(MUSIC)
00:00:00.60\00:00:35.13
>>WELCOME TO
SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY HOUR.
00:00:35.13\00:00:37.10
IT IS BY NO ACCIDENT THAT YOU
HAVE TUNED IN AND THAT YOU ARE
00:00:37.10\00:00:40.40
JOINING US TO STUDY GOD'S WORD
TOGETHER AND WE ARE THRILLED
00:00:40.40\00:00:43.91
THAT YOU ARE HERE. WE ARE GOING
TO SING TOGETHER BEFORE WE GET
00:00:43.91\00:00:47.71
STARTED AND PASTOR DEROSE BRINGS
US OUR STUDY. WE HAVE PICKED A
00:00:47.71\00:00:51.75
COUPLE OF HYMNS TODAY
THAT ARE MAJESTIC AND GLORIOUS.
00:00:51.75\00:00:55.72
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH HYMN
#506 - A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR
00:00:55.72\00:00:59.85
GOD - WE'RE GOING TO SING THE
FIRST, THE THIRD, AND THE LAST
00:00:59.85\00:01:03.16
VERSES OF HYMN #506. (MUSIC)
00:01:03.16\00:01:12.93
>>A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS
OUR GOD, A BULWARK NEVER
00:01:12.93\00:01:23.01
FAILING; OUR HELPER HE, AMID THE
FLOOD OF MORTAL ILLS PREVAILING.
00:01:23.01\00:01:39.46
FOR STILL OUR ANCIENT FOE DOTH
SEEK TO WORK US WOE; HIS CRAFT
00:01:39.46\00:01:51.11
AND POWER ARE GREAT; AND ARMED
WITH CRUEL HATE, ON EARTH IS NOT
00:01:51.11\00:02:02.88
HIS EQUAL. AND
THOUGH THIS WORLD, WITH
00:02:02.88\00:02:10.83
DEVILS FILLED, SHOULD THREATEN
TO UNDO US, WE WILL NOT FEAR,
00:02:10.83\00:02:23.44
FOR GOD HATH WILLED HIS
TRUTH TO TRIUMPH THROUGH US.
00:02:23.44\00:02:34.38
THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS GRIM,
WE TREMBLE NOT FOR HIM; HIS RAGE
00:02:34.38\00:02:46.06
WE CAN ENDURE, FOR
LO! HIS DOOM IS SURE,
00:02:46.06\00:02:55.67
ONE LITTLE WORD SHALL FELL
HIM. THAT WORD ABOVE ALL EARTHLY
00:02:55.67\00:03:08.62
POWERS, NO THANKS TO THEM,
ABIDETH; THE SPIRIT AND THE
00:03:08.62\00:03:21.13
GIFTS ARE OURS THROUGH HIM WHO
WITH US SIDETH; LET GOODS AND
00:03:21.13\00:03:34.08
KINDRED GO, THIS MORTAL LIFE
ALSO; THE BODY THEY MAY KILL;
00:03:34.08\00:03:48.42
GOD'S TRUTH ABIDETH
STILL, HIS KINGDOM IS FOREVER.
00:03:48.42\00:04:03.20
>>YOU KNOW, WE JUST SANG A LINE
IN THIS HYMN AND IT SAID, 'GOD
00:04:03.20\00:04:06.47
HATH WILLED HIS TRUTH TO TRIUMPH
THROUGH US.' WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT
00:04:06.47\00:04:11.08
IS FOR EACH ONE OF US TO KNOW
THAT THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE
00:04:11.08\00:04:14.85
WANTS TO WORK THROUGH EACH
ONE OF US TO WRAP UP THIS PLANET
00:04:14.85\00:04:18.92
THAT WE CAN GO HOME
WITH HIM TO LIVE FOREVER.
00:04:18.92\00:04:21.22
AND I JUST PRAY THAT AS YOU GO
THROUGH THIS NEXT WEEK, THAT YOU
00:04:21.22\00:04:25.49
WILL FIND THAT HE IS WORKING
THROUGH YOU AND THAT YOU WILL BE
00:04:25.49\00:04:28.63
JUST AMAZED AND SEND
YOUR ADORATION BACK TO HIM.
00:04:28.63\00:04:33.34
OUR NEXT HYMN WE'RE GOING
TO SING IS #230 - HYMN #230 -
00:04:33.34\00:04:40.01
ALL GLORY, LAUD, AND HONOR -
WE'RE GOING TO SING ALL THREE
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VERSES. (MUSIC)
00:04:43.91\00:04:49.72
>>ALL GLORY, LAUD, AND
HONOR TO THEE, REDEEMER, KING,
00:04:49.72\00:04:59.83
TO WHOM THE LIPS OF CHILDREN
MADE SWEET HOSANNAS RING.
00:04:59.83\00:05:09.90
THOU ART THE KING OF ISRAEL,
THOU, DAVID'S ROYAL SON, WHO IN
00:05:09.90\00:05:21.78
THE LORD'S NAME COMEST,
THE KING AND BLESSED ONE.
00:05:21.78\00:05:31.86
THE COMPANY OF ANGELS ARE
PRAISING THEE ON HIGH, AND
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MORTAL MEN AND ALL
THINGS CREATED MAKE REPLY.
00:05:42.70\00:05:52.28
THE PEOPLE OF THE HEBREWS
WITH PALMS BEFORE THEE WENT; OUR
00:05:52.28\00:06:03.83
PRAISE AND PRAYER AND
ANTHEMS BEFORE THEE WE PRESENT.
00:06:03.83\00:06:15.04
TO THEE, BEFORE THY PASSION,
THEY SANG THEIR HYMNS OF PRAISE;
00:06:15.04\00:06:25.41
TO THEE, NOW HIGH
EXALTED, OUR MELODY WE RAISE.
00:06:25.41\00:06:35.72
THOU DIDST ACCEPT THEIR PRAISES;
ACCEPT THE PRAISE WE BRING, WHO
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IN ALL GOOD DELIGHTEST,
THOU GOOD AND GRACIOUS KING.
00:06:47.20\00:07:00.42
>>LET'S PRAY. OUR
FATHER IN HEAVEN, WHAT A
00:07:00.42\00:07:03.95
PRIVILEGE IT IS TO COME BEFORE
YOU, THE KING OF THE UNIVERSE -
00:07:03.95\00:07:07.76
ALL MAJESTY - THAT WE CAN PRAISE
YOU AND WE CAN HONOR YOU AS OUR
00:07:07.76\00:07:12.23
CREATOR AND OUR
SAVIOR AND OUR LORD.
00:07:12.23\00:07:14.83
WE THANK YOU, LORD, FOR EMPTYING
OUT HEAVEN AND GIVING US JESUS,
00:07:14.83\00:07:18.50
THAT WE CAN BE SAVED AND THAT
WE CAN BE RESTORED TO WHAT YOU
00:07:18.50\00:07:21.80
FIRST HAD PLANNED FOR US.
AND SO NOW, AS PASTOR DEROSE
00:07:21.80\00:07:25.21
BRINGS US OUR STUDY, LORD,
PLEASE JUST OPEN OUR EARS AND
00:07:25.21\00:07:27.84
OPEN OUR HEARTS THAT WE CAN
LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU AND HOW TO
00:07:27.84\00:07:31.18
BE LIKE YOU AND HOW YOU
WANT TO WORK THROUGH US.
00:07:31.18\00:07:34.25
PLEASE JUST WORK
THROUGH US TO THE END.
00:07:34.25\00:07:36.02
LORD, KEEP US
FAITHFUL UNTIL YOU COME.
00:07:36.02\00:07:38.55
I PRAY THESE THINGS IN THE
PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS, AMEN.
00:07:38.55\00:07:42.62
>>WELL, IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU
AGAIN AND WE'RE CONTINUING OUR
00:07:42.62\00:07:46.03
JOURNEY IN THE TOPIC OF
REBELLION AND RESTORATION.
00:07:46.03\00:07:52.30
THIS IS THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
THEME AND YOU SAY, 'WELL,
00:07:52.30\00:07:56.07
DR. DEROSE, YOU CAN'T EVEN READ
THE TITLE, IT'S REBELLION AND
00:07:56.07\00:08:01.18
REDEMPTION .' IT'S
REALLY THE SAME THING, ISN'T IT?
00:08:01.18\00:08:04.38
RESTORATION AND REDEMPTION -
THAT'S WHAT GOD IS INTERESTED IN
00:08:04.38\00:08:07.48
AND THAT'S WHAT
WE'VE BEEN STUDYING ABOUT.
00:08:07.48\00:08:09.28
SO THROUGH THIS QUARTER - WE
BEGAN IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS AND
00:08:09.28\00:08:12.72
WE'RE WORKING OUR WAY, RIGHT
NOW, TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION.
00:08:12.72\00:08:16.49
SO WE ARE ACTUALLY - IF YOU'RE
FOLLOWING ALONG IN THE LESSON -
00:08:16.49\00:08:19.53
WE ARE LOOKING AT LESSON #12
TODAY - LESSON #12 DEALING WITH
00:08:19.53\00:08:25.17
THE CHURCH MILITANT .
AND, AS ALWAYS, WE HAVE A
00:08:25.17\00:08:28.90
SPECIAL OFFER THAT'S AVAILABLE
TO OUR VIEWERS IN NORTH AMERICA
00:08:28.90\00:08:33.88
- THE SPECIAL OFFER THIS WEEK
- THE CHURCH: IS IT BABYLON?
00:08:33.88\00:08:40.15
DENNIS PRIEBE HAS PUT TOGETHER
THIS HELPFUL LITTLE BOOK.
00:08:40.15\00:08:43.42
IT'S FREE OFFER #712, SO IF YOU
WANT THIS OFFER - #712 - AND YOU
00:08:43.42\00:08:49.16
CAN GET IT SIMPLY BY
CALLING 866-STUDY-MORE - THAT'S
00:08:49.16\00:08:53.60
866-788-3966. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN
00:08:53.60\00:09:06.17
UNJUSTLY PERSECUTED?
HAVE YOU EVER FOUND YOURSELF
00:09:06.17\00:09:12.18
IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF SOMEONE'S
SIGHTS BECAUSE YOU WERE DOING
00:09:12.18\00:09:16.82
SOMETHING THAT WAS RIGHT?
CAN YOU RELATE TO THAT SCENARIO?
00:09:16.82\00:09:21.92
THAT IS HOW THE EARLY CHURCH
FOUND ITSELF AS THE BOOK OF
00:09:21.92\00:09:26.29
REVELATION WAS BEING GIVEN.
00:09:26.29\00:09:29.40
TURN WITH ME IN YOUR
BIBLES TO REVELATION.
00:09:29.40\00:09:33.00
REVELATION ACTUALLY
MEANS 'A REVEALING'.
00:09:33.00\00:09:36.30
IT WAS INTERESTING, I JUST HAD
A PATIENT IN MY OFFICE THIS LAST
00:09:36.30\00:09:40.04
WEEK AND I WAS MAKING MENTION OF
THE BOOK OF REVELATION AND THEY
00:09:40.04\00:09:43.95
SAID, 'WELL, WE DON'T TALK
ABOUT THAT MUCH IN OUR CHURCH.
00:09:43.95\00:09:46.75
IT SEEMS SO CONFUSING.' WELL,
IT WAS NEVER DESIGNED TO BE A
00:09:46.75\00:09:49.98
CONFUSING BOOK; THE
NAME OF THE BOOK MEANS WHAT?
00:09:49.98\00:09:53.09
>>REVELATION.
>>REVELATION - AN OPENING
00:09:53.09\00:09:55.22
OR A REVEALING - AND SO, AS
REVELATION OPENS, IT OPENS WITH
00:09:55.22\00:09:59.76
PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST
AMAZING VERSES IN THE BIBLE.
00:09:59.76\00:10:03.06
NOW, WE COULD GET INTO A GREAT
DISCUSSION OVER SOME OF THE
00:10:03.06\00:10:06.40
GREAT VERSES IN THE BIBLE, BUT
AS FAR AS AN INTRODUCTORY VERSE
00:10:06.40\00:10:10.14
TO A BOOK OF THE BIBLE,
REVELATION CHAPTER 1, VERSE 1 IS
00:10:10.14\00:10:13.48
TRULY REMARKABLE. LOOK,
WITH ME, AT IT BECAUSE IT
00:10:13.48\00:10:17.48
REALLY LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR
ALL THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT
00:10:17.48\00:10:20.88
AS WE SPEAK ABOUT THIS
TOPIC, THE CHURCH MILITANT.
00:10:20.88\00:10:25.59
SO LOOK AT HOW THE BOOK OPENS
UP - IT SAYS, "THE REVELATION OF
00:10:25.59\00:10:29.32
JESUS CHRIST." AND SO
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING
00:10:29.32\00:10:33.29
WE'RE TOLD THAT THIS IS A
BOOK - AND, IN FACT, THERE'S A
00:10:33.29\00:10:36.90
LITTLE PLAY ON WORDS THERE.
WHETHER IT'S IN THE ENGLISH OR
00:10:36.90\00:10:39.37
IN THE GREEK, THE REVELATION
OF JESUS CHRIST, IT IS BOTH
00:10:39.37\00:10:42.94
SOMETHING THAT JESUS REVEALS
- THAT HE SHOWS FORTH - AND IT
00:10:42.94\00:10:46.27
IS ALSO SOMETHING
THAT REVEALS JESUS TO US.
00:10:46.27\00:10:49.74
SO THE BOOK OF REVELATION AT ITS
HEART IS AN OPENING UP AND IT'S
00:10:49.74\00:10:53.78
AN OPENING THAT IS GOING TO
SHOW US OUR LORD AND SAVIOR.
00:10:53.78\00:10:58.49
BUT THEN IT GOES ON AND IT
SAYS IT'S A REVELATION OF JESUS
00:10:58.49\00:11:01.52
CHRIST WHICH GOD GAVE HIM TO
SHOW HIS SERVANTS THINGS WHICH
00:11:01.52\00:11:06.43
MUST SHORTLY TAKE PLACE.
NOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE
00:11:06.43\00:11:11.27
A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT
BACKGROUND BECAUSE THE LESSON
00:11:11.27\00:11:13.47
WANTS US TO FOCUS ON A VERY
APPROPRIATE TOPIC ON THIS THEME
00:11:13.47\00:11:17.91
OF REBELLION AND
RESTORATION OR REDEMPTION.
00:11:17.91\00:11:22.24
IT'S WANTING US TO
FOCUS ON THE SEVEN CHURCHES.
00:11:22.24\00:11:25.98
BUT IF WE DON'T CATCH THE
CONTEXT - IF WE DON'T REMIND
00:11:25.98\00:11:28.25
OURSELVES OF THE CONTEXT OF THIS
IMPORTANT BOOK, WE'LL MISS WHAT
00:11:28.25\00:11:32.95
IS SO ESPECIALLY FOUNDATIONAL
TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES.
00:11:32.95\00:11:36.99
IN THIS FIRST VERSE, IT SAYS
THESE ARE "THINGS WHICH MUST
00:11:36.99\00:11:41.53
SHORTLY TAKE PLACE." THE
GREEK IN THIS FIRST VERSE IS
00:11:41.53\00:11:47.24
ACTUALLY ALMOST IDENTICAL
TO THE GREEK PHRASE IN DANIEL
00:11:47.24\00:11:52.47
CHAPTER 2. IN
DANIEL CHAPTER 2, YOU
00:11:52.47\00:11:56.11
MIGHT REMEMBER THAT GOD GIVES
NEBUCHADNEZZAR, THE KING OF
00:11:56.11\00:11:59.61
BABYLON, A VISION AND IT IS
TOLD, IN THAT CONTEXT, THAT IT
00:11:59.61\00:12:04.59
IS A VISION OF THINGS THAT
MUST TAKE PLACE IN THE FUTURE.
00:12:04.59\00:12:10.76
IT'S THE VERY SAME IN THE GREEK.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE GREEK VERSION
00:12:10.76\00:12:14.23
OF THE OLD TESTAMENT - WE
CALL IT THE SEPTUAGINT, IT'S
00:12:14.23\00:12:17.03
THE VERY SAME LANGUAGE. SO
FROM THE VERY FIRST BOOK OF
00:12:17.03\00:12:20.50
REVELATION - THE VERY FIRST
VERSE - IT'S POINTING US BACK
00:12:20.50\00:12:25.74
TO THE BOOK OF DANIEL AND IT'S
SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET A
00:12:25.74\00:12:29.04
REVELATION OF THINGS THAT
WILL NEED - MUST - TAKE PLACE.
00:12:29.04\00:12:36.55
AND IT'S ALL IN THE CONTEXT
OF A REVEALING OF JESUS CHRIST
00:12:36.55\00:12:39.72
HIMSELF. NOW,
WHAT'S ALSO INTERESTING
00:12:39.72\00:12:42.69
ABOUT THE BOOK OF REVELATION
AND SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR STUDY
00:12:42.69\00:12:45.53
TODAY, IS THE BOOK OF
REVELATION, ALTHOUGH IT IS
00:12:45.53\00:12:48.30
WRITTEN TO THE ENTIRE CHURCH,
WAS ESPECIALLY ADDRESSED TO
00:12:48.30\00:12:52.13
SEVEN CHURCHES. LOOK, WITH
ME, AT VERSE 11. IN REVELATION
00:12:52.13\00:12:57.47
CHAPTER 1, VERSE 11, THERE IS A
SPECIFIC SEVEN CHURCHES TO WHICH
00:12:57.47\00:13:02.68
THE BOOK - AT LEAST
WHEN JOHN IS BEING GIVEN IT -
00:13:02.68\00:13:06.75
IS ADDRESSED TO. IT
SAYS, IN VERSE 11, AS JESUS
00:13:06.75\00:13:10.45
IS SPEAKING, "'I AM THE ALPHA
AND THE OMEGA, THE FIRST AND THE
00:13:10.45\00:13:13.32
LAST,' AND, 'WHAT YOU SEE, WRITE
IN A BOOK AND SEND IT TO THE
00:13:13.32\00:13:17.49
SEVEN CHURCHES WHICH ARE IN
ASIA: TO EPHESUS, TO SMYRNA,
00:13:17.49\00:13:22.20
TO PERGAMOS, TO THYATIRA,
TO SARDIS, TO PHILADELPHIA, AND
00:13:22.20\00:13:27.24
TO LAODICEA.'" SO THE BOOK
IS ADDRESSED TO SEVEN SPECIFIC
00:13:27.24\00:13:32.94
HISTORICAL CHURCHES BUT, ON A
BROADER SENSE, THE BOOK IS GIVEN
00:13:32.94\00:13:38.18
TO ALL CHRISTIANS TO THE END
OF TIME. I WANT TO POINT OUT ONE
00:13:38.18\00:13:42.65
OTHER THING, AND I ALLUDED
TO THIS AS I WAS INTRODUCING THE
00:13:42.65\00:13:45.52
BOOK, ABOUT WHETHER YOU HAVE
EVER UNJUSTLY BEEN PERSECUTED.
00:13:45.52\00:13:50.96
LOOK AT THE CONTEXT
IN WHICH JOHN IS WRITING.
00:13:50.96\00:13:55.10
LOOK AT HOW HE
DESCRIBES HIS SITUATION.
00:13:55.10\00:13:57.97
I'M IN VERSE 9 OF
REVELATION CHAPTER 1.
00:13:57.97\00:14:02.40
HE SAYS, "I, JOHN, BOTH YOUR
BROTHER AND COMPANION IN THE
00:14:02.40\00:14:07.44
TRIBULATION AND KINGDOM AND THE
PATIENCE OF JESUS CHRIST, WAS ON
00:14:07.44\00:14:11.98
THE ISLAND THAT IS CALLED PATMOS
FOR THE WORD OF GOD AND FOR THE
00:14:11.98\00:14:15.52
TESTIMONY OF JESUS
CHRIST." SO DO YOU CATCH JOHN'S
00:14:15.52\00:14:19.12
PREDICAMENT? JOHN,
ACTUALLY, AT THIS POINT
00:14:19.12\00:14:22.82
IN HIS LIFE, IS AN OLD
MAN. JOHN WAS, OF COURSE, ONE OF
00:14:22.82\00:14:26.13
THOSE TWELVE WHO WERE
INTIMATELY ASSOCIATED WITH JESUS
00:14:26.13\00:14:29.60
DURING HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY.
AND, AS JOHN'S LIFE IS PLAYING
00:14:29.60\00:14:32.53
OUT, HE HAS SEEN THE DESTRUCTION
OF JERUSALEM. IN 70 A.D.
00:14:32.53\00:14:36.91
JERUSALEM WAS DESTROYED
AND HISTORY TELLS US THAT WHEN
00:14:36.91\00:14:40.44
JERUSALEM WAS DESTROYED, JOHN,
WHO HAD BEEN BASED IN JERUSALEM,
00:14:40.44\00:14:44.41
MOVED HIS MINISTRY - HIS FOCUS
OF MINISTRY - TO THE CITY OF
00:14:44.41\00:14:48.18
EPHESUS. NOW
EPHESUS, LIKE ALL THE SEVEN
00:14:48.18\00:14:51.25
CHURCHES TO WHICH THE BOOK OF
REVELATION IS ADDRESSED, WOULD
00:14:51.25\00:14:55.69
BE IN WHAT WOULD BE MODERN-DAY
TURKEY. SO THAT PART OF THE
00:14:55.69\00:15:00.90
WORLD TODAY - IF YOU CAN THINK
OF TURKEY - THAT'S WHERE THOSE
00:15:00.90\00:15:04.00
SEVEN CHURCHES ARE. AND
SO, JOHN - LET'S JUST PUT
00:15:04.00\00:15:08.14
OURSELVES IN HIS POSITION.
JOHN IS AN OLD MAN - I KNOW
00:15:08.14\00:15:11.87
SOME OF YOU CAN RELATE TO
THAT. OTHERS OF YOU CAN'T.
00:15:11.87\00:15:14.21
YOU NOTICE I WAS LOOKING AT
THE CAMERA RIGHT THEN SO NO ONE
00:15:14.21\00:15:16.41
WOULD THINK I WAS
SINGLING THEM OUT.
00:15:16.41\00:15:18.65
THE POINT IS SIMPLY
THIS: JOHN IS AN OLD MAN.
00:15:18.65\00:15:21.85
HE'S BEEN FAITHFUL TO JESUS AND
HIS MINISTRY HAS SHIFTED FROM
00:15:21.85\00:15:26.05
JERUSALEM TO EPHESUS. HE
IS PERSECUTED IN EPHESUS.
00:15:26.05\00:15:30.56
THE CHURCH IS UNDER
PERSECUTION AT THIS TIME.
00:15:30.56\00:15:33.19
AND JOHN, LIKE EVERY SINGLE ONE
OF THE OTHER ELEVEN WHO REMAINED
00:15:33.19\00:15:39.13
FAITHFUL - OF COURSE, JUDAS HUNG
HIMSELF - BUT ALL THE OTHER OF
00:15:39.13\00:15:42.70
THE ELEVEN - THE OTHER TEN
- HAVE BEEN MARTYRED AND JOHN,
00:15:42.70\00:15:47.01
HISTORY TELLS US, WAS
DESTINED FOR THE SAME FATE.
00:15:47.01\00:15:51.58
HE WAS CAST INTO A VAT OF
BOILING OIL BUT, MIRACULOUSLY,
00:15:51.58\00:15:58.99
GOD PRESERVED HIS LIFE.
00:15:58.99\00:16:01.29
AND SO NOW IT IS JOHN FINDS
HIMSELF ON PATMOS, AN ISLAND - A
00:16:01.29\00:16:06.73
SMALL ROCKY
ISLAND - HE IS EXILED.
00:16:06.73\00:16:09.73
THE ROMAN EMPIRE IS SAYING,
IN SO MANY WORDS, 'YOU'VE DONE
00:16:09.73\00:16:15.07
NOTHING WRONG' - AT LEAST
MORALLY - HE WASN'T ACCUSED OF
00:16:15.07\00:16:18.14
ANY MORAL IMPROPRIETY.
THERE'S NO EVIDENCE OF THAT.
00:16:18.14\00:16:21.91
HE IS BEING PERSECUTED, AS JOHN
PUTS IT IN VERSE 9, FOR WHAT?
00:16:21.91\00:16:26.68
"FOR THE WORD OF GOD AND FOR
THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST."
00:16:26.68\00:16:31.15
AND WE COME BACK TO ONE OF
THE GREAT THEMES OF THIS LESSON
00:16:31.15\00:16:34.82
BECAUSE WHAT IS IT?
WHAT IS IT THAT CAUSES
00:16:34.82\00:16:39.66
REBELLION AND REDEMPTION?
WHAT IS THE REBELLION OVER?
00:16:39.66\00:16:43.60
THE REBELLION IS OVER GOD AND
GOD'S WORD AND GOD'S AUTHORITY.
00:16:43.60\00:16:49.00
AND WHAT IS IT
THAT BRINGS REDEMPTION?
00:16:49.00\00:16:51.71
WHAT BRINGS REDEMPTION
IS THE WORD - JESUS HIMSELF.
00:16:51.71\00:16:55.14
JOHN, IN HIS
GOSPEL, SAID JESUS WAS WHAT?
00:16:55.14\00:16:59.48
HE WAS THE WORD. HE
WAS THE GODHEAD'S THOUGHT
00:16:59.48\00:17:04.22
MADE MANIFEST, JUST
LIKE OUR WORDS DISPLAY WHAT'S
00:17:04.22\00:17:09.36
HAPPENING IN OUR MINDS. IF
WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S
00:17:09.36\00:17:12.83
IN THE MINDSET OF THE GODHEAD -
OF THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE
00:17:12.83\00:17:17.07
HOLY SPIRIT - WE
SEE IT IN THEIR WORD.
00:17:17.07\00:17:20.27
YES, THAT WORD IS THE BIBLE, BUT
THE MOST FULL MANIFESTATION, IF
00:17:20.27\00:17:25.71
YOU WANT TO SAY, IN HUMAN
FORM, OF GOD'S WORD, WAS JESUS
00:17:25.71\00:17:29.71
HIMSELF. AND SO JOHN
IS TESTIFYING TO THAT.
00:17:29.71\00:17:33.15
HE'S AN OLD MAN.
HE'S BEING FAITHFUL.
00:17:33.15\00:17:35.25
AND WHAT THE ROMAN EMPIRE
SAYS WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE ARE
00:17:35.25\00:17:38.95
GOING TO SILENCE YOUR TESTIMONY.
YOU WERE IN THE - THE HEART.
00:17:38.95\00:17:44.29
BY THE WAY, EPHESUS WAS
THE LEADING CITY IN ASIA MINOR.
00:17:44.29\00:17:49.43
AND SO JOHN IS IN THIS HUB.
00:17:49.43\00:17:51.87
BY THE WAY, SO IMPORTANT
WAS EPHESUS, IT WAS THE SITE OF
00:17:51.87\00:17:55.80
PAUL'S MINISTRY
FOR SOME THREE YEARS.
00:17:55.80\00:17:59.51
EPHESUS WAS ONE OF THE CITIES
- ONE OF THE PLACES - ONE OF THE
00:17:59.51\00:18:03.88
CHURCHES WHERE
PAUL WROTE A LETTER.
00:18:03.88\00:18:05.68
WE HAVE IT TO THIS DAY,
RIGHT? THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS WAS
00:18:05.68\00:18:08.62
WRITTEN TO THE
CHURCH AT EPHESUS.
00:18:08.62\00:18:10.72
SO THIS PROMINENT CHURCH
WHERE JOHN IS MINISTERING - HE'S
00:18:10.72\00:18:14.06
PULLED AWAY FROM MINISTRY
AND HE'S SENT TO AN ISLAND WHERE
00:18:14.06\00:18:18.29
HIS TESTIMONY
SEEMS TO BE SILENCED.
00:18:18.29\00:18:21.90
NOW LET'S JUST PAUSE
RIGHT THERE, BECAUSE THIS IS A
00:18:21.90\00:18:24.77
PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATION
FOR EVERY ONE OF US, ISN'T IT?
00:18:24.77\00:18:28.87
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE
YOU'RE AT TODAY, BUT YOU MAY
00:18:28.87\00:18:31.31
FEEL THAT YOUR WITNESS IS BEING
MINIMIZED BY CIRCUMSTANCES.
00:18:31.31\00:18:36.78
MAYBE YOU WERE FOLLOWING
GOD FAITHFULLY TO YOUR PLACE OF
00:18:36.78\00:18:39.68
BUSINESS - YOUR
PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT.
00:18:39.68\00:18:42.18
AND THINGS ARE NOT JUST THE
WAY THEY WERE WHEN YOU STARTED
00:18:42.18\00:18:45.59
THERE. MAYBE
YOU'RE BEING MARGINALIZED.
00:18:45.59\00:18:50.16
MAYBE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
WITNESS THAT YOU THOUGHT WOULD
00:18:50.16\00:18:53.56
BE THERE HAVEN'T MATERIALIZED.
MAYBE YOU'VE LOST YOUR
00:18:53.56\00:18:56.43
JOB - MAYBE UNJUSTLY. ARE
YOU FOLLOWING ALONG WITH ME?
00:18:56.43\00:19:00.34
MAYBE SOME OF YOU, LIKE JOHN,
ARE IN YOUR RETIREMENT YEARS AND
00:19:00.34\00:19:04.41
YOU FEEL LIKE, 'WELL, I LOST
MOST OF THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES
00:19:04.41\00:19:08.61
FOR MINISTRY.' BUT JOHN IS AN
OLD MAN. HE'S IN A PLACE WHERE,
00:19:08.61\00:19:13.25
WE WOULD SAY FROM A HUMAN
PERSPECTIVE, HE DOESN'T HAVE
00:19:13.25\00:19:16.28
ANYTHING TO OFFER THE CHURCH.
WELL, YEAH, YOU CAN PRAY.
00:19:16.28\00:19:19.59
AND SOME OF YOU VIEWING TODAY,
MAYBE THAT'S ALL YOU THINK YOU
00:19:19.59\00:19:22.62
CAN DO IS JUST PRAY -
CUT OFF FROM GOD'S PEOPLE.
00:19:22.62\00:19:26.80
BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO JOHN ON THE
ISLE OF PATMOS? THAT'S RIGHT!
00:19:26.80\00:19:32.13
JESUS COMES TO HIM AND HE GIVES
JOHN THIS POWERFUL VISION THAT
00:19:32.13\00:19:38.91
HAS TRANSFORMED THE CHRISTIAN
CHURCH FROM ITS INCEPTION.
00:19:38.91\00:19:45.08
SO HERE'S THE FIRST MESSAGE, AS
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CHURCH
00:19:45.08\00:19:48.32
MILITANT: REGARDLESS OF YOUR
SITUATION, GOD WILL USE YOU IF
00:19:48.32\00:19:55.29
YOU OPEN YOUR HEART
TO HIS WILL. >>AMEN.
00:19:55.29\00:20:00.10
>>GOD WILL USE YOU. IT
DOESN'T MATTER WHAT'S HAPPENED.
00:20:00.10\00:20:03.60
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE
WORLD TELLS YOU, 'IT'S OVER.
00:20:03.60\00:20:06.80
JUST FORGET ABOUT IT. YOU
HAVE NOTHING MORE TO OFFER.'
00:20:06.80\00:20:11.11
BUT REVELATION 1 DOESN'T STOP
WITH THAT PICTURE. REMEMBER,
00:20:11.11\00:20:14.04
JOHN IS A MEMBER OF A PERSECUTED
CHURCH AND SO IT'S RELEVANT THAT
00:20:14.04\00:20:19.85
AS REVELATION OPENS JOHN
IS GIVEN A VISION OF THE RISEN
00:20:19.85\00:20:26.05
JESUS. WE WON'T
LOOK AT IT IN DETAIL,
00:20:26.05\00:20:28.86
BUT WE'LL PICK UP - WELL,
MAYBE WE SHOULD BECAUSE IT'S SO
00:20:28.86\00:20:32.39
FUNDAMENTAL TO WHAT
FOLLOWS IN CHAPTERS 2 AND 3.
00:20:32.39\00:20:37.13
IN VERSE 12 JOHN
LOOKS AND HE SEES JESUS.
00:20:37.13\00:20:45.94
BEGINNING WITH VERSE 12 OF
REVELATION 1, "...I SAW SEVEN
00:20:45.94\00:20:49.54
GOLDEN LAMPTSTANDS, AND IN THE
MIDST OF THE SEVEN LAMPTSTANDS
00:20:49.54\00:20:54.52
ONE LIKE THE SON OF MAN, CLOTHED
WITH A GARMENT DOWN TO THE FEET
00:20:54.52\00:20:59.25
AND GIRDED ABOUT THE
CHEST WITH A GOLDEN BAND.
00:20:59.25\00:21:02.69
HIS HEAD AND HAIR WERE WHITE
LIKE WOOL, AS WHITE AS SNOW, AND
00:21:02.69\00:21:05.89
HIS EYES LIKE A FLAME OF FIRE;
HIS FEET WERE LIKE FINE BRASS,
00:21:05.89\00:21:10.27
AS IF REFINED IN A FURNACE, AND
HIS VOICE AS THE SOUND OF MANY
00:21:10.27\00:21:15.34
WATERS; HE HAD IN HIS RIGHT HAND
SEVEN STARS, OUT OF HIS MOUTH
00:21:15.34\00:21:19.51
WENT A SHARP TWO-EDGED SWORD,
AND HIS COUNTENANCE" - HIS FACE
00:21:19.51\00:21:23.55
- "WAS LIKE THE SUN
SHINING IN ITS STRENGTH.
00:21:23.55\00:21:25.71
AND WHEN I SAW HIM, I
FELL AT HIS FEET AS DEAD.
00:21:25.71\00:21:29.32
BUT HE LAID HIS RIGHT HAND ON ME
SAYING, 'DO NOT BE AFRAID; I AM
00:21:29.32\00:21:32.75
THE FIRST AND THE LAST.
I AM HE WHO LIVES AND WAS
00:21:32.75\00:21:36.32
DEAD, AND BEHOLD, I AM
ALIVE FOREVERMORE. AMEN.
00:21:36.32\00:21:40.00
AND I HAVE THE KEYS
OF HADES AND OF DEATH.
00:21:40.00\00:21:44.37
WRITE THE THINGS WHICH YOU HAVE
SEEN, AND THE THINGS WHICH ARE,
00:21:44.37\00:21:47.44
AND THE THINGS WHICH
WILL TAKE PLACE AFTER THIS.
00:21:47.44\00:21:50.51
THE MYSTERY OF THE SEVEN STARS
WHICH YOU SAW IN MY RIGHT HAND,
00:21:50.51\00:21:53.61
AND THE SEVEN GOLDEN LAMPSTANDS:
THE SEVEN STARS ARE THE ANGELS
00:21:53.61\00:21:57.48
OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES, AND THE
SEVEN LAMPSTANDS WHICH YOU SAW
00:21:57.48\00:22:01.48
ARE THE SEVEN CHURCHES.'" CATCH
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS VISION:
00:22:01.48\00:22:07.46
JOHN IS WRITING TO A PERSECUTED
CHURCH AND, AS HE'S WRITING THIS
00:22:07.46\00:22:11.99
LETTER HE, THE VICTIM OF
PERSECUTION, ACTUALLY SEES JESUS
00:22:11.99\00:22:18.90
REVEALED WHERE? WHERE
IS JESUS? >>IN THE MIDST.
00:22:18.90\00:22:23.14
>>THAT'S RIGHT, HE'S IN
THE MIDST OF HIS CHURCHES.
00:22:23.14\00:22:26.44
SO WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE GOD
HAS FORGOTTEN YOU, WHEN IT LOOKS
00:22:26.44\00:22:31.11
LIKE GOD HAS FORGOTTEN YOUR
CHURCH, WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE GOD
00:22:31.11\00:22:34.65
HAS FORGOTTEN YOUR FAMILY,
JESUS GIVES US A PICTURE IN THE
00:22:34.65\00:22:38.55
BOOK OF REVELATION
THAT HE IS CLOSE AT HAND.
00:22:38.55\00:22:41.89
>>AMEN. >>THAT
HE'S CLOSE AT HAND.
00:22:41.89\00:22:43.69
AND SO, THIS MORNING, IT
DOESN'T MATTER HOW WE FEEL.
00:22:43.69\00:22:46.56
WELL, I'M NOT SAYING IT DOESN'T
MATTER, BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER,
00:22:46.56\00:22:50.73
AS FAR AS THE ETERNAL
REALITIES, HOW WE FEEL.
00:22:50.73\00:22:53.74
>>AMEN. >>YOU
SEE, GOD IS CLOSE BY.
00:22:53.74\00:22:56.67
HE'S RIGHT HERE AT HAND
AND SO WE HAVE THIS PICTURE.
00:22:56.67\00:22:59.87
AND REMEMBER, I WANT YOU TO
SEE SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT,
00:22:59.87\00:23:02.88
BECAUSE IT'S EASY TO MISS IT.
WHEN WE LOOK, VERY SHORTLY, AT
00:23:02.88\00:23:07.42
THIS SPECIAL MESSAGE - SEVEN
SPECIAL MESSAGES CRAFTED TO
00:23:07.42\00:23:13.52
SEVEN INDIVIDUAL CHURCHES,
I DON'T WANT YOU TO MISS THAT
00:23:13.52\00:23:17.63
THESE CHURCHES HAVE ALREADY
BEEN ADDRESSED IN CHAPTER 1.
00:23:17.63\00:23:21.53
AND JESUS HAS ALREADY SHOWN
HIMSELF AS BEING IN THE MIDST OF
00:23:21.53\00:23:25.13
ALL SEVEN OF THESE CHURCHES.
SO THE FIRST MESSAGE THAT THESE
00:23:25.13\00:23:29.64
CHURCHES ARE HEARING IS
OF A GOD WHO IS EVER-PRESENT.
00:23:29.64\00:23:33.88
NOW REALIZE SOMETHING ELSE.
IF YOU HAVEN'T A MAP IN YOUR
00:23:33.88\00:23:37.55
BIBLE, IF YOU WERE TO FIND ONE -
AND MY BIBLE DOES HAVE ONE - AND
00:23:37.55\00:23:41.75
I'M ACTUALLY LOOKING AT WHERE
PATMOS IS - A ROCKY LITTLE SPOT
00:23:41.75\00:23:46.69
OFF THE COAST OF MODERN-DAY
TURKEY - YOU SEE THAT IF A
00:23:46.69\00:23:50.89
MESSENGER WERE TO BE ABLE TO
COME TO PATMOS AND TAKE A LETTER
00:23:50.89\00:23:56.90
- A PARCHMENT - FROM JOHN, WHICH
OBVIOUSLY HAPPENED, AND BRING IT
00:23:56.90\00:24:02.07
TO THE MAINLAND, THE FIRST OF
THE SEVEN CHURCHES, THE CLOSEST
00:24:02.07\00:24:05.97
ONE, THE SEA
PORT TOWN OF EPHESUS
00:24:05.97\00:24:09.14
WOULD BE THE CLOSEST
OF THOSE SEVEN CHURCHES.
00:24:09.14\00:24:11.88
AND IF YOU ACTUALLY FOLLOW THE
PATTERN OF THOSE SEVEN CHURCHES,
00:24:11.88\00:24:15.82
IT GOES ALONG THE PATH THAT A
COURIER WOULD TAKE CARRYING THIS
00:24:15.82\00:24:21.62
LETTER, WRITTEN BY THE APOSTLE,
FROM ONE CHURCH TO THE NEXT.
00:24:21.62\00:24:27.03
SO DID YOU CATCH
SOMETHING THERE IN REVELATION?
00:24:27.03\00:24:31.90
WHEN - I KNOW MANY OF YOU
ARE STUDENTS OF THE BOOK OF
00:24:31.90\00:24:33.87
REVELATION AND, IN FACT, I KNOW
THERE'S A CLASS GOING ON RIGHT
00:24:33.87\00:24:37.01
NOW, IN THIS VERY SANCTUARY, ON
TUESDAY EVENINGS, WHERE THE BOOK
00:24:37.01\00:24:41.21
OF REVELATION IS BEING
LOOKED AT IN GREAT DETAIL.
00:24:41.21\00:24:44.15
SO SOME OF YOU MIGHT SAY, 'WELL,
THIS IS ALL REVIEW FOR ME.' BUT
00:24:44.15\00:24:47.85
DID YOU NOTICE WHAT THE SUBJECT
OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS?
00:24:47.85\00:24:54.26
IN VERSE 1, YES, IT IS REFERRING
TO THINGS THAT MUST TAKE PLACE
00:24:54.26\00:24:58.49
IN THE FUTURE. IT'S CONNECTING
US WITH THE BOOK OF DANIEL.
00:24:58.49\00:25:01.76
BUT ALSO WE SEE IN VERSE 9, JOHN
WAS TOLD TO WRITE THE THINGS
00:25:01.76\00:25:06.03
WHICH HE HAD SEEN, AND THE
THINGS WHICH ARE, AND THE THINGS
00:25:06.03\00:25:11.01
WHICH - WHAT? WILL
TAKE PLACE AFTER THIS.
00:25:11.01\00:25:16.01
SO THE BOOK OF REVELATION
HAD DIRECT TEMPORAL CONTEMPORARY
00:25:16.01\00:25:22.18
RELEVANCE TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES
TO WHOM IT WAS ADDRESSED.
00:25:22.18\00:25:26.42
BUT IT ALSO TAKES US
THROUGH TO THE END OF TIME.
00:25:26.42\00:25:31.29
THE SEVEN CHURCHES HAVE RIGHTLY
BEEN LOOKED AT AS ERAS IN CHURCH
00:25:31.29\00:25:36.50
HISTORY. THESE
SEVEN CHURCHES, IF WE WERE
00:25:36.50\00:25:39.17
TO TAKE THE TIME, AND I KNOW
MANY OF YOU HAVE STUDIED IT,
00:25:39.17\00:25:41.54
ACTUALLY DO REPRESENT ERAS
IN CHURCH HISTORY - ALL THE
00:25:41.54\00:25:45.81
CHURCHES BEING ADDRESSED - AND
ONE ELEMENT OF THAT FUTURISTIC
00:25:45.81\00:25:49.61
ASPECT TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION
IS THAT IT DOES SPEAK TO THE END
00:25:49.61\00:25:53.48
OF TIME TO EVERY CHURCH PERIOD.
BUT REMEMBER, THESE WERE SEVEN
00:25:53.48\00:25:58.39
LITERAL CHURCHES AS WELL.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO FOCUS
00:25:58.39\00:26:01.36
NOW IN ON, AS OUR LESSON
DRAWS - DREW OUR ATTENTION TO.
00:26:01.36\00:26:06.03
WE WANT TO LOOK AT THESE
SEVEN INDIVIDUAL CHURCHES.
00:26:06.03\00:26:09.53
AND I THINK IT'S ESPECIALLY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE TODAY WE'RE
00:26:09.53\00:26:13.40
LIVING IN A CULTURE THAT IS
NOT A CULTURE THAT IS USED TO
00:26:13.40\00:26:18.71
CENSORING ITS
LIPS VERY EFFECTIVELY.
00:26:18.71\00:26:22.54
ARE YOU FOLLOWING ALONG
WITH ME? SOME OF YOU COME FROM A
00:26:22.54\00:26:25.91
GENERATION AND I COULD EVEN
CLASS MYSELF AMONG YOU, WHERE WE
00:26:25.91\00:26:33.02
WERE MUCH MORE CAREFUL WHAT
WE SAID ABOUT THINGS THAT WERE
00:26:33.02\00:26:37.43
SACRED, THINGS THAT REFERRED TO
LEADERS - LEADERS OF NATIONS AS
00:26:37.43\00:26:44.20
WELL AS LEADERS OF CHURCHES.
WE'RE MUCH FREER WITH WHAT WE
00:26:44.20\00:26:49.77
SAY TODAY AND I THINK IT'S
INTERESTING, AS WE LOOK AT THESE
00:26:49.77\00:26:53.17
SEVEN CHURCHES IN
THAT LIGHT. LET'S DO THAT.
00:26:53.17\00:26:55.88
LET'S JUMP INTO THE FIRST OF
THESE SEVEN CHURCHES NOW, THE
00:26:55.88\00:26:59.81
CHURCH OF EPHESUS.
SO REMEMBER, THE BOOK OF
00:26:59.81\00:27:02.95
REVELATION ADDRESSED THE SEVEN
LITERAL CHURCHES - REAL CHURCHES
00:27:02.95\00:27:07.59
IN JOHN'S DAY, BUT THEY HAVE
APPLICATION TO THE END OF TIME.
00:27:07.59\00:27:11.69
AND SO, EACH OF THESE MESSAGES -
LET'S JUST POINT OUT SOMETHING:
00:27:11.69\00:27:14.73
AT THE END OF EACH OF THE
SEVEN MESSAGES THERE IS A COMMON
00:27:14.73\00:27:19.70
ELEMENT. AND THAT COMMON
ELEMENT, WE SEE IT IN THE LETTER
00:27:19.70\00:27:23.77
TO THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS THAT'S
FOUND IN REVELATION 2, VERSES 1
00:27:23.77\00:27:28.21
THROUGH 7 - ONE OF THE COMMON
ELEMENTS IS FOUND IN VERSE 7,
00:27:28.21\00:27:33.21
"HE WHO HAS AN EAR, LET HIM
HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE
00:27:33.21\00:27:38.52
CHURCHES." HOW MANY OF YOU
HAVE EARS? ALL OF US, RIGHT?
00:27:38.52\00:27:50.03
BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE EARS, THE
IMPLICATION IS THAT WHAT SHOULD
00:27:50.03\00:27:54.70
EACH ONE OF US DO WITH
THE MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH OF
00:27:54.70\00:27:58.94
EPHESUS? WE SHOULD ALL HEAR.
AND, IN FACT, IF YOU READ THE
00:27:58.94\00:28:04.05
CLOSING WORDS OF THE BOOK OF
REVELATION, IT INVITES ANYONE
00:28:04.05\00:28:07.42
WHO HEARS TO EXTEND
THE MESSAGE TO COME.
00:28:07.42\00:28:11.49
THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS
WRITTEN TO THE WHOLE CHURCH, BUT
00:28:11.49\00:28:15.06
THERE ARE DISTINCT SPECIAL
MESSAGES WRITTEN TO EACH OF THE
00:28:15.06\00:28:19.46
SEVEN CHURCHES, BUT WE, TODAY,
ARE TO LISTEN AND TO APPLY.
00:28:19.46\00:28:24.07
LET'S LOOK AT HOW THE
CHURCH OF EPHESUS IS ADDRESSED.
00:28:24.07\00:28:27.87
AND WHAT'S SO INTERESTING ABOUT
EACH OF THESE LETTERS IS IT
00:28:27.87\00:28:30.27
STARTS WITH AN INTRODUCTION, AN
ASPECT OF THE CHARACTER OF JESUS
00:28:30.27\00:28:35.48
BECAUSE, AFTER ALL,
IT'S A REVELATION OF WHO?
00:28:35.48\00:28:38.25
THIS BOOK? >>JESUS.
00:28:38.25\00:28:39.25
>>IT'S A
REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
00:28:39.25\00:28:41.55
AND SO WHEN THE LETTER TO
EPHESUS IS BEING WRITTEN DOWN BY
00:28:41.55\00:28:45.92
JOHN, HE SAYS, "'THESE THINGS
SAYS HE WHO HOLDS THE SEVEN
00:28:45.92\00:28:50.93
STARS IN HIS RIGHT HAND, WHO
WALKS IN THE MIDST OF THE SEVEN
00:28:50.93\00:28:56.43
GOLDEN LAMPSTANDS:'"
AND THEN IT GOES ON.
00:28:56.43\00:29:00.74
SO FIRST WE HAVE THIS PICTURE OF
JESUS AND THEN JESUS SAYS, "'I
00:29:00.74\00:29:03.74
KNOW YOUR WORKS, YOUR
LABOR, YOUR PATIENCE, AND THAT
00:29:03.74\00:29:08.11
YOU CANNOT BEAR
THOSE WHO ARE EVIL.
00:29:08.11\00:29:10.61
AND YOU HAVE TESTED THOSE WHO
SAY THEY ARE APOSTLES AND ARE
00:29:10.61\00:29:13.08
NOT, AND HAVE FOUND THEM LIARS;
AND YOU HAVE PERSEVERED AND HAVE
00:29:13.08\00:29:17.42
PATIENCE, AND HAVE LABORED
FOR MY NAME'S SAKE AND HAVE NOT
00:29:17.42\00:29:20.39
BECOME WEARY.'" SO, AS YOU'RE
LISTENING TO THIS LETTER, YOU
00:29:20.39\00:29:23.39
SEE JESUS. HE'S
PICTURING HIMSELF IN THE
00:29:23.39\00:29:26.23
MIDST OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES
AND IN HIS HAND ARE WHAT?
00:29:26.23\00:29:31.43
THE ANGELS OF THE SEVEN
CHURCHES. DID YOU CATCH THAT?
00:29:31.43\00:29:35.80
BY THE WAY, THIS TERM 'ANGEL'
OCCURS OVER 70 TIMES IN THE BOOK
00:29:35.80\00:29:41.18
OF REVELATION AND, ALMOST
WITHOUT EXCEPTION, IT REFERS TO
00:29:41.18\00:29:45.88
HEAVENLY BEINGS. BUT
TO EACH OF THESE CHURCHES,
00:29:45.88\00:29:51.42
THE LETTER IS ADDRESSED - DO YOU
SEE IT THERE IN REVELATION 2,
00:29:51.42\00:29:55.52
VERSE 1 - TO THE ANGEL
OF THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS.
00:29:55.52\00:30:01.80
THE GREEK WORD 'ANGELOS'
ACTUALLY REFERS TO MESSENGER.
00:30:01.80\00:30:07.50
AND SO, SOMETIMES IN THE BIBLE,
THIS TERM ANGELOS CAN ACTUALLY
00:30:07.50\00:30:12.61
REFER TO A HUMAN MESSENGER.
IF YOU WANT TO SEE AN EXAMPLE OF
00:30:12.61\00:30:16.14
IT, TURN IN YOUR BIBLES TO MARK
CHAPTER 1 AND YOU'LL SEE THE
00:30:16.14\00:30:21.05
REFERENCE IS MADE
TO GOD'S MESSENGER.
00:30:21.05\00:30:23.72
THAT WORD IS 'ANGELOS' BUT IT'S
REFERRING TO JOHN THE BAPTIST
00:30:23.72\00:30:26.72
WHO IS GOD'S MESSENGER.
00:30:26.72\00:30:28.46
SO ALTHOUGH THAT TERM
IS USUALLY, IN THE BOOK OF
00:30:28.46\00:30:30.46
REVELATION, USED TO REFER TO
ANGELIC BEINGS, IT SEEMS HERE
00:30:30.46\00:30:34.93
THAT EACH LETTER IS BEING
ADDRESSED TO A MESSENGER OF THE
00:30:34.93\00:30:40.07
CHURCH - PERHAPS THE MINISTER
OR THE MAIN ELDER OF THAT
00:30:40.07\00:30:43.44
CONGREGATION. AND SO,
AS THIS LETTER IS GIVEN
00:30:43.44\00:30:47.11
TO EPHESUS, THEY'RE GIVEN A
PICTURE OF JESUS, IN THE MIDST
00:30:47.11\00:30:49.81
OF HIS CHURCH, AND THEN
THEY'RE COMMENDED FOR WHAT?
00:30:49.81\00:30:52.91
IF YOU WERE TO PUT IT IN ONE
WORD, WHAT WERE THE EPHESIANS -
00:30:52.91\00:30:55.38
THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS -
COMMENDED FOR IN THIS FIRST
00:30:55.38\00:30:58.19
LETTER? >>WORKS.
00:30:58.19\00:30:59.85
>>THEY WERE
COMMENDED FOR THEIR WORKS.
00:30:59.85\00:31:02.06
NOW, SOMETIMES IN CHRISTIAN
CIRCLES, THAT MAKES CERTAIN
00:31:02.06\00:31:06.73
PEOPLE FEEL A LITTLE
UNCOMFORTABLE TO BE COMMENDED
00:31:06.73\00:31:10.20
FOR WORKS. BUT LET ME POINT
SOMETHING OUT: WHO IS DOING THE
00:31:10.20\00:31:14.14
COMMENDING HERE? >>JESUS.
00:31:14.14\00:31:16.37
>>JESUS. JESUS IS
DOING THE COMMENDING.
00:31:16.37\00:31:20.21
AND, BY THE WAY, NOT ONLY IS
THERE A COMMON PATTERN WHEN YOU
00:31:20.21\00:31:24.28
LOOK AT EACH MESSAGE TO EACH
CHURCH - THAT EVERYONE SHOULD
00:31:24.28\00:31:27.88
LISTEN - BUT THERE IS ALSO A
COMMON ENCOURAGEMENT GIVEN TO
00:31:27.88\00:31:33.79
EACH CHURCH: "TO HIM WHO
OVERCOMES" - AND THAT WORD
00:31:33.79\00:31:41.13
'OVERCOME' COMES FROM THAT GREEK
WORD, WHICH WAS SO INSPIRING TO
00:31:41.13\00:31:46.77
THOSE IN CONTEMPORARY CULTURE,
THAT THEY NAMED A BRAND OF SHOES
00:31:46.77\00:31:51.34
FOR IT. ARE YOU AWARE OF THAT?
00:31:51.34\00:31:54.81
I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE
LOOKING VERY PERPLEXED.
00:31:54.81\00:31:57.28
HAVE YOU HEARD OF NIKE
SHOES? IT COMES FROM THE GREEK
00:31:57.28\00:32:01.22
FOR VICTORY OR OVERCOMER.
IT'S FROM THAT SAME GREEK ROOT.
00:32:01.22\00:32:06.79
AND SO, THE POINT IS,
IT IS A CALL TO OVERCOME.
00:32:06.79\00:32:10.79
WHAT IS THAT DEALING
WITH? AS WE READ THROUGH THESE
00:32:10.79\00:32:13.50
LETTERS, GOD IS VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT TWO THINGS.
00:32:13.50\00:32:18.10
AND IT IS REALLY THE TWO THINGS
THAT WE'VE BEEN STUDYING ABOUT
00:32:18.10\00:32:21.14
THE WHOLE QUARTER. REBELLION
OCCURS WHEN A RELATIONSHIP IS
00:32:21.14\00:32:26.11
BROKEN. JESUS IS INTIMATELY
CONCERNED ABOUT RELATIONSHIP
00:32:26.11\00:32:31.75
WITH EVERY ONE OF HIS
CHILDREN ON THIS PLANET.
00:32:31.75\00:32:35.05
BUT HE'S ALSO CONCERNED
ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE, BECAUSE
00:32:35.05\00:32:37.69
REBELLION DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN
IN THE MIND, IT HAPPENS WHAT?
00:32:37.69\00:32:42.69
>>WORKS. >>IN THE WORKS.
00:32:42.69\00:32:44.86
THE MIND PLAYS OUT IN THE
BEHAVIOR. AND SO EPHESUS IS
00:32:44.86\00:32:48.93
COMMENDED FOR ITS WORKS.
IN FACT, YOU MIGHT SAY THIS
00:32:48.93\00:32:51.77
LOOKS LIKE A
MODEL CHURCH, RIGHT?
00:32:51.77\00:32:53.47
THEY'RE STANDING UP FOR
ALL THE RIGHT DOCTRINES.
00:32:53.47\00:32:57.74
BUT THEN WE READ ON: IN VERSE
4, "NEVERTHELESS I HAVE THIS
00:32:57.74\00:33:04.91
AGAINST YOU, THAT YOU
HAVE LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE.
00:33:04.91\00:33:11.22
NOW IT MAY SEEM THAT CHRIST IS
BEING VERY GENTLE - AND HE IS.
00:33:11.22\00:33:16.42
NOW I DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS FOR
YOU, BUT AS I LOOK BACK ON MY
00:33:16.42\00:33:19.16
LIFE, GOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY
GENTLE WITH ME, EVEN WHEN BAD
00:33:19.16\00:33:23.97
THINGS WERE HAPPENING.
YOU KNOW, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO
00:33:23.97\00:33:25.77
LABEL THEM BAD, BECAUSE WHEN I
DEAL WITH PEOPLE, WHETHER IN MY
00:33:25.77\00:33:32.71
YEARS AS A PHYSICIAN OR WHETHER
IN A PASTORAL SETTING OR WHETHER
00:33:32.71\00:33:38.91
IT'S BEEN EVEN IN A COLLEGE
SETTING, TEACHING STUDENTS AND
00:33:38.91\00:33:42.82
COUNSELING WITH THEM IN THEIR
YOUNG LIFE TURMOILS, IT ALWAYS
00:33:42.82\00:33:49.99
SEEMS THAT GOD IS SO
GENTLE. HAVE YOU NOTICED THIS?
00:33:49.99\00:33:54.10
NOW IT MAY NOT SEEM
THAT WAY AT THE TIME.
00:33:54.10\00:33:56.50
IT MAY SEEM THAT GOD IS
JUST BEARING DOWN ON YOU.
00:33:56.50\00:33:59.23
ACTUALLY, I WAS LOOKING WITH
ANOTHER PATIENT THIS WEEK, IN
00:33:59.23\00:34:06.98
THE EXAM ROOM, AT THE BOOK
OF PHILIPPIANS, AND ONE OF MY
00:34:06.98\00:34:10.31
FAVORITE PRESCRIPTIONS - AND
THE REASON WE TURNED TO IT IS
00:34:10.31\00:34:15.92
BECAUSE SHE WAS GOING THROUGH
A LOT OF TURMOIL IN HER LIFE.
00:34:15.92\00:34:19.65
BUT I REMINDED HER SHE WAS
ABLE TO WALK INTO THE EXAM ROOM.
00:34:19.65\00:34:23.69
AND I REMINDED HER OF
PAUL'S COUNSEL TO THE PHILIPPIAN
00:34:23.69\00:34:27.13
CHURCH, THAT WHEN WE'RE TEMPTED
TO BE WORRIED, HE SAID 'DON'T BE
00:34:27.13\00:34:30.57
ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING' - DON'T
WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT DO
00:34:30.57\00:34:33.84
WHAT? >>PRAY.
00:34:33.84\00:34:35.30
>>THAT'S RIGHT, 'BUT COME TO
GOD WITH PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION
00:34:35.30\00:34:39.04
WITH THANKSGIVING' AND SO WE
WE'RE SAYING, 'WELL, WHAT ARE
00:34:39.04\00:34:42.44
YOU THANKFUL FOR RIGHT NOW?'
AND SHE STARTED TO THINK OF
00:34:42.44\00:34:45.51
THINGS THAT SHE
WAS THANKFUL FOR.
00:34:45.51\00:34:47.12
DO YOU KNOW THAT, ACTUALLY,
SECULAR RESEARCHERS TODAY ARE
00:34:47.12\00:34:51.65
SAYING THERE IS SPECIAL POWER
IN HAVING A GRATITUDE JOURNAL?
00:34:51.65\00:34:56.93
HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THIS?
00:34:56.93\00:34:58.43
THESE ARE - THESE
AREN'T CHRISTIAN RESEARCHERS.
00:34:58.43\00:35:01.40
THEY'RE TELLING THEIR PATIENTS
THAT THEY NEED TO KEEP A JOURNAL
00:35:01.40\00:35:05.37
AND WRITE DOWN WHAT
THEY'RE THANKFUL FOR.
00:35:05.37\00:35:08.50
NOW, I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU
SOMETHING EVEN MORE REMARKABLE.
00:35:08.50\00:35:10.51
NOW, I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN THE
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY MOVEMENT -
00:35:10.51\00:35:14.41
THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL IT -
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A DANGER
00:35:14.41\00:35:16.91
BECAUSE I READ SOME OF THESE
THINGS QUICKLY AND LOOK THROUGH
00:35:16.91\00:35:19.11
SOME OF THESE STUDIES FAIRLY
RAPIDLY, BUT IN ONE SET OF
00:35:19.11\00:35:22.75
STUDIES THEY WERE COMPARING
WHAT WAS MORE POWERFUL, A DAILY
00:35:22.75\00:35:26.82
GRATITUDE JOURNAL OR ONE
THAT YOU KEPT ONCE A WEEK.
00:35:26.82\00:35:31.96
YOU KNOW WHAT THEY FOUND?
00:35:31.96\00:35:34.83
THEY ACTUALLY FOUND IT
WAS THE WEEKLY JOURNAL.
00:35:34.83\00:35:38.97
I KNOW, SOME OF YOU ARE LOOKING
VERY PERPLEXED, BUT I FIND IT
00:35:38.97\00:35:41.97
REMARKABLE THAT IN THE VERY
BEGINNING OF THE BIBLE GOD SET
00:35:41.97\00:35:47.18
APART A WEEKLY
GRATITUDE JOURNALING PROCESS.
00:35:47.18\00:35:52.11
ARE YOU FOLLOWING ALONG
WITH ME? HE CALLED IT WHAT?
00:35:52.11\00:35:55.32
>>SABBATH. >>THE SABBATH.
00:35:55.32\00:35:57.29
AND WHAT'S SO REMARKABLE ABOUT
THE SABBATH IS ALL WEEK LONG
00:35:57.29\00:36:00.79
WE'RE BOMBARDED WITH ALL
KINDS OF PROBLEMS, AREN'T WE?
00:36:00.79\00:36:03.66
>>AMEN. >>I KNOW
SOME OF YOU ARE SAYING
00:36:03.66\00:36:05.36
'AMEN' - OTHERS OF YOU ARE
LOOKING LIKE, 'WELL WHAT PLANET
00:36:05.36\00:36:07.56
DID YOU COME FROM, DR. DEROSE?'
BUT I AM. I'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF
00:36:07.56\00:36:11.23
THINGS GOING ON. AND
THEN THE SABBATH COMES
00:36:11.23\00:36:15.64
AND WE'RE TOLD
TO DO WHAT? >>REST.
00:36:15.64\00:36:17.71
>>THAT'S RIGHT,
TO REST IN JESUS.
00:36:17.71\00:36:20.91
AND SO, BY THE WAY, NOW THERE
IS SOMETHING - THE BIBLE DOES
00:36:20.91\00:36:25.28
DEFINITELY ENDORSE A
DAILY GRATITUDE JOURNAL.
00:36:25.28\00:36:27.92
YOU REMEMBER JESUS WHEN HE
TAUGHT US HOW TO PRAY HE SAID WE
00:36:27.92\00:36:30.95
SHOULD BEGIN OUR
PRAYERS IN WHAT WAY?
00:36:30.95\00:36:33.76
THAT'S RIGHT, 'OUR
FATHER' - >>WHICH ART IN HEAVEN.
00:36:33.76\00:36:37.23
>>'WHICH ART IN
HEAVEN' - >>HALLOWED
00:36:37.23\00:36:39.66
>>PRAISE BE TO YOUR
NAME. 'HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME.
00:36:39.66\00:36:42.16
I'M SO THANKFUL FOR YOU,
FATHER.' YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE
00:36:42.16\00:36:46.23
DON'T START OUR PRAYERS
THE WAY JESUS TOLD US TO.
00:36:46.23\00:36:49.20
WE GET THE 'OUR FATHER' PART
RIGHT BUT WE FORGET THAT PART
00:36:49.20\00:36:52.74
ABOUT REFLECTING ON WHO
GOD IS AND THANKING HIM.
00:36:52.74\00:36:57.61
YOU SAY, 'WELL, OKAY,
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOD - HIS
00:36:57.61\00:37:02.48
GENTLENESS, HIS POWER, HIS
COMING TO US - BUT GOD LOVES US
00:37:02.48\00:37:06.52
SO MUCH THAT HE'S
LIKE A GOOD PHYSICIAN.
00:37:06.52\00:37:09.86
AND YOU ALL WOULD NOT WANT TO GO
SEE A PHYSICIAN WHO WOULD GLOSS
00:37:09.86\00:37:13.43
OVER THE TRUTH, WOULD
YOU? YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE A
00:37:13.43\00:37:16.56
PHYSICIAN THAT, IF YOU HAD
CANCER, SAID, 'DON'T WORRY ABOUT
00:37:16.56\00:37:19.37
IT, IT'S JUST A LITTLE BUMP.'
RIGHT? YOU WOULDN'T LIKE THAT.
00:37:19.37\00:37:24.34
SO JESUS SPEAKS VERY PLAINLY
TO THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS, "...I
00:37:24.34\00:37:28.41
HAVE THIS AGAINST YOU, THAT
YOU HAVE LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE."
00:37:28.41\00:37:32.85
IT SOUNDS LIKE A MINOR ISSUE
UNTIL YOU READ ON: "REMEMBER
00:37:32.85\00:37:38.12
THEREFORE FROM WHERE YOU HAVE
FALLEN; REPENT AND DO THE FIRST
00:37:38.12\00:37:46.13
WORKS, OR ELSE I WILL COME
TO YOU QUICKLY AND REMOVE YOUR
00:37:46.13\00:37:50.77
LAMPSTAND FROM ITS
PLACE - UNLESS YOU REPENT.
00:37:50.77\00:37:54.80
BUT THIS YOU HAVE, THAT
YOU HATE THE DEEDS OF THE
00:37:54.80\00:37:57.97
NICOLAITANS, WHICH I ALSO HATE."
00:37:57.97\00:38:01.14
AND THEN THERE'S THAT
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR ALL OF US TO
00:38:01.14\00:38:03.18
HEAR, AND THEN A PROMISE: TO
THOSE WHO OVERCOME HE WILL GIVE
00:38:03.18\00:38:07.72
OF THE TREE OF LIFE TO EAT FROM
IT, WHICH IS IN THE MIDST OF THE
00:38:07.72\00:38:13.15
PARADISE OF GOD. SO
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
00:38:13.15\00:38:17.79
WHETHER WE ILLUSTRATE IT AS LUKE
DID - CHAPTER 10 - AS LUKE IS
00:38:17.79\00:38:21.96
CLOSING CHAPTER 10 HE TELLS
US THAT FAMOUS STORY ABOUT TWO
00:38:21.96\00:38:26.23
SISTERS. YOU REMEMBER, RIGHT?
MARTHA AND MARY. AND MARTHA WAS
00:38:26.23\00:38:31.17
SO BUSY WITH WHAT? >>WORKS.
00:38:31.17\00:38:34.14
>>WITH WORKS - AND THEY WERE
GOOD WORKS - SO SHE WAS KIND OF
00:38:34.14\00:38:37.58
LIKE THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS,
IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME TO MAKE THAT
00:38:37.58\00:38:40.38
COMPARISON. SHE WAS
DOING THOSE GOOD WORKS
00:38:40.38\00:38:43.92
AND SHE WAS BOTHERED BECAUSE HER
SISTER MARY WAS NOT CONCERNED,
00:38:43.92\00:38:51.89
IT SEEMED, WITH
THOSE GOOD WORKS.
00:38:51.89\00:38:54.83
SO SHE APPEALS TO JESUS
AND WHAT DOES JESUS SAY?
00:38:54.83\00:39:00.57
THAT'S RIGHT, 'MARY HAS CHOSEN
THE GOOD PART - THE BEST THING -
00:39:00.57\00:39:06.34
THE MOST
ESSENTIAL. WHAT WAS SHE DOING?
00:39:06.34\00:39:08.44
>>SITTING - >>SHE
WAS SITTING AT JESUS'
00:39:08.44\00:39:10.35
FEET. AND SO WE
HAVE THIS PICTURE -
00:39:10.35\00:39:12.91
THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS - THEY
WERE DOING ALL THOSE GOOD MARTHA
00:39:12.91\00:39:16.52
THINGS AND JESUS COMMENDED THEM
FOR IT, BUT HE SAID 'THE MOST
00:39:16.52\00:39:20.09
IMPORTANT THING YOU'VE FORGOTTEN
- THAT IS THE VITAL ESSENCE OF
00:39:20.09\00:39:24.69
YOUR RELATIONSHIP
IS TO LOVE ME.' RIGHT?
00:39:24.69\00:39:30.83
SO IF WE'RE JUST DOING ALL THE
RIGHT THINGS, THEY'RE NOT THE
00:39:30.83\00:39:34.04
RIGHT THINGS BECAUSE THEY'RE
NOT COMING FROM THE RIGHT
00:39:34.04\00:39:37.54
MOTIVATION. AND SO,
JESUS, IN THE BOOK OF
00:39:37.54\00:39:41.28
REVELATION, CALLS TO THE CHURCH
OF EPHESUS AND, AS WE WALK
00:39:41.28\00:39:45.15
THROUGH THE LESSON, THE
QUESTION IS FOR US, RIGHT?
00:39:45.15\00:39:48.85
BECAUSE THE BIBLE
IS NOT A HISTORY BOOK.
00:39:48.85\00:39:51.79
THE BIBLE IS NOT AN
INTERESTING SPIRITUAL DOCUMENT.
00:39:51.79\00:39:55.82
THE BIBLE IS A BOOK THAT
SPEAKS TO US PERSONALLY, RIGHT?
00:39:55.82\00:40:00.13
SO WHAT IS THE
MESSAGE FOR US TODAY?
00:40:00.13\00:40:03.03
BECAUSE WE'RE ALL
SUPPOSED TO HEAR IT.
00:40:03.03\00:40:04.53
WHAT ARE WE CALLED TO DO AS
A RESULT OF THE LETTER TO THE
00:40:04.53\00:40:08.40
CHURCH OF EPHESUS? YES,
WE ARE CALLED TO STAND FAST
00:40:08.40\00:40:13.68
FOR WHAT'S RIGHT, BUT WE'RE
CALLED TO PRIORITIZE A LOVING
00:40:13.68\00:40:17.71
RELATIONSHIP WITH
JESUS. HAVE YOU EVER HAD THIS
00:40:17.71\00:40:22.15
CHALLENGE, THOUGH? YOU
KNOW WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS,
00:40:22.15\00:40:24.89
THE BIBLE SAYS WE
SHOULD EVEN LOVE OUR ENEMIES.
00:40:24.89\00:40:28.52
SO WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T
FEEL YOU HAVE ENOUGH LOVE FOR
00:40:28.52\00:40:32.39
JESUS? OR LOVE FOR YOUR
ENEMIES - HOW DO YOU GET IT?
00:40:32.39\00:40:36.73
>>PRAY FOR IT.
>>OKAY, PRAY FOR IT.
00:40:36.73\00:40:40.67
WHERE DOES LOVE
COME FROM? >>GOD.
00:40:40.67\00:40:43.04
>>THE BIBLE REVEALS
IT, RIGHT? GOD IS LOVE.
00:40:43.04\00:40:46.41
AND AS WE DRAW CLOSE
TO JESUS, WHAT HAPPENS?
00:40:46.41\00:40:49.58
LOVE SPRINGS UP IN OUR HEARTS
AS WE SEE WHAT HE'S DONE FOR US.
00:40:49.58\00:40:54.68
AND SO, THAT IS THE CALL
TO THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS.
00:40:54.68\00:40:57.55
WE'VE GOT TO HASTEN ON BECAUSE
THERE ARE SIX MORE CHURCHES AND
00:40:57.55\00:41:01.82
THERE ARE LESSONS IN
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM FOR US.
00:41:01.82\00:41:05.63
SO THE NEXT TWO CHURCHES,
FOLLOWING ALONG THAT, IF YOU
00:41:05.63\00:41:08.63
WILL, POSTAL OR COURIER ROUTE
- SO FIRST YOU HAVE EPHESUS AND
00:41:08.63\00:41:13.67
THEN, AS YOU'RE FOLLOWING
ALONG, YOU COME TO THE CHURCH OF
00:41:13.67\00:41:16.97
SMYRNA. REMEMBER,
WE'RE FOCUSING NOT ON
00:41:16.97\00:41:20.08
THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
OF THESE CHURCHES, WE'RE BEING
00:41:20.08\00:41:23.21
ASKED TO FOCUS ON THEIR
CONTEMPORARY SIGNIFICANCE.
00:41:23.21\00:41:26.35
SO IF EPHESUS WAS A PROMINENT
CHURCH IN CHRISTENDOM - IF YOU
00:41:26.35\00:41:30.49
CAME FROM THE EPHESUS CHURCH
AND YOU MET SOMEONE - YOU WERE
00:41:30.49\00:41:32.69
TRAVELING AND THEY SAY,
'WHAT CHURCH DO YOU GO TO?'
00:41:32.69\00:41:35.09
'WELL, I GO TO THE GRANITE BAY
CHURCH.' 'GRANITE BAY CHURCH?
00:41:35.09\00:41:38.46
I WATCH THAT CHURCH ON
TELEVISION. ISN'T THAT WHERE
00:41:38.46\00:41:40.96
DOUG BATCHELOR IS THE PASTOR?
WOW, YOU GO TO A FAMOUS CHURCH.'
00:41:40.96\00:41:45.73
BUT IF YOU WERE FROM THE
SMYRNA CHURCH, WHAT WOULD
00:41:45.73\00:41:50.17
THEY SAY TO YOU? >>WHERE'S THAT?
00:41:50.17\00:41:52.97
>>YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT, 'WHERE IS
THIS SMYRNA?' THIS SMYRNA IS NOT
00:41:52.97\00:41:54.98
MENTIONED ANYWHERE IN THE
BIBLE BESIDE HERE IN REVELATION.
00:41:54.98\00:41:58.85
SO SMYRNA NOW, AT LEAST IN
THE CHRISTIAN REVELATION OF THE
00:41:58.85\00:42:04.69
BIBLE, IS AN
INSIGNIFICANT CHURCH.
00:42:04.69\00:42:07.22
NOW, NONE OF THESE CITIES WERE
INSIGNIFICANT, HISTORICALLY, BUT
00:42:07.22\00:42:11.39
THE POINT IS - SMYRNA, THERE'S
NO LETTER WRITTEN TO SMYRNA.
00:42:11.39\00:42:16.06
PAUL NEVER SPENT THREE YEARS IN
SMYRNA, BUT AS YOU READ THROUGH
00:42:16.06\00:42:20.67
THE LETTER TO SMYRNA, IT IS
REMARKABLE BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF
00:42:20.67\00:42:23.97
ONLY TWO CHURCHES THAT
THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION LEVEL.
00:42:23.97\00:42:30.38
LET'S LOOK AT IT - VERSE 8 -
REVELATION CHAPTER 2, "TO THE
00:42:30.38\00:42:35.05
ANGEL" - OR TO THE MESSENGER -
"OF THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA WRITE,
00:42:35.05\00:42:38.52
'THESE THINGS SAYS THE FIRST
AND THE LAST, WHO WAS DEAD, AND
00:42:38.52\00:42:42.26
CAME TO LIFE: 'I KNOW YOUR
WORKS, TRIBULATION, AND POVERTY
00:42:42.26\00:42:46.49
(BUT YOU ARE RICH); AND I KNOW
THE BLASPHEMY OF THOSE WHO SAY
00:42:46.49\00:42:50.40
THEY ARE JEWS AND ARE NOT,
BUT ARE A SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN.
00:42:50.40\00:42:53.74
DO NOT FEAR ANY OF THOSE THINGS
WHICH YOU ARE ABOUT TO SUFFER.
00:42:53.74\00:42:58.51
INDEED, THE DEVIL IS ABOUT TO
THROW SOME OF YOU INTO PRISON,
00:42:58.51\00:43:01.48
THAT YOU MAY BE TESTED, AND YOU
WILL HAVE TRIBULATION TEN DAYS.
00:43:01.48\00:43:05.58
BE FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH, AND I
WILL GIVE YOU THE CROWN OF LIFE.
00:43:05.58\00:43:08.98
HE WHO HAS AN EAR, LET HIM
HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE
00:43:08.98\00:43:11.72
CHURCHES. HE WHO
OVERCOMES SHALL NOT BE
00:43:11.72\00:43:14.29
HURT BY THE SECOND DEATH.'"
NO CONDEMNATION. THIS SMALL
00:43:14.29\00:43:20.46
CHURCH THAT LOOKED - HOW?
THEY LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE POOR.
00:43:20.46\00:43:25.87
NOW, DO YOU KNOW THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF POVERTY?
00:43:25.87\00:43:29.64
SOME OF YOU MIGHT BE
NODDING YOUR HEADS A LITTLE TOO
00:43:29.64\00:43:31.37
KNOWINGLY, BUT THE POINT OF
POVERTY THROUGHOUT HISTORY - AND
00:43:31.37\00:43:36.38
EVEN TODAY - IN TODAY'S
CHRISTIAN WORLD - THERE ARE MANY
00:43:36.38\00:43:39.25
CHRISTIAN PREACHERS WHO WOULD
LEAD YOU TO BELIEVE THAT IF YOU
00:43:39.25\00:43:42.65
HAVE FINANCIAL ADVERSITY, THE
PROBLEM IS NOT WITH GOD, IT'S
00:43:42.65\00:43:46.82
WITH WHO? >>YOU.
00:43:46.82\00:43:48.39
>>IT'S WITH YOU.
IT'S YOUR PROBLEM.
00:43:48.39\00:43:50.83
IT WAS THAT WAY IN JESUS' DAY.
IF YOU HAD MATERIAL RICHES, THIS
00:43:50.83\00:43:55.13
WAS A SIGN OF WHAT IN THE EYES
OF THE SECULAR "JEWISH" WORLD?
00:43:55.13\00:44:01.70
>>GOD WAS FAVORING YOU.
>>THAT'S RIGHT, GOD WAS FAVORING
00:44:01.70\00:44:03.34
YOU - THAT YOU WERE
BLESSED. YOU WERE OBVIOUSLY
00:44:03.34\00:44:06.27
FOLLOWING GOD. AND
IF YOU HAD NOTHING OR
00:44:06.27\00:44:10.15
VERY LITTLE YOU WERE
WHAT? >>NOT FAVORED BY GOD.
00:44:10.15\00:44:13.48
>>YOU WERE NOT
FAVORED - YOU WERE CURSED.
00:44:13.48\00:44:16.45
BUT JESUS PULLED BACK
THAT CURTAIN, DIDN'T HE?
00:44:16.45\00:44:19.65
YOU REMEMBER THE
STORY, DON'T YOU?
00:44:19.65\00:44:21.36
THERE, WHEN JESUS WAS IN THE
TEMPLE, THE WEALTHY WERE PUTTING
00:44:21.36\00:44:25.39
THOSE LAVISH OFFERINGS -
I'M SURE MANY OF THEM WITH GREAT
00:44:25.39\00:44:29.13
OSTENTATION - DROPPING THOSE
COINS INTO THE TEMPLE TREASURY,
00:44:29.13\00:44:34.97
RIGHT? AND THEN
SOMEONE SLIPS UP,
00:44:34.97\00:44:40.64
NOT WANTING TO BE
NOTICED. WHO WAS IT?
00:44:40.64\00:44:44.35
A WIDOW - THIS IS A CURSED
PERSON IN THE JEWISH MINDSET.
00:44:44.35\00:44:50.22
I MEAN, I HATE TO MENTION IN A
MIXED AUDIENCE, BUT IF YOU WERE
00:44:50.22\00:44:52.69
A WOMAN YOU WERE
NOT BLESSED, REALLY.
00:44:52.69\00:44:56.22
BUT NOT ONLY WAS SHE A
WOMAN, SHE HAD NOTHING.
00:44:56.22\00:45:01.50
SHE HAD NO HUSBAND AND
SHE WAS WHAT? SHE WAS POOR.
00:45:01.50\00:45:06.20
SHE JUST HAD TWO
OF THE SMALLEST COINS.
00:45:06.20\00:45:09.37
BUT WHAT DID SHE DO
WITH THEM? SHE GAVE IT ALL.
00:45:09.37\00:45:14.38
SHE WAS LIKE THAT
CHURCH OF SMYRNA, RIGHT?
00:45:14.38\00:45:17.58
THE WORLD WOULD
LABEL THE CHURCH AS CURSED.
00:45:17.58\00:45:25.02
AGAIN, I MEAN IT
SPEAKS TO US, DOESN'T IT?
00:45:25.02\00:45:29.12
THE VERY THINGS THAT PEOPLE
POINT TO YOU AND SAY, 'YOU CAN'T
00:45:29.12\00:45:33.50
- WHAT? WHAT ARE
YOU TRYING TO DO?
00:45:33.50\00:45:35.26
YOU CAN'T GIVE A BIBLE STUDY.
YOU CAN'T EVEN SPEAK RIGHT.
00:45:35.26\00:45:40.14
YOU - YOU STUTTER. YOU
CAN'T TELL ANYONE ABOUT
00:45:40.14\00:45:45.17
JESUS.' I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS
00:45:45.17\00:45:48.61
THAT PEOPLE HAVE USED TO TRY TO
DISQUALIFY YOUR WITNESS BUT, BY
00:45:48.61\00:45:52.05
THE WAY, DID YOU NOTICE - THE
ENEMY OF THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA -
00:45:52.05\00:45:59.22
DID YOU NOTICE WHO THEY WERE?
THEY WERE JEWS WHO WERE NOT.
00:45:59.22\00:46:05.16
NOW, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEW
TESTAMENT - YOU CAN READ THIS IN
00:46:05.16\00:46:07.86
GALATIANS AND IN OTHER PLACES,
THAT THE TERM 'JEW' AS GOD'S
00:46:07.86\00:46:13.44
PEOPLE - AFTER THE MINISTRY OF
JESUS, WHEN THE LITERAL JEWISH
00:46:13.44\00:46:19.64
NATION DID NOT ACCEPT HIM, AS
PAUL WROTE IN ROMANS CHAPTERS 9
00:46:19.64\00:46:24.91
THROUGH 11, THE GENTILES
WERE GRAFTED INTO THIS TREE OF
00:46:24.91\00:46:28.78
PROMISE. BY THE
WAY, IF YOU HAVE JEWISH
00:46:28.78\00:46:31.12
HERITAGE, I THINK THAT'S
A WONDERFUL HERITAGE, OKAY?
00:46:31.12\00:46:34.62
AND I'VE BEEN THANKFUL THAT
SOME PEOPLE HAVE MISTAKEN ME FOR
00:46:34.62\00:46:38.23
HAVING JEWISH HERITAGE.
OTHERS HAVE INSISTED I HAVE
00:46:38.23\00:46:40.70
JEWISH HERITAGE
WHETHER I KNOW IT OR NOT.
00:46:40.70\00:46:43.26
BUT THE POINT IS SIMPLY THIS:
THAT'S A WONDERFUL HERITAGE.
00:46:43.26\00:46:46.90
GOD HAS BLESSED THAT PEOPLE
THROUGHOUT HISTORY, BUT THE JEW
00:46:46.90\00:46:50.47
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, THE
SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS OF THE JEW,
00:46:50.47\00:46:55.44
GIVEN TO ABRAHAM, THE SEED OF
ABRAHAM TODAY IS THE CHRISTIAN
00:46:55.44\00:47:01.82
CHURCH. AND SO,
THE ENEMIES OF THE
00:47:01.82\00:47:05.75
CHURCH OF SMYRNA ARE THOSE WHO
SAY THEY ARE TRUE FOLLOWERS OF
00:47:05.75\00:47:09.89
ABRAHAM - THE TRUE
CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM.
00:47:09.89\00:47:12.16
THEY ARE THE TRUE JEWS, BUT
THEY'RE REALLY A SYNAGOGUE OF
00:47:12.16\00:47:15.03
SATAN. BY THE WAY,
SATAN IS THE ACCUSER
00:47:15.03\00:47:22.04
- THAT'S WHAT HIS NAME
INDICATES - HE IS THE ACCUSER.
00:47:22.04\00:47:26.37
SO HOW MANY TIMES DO
WE PLAY SATAN'S ROLE?
00:47:26.37\00:47:29.84
DO WE, IN THE CHURCH, OR IN
DEALING WITH ANOTHER CHURCH -
00:47:29.84\00:47:33.72
ANOTHER CONGREGATION - DO WE -
ARE WE EVER TEMPTED TO POINT OUR
00:47:33.72\00:47:36.35
FINGERS? THIS IS
WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN
00:47:36.35\00:47:40.46
SMYRNA, BUT THEY WERE A BLESSED
CHURCH. AS WE GO ON IN THESE
00:47:40.46\00:47:44.33
LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES, WE COME
TO THE CHURCH OF PERGAMON, AND
00:47:44.33\00:47:48.73
THE CHURCH OF PERGAMON
IS AN INTERESTING CHURCH.
00:47:48.73\00:47:51.03
ONE OF THE GREAT MUSEUMS IN THE
WORLD IS FOUND IN BERLIN, AND
00:47:51.03\00:47:56.47
NOT ALL THAT LONG AGO I WAS
ACTUALLY THERE - PICKED UP A
00:47:56.47\00:47:59.41
BOOK THERE FROM,
ACTUALLY, THE PERGAMON MUSEUM.
00:47:59.41\00:48:03.98
AND THE CENTERPIECE - AS
YOU WALK INTO THIS MUSEUM IN THE
00:48:03.98\00:48:09.08
HEART OF BERLIN - YOU WILL
ACTUALLY SEE THE ALTAR - THE
00:48:09.08\00:48:14.06
RECONSTRUCTED ALTAR - OFTEN
REFERRED TO AS THE ALTAR OF ZEUS
00:48:14.06\00:48:18.16
- THERE AS YOU WALK IN THE
MUSEUM - HUGE - TAKES UP AN
00:48:18.16\00:48:21.00
ENTIRE ROOM - AND AS YOU
LOOK AT THAT ALTAR, YOU SEE THE
00:48:21.00\00:48:26.03
RECONSTRUCTED HOLLYWOOD IMAGERY.
NOW, I USE THAT SOMEWHAT
00:48:26.03\00:48:37.58
GUARDEDLY, BUT IT'S REALLY
TRUE. IT WAS COVERED WITH THE
00:48:37.58\00:48:41.55
HOLLYWOOD IMAGERY OF THE
TIME. WHY WOULD I SAY THAT?
00:48:41.55\00:48:46.45
IT'S SHOWING A BATTLE BETWEEN
THE GODS AND THERE ARE GODS LIKE
00:48:46.45\00:48:51.39
HERCULES - I THINK HE'S EVEN
CREPT INTO HOLLYWOOD OF LATE.
00:48:51.39\00:48:55.23
IS THAT TRUE? SOME OF
YOU ARE NODDING YOUR HEADS.
00:48:55.23\00:48:57.93
OTHERS OF YOU ARE LIKE ME, YOU
KNOW, WE DON'T KEEP US AS WELL
00:48:57.93\00:49:00.37
WITH SOME OF
THESE THINGS AS OTHERS.
00:49:00.37\00:49:02.47
BUT THE POINT IS THESE
SUPERHEROES ARE BEING DEPICTED
00:49:02.47\00:49:07.21
ON THIS RELIEF - THIS GIANT
RELIEF - THIS WAS THE FOCUS OF
00:49:07.21\00:49:15.32
THE THEATRICS
OF THE TIME, RIGHT?
00:49:15.32\00:49:17.75
THEY WERE ILLUSTRATING THE
GODS AND THESE GREAT DRAMAS.
00:49:17.75\00:49:22.19
SO THIS IS WHAT IS THERE IN
PERGAMON. AND AS YOU READ ABOUT
00:49:22.19\00:49:27.13
THIS CHURCH IN CHAPTER 2, YOU
ACTUALLY SEE THAT BLOOD WAS SHED
00:49:27.13\00:49:33.97
THERE AND IT WAS A
PLACE WHERE SATAN DWELT.
00:49:33.97\00:49:40.54
BUT WHAT'S SO INTERESTING,
AS YOU LOOK AT EACH OF THESE
00:49:40.54\00:49:43.75
LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES, JESUS
IS REVEALED AT THE BEGINNING OF
00:49:43.75\00:49:48.68
EACH LETTER AND, AS THE LESSON
DRAWS OUT, THE RELEVANCE OF
00:49:48.68\00:49:52.85
JESUS' REVELATION IS SPECIFIC
TO THE NEEDS OF THAT CHURCH.
00:49:52.85\00:49:58.13
DID YOU CATCH IT WITH SMYRNA?
WITH SMYRNA, JESUS IS REVEALED
00:49:58.13\00:50:02.60
AS THE ONE WHO WAS
DEAD AND CAME TO LIFE.
00:50:02.60\00:50:05.13
SO IT'S A CHURCH WHO'S BEING
PERSECUTED, WHO SEEMS LIKE THEIR
00:50:05.13\00:50:08.00
LIFE IS BEING SNUFFED OUT.
AS YOU LOOK AT THE CHURCH OF
00:50:08.00\00:50:11.94
PERGAMON, THEY'RE
DWELLING WHERE SATAN'S SEAT IS.
00:50:11.94\00:50:15.34
IT LOOKS LIKE
SATAN IS BEARING SWAY.
00:50:15.34\00:50:17.98
IT'S LOOKING LIKE THE WAYS
OF THE WORLD BEAR SWAY IN THE
00:50:17.98\00:50:20.78
COMMUNITY AND JESUS SHOWS
HIMSELF AS THE ONE WITH THAT
00:50:20.78\00:50:24.49
SHARP TWO-EDGED SWORD
COMING OUT OF HIS MOUTH.
00:50:24.49\00:50:27.22
WHAT DOES THAT SHARP
TWO-EDGED SWORD REFER TO IN THE
00:50:27.22\00:50:31.53
SCRIPTURES? >>THE WORD.
00:50:31.53\00:50:32.99
>>THAT'S RIGHT, IT REFERS
TO THE WORD OF GOD ITSELF.
00:50:32.99\00:50:34.73
YOU CAN FIND THAT
IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 4.
00:50:34.73\00:50:37.27
AND SO GOD'S WORD IS ACTUALLY
THE STANDARD OF JUDGMENT.
00:50:37.27\00:50:44.91
IT'S THE STANDARD OF COMPARISON
- IT'S NOT THE WORLD'S VALUES.
00:50:44.91\00:50:50.18
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A CONTRAST
WITH THE LAST CHURCH - I WANT
00:50:50.18\00:50:52.95
TO LOOK THERE FOR A
MINUTE AND WE'LL TOUCH ON,
00:50:52.95\00:50:55.22
HOPEFULLY, A FEW OF THE OTHER
CHURCHES, BECAUSE WE LOOKED AT A
00:50:55.22\00:50:59.12
CHURCH THAT SEEMED TO HAVE
NOTHING - THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA -
00:50:59.12\00:51:02.56
THEY WERE POOR BUT REALLY RICH.
THE LAST CHURCH OF THESE SEVEN
00:51:02.56\00:51:06.43
CHURCHES IS THE
CHURCH OF LAODICEA.
00:51:06.43\00:51:09.70
THE LAODICEAN CHURCH WAS A VERY
WEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS CHURCH.
00:51:09.70\00:51:16.77
IN FACT, A LETTER WAS WRITTEN
TO LAODICEA - WE DON'T HAVE IT -
00:51:16.77\00:51:20.41
BUT A LETTER - PAUL WROTE A
LETTER TO THE LAODICEAN CHURCH.
00:51:20.41\00:51:23.04
YOU CAN STUDY THAT OUT, BUT IT
HAS NOT STOOD THE TEST OF TIME.
00:51:23.04\00:51:27.18
BUT THE LAODICEANS HAD THEIR OWN
MEDICAL SCHOOL AND THEY WERE A
00:51:27.18\00:51:31.35
WEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS
CITY. PHILADELPHIA, THE SIXTH OF
00:51:31.35\00:51:36.73
THE CHURCHES, WAS DESTROYED
SOMEWHERE AROUND 15 OR 20 AD
00:51:36.73\00:51:42.73
BY AN EARTHQUAKE AND THE ROMAN
EMPIRE RECONSTRUCTED THEIR CITY.
00:51:42.73\00:51:48.44
SOME DECADES LATER LAODICEA
WAS DESTROYED BY AN EARTHQUAKE.
00:51:48.44\00:51:54.41
AND WHEN ROME OFFERED TO REBUILD
THEIR CITY, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY
00:51:54.41\00:51:57.31
SAID? 'NO, THANK YOU,
WE DON'T NEED ANY HELP.
00:51:57.31\00:52:01.55
WE'VE GOT IT ALL TOGETHER.' THEY
WERE RICH IN THE EYES OF THE
00:52:01.55\00:52:06.19
WORLD. THEY WERE
INCREASED WITH GOODS.
00:52:06.19\00:52:08.76
AND, AS JESUS SPEAKS TO
THEM SPIRITUALLY, THAT IS THEIR
00:52:08.76\00:52:12.23
STATE: RICH AND
INCREASED WITH GOODS.
00:52:12.23\00:52:17.23
BUT WHAT DID JESUS SAY
TO THE LAODICEAN CHURCH?
00:52:17.23\00:52:23.84
LET'S LOOK - REVELATION 3,
BEGINNING WITH VERSE 14, "AND TO
00:52:23.84\00:52:31.01
THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH OF THE
LAODICEANS WRITE, 'THESE THINGS
00:52:31.01\00:52:35.65
SAYS THE AMEN, THE FAITHFUL AND
TRUE WITNESS, THE BEGINNING OF
00:52:35.65\00:52:41.09
THE CREATION OF GOD: 'I KNOW
YOUR WORKS, THAT YOU ARE NEITHER
00:52:41.09\00:52:45.56
COLD NOR HOT. I COULD
WISH YOU WERE COLD OR HOT.
00:52:45.56\00:52:49.30
SO THEN, BECAUSE YOU ARE
LUKEWARM, AND NEITHER COLD NOR
00:52:49.30\00:52:51.57
HOT, I WILL VOMIT YOU OUT OF MY
MOUTH.''" AND HE GOES ON AND HE
00:52:51.57\00:52:55.24
SPEAKS ABOUT THEIR ATTITUDE,
THINKING THEY HAVE EVERYTHING.
00:52:55.24\00:52:59.07
AND HE SAYS, 'WHERE
YOU REALLY NEED TO GO
00:52:59.07\00:53:01.14
TO FIND WHAT YOU THINK YOU
ALREADY HAVE IS WITH ME.' VERSE
00:53:01.14\00:53:07.55
18, "I COUNSEL YOU TO BUY FROM
ME GOLD REFINED IN THE FIRE,
00:53:07.55\00:53:14.52
THAT YOU MAY BE RICH; AND" -
IT'S IMPLIED, 'BUY FROM ME' -
00:53:14.52\00:53:18.43
"WHITE GARMENTS, THAT YOU MAY BE
CLOTHED, THAT THE SHAME OF YOUR
00:53:18.43\00:53:22.03
NAKEDNESS MAY NOT BE REVEALED;
AND ANOINT YOUR EYES WITH EYE
00:53:22.03\00:53:27.24
SALVE, THAT YOU MAY SEE."
AND THEN WE HAVE THESE WORDS, IN
00:53:27.24\00:53:31.24
VERSE 19, "AS MANY AS I LOVE,
I REBUKE AND CHASTEN." THIS IS
00:53:31.24\00:53:38.28
WHAT JESUS HAS BEEN DOING TO
EACH OF THESE SEVEN CHURCHES.
00:53:38.28\00:53:42.15
AND, ALTHOUGH WE'VE ONLY TOUCHED
ON SOME OF THE HIGH POINTS OF
00:53:42.15\00:53:45.15
SOME OF THEM, I WANT TO SUGGEST
TO YOU THAT EACH ONE OF THOSE
00:53:45.15\00:53:49.22
CHURCHES HAS A
MESSAGE FOR US TODAY.
00:53:49.22\00:53:52.89
WHETHER WE LOOK AT THE CHURCH
OF THYATIRA OR SARDIS - TWO
00:53:52.89\00:53:57.97
CHURCHES WE REALLY DIDN'T TOUCH
ON IN OUR STUDY - OR WHETHER WE
00:53:57.97\00:54:02.04
TALK ABOUT EPHESUS OR LAODICEA,
JESUS, TO EACH ONE SAYS, 'I AM
00:54:02.04\00:54:07.38
PRESENT. I KNOW YOUR WORKS.
00:54:07.38\00:54:10.55
I'M LOOKING AT YOUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH ME, BUT I'M ALSO LOOKING AT
00:54:10.55\00:54:16.89
HOW YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE.' AND SO,
AS WE END ON A FAIRLY SOBERING
00:54:16.89\00:54:22.82
NOTE, WITH THIS LETTER TO THE
LAODICEANS, THE LETTER DOES NOT
00:54:22.82\00:54:29.03
END WITH A DISMAL JUDGMENT
MESSAGE. IT ENDS THIS WAY:
00:54:29.03\00:54:35.60
"THEREFORE BE ZEALOUS AND
REPENT." VERSE 20 OF REVELATION
00:54:35.60\00:54:40.64
3, "BEHOLD, I STAND
AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK.
00:54:40.64\00:54:45.51
IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE AND
OPENS THE DOOR, I WILL COME IN
00:54:45.51\00:54:50.39
TO HIM AND DINE
WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME.
00:54:50.39\00:54:54.56
TO HIM WHO OVERCOMES I
WILL GRANT TO SIT WITH ME ON MY
00:54:54.56\00:54:57.66
THRONE, AS I ALSO OVERCAME AND
SAT DOWN WITH MY FATHER ON HIS
00:54:57.66\00:55:02.80
THRONE." HOW HARD
IS IT TO OPEN A DOOR?
00:55:02.80\00:55:12.81
WELL, IT JUST DEPENDS WHO'S
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR,
00:55:12.81\00:55:15.14
RIGHT? BUT JESUS IS KNOCKING ON
THE DOOR AND THAT MESSAGE TO THE
00:55:15.14\00:55:23.52
LAODICEANS WERE SAID THAT
EVERY ONE OF US SHOULD LISTEN.
00:55:23.52\00:55:27.69
HE CALLS US TO WHAT? >>LISTEN.
00:55:27.69\00:55:30.39
>>HE CALLS US TO REPENT, BUT
HE SAYS, 'I WANT TO BE INTIMATE
00:55:30.39\00:55:34.10
WITH YOU. I WANT TO BE
MORE INTIMATE WITH YOU.
00:55:34.10\00:55:36.50
OPEN THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART.'
WELL, ONE THING THAT GETS IN THE
00:55:36.50\00:55:42.30
WAY WITH THAT IS WHAT OUR
FREE LESSON - OUR FREE OFFER -
00:55:42.30\00:55:47.34
ADDRESSES. THE
CHURCH: IS IT BABYLON?
00:55:47.34\00:55:51.38
LABELING, POINTING FINGERS,
PULLING PEOPLE DOWN, PLAYING THE
00:55:51.38\00:55:56.52
WORK OF SATAN - DO YOU
HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT?
00:55:56.52\00:55:59.65
FREE OFFER #712 - THE
CHURCH: IS IT BABYLON?
00:55:59.65\00:56:04.03
YOU CAN REQUEST IT AT
866-STUDY-MORE - THAT'S
00:56:04.03\00:56:07.86
1-866-788-3966.
00:56:07.86\00:56:14.10
>>HELLO FRIENDS, I
HAVE A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT.
00:56:14.10\00:56:16.81
I WANT TO TELL YOU
ABOUT AN EXCITING EVANGELISTIC
00:56:16.81\00:56:19.34
OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL BE COMING
TO YOUR CHURCH THIS SPRING.
00:56:19.34\00:56:23.31
BEGINNING MARCH 21 AMAZING
FACTS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 3ABN
00:56:23.31\00:56:27.65
AND THE CAROLINA CONFERENCE,
WILL BE PRESENTING A FRESH NEW
00:56:27.65\00:56:30.99
7-PART TV SERIES CALLED
THE LAST DAY OF PROPHECY .
00:56:30.99\00:56:35.69
THIS UNIQUE PROPHECY PROGRAM
WILL PRESENT THE SABBATH TRUTH
00:56:35.69\00:56:38.49
AND THE THREE ANGELS' MESSAGES
IN A WINSOME WAY THAT YOUR
00:56:38.49\00:56:41.86
FRIENDS AND FAMILY
WILL REALLY APPRECIATE.
00:56:41.86\00:56:44.57
IT'S THE IDEAL OCCASION
TO INVITE YOUR COMMUNITY AND
00:56:44.57\00:56:47.44
INTRODUCE THEM TO THE
BEAUTY OF THE SABBATH.
00:56:47.44\00:56:50.04
THIS IS ALSO THE PERFECT TIME IN
HISTORY FOR A NET EVANGELISTIC
00:56:50.04\00:56:53.27
PROGRAM LIKE THIS. IT'S NOT
TOO LATE. PLAN NOW TO GET YOUR
00:56:53.27\00:56:56.88
CHURCH OR HOME GROUP INVOLVED
IN THIS SOUL-WINNING PROGRAM.
00:56:56.88\00:57:00.48
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO
LASTDAYOFPROPHECY.COM AND, OF
00:57:00.48\00:57:05.45
COURSE, PLEASE REMEMBER TO PRAY
FOR THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM.
00:57:05.45\00:57:09.09
THE LAST DAY OF PROPHECY
MARCH 21, 7:00 PM EASTERN TIME.
00:57:09.09\00:57:15.00
>>CAN'T GET ENOUGH
AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDY?
00:57:15.00\00:57:17.97
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT
UNTIL NEXT WEEK TO ENJOY MORE
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TRUTH-FILLED PROGRAMMING, VISIT
THE AMAZING FACTS MEDIA LIBRARY
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AT 'AFTV.ORG'. AT
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COMPUTER OR MOBILE
DEVICE. VISIT 'AFTV.ORG'.
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>>DID YOU KNOW THAT NOAH WAS
PRESENT AT THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM?
00:57:45.39\00:57:48.50
OKAY, MAYBE HE WASN'T IN
THE ROOM, BUT HE WAS ALIVE AND
00:57:48.50\00:57:52.53
PROBABLY TELLING
STORIES ABOUT HIS FLOATING ZOO.
00:57:52.53\00:57:55.97
FROM THE CREATION OF THE
WORLD TO THE LAST-DAY EVENTS OF
00:57:55.97\00:57:58.77
REVELATION, 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM'
IS A FREE RESOURCE WHERE YOU CAN
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EXPLORE MAJOR BIBLE
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WORD. GO DEEPER.
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VISIT THE AMAZING BIBLE
TIME LINE AT 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM'.
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(MUSIC)
00:58:17.13\00:58:32.11