04:46.03\00:04:48.10
Every Word is a one minute
Bible-based daily devotional
00:04:48.10\00:04:51.26
presented by Pastor
John Bradshaw and designed
00:04:51.26\00:04:55.20
especially for
busy people like you.
00:04:55.20\00:04:57.16
Look for Every Word on
selected networks or watch it
00:04:57.16\00:04:59.56
on-line everyday on our
website itiswritten.com.
00:04:59.56\00:05:03.93
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:05:03.93\00:05:06.60
Watch Every Word.
00:05:06.60\00:05:07.56
You'll be glad you did.
00:05:07.56\00:05:12.53
[Music] In Revelation
00:05:13.73\00:05:23.36
chapters 2 and 3 you find
the letters to the 7 churches.
00:05:23.36\00:05:27.60
Seven brief messages,
one each to seven different
00:05:27.60\00:05:30.56
churches.
00:05:30.56\00:05:31.56
Now they were real churches
that existed in John's day in
00:05:31.56\00:05:33.93
the area known in the Bible
as Asia Minor, but today we
00:05:33.93\00:05:37.26
call that Turkey.
00:05:37.26\00:05:39.46
The churches involved are
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos,
00:05:39.46\00:05:42.80
Thyatira, Sardis,
Philadelphia and Laodicea.
00:05:42.80\00:05:47.16
These were young
congregations when John wrote
00:05:47.16\00:05:49.16
to them.
00:05:49.16\00:05:50.16
He wrote to them from
the Island of Patmos, a Greek
00:05:50.16\00:05:52.16
Island in the Aegean
Sea rather close to Turkey.
00:05:52.16\00:05:54.70
And he was on the Island
of Patmos as a prisoner, a
00:05:54.70\00:05:58.83
prisoner for his faith.
00:05:58.83\00:06:00.26
The Roman government had
him pegged as a troublemaker and
00:06:00.26\00:06:03.73
a disturber of the peace.
00:06:03.73\00:06:05.46
Imprisoned for his
faith, cut off from friends and
00:06:05.46\00:06:08.56
associates, John still has
strong faith in God and he is
00:06:08.56\00:06:12.36
gifted by God with the
revelation that ended up
00:06:12.36\00:06:15.46
being the Book of Revelation.
00:06:15.46\00:06:17.93
John was writing at a time
when the Christians of Asia
00:06:17.93\00:06:20.13
were suffering
terrible persecution, and these
00:06:20.13\00:06:23.46
messages were designed to
encourage these poor souls
00:06:23.46\00:06:26.73
and inspire them with hope.
00:06:26.73\00:06:29.16
And when you read the Book
of Revelation you discover that
00:06:29.16\00:06:31.66
this is the first of the
many 'sevens' in Revelation -
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you've got seven Spirits,
candlesticks, stars, seals,
00:06:35.40\00:06:38.70
trumpets, plagues, thunders...
00:06:38.70\00:06:40.70
When the number seven is
used throughout the Bible in a
00:06:40.70\00:06:43.16
symbolic sense, it is
generally understood to
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indicate
completeness or perfection.
00:06:45.46\00:06:48.76
And seeing as there were
more than seven churches in Asia
00:06:48.76\00:06:51.56
Minor (there was Colosse
and Hierapolis and others), we
00:06:51.56\00:06:55.50
conclude that Bible
teachers have historically been
00:06:55.50\00:06:57.70
correct in believing that
each of those seven churches
00:06:57.70\00:07:01.03
in early Revelation
represents an era of church
00:07:01.03\00:07:04.96
history.
00:07:04.96\00:07:06.33
Now the first church
listed correlates with the
00:07:06.33\00:07:08.76
experience of the
early Christian church after
00:07:08.76\00:07:10.76
Christ's death, while
Laodicea, the last of the
00:07:10.76\00:07:14.06
seven, relates to the
church of the last days.
00:07:14.06\00:07:17.63
Jesus has something to say
to each church, and He doesn't
00:07:17.63\00:07:21.53
hold back.
00:07:21.53\00:07:22.53
In fact, He tells them
exactly what He doesn't like
00:07:22.53\00:07:26.50
about their situation.
00:07:26.50\00:07:28.20
Let's look together.
00:07:28.20\00:07:29.20
The first church is the
church of Ephesus, and Jesus
00:07:29.20\00:07:31.60
addresses Ephesus with
a glowing introduction.
00:07:31.60\00:07:35.40
Revelation 2:2,3, he says:
"I know your works, your labor,
00:07:35.40\00:07:42.26
your patience, and that
you cannot bear those who are
00:07:42.26\00:07:45.53
evil.
00:07:45.53\00:07:46.53
And you have tested those who
say they are apostles and are
00:07:46.53\00:07:49.83
not,nd have found
them liars; and you have
00:07:49.83\00:07:53.03
persevered and have patience,
and have labored for My
00:07:53.03\00:07:56.20
name's sake and
have not become weary."
00:07:56.20\00:07:59.56
But...
00:07:59.56\00:08:01.73
They had their problems.
00:08:01.73\00:08:02.90
In the very next verse,
Jesus says, "Nevertheless I have
00:08:02.90\00:08:06.73
this against you, that you
have left your first love."
00:08:06.73\00:08:11.40
Revelation 2:4 To have lost
your first love is a terrible
00:08:11.40\00:08:17.10
thing.
00:08:17.10\00:08:18.10
Sometimes it happens in
relationships, marriages.
00:08:18.10\00:08:20.76
It starts with
flowers and text messages and
00:08:20.76\00:08:24.76
hand-written notes, but
then spirals downward into habit
00:08:24.76\00:08:29.36
and routine.
00:08:29.36\00:08:30.53
The nice little things
that used to happen are HISTORY.
00:08:30.53\00:08:34.50
Too often that
happens with people and Jesus.
00:08:34.50\00:08:37.70
They were always talking
to Him, always wanting to know
00:08:37.70\00:08:40.33
more about Him, always
telling others how wonderful
00:08:40.33\00:08:43.13
He was or is.
00:08:43.13\00:08:45.00
They were in love.
00:08:45.00\00:08:47.26
But love gave way to a
familiarity that bred apathy.
00:08:47.26\00:08:50.96
The fire went cold.
00:08:50.96\00:08:52.83
Not good.
00:08:52.83\00:08:54.06
But Jesus shows us a way out.
00:08:54.06\00:08:56.96
Look at Revelation 2:5
"Remember therefore from
00:08:56.96\00:09:03.40
where you have fallen;"
Remembering where you were
00:09:03.40\00:09:07.16
can spark a
desire to get back there.
00:09:07.16\00:09:09.60
It's just like in a marriage.
00:09:09.60\00:09:11.43
Remember.
00:09:11.43\00:09:12.76
You really had something
- you could have that again.
00:09:12.76\00:09:16.30
And friend, if you
really once had something with
00:09:16.30\00:09:19.03
Jesus, He's wants
you to have that again.
00:09:19.03\00:09:22.23
Back to revelation, Chapter 2.
00:09:22.23\00:09:24.53
"Remember therefore from
where you have fallen; repent
00:09:24.53\00:09:27.93
and do the first works."
00:09:27.93\00:09:29.93
Revelation 2:5 John tells
the church at Ephesus, Think of
00:09:29.93\00:09:33.83
what it used to be like.
00:09:33.83\00:09:35.36
Remember where you used to be.
00:09:35.36\00:09:37.60
Then repent.
00:09:37.60\00:09:38.60
And then do the
first works again.
00:09:38.60\00:09:40.60
And if we don't?
00:09:40.60\00:09:42.23
Let's read the entire
verse, Revelation 2:5 "Remember
00:09:42.23\00:09:46.00
therefore from where you
have fallen; repent and do the
00:09:46.00\00:09:49.10
first works, or else I
will come to you quickly and
00:09:49.10\00:09:52.76
remove your lampstand from
its place--unless you repent.
00:09:52.76\00:09:56.63
Revelation 2:5
The light will go out.
00:09:56.63\00:10:00.86
But Jesus can help you
get that first love back.
00:10:00.86\00:10:03.36
He can heal a wounded
relationship, especially if
00:10:03.36\00:10:06.73
that relationship is with Him.
00:10:06.73\00:10:08.76
The reward promised to
the Ephesian church is that it
00:10:08.76\00:10:12.26
would - if faithful - eat
of the tree of life (v7), and
00:10:12.26\00:10:16.50
that's promise is for us today.
00:10:16.50\00:10:19.00
You see, even though
these letters were written to
00:10:19.00\00:10:21.00
actual churches long ago,
we can see that they contain
00:10:21.00\00:10:23.43
counsel, advice -
and hope - for us.
00:10:23.43\00:10:27.33
We will look at the remaining
churches in just a moment.
00:10:27.33\00:10:31.13
[Music] If you'd like to know
00:10:31.93\00:10:42.63
more about the Book of
Revelation, prophecy and
00:10:42.63\00:10:44.60
last-day events, I have a
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It's called The Next
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00:10:51.60\00:10:53.96
television program.
00:10:53.96\00:10:55.60
The Next Superpower is loaded
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00:10:55.60\00:10:58.90
Revelation.
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Not only will it
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Revelation, but it
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It is a quality, hard-cover
book, that takes an in-depth
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look at the Book of Revelation.
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Please call or write us and
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There is no cost or obligation.
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If the line is
busy, do keep trying.
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You can also request this
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00:11:30.10\00:11:33.26
Written, Box O, Thousand
Oaks, CA 91359 and we will
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mail a copy to your
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00:11:38.66\00:11:41.70
Now please notice: This
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I also want to encourage
you to visit our website:
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itiswritten.com, where
you will discover additional
00:11:51.40\00:11:55.26
helpful resources on a
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00:11:55.26\00:11:59.50
It Is Written is a
faith-based ministry, made
00:11:59.50\00:12:02.66
possible by viewers like you.
00:12:02.66\00:12:04.20
If you wish to help the
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Written and help us to ensure
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Our toll-free number is
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address itiswritten.com.
00:12:28.06\00:12:35.06
???? Music ???? In
the book of Revelation you
00:12:37.90\00:12:45.53
will find the letters
to the seven churches.
00:12:45.53\00:12:47.73
A moment ago, we left
off at the church at Ephesus.
00:12:47.73\00:12:51.36
Next is Smyrna.
00:12:51.36\00:12:53.73
Now Jesus doesn't have
anything negative so say to
00:12:53.73\00:12:56.90
the church at Smyrna.
00:12:56.90\00:12:58.76
This time period here is
when the church went through
00:12:58.76\00:13:01.30
brutal persecution
under the Roman Caesars.
00:13:01.30\00:13:04.20
The ten days mentioned
in verse 10 of Chapter 2 are
00:13:04.20\00:13:09.26
said to refer to the 10
years of persecution under the
00:13:09.26\00:13:13.03
Emperor Diocletian when
thousands of people were
00:13:13.03\00:13:15.36
martyred.
00:13:15.36\00:13:16.36
But during that time of
intense persecution, the
00:13:16.36\00:13:18.36
church possessed an
ardent love for Christ and His
00:13:18.36\00:13:21.36
truth.
00:13:21.36\00:13:22.36
History says that when
the Bishop of Carthage was
00:13:22.36\00:13:24.36
sentenced to die, the
Christians listening cried
00:13:24.36\00:13:26.93
out, "We will die with him!"
00:13:26.93\00:13:29.50
Christ doesn't rebuke these
faithful ones who have been
00:13:29.50\00:13:33.03
through so much, but He
promises them in verse 10
00:13:33.03\00:13:36.03
that they will receive
from Jesus "a crown of life."
00:13:36.03\00:13:40.46
You'll read in Rev 2:8
that Jesus says, "These things
00:13:40.46\00:13:45.00
saith the first and the last,
which was dead and is alive."
00:13:45.00\00:13:50.53
Imagine the
encouragement that would be!
00:13:50.53\00:13:53.06
Jesus says, "You're going
through misery, but you know
00:13:53.06\00:13:55.70
what?
00:13:55.70\00:13:56.70
I went through that too -
I died, but now I am alive."
00:13:56.70\00:14:00.86
What an encouragement that
had to be for the believers
00:14:00.86\00:14:03.00
in Smyrna, many of
whom were facing death.
00:14:03.00\00:14:05.90
You know, Jesus doesn't
always deliver you from the
00:14:05.90\00:14:08.33
calamity facing you, but
He promises you that if you're
00:14:08.33\00:14:11.76
faithful in whatever comes
your way, ultimately you're
00:14:11.76\00:14:15.03
going to experience
the greatest blessings
00:14:15.03\00:14:17.03
imaginable.
00:14:17.03\00:14:18.40
When you're going through
a difficult time you can know
00:14:18.40\00:14:20.66
that Jesus is near.
00:14:20.66\00:14:22.43
You don't have to feel
it, just need to believe it.
00:14:22.43\00:14:25.50
When the heat is
turned up, Jesus is close by.
00:14:25.50\00:14:28.53
And this is what John
told the church at Smyrna.
00:14:28.53\00:14:31.56
But then there's Pergamos.
00:14:31.56\00:14:34.86
Pergamos is in western
Turkey about 20 miles from the
00:14:34.86\00:14:37.70
Aegean Sea.
00:14:37.70\00:14:38.93
It was a fabulous
city in ancient times.
00:14:38.93\00:14:41.23
It had a library with 200,000
volumes in it - Mark Anthony
00:14:41.23\00:14:46.70
gave the library to Cleopatra.
00:14:46.70\00:14:49.36
(She must have liked to read!
00:14:49.36\00:14:51.03
Today I guess he'd just give
her a Kindle or a Nook or an
00:14:51.03\00:14:53.50
e-book or an e-book reader
or something.) There was a
00:14:53.50\00:14:55.80
theatre there that seated
10,000 people, and they say
00:14:55.80\00:14:59.53
it had the steepest seating
of any known theatre in the
00:14:59.53\00:15:01.96
ancient world.
00:15:01.96\00:15:03.36
Now this is the church
period when Christianity became
00:15:03.36\00:15:05.90
popular under the
Roman Emperor Constantine.
00:15:05.90\00:15:09.00
And just what does Jesus
say He doesn't like about His
00:15:09.00\00:15:12.90
church?
00:15:12.90\00:15:14.06
We'll look in Revelation
2:14: "But I have a few
00:15:14.06\00:15:18.33
things against you, because
you have there those who hold
00:15:18.33\00:15:21.20
the doctrine of Balaam,
who taught Balak to put a
00:15:21.20\00:15:24.03
stumbling block before
the children of Israel, to eat
00:15:24.03\00:15:26.70
things sacrificed to
idols, and to commit sexual
00:15:26.70\00:15:30.16
immorality."
00:15:30.16\00:15:32.10
So what was it with Balaam?
00:15:32.10\00:15:34.53
His whole story is one
that it would be good to take up
00:15:34.53\00:15:37.06
at length if we had the time.
00:15:37.06\00:15:39.10
Balaam was a prophet of God,
one of God's people, and the
00:15:39.10\00:15:42.70
Moabites wanted him to
curse Israel to weaken Israel so
00:15:42.70\00:15:46.66
that Israel could be overcome.
00:15:46.66\00:15:48.90
According to 2 Peter
2:15, Balaam loved the wages of
00:15:48.90\00:15:53.93
unrighteousness.
00:15:53.93\00:15:55.63
He was a covetous man,
and when he was offered large
00:15:55.63\00:15:59.10
sums to turn against God's
people, it was too much for
00:15:59.10\00:16:02.53
him to refuse.
00:16:02.53\00:16:03.86
He refused once, but the
second time he refused and
00:16:03.86\00:16:07.23
then, then he said to the
men sent to him, hang around,
00:16:07.23\00:16:10.40
while I enquire
further of the Lord.
00:16:10.40\00:16:12.56
As though God was
going to change his mind!
00:16:12.56\00:16:14.96
Balaam was the one who had
a conversation with a donkey,
00:16:14.96\00:16:17.16
met with an angel and
STILL carried on in his own evil
00:16:17.16\00:16:20.20
way, because he
wanted the money.
00:16:20.20\00:16:23.20
Balaam speaks to those of
us who are motivated by our own
00:16:23.20\00:16:26.06
desires and not
by God's desires.
00:16:26.06\00:16:29.20
Balaam would have had no
trouble knowing God's will if
00:16:29.20\00:16:31.96
only God's will had been
the same as HIS will, and
00:16:31.96\00:16:34.83
sometimes some of
God's people are like that.
00:16:34.83\00:16:37.93
Some folks want their
own way, and not God's way.
00:16:37.93\00:16:40.33
That was Balaam's issue,
and John writes to a church that
00:16:40.33\00:16:43.56
was wrestling with that.
00:16:43.56\00:16:45.16
And in that period when
Christianity became popular
00:16:45.16\00:16:47.56
because the state was smiling
on it, things evidently got a
00:16:47.56\00:16:51.50
little easy for believers.
00:16:51.50\00:16:53.86
Not always the best thing.
00:16:53.86\00:16:56.10
The overcomer in Pergamos
is promised the hidden manna -
00:16:56.10\00:16:59.83
the forever spiritual food
of the believer which promises
00:16:59.83\00:17:02.90
eternal life and health-
the white stone of the high
00:17:02.90\00:17:06.23
priest also, and the new
name indicating a victorious
00:17:06.23\00:17:09.96
experience and a
changed character.
00:17:09.96\00:17:12.53
Friend, thank God
we can all have that.
00:17:12.53\00:17:16.06
Now to the church of Thyatira
in verse 20, Jesus says, "I
00:17:16.06\00:17:20.93
have a few things against
you, because you allow that
00:17:20.93\00:17:23.30
woman Jezebel, who
calls herself a prophetess, to
00:17:23.30\00:17:27.00
teach and seduce My servants
to commit sexual immorality
00:17:27.00\00:17:31.33
and to eat things
sacrificed to idols."
00:17:31.33\00:17:34.93
In the Bible, Jezebel
was married to King Ahab and
00:17:34.93\00:17:38.00
introduced all kinds of
falsehood into the midst of
00:17:38.00\00:17:42.46
God's people.
00:17:42.46\00:17:43.46
In fact, Jezebel managed
to mix light with dark, truth
00:17:43.46\00:17:49.00
with error, so that although
Israel hadn't totally given
00:17:49.00\00:17:52.56
up on God, they were
worshipping both God and
00:17:52.56\00:17:55.63
Baal.
00:17:55.63\00:17:56.63
That's disastrous for
a Christian church, to be
00:17:56.63\00:17:59.00
mixing truth with error,
light with dark, true worship
00:17:59.00\00:18:02.26
with false worship.
00:18:02.26\00:18:03.40
Disastrous!
00:18:03.40\00:18:05.00
God is looking for people
who will be faithful, radically
00:18:05.00\00:18:08.06
committed to truth and right.
00:18:08.06\00:18:10.33
And then God says to this
church, I will give you power
00:18:10.33\00:18:12.60
over all nations,
that you will rule them.
00:18:12.60\00:18:15.63
Interesting - Jesus says,
There's a lot I don't like
00:18:15.63\00:18:19.16
about my church, but I'm
telling you that I'm going to
00:18:19.16\00:18:21.93
give you everlasting life,
because I'm going to save you
00:18:21.93\00:18:25.33
anyway, if you want to be saved!
00:18:25.33\00:18:28.76
Now to Sardis (in Revelation
3:1,2) Jesus says this, "I
00:18:28.76\00:18:34.33
know your works, that
you have a name that you are
00:18:34.33\00:18:37.66
alive, but you are dead.
00:18:37.66\00:18:40.43
Be watchful, and strengthen
the things which remain, that
00:18:40.43\00:18:44.06
are ready to die, for I have
not found your works perfect
00:18:44.06\00:18:48.40
before God."
00:18:48.40\00:18:50.56
What a thing for
Jesus to say to His church.
00:18:50.56\00:18:53.93
You're dead!
00:18:53.93\00:18:55.60
Now that's a wake-up call!
00:18:55.60\00:18:57.46
Dead people in the church.
00:18:57.46\00:18:59.06
You think there's
any of that today?
00:18:59.06\00:19:02.00
Now here's the good news.
00:19:02.00\00:19:03.40
Remember the prodigal son?
00:19:03.40\00:19:04.66
His father said, "My son
was dead, but now he's alive."
00:19:04.66\00:19:09.30
The gospel is the work of
bringing the spiritually dead
00:19:09.30\00:19:12.06
back to life.
00:19:12.06\00:19:13.33
So Christ says to the church
in Sardis, in Revelation 3,
00:19:13.33\00:19:18.56
"He who overcomes shall
be clothed in white garments,
00:19:18.56\00:19:22.30
and I will not blot out
his name from the Book of Life;
00:19:22.30\00:19:25.53
but I will confess his
name before My Father and before
00:19:25.53\00:19:29.83
His angels."
00:19:29.83\00:19:31.96
I'm glad the Lord is
able to raise the dead.
00:19:31.96\00:19:34.53
That means there's
hope for all of us!
00:19:34.53\00:19:38.50
Now the church in Philadelphia.
00:19:38.50\00:19:40.80
It doesn't appear that Jesus
reproves this church at all.
00:19:40.80\00:19:44.30
He does say the church
has little strength, but maybe
00:19:44.30\00:19:47.40
that's a commendation,
that they have strength at all.
00:19:47.40\00:19:50.30
It is said that the time
period represented here is
00:19:50.30\00:19:52.86
the time after the
Reformation has taken place.
00:19:52.86\00:19:55.76
And if you study that
history, you'll see that the
00:19:55.76\00:19:57.80
church got stuck in a
rut after the reformation had
00:19:57.80\00:20:00.36
brought it back to life.
00:20:00.36\00:20:02.03
But then God makes another
promise to a faltering body
00:20:02.03\00:20:05.13
of believers: God's
promise to his church is to be a
00:20:05.13\00:20:09.13
pillar in the temple,
and to have His new name.
00:20:09.13\00:20:13.40
See, we receive the character
of Christ, because we receive
00:20:13.40\00:20:17.56
the gift of His life.
00:20:17.56\00:20:20.26
Then Laodicea, which
correlates with the church in
00:20:20.26\00:20:24.00
the last years
of Earth's history.
00:20:24.00\00:20:26.20
Notice what God says:
This is Revelation 3:15,16.
00:20:26.20\00:20:31.83
"I know your works, that
you are neither cold nor hot.
00:20:31.83\00:20:35.96
I could wish you
were cold or hot.
00:20:35.96\00:20:39.13
So then, because you are
lukewarm, and neither cold
00:20:39.13\00:20:42.33
nor hot, I will
vomit you out of My mouth."
00:20:42.33\00:20:47.33
Lukewarm -- not cold or hot.
00:20:47.33\00:20:51.26
The result is that God will
spew many of these people out
00:20:51.26\00:20:53.73
of His mouth.
00:20:53.73\00:20:54.83
And if I can be agricultural
for just a moment, spewing is
00:20:54.83\00:20:59.16
not a voluntary action.
00:20:59.16\00:21:00.63
It is involuntary.
00:21:00.63\00:21:01.83
Which is to say, this isn't
something God wants to do, or
00:21:01.83\00:21:04.60
tries to do, but it is
something He has to do.
00:21:04.60\00:21:08.30
Something very curious here
is that there is something in
00:21:08.30\00:21:11.30
God's eyes that is worse
than being against God, and that
00:21:11.30\00:21:16.16
is being lukewarm.
00:21:16.16\00:21:18.73
To be going through the
motions as a Christian is
00:21:18.73\00:21:21.06
more dangerous than
to be opposed to God.
00:21:21.06\00:21:24.50
You see, if you're
self-deceived - that is truly
00:21:24.50\00:21:27.30
hazardous to your
spiritual well-being.
00:21:27.30\00:21:29.50
And clearly it is
entirely possible to be in that
00:21:29.50\00:21:31.76
condition.
00:21:31.76\00:21:32.76
I heard a few years ago
about people living in a part of
00:21:32.76\00:21:35.30
Rhode Island.
00:21:35.30\00:21:36.60
They thought they had lived
their whole life in RI, but
00:21:36.60\00:21:39.20
when the map was re-examined
it was found that they had
00:21:39.20\00:21:42.26
actually been living the
entire time in Connecticut,
00:21:42.26\00:21:45.93
even though they had a RI zip
code, area code, address, the
00:21:45.93\00:21:48.80
whole thing.
00:21:48.80\00:21:49.80
All their lives they lived
in a state different to the
00:21:49.80\00:21:52.63
state they thought
they were living in!
00:21:52.63\00:21:55.03
You know that can happen to
Christians, who think they're
00:21:55.03\00:21:57.30
fine but they're not
because they're self-deceived.
00:21:57.30\00:22:03.76
Reading Revelation 3:17 and on.
00:22:03.76\00:22:07.96
"Because you say, 'I am rich,
have become wealthy, and have
00:22:07.96\00:22:12.10
need of nothing'--and do
not know that you are wretched,
00:22:12.10\00:22:14.80
miserable, poor, blind,
and naked--" (Revelation 3:17)
00:22:14.80\00:22:17.40
They are self-deceived.
00:22:17.40\00:22:19.10
Man, is there any hope?
00:22:19.10\00:22:21.80
Yes there is.
00:22:21.80\00:22:22.80
Here is what the Bible says:
"I counsel you to buy from Me
00:22:22.80\00:22:27.20
gold refined in the
fire, that you may be rich; and
00:22:27.20\00:22:30.43
white garments, that you may
be clothed, that the shame of
00:22:30.43\00:22:34.16
your nakedness may not
be revealed; and anoint your
00:22:34.16\00:22:38.00
eyes with eye
salve, that you may see.
00:22:38.00\00:22:40.40
As many as I love,
I rebuke and chasten.
00:22:40.40\00:22:44.30
Therefore be
zealous and repent."
00:22:44.30\00:22:48.00
Revelation 3:18-19
Gold tried in the fire.
00:22:48.00\00:22:52.20
Someone said that's
faith that works by love.
00:22:52.20\00:22:55.16
White garments - the
righteousness of Jesus.
00:22:55.16\00:22:59.03
And that eye salve?
00:22:59.03\00:23:00.16
That's the Holy Spirit -
He can help us to see as He
00:23:00.16\00:23:03.53
sees.
00:23:03.53\00:23:04.86
And notice what
God tells us to do.
00:23:04.86\00:23:07.06
Be zealous, and repent.
00:23:07.06\00:23:10.30
God calls us to
have zeal for Him.
00:23:10.30\00:23:13.66
You know what zeal is?
00:23:13.66\00:23:14.66
Enthusiasm.
00:23:14.66\00:23:15.66
Passion.
00:23:15.66\00:23:16.66
Fervor.
00:23:16.66\00:23:17.66
Ardor.
00:23:17.66\00:23:18.66
Are you passionate for Christ?
00:23:18.66\00:23:20.66
Because I'll tell you
what, he's passionate about you.
00:23:20.66\00:23:23.13
Are you fervent for Jesus?
00:23:23.13\00:23:24.53
Are you ardent for God?
00:23:24.53\00:23:27.26
God says that if we open
up the door of our hearts to
00:23:27.26\00:23:29.53
Jesus, He'll come in and then
he will allow us to sit with
00:23:29.53\00:23:34.53
Him on His throne.
00:23:34.53\00:23:37.26
Isn't it amazing?
00:23:37.26\00:23:38.83
God tells us candidly exactly
what He thinks is wrong with
00:23:38.83\00:23:42.90
His church, what he doesn't
like about his church and the
00:23:42.90\00:23:46.30
things that look bad.
00:23:46.30\00:23:47.93
A group that has left its
first love; that is tied up
00:23:47.93\00:23:51.00
in the same mess as
Balaam was, that tolerates the
00:23:51.00\00:23:54.26
foolishness of Jezebel,
and whose works are not perfect
00:23:54.26\00:23:57.43
before God.
00:23:57.43\00:23:58.53
There are people claiming
to be believers who really are
00:23:58.53\00:24:00.70
not, and people who
have deceived themselves into
00:24:00.70\00:24:04.10
thinking they're okay
when they're a total spiritual
00:24:04.10\00:24:07.06
basket case.
00:24:07.06\00:24:08.93
Is it any wonder there
are people who say they don't
00:24:08.93\00:24:11.06
like their church?
00:24:11.06\00:24:12.93
Hold on.
00:24:12.93\00:24:14.13
Hold on.
00:24:14.13\00:24:15.23
What is Jesus saying?
00:24:15.23\00:24:17.26
Jesus, who died for this
church, only points out the
00:24:17.26\00:24:21.33
foibles of it in an effort
to spur it on to repentance.
00:24:21.33\00:24:26.26
And through it all, Jesus
is depicted as being in the
00:24:26.26\00:24:29.80
midst of His church.
00:24:29.80\00:24:32.83
He has the leaders in His
hand, according to Revelation
00:24:32.83\00:24:35.30
1, and He
stands with His people.
00:24:35.30\00:24:38.23
So even if you're at the
point where you're about to
00:24:38.23\00:24:40.76
say, The church is just
too bad, remember that it's
00:24:40.76\00:24:46.40
Christ's church and He
has all the help we need to be
00:24:46.40\00:24:51.40
all that He can help us to be.
00:24:51.40\00:24:53.86
And if you're
dissatisfied with the Church,
00:24:53.86\00:24:55.86
disillusioned with
Christianity because of what
00:24:55.86\00:24:58.16
you see in the church,
these 7 messages help us to see
00:24:58.16\00:25:01.80
that Jesus is
still with the church.
00:25:01.80\00:25:05.00
No point trying to tear
the church down, when Jesus is
00:25:05.00\00:25:07.16
trying to build it up.
00:25:07.16\00:25:08.80
You don't have to be a genius
to see the shortcomings of
00:25:08.80\00:25:11.00
something, but seeing the
way out of the mire takes some
00:25:11.00\00:25:16.33
vision.
00:25:16.33\00:25:17.33
If Jesus can list the
weaknesses of the church and
00:25:17.33\00:25:19.33
still see a future for it,
then we can apply this on a
00:25:19.33\00:25:22.00
personal basis.
00:25:22.00\00:25:23.56
The church is made up
of people, and if there's a
00:25:23.56\00:25:25.66
future for a wayward church,
there has to be a future for
00:25:25.66\00:25:28.60
a wayward person.
00:25:28.60\00:25:30.13
There has to be hope
for a struggling soul.
00:25:30.13\00:25:33.13
You know there's
hope for a lost sheep.
00:25:33.13\00:25:35.96
I hope you'll pardon this
story I'm about to tell you,
00:25:35.96\00:25:37.96
but it's true and I
think it makes the point.
00:25:37.96\00:25:41.20
In the city of Suwa in
Japan, city authorities found
00:25:41.20\00:25:46.46
treasure in an unexpected place.
00:25:46.46\00:25:49.83
In an effort to get rid of
the city's sewage waste, they
00:25:49.83\00:25:54.00
decided to incinerate it.
00:25:54.00\00:25:56.20
They had been having someone
take it away and paying for
00:25:56.20\00:25:58.46
someone to do that.
00:25:58.46\00:26:00.13
They decided they would
burn it down into industrial
00:26:00.13\00:26:02.50
waste.
00:26:02.50\00:26:03.50
Now what do you think
they found in the ashes?
00:26:03.50\00:26:07.26
They found gold -
$200,000 worth a year.
00:26:07.26\00:26:11.16
See, mineral waters flow
through the town, and there's
00:26:11.16\00:26:13.73
an industry in the area
that uses gold to gold-plate
00:26:13.73\00:26:16.23
things.
00:26:16.23\00:26:17.23
So even though it is in the
sewage in tiny amounts, it's
00:26:17.23\00:26:20.86
there, and when they stuff
is burned up, this gold remains
00:26:20.86\00:26:25.00
and can be seen in
the ashes of the waste!
00:26:25.00\00:26:28.06
Sewage - just sewage --
and there was valuable treasure
00:26:28.06\00:26:32.93
in it!
00:26:32.93\00:26:34.43
Before you decide that
something worthless, consider
00:26:34.43\00:26:37.33
that God can find great worth
where you'd least expect it.
00:26:37.33\00:26:42.00
That goes for His church,
it goes for you, and thank God
00:26:42.00\00:26:45.96
it goes for me.
00:26:45.96\00:26:46.96
We are valuable in God's
eyes - His church is so valuable
00:26:46.96\00:26:52.93
he considered it to be worth
the cost of the life of his
00:26:52.93\00:26:58.03
own Son.
00:26:58.03\00:26:59.43
How valuable does that make you?
00:26:59.43\00:27:02.60
Let's pray.
00:27:02.60\00:27:04.10
Father in heaven, thank
you that even though Jesus is
00:27:04.10\00:27:07.10
able to say "here's what I
don't like about my church"
00:27:07.10\00:27:10.23
we can know that Jesus
still values it and every
00:27:10.23\00:27:13.40
circumstance and situation
shows a way out or a way
00:27:13.40\00:27:16.03
back.
00:27:16.03\00:27:17.53
Thank you, Lord, that even
if we are struggling, even if we
00:27:17.53\00:27:20.70
are getting it wrong, there
is a way out and there is a
00:27:20.70\00:27:22.73
way back.
00:27:22.73\00:27:23.56
Let us be encouraged
that we've always got hope in
00:27:23.56\00:27:25.43
Jesus and thank you for that.
00:27:25.43\00:27:27.33
In Jesus' name, Amen.
00:27:27.33\00:27:30.60
[Music] Thanks for joining me
00:27:32.43\00:27:47.73
today.
00:27:47.73\00:27:48.63
I look forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:48.63\00:27:50.46
Until then, remember - It
Is Written: man shall not live
00:27:50.46\00:27:54.33
by bread alone, but by every
word that proceeds from the
00:27:54.33\00:27:57.93
mouth of God.
00:27:57.93\00:27:59.93