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,
sharing hope around the globe.
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Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
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I am John Bradshaw.
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Have you ever noticed
that food products you so often
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see in advertisements don't
seem to bear much resemblance
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to the food you actually
see in restaurants and fast-food
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places?
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These big glossy pictures you
see in billboards and on signs
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and in magazines and
various ads here and there -
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I've often heard people
say, and I'm sure I've said
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myself, "That doesn't
look a lot like anything
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I've ever purchased..."
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McDonald's in Canada recently
released a video showing how
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one of their burgers is
prepared for a photo shoot.
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For a burger to look good
in an advertisement it takes
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a whole team of stylists
several hours of preparation.
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The video shows that
the burger is prepared
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meticulously before
being photographed in a photo
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studio - the cheese is
melted down with a warmed knife
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and mustard and
ketchup are actually added
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with a syringe.
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The bun is then strategically
slanted to show off
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the ingredients in
the most attractive way,
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and then comes - computer magic.
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The colors in the photo
are digitally enhanced, and all
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the imperfections in the
bun are smoothed out so that
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everything looks perfect.
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[Music in the background]
You might think you're
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looking at the real
thing, but you're not.
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The real thing is far
less perfect that the publicity
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suggests.
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I haven't eaten one of
these in more than 20 years...
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Now, I hope you don't mind
me comparing a fast-food burger
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to the church, but I'm about to.
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It isn't uncommon to have
an idea in your mind of what
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the church should be
like, and, then find out
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that like this burger right
here the church often appears
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to be more
perfect than it really is.
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You drive past a beautiful
big building and you might
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think to yourself, "Ooooh."
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Or you hear the choir sing
or the pastor speak or you hear
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about the community programs
and you might think, "Those
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people must be so close to God!"
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And maybe some of them are.
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I remember the first time
I walked into a church after
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I'd decided to be
a follower of Jesus.
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They sang!
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They prayed!
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They acted the part!
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I thought they were all ready
to go to heaven right then.
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But before too long, the gloss
started to wear off, in that I
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discovered people
weren't as perfect as I thought
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they might have been.
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And over the years, I've
discovered that it's very
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hard to find a perfect church.
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In fact, I've never found one.
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Never even come close.
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And this discourages
some people, you know?
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Here's the sad truth.
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Church leaders and pastors
and ministers and members
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frequently get it wrong:
there are moral failings,
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financial messes,
inter-personal friction...
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and some of these things even
make the headlines in the news
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media.
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People are imperfect,
they act imperfectly, and yet
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Jesus rested the hopes
for the future of the church
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upon imperfect people.
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And how does He feel about this?
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Well, God's history with
His people is sort of complex,
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in a way.
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He created a perfect
world and put two perfect people
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in a perfect garden,
and they went astray!
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He would have to send His
Son Jesus to redeem the world
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and bring the human family
back into harmony with Him.
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Later, God called
Abraham to follow Him.
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But even Abraham
didn't always get it right.
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Then, like his dad, Isaac
lied about his wife; Jacob
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swindled Esau; and the
sons of Jacob were just plain
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dysfunctional at times.
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And these were God's "leaders".
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Israel was in the wilderness
40 years because of their
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unbelief, and they were led
by Moses, who was a murderer!
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They finally made it to the
Promised Land, and acquitted
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themselves so badly 10
of the twelve tribes were
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scattered and absorbed into
the heathen nations around them.
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Then, when Jesus came to
Israel - His church, really -
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He hardly got a great welcome.
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There were hundreds of
prophecies about His coming.
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John 1:11 puts it this way.
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He came to His own, and
His own did not receive Him.
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The book of Isaiah says in
chapter 53:3, He is despised
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and rejected by men, A Man
of sorrows and acquainted with
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grief.
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His own people called for
His death, and had Him nailed
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to a cross.
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His own people!
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And you think YOUR
church has problems.
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Someone who was there
when Jesus was crucified was
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the apostle John.
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About 60 years after
the crucifixion, John wrote
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the book of Revelation.
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John was a prisoner on
the Island of Patmos, a tiny
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island in the Aegean Sea,
close to Turkey, measuring
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just 13 square miles in area.
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Now for perspective, New
York City is 468 square miles.
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Patmos is just over
half the size of Providence,
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Rhode Island, and
smaller than Frankfort, KY.
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And there was John, on
Patmos, a prisoner, when God
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gave him the
vision that ended up being
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the Book of Revelation.
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And John was aware that
the early Christian church
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was far from perfect!
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He'd seen it all -
arguing, theological debates,
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troublemakers in the
church, faulty church leaders...
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But I want you to
notice something - and that is,
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where John saw Jesus.
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Let's look in
Revelation 1, verses 12 and 13.
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"Then I turned to see
the voice that spoke with me.
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And having turned I saw
seven golden lampstands,
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and in the midst of the seven
lampstands One like the Son
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of Man."
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Now this is fascinating,
because we read in Revelation
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1:20 that "the seven
lampstands which you saw are
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the seven churches."
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Isn't that something?
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Jesus is shown as being
in the midst of His churches-
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His far from perfect churches.
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What does Jesus say
about these churches?
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We're going to find that
in spite of all her failings,
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Jesus has a lot to say
about the churches that is good.
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In just a moment, we'll open
up Revelation 2, and find our
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what Jesus likes
about His church.
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In Matthew 4:4 the Word of
God says "It is written 'Man
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shall not live by bread
alone but by every word that
00:07:04.36\00:07:08.10
proceeds out of
the mouth of God'."
00:07:08.10\00:07:10.03
Every Word is a one minute
Bible-based daily devotional
00:07:10.03\00:07:13.23
presented by Pastor
John Bradshaw and designed
00:07:13.23\00:07:16.36
especially for
busy people like you.
00:07:16.36\00:07:18.90
Look for Every Word on
selected networks or watch
00:07:18.90\00:07:21.66
it on-line everyday on
our website itiswritten.com.
00:07:21.66\00:07:24.76
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:07:24.76\00:07:28.00
Watch Every Word.
00:07:28.00\00:07:29.63
You'll be glad you did.
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Here4s a sample.
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I get asked every
now and then about this.
00:07:41.13\00:07:43.16
We're saved by
grace through faith.
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Right.
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But then Revelation 22:12
says, "And, behold, I come
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quickly; and my reward is
with me, to give every man
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according as his work shall be."
00:07:52.03\00:07:55.06
It sounds to some people
as though this is saying we're
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not saved by God's
grace, but by our works.
00:07:56.80\00:07:59.03
Now lets look at this carefully.
00:07:59.03\00:08:00.80
John writes that we're JUDGED
by our works, not SAVED by our
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works.
00:08:04.40\00:08:05.56
The point is that our
works - how we live our lives -
00:08:05.56\00:08:08.46
demonstrates or gives evidence
regarding the reality of our
00:08:08.46\00:08:11.56
profession.
00:08:11.56\00:08:13.16
Anyone at all can claim
to be a follower of Jesus,
00:08:13.16\00:08:15.83
but it isn't what you
say that really matters.
00:08:15.83\00:08:18.90
It's how you live.
00:08:18.90\00:08:19.90
That's where the
evidence really is.
00:08:19.90\00:08:22.20
In the judgment, it isn't a
profession God is looking for.
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It's the real thing.
00:08:24.90\00:08:28.10
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
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Let's live today by Every Word.
00:08:30.43\00:08:32.13
[Music] In Revelation chapters 2
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and 3, John writes to
seven churches in Asia Minor -
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today we'd call that
part of the world Turkey.
00:08:38.80\00:08:42.16
Now these were literal
churches in literal places -
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Ephesus, Smyrna,
Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis,
00:08:44.80\00:08:48.70
Philadelphia and Laodicea.
00:08:48.70\00:08:51.23
So the messages
were in the first place
00:08:51.23\00:08:53.60
for those churches.
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But that number 7 appears
all over the book of Revelation.
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You read about not only 7
churches but seven Spirits,
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the seven candlesticks, seven
stars, seven lamps of fire,
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a book that has seven
seals, the seven horns and seven
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eyes of the Lamb, seven
angels with seven trumpets,
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seven thunders, a dragon
with seven heads and seven
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crowns, a beast with seven
heads, seven angels having seven
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vials containing the seven
last plagues, and the beast
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with seven heads, which
are also said to be seven
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mountains and seven kings.
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This repeated use of the number
seven with so many different
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symbols suggests
there's a symbolic element
00:09:29.63\00:09:33.00
to it.
00:09:33.00\00:09:34.00
Throughout Scripture
the number seven, when used
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symbolically, is
generally understood to indicate
00:09:36.00\00:09:38.93
completeness, perfection.
00:09:38.93\00:09:41.63
While the messages to the seven
churches applied to conditions
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in the church of
John's day, it also appears
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reasonable to understand
these messages as descriptive
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of the whole church at
any time during its history.
00:09:51.33\00:09:54.66
A Christian writer
wrote in about 200 A.D.
00:09:54.66\00:09:56.73
that "John writes to the seven
churches, yet he speaks to all".
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In other words, there's
something in there for everyone.
00:10:01.73\00:10:05.40
The churches are listed
in the order a messenger
00:10:05.40\00:10:07.50
carrying a letter from John
on Patmos would get to those
00:10:07.50\00:10:10.40
cities.
00:10:10.40\00:10:11.40
And the churches,
though they existed long ago,
00:10:11.40\00:10:14.43
are representative of the
Christian church at various
00:10:14.43\00:10:17.20
stages down through history.
00:10:17.20\00:10:19.06
Let's look at that, and
let's see what Jesus likes about
00:10:19.06\00:10:22.13
His church.
00:10:22.13\00:10:23.36
First the church of Ephesus.
00:10:23.36\00:10:26.33
The word
'Ephesus' means "desirable".
00:10:26.33\00:10:28.46
It represents the first
period of church history
00:10:28.46\00:10:30.90
after Christ died.
00:10:30.90\00:10:32.43
Ephesus had been a stronghold
of paganism where the apostle
00:10:32.43\00:10:35.13
Paul had taught and
preached and worked miracles.
00:10:35.13\00:10:37.40
Now this era represented by
the church of Ephesus was one
00:10:37.40\00:10:40.70
when the gospel message
was pure and the church grew,
00:10:40.70\00:10:45.16
and Jesus commends the
Ephesian church by saying
00:10:45.16\00:10:48.23
in Revelation 2:2,3, "I
know your works, your labor,
00:10:48.23\00:10:52.00
your patience, and that you
cannot bear those who are evil.
00:10:52.00\00:10:57.23
And that you have
tested those who say they
00:10:57.23\00:10:59.50
are apostles and are not,
and have found them liars;
00:10:59.50\00:11:03.50
and you have persevered and
have patience, and have labored
00:11:03.50\00:11:05.93
for My name's sake
and have not become weary.
00:11:05.93\00:11:09.36
Jesus says, "I know your works."
00:11:09.36\00:11:12.63
I'm aware of your deeds
as they give evidence of your
00:11:12.63\00:11:15.80
moral character, and I
know how you've endured..
00:11:15.80\00:11:18.66
This was a time
when the church grew.
00:11:18.66\00:11:22.16
Churches sprung up, and
paganism actually feared
00:11:22.16\00:11:25.23
for it's existence.
00:11:25.23\00:11:26.56
Jewish leaders said believers
had turned the world upside
00:11:26.56\00:11:29.86
down.
00:11:29.86\00:11:30.86
And Jesus commends the
Ephesians by saying, "I know
00:11:30.86\00:11:34.26
how you can not
bear them which are evil.
00:11:34.26\00:11:37.20
You have tried them who
claim to be true believers,
00:11:37.20\00:11:40.20
and you've uncovered them."
00:11:40.20\00:11:41.83
Now Jesus likes it when
we have very little tolerance
00:11:41.83\00:11:45.03
for sin -
especially in our own lives.
00:11:45.03\00:11:47.73
Not intolerance for evildoers,
because there is an evildoer
00:11:47.73\00:11:50.73
inside all of us.
00:11:50.73\00:11:52.66
Jesus says, What I like about
my church, is that they have
00:11:52.66\00:11:56.40
accepted my
standard of righteousness.
00:11:56.40\00:11:59.70
Now here's a challenge for us.
00:11:59.70\00:12:02.56
We live in an age
of moral relativism.
00:12:02.56\00:12:05.50
Preachers are under
immense pressure to soft-peddle
00:12:05.50\00:12:08.06
the Bible.
00:12:08.06\00:12:09.30
But some things are
wrong, and always will be wrong.
00:12:09.30\00:12:12.30
Now you don't want to
sound harsh, but there are some
00:12:12.30\00:12:14.70
things that aren't
consistent with Christianity.
00:12:14.70\00:12:17.60
And surely it's
okay to acknowledge that.
00:12:17.60\00:12:19.66
In fact, we have a
responsibility to do so.
00:12:19.66\00:12:21.86
Now, on the other hand,
if you're immoral, if you're
00:12:21.86\00:12:26.70
breaking the 10
commandments, If you4re ...
00:12:26.70\00:12:29.43
whatever you4re into ...
00:12:29.43\00:12:31.06
you may know that you're
doing wrong, but you may not
00:12:31.06\00:12:34.10
know how to fix that.
00:12:34.10\00:12:35.80
My friend, remember, Jesus
is in the midst of his churches.
00:12:35.80\00:12:39.60
He identifies with His people.
00:12:39.60\00:12:41.96
If you hear God's
voice, don't resist.
00:12:41.96\00:12:44.66
If you know that God is inviting
you to make the simple request,
00:12:44.66\00:12:46.66
Lord Jesus, come into
my heart and make me new,
00:12:46.66\00:12:49.80
He will do that for you!
00:12:49.80\00:12:53.10
He really will.
00:12:53.10\00:12:54.20
The Ephesian church actually
stood for something, and Jesus
00:12:54.20\00:12:56.63
said, That's something
I like about My church!
00:12:56.63\00:13:02.80
The next church mentioned
is the church of Smyrna, and we
00:13:02.80\00:13:06.13
will look at the church
of Smyrna in just a moment.
00:13:06.13\00:13:08.80
I4ll be right back.
00:13:08.80\00:13:10.00
Planning for your financial
future is a vital aspect
00:13:12.50\00:13:14.80
of Christian Stewardship.
00:13:14.80\00:13:16.70
For this reason, It Is
Written is pleased to offer free
00:13:16.70\00:13:18.90
planned giving
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Eyes for India is giving
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can be a part of this
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Fifteen million blind people
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at itiswritten.com.
00:14:58.23\00:15:00.86
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:15:02.13\00:15:04.13
Today we are looking
at the churches mentioned
00:15:04.13\00:15:07.23
in the opening chapters
of the book of Revelation.
00:15:07.23\00:15:09.76
The next church we4re looking
at is the church of Smyrna.
00:15:09.76\00:15:12.43
Smyrna - might mean
"sweet smelling", which possibly
00:15:12.43\00:15:14.76
equates with the many who
gave their lives for their
00:15:14.76\00:15:18.33
faith in Jesus.
00:15:18.33\00:15:20.00
Some scholars say the
church of Smyrna correlates with
00:15:20.00\00:15:22.13
the period of history from
about the end of the 1st century
00:15:22.13\00:15:25.13
to about the
beginning of the 4th.
00:15:25.13\00:15:26.90
What does Jesus
like about this church?
00:15:26.90\00:15:29.70
Let's read Revelation 2:9 "I
know your works, tribulation,
00:15:29.70\00:15:33.60
and poverty (but you
are rich); and I know
00:15:33.60\00:15:37.40
the blasphemy of those who
say they are Jews and are not,
00:15:37.40\00:15:41.20
but are a synagogue of Satan."
00:15:41.20\00:15:44.30
He goes on to urge them
not to fear, but to hold fast
00:15:44.30\00:15:47.90
and be faithful.
00:15:47.90\00:15:49.26
These were people who were
poor in this world's goods,
00:15:49.26\00:15:51.63
but Jesus called them
rich because they were rich
00:15:51.63\00:15:55.03
in faith, and Jesus
liked that about His church.
00:15:55.03\00:15:58.40
Jesus likes it when His
church manifests faith in Him
00:15:58.40\00:16:01.63
no matter what
the circumstances.
00:16:01.63\00:16:03.93
And that's what faith is.
00:16:03.93\00:16:04.96
Faith is believing the
word of God simply because
00:16:04.96\00:16:07.83
it's the word of God, and
not because of anything external
00:16:07.83\00:16:11.13
suggesting that you should.
00:16:11.13\00:16:13.20
Anyone can trust God
when things are good, but when
00:16:13.20\00:16:15.43
the chips are down,
that's another matter.
00:16:15.43\00:16:18.40
I read the story of a man
who'd been wrongly imprisoned
00:16:18.40\00:16:21.13
in the State of Oregon
for over 20 years, for a crime
00:16:21.13\00:16:23.53
he didn't commit.
00:16:23.53\00:16:24.53
When he was finally
released he was able to say,
00:16:24.53\00:16:28.03
God is good.
00:16:28.03\00:16:29.03
No bitterness.
00:16:29.03\00:16:30.03
You see, he never lost his
faith and he trusted in God,
00:16:30.03\00:16:32.06
even when the chips were down.
00:16:32.06\00:16:34.06
And that's faith.
00:16:34.06\00:16:35.06
And that's what Jesus liked
about the church of Smyrna.
00:16:35.06\00:16:38.73
Rich in faith, even
when they had nothing else.
00:16:38.73\00:16:43.00
The third church is the
church of Pergamos, which means
00:16:43.00\00:16:45.90
"elevation".
00:16:45.90\00:16:48.10
What did Jesus
like about this church?
00:16:48.10\00:16:51.63
When the Roman
Emperor Constantine embraced
00:16:51.63\00:16:53.83
Christianity, the Christian
faith was elevated to a position
00:16:53.83\00:16:56.83
of favor among the Roman Empire.
00:16:56.83\00:16:59.63
Church and state
started to join hands.
00:16:59.63\00:17:02.46
And Jesus says to the
church of Pergamos in Revelation
00:17:02.46\00:17:06.06
2:13, "I know your works,
and where you dwell, where
00:17:06.06\00:17:11.23
Satan's throne is.
00:17:11.23\00:17:13.20
And you hold fast to My name,
and did not deny My faith."
00:17:13.20\00:17:18.90
Jesus likes it because
they have not denied His faith.
00:17:18.90\00:17:22.63
Not denied the "faith"
in Him, and therefore in
00:17:22.63\00:17:25.93
His word.
00:17:25.93\00:17:27.33
You know, I don't
have to have answers to all
00:17:27.33\00:17:29.96
the questions that the
Bible raises, and I don't know
00:17:29.96\00:17:32.23
anyone who does, actually.
00:17:32.23\00:17:34.03
I might have answers for
many, but I can't tell you
00:17:34.03\00:17:36.66
how Jesus could raise the dead.
00:17:36.66\00:17:39.06
Or give sight to the blind.
00:17:39.06\00:17:40.30
Or turn water into wine.
00:17:40.30\00:17:41.83
Or heal lepers.
00:17:41.83\00:17:43.93
But I don't have
to know how He did it.
00:17:43.93\00:17:46.33
I simply believe that He did it.
00:17:46.33\00:17:48.70
It's that easy.
00:17:48.70\00:17:49.83
You know today, a staggering
amount of churches don't believe
00:17:49.83\00:17:51.90
in the Bible
account of a 6-day creation.
00:17:51.90\00:17:54.63
Why?
00:17:54.63\00:17:55.63
Because certain scientific
'evidence' raises questions
00:17:55.63\00:17:59.13
that can be difficult to answer.
00:17:59.13\00:18:01.30
Now it's wise to be as educated
as you can be on different
00:18:01.30\00:18:03.80
subjects, but at the end
of the day I might just have
00:18:03.80\00:18:06.60
to admit that I don't
understand certain things,
00:18:06.60\00:18:09.06
but that I've
understood I can trust God.
00:18:09.06\00:18:13.76
That's faith.
00:18:13.76\00:18:15.00
I can't tell how God
wrapped rings around Saturn or
00:18:15.00\00:18:17.93
painted that big red
spot right there on the side
00:18:17.93\00:18:20.23
of Jupiter.
00:18:20.23\00:18:21.23
You know, a group of
scientists calculated that
00:18:21.23\00:18:24.43
there are more than 70
sextillion stars in the sky.
00:18:24.43\00:18:27.53
And these are just
the ones you can count.
00:18:27.53\00:18:30.93
You might ask, How many is that?
00:18:30.93\00:18:34.20
Well, I4ll tell you.
00:18:34.20\00:18:35.20
More stars than grains
of sand on all the beaches
00:18:35.20\00:18:38.86
and in all the deserts
there are on planet earth.
00:18:38.86\00:18:42.20
These are just
the ones you can see!
00:18:42.20\00:18:44.20
In other words, the
universe is infinite.
00:18:44.20\00:18:46.56
And so is God!
00:18:46.56\00:18:48.46
So when Jesus says,
when the church believes,
00:18:48.46\00:18:53.36
has faith, I like that!
00:18:53.36\00:18:54.36
We can
understand what He4s saying.
00:18:54.36\00:18:57.66
If you're wondering why
we're ignoring the 'bad' things
00:18:57.66\00:18:59.70
about these churches
listed in Revelation 2 and 3,
00:18:59.70\00:19:03.00
the things Jesus 'doesn't'
like, we looked at those things
00:19:03.00\00:19:06.40
in another It
Is Written program.
00:19:06.40\00:19:08.40
Yes, there are plenty of
things Jesus doesn't like
00:19:08.40\00:19:10.40
about these churches.
00:19:10.40\00:19:11.60
But again,
remember where He stands.
00:19:11.60\00:19:14.13
Revelation has Jesus standing
in the midst of the churches.
00:19:14.13\00:19:17.70
Even when His people
don't get it right, Jesus stands
00:19:17.70\00:19:21.40
with His church.
00:19:21.40\00:19:22.60
The church of
Thyatira is said to correspond
00:19:22.60\00:19:26.76
to the middle and dark ages,
a time of great persecution.
00:19:26.76\00:19:30.70
Here is what Jesus says in
Revelation 2:19 "I know your
00:19:30.70\00:19:37.56
works, love, service,
faith, and your patience;
00:19:37.56\00:19:43.96
and as for your works, the
last are more than the first."
00:19:43.96\00:19:48.30
The last were
more than the first.
00:19:48.30\00:19:51.93
In other words, they
experienced spiritual growth.
00:19:51.93\00:19:55.13
Jesus was able to say, I
like that about my church.
00:19:55.13\00:19:57.70
They're growing.
00:19:57.70\00:19:58.70
They're pushing forward.
00:19:58.70\00:19:59.90
They're becoming more like me.
00:19:59.90\00:20:02.26
They're not staying still.
00:20:02.26\00:20:03.26
There was plenty about
Thyatira that wasn't so good.
00:20:03.26\00:20:07.00
But here's a key point:
God wants us to be pressing
00:20:07.00\00:20:10.53
forward in our faith.
00:20:10.53\00:20:12.53
You might not be what you
ought to be, but if you're
00:20:12.53\00:20:14.83
not what you used to be that
could demonstrate that you're
00:20:14.83\00:20:18.06
growing.
00:20:18.06\00:20:19.50
Faith in God is to
be a growing experience.
00:20:19.50\00:20:21.70
A continual pressing forward.
00:20:21.70\00:20:23.23
You don't want to get
to the place where you stop
00:20:23.23\00:20:27.33
growing, where you quit
moving forward, where you've
00:20:27.33\00:20:29.43
plateaued and you're not
becoming more like Christ.
00:20:29.43\00:20:34.43
Remember what Jesus
said in John 8:31 & 32.
00:20:34.43\00:20:40.06
"Then Jesus said
..."If you abide in My word,
00:20:40.06\00:20:43.96
you are My disciples indeed.
00:20:43.96\00:20:45.33
And you shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you
00:20:45.33\00:20:49.06
free."
00:20:49.06\00:20:50.56
The thought there is continuing
in God's word, not stagnating.
00:20:50.56\00:20:55.26
How is it with you, friend?
00:20:55.26\00:20:56.96
Don't be satisfied
with the status quo
00:20:56.96\00:20:59.53
in your experience.
00:20:59.53\00:21:00.60
Keep on pressing
forward with Jesus.
00:21:00.60\00:21:04.30
The church of Sardis is
said to be the church during
00:21:04.30\00:21:06.66
Protestant reformation times.
00:21:06.66\00:21:08.43
Jesus says in Revelation
3:4, "You have a few names even
00:21:08.43\00:21:16.16
in Sardis who have not
defiled their garments; and they
00:21:16.16\00:21:21.20
shall walk with Me in
white, for they are worthy."
00:21:21.20\00:21:26.96
There were some here who
stayed true to Jesus, even
00:21:26.96\00:21:30.13
though the
majority had forsaken Him.
00:21:30.13\00:21:32.70
Jesus likes that!
00:21:32.70\00:21:34.50
And that tells me that we
can stay close to Him even when
00:21:34.50\00:21:37.40
those around us don't.
00:21:37.40\00:21:40.03
Many people have lived
Christian lives in un-Christian
00:21:40.03\00:21:42.03
homes.
00:21:42.03\00:21:43.63
Spouses who have
weathered difficult marriages
00:21:43.63\00:21:45.86
to individuals who looked
like they'd never change or who
00:21:45.86\00:21:48.83
would never make a spiritual
commitment in their lives.
00:21:48.83\00:21:51.80
But Jesus is with His
people in those difficulties.
00:21:51.80\00:21:54.70
Some in Sardis hadn't defiled
their garments, and Jesus
00:21:54.70\00:21:58.60
liked that!
00:21:58.60\00:22:00.30
Then there's the
church at Philadelphia.
00:22:00.30\00:22:02.30
Jesus says in Revelation
3:10, "Because you have kept
00:22:02.30\00:22:05.50
My command to persevere, I
also will keep you from the
00:22:05.50\00:22:10.20
hour of trial which shall
come upon the whole world,
00:22:10.20\00:22:14.93
to test those who
dwell on the earth."
00:22:14.93\00:22:18.53
There's something
about just hanging on to God.
00:22:18.53\00:22:20.96
Here were people who had
kept the word of His patience.
00:22:20.96\00:22:23.40
Jesus liked that.
00:22:23.40\00:22:25.50
If we hang on to Him with
a faith that just refuses to
00:22:25.50\00:22:28.33
let go, He will
keep us from temptation.
00:22:28.33\00:22:31.36
You know, the spiritual
strength we need from day
00:22:31.36\00:22:33.80
to day is found in God.
00:22:33.80\00:22:35.20
Really, ours is just to
hold on to God and expect Him
00:22:35.20\00:22:39.10
to do what He
wants to do in our lives.
00:22:39.10\00:22:41.26
The church at
Philadelphia did that.
00:22:41.26\00:22:43.43
They persevered.
00:22:43.43\00:22:45.16
And now the church of Laodicea.
00:22:45.16\00:22:47.16
Laodicea means "a
people judged", or "the judging
00:22:47.16\00:22:50.50
of the people" This
Laodicean church correlates
00:22:50.50\00:22:53.30
to the end-time church.
00:22:53.30\00:22:55.40
There's not much here
that's very complimentary.
00:22:55.40\00:22:57.86
In fact, I can't find anything
in this passage that would
00:22:57.86\00:23:00.90
constitute Jesus saying
something positive, something
00:23:00.90\00:23:03.66
He likes, about His church.
00:23:03.66\00:23:06.86
And maybe......maybe
that's what's most encouraging.
00:23:06.86\00:23:11.36
When the church is
failing Him, Jesus still says,
00:23:11.36\00:23:14.56
"That's my church."
00:23:14.56\00:23:16.20
I'm not trying to give a
free pass to unfaithful churches
00:23:16.20\00:23:18.73
or church leaders.
00:23:18.73\00:23:20.10
If you read the rest
of the letters to the 7
00:23:20.10\00:23:22.53
churches, you'll find that
Jesus doesn't give them any kind
00:23:22.53\00:23:24.83
of free pass either.
00:23:24.83\00:23:26.40
But to a lukewarm church,
the church of Laodicea, a church
00:23:26.40\00:23:29.00
that doesn't even know
the seriousness of its lost
00:23:29.00\00:23:31.63
condition, Jesus
issues an invitation.
00:23:31.63\00:23:35.83
In Revelation 3:20, 21
he says, "Behold, I stand
00:23:35.83\00:23:41.06
at the door and knock.
00:23:41.06\00:23:42.06
If anyone hears My voice
and opens the door, I will come
00:23:42.06\00:23:46.53
in to him and dine
with him, and he with Me.
00:23:46.53\00:23:50.46
To him who overcomes I
will grant to sit with Me on My
00:23:50.46\00:23:53.73
throne, as I also overcame
and sat down with My Father
00:23:53.73\00:23:57.90
on His throne."
00:23:57.90\00:24:00.13
Even though the church
has let Him down, Jesus issues
00:24:00.13\00:24:03.46
a gracious invitation.
00:24:03.46\00:24:04.76
The invitation to
repent, and to have your life
00:24:04.76\00:24:09.70
connected with His.
00:24:09.70\00:24:11.60
Even in this day when
imperfect people often fail
00:24:11.60\00:24:15.06
to represent God as they
could, or should, God offers
00:24:15.06\00:24:18.70
us the chance to
be connected with Him.
00:24:18.70\00:24:21.23
In spite of our own
imperfections, our own
00:24:21.23\00:24:23.46
failings, Jesus is gracious
enough to offer us a seat
00:24:23.46\00:24:27.16
with Him in His throne.
00:24:27.16\00:24:29.66
Jesus still sees things
He likes about His church.
00:24:29.66\00:24:33.46
And about you.
00:24:33.46\00:24:35.06
The offer is open, to all
of us, to open the door of our
00:24:35.06\00:24:39.03
hearts and let
Jesus come into our lives.
00:24:39.03\00:24:44.20
I want to ask you, are
you willing to do that today?
00:24:44.20\00:24:48.56
The church might be imperfect,
we might be imperfect.
00:24:48.56\00:24:52.20
Yet, God finds something
about us to rejoice in.
00:24:52.20\00:24:55.36
And perhaps it is
simply this: That we are his.
00:24:55.36\00:25:00.83
Let's pray together.
00:25:00.83\00:25:02.60
Our Father in heaven, thank you.
00:25:02.60\00:25:04.73
Thank you.
00:25:04.73\00:25:05.73
Thank you that we can
look at these seven churches
00:25:05.73\00:25:07.73
so imperfect and yet find
that Jesus says, "Here's what
00:25:07.73\00:25:10.73
I like about my church."
00:25:10.73\00:25:13.56
Thank you, Lord, that you
can look at our lives and find
00:25:13.56\00:25:15.70
something in us that is
worth redeeming, something in us
00:25:15.70\00:25:19.80
that you wish to save.
00:25:19.80\00:25:20.80
I pray today that as you
find something likeable about
00:25:20.80\00:25:25.90
these churches, as you find
something to be joyful about
00:25:25.90\00:25:30.23
in the seven churches
in the Book of Revelation,
00:25:30.23\00:25:33.50
I am grateful that you can find
in us something that makes your
00:25:33.50\00:25:35.86
heart glad.
00:25:35.86\00:25:36.73
Lord, would you take
your heart and let us be like
00:25:36.73\00:25:38.70
these people invited
in Revelation to open up
00:25:38.70\00:25:41.90
the door and let you come
in so that we might spend real
00:25:41.90\00:25:45.33
time, eternal time, with you.
00:25:45.33\00:25:47.93
We thank you
today for encouraging us
00:25:47.93\00:25:50.73
from your word and we
pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
00:25:50.73\00:25:58.23
I hope you'll get the
book I am offering you today.
00:26:26.93\00:26:29.00
It's called Revelation Today.
00:26:29.00\00:26:31.26
It adds a lot of
details to the end-time scenario
00:26:31.26\00:26:32.46
presented in the
Book of Revelation.
00:26:32.46\00:26:34.53
This little book is going
to help you understand what
00:26:34.53\00:26:36.23
the Book of Revelation is really
all about and it untangles
00:26:36.23\00:26:38.93
the end-time prophetic scenario
to let you see how the battle
00:26:38.93\00:26:42.26
between good and
evil ultimately plays out.
00:26:42.26\00:26:45.30
Just call or write and I
will send you Revelation Today.
00:26:45.30\00:26:47.63
There is no cost.
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