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¤[somber music]¤
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>>John Bradshaw:
The nation of Turkey
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has a fascinating history.
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The early Christian
church made a major impact here.
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Three books of the New Testament
were written to churches
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in what today we call Turkey.
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Ephesus, Colossae, and Galatia
were all located in Turkey.
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That's not to say
Christianity ever dominated here
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way back then.
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The environment in
which the early church existed
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was extraordinarily pagan.
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An entire pantheon
of gods was worshiped.
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Emperors were worshiped.
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Immorality was common.
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¤[soft reflective music]¤
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Christianity was in the
minority here 2,000 years ago,
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and things haven't changed.
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Although as many as 25
percent of Turkish residents
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were Christian in
the early 20th century,
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today that number may be as
low as 0.3 percent--or lower.
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About 100 years ago
there was a population exchange
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between Turkey and Greece.
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About 1.25 million Greek
Orthodox Christians in Turkey
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were resettled in Greece,
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while about 400,000 Muslims
in Greece were moved to Turkey.
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Today you can still
find abandoned villages
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from that time.
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Once populated by
Greek Orthodox Christians,
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they're now deserted.
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At around that same
time, a revolutionary movement
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massacred large
numbers of Armenians.
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Just how many isn't easy
to know as it's a subject
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few people want
discussed in this country.
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Some say 800,000.
Others say a million.
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Some say it could have been
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as many as a million and a
half Armenians who perished,
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while some estimates
place the number even higher.
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Fast forward to the present day
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and about 99 percent of
Turkish residents are Muslim.
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There are more
Muslims here in Turkey
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than in Iraq and
Saudi Arabia combined.
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In fact, there are
only a handful of countries
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that have a higher Muslim
population than that of Turkey.
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And as you might expect,
Islam is very visible here.
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[Muslim call to prayer on
loudspeaker in background]
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Every day the
Islamic call to prayer echoes
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throughout the country.
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The call is
broadcast five times a day,
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according to the
sun's position in the sky.
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[call to prayer continues]
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But beside the
Islamic influences,
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there are also plenty
of structures and buildings
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from the Byzantine era.
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Among the most famous is
the enormous Hagia Sofia.
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¤[slow dramatic
orchestral music]¤
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The Hagia Sofia was
built as a church in 325 AD,
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back when Istanbul was
known as Constantinople.
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The church was later rebuilt
by the emperor Justinian.
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It was the largest
cathedral in the world
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for nearly 1,000 years.
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But in the 15th
century, Istanbul was conquered
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by the Ottoman Empire,
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and the church was
converted to a mosque.
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The Hagia Sophia is magnificent.
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For 85 years it was a museum
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before becoming a
mosque again in 2020.
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Now, right next door,
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just a quarter of a mile away,
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is the Blue Mosque,
another stunning building.
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¤[relaxing Middle-Eastern
instrumental music]¤
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As we visit Sardis, the
fifth of the seven churches
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of Revelation, we see
a very clear connection
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to the prophecies of the Bible.
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Isaiah, chapter
45 starts like this:
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"Thus says the Lord to
His anointed, to Cyrus,
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"whose right hand I have held--
to subdue nations before him
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"and loose the armor of kings,
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"to open before
him the double doors,
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so that the gates
will not be shut."
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This anointed
one spoken of, Cyrus,
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was a Persian king who
was used by God to overthrow
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the Babylonian Empire, the
kingdom that destroyed Jerusalem
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at the time Daniel and his
friends were taken captive.
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Babylon ruled
from 605 BC to 539 BC,
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at which time the armies
of Cyrus entered the city
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of Babylon and
overthrew the Babylonian Empire.
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That was the night the
writing was on the wall
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for the
Babylonian king, Belshazzar.
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A mysterious hand appeared
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and wrote on
the wall of the room
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in which a blasphemous
party was being held.
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¤[soft melancholy music]¤
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This divine
intervention was triggered
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by Belshazzar's decision
to blaspheme God even further.
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The king brought out the
holy vessels that were taken
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from God's temple in Jerusalem.
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These objects were consecrated
to the worship of God
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but had been in storage
as Babylonian spoils of war.
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But now the grandson of
the great Babylonian monarch
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had them retrieved, and
the people at that party
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drank alcohol from them in
praise of their pagan gods.
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They took things holy to God
and used them in false worship.
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That's when God
said, "Enough is enough."
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Babylon was fallen.
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And the Medo-Persian general
who led the overthrow of Babylon
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was Cyrus, named by God
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150 years ahead of time.
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In 546 BC that same
man led his armies here
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and took the city of Sardis.
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It was taken again a
couple of hundred years later
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by Alexander the Great as
he was on his way to conquering
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the Medo-Persian Empire and
establishing the Greek Empire.
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The history of Asia
Minor confirms the record
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of Bible prophecy, which
stated that Babylon would rise,
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then Medo-Persia,
then Greece, and then Rome.
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The prophecy goes on to say that
the Roman Empire would split
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into various nations,
which is exactly what happened.
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The prophecies also say that
the antichrist would rise up
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from among the nations
that had emerged from Rome.
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This is mentioned in Daniel 7.
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And according to Daniel 2,
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Jesus would return during
the time of those very nations.
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The Persian royal road
passed right through Sardis.
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It started more than
1,600 miles away in Susa,
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the ancient capital
of the Persian Empire
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in what we call today Iran.
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You read about
Susa in the Bible;
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Nehemiah was in the
palace in Shushan--that's Susa.
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And Esther was
in the same place.
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Follow this road
in that direction
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and eventually you'll
get to Esther's house.
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¤[dramatic music]¤
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The road was
important for communication
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throughout the empire.
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While it took about
three months to walk the road,
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a chain of messengers
could ride the entire length
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of the road in just nine days,
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crossing both the
Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
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The Greek historian Herodotus
wrote that "it is said that
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"as many days as there
are in the whole journey,
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"so many are the men and horses
that stand along the road,
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"each horse and man at the
interval of a day's journey.
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"These are stopped neither
by snow nor rain nor heat
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"nor darkness from accomplishing
their appointed course
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with all speed."
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An adaptation of this quote
is inscribed on the building
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that once served as the main
U.S. Postal Service building
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in midtown Manhattan.
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Jesus spoke to the
church in Sardis very directly.
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One thing He knows is dangerous
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is when people of
faith fool themselves.
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Jesus got confrontational
with the people of Sardis.
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We'll look at
that in just a moment.
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¤[upbeat music
swells and ends]¤¤
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>>Announcer: For 2,000
years it's been the hope
00:08:40.72\00:08:43.32
of the Christian church.
00:08:43.35\00:08:44.65
It's a major theme of the Bible
00:08:44.69\00:08:46.35
and the focal point of
the book of Revelation:
00:08:46.39\00:08:49.16
the return of
Jesus to the world.
00:08:49.19\00:08:51.43
Call now for your free copy
of "The Soon Return of Jesus."
00:08:51.46\00:08:55.80
Learn what the Bible
says on this vital subject
00:08:55.83\00:08:58.20
and untangle many modern myths.
00:08:58.23\00:09:00.40
Call 800-253-3000.
00:09:00.44\00:09:02.90
That's 800-253-3000.
00:09:02.94\00:09:05.77
Or visit us
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00:09:05.81\00:09:09.14
¤[somber piano music]¤
00:09:11.38\00:09:14.15
>>John Bradshaw: When Jesus
addressed the church of Sardis,
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He did so unambiguously:
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"And to the angel of
the church in Sardis write,
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"'These things says He who
has the seven Spirits of God
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"'and the seven
stars: "I know your works,
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"'"that you have a name that
you are alive, but you are dead.
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"'"Be watchful, and strengthen
the things which remain,
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"'"that are ready to die,
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"'"for I have not found
your works perfect before God.
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"'"Remember therefore how
you have received and heard;
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"'"hold fast and repent.
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"'"Therefore if
you will not watch,
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"'"I will come
upon you as a thief,
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"'"and you will not know
what hour I will come upon you.
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"'"You have a few
names even in Sardis
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"'"who have not
defiled their garments;
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"'"and they shall walk with me
in white, for they are worthy.
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"'"He who overcomes shall
be clothed in white garments,
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"'"and I will not blot out
his name from the Book of Life;
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"'"but I will confess
his name before my Father
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"'"and before His angels.
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"'"He who has an
ear, let him hear
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what the Spirit
says to the churches."'"
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That's some tough medicine,
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and it tells you something
about the heart of God.
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God speaks directly
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because it's important
that the message is understood.
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First, Jesus introduces Himself
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as having "the seven Spirits
of God and the seven stars."
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He's making it clear to
this church that the Holy Spirit
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is His to give to His
people and that the leadership
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of these seven
churches rests in His hands.
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The church of Sardis
was in desperate need
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of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus
poured out on the early church
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in the first
chapters of the book of Acts.
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And He wanted to do
the same for Sardis.
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It seems He's telling them
the solution to their problems
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in His introductory words.
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"Don't forget, I can give
the Holy Spirit to you to supply
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all your needs and to grow you
into just what you need to be."
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The people of
Sardis were flawed,
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and they couldn't fix
themselves. God could.
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The Spirit of God could
anoint them, remake them.
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The experience of Sardis
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was the inverse of the church
of Smyrna, away to the west.
00:11:28.58\00:11:32.89
Jesus said, "You have a
name that you are alive,
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but you are dead."
00:11:36.56\00:11:39.26
Sardis was the capital of Lydia,
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a kingdom that once covered
much of western Anatolia.
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And it was quite a place.
00:11:45.27\00:11:46.67
¤[sweeping synth music]¤
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One historian described Sardis
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as "one of the great
cities of primitive history:
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in the Greek view it was
long the greatest of cities."
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There was plenty of
water, and there was gold.
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The Pactolus River
runs through this area,
00:12:04.95\00:12:07.66
and that's where
the gold was found
00:12:07.69\00:12:09.19
that fueled the
great wealth of this place.
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So where did all
that gold come from?
00:12:12.76\00:12:15.10
Well, there was a king
who lived not far from here
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whose name was Midas.
Midas was the king of Phrygia.
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Phrygia was west of
Galatia and east of Lydia.
00:12:21.54\00:12:25.11
And that's where we are now.
00:12:25.14\00:12:26.37
¤[soft marimba music]¤
00:12:26.41\00:12:27.38
The legend has it
that in answer to his wish,
00:12:27.41\00:12:29.44
Dionysus, or
Bacchus, granted Midas
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that everything he
touched would turn to gold.
00:12:32.78\00:12:35.48
And before long
that became a problem
00:12:35.52\00:12:37.25
because everything
Midas touched turned to gold.
00:12:37.29\00:12:41.12
So he asked Dionysus if he would
reverse this, which he did.
00:12:41.16\00:12:44.76
He told Midas to wash in the
Pactolus River, which he did.
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And that is where,
according to legend,
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all the gold dust came from.
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That gold brought
an economic revolution,
00:12:54.27\00:12:57.34
as Sardis could manufacture
gold and silver coins
00:12:57.37\00:13:00.24
that could be
trusted for their value.
00:13:00.28\00:13:02.51
Coins that were identified
with a kingdom were first used
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right here in Lydia.
00:13:05.98\00:13:07.95
The weight of the coins
made in Sardis was guaranteed
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by a royal stamp, which
further established their worth
00:13:10.95\00:13:14.62
to those who traded with them.
00:13:14.66\00:13:16.83
On these coins were
engraved the head of a lion,
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the royal emblem of Sardis.
00:13:19.66\00:13:21.96
So things were
good-- maybe too good.
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As Paul wrote, "Let him
that thinketh he standeth
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take heed lest he fall."
00:13:30.24\00:13:32.41
Sardis was one of the
greatest cities of Asia Minor
00:13:33.54\00:13:36.81
for over 1,000 years.
00:13:36.85\00:13:39.18
And this Greek gymnasium is one
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of the most well-preserved
sites in the city.
00:13:40.98\00:13:44.32
It was built during the
second and third centuries AD,
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shortly after John
wrote the book of Revelation.
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This impressive complex included
00:13:51.23\00:13:52.66
not only exercise
facilities but also baths,
00:13:52.69\00:13:56.16
much like a
modern fitness center.
00:13:56.20\00:13:59.10
And while most of
the modern excavations
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have taken place here,
the ruins of Sardis extend
00:14:01.24\00:14:04.94
far beyond this
site, offering a glimpse
00:14:04.97\00:14:08.14
into the fascinating
history of this ancient city.
00:14:08.18\00:14:11.18
¤[music ends]¤¤
00:14:12.41\00:14:13.72
No city in this
part of the ancient world
00:14:13.75\00:14:15.95
had a more
impressive history than Sardis.
00:14:15.98\00:14:19.52
And it might be that there was
00:14:19.55\00:14:20.56
no more impressive
building in town than this.
00:14:20.59\00:14:24.16
These are the ruins
of the temple of Artemis.
00:14:24.19\00:14:27.23
And looking around, you can
see that it had to have been
00:14:27.23\00:14:31.03
magnificent and massive.
00:14:31.07\00:14:33.60
¤[soft reflective music]¤
00:14:33.64\00:14:36.34
Jesus said to this group,
"Be watchful, and strengthen
00:14:36.37\00:14:40.54
"the things which
remain, that are ready to die,
00:14:40.58\00:14:43.48
for I have not found your
works perfect before God."
00:14:43.51\00:14:46.78
That is, your deeds are
unfulfilled, not complete,
00:14:46.82\00:14:52.02
lacking.
00:14:52.05\00:14:53.72
The church at
Sardis was mailing it in;
00:14:53.76\00:14:56.46
they weren't
fully committed to God.
00:14:56.49\00:14:58.96
You can see why the letter would
conclude with Jesus saying,
00:14:58.99\00:15:02.56
"Let [everyone] hear what the
Spirit says to the churches."
00:15:02.60\00:15:06.57
¤[music continues]¤
00:15:06.60\00:15:07.50
This is important
for every generation,
00:15:07.54\00:15:10.21
but especially in today's world,
00:15:10.24\00:15:12.21
where immorality and
paganism are becoming the norm.
00:15:12.24\00:15:16.44
Let's be honest; the internet
allows people to indulge
00:15:16.48\00:15:19.88
in behaviors that
rival those of ancient Rome.
00:15:19.91\00:15:23.72
Even books and
children's TV programs
00:15:23.75\00:15:25.99
can be filled with
references to the occult.
00:15:26.02\00:15:29.32
It's a dark world,
and we can't ignore it.
00:15:29.36\00:15:32.69
¤[music turns somber]¤
00:15:32.73\00:15:33.90
But even though Jesus could say,
00:15:33.93\00:15:35.43
"Your works aren't
perfect before God,"
00:15:35.46\00:15:38.27
this was a religious place.
00:15:38.30\00:15:40.67
The Jewish synagogue here
is the oldest known synagogue
00:15:40.70\00:15:43.71
preserved from
the ancient world.
00:15:43.74\00:15:47.58
The Seleucid king Antiochus
III appears to have encouraged
00:15:47.61\00:15:51.28
Jews from throughout his empire
to come and settle in Sardis.
00:15:51.31\00:15:55.72
The Jewish historian Josephus
writes of a Roman official
00:15:55.75\00:15:58.75
in about 50 BC who also
encouraged Jews to move here
00:15:58.79\00:16:02.36
and apparently promised them
freedom to practice their faith.
00:16:02.39\00:16:06.39
And there was a
church here, obviously,
00:16:06.43\00:16:08.06
a thriving congregation.
00:16:08.10\00:16:10.00
And as with others
of the seven churches,
00:16:10.03\00:16:12.43
the church here was influential,
00:16:12.47\00:16:14.30
owing to its location
on important trade routes.
00:16:14.34\00:16:18.37
After a devastating
earthquake in 17 AD,
00:16:18.41\00:16:21.21
the city was rebuilt by
the Roman emperor Tiberius.
00:16:21.24\00:16:24.91
This means that when John
wrote to the church at Sardis,
00:16:24.95\00:16:27.85
it would have been
a newly rebuilt city.
00:16:27.88\00:16:31.29
The people of Sardis
had already strengthened
00:16:31.32\00:16:33.96
the things that remained
in rebuilding their city,
00:16:33.99\00:16:37.19
but Jesus speaks about
something much more important:
00:16:37.23\00:16:40.16
"Strengthen the
things that remain."
00:16:40.20\00:16:42.53
There's something there,
00:16:42.56\00:16:43.90
something that can be salvaged,
He says. Strengthen that.
00:16:43.93\00:16:48.50
In a moment, a
message from 2,000 years ago,
00:16:48.54\00:16:51.81
especially for us today.
00:16:51.84\00:16:54.38
I'll be right back.
00:16:54.41\00:16:55.44
¤[somber orchestral
music swells and ends]¤¤
00:16:55.48\00:17:02.28
>>John: Two churches, two
wildly different reputations:
00:17:04.39\00:17:09.16
One was
described as "an open door"
00:17:09.19\00:17:11.79
and "a pillar" in God's temple;
00:17:11.83\00:17:14.13
the other was compared to
Jezebel, the famous pagan queen
00:17:14.20\00:17:18.80
who persecuted
the prophet Elijah
00:17:18.83\00:17:21.20
and led Israel into idolatry.
00:17:21.24\00:17:24.27
One church was given only words
of encouragement and praise
00:17:24.31\00:17:27.64
in John's inspired letters.
00:17:27.68\00:17:30.18
The other was issued a
stern call to repentance.
00:17:30.21\00:17:33.82
¤[Middle-Eastern
instrumental music]¤
00:17:33.85\00:17:35.05
So what did these two churches
have in common with each other?
00:17:35.08\00:17:38.92
And what do they have in
common with the church today?
00:17:38.95\00:17:42.96
Don't miss the next episode
00:17:42.99\00:17:44.63
in "The Seven
Churches of Revelation" series:
00:17:44.66\00:17:47.96
"Thyatira and Philadelphia."
00:17:47.96\00:17:50.63
Learn what it means to be
00:17:50.67\00:17:51.97
a church worthy of
receiving the morning star.
00:17:52.00\00:17:56.30
"The Seven
Churches of Revelation:
00:17:56.34\00:17:58.41
Thyatira and Philadelphia,"
00:17:58.44\00:18:00.54
brought to you
by It Is Written TV.
00:18:00.58\00:18:03.08
>>John: Thank you for
remembering that It Is Written
00:18:04.61\00:18:06.51
exists because of the kindness
of people just like you.
00:18:06.55\00:18:09.98
To support this international
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00:18:10.02\00:18:13.22
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00:18:13.25\00:18:17.46
You can send your
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00:18:18.96\00:18:20.43
or you can visit us
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00:18:20.46\00:18:24.20
Thank you for your prayers
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00:18:24.23\00:18:27.04
Our number
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00:18:27.07\00:18:31.21
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:18:31.24\00:18:34.24
¤[soft reflective music]¤
00:18:35.84\00:18:39.85
>>John Bradshaw: The
message to the church of Sardis
00:18:42.15\00:18:44.39
is a message designed
to encourage people today
00:18:44.42\00:18:47.46
who are struggling spiritually.
00:18:47.49\00:18:49.72
There's no question the
message is uncompromising.
00:18:49.76\00:18:52.76
Jesus sees people in a
state of spiritual crisis,
00:18:52.79\00:18:55.50
and so He
arrests their attention.
00:18:55.53\00:18:57.20
But that doesn't mean
that His message isn't
00:18:57.23\00:18:59.90
one of love and mercy.
00:18:59.93\00:19:02.24
He says, "Be watchful,
and strengthen the things
00:19:02.27\00:19:05.41
"which remain, that
are ready to die....
00:19:05.44\00:19:08.28
"Remember therefore how
you have received and heard;
00:19:08.31\00:19:11.55
hold fast and repent."
00:19:11.58\00:19:14.08
What this suggests to us today,
00:19:14.12\00:19:15.58
as we stand in the ruins of
what was once a thriving city
00:19:15.62\00:19:19.09
where Christianity took hold,
00:19:19.12\00:19:21.59
is that the little
spiritual life you have
00:19:21.62\00:19:23.89
can be strengthened by God.
00:19:23.93\00:19:26.59
"But I'm too weak."
00:19:26.63\00:19:28.50
Well, no. You might be weak, but
you're not too weak for Jesus.
00:19:28.53\00:19:32.00
Remember, He can send the
Holy Spirit into your life
00:19:32.03\00:19:34.54
just as He did at
the time of Pentecost.
00:19:34.57\00:19:37.01
You might be
weak, but Jesus said,
00:19:37.04\00:19:39.31
"My strength is made
perfect in weakness."
00:19:39.34\00:19:42.08
The presence of
Jesus in a person's life
00:19:42.11\00:19:44.65
is the key to the gospel.
00:19:44.68\00:19:46.88
There are too many people
today who incorrectly assume
00:19:46.92\00:19:49.38
that Christianity
is about being strong,
00:19:49.42\00:19:51.79
being good, being better.
00:19:51.82\00:19:54.42
What it's about is being
surrendered to Jesus so that
00:19:54.46\00:19:58.23
His strength and goodness
can show up in your life.
00:19:58.26\00:20:02.00
Remember what Paul
wrote to the Colossians:
00:20:02.03\00:20:04.20
"Christ in you,
the hope of glory."
00:20:04.23\00:20:06.60
To the Galatians he said,
00:20:06.63\00:20:08.27
"Not I, but
Christ [lives] in me."
00:20:08.30\00:20:10.97
To the Philippians he wrote that
"it is God [which] works in you
00:20:11.01\00:20:14.24
both to will and to do
for His good pleasure."
00:20:14.28\00:20:17.51
This wakeup call issued to
Sardis is for today's church
00:20:19.21\00:20:23.28
just as much as it was for the
church close to 2,000 years ago.
00:20:23.32\00:20:27.82
Activity does
improve their spiritual life.
00:20:27.86\00:20:30.16
The best music or the best
programs or the biggest crowd
00:20:30.19\00:20:34.46
don't prove anything.
00:20:34.50\00:20:36.33
What's truly important is the
life-giving, converting presence
00:20:36.36\00:20:40.80
of Jesus that lifts a church
up above just making claims
00:20:40.84\00:20:45.97
to the place where
they're actually carrying out
00:20:46.01\00:20:47.98
the will of God.
00:20:48.01\00:20:49.14
Remember, Jesus
introduced Himself
00:20:49.18\00:20:50.81
as the one who
has the Spirit of God.
00:20:50.85\00:20:52.51
In the book of Acts,
Peter said the Holy Spirit is
00:20:52.55\00:20:55.82
"given to those who obey [God]."
00:20:55.85\00:20:58.85
So, in this age
where style seems to matter
00:20:58.89\00:21:01.46
more than substance, Jesus
appears to us to be substantial.
00:21:01.49\00:21:06.16
Obedience matters.
00:21:06.19\00:21:07.76
Professing Jesus is good.
00:21:07.83\00:21:10.13
Possessing Jesus is
where it's really at.
00:21:10.17\00:21:13.94
Jesus said, "You have a
few names even in Sardis
00:21:13.97\00:21:17.01
"who have not
defiled their garments;
00:21:17.04\00:21:19.31
and they shall walk with me
in white, for they are worthy."
00:21:19.34\00:21:23.51
¤[music ends]¤¤
00:21:23.55\00:21:25.68
That white they walk in? That's
the righteousness of Jesus.
00:21:25.71\00:21:30.49
Those who give
their lives to Him
00:21:30.52\00:21:32.45
surrender their sin and receive
His perfect righteousness.
00:21:32.49\00:21:37.13
¤[soft reflective music]¤
00:21:37.16\00:21:39.33
There's a parallel
between the church of Sardis
00:21:39.36\00:21:42.03
and the period right after
the Protestant Reformation.
00:21:42.06\00:21:45.77
During that time,
many European countries
00:21:45.80\00:21:48.44
supported the
ideas of the reformers.
00:21:48.47\00:21:52.31
But when God's people begin
receiving the world's approval,
00:21:52.34\00:21:55.88
there's a danger that they'll
take their faith for granted.
00:21:55.91\00:21:59.68
Unfortunately, this happened
to much of Protestantism
00:21:59.71\00:22:03.72
in the following generations.
00:22:03.75\00:22:06.52
The Protestant Reformation
began based upon the premise
00:22:06.55\00:22:09.72
of "sola
scriptura," the Bible alone,
00:22:09.76\00:22:12.99
as the rule of
faith and practice.
00:22:13.03\00:22:15.36
In this way, they stood
against the use of tradition
00:22:15.40\00:22:18.50
as the church's authority.
00:22:18.53\00:22:20.70
The old saying
claims that history repeats,
00:22:20.74\00:22:23.27
and Protestants became guilty
00:22:23.30\00:22:24.91
of exactly what they'd
accused others of doing.
00:22:24.94\00:22:28.11
They started settling into
tradition, and they moved away
00:22:28.14\00:22:30.71
from the Bible as their
rule of faith and practice.
00:22:30.75\00:22:35.05
There came a time when
Protestant Christians began
00:22:35.08\00:22:37.35
to lose their zeal for faith.
00:22:37.39\00:22:40.39
The church of
Sardis lost its zeal.
00:22:40.42\00:22:42.92
Jesus said, "You can get
this back, and it's important."
00:22:42.96\00:22:46.83
If your faith is
strong, don't let it slip.
00:22:46.86\00:22:49.33
If your faith is weak,
God can strengthen that.
00:22:49.36\00:22:52.63
If you have no faith, if
you've never walked with Jesus,
00:22:52.67\00:22:56.20
the same Jesus invites you
to have faith in Him today.
00:22:56.24\00:22:59.77
And then Jesus says,
00:23:00.78\00:23:02.54
"He who overcomes shall
be clothed in white garments,
00:23:02.58\00:23:06.41
"and I will not blot out
his name from the Book of Life;
00:23:06.45\00:23:09.92
"but I will confess
his name before my Father
00:23:09.95\00:23:13.15
and before His angels."
00:23:13.19\00:23:16.49
Here we encounter imagery
from the great judgment scene
00:23:16.52\00:23:19.63
portrayed in Daniel, chapter
7, where "a thousand thousands"
00:23:19.66\00:23:23.87
are depicted as
ministering to Jesus
00:23:23.90\00:23:25.73
as He takes the
seat of judgment.
00:23:25.77\00:23:27.97
And "ten thousand times ten
thousand [stand] before Him.
00:23:28.00\00:23:31.94
The court was seated,
and the books were opened."
00:23:31.97\00:23:35.98
At the end of Daniel's prophecy,
00:23:37.25\00:23:39.15
the angel Gabriel assures
him that at the end of time
00:23:39.18\00:23:43.15
"your people shall be delivered,
00:23:43.18\00:23:45.69
every one who is
found written in the book."
00:23:45.72\00:23:48.39
¤[music continues]¤
00:23:48.42\00:23:50.46
This is the Book of Life
that Daniel's talking about,
00:23:50.49\00:23:53.26
the same one Jesus mentions
00:23:53.29\00:23:54.86
in His promise to
the church of Sardis.
00:23:54.93\00:23:57.30
The first time we read
about this book in Scripture
00:23:57.33\00:23:59.47
is in Exodus 32, where Moses
pleads with God to grant mercy
00:23:59.50\00:24:04.71
to Israel following
the golden calf apostasy:
00:24:04.74\00:24:09.31
"'Yet now, if You will forgive
their sin--but if not, I pray,
00:24:09.34\00:24:14.95
"blot me out of Your
book which You have written.'
00:24:14.98\00:24:18.65
"And the Lord said to Moses,
'Whoever has sinned against me,
00:24:18.69\00:24:23.22
I will blot him
out of my book.'"
00:24:23.26\00:24:25.63
So how does a
person escape being blotted
00:24:26.56\00:24:29.56
out of the Lamb's Book of Life?
00:24:29.60\00:24:31.93
Let's go back to
the message Jesus gives
00:24:31.97\00:24:33.70
to the church of Sardis:
00:24:33.74\00:24:35.60
"He who overcomes shall
be clothed in white garments,
00:24:35.64\00:24:39.47
"and I will not blot out
his name from the Book of Life;
00:24:39.51\00:24:43.28
"but I will confess
his name before my Father
00:24:43.31\00:24:46.08
and before His angels."
00:24:46.11\00:24:48.65
In other words,
00:24:48.68\00:24:49.82
those who receive His
robe of righteousness--
00:24:49.85\00:24:52.92
which the book of
Revelation later calls
00:24:52.95\00:24:55.32
"the righteousness of saints"--
00:24:55.36\00:24:57.93
Jesus will confess
them before His Father.
00:24:57.96\00:25:01.06
They'll be saved.
00:25:01.10\00:25:02.90
¤[music fades and ends]¤¤
00:25:02.93\00:25:03.93
>>Announcer: For 2,000
years it's been the hope
00:25:04.93\00:25:07.40
of the Christian church.
00:25:07.44\00:25:08.60
It's a major theme of the Bible
00:25:08.64\00:25:10.44
and the focal point of
the book of Revelation:
00:25:10.47\00:25:13.24
the return of
Jesus to the world.
00:25:13.27\00:25:15.54
Call now for your free copy
of "The Soon Return of Jesus."
00:25:15.58\00:25:19.91
Learn what the Bible
says on this vital subject
00:25:19.95\00:25:22.35
and untangle many modern myths.
00:25:22.38\00:25:24.49
Call 800-253-3000.
00:25:24.52\00:25:26.92
That's 800-253-3000.
00:25:26.96\00:25:29.89
Or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:25:29.92\00:25:33.33
¤[soft reflective music]¤
00:25:35.83\00:25:39.83
>>John: When John was
just the brother of James,
00:25:43.61\00:25:45.74
the son of Zebedee, he
couldn't have had any idea
00:25:45.77\00:25:48.51
that God was going to use
him in such a profound way.
00:25:48.54\00:25:53.01
God brought him here
to the island of Patmos.
00:25:53.05\00:25:55.95
John was under arrest,
00:25:55.98\00:25:57.55
but much like Luther
was taken to a castle,
00:25:57.59\00:26:01.22
from which he wrote
so much that advanced
00:26:01.26\00:26:03.63
the cause of the
gospel, John was brought here
00:26:03.66\00:26:06.63
really for one reason:
to receive and then write
00:26:06.66\00:26:11.20
what would become
the book of Revelation.
00:26:11.23\00:26:14.64
It has moved people
for almost 2,000 years.
00:26:14.67\00:26:17.94
It has revealed Jesus
for almost two millennia.
00:26:17.97\00:26:22.61
And I'm wondering
what it's revealing to you.
00:26:22.64\00:26:24.95
[sound of waves]
00:26:24.98\00:26:26.15
The book of Revelation is
not merely interesting history
00:26:26.18\00:26:29.12
or interesting future history.
00:26:29.15\00:26:31.75
It's designed by God to touch
your heart and change your life
00:26:31.79\00:26:35.86
as you receive the Christ
of the book of Revelation.
00:26:35.89\00:26:39.46
Have you done that?
00:26:39.49\00:26:41.00
If you have, I say, thank God.
00:26:41.03\00:26:42.26
If you haven't, why don't we do
something about that right now?
00:26:42.30\00:26:46.87
Pray with me.
00:26:46.90\00:26:48.70
Our Father in heaven, I'm
grateful that in Your wisdom
00:26:48.74\00:26:50.84
You brought John to this
place and then showed him things
00:26:50.87\00:26:53.38
he could not have imagined,
then inspired him to write out
00:26:53.41\00:26:57.48
that beautiful book
that shows us Jesus,
00:26:57.51\00:27:00.52
that outlines history
past, present, and future
00:27:00.55\00:27:04.32
and that ushers
us in the direction
00:27:04.35\00:27:06.62
of Your eternal kingdom.
00:27:06.65\00:27:08.16
Right now there's
somebody hesitating.
00:27:08.19\00:27:10.53
There's somebody uncertain.
00:27:10.56\00:27:11.76
There's somebody that fears
that he or she is not worthy.
00:27:11.79\00:27:14.46
And I'm praying that
You will shift their gaze,
00:27:14.50\00:27:17.90
fix it upon the
cross, fix it upon the Christ
00:27:17.93\00:27:21.14
of the book of Revelation,
and encourage and remind
00:27:21.17\00:27:24.21
and assure that one that
there is an eternal future ahead
00:27:24.24\00:27:27.98
for all who accept
Jesus as Lord and Savior.
00:27:28.01\00:27:31.75
Would you simply make
room for Him in your heart?
00:27:31.78\00:27:35.42
If you do that, He
will take your heart
00:27:35.45\00:27:38.32
and make it His abode forever.
00:27:38.35\00:27:41.32
We thank You,
Lord, for that assurance.
00:27:41.36\00:27:42.82
Keep us now, we pray.
00:27:42.86\00:27:44.99
In Jesus' name.
00:27:45.03\00:27:46.83
Amen.
00:27:46.86\00:27:48.30
Thank you so
much for joining me.
00:27:48.33\00:27:49.46
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:49.50\00:27:51.63
Until then, remember:
00:27:51.67\00:27:53.44
"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:27:53.47\00:27:57.67
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:27:57.71\00:28:02.14
¤[dramatic,
triumphant theme music]¤
00:28:02.18\00:28:07.18
¤[music ends]¤¤
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