We are still in Sardis,
00:00:31.19\00:00:33.73
okay, we left off in
Sardis... we're still in Sardis
00:00:33.76\00:00:36.63
and we're going to
recap a little bit,
00:00:36.67\00:00:38.23
I think it would be
good for us to pick up
00:00:38.27\00:00:39.87
a little bit where we left off
00:00:39.90\00:00:41.57
before we move into Philadelphia
the church of Brotherly Love,
00:00:41.60\00:00:44.07
there's a connection
here, there's a great connection
00:00:44.11\00:00:46.14
and we've looked
at some of the symbols
00:00:46.17\00:00:48.44
and what they are
telling us about what is to come
00:00:48.48\00:00:51.55
and what has
happened and where we are
00:00:51.58\00:00:54.02
and it's... it's
a beautiful picture
00:00:54.08\00:00:56.45
that is listed out
here in the Scriptures,
00:00:56.48\00:00:58.52
I love the way
it's all tying together
00:00:58.55\00:01:00.52
with the rest of the Bible
00:01:00.56\00:01:01.89
and bringing us
to... this Book...
00:01:01.92\00:01:06.33
and I've said this
before and I'll say it again,
00:01:06.39\00:01:07.76
is a masterpiece,
00:01:07.80\00:01:09.13
the Book of
Revelation is a masterpiece.
00:01:09.16\00:01:10.97
Only God could
have written this book
00:01:11.00\00:01:12.90
and it's... it's
taking... and I'll just say...
00:01:12.93\00:01:16.40
in these words, in
the Book of Revelation
00:01:16.44\00:01:18.91
the entire Bible
meets and ends, okay...
00:01:18.94\00:01:21.38
and I'm borrowing those words
but those are powerful words
00:01:21.41\00:01:24.25
that are
helping us to understand
00:01:24.28\00:01:25.61
what this Book really
means to us as a people.
00:01:25.65\00:01:27.32
So, let's jump in...
00:01:27.35\00:01:28.68
Yvonne, can you have
a word of prayer for us
00:01:28.72\00:01:30.15
and we'll jump right in.
00:01:30.19\00:01:31.52
Sure, "Father, thank you so much
00:01:31.55\00:01:32.89
for allowing us to study
your Word and giving us insight
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Lord, we just
praise you, Lord God,
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because we need your
insight and your guidance
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so we thank you for that,
00:01:41.60\00:01:42.93
we invite you to
be with us, Lord,
00:01:42.96\00:01:45.03
you are welcome in this place
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thank you again, in
Jesus' name, amen. "
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All: "Amen... "
00:01:48.74\00:01:50.11
So Sardis means escaping...
that's what the word means...
00:01:50.14\00:01:53.68
and the timeframe of this
church is from about 1517...
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that's the time of the
95 Theses... Martin Luther,
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et cetera to about 1798...
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this was the time
of the Reformation,
00:02:02.32\00:02:04.25
now we know that because we
looked at the previous verses
00:02:04.29\00:02:07.42
in the church of Thyatira
00:02:07.46\00:02:09.76
and we noticed that they
were promised the Morning Star,
00:02:09.82\00:02:12.06
John Wycliffe was the
Morning Star of the Reformation,
00:02:12.09\00:02:14.30
why? Because
Christ is the Morning Star
00:02:14.33\00:02:16.43
and He brought the
Bible to the people
00:02:16.46\00:02:18.33
and the Bible... the
Word of God is Christ,
00:02:18.37\00:02:21.47
it's a revelation of Christ,
in fact, in John 1 it says,
00:02:21.50\00:02:23.97
"the Word was with
God and the Word was God
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and the Word was made
flesh and dwelt among us. "
00:02:26.34\00:02:28.38
Ivor: So to clarify, you
said Wycliffe brought the Bible
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to the people which is a
revelation of Jesus Christ
00:02:31.48\00:02:34.35
which is bringing
Christ to the people... yeah...
00:02:34.38\00:02:37.12
James: Yes, yes... and so we
have that promise that was made
00:02:37.15\00:02:40.46
at Thyatira... that
promise is realized in Sardis
00:02:40.52\00:02:43.79
but what we have
in Sardis is we have
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kind of a hesitation
or a stopping point...
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slowing down of God's purpose,
00:02:51.57\00:02:53.27
see, God wants to bring
His church out of darkness
00:02:53.30\00:02:55.97
into this light and He
wants... as it says in Proverbs,
00:02:56.00\00:02:59.27
He wants the path of the
just to be as a shining light
00:02:59.31\00:03:02.51
that shines more and
more unto the perfect day.
00:03:02.54\00:03:06.65
Well, the first thing He
says to the church of Sardis is
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I haven't found
your works perfect,
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in other words, you haven't
been shining more and more,
00:03:10.92\00:03:12.85
you've stopped,
00:03:12.89\00:03:14.22
and we talked about
that with the Denominations
00:03:14.26\00:03:16.29
and how that they
had kind of splintered
00:03:16.32\00:03:19.36
and everyone had their little
thing that they were emphasizing
00:03:19.39\00:03:21.96
of course, Martin Luther...
"righteousness by faith,"
00:03:22.00\00:03:24.47
the Baptists...
"baptism by immersion,"
00:03:24.50\00:03:26.23
Calvinists... Methodists...
all these little groups
00:03:26.27\00:03:29.40
hunkered around these
individuals was not God's will,
00:03:29.44\00:03:32.51
so God is pointing forward now
to a time when He is going to
00:03:32.54\00:03:37.81
bring them into accountability
00:03:37.85\00:03:40.35
and bring a message
that's going to call them
00:03:40.38\00:03:42.18
out of all these
little splinter groups
00:03:42.22\00:03:43.79
into one church and so
we see these phrases like...
00:03:43.82\00:03:47.66
for example... "your garments...
00:03:47.69\00:03:50.23
you'll walk with me in white
00:03:50.26\00:03:52.73
and you will not be
blotted out of the Book... "
00:03:52.76\00:03:55.76
the Lamb's book of life
00:03:55.80\00:03:57.37
is what this is talking
about... the Book of Life,
00:03:57.40\00:03:59.67
these are phrases that
are pointing to a judgment
00:03:59.73\00:04:02.00
they are phrases
that are pointing
00:04:02.04\00:04:03.74
to a time of accountability
00:04:03.77\00:04:05.11
and that's what we're going to
see in the progression of time,
00:04:05.14\00:04:06.84
we've come from the
early Apostolic church,
00:04:06.88\00:04:08.78
then this time of persecution
and this time of compromise
00:04:08.81\00:04:11.78
bringing us into the Dark Ages,
coming out of the Dark Ages
00:04:11.81\00:04:14.75
and now bringing us toward...
through the Reformers...
00:04:14.78\00:04:17.39
toward a judgment...
00:04:17.42\00:04:18.75
Ivor: Right... right...
00:04:18.79\00:04:20.12
Yvonne: There are two things
that kind of jump out at me,
00:04:20.16\00:04:23.53
one is... that the name
00:04:23.59\00:04:27.56
will not be blotted
out of the Book of Life,
00:04:27.60\00:04:30.20
to me... that...
00:04:30.23\00:04:32.17
the whole idea of "once
saved... always saved... "
00:04:32.23\00:04:35.47
this contradicts that because
00:04:35.50\00:04:38.77
if your name is in
the Book of Life...
00:04:38.81\00:04:41.54
James: you're saved...
Yvonne: you're saved...
00:04:41.58\00:04:42.91
if your name is not in the
Book of Life... you're not...
00:04:42.94\00:04:46.45
and your name can be
blotted out because Jesus says,
00:04:46.48\00:04:50.62
"He that overcometh,
00:04:50.65\00:04:52.59
the same shall be
clothed in white raiment;
00:04:52.62\00:04:55.29
and I will not
blot out his name... "
00:04:55.32\00:04:57.69
so your name can be blotted out.
00:04:57.73\00:05:00.70
James: And that's
the only verse you need,
00:05:00.76\00:05:02.70
that's the only
verse you would need.
00:05:02.73\00:05:05.07
James: I mean, there are
many verses in the Bible...
00:05:05.10\00:05:07.70
there are many
verses in the Bible
00:05:07.74\00:05:09.07
but that would be... just
that one would be sufficient,
00:05:09.10\00:05:10.91
the idea of "once
saved... always saved"
00:05:10.94\00:05:13.64
is based upon truth and
the truth of the matter is...
00:05:13.68\00:05:18.41
is that God has
an everlasting gospel
00:05:18.45\00:05:21.18
that's more powerful
00:05:21.22\00:05:22.55
than anything on Planet Earth
that Satan can bring against us,
00:05:22.58\00:05:24.79
so when you put your
life in the hand of God,
00:05:24.82\00:05:27.52
He's got you and He's
never going to let you go
00:05:27.56\00:05:30.19
but that does not
violate our choice,
00:05:30.23\00:05:32.49
we can choose to
turn away from that gospel
00:05:32.53\00:05:36.03
and to turn away from
Jesus and unfortunately,
00:05:36.06\00:05:38.17
many people have done
that down through time
00:05:38.20\00:05:40.27
and Jesus is warning about...
even the Reformers can do that.
00:05:40.30\00:05:43.20
Ivor: So, if you remember
the first church we looked at
00:05:43.24\00:05:47.54
it was the perfect church
but then it lost its first love,
00:05:47.58\00:05:51.85
remember that
Lucifer was once...
00:05:51.91\00:05:54.82
James: "saved... "
00:05:54.85\00:05:56.79
Ivor: Saved... he was
once saved James: In heaven...
00:05:56.82\00:06:01.12
James: Was he always
saved? Ivor: Once saved...
00:06:01.16\00:06:04.33
he's not saved now...
00:06:04.36\00:06:05.69
so if... if a
perfect angel could fall
00:06:05.73\00:06:09.33
from the... the grace of God,
00:06:09.36\00:06:11.93
fall from his position,
then... what makes us think
00:06:11.97\00:06:16.71
that us... you
see what I'm saying?
00:06:16.74\00:06:18.77
"Oh yeah, well
God's not going to... "
00:06:18.81\00:06:20.78
that's the mistake that Lucifer
and angels made in heaven,
00:06:20.81\00:06:24.01
"God's not going to do anything,
we can do whatever we want to do
00:06:24.05\00:06:26.25
there's going to be no
consequences and what happened?
00:06:26.31\00:06:28.38
They were cast out of heaven
and so... just looking at the...
00:06:28.42\00:06:32.19
again... the history...
00:06:32.22\00:06:33.56
even though what
occurred in heaven,
00:06:33.59\00:06:35.72
should be enough
to... to show that
00:06:35.76\00:06:37.99
the idea of "once
saved... always saved"
00:06:38.03\00:06:40.90
is not in
accordance with the Scriptures.
00:06:40.93\00:06:43.37
Now, number two...
00:06:43.43\00:06:44.77
about the Bible that
you've been bringing out,
00:06:44.80\00:06:46.43
what does that teach us about
"once saved... always saved?"
00:06:46.47\00:06:49.00
Ivor: That's right, you actually
look at these chosen people
00:06:49.04\00:06:53.07
in the time of
Christ they were like,
00:06:53.11\00:06:56.31
"Hey! we're Abraham's seed,
00:06:56.34\00:06:57.88
once we're Abraham's seed,
00:06:57.91\00:06:59.41
Jesus... there's nothing
that even you can do about it. "
00:06:59.45\00:07:01.75
James: "Once
saved... always saved"
00:07:01.78\00:07:03.65
was one of the biggest
mistakes the Jewish nation made
00:07:03.69\00:07:06.45
that ideology is one of
the biggest mistakes they made.
00:07:06.49\00:07:09.19
Yvonne: "We are
the chosen forever... "
00:07:09.22\00:07:10.56
James: Yeah "and there's nothing
that can happen to change that"
00:07:10.59\00:07:13.40
and so, what Ivor
was bringing out here...
00:07:13.43\00:07:15.60
when we go back
and... we are informed...
00:07:15.63\00:07:17.77
the Book of
Revelation informs us of...
00:07:17.80\00:07:19.90
we're informed by the Bible...
00:07:19.93\00:07:22.30
the history of
the Bible informs us
00:07:22.34\00:07:24.51
concerning the
Book of Revelation
00:07:24.54\00:07:26.64
so what else does it inform us
about this question right here?
00:07:26.68\00:07:29.98
We see it over and over again,
these nations that are chosen,
00:07:30.01\00:07:33.25
people that are chosen...
Saul... Solomon... these others
00:07:33.28\00:07:36.48
and of course, we
recognize in their experience
00:07:36.52\00:07:39.32
the fact that God is
merciful and I want to...
00:07:39.35\00:07:41.56
I don't want to close
this on the negative...
00:07:41.59\00:07:43.43
I want to close
it on the positive
00:07:43.46\00:07:44.79
so I want to bring
out Manasseh for example,
00:07:44.83\00:07:46.86
wicked King...
he was after Ahab...
00:07:46.90\00:07:50.33
Ahab was bad... you
think Ahab was bad...
00:07:50.37\00:07:52.07
Manasseh was worse, so bad...
00:07:52.10\00:07:54.34
and God took him... I
mean... sent him to Babylon...
00:07:54.40\00:07:56.50
took him to Babylon... it was...
00:07:56.54\00:07:57.91
and if you look at...
because there's two records...
00:07:57.94\00:07:59.81
of "repeat and enlarge... "
00:07:59.84\00:08:01.18
there are two
records of his history...
00:08:01.21\00:08:02.54
one is in Kings... the
other is in Chronicles...
00:08:02.58\00:08:04.98
if you read
Kings... Manasseh is lost...
00:08:05.01\00:08:07.28
he was taken
captive... he's done...
00:08:07.32\00:08:09.48
you read Chronicles...
after he's taken captive
00:08:09.52\00:08:12.22
he turns his face to the Lord,
00:08:12.25\00:08:13.82
he repents and
the Lord restores him
00:08:13.86\00:08:16.36
and takes him back to
Israel... back to Judah...
00:08:16.39\00:08:19.06
and he fortifies and then
he knew that the Lord was God.
00:08:19.09\00:08:23.30
Ivor: So, once
lost... not always lost...
00:08:23.33\00:08:25.70
James: Yes... that's
what I wanted to say.
00:08:25.73\00:08:27.60
Ivor: And once
saved... not always saved...
00:08:27.64\00:08:29.27
James: Yes... Yvonne:
Come on... I love it...
00:08:29.30\00:08:30.91
Jason: Now, the whole thing,
00:08:30.94\00:08:33.24
Lucifer... falling out
of heaven and all that...
00:08:33.27\00:08:36.04
it shows how dangerous pride is
00:08:36.08\00:08:39.05
because if he would have
repented and truly been sorry
00:08:39.08\00:08:44.25
for what he's done, God
would have forgiven him.
00:08:44.29\00:08:47.49
Ivor: Absolutely...
00:08:47.56\00:08:48.92
because God is the same
yesterday and today and forever,
00:08:48.96\00:08:51.59
but it was not
like, God was like,
00:08:51.63\00:08:52.96
"I'm not going to
offer you mercy... " no...
00:08:52.99\00:08:54.66
but he rejected that mercy.
00:08:54.70\00:08:56.10
Jason: He was so proud that...
James: He was unwilling...
00:08:56.13\00:09:00.57
Yvonne: The second thing that
00:09:00.60\00:09:03.57
I just want to
bring out from this
00:09:03.61\00:09:04.94
was... a lot of people
say... "I read the Bible...
00:09:04.97\00:09:09.78
why do we have so
many Denominations?"
00:09:09.81\00:09:11.71
Like, "Why isn't it just clear,
why can't I just read the Bible
00:09:11.75\00:09:16.25
and know... this is
where I'm supposed to be?"
00:09:16.28\00:09:18.72
I've had... I
know people who wonder
00:09:18.75\00:09:21.32
about why all the Denominations?
00:09:21.36\00:09:23.89
This answers that...
this addresses that...
00:09:23.93\00:09:27.63
James: This
history addresses that...
00:09:27.66\00:09:29.00
Yvonne: And I never knew
that it was alluded to...
00:09:29.03\00:09:32.63
in the church of
Sardis, the Reformation...
00:09:32.70\00:09:35.70
the Reformers stopped
00:09:35.74\00:09:37.64
at a certain point
and didn't continue,
00:09:37.67\00:09:40.38
that's why we have
all these Denominations.
00:09:40.41\00:09:42.78
James: And if
you... oh, go ahead...
00:09:42.84\00:09:44.38
Ivor: I was going to say I
think it's a good place actually
00:09:44.41\00:09:46.55
to recap that history
00:09:46.58\00:09:48.32
and that will kind of launch
us into the Philadelphia church
00:09:48.35\00:09:53.09
because these two
churches actually go together,
00:09:53.12\00:09:55.29
they are like bookends
00:09:55.32\00:09:56.66
so, we saw that the
first four churches,
00:09:56.69\00:10:00.66
Ephesus started out
pure but lost its first love,
00:10:00.70\00:10:04.27
that reminds us of Adam and Eve,
the creation of man... perfect,
00:10:04.30\00:10:08.24
but then they fell from
grace... lost their first love,
00:10:08.27\00:10:10.41
second church... Smyrna...
00:10:10.44\00:10:12.27
points us to the period of
persecution in the early church
00:10:12.34\00:10:16.54
and that reflects the
history of persecution
00:10:16.58\00:10:18.98
among God's people in Egypt
that's in the Book of Exodus,
00:10:19.01\00:10:21.65
then we saw the
third church as where...
00:10:21.68\00:10:23.79
the church comes
out of persecution
00:10:23.82\00:10:27.89
and now they are beginning
to compromise "in good times,"
00:10:27.92\00:10:32.16
just as Old Testament Israel
enters into the Promised Land,
00:10:32.19\00:10:36.43
escapes out of captivity,
enters the Promised Land
00:10:36.46\00:10:39.70
and they begin to
compromise in the very same way,
00:10:39.73\00:10:42.97
they choose a
king over their Priest
00:10:43.00\00:10:45.54
just as... the early
church... chose Constantine
00:10:45.57\00:10:49.08
to be protected by Rome
over their High Priest...
00:10:49.11\00:10:52.35
Jesus Christ in heaven.
00:10:52.41\00:10:53.82
The Fourth Church...
00:10:53.88\00:10:55.22
we saw... pointing us to
that power called Babylon,
00:10:55.25\00:10:58.85
just as...
because of the compromise
00:10:58.89\00:11:01.79
this woman, Jezebel,
ends up dominating the church
00:11:01.82\00:11:07.00
in the same way the
Old Testament history
00:11:07.03\00:11:09.33
you have the
Children of Israel...
00:11:09.36\00:11:10.73
because of their
compromise in the Promise Land,
00:11:10.77\00:11:12.67
end up in Babylonian captivity
00:11:12.70\00:11:15.20
perfect parallel...
00:11:15.24\00:11:17.01
James: By the way
it was Ahab and Jezebel
00:11:17.04\00:11:19.24
for whom the final
judgment was brought...
00:11:19.27\00:11:21.44
because of their apostasy
00:11:21.48\00:11:22.88
even though we
read it, the Bible said,
00:11:22.91\00:11:24.85
"I'm going to wait till
he passes... till he dies...
00:11:24.88\00:11:26.88
but I'm still going to
bring that judgment... "
00:11:26.92\00:11:28.92
and that judgment
was Babylonian captivity.
00:11:28.98\00:11:30.72
Ivor: They...
they... instigated...
00:11:30.79\00:11:32.45
they brought upon the
Nation of Israel that judgment.
00:11:32.49\00:11:36.06
Ivor: So it's no...
it's no "chance thing"
00:11:36.09\00:11:38.29
that Jezebel herself is
mentioned in this church...
00:11:38.33\00:11:40.90
Ivor: Within that
context, absolutely...
00:11:40.93\00:11:42.93
and that's like,
Chronicles, Kings...
00:11:42.96\00:11:44.87
right after Chronicles and
Kings you have the Book of Ezra
00:11:44.90\00:11:48.87
and the Book of
Ezra talks about Cyrus...
00:11:48.90\00:11:52.11
this man named Cyrus...
who comes as a Deliverer,
00:11:52.14\00:11:56.08
he makes a decree which
basically dries up Babylon,
00:11:56.11\00:11:59.98
the rivers of
Babylon are dried up,
00:12:00.02\00:12:04.19
the people leave Babylon,
he opens the gates of Babylon,
00:12:04.22\00:12:07.26
so that the people
can leave and go back
00:12:07.32\00:12:09.19
to build spiritual Jerusalem.
00:12:09.22\00:12:12.26
Guess what we just
learned about Sardis?
00:12:12.29\00:12:14.76
Martin Luther makes
a "decree" if you will,
00:12:14.80\00:12:17.93
against that power
described as Babylon
00:12:18.00\00:12:21.07
people start to leave
her, what is the task?
00:12:21.10\00:12:24.47
To go back to
build spiritual Jerusalem
00:12:24.51\00:12:28.41
God's house, but
what did we find?
00:12:28.44\00:12:30.85
We found that
when they went there,
00:12:30.88\00:12:33.18
it's interesting...
in the Book of Nehemiah,
00:12:33.21\00:12:36.32
Nehemiah enquires
about those who had "escaped"
00:12:36.35\00:12:39.42
and he used the word, "escaped"
00:12:39.45\00:12:41.42
what does Sardis
mean? James: Escape...
00:12:41.46\00:12:43.59
Ivor: The ones escaping...
00:12:43.63\00:12:44.96
Yvonne: Wow! Ivor:
The ones escaping...
00:12:44.99\00:12:46.59
and so, he wants
to know the condition,
00:12:46.63\00:12:48.60
what's going on with them?
00:12:48.63\00:12:49.96
What does he find out?
00:12:50.00\00:12:51.33
That they went there
and the House of the Lord
00:12:51.37\00:12:53.84
is still not built,
00:12:53.87\00:12:55.20
they were beginning to
build their own houses...
00:12:55.24\00:12:58.74
building their own houses...
00:12:58.77\00:13:01.14
while the House of
the Lord lay desolate.
00:13:01.18\00:13:04.91
James: And so you have all
these different houses here,
00:13:04.98\00:13:07.52
you have all these
different Denominations
00:13:07.55\00:13:09.15
and now God wants
to bring us out of that
00:13:09.18\00:13:11.05
and it reminds me
of my own experience,
00:13:11.09\00:13:12.92
this is practical
and it's personal,
00:13:12.95\00:13:14.66
I was raised a
Catholic so I come into this
00:13:14.69\00:13:17.69
in the Dark
Ages... inexperience...
00:13:17.73\00:13:19.39
I come into this
in the Dark Ages,
00:13:19.43\00:13:21.03
I'm an Altar Boy, I
go to church every week,
00:13:21.06\00:13:23.47
I go to Catholic School,
I'd say my prayers every night,
00:13:23.50\00:13:26.50
as I grow up and
become a teenager,
00:13:26.53\00:13:29.40
I'm "Catholic" by name only
00:13:29.47\00:13:31.24
and I'm saying my
prayers every night
00:13:31.27\00:13:33.34
whether I'm drunk or sober,
00:13:33.38\00:13:34.71
I'm going to
Confession every once in a while
00:13:34.74\00:13:36.48
when I go back to
see my mom in England
00:13:36.51\00:13:38.31
but I'm not really
into the Word of God
00:13:38.35\00:13:40.25
and I'm not really
connected with Jesus,
00:13:40.32\00:13:42.18
then as I turn 21...
00:13:42.22\00:13:45.15
I go through this
incredible experience...
00:13:45.19\00:13:47.46
this conversion experience
and I accept Christ as my Savior
00:13:47.49\00:13:49.96
and I have people that have
been witnessing to me at work
00:13:49.99\00:13:52.39
and I join this
non-denominational church
00:13:52.43\00:13:54.76
and I start going
to a Pentecostal Church
00:13:54.80\00:13:57.10
and these folk...
Ivor: You enter Sardis...
00:13:57.13\00:13:59.27
James: Yeah... I go
through this incredible change
00:13:59.33\00:14:02.80
and I'm growing and I'm
just hungry for the Word of God
00:14:02.84\00:14:05.51
and of course in
the Pentecostal church
00:14:05.54\00:14:07.21
there's an emphasis on
the gifts of the Spirit
00:14:07.24\00:14:09.18
which is a good
thing... I mean...
00:14:09.21\00:14:10.55
we want the gifts of the Spirit
00:14:10.58\00:14:11.91
in the church
that should be there
00:14:11.95\00:14:13.28
in the
non-denominational church,
00:14:13.31\00:14:14.65
there's an emphasis on
basic relationship with Christ,
00:14:14.68\00:14:18.39
baptism, forgiveness,
00:14:18.42\00:14:19.95
that kind of
thing, so I'm into that,
00:14:19.99\00:14:22.12
but then my
sister comes on the scene
00:14:22.16\00:14:24.29
and she's been studying
with this other denomination
00:14:24.33\00:14:26.80
that is teaching her things
00:14:26.83\00:14:29.63
that are totally
weird in my understanding.
00:14:29.66\00:14:32.27
Ivor: Almost like Philadelphia.
00:14:32.30\00:14:34.60
James: Yes, one of the things
that she's teaching me about...
00:14:34.64\00:14:37.44
she's telling me about is,
00:14:37.47\00:14:38.81
that you should go
to church on Saturday.
00:14:38.84\00:14:41.34
"Church on Saturday!" I'm
thinking, "That is crazy,"
00:14:41.38\00:14:44.81
I'm thinking...
and the thing is...
00:14:44.85\00:14:47.32
is that a lot of people who
would hear that, because I know,
00:14:47.35\00:14:49.88
a lot of my friends I
shared that with later...
00:14:49.92\00:14:51.99
there were just
like, "No way... "
00:14:52.05\00:14:53.39
they are not even
going to follow up on it
00:14:53.42\00:14:54.76
but I followed up on it,
00:14:54.79\00:14:56.12
I went to the Word of
God and the point is...
00:14:56.16\00:14:58.33
is that this admonition is,
00:14:58.39\00:15:00.93
"Go to the Word of God
and follow the Word of God. "
00:15:00.96\00:15:03.23
Martin Luther started by
following the Word of God,
00:15:03.26\00:15:05.47
Wycliffe started by
preaching the Word of God,
00:15:05.50\00:15:07.20
Calvin, Zwingli, Huss, Jerome...
00:15:07.24\00:15:09.44
all these Reformers...
Knox... all of them...
00:15:09.50\00:15:11.81
looking at the Word of God,
00:15:11.84\00:15:13.17
Tyndale translating
it into the language
00:15:13.21\00:15:15.08
of the common people in England,
00:15:15.11\00:15:16.98
and these people are
getting the Word of God
00:15:17.05\00:15:18.55
and they're
following the Word of God...
00:15:18.58\00:15:19.91
and when they find
things in the Word of God,
00:15:19.95\00:15:21.75
they're being
persecuted for that thing
00:15:21.78\00:15:23.22
and so they isolate themselves
00:15:23.25\00:15:24.92
but now God is bringing
all of those little things,
00:15:24.95\00:15:27.72
these little truths
together in one Denomination
00:15:27.76\00:15:30.63
and as I'm
looking at the Word of God
00:15:30.66\00:15:33.33
and I'm saying, "Wow! the
Sabbath is in the Word of God,
00:15:33.36\00:15:35.86
the seventh day is the...
Saturday is the seventh day,
00:15:35.90\00:15:38.37
it is the Sabbath,
it's the Lord's Day... "
00:15:38.40\00:15:41.10
I didn't realize
that, so the thing that...
00:15:41.14\00:15:43.51
that God is bringing to us now
00:15:43.57\00:15:45.31
as we get into the
Philadelphia Church,
00:15:45.34\00:15:46.88
Philadelphia begins in about
1798, it means, "Brotherly Love"
00:15:46.91\00:15:52.61
it is the
missionary age, it brings us to
00:15:52.65\00:15:56.22
what we understand to be,
00:15:56.25\00:15:57.59
in history, the
Millerite Movement
00:15:57.62\00:15:59.02
and it brings us to
an experience of love
00:15:59.05\00:16:02.79
that is God
given... God breathed...
00:16:02.82\00:16:05.79
that causes us to just
want to be all out for God,
00:16:05.83\00:16:08.66
whether it's missionary work...
whether it's following the Word
00:16:08.70\00:16:11.23
and I remember, all
the evidence that I had
00:16:11.27\00:16:13.60
all of the things
that people shared with me,
00:16:13.64\00:16:15.94
all of the warnings,
"Don't become an Adventist,"
00:16:15.97\00:16:18.24
all of the encouragement,
"follow the Word of God... "
00:16:18.27\00:16:21.14
I remember the one
thing that hit home with me
00:16:21.18\00:16:23.58
was when I read
the words of Jesus,
00:16:23.61\00:16:25.41
"If you love me,
keep my commandments"
00:16:25.45\00:16:27.18
and I was in love with
Jesus, I was in love with Jesus
00:16:27.22\00:16:30.59
and that is where we find
this church of Philadelphia,
00:16:30.65\00:16:33.66
it's all about love,
00:16:33.69\00:16:35.02
the love relationship is being
restored completely and totally
00:16:35.06\00:16:38.03
in the Philadelphian Church.
00:16:38.06\00:16:39.43
So, let's read those verses,
Jason, read those verses for us
00:16:39.46\00:16:43.43
of the Philadelphian Church,
begins in verse 7 of chapter 3
00:16:43.47\00:16:47.40
and let's read all
the way down to verse 13.
00:16:47.44\00:16:49.97
Jason: All right...
00:16:50.01\00:16:51.34
"And to the angel of the
church in Philadelphia write;
00:16:51.37\00:16:54.24
These things
saith he that is holy,
00:16:54.28\00:16:57.01
he that is true, he
that hath the key of David,
00:16:57.05\00:17:00.32
he that openeth
and no man shutteth;
00:17:00.35\00:17:02.58
and shutteth,
and no man openeth;
00:17:02.62\00:17:04.79
I know thy works:
behold I have set before thee
00:17:04.85\00:17:08.49
an open door, and
no man can shut it;
00:17:08.52\00:17:10.66
for thou has a little
strength, and hast kept my word,
00:17:10.69\00:17:14.96
and hast not denied my name.
00:17:15.00\00:17:16.53
Behold, I will make them
of the synagogue of Satan,
00:17:16.56\00:17:20.40
which say they are
Jews, and are not, but do lie;
00:17:20.44\00:17:24.21
behold, I will make them to come
and worship before thy feet,
00:17:24.24\00:17:28.31
and to know that
I have loved thee.
00:17:28.34\00:17:31.61
Because thou has kept
the word of my patience,
00:17:31.65\00:17:35.18
I also will keep thee
from the hour of temptation,
00:17:35.22\00:17:38.69
which shall come
upon all the world,
00:17:38.72\00:17:40.96
to try them that
dwell upon the earth.
00:17:40.99\00:17:43.12
Behold, I come quickly:
hold that fast which thou hast,
00:17:43.16\00:17:47.83
that no man take thy crown.
00:17:47.86\00:17:50.27
Him that overcometh
will I make a pillar
00:17:50.30\00:17:53.50
in the temple of my God,
and he shall go no more out:
00:17:53.54\00:17:57.87
and I will write upon
him the name of my God,
00:17:57.91\00:18:00.61
and the name of
the city of my God,
00:18:00.64\00:18:03.24
which is new Jerusalem,
00:18:03.28\00:18:05.21
which cometh down out
of heaven from my God:
00:18:05.25\00:18:08.18
and I will write
upon him my new name.
00:18:08.25\00:18:11.22
He that hath an
ear, let him hear
00:18:11.25\00:18:14.06
what the Spirit
saith unto the churches. "
00:18:14.09\00:18:16.49
James: Amen... Jason you
do an excellent job reading,
00:18:16.52\00:18:19.23
I just want to say that
every word... every word...
00:18:19.26\00:18:21.93
this is
beautiful, this is powerful,
00:18:21.96\00:18:24.30
this is the
experience God wants us to have,
00:18:24.33\00:18:27.14
this is renewed love
experience and I don't know...
00:18:27.17\00:18:30.94
there were a
few phrases in here,
00:18:30.97\00:18:32.31
I'm not sure
that you caught them
00:18:32.34\00:18:33.68
but there's one phrase
that I just wanted to highlight
00:18:33.71\00:18:35.54
and that is... did
you notice where He said,
00:18:35.58\00:18:37.21
He mentioned again,
00:18:37.25\00:18:38.58
"Those which are in
the synagogue of Satan
00:18:38.61\00:18:40.85
will say they are
Jews and are not... "
00:18:40.88\00:18:43.05
do you remember that
from a previous church?
00:18:43.08\00:18:44.85
All: Hmmm... hmmm...
00:18:44.89\00:18:46.35
James: There's a previous church
where that same phrase is used,
00:18:46.39\00:18:49.32
"those who say they're
Jews and they're not... "
00:18:49.36\00:18:52.39
Smyrna... now what does Smyrna
and Philadelphia have in common?
00:18:52.46\00:18:55.56
Ivor: No rebuke...
James: No rebuke...
00:18:55.63\00:18:57.73
when you're
undergoing persecution
00:18:57.77\00:18:59.77
and when you are
filled with brotherly love
00:18:59.80\00:19:02.44
and what happens is... when
you're undergoing persecution,
00:19:02.47\00:19:06.44
a demarcation takes place,
00:19:06.47\00:19:08.18
a distinction takes place
00:19:08.21\00:19:09.84
between those who
say they're Jews...
00:19:09.91\00:19:11.25
and we're talking
about spiritual Jews now,
00:19:11.28\00:19:13.01
who say they're
true followers of Christ
00:19:13.05\00:19:14.45
and are not... and when you're
filled with brotherly love,
00:19:14.48\00:19:17.89
a demarcation... a
distinction takes place
00:19:17.92\00:19:20.92
between those who say they're
followers of Christ and are not,
00:19:20.96\00:19:23.73
these are the two churches
that that phrase is used in
00:19:23.76\00:19:28.26
because there are
the two experiences
00:19:28.30\00:19:30.13
that show the difference
between those who say they are
00:19:30.17\00:19:33.13
and those who say they
aren't, really important.
00:19:33.17\00:19:35.67
Ivor: Absolutely,
so this history then
00:19:35.70\00:19:40.08
points us to... as we talked
about the Millerite Movement
00:19:40.11\00:19:44.98
which would bring us
down to that time prophecy
00:19:45.01\00:19:47.15
of 1844... so
again if we're looking at
00:19:47.18\00:19:50.69
our time markers... 70
Weeks... 1,260... 2,300...
00:19:50.72\00:19:56.39
church number 6 introduces us to
that 2,300-Day Prophecy, right?
00:19:56.42\00:20:03.37
Actually it brings us
to the close of the 1,260
00:20:03.40\00:20:06.90
and moves us forward
to the 2,300-Day Prophecy
00:20:06.94\00:20:12.74
and in that Movement,
the focus was the Sanctuary
00:20:12.77\00:20:18.51
and the
cleansing of the Sanctuary
00:20:18.55\00:20:22.25
which brings us into what?
00:20:22.28\00:20:23.79
The understanding
that we have just moved
00:20:23.82\00:20:27.12
from Holy Place to
Most Holy Place, right?
00:20:27.16\00:20:30.43
Now see that that's happening
at the end of the 7 churches
00:20:30.46\00:20:34.06
right? It's not in church
number 2 or church number 1
00:20:34.10\00:20:37.90
or church number 4 or 5,
00:20:37.93\00:20:39.30
it's happening
in church number 6
00:20:39.33\00:20:41.10
so we know when we
get to church number 7,
00:20:41.14\00:20:43.41
we are in the... we are
in the time of judgment,
00:20:43.44\00:20:46.51
we are in the
2,300-Day Prophecy...
00:20:46.57\00:20:48.24
James: Post
1844... Ivor: Absolutely...
00:20:48.28\00:20:50.55
and the purpose of
the Philadelphia church
00:20:50.58\00:20:52.55
was to bring unity...
00:20:52.61\00:20:54.22
it gathered together all
the people into one Movement,
00:20:54.25\00:20:58.52
we understand that Movement
to be the end-time Movement,
00:20:58.55\00:21:02.76
the Remnant who keep
the commandments of God
00:21:02.82\00:21:04.76
and have the faith of
Jesus and what they did was
00:21:04.79\00:21:07.40
they built the
house of the Lord.
00:21:07.43\00:21:09.06
James: Hmmm...
hmmm... love it...
00:21:09.10\00:21:10.67
Ivor: now here's why
this is interesting...
00:21:10.70\00:21:12.63
because remember... remember
our history check right?
00:21:12.67\00:21:15.20
We always want to cross
check what we're coming up with
00:21:15.24\00:21:17.77
so let's go back to
the history once more
00:21:17.81\00:21:20.11
and we just laid out,
first church, second church,
00:21:20.14\00:21:23.11
third church, fourth church,
00:21:23.14\00:21:24.48
fifth church... we saw...
00:21:24.51\00:21:25.85
that under this
decree from Cyrus,
00:21:25.88\00:21:29.28
Ezra and others went
forth to do this work
00:21:29.32\00:21:32.59
but after a while...
the work waned, right?
00:21:32.62\00:21:35.86
So, what happens?
00:21:35.89\00:21:38.09
Everyone is like
focusing on their own houses,
00:21:38.13\00:21:41.03
this Reformation
begins but it dies out
00:21:41.06\00:21:44.33
so who does God
bring up on the scene?
00:21:44.37\00:21:46.87
He brings up on the scene a
man by the name of Nehemiah.
00:21:46.90\00:21:49.94
Nehemiah has been
called to do what?
00:21:49.97\00:21:53.44
Finish the work... so
what does Nehemiah do?
00:21:53.48\00:21:57.71
He goes to Jerusalem, he
sees all that is broken down
00:21:57.75\00:22:00.78
and he gathers
the people together
00:22:00.82\00:22:05.95
to unite upon finishing the work
00:22:05.99\00:22:09.39
and if you read
Nehemiah chapter 2,
00:22:09.42\00:22:12.76
you'll see one word appearing
over and over and over,
00:22:12.79\00:22:15.53
repair, repair,
repair, repair...
00:22:15.56\00:22:19.00
well, guess what
God's people are called?
00:22:19.03\00:22:21.40
James and Yvonne: The
repairers of the breach...
00:22:21.44\00:22:24.31
Ivor: The repairers of
the breach, Isaiah 58...
00:22:24.34\00:22:27.18
so let me share some
things with you very quickly
00:22:27.21\00:22:29.68
that happened in
the Book of Nehemiah.
00:22:29.74\00:22:31.11
In Nehemiah, there are
people who are trying to hinder
00:22:31.15\00:22:35.58
the work of rebuilding the city.
00:22:35.62\00:22:39.29
Yvonne: Tobiah and Sanballat.
00:22:39.32\00:22:40.72
Ivor: Absolutely, right?
They are under persecution,
00:22:40.76\00:22:43.73
under persecution
the people come together,
00:22:43.76\00:22:46.43
they got a sword in one
hand and a hammer in the other,
00:22:46.46\00:22:49.40
they're focused on their work,
all the people are of one mind.
00:22:49.43\00:22:53.70
Within this story,
00:22:53.74\00:22:55.44
it's in Nehemiah
chapter 7 verse 64
00:22:55.50\00:22:59.67
it tells us there
00:22:59.71\00:23:04.31
that there is like a roll call
00:23:04.35\00:23:06.48
and all whose names are
not found on the genealogy,
00:23:06.51\00:23:10.45
are put away from the
priesthood as polluted.
00:23:10.49\00:23:13.86
Almost like this work of
judgment begins to occur,
00:23:13.89\00:23:17.13
okay... Yvonne: Hmmm...
00:23:17.16\00:23:18.66
Ivor: This is absolutely amazing
in Nehemiah 7 verse 67 and 68,
00:23:18.69\00:23:24.00
it tells us that
roughly about 50,000 people
00:23:24.03\00:23:27.70
were a part of this Reformation,
I don't know if you...
00:23:27.74\00:23:31.31
well, I asked this question
a little bit earlier before
00:23:31.34\00:23:34.64
so, how many people were a
part of the Millerite Movement?
00:23:34.68\00:23:38.61
who came out of the... these
other churches to participate?
00:23:38.65\00:23:42.55
50,000 people...
James: 50,000 people...
00:23:42.58\00:23:45.12
Yvonne: Wow!
00:23:45.15\00:23:46.49
Ivor: Nehemiah chapter 8,
00:23:46.52\00:23:47.86
the Law is
brought before the people
00:23:47.89\00:23:49.22
and read in their hearing
so that they can understand,
00:23:49.26\00:23:51.19
in this Philadelphia Movement,
the Law is given preeminence,
00:23:51.23\00:23:55.73
in other words, the
Law is brought to...
00:23:55.76\00:23:57.53
to the minds of the
people, in Nehemiah chapter...
00:23:57.57\00:24:00.90
chapter 10,
there is a sealing...
00:24:00.94\00:24:05.27
there is a sealing that
occurs in Nehemiah chapter 10,
00:24:05.31\00:24:10.65
well, guess what?
That points us to the fact
00:24:10.68\00:24:12.61
that we can look
and see, you know what?
00:24:12.65\00:24:14.58
A sealing work
begins to take place
00:24:14.62\00:24:17.95
and I shouldn't even
use the word, "begin'
00:24:17.99\00:24:20.72
but a sealing
work is made prominent
00:24:20.76\00:24:23.43
within the end-time church
and then the last thing you see
00:24:23.49\00:24:28.36
is that in Nehemiah chapter
13 there is Sabbath Reformation.
00:24:28.40\00:24:33.27
Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm...
00:24:33.30\00:24:34.90
so when you look at
all these things happening
00:24:34.94\00:24:37.14
under the rule of
Nehemiah and you compare it
00:24:37.17\00:24:39.37
historically
with what's happening
00:24:39.41\00:24:42.61
in the Philadelphia
Church, it's beyond words.
00:24:42.64\00:24:46.98
Yvonne: Wow!
00:24:47.02\00:24:48.35
James: It fits because
the Philadelphia Church
00:24:48.38\00:24:50.89
remember... takes us
past 1844 to the 1850s,
00:24:50.92\00:24:53.32
It's not till 1850s that we
start seeing this transition
00:24:53.36\00:24:57.33
into the Laodicean experience,
so during the Millerite Movement
00:24:57.39\00:25:01.63
and beyond... into the 1840s...
the Sabbath is discovered
00:25:01.66\00:25:04.73
judgment, of
course, is proclaimed,
00:25:04.77\00:25:06.70
you have the 42,000
00:25:06.74\00:25:09.47
I think it was in
the Book of Nehemiah,
00:25:09.50\00:25:10.84
you have 50,000... Ivor:
42,000 plus 7,000 others.
00:25:10.87\00:25:15.61
James: Okay, so
it's almost 50,000...
00:25:15.64\00:25:18.18
James: it's
42,300... plus another...
00:25:18.21\00:25:21.48
Ivor: It's 49,924...
00:25:21.52\00:25:24.52
Laughter... Yvonne: Wow!
00:25:24.55\00:25:27.99
James: It's amazing how
this is all coming together
00:25:28.02\00:25:30.83
and when you look at
the church of Philadelphia,
00:25:30.86\00:25:33.60
this is the experience
that God wants us to...
00:25:33.63\00:25:36.23
He never intended that we would
00:25:36.26\00:25:37.60
fall into the
Laodicean condition,
00:25:37.63\00:25:38.97
of course, God foresaw
that... He sees that...
00:25:39.00\00:25:40.90
He understands that...
He knows that experience...
00:25:40.94\00:25:43.17
but He wants us to actually
experience the repentance,
00:25:43.20\00:25:45.44
we'll talk about
that... in the Laodicean message
00:25:45.47\00:25:47.91
the repentance
that brings us back
00:25:47.94\00:25:49.54
to this
Brotherly Love experience
00:25:49.58\00:25:50.91
and the Brotherly Love
Experience will also coincide
00:25:50.95\00:25:54.28
with the Smyrna
persecution in the end of time
00:25:54.32\00:25:56.75
so both of those experiences
00:25:56.79\00:25:58.62
will be the experiences of God's
true people in the end of time
00:25:58.65\00:26:01.39
and that's
Idealism... Ivor: Absolutely.
00:26:01.42\00:26:02.76
James: that's understanding
the history of these churches,
00:26:02.79\00:26:05.36
how each one has a
certain age that it applies to
00:26:05.39\00:26:08.23
but the principles of
that history... always apply
00:26:08.26\00:26:11.03
to every... all of God's people.
00:26:11.07\00:26:13.00
Ivor: We can even
say now that today,
00:26:13.03\00:26:14.70
there are people in Thyatira,
there are others in Sardis...
00:26:14.74\00:26:19.61
but our mission is to
pull them into Philadelphia
00:26:19.64\00:26:24.35
right, and then
prepare them for Laodicea.
00:26:24.38\00:26:28.52
James: Right... Yvonne: Hmmm...
00:26:28.55\00:26:30.02
Ivor: So if it
all ties in together
00:26:30.05\00:26:31.42
in so many different
ways, you see these patterns
00:26:31.45\00:26:35.06
that just show the
gospel from like 360 degrees.
00:26:35.09\00:26:37.89
Ivor: That's what we're
doing, we're like a camera
00:26:37.96\00:26:40.73
moving around the Bible...
00:26:40.76\00:26:42.13
moving around the
Book of Revelation...
00:26:42.16\00:26:43.60
and showing it from
several different angles.
00:26:43.63\00:26:45.23
Yvonne: Oh! I love it.
00:26:45.27\00:26:46.60
James: And that's what
the Book of Revelation does,
00:26:46.63\00:26:47.97
it naturally brings
us right into this...
00:26:48.00\00:26:51.11
this place where we can see
00:26:51.14\00:26:52.84
the 360 degree
angle of the entire Bible.
00:26:52.87\00:26:55.88
Revelation forces us
00:26:55.91\00:26:57.61
by using these
symbols and these phrases,
00:26:57.65\00:26:59.38
forces us to go back and
look at the history of the Bible
00:26:59.41\00:27:02.18
and to go back and look
at the history of the church
00:27:02.22\00:27:04.25
and to bring it all
together so you can see the...
00:27:04.29\00:27:06.55
God doesn't want us to
forget any of the past,
00:27:06.59\00:27:08.59
not in the Old Testament
00:27:08.62\00:27:10.16
and not in the
history of the Nations...
00:27:10.19\00:27:12.23
Ivor: They were
written for our admonition.
00:27:12.26\00:27:14.23
Ivor: "Upon whom the
ends of the world are come. "
00:27:14.30\00:27:16.16
James: We are out
of time. Yvonne: Wow...
00:27:16.23\00:27:18.93
James: What are we
going to tell people
00:27:18.97\00:27:20.30
who want to ask questions?
00:27:20.34\00:27:21.67
Jason: That they need to
send their video submissions
00:27:21.70\00:27:23.91
to sss@3abn. org
00:27:23.94\00:27:27.11
that's sss like
Salvation in Symbols and Signs
00:27:27.18\00:27:30.61
at 3abn. org
00:27:30.65\00:27:32.21
James: Jason, pray
for us, take us out.
00:27:32.25\00:27:33.78
Jason: "Dear Heavenly
Father, thank you so much
00:27:33.82\00:27:35.82
for this beautiful love
story that we're learning about
00:27:35.85\00:27:39.32
thank you so much for equipping
us with signs of the times
00:27:39.35\00:27:42.79
and making it in a
format that we can comprehend
00:27:42.82\00:27:46.03
with due diligence
and prayer and studying...
00:27:46.06\00:27:49.26
please be with
the people at home
00:27:49.30\00:27:53.00
and inspire them to do
their due diligence as well
00:27:53.03\00:27:56.37
and allow this program
to be a blessing to them,
00:27:56.40\00:27:58.51
in Jesus' name we pray, amen. "
00:27:58.57\00:28:00.78
All: "Amen... "
00:28:00.81\00:28:02.14