Hello Friends!
Welcome to our study
00:00:31.33\00:00:33.26
the Sabbath School 3ABN Panel
or 3ABN Sabbath School Panel,
00:00:33.36\00:00:37.30
you choose the order!
00:00:37.33\00:00:38.67
Here we are ready
to go on an excursion
00:00:38.70\00:00:41.30
through an exciting
Book called "Revelation."
00:00:41.34\00:00:43.64
It's not a hidden
book, it's not a secret book,
00:00:43.67\00:00:45.91
it's a book that's power-packed
and we've learned that
00:00:45.94\00:00:48.88
as much as we've known,
we are still learning more!
00:00:48.91\00:00:51.01
Amen somebody? Amen! Amen! Amen!
00:00:51.05\00:00:52.41
So get ready because we
are fired up and ready to go,
00:00:52.45\00:00:55.42
and we are only on lesson
2, just imagine what's going to
00:00:55.45\00:00:58.72
happen when we get to lesson 5.
00:00:58.75\00:01:00.49
So pause whatever you're
doing and get your Bible,
00:01:00.56\00:01:03.93
your pen, your Sabbath
School Bible Study Guide,
00:01:03.96\00:01:05.99
but if you don't have one,
go to the following website:
00:01:06.03\00:01:08.96
ABSG.Adventist.org
and download a copy
00:01:09.00\00:01:12.73
or go to your nearest
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:01:12.77\00:01:16.47
and say, "3ABN sent us,
we'd like to fellowship,
00:01:16.50\00:01:19.77
and we'd like a Study
Guide on the Book of Revelation.
00:01:19.81\00:01:22.74
What a beautiful
cover! Isn't that nice?
00:01:22.78\00:01:24.15
Um hm, it is! The
lion and the lamb which
00:01:24.21\00:01:27.28
both are a representation
symbol, as it were,
00:01:27.32\00:01:30.25
of nobody other
than Jesus Christ.
00:01:30.29\00:01:33.12
Shelley, it's good to
have you here! I thank you.
00:01:33.15\00:01:34.82
Pastor Kenny, always
good to see you! Thank you.
00:01:34.86\00:01:36.69
Jill, thank you for
the work you do! Thank you.
00:01:36.73\00:01:39.19
And Ryan, no longer
a new kid on the block,
00:01:39.23\00:01:41.43
good to have you
here today! Amen!
00:01:41.46\00:01:42.93
He's always fired up.
00:01:42.96\00:01:44.67
That's good,
when I was his age...
00:01:44.70\00:01:46.43
Hey, what am I talking
about, I'm still fired up!
00:01:46.47\00:01:48.20
Let's now forget the
age thing. That's right.
00:01:48.24\00:01:50.24
But before we go any
further, Ryan, would you have
00:01:50.27\00:01:52.57
prayer for us?
Absolutely! Let's do that...
00:01:52.61\00:01:54.21
Father in Heaven... Lord,
we thank You for this day,
00:01:54.24\00:01:57.81
and we thank You again for
the opportunity to come together
00:01:57.85\00:02:00.55
like this and study Your word.
00:02:00.62\00:02:02.22
But Lord, we can't do
it on our own, we need Your
00:02:02.25\00:02:04.65
Holy Spirit right now to
lead and guide us, to give us
00:02:04.69\00:02:07.46
the spiritual
eyesight, the spiritual hearing
00:02:07.49\00:02:09.69
and knowledge and wisdom
to be able to rightly divide
00:02:09.72\00:02:12.76
Your word of truth.
00:02:12.79\00:02:14.10
Father, I pray that
each and every one of us
00:02:14.20\00:02:15.76
will be drawn together as
brothers and sisters in Christ,
00:02:15.80\00:02:19.17
but more importantly to
Jesus Christ through His word.
00:02:19.20\00:02:22.44
We thank You for Your
continual love, grace and mercy,
00:02:22.47\00:02:25.74
and we ask these things in
Jesus Holy name... Amen, Amen!
00:02:25.77\00:02:30.01
The Lesson is:
"Among the Lampstands"
00:02:30.05\00:02:34.22
It's a very short memory
text and I'll read it in...
00:02:34.28\00:02:36.65
Revelation 2:7, we are
told, and this is by the way,
00:02:36.69\00:02:40.92
repeated seven times,
actually eight because it's
00:02:40.96\00:02:43.89
later on in the Bible in
the Book of Revelation...
00:02:43.93\00:02:45.89
"He who has an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit
00:02:45.93\00:02:49.70
says to the churches." How
ironic that I read that text!
00:02:49.73\00:02:52.40
He who has an ear... the
one thing I do have is an ear!
00:02:52.43\00:02:56.34
Laughter... I've got two
of them! Often they stand out!
00:02:56.37\00:02:59.21
But you know what I
like about this lesson
00:02:59.24\00:03:00.68
that stands out to
me... is this lesson
00:03:00.71\00:03:04.31
finds the servant of God
in adverse circumstances.
00:03:04.35\00:03:09.65
When the author of this
lesson, Dr. Ranko Stefanovic,
00:03:09.68\00:03:14.26
put the lesson together,
I thank the Lord for the way
00:03:14.29\00:03:16.62
he was able to extract.
00:03:16.66\00:03:18.36
You know, he has been gifted
with that skill and ability
00:03:18.39\00:03:21.80
our colleague in
ministry, we praise the Lord for
00:03:21.83\00:03:24.30
his wisdom, but we know
that it's the Holy Spirit
00:03:24.33\00:03:26.80
ultimately that guides
us as we begin to unfold
00:03:26.84\00:03:29.40
the story of Revelation.
00:03:29.44\00:03:31.17
But go with me to Psalm 73
because this is a beautiful
00:03:31.21\00:03:33.94
illustration of how
Dr. Stefanovic decides to
00:03:33.98\00:03:39.28
preview what appears to
be adversity for John on the
00:03:39.31\00:03:44.15
Island of Patmos.
00:03:44.19\00:03:45.52
It appears to be adversity,
but I know that everything
00:03:45.55\00:03:48.59
that looks like adversity
is not necessarily adversity.
00:03:48.62\00:03:52.29
My life began as a
tragedy and abandonment that was
00:03:52.33\00:03:55.40
in fact a prelude
to God's blessings.
00:03:55.43\00:03:57.60
Abandoned at 3 months old
by my parents; left in the home
00:03:57.63\00:04:01.40
of an Adventist babysitter...
can you call that abandonment?
00:04:01.44\00:04:03.91
No, that's an appointment
to God's destiny for my life.
00:04:03.94\00:04:07.08
And so, here is Psalm
73, we're going to look at a
00:04:07.11\00:04:10.75
picture of a young man by
the name of Asaph and he is
00:04:10.78\00:04:14.72
somehow blinded by his
circumstances and I want to
00:04:14.75\00:04:17.52
make that point very
clear because what we sometimes
00:04:17.59\00:04:21.36
think of adversity or
affliction, can be appointment.
00:04:21.39\00:04:25.06
It's not necessarily
adversity or affliction,
00:04:25.09\00:04:27.86
it could be appointment. Yes.
00:04:27.86\00:04:30.03
But sometimes God does not
immediately deliver us from
00:04:30.07\00:04:32.70
our affliction or our
adversity and we wallow in
00:04:32.73\00:04:36.40
the mire of our
shortsightedness.
00:04:36.44\00:04:38.77
And when you read the story
of Asaph, his perspective is
00:04:38.81\00:04:43.11
on how God seems to be unfair.
00:04:43.14\00:04:45.88
I'm going to go to
that really quickly because
00:04:45.91\00:04:47.92
midway, as he is really
ranting about the wicked
00:04:47.95\00:04:51.72
seems to be blessed,
and how many of us have
00:04:51.75\00:04:54.12
seen people that we know,
by their lifestyle choices,
00:04:54.16\00:04:57.13
and by the world they live
in and by the things that they
00:04:57.19\00:04:58.79
do whether publically or
we may know some people that
00:04:58.83\00:05:02.33
do that privately - we say,
"How could they live like that,
00:05:02.36\00:05:04.97
and be so blessed!
00:05:05.00\00:05:06.60
I mean, we've said that before.
00:05:06.63\00:05:08.17
Well Asaph is not an
unusual character and if
00:05:08.20\00:05:12.04
you would tend to
fall into that category,
00:05:12.07\00:05:14.41
there is a light-turning-on
moment in the midst
00:05:14.44\00:05:17.15
of his ranting.
00:05:17.18\00:05:18.68
Look at what he
says in verse 1...
00:05:18.71\00:05:21.68
"Truly God is good to Israel
too such as are pure in heart.
00:05:21.72\00:05:25.09
Shelley, give me verses 2-3...
00:05:25.12\00:05:26.65
"But has for me, my
feet had almost stumbled;
00:05:26.69\00:05:29.56
my steps had nearly slipped.
00:05:29.59\00:05:31.43
For I was
envious of the beautiful.
00:05:31.46\00:05:34.20
When I saw the
prosperity of the wicked."
00:05:34.30\00:05:37.93
I was envious of
the boastful, actually.
00:05:37.97\00:05:40.10
He was envious of
the "boastful" when I saw
00:05:40.14\00:05:42.94
the prosperity of the wicked."
00:05:42.97\00:05:44.31
He said - These are the
people that - I don't like the
00:05:44.34\00:05:47.88
fact that they are
in such terrible life,
00:05:47.91\00:05:50.51
they live so horribly but they
00:05:50.55\00:05:52.18
are boasting
about their wickedness.
00:05:52.21\00:05:53.88
And he goes on to
chronicle, there verse 4 says...
00:05:53.92\00:05:58.02
"For there are no
pangs in their death,
00:05:58.05\00:05:59.92
but their strength is firm."
00:05:59.95\00:06:01.36
In other words, they
don't ever seem to be weak;
00:06:01.39\00:06:03.46
and he goes on to
continue chronicling their
00:06:03.49\00:06:05.93
pride; how they're not
in trouble like other men;
00:06:05.96\00:06:08.56
their eyes bulge,
verse 7, with abundance;
00:06:08.60\00:06:10.57
they have more
than heart could wish.
00:06:10.60\00:06:12.03
Have you ever felt like that?
00:06:12.07\00:06:13.74
I mean have you
ever felt like that?
00:06:13.77\00:06:15.10
My wife and I once sat
and watched an Oprah Winfrey
00:06:15.14\00:06:16.50
show when she was giving
out vehicles to everybody...
00:06:16.57\00:06:19.71
"You get a
vehicle, you get a vehicle,
00:06:19.74\00:06:21.08
you get a vehicle...
You know that showed that...
00:06:21.11\00:06:22.71
And here we are,
sitting at the edge of our bed,
00:06:22.74\00:06:24.61
our 4Runner had been wrecked,
it got totaled when our vehicle
00:06:24.65\00:06:28.95
overturned in St.
Louis, Missouri...
00:06:28.98\00:06:30.82
And I'm sitting there and
I'm thinking... "Why could
00:06:30.89\00:06:32.75
not we be on that show today?"
00:06:32.79\00:06:34.42
Have you ever felt that way?
00:06:34.46\00:06:36.09
I mean, like...
they don't need vehicles!
00:06:36.12\00:06:38.46
I need a vehicle!
00:06:38.49\00:06:40.43
But God is saying... Relax.
The latter part of that year,
00:06:40.50\00:06:46.33
when I was at the General
Conference with Doug Batchelor,
00:06:46.37\00:06:49.44
we were doing a series
of meetings - I think it was
00:06:49.47\00:06:51.51
"The Prophecy
Code" or one of those
00:06:51.54\00:06:53.17
wonderful meetings he does.
00:06:53.21\00:06:54.54
At the beginning of
the meeting, I stepped out
00:06:54.58\00:06:56.71
on stage and introduced
the television audience.
00:06:56.75\00:06:59.31
At the end of the
meeting, I was introduced
00:06:59.35\00:07:01.75
to a lady - her
name was "Faith."
00:07:01.78\00:07:05.95
This woman said to me,
"When you stood up there
00:07:05.99\00:07:08.32
tonight God said, "That's my
00:07:08.36\00:07:09.69
servant, I want
you to bless him."
00:07:09.72\00:07:11.06
The end result, three
days later, the Lord gave me
00:07:11.09\00:07:12.99
a brand new vehicle,
no payments, no insurance,
00:07:13.03\00:07:15.60
no registration coverage.
00:07:15.63\00:07:16.97
She said, "Just use
it for the glory of God
00:07:17.00\00:07:18.97
and everything is
going to be taken care of."
00:07:19.00\00:07:20.47
So God didn't need me on Oprah,
00:07:20.54\00:07:23.20
He needed me to do His will.
00:07:23.24\00:07:24.74
And so sometimes we find
ourselves in this predicament...
00:07:24.77\00:07:27.28
this adversity, this
affliction and God is saying,
00:07:27.31\00:07:29.88
"It's not
affliction, it's happening
00:07:29.91\00:07:31.75
according to My
timetable." That's right.
00:07:31.78\00:07:33.31
So we're visiting John
on an island where it's not
00:07:33.35\00:07:36.22
affliction but it's assignment.
00:07:36.25\00:07:37.79
The Lord says, "You'll be
too distracted if you stay in
00:07:37.82\00:07:40.06
Rome, you need to go
where I can have you write
00:07:40.09\00:07:42.46
without any distraction."
00:07:42.49\00:07:43.83
And that's the same
thing that happened to
00:07:43.86\00:07:45.29
the Apostle Paul.
00:07:45.33\00:07:46.70
If he were not
imprisoned and shackled,
00:07:46.73\00:07:51.03
his life, maybe his prior life,
could have been a distraction
00:07:51.07\00:07:54.37
to God getting
the message to him...
00:07:54.40\00:07:56.00
But look at - through all of
his affliction, he is one of the
00:07:56.04\00:07:58.04
most prolific
writers of the New Testament.
00:07:58.07\00:08:00.41
So the first message
is... Don't allow affliction
00:08:00.44\00:08:03.98
to be an opportunity
to doubt the providence
00:08:04.71\00:08:07.95
and sovereignty of God. Amen!
00:08:07.98\00:08:09.85
Look at verse 17, I'm
going to read verses 15-17
00:08:09.88\00:08:14.79
Jill, could you
read that for us? Yes.
00:08:14.82\00:08:16.22
"If I had said, "I will
speak thus," Behold I would have
00:08:16.26\00:08:19.09
been untrue to the
generation of Your children."
00:08:19.13\00:08:21.80
(and what he meant there,
he said, If I decided to say
00:08:21.83\00:08:23.87
good things, I wouldn't
have been telling the truth,
00:08:23.90\00:08:25.63
but look at verses
16 and 17, Psalm 73)
00:08:25.67\00:08:28.17
"When I thought
how to understand this,
00:08:28.20\00:08:30.11
it was too painful for me.
00:08:30.14\00:08:32.17
And verse 17. Until I
went into the sanctuary of God;
00:08:32.21\00:08:36.38
Then I understood their end."
00:08:36.41\00:08:39.18
And then all of a
sudden, his script changes. Yes.
00:08:39.21\00:08:46.45
Then he, all of a sudden,
now sees God's providence.
00:08:46.49\00:08:48.99
He says, "Surely you
set that in slippery places,
00:08:49.02\00:08:52.56
I know you set
them up like that."
00:08:52.59\00:08:54.30
And some people live
their lives for the prosperity
00:08:54.36\00:08:57.77
right now, but God is saying,
"The Christian should not
00:08:57.80\00:09:01.00
focus on circumstance,
adversity, nor affliction,
00:09:01.04\00:09:04.51
to doubt the
sovereignty of God."
00:09:04.54\00:09:06.37
I mean, how could you
be upset about somebody
00:09:06.41\00:09:10.01
mansion in Malibu or in
Hollywood or Beverly Hills,
00:09:10.08\00:09:14.05
and God is building us
a mansion in heaven? Amen!
00:09:14.08\00:09:17.75
So John is in this temporary
condition and God had so
00:09:17.79\00:09:22.59
appointed him to
communicate to us
00:09:22.62\00:09:24.43
that they
couldn't even kill him.
00:09:24.46\00:09:26.33
So I would rather be in trial
WITH Jesus, than in success
00:09:26.36\00:09:31.90
without Him and
that's what the situation was
00:09:31.93\00:09:34.47
and we've had other examples.
00:09:34.50\00:09:36.17
We've had Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego;
00:09:36.20\00:09:39.01
or Hananiah, Mishael and
Azariah, their Hebrew names.
00:09:39.04\00:09:41.84
They were standing in
the province in the court of
00:09:41.88\00:09:43.88
Babylon, they choose to
serve God and here's the point,
00:09:43.95\00:09:46.92
and I think the
lesson brings this out...
00:09:46.95\00:09:49.05
Whenever you choose to serve
God, it may result in not your
00:09:49.08\00:09:53.05
demise, but your discomfort.
00:09:53.09\00:09:57.86
Discomfort and demise
are not the same thing.
00:09:57.89\00:10:00.83
It wasn't a demise for
John because at the end of that,
00:10:00.90\00:10:04.23
he says, "Even so, come
Lord Jesus, Amen," and when He
00:10:04.27\00:10:08.17
closed his eyes in
death, it was not at
00:10:08.20\00:10:09.64
the hand of his persecutors,
but by the will of God.
00:10:09.67\00:10:13.68
Pastor Doug
Batchelor, my good friend says,
00:10:13.74\00:10:15.54
"We are immortal until God
is done with us and then we
00:10:15.58\00:10:19.85
still have the gift of eternal
life when He returns." Amen!
00:10:19.88\00:10:22.65
We also have the stoning
of Stephen. That's right.
00:10:22.68\00:10:26.09
Once again, in
adverse circumstance...
00:10:26.12\00:10:29.22
he begins from the
beginning of the attempt on
00:10:29.26\00:10:31.13
Christ to guide the
Jewish leaders and he gets
00:10:31.16\00:10:34.00
so convicted that his
situation does end in a
00:10:34.03\00:10:37.67
demise, but, you know what?
To give your life for the Lord,
00:10:37.70\00:10:41.14
is better than to live
without the Lord. Yes. Amen.
00:10:41.17\00:10:44.24
See, blessed are the
dead who die in the Lord,
00:10:44.27\00:10:46.24
that they may
rest from their labors
00:10:46.27\00:10:47.74
and their works do follow them."
00:10:47.78\00:10:49.11
But I want to give you
a couple of Bible passages
00:10:49.14\00:10:50.91
that if you may be like
in a situation, like John was
00:10:50.95\00:10:54.05
on Patmos, your Patmos,
your Patmos may be in Brooklyn,
00:10:54.08\00:10:56.82
or in California or in Texas
or in the Bahamas or in some
00:10:56.85\00:11:00.56
location, you may be
in the midst of the most
00:11:00.59\00:11:02.56
successful thriving financial
community and you may feel
00:11:02.59\00:11:06.26
completely isolated and alone,
and somehow cutoff from God...
00:11:06.29\00:11:11.33
But let me give you a
couple of passages that will
00:11:11.37\00:11:13.07
encourage you: Isaiah 43:2, and
I think many of us know that.
00:11:13.10\00:11:17.27
Isaiah 43:2, God is
always with us in our times
00:11:17.91\00:11:22.34
of trouble. It says...
"When you pass through the
00:11:22.38\00:11:26.55
waters - what's the next
word? I will be with you.
00:11:26.58\00:11:30.19
And through the rivers - what?
They shall not overflow you.
00:11:30.25\00:11:34.02
When you walk
through the fire - what?
00:11:34.06\00:11:35.96
You shall not be burned, nor
shall the flames scorch you."
00:11:35.99\00:11:40.40
Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego, know that as a fact.
00:11:40.46\00:11:43.40
To be in a furnace and the
only thing that burns are the
00:11:43.43\00:11:45.93
Babylonian ropes and
even then, it doesn't even
00:11:45.97\00:11:48.57
leave the smell of smoke
on them. Praise God for that!
00:11:48.60\00:11:51.27
Another one... Who can
get to 2 Corinthians 4:8-9?
00:11:51.31\00:11:55.54
Whoever gets there
first, read that for us.
00:11:55.58\00:11:57.81
I think Shelley is
there, looks like it to me.
00:11:57.85\00:11:59.95
2 Corinthians
4:8-9... "We are hard pressed
00:12:00.05\00:12:05.15
on every side, yet not crushed.
00:12:05.19\00:12:07.09
We are perplexed
but not in despair.
00:12:07.16\00:12:10.23
Persecuted but not forsaken.
00:12:10.26\00:12:12.36
Struck down but not destroyed."
00:12:12.39\00:12:14.63
That's the lot of
the Christian sometimes.
00:12:14.66\00:12:16.83
Have any of us ever gone through
adversity? Laughter. Adversity?
00:12:17.83\00:12:20.97
Are we still here?
Yes! To God be the glory,
00:12:21.00\00:12:23.81
we're here and we get
those moments in our lives...
00:12:23.87\00:12:26.17
I know that my wife and I
can recall a moment in 1995...
00:12:26.21\00:12:30.91
We were determined to quit
this thing called "ministry"
00:12:30.95\00:12:35.22
because it was just too tough.
00:12:35.25\00:12:36.95
But look at what I
would have forfeited. Yes.
00:12:36.99\00:12:39.62
It shudders us when
we sit down sometimes
00:12:39.65\00:12:41.46
and recount the way
that God has led us.
00:12:41.49\00:12:43.79
And when adversity comes,
remember this... Adversity comes
00:12:43.83\00:12:47.20
not at the appointment of God,
but at the allowance of God.
00:12:47.23\00:12:51.20
God knows when we need
to be refined and sometimes
00:12:51.23\00:12:54.30
it takes warmer flames
than we've ever been exposed to
00:12:54.34\00:12:57.34
to get the things in
our lives burned out.
00:12:57.37\00:12:59.57
And I know that who I was
in 1995, to God be the glory,
00:12:59.61\00:13:03.18
I am not in 2019,
praise God for that! Amen!
00:13:03.21\00:13:07.25
Here's another one, Psalm 46:1,
"God is our refuge and strength
00:13:07.32\00:13:12.15
a very present
help - when? In trouble.
00:13:12.19\00:13:15.49
So God was on that island with
John, that island of Patmos,
00:13:15.52\00:13:20.20
as was pointed out... "The
followers of Christ, (this us on
00:13:20.23\00:13:23.57
the bottom of Sunday, the
paragraph closer to the bottom.
00:13:23.63\00:13:28.20
"The followers of Christ should
never forget that whenever
00:13:28.24\00:13:33.54
they find themselves in
circumstances similar to those
00:13:33.58\00:13:37.25
of John, they
are not left alone."
00:13:37.31\00:13:40.62
Isn't that wonderful? Amen!
00:13:40.68\00:13:42.52
Acts 17:27... "So that
they should seek the Lord
00:13:42.55\00:13:48.36
in the hope that they
might grope for Him and
00:13:48.39\00:13:50.89
find Him though He is
not far from each one of us."
00:13:50.93\00:13:54.73
So He says - You
might be looking for Me,
00:13:54.76\00:13:56.10
but I'm right here.
00:13:56.13\00:13:57.50
Road to Emmaus - He was on
that road with the disciples and
00:13:57.53\00:14:00.67
friends, He is with you
in your set of circumstances.
00:14:00.74\00:14:03.61
Amen and Amen! I
have Revelation 1:10,
00:14:03.64\00:14:09.01
and as John is on the island,
he says, "I was in the Spirit
00:14:09.04\00:14:15.42
on the Lord's day
and I heard behind me
00:14:15.45\00:14:17.85
a loud voice as a trumpet."
00:14:17.89\00:14:20.26
So what day in the Bible is
specified as the Lord's day?
00:14:20.29\00:14:24.33
Let's look at Genesis
2:1-3 and in the very beginning
00:14:24.36\00:14:31.00
the Bible says that as God is
creating everything, when He had
00:14:31.03\00:14:35.30
finished creating everything,
it says on the seventh day,
00:14:35.34\00:14:39.31
which is Saturday, God ended
His work which He had done,
00:14:39.34\00:14:42.34
and He rested on the
seventh day from all the work
00:14:42.38\00:14:45.98
which He had done, then
God blessed the seventh day
00:14:46.01\00:14:49.62
and sanctified it."
00:14:49.65\00:14:51.29
That means God set
it aside as a holy day.
00:14:51.32\00:14:55.86
Now there's no question
which day this is because
00:14:55.89\00:15:00.96
in this passage
"seventh day" is mentioned
00:15:01.00\00:15:04.37
three different times.
00:15:04.40\00:15:05.90
We know in Exodus 20,
verses 8-11, this is part of the
00:15:05.93\00:15:12.34
Ten Commandments and God
says something interesting.
00:15:12.37\00:15:16.38
And as you're turning there,
I just want to remind you...
00:15:16.41\00:15:19.68
or tell you if you don't know...
00:15:19.71\00:15:22.22
The Sabbath day is a
memorial of God as Creator;
00:15:22.25\00:15:29.02
it is a memorial of God as
Deliverer and as our Sanctifier.
00:15:29.06\00:15:35.06
So He says in Exodus 20:8-11,
"Remember the Sabbath day to
00:15:35.10\00:15:39.60
keep it holy. Six days you shall
labor and do all your work,
00:15:39.63\00:15:45.14
but the seventh day is the
Sabbath of the Lord your God."
00:15:45.17\00:15:50.71
And He goes on to say, in
it you are not going to do
00:15:50.75\00:15:53.88
any work because in six
days God created the heavens
00:15:53.92\00:15:57.15
and the earth
and then He rested.
00:15:57.19\00:15:59.19
So it is a memorial of God,
we look to Him as our Creator.
00:15:59.22\00:16:03.69
Deuteronomy
5:12-15... "It is a memorial
00:16:03.76\00:16:09.93
of God as our Deliverer,
the Redeemer God... and again,
00:16:09.96\00:16:16.14
I'm just going to
jump through these.
00:16:16.17\00:16:18.87
In verse 14, it says...
"The seventh day is the Sabbath,
00:16:18.91\00:16:22.98
once again, of
the Lord your God.
00:16:23.01\00:16:26.15
But verse 15 says... "Remember
(in reference to the Sabbath)
00:16:26.18\00:16:31.72
that you were a slave in
the land of Egypt and that your
00:16:31.75\00:16:35.89
God brought you out
from there by a mighty hand,
00:16:35.92\00:16:39.49
by an outstretched
arm; therefore, the Lord
00:16:39.53\00:16:43.53
your God commanded you
to keep the Sabbath day."
00:16:43.57\00:16:47.64
So we see it is a memorial
of Him as Deliverer and then
00:16:47.67\00:16:52.21
my favorite, Exodus
31:13... God says, "Surely My
00:16:52.24\00:16:57.15
Sabbaths (He's laying claim
to them) My Sabbaths you shall
00:16:57.21\00:17:00.75
keep for it's a sign
between Me and You that I am
00:17:00.78\00:17:06.15
the Lord who sanctifies you."
00:17:06.19\00:17:08.82
I don't know about
you, but all my life
00:17:08.86\00:17:10.76
I've tried to sanctify myself.
00:17:10.79\00:17:13.03
I tried to be a good
little girl for the Lord.
00:17:13.06\00:17:15.43
I tried to be holy, I
tried, I tried... I failed!
00:17:15.46\00:17:20.24
But when I
discovered the Sabbath,
00:17:20.27\00:17:23.71
I learned that it is God's
job, all He asked me to do is
00:17:23.74\00:17:29.84
surrender to just follow Him.
00:17:29.88\00:17:33.28
He's the one that's going
to work in me to will and to do
00:17:33.31\00:17:36.69
according to His
good pleasure. Halleluiah!
00:17:36.72\00:17:39.55
Isaiah 58:13, if
there's any verse that shows
00:17:39.59\00:17:45.69
that the Sabbaths
are God's, this is His...
00:17:45.73\00:17:49.00
God says, "If you turn
away your foot from the Sabbath
00:17:50.07\00:17:53.70
to doing your pleasure on My
holy day, whose day is it...?
00:17:53.74\00:17:59.24
It's God's holy day.
00:17:59.27\00:18:01.21
...and call the Sabbath
a delight, the holy day of
00:18:01.24\00:18:05.51
the Lord honorable and honor
Him, not doing your own ways,
00:18:05.55\00:18:09.28
not finding your own pleasure,
not speaking your own words...
00:18:09.32\00:18:13.02
See, God is saying,
This is MY day. That's right!
00:18:13.05\00:18:16.42
And then Jesus said, in
Matthew 12:8 that the "Son
00:18:16.46\00:18:21.10
of Man is Lord... what?
... even of the Sabbath."
00:18:21.13\00:18:25.83
So according to
Scripture, when John says,
00:18:25.87\00:18:30.51
"I was on the Island of
Patmos, I was in the Spirit
00:18:30.54\00:18:33.98
on the Lord's day."
This was God's Sabbath day.
00:18:34.01\00:18:38.75
Now you know, there are
some who say, "Well no, now the
00:18:38.78\00:18:43.59
Lord's day is Sunday in
honor of the resurrection."
00:18:43.62\00:18:47.06
You know what we do in
honor of the resurrection?
00:18:47.09\00:18:50.33
We're baptized. That's right!
00:18:50.36\00:18:52.79
Romans 6, we're
buried with Him, we come up,
00:18:52.83\00:18:56.30
that's the honor
of the resurrection.
00:18:56.33\00:18:58.43
It happened once, it goes for us
00:18:58.47\00:19:01.44
Now, there are people,
though, who try to say...
00:19:01.47\00:19:06.04
"Well no, now
Sunday is God's day."
00:19:06.07\00:19:09.38
But that doesn't
line up with Scripture.
00:19:09.41\00:19:11.41
There's not one single
Scripture that says that.
00:19:11.45\00:19:13.88
And, in the New
Testament, in the entire Bible,
00:19:13.95\00:19:17.62
there's only eight
different Scripture references
00:19:17.65\00:19:22.09
that use the phrase "the
first day of the week" which
00:19:22.12\00:19:25.03
would be Sunday.
00:19:25.06\00:19:26.39
Five of these are when
the women were coming to
00:19:26.43\00:19:29.60
the tomb and here their
Lord had died; they go home
00:19:29.63\00:19:34.37
and rest on the Sabbath,
according to the Commandment,
00:19:34.40\00:19:36.81
it says, and then they
go back on Sunday morning
00:19:36.84\00:19:40.98
with the fragrant oils.
00:19:41.01\00:19:43.11
But let me go through
quickly, the only other three
00:19:43.14\00:19:47.02
references to the
first day of the week...
00:19:47.05\00:19:49.82
John 20:19... It says,
"Then the same day (this is
00:19:49.85\00:19:54.72
resurrection Sunday) at
evening, being the first day
00:19:54.76\00:19:58.16
of the week, when the doors
were shut where the disciples
00:19:58.19\00:20:02.76
were assembled, for fear of
the Jews, Jesus came and stood
00:20:02.80\00:20:08.64
in the midst, and said to
them, "Peace be with you."
00:20:08.67\00:20:11.07
So you've got disciples
that are trembling with fear.
00:20:11.11\00:20:16.54
They're hiding
behind barred doors.
00:20:16.58\00:20:19.01
They don't believe the reports
of those who have already
00:20:19.05\00:20:22.05
come and said that He was risen.
00:20:22.08\00:20:23.95
They don't know
that Christ is risen.
00:20:23.99\00:20:25.92
This was not a
worship service. Amen!
00:20:25.95\00:20:28.96
This was something where
they were locking themselves
00:20:28.99\00:20:31.99
away so they wouldn't be caught.
00:20:32.03\00:20:34.03
Now the second reference
to the first day of the week
00:20:34.10\00:20:38.23
that is remaining is
1 Corinthians 16:1-3...
00:20:38.27\00:20:42.00
where Paul says, "Concerning
the collection for the saints,
00:20:42.04\00:20:44.94
as I have given orders to
the churches of Galatia, so you
00:20:44.97\00:20:48.21
must do also.
00:20:48.24\00:20:49.58
On the first day of the
week let each one of you lay
00:20:49.61\00:20:53.38
something aside,
storing up as he may prosper,
00:20:53.45\00:20:57.15
that there be no
collections when I come."
00:20:57.22\00:20:58.99
There he's taking up a
collection for those who
00:20:59.02\00:21:02.62
are in a... what
am I trying to say?
00:21:02.66\00:21:06.29
Yeah, but what
am I trying to say?
00:21:06.33\00:21:08.30
They're starving is
what I'm trying to say.
00:21:08.33\00:21:10.07
Alright, so what he's
saying to them when he says to
00:21:10.13\00:21:15.17
"lay it aside," literally
in the Greek it's "Lay by him
00:21:15.20\00:21:20.34
in store."
00:21:20.38\00:21:21.71
So he's telling them,
"Hey, I'm going to come through
00:21:21.74\00:21:24.35
and these who are in the famine,
we're going to collect this
00:21:24.38\00:21:27.72
for them. I want you
to already have it laid up
00:21:27.75\00:21:30.09
and stored in your house
(and this would be grains
00:21:30.15\00:21:33.82
and different things that
they are laying up in store)
00:21:33.86\00:21:36.32
and then he wanted it
to be ready so that the
00:21:36.36\00:21:39.63
people who came
through could take it to those
00:21:39.66\00:21:42.83
who were suffering
this famine in Jerusalem.
00:21:42.86\00:21:46.87
Now the last
Scripture is Acts 20:7-12...
00:21:46.90\00:21:52.17
This is the final of the
eight references to the first
00:21:52.21\00:21:56.18
day of the week.
00:21:56.21\00:21:57.58
It says, "Now on the
first day of the week, when the
00:21:57.61\00:21:59.95
disciples came
together to break bread,
00:22:00.05\00:22:01.88
Paul, ready to depart
the next day, spoke to them
00:22:01.92\00:22:04.85
and continued the
message until midnight."
00:22:04.89\00:22:07.16
Now they are breaking bread,
Acts 2:44-46 talks how they
00:22:07.19\00:22:14.36
broke bread day to day.
00:22:14.36\00:22:15.93
So this is
probably a farewell meal.
00:22:15.96\00:22:19.53
Paul has been at
Troas for seven days;
00:22:19.57\00:22:22.67
He has met with the
disciples more than once and now
00:22:22.70\00:22:25.77
he's getting ready to
go away and they're having
00:22:25.81\00:22:27.84
a farewell meal and
it says in verse 8...
00:22:27.88\00:22:32.05
You know, Paul is
kind of long-winded...
00:22:32.08\00:22:35.42
kind of like some
people I know at this table!
00:22:35.45\00:22:39.42
So he says that "There were
many lamps in the upper room
00:22:39.45\00:22:44.79
where they were
gathered together.
00:22:44.83\00:22:46.23
(so they were
meeting in a private house,
00:22:46.26\00:22:48.16
the upper most room,
probably the third floor because
00:22:48.20\00:22:52.07
they don't want
to be interrupted)...
00:22:52.10\00:22:53.97
And the illumination is smoking
lamps - it's thick, it's stuffy,
00:22:54.00\00:22:59.31
and in a window sat a certain
young man named Eutychus,
00:22:59.34\00:23:02.74
who was sinking into a
deep sleep. He was overcome by
00:23:02.78\00:23:06.01
sleep; and as Paul
continued, he fell down from the
00:23:06.05\00:23:09.55
third story and
was taken up dead.
00:23:09.58\00:23:12.75
So Eutychus was
feeling sleepy, he gets in the
00:23:12.79\00:23:16.09
window to get a little
fresh air, he conks off, he goes
00:23:16.12\00:23:19.33
down and then what happens?
00:23:19.36\00:23:21.60
Paul went down, fell on
him, embracing him saying,
00:23:21.63\00:23:24.23
"Don't trouble yourselves,
for his life is in him."
00:23:24.27\00:23:27.54
So this is like
when Elisha fell on the
00:23:27.60\00:23:29.80
man to bring him back to life.
00:23:29.84\00:23:31.21
Paul falls on him and
brings him back to life and many
00:23:31.24\00:23:35.98
people believe this
is the only reason Luke
00:23:36.01\00:23:37.81
even recorded this.
00:23:37.85\00:23:39.21
So those are the
only eight Scriptures
00:23:39.25\00:23:41.95
on the first day of the week.
00:23:42.52\00:23:44.15
Does anything say that
God transferred His sanctity
00:23:44.19\00:23:49.39
from the seventh day Sabbath to
the first day of the week? No.
00:23:49.42\00:23:53.46
So the Sabbath was founded
on God's specific and divine
00:23:53.50\00:23:58.43
commandment - it was set
apart for humanity's benefit
00:23:58.47\00:24:01.84
and when John says, "I was
in the Spirit on the Lord's day,
00:24:01.87\00:24:06.01
it was on the
Sabbath. Amen! Amen!
00:24:06.04\00:24:08.94
Thank you very much Shelley.
00:24:08.98\00:24:10.45
Wonderful
treaties on the Lord's day.
00:24:10.48\00:24:13.72
We're going to
take a short break,
00:24:13.75\00:24:15.08
and we'll be back
in just a moment. Amen!
00:24:15.12\00:24:21.09
Ever wish you could watch a
3ABN Sabbath School Panel again
00:24:23.43\00:24:27.00
or share it on
Facebook, Instagram or Twitter?
00:24:27.03\00:24:30.03
Well, you can... by visiting
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.com
00:24:30.07\00:24:35.04
A clean design makes it
easy to find the program
00:24:35.07\00:24:38.57
you're looking for.
00:24:38.61\00:24:39.94
There are also links to
the Adult Bible Study Guide
00:24:39.97\00:24:43.18
so you can follow along.
00:24:43.21\00:24:44.91
Sharing is easy, just
click "share" and choose
00:24:44.95\00:24:47.92
your favorite social media.
00:24:47.95\00:24:49.72
Share a link, save
a life for eternity!
00:24:49.75\00:24:53.56
Welcome back to our continued
study on the Book of Revelation.
00:24:55.56\00:24:58.43
Shelley, that was a wonderful
treaties on the Lord's day,
00:24:58.46\00:25:01.80
but you want to
correct something?
00:25:01.83\00:25:03.16
Yes, I evidently misspoke
the reference in Corinthians is
00:25:03.20\00:25:07.14
1 Corinthians 16:1-3.
Okay, thank you very much.
00:25:07.17\00:25:12.14
Pastor Kenny, you have
now the privilege of unfolding
00:25:12.17\00:25:15.58
Tuesday's lesson, "John's
Vision of Christ on Patmos"
00:25:15.61\00:25:19.41
You know, I thought as I
read this beginning, I thought,
00:25:19.45\00:25:22.42
"How overwhelming." Really,
I'm just overwhelmed with it,
00:25:22.45\00:25:25.79
just with the title
encountering Christ on Patmos.
00:25:25.82\00:25:29.56
I thought, "Man, we need
to encounter Christ every day
00:25:29.59\00:25:33.29
of our life.
00:25:33.33\00:25:34.63
You know, and this encounter
that John had is absolutely
00:25:34.66\00:25:37.53
amazing and this
Tuesday's lesson challenges
00:25:37.57\00:25:42.74
to read to begin with
in Revelation 1:12-18.
00:25:42.77\00:25:45.94
Now I'll just kind of go
through that in just a moment,
00:25:45.97\00:25:48.14
so I hope you have
Bibles and whatever and you're
00:25:48.18\00:25:50.35
jotting things down quickly
because a lot is said in a very
00:25:50.41\00:25:52.95
short amount of time.
00:25:52.98\00:25:54.82
This behooves us to take
a lot of time and study it,
00:25:55.28\00:25:57.55
study at home, so please study.
00:25:57.59\00:25:59.59
We go into a description
of Christ and what He's doing,
00:26:01.02\00:26:04.06
not only what He has done,
what he is doing right now.
00:26:04.09\00:26:06.19
I thought how
interesting what He's doing now,
00:26:06.23\00:26:07.73
what He was doing then,
as it was, when John saw him
00:26:07.76\00:26:10.37
in vision -
what was Jesus doing?
00:26:10.40\00:26:12.50
You know, is it important to us
today to know that? Absolutely!
00:26:12.53\00:26:15.40
And I think probably
as I studied through this
00:26:15.44\00:26:18.64
and read these verses in
here, when it gave a description
00:26:18.67\00:26:22.24
of Jesus and it talks about
His hair and it talks about
00:26:22.28\00:26:25.68
His eyes and His
feet... it makes you want
00:26:25.71\00:26:28.48
to just fall down and
worship Him. It really does.
00:26:28.52\00:26:31.72
It makes you want to just
fall down and like dig a hole,
00:26:31.75\00:26:34.49
if you don't mind me saying
it and crawl into it because
00:26:34.52\00:26:36.52
we're so unworthy and
rather than stand on our feet
00:26:36.56\00:26:39.29
and act like we're some kind
of equal to be in the presence
00:26:39.33\00:26:41.93
of every godly man or
woman, encountered angels or
00:26:41.96\00:26:45.40
any kind of heavenly
being, what did they do?
00:26:45.43\00:26:47.20
They had a little fear
and then they began to shake
00:26:47.24\00:26:49.54
because they realized there
was something heavenly there,
00:26:49.57\00:26:52.54
and so, as you go through
that, we'll do it quickly.
00:26:52.57\00:26:55.64
John heard a voice and
naturally as we hear a voice,
00:26:55.68\00:26:58.55
what do we do? Every
time I hear a voice...
00:26:58.58\00:27:00.05
What? Who? And usually
is asked to repeat it twice
00:27:00.08\00:27:02.95
for me to hear it, but
said, he heard this voice
00:27:02.98\00:27:05.79
is what the Bible
said, he turned around,
00:27:05.82\00:27:07.72
and he saw... what did he see?
00:27:07.76\00:27:09.72
It said seven
golden candlesticks.
00:27:09.76\00:27:12.49
That to me, I looked and I
said, "Well now would that be
00:27:12.53\00:27:15.00
the same? Well no, you
look at it, it's seven golden
00:27:15.03\00:27:17.27
candlesticks talking about
here, in the holy place of the
00:27:17.30\00:27:19.83
earthly sanctuary, Exodus
25, but they're different.
00:27:19.87\00:27:23.61
These here are different
materially, if nothing else,
00:27:23.64\00:27:26.68
just materially;
seven branch candlestick
00:27:26.71\00:27:28.71
of the Old Testament.
00:27:28.74\00:27:30.08
Well, John saw Jesus,
Oh exciting, Jesus walking
00:27:30.15\00:27:34.82
among the seven candlesticks.
00:27:34.85\00:27:37.22
But if we didn't go to the word
of God and try to figure out
00:27:37.29\00:27:39.59
what this was all about,
we'd say, "Well good, Jesus
00:27:39.62\00:27:41.52
walking among the candlesticks,
what good is it doing?"
00:27:41.56\00:27:44.49
But we realize He was
walking among the candlesticks
00:27:44.53\00:27:46.73
and in Revelation
2:1, he saw Him there.
00:27:46.80\00:27:51.10
In Revelation 1:20, it says the
Lampstands represent... what?
00:27:51.13\00:27:54.90
The seven
churches! That's right.
00:27:54.94\00:27:57.37
The seven churches so I'd like
to say maybe the whole church.
00:27:57.41\00:28:00.31
Talking about just the
church in general, Jesus has the
00:28:00.34\00:28:03.21
oversight, Jesus is looking out
00:28:03.24\00:28:05.25
for the church...
and what did he see?
00:28:05.31\00:28:08.35
He said "I saw One (I like that)
I saw One like the Son of Man."
00:28:08.38\00:28:11.42
How would you know if you
saw One like the Son of Man?
00:28:11.45\00:28:14.92
Well John certainly did...
00:28:14.96\00:28:16.52
You can read Revelation 1:11,18,
you can read Daniel 7:13.
00:28:16.56\00:28:22.60
And certainly when you study
it out, you're going to see
00:28:22.63\00:28:24.73
and this One is... what?
Jesus Christ the Son of Man.
00:28:24.77\00:28:29.60
John sees Jesus in vision,
I thought it was interesting
00:28:29.64\00:28:32.07
for the very first time.
00:28:32.11\00:28:33.48
They had been
separated for about 50 years,
00:28:33.51\00:28:35.24
he really has not seen
Him and a beloved disciple.
00:28:35.28\00:28:39.45
Jesus came showing His glory,
in that glorified body to John.
00:28:39.48\00:28:45.82
And I thought, boy, wouldn't
that be an awesome thing...
00:28:45.85\00:28:48.42
This is my opinion... Jesus was
showing John all that He could
00:28:50.43\00:28:55.26
show him that all a human
could possibly stand without
00:28:55.30\00:28:58.23
destroying him - that's how
much glory He was showing him.
00:28:58.27\00:29:01.00
That's a lot of
glory but He put it on him.
00:29:01.04\00:29:03.24
I'm telling you,
it was good, dazzling,
00:29:03.27\00:29:05.77
overpowering brightness.
00:29:05.81\00:29:08.01
You know sometimes we
see things and it's kind of
00:29:08.04\00:29:10.11
overpowering at times,
look at the sun and solar power,
00:29:10.18\00:29:13.35
it's not gonna... I
think it was more than that!
00:29:13.38\00:29:15.88
That Christ
glorified revealed to John,
00:29:15.92\00:29:18.99
but He did it in
the likeness of a human.
00:29:19.02\00:29:22.39
Because we realize what we
know, I think it was brought out
00:29:22.42\00:29:24.66
and this being our first
lesson, that we know that
00:29:24.69\00:29:27.13
Christ is eternally
preexistent, we know that,
00:29:27.23\00:29:30.97
there's no doubt
about it in Scripture.
00:29:31.00\00:29:32.43
We know He is the
second Person of the Godhead.
00:29:32.47\00:29:36.57
We know that He has always
been; there never was a time
00:29:36.60\00:29:42.84
that Christ was
not with the Father.
00:29:42.88\00:29:45.31
We need to stand on
those things because it's true,
00:29:45.35\00:29:48.05
and it's right and it's
the truth of God's word,
00:29:48.08\00:29:50.59
and quit going by every
wind of doctrine, pastors,
00:29:50.62\00:29:53.22
that's blowing
around a lot of times.
00:29:53.25\00:29:54.66
When we read things from
Scripture, let's take them
00:29:54.69\00:29:56.59
for what they say -
let's just do this, it's good.
00:29:56.62\00:29:59.53
He's always been.
00:29:59.56\00:30:00.90
What did Jesus do?
He came down and He took
00:30:00.93\00:30:03.77
on humanity for all eternity,
that still blows my mind.
00:30:03.83\00:30:08.54
I've been in the ministry a
long time, I can't figure it out
00:30:08.57\00:30:12.01
because all I do
is look in the mirror.
00:30:12.04\00:30:14.14
I look in the
mirror, at myself and I just
00:30:14.18\00:30:15.51
can't figure out why
He would do what He did
00:30:15.54\00:30:18.28
for somebody
like me. Absolutely!
00:30:18.31\00:30:21.28
It doesn't make sense
except in the light of heaven,
00:30:21.32\00:30:24.09
and I praise God for that.
00:30:24.15\00:30:25.72
I know each one of
you praise Him too.
00:30:25.75\00:30:27.22
He came down, (notice this)
and as He came down, He came
00:30:27.26\00:30:32.03
down, as it were, like it says
in human form and it tells me
00:30:32.06\00:30:34.93
right here that He is our
Brother; I read in Scripture
00:30:34.96\00:30:38.07
He's our Elder Brother,
but yet He's still God. Amen!
00:30:38.10\00:30:42.04
Something just over my head
again, "Acts of the Apostles,"
00:30:42.07\00:30:45.14
p. 582... everything I read
in Scripture, I just say, "It's
00:30:45.17\00:30:47.84
over my head," so just
bear with me if you can because
00:30:47.88\00:30:50.51
I get so excited about it, I
think "how wonderful this is,
00:30:52.05\00:30:55.42
how could this be so
good, we've got it made!
00:30:55.45\00:30:57.85
We have a God,
right? We have Jesus!
00:30:57.89\00:31:00.26
I'm thinking, how awesome
that is to think about it,
00:31:00.29\00:31:02.82
that cares so much for
us, He cared so much for John,
00:31:02.86\00:31:05.56
He cared so much for humanity,
He came down with an important
00:31:05.59\00:31:08.36
message that angels
wouldn't bear, only Jesus
00:31:08.40\00:31:11.03
could bring that
message. That's right.
00:31:11.07\00:31:12.67
And notice what it says here
in "The Acts of the Apostles,"
00:31:12.70\00:31:14.50
p.582, it says... "John
is once more permitted to
00:31:14.54\00:31:17.57
behold the Lord."
Oooo, that was good!
00:31:17.61\00:31:20.44
Notice how He's
changed in His appearance.
00:31:21.51\00:31:24.78
"He's no longer
a man of... what?
00:31:25.78\00:31:27.72
Sorrows! It says, no
longer a Man of Sorrows.
00:31:27.75\00:31:29.88
He's clothed with
garments of heavenly brightness,
00:31:29.92\00:31:32.92
and His
countenance shined as the sun."
00:31:32.95\00:31:35.62
Christ took humanity entirely,
(notice that) completely.
00:31:35.66\00:31:40.16
I'll give you three
quick quotes here because why?
00:31:40.20\00:31:42.50
Bless your heart, some
people get confused on it...
00:31:42.53\00:31:44.53
don't want anybody
to get confused on it.
00:31:44.57\00:31:45.93
This is so important, this is
life... this is life and death
00:31:45.97\00:31:48.94
issues as far as I'm concerned.
Yes. That's right! It is!
00:31:48.97\00:31:50.54
Why? Because too many
people come to your face,
00:31:50.57\00:31:53.17
and they make excuses
for why they continue to live
00:31:53.21\00:31:55.81
a life of sin and they
can't possibly gain victory.
00:31:55.84\00:31:58.85
They say that's not
true, (notice) because they say
00:31:58.88\00:32:01.22
"Jesus had an edge over
us, that's why He was able."
00:32:01.25\00:32:03.82
Not at all! Listen to this
quote in "Manuscript 1, 1893,"
00:32:03.89\00:32:07.89
says this... "Jesus came in the
likeness of sinful flesh by pure
00:32:07.92\00:32:13.80
and what kind of life? Holy life
to condemn sin in the flesh."
00:32:13.83\00:32:18.50
Philippians 2:7 says... "He was
made in the likeness of men."
00:32:18.53\00:32:22.44
So not only do we have
the Spirit of Prophecy but the
00:32:22.47\00:32:23.87
Bible, certainly it's in
the Scripture - you can find it.
00:32:23.91\00:32:26.64
"Manuscript 93, 1893,"
says... Christ humbled Himself
00:32:26.68\00:32:31.38
in taking the nature of man,
notice in its fallen condition.
00:32:31.41\00:32:36.38
Did you get it? Yes! Amen!
00:32:36.42\00:32:38.15
But He did not
take the taint of sin.
00:32:38.19\00:32:40.92
This is very, very important.
00:32:40.96\00:32:42.76
Romans 8:3- what does it say?
00:32:42.79\00:32:44.63
This is one that is familiar.
It says, "God is sending
00:32:44.66\00:32:46.43
His son, right? in the
likeness of sinful flesh.
00:32:46.46\00:32:50.30
That just backs it
up right where it says
00:32:50.33\00:32:51.70
what the Bible says right here.
00:32:51.73\00:32:53.07
One more, "Manuscript
94, 1893," notice this one...
00:32:53.10\00:32:57.57
It says, "His human nature
was created... whose? Jesus.
00:32:57.61\00:33:02.18
His human nature was
created, it did not even possess
00:33:02.21\00:33:05.98
angelic powers.
Amen! Wow. It was human,
00:33:06.01\00:33:10.49
it was identical to ours,
a human body, a human mind
00:33:10.52\00:33:16.12
were His. He was born of
our bone and flesh of our flesh.
00:33:16.16\00:33:22.23
You say, "Wow, that's good!"
00:33:22.26\00:33:23.63
You go to Hebrews 2:16, it says,
"For verily... what? He took not
00:33:23.67\00:33:28.44
on Him the nature of
angels, but took on Him the
00:33:28.47\00:33:33.17
seed of Abraham."
00:33:33.21\00:33:35.68
It becomes very,
very clear, doesn't it?
00:33:35.71\00:33:37.65
And also in
Revelation 2:3, there's so much
00:33:37.68\00:33:41.25
about Jesus, you
know, as we read that...
00:33:41.28\00:33:44.79
By the way, just jot
down Revelation chapter 2
00:33:44.82\00:33:47.42
and chapter 3, read them
all together there because
00:33:47.46\00:33:49.92
you'll see that Jesus
says, at least seven times,
00:33:49.99\00:33:53.23
"I know you."
What was He saying?
00:33:53.26\00:33:56.80
Jesus is the High Priest.
Jesus, when John saw Him,
00:33:56.83\00:34:00.44
had the priestly attire
on; He was walking among
00:34:00.47\00:34:02.74
the candlesticks
representing His love for us.
00:34:02.77\00:34:05.87
I mean, I see that... as the
earthly priest, he would take
00:34:05.91\00:34:09.71
care of the wicks and he would
take care of putting the oil
00:34:09.74\00:34:12.18
in there... he would make
sure and that way he became
00:34:12.21\00:34:14.62
acquainted with every...
you know, we're talking about
00:34:14.65\00:34:17.72
every church, every church
member that Jesus is wanting
00:34:17.75\00:34:21.52
to be acquainted with.
00:34:21.56\00:34:23.09
And so he keeps it shining
brightly, you know, as you
00:34:23.12\00:34:26.59
take care of these lamps,
the more you take care of them,
00:34:26.63\00:34:30.33
the more you cut the
wick, the more Holy Spirit
00:34:30.37\00:34:31.90
and we talk about
the oil you put into it,
00:34:31.93\00:34:33.70
the brighter they shine and
naturally that's talking about
00:34:33.74\00:34:35.84
shining our way to
heaven, we need that don't we?
00:34:35.87\00:34:38.61
We need that light of Jesus.
00:34:38.64\00:34:39.97
So Jesus just simply reminds
us here, as we close with this
00:34:40.04\00:34:43.45
part of it, that He's always
been, I mean I just seen that
00:34:43.51\00:34:46.35
in Scripture - He has
always been, He is the first,
00:34:46.38\00:34:49.32
He is the last. Revelation
1:17 talks about, and He lives
00:34:49.35\00:34:52.85
forever." He has the
keys of all power, right?
00:34:52.89\00:34:56.16
He has it in life and
in death, Revelation 1:18.
00:34:56.19\00:34:59.76
"And Jesus says, (you can't
say it enough) Jesus simply says
00:34:59.79\00:35:03.77
"I will never leave thee...
Now Hebrews 13:5, "I'll never
00:35:03.80\00:35:08.14
leave thee and I'll
never forsake thee."
00:35:08.17\00:35:10.31
And He says, "I'll be
with you, (Matthew 28:20)
00:35:10.34\00:35:13.98
He says, "I'll be
with you always unto the
00:35:14.01\00:35:16.11
the end of what...?
of the end of the world.
00:35:16.14\00:35:18.25
Do you think
that's a promise? Amen!
00:35:18.28\00:35:20.45
That is a promise we need Him,
I'm thankful that He's got a
00:35:20.52\00:35:23.89
watchful eye over the
church, over every individual,
00:35:23.92\00:35:26.62
every church and He
knows what we are in need of,
00:35:26.65\00:35:28.72
and He has
promised to give us that.
00:35:28.76\00:35:30.13
Praise God for it. Amen! Amen!
00:35:30.16\00:35:31.56
Thank you so much Pastor Kenny!
00:35:31.59\00:35:33.40
What an incredible privilege
that the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:35:33.43\00:35:36.93
the Savior, the Redeemer of the
world wants to dwell with us.
00:35:36.97\00:35:40.70
Wants to dwell with the
seven churches and by extension,
00:35:40.74\00:35:44.41
each one of us - in our
own lives, in our churches,
00:35:44.44\00:35:47.34
in our communities.
00:35:47.38\00:35:48.71
I have Wednesday's lesson
here and we're looking at:
00:35:48.74\00:35:52.58
"Christ's
Messages for Then and Now"
00:35:52.61\00:35:56.12
And, there's one verse I
want to read before we pickup
00:35:56.15\00:35:59.02
here in Revelation
1:11, and I know we've already
00:35:59.05\00:36:02.42
read it here... Revelation 1:11,
saying, "I am Jesus, the Alpha
00:36:02.46\00:36:08.76
and the Omega (alpha
being the first letter of the
00:36:08.80\00:36:12.00
Greek alphabet;
omega being the last letter
00:36:12.03\00:36:14.14
of the Greek
alphabet) He is from everlasting
00:36:14.17\00:36:16.64
to everlasting." No
beginning, no ending,
00:36:16.71\00:36:19.94
I am Alpha and Omega,
the first and the last.
00:36:19.97\00:36:23.98
And said, "What you
see, (speaking to John)
00:36:24.05\00:36:26.31
write in a book and
send it to the seven churches
00:36:26.35\00:36:29.82
which are in Asia; to
Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos,
00:36:29.85\00:36:33.69
to Thyatira, to Sardis, to
Philadelphia and to Laodicea."
00:36:33.76\00:36:37.83
So right now, we're
just beginning to kick off
00:36:37.86\00:36:40.13
our study of the seven churches.
00:36:40.20\00:36:42.50
I know Ryan has
the first church,
00:36:42.53\00:36:43.87
the church of Ephesus and
then next week, we'll look
00:36:43.93\00:36:46.90
at some of the
rest of those churches.
00:36:46.94\00:36:49.37
And these churches have
kind of a threefold application.
00:36:49.40\00:36:53.44
There is a "Historical
application" or there's an
00:36:53.48\00:36:56.34
application to the churches
at that time, first century.
00:36:56.38\00:37:00.05
Then there is a "Prophetic
application" or an application
00:37:00.08\00:37:04.62
through the Christian
history from the beginning of
00:37:04.65\00:37:07.82
John's time, all the
way down to the present day.
00:37:07.86\00:37:11.03
Then there's also a
"Universal application"...
00:37:11.06\00:37:13.03
in other words - I could
read any Scripture in here
00:37:13.06\00:37:16.67
and I might be
able to find myself,
00:37:16.70\00:37:18.23
and I might be able to
see counsel that I need
00:37:18.27\00:37:21.54
in my own life at that day.
00:37:21.57\00:37:23.07
So let's look at the
historical application first.
00:37:23.10\00:37:25.51
Hopefully, we'll
get to all of this.
00:37:25.54\00:37:27.84
The message was originally
sent to the seven churches
00:37:27.88\00:37:30.35
in Asia Minor which is
really modern day Turkey.
00:37:30.38\00:37:34.05
The Christians there
were facing great challenges,
00:37:34.12\00:37:36.72
great persecution;
there was idol worship;
00:37:36.79\00:37:40.66
there was the emperor
worship that was compulsory;
00:37:40.69\00:37:44.06
there were public
events and pagan ceremonies
00:37:44.13\00:37:46.83
and things, Ryan, that no
Christian should be involved in.
00:37:46.90\00:37:50.57
And this is a
message of encouragement
00:37:50.63\00:37:52.97
to the churches there.
00:37:53.00\00:37:54.54
It's kind of almost a travel
route - if you look at the map,
00:37:54.57\00:37:57.37
and you see... say this is
Turkey here, if I can do the
00:37:57.41\00:37:59.71
backwards and the
Aegean Sea is on this side.
00:37:59.74\00:38:02.04
So Ephesus would be a harbor
city, it's right on the coast.
00:38:02.08\00:38:05.71
And then Smyrna is a
little bit north on the coast,
00:38:05.75\00:38:08.02
and then it starts to go...
Pergamos starts to go north
00:38:08.05\00:38:10.82
but it's east and then
it circles all the way back
00:38:10.85\00:38:13.72
around - almost all
the way back around to
00:38:13.79\00:38:15.46
where we started with Ephesus.
00:38:15.49\00:38:16.96
So Ephesus, we know, was
the largest city in Asia Minor;
00:38:16.99\00:38:20.23
it's the fourth largest
city of the Roman Empire
00:38:20.26\00:38:22.73
at that time.
00:38:22.76\00:38:24.10
It was the center of
worship to Artemis which was
00:38:24.17\00:38:27.67
an immoral figure and
there was a great deal of
00:38:27.70\00:38:32.34
immorality in
that city at that time.
00:38:32.37\00:38:35.61
There was a great
deal of cult prostitution.
00:38:35.64\00:38:38.38
We know that Priscilla
and Aquila went to Ephesus.
00:38:38.41\00:38:41.38
Remember on Paul's
second missionary journey,
00:38:41.42\00:38:43.92
he met them in
Corinth; they went to Ephesus,
00:38:43.99\00:38:45.95
and then on Paul's
third missionary journey,
00:38:45.99\00:38:48.09
he came back and spent 3
years in the city of Ephesus.
00:38:48.12\00:38:52.96
We go north about 30
miles and we come to Smyrna.
00:38:52.99\00:38:56.36
Smyrna is second to
Ephesus as a commercial center.
00:38:56.40\00:38:59.77
At that time when John
was writing, probably 200,000
00:38:59.80\00:39:02.87
people living in Smyrna.
00:39:02.90\00:39:04.57
It was also a harbor city
and it was a center of worship
00:39:04.61\00:39:08.61
to the goddess Roma and it
had compulsory emperor worship.
00:39:08.64\00:39:13.11
In fact, this city, Ryan,
was the first city that had
00:39:13.15\00:39:17.05
a temple to the
Emperor Tiberius.
00:39:17.12\00:39:19.85
That was all the
way back in A.D. 26.
00:39:19.89\00:39:23.12
But then we go a little 50 miles
north to Smyrna and that city
00:39:23.16\00:39:28.36
was a wealthy city and
it was actually the capital
00:39:28.40\00:39:30.67
of Asia Minor - maybe
120,000 to 200,000 people there.
00:39:30.70\00:39:35.40
It was the center for
learning and for medicine.
00:39:35.44\00:39:38.74
It had the largest library
in the Roman world outside of
00:39:38.77\00:39:42.41
Alexandria, Egypt.
00:39:42.44\00:39:43.78
parchment scrolls.
00:39:43.85\00:39:46.28
It was known as a
center for healing.
00:39:46.31\00:39:49.05
They also had
emperor worship and a temple
00:39:49.08\00:39:52.25
for the god Zeus
there where they required
00:39:52.29\00:39:54.99
people to worship.
00:39:55.02\00:39:56.56
We go 30 miles southeast,
we're starting the journey
00:39:56.59\00:39:59.23
coming back around the circle
now and we go to Thyatira.
00:39:59.26\00:40:02.73
It's a smaller city, it
was known for its trade,
00:40:02.76\00:40:05.93
and it had
numerous trade guilds.
00:40:05.97\00:40:08.90
It had a temple to
Apollo, the sun god;
00:40:08.94\00:40:12.04
a temple to
Diana, the love goddess.
00:40:12.07\00:40:16.24
Lydia, the seller of
purple, remember Paul and Silas
00:40:16.28\00:40:19.75
met her on one of
their missionary journeys.
00:40:19.78\00:40:22.22
They met her in Philippi
but Philippi is fairly close to
00:40:22.25\00:40:25.32
Thyatira, so they
met her at that time.
00:40:25.35\00:40:28.76
Then we come about
30 miles southeast again
00:40:28.79\00:40:31.59
and we get to Sardis,
and it was a large, wealthy
00:40:31.63\00:40:34.36
city and it a great military
position, being probably
00:40:34.36\00:40:37.73
1,500 feet up on a
mountain spur and it had a
00:40:37.77\00:40:41.17
defensible position.
00:40:41.20\00:40:42.87
They also had pagan
worship and pagan gods.
00:40:42.90\00:40:46.41
Then we come to
Philadelphia which is the newest
00:40:46.44\00:40:48.64
of all of the seven cities.
00:40:48.68\00:40:50.88
It's 25 miles southeast again,
we're still making the circle
00:40:50.91\00:40:54.18
of Sardis.
00:40:54.25\00:40:55.58
It was rebuilt after
a devastating earthquake
00:40:55.62\00:40:58.22
that took place in A.D. 17.
00:40:58.25\00:41:00.46
It was located on a
plateau protected by water,
00:41:00.49\00:41:03.02
and it also was a center
for required emperor worship.
00:41:03.06\00:41:07.10
Then we move to the last
city, the City of Laodicea
00:41:07.13\00:41:10.47
which is probably 40
miles southeast as we complete
00:41:10.53\00:41:13.40
that circle
around from Philadelphia.
00:41:13.44\00:41:16.07
It was known for its wealth,
it was a major banking center.
00:41:16.10\00:41:19.87
It was known for its
medical school, incidentally,
00:41:19.91\00:41:22.51
it had special ear and eye
salve which, as we get into
00:41:22.54\00:41:25.91
the study of the
church, Christ counseled them
00:41:25.95\00:41:28.48
to buy that from Him,
and then it was also known
00:41:28.52\00:41:30.95
for the lukewarm water.
00:41:30.99\00:41:33.56
There is also a prophetic
application to each one of
00:41:33.62\00:41:36.89
these seven churches...
they represent the spiritual
00:41:36.93\00:41:40.00
condition in the church
throughout history from the
00:41:40.06\00:41:44.10
time of the apostles beginning
with the church of Ephesus,
00:41:44.13\00:41:46.77
we call that "the passionless
or loveless church" because
00:41:46.80\00:41:50.44
they lacked love, approximately
from A.D. 31 which would be
00:41:50.47\00:41:54.74
the ascension of
Christ to about A.D. 100,
00:41:54.78\00:41:57.85
of course these dates could
give or take for a few years.
00:41:57.88\00:42:01.55
Then we go to the persecuted
church - that is Smyrna.
00:42:01.58\00:42:05.05
This is the early Roman
persecution of the church
00:42:05.09\00:42:09.62
underneath the
different Roman emperors.
00:42:09.66\00:42:11.59
That's about
from A.D.100 to 313.
00:42:11.63\00:42:15.16
Then we go to the third
church which is Pergamos.
00:42:15.20\00:42:17.47
That's the tolerant or
the compromising church.
00:42:17.53\00:42:21.74
This is when the Emperor
Constantine, he joined the
00:42:21.77\00:42:25.77
church and there was so
much paganism and so many
00:42:25.81\00:42:28.88
other things that crept into
the church during this time.
00:42:28.91\00:42:32.35
The fourth church, the
church of Thyatira being the
00:42:32.38\00:42:35.25
compromising or corrupt church.
00:42:35.28\00:42:37.69
We call it simply "the
church of the dark ages"
00:42:37.72\00:42:41.16
beginning about A.D. 538
and continuing to the 1,500s.
00:42:41.19\00:42:47.13
This would be the dark church,
the church with immorality;
00:42:47.20\00:42:50.70
the church with
the false doctrines.
00:42:50.73\00:42:52.70
Then we go to the fifth
church, Sardis - also known
00:42:52.73\00:42:55.70
as the dead church
coming out of those dark ages.
00:42:55.74\00:42:59.74
Moving into the 1700s,
then the church of Philadelphia,
00:42:59.77\00:43:03.01
the missionary or the faithful
church, the church of the
00:43:03.04\00:43:07.55
second great awakening,
meaning brotherly love...
00:43:07.62\00:43:10.69
from the 1700s and that
takes us all the way up to 1844.
00:43:10.72\00:43:14.99
And then we have the final
church - the church of Laodicea
00:43:15.02\00:43:18.73
which is the lukewarm
church or we could even say
00:43:18.76\00:43:21.63
maybe it's a little arrogant...
00:43:21.66\00:43:23.16
the arrogant
and lukewarm church.
00:43:23.20\00:43:26.47
The church feels it
has need of nothing.
00:43:26.50\00:43:29.44
This is the condition
from 1844 to the present
00:43:29.47\00:43:32.24
that many of us find
ourselves in and the Lord Jesus
00:43:32.27\00:43:37.15
wants to rescue us from
that and wants to pull us out.
00:43:37.21\00:43:40.28
Each one of these
churches though - has almost a
00:43:40.32\00:43:42.92
universal
application... in other words,
00:43:42.95\00:43:45.09
I could read this and I
could see that there is a
00:43:45.12\00:43:47.86
promise in here for me.
00:43:47.89\00:43:49.22
I could read it and see
there's a commendation for me
00:43:49.26\00:43:53.09
or I could read it and I could
see - there's a rebuke for me...
00:43:53.13\00:43:58.33
that I need to be
paying attention to and that,
00:43:58.37\00:44:01.37
in a special way,
I need to listen to.
00:44:01.40\00:44:03.71
Each one of the churches,
Christ gives them a promise.
00:44:03.74\00:44:08.21
Each one of the
churches have a commendation
00:44:08.24\00:44:11.71
except for Sardis and Laodicea.
00:44:11.75\00:44:15.15
Interestingly enough, those
two churches - no good thing
00:44:15.18\00:44:18.12
is said about them.
00:44:18.15\00:44:19.49
Christ does not have any
good words to say about them,
00:44:19.52\00:44:23.46
but there is always a promise.
00:44:23.53\00:44:25.36
So no matter if
there's no good words or not,
00:44:25.39\00:44:27.40
at the end there is a promise,
so there's always, always hope!
00:44:27.50\00:44:31.63
And then each church receives
a rebuke except again...
00:44:31.67\00:44:35.64
for two churches - that
would be the church of Smyrna,
00:44:35.67\00:44:38.51
the persecuted church, and
the church of Philadelphia.
00:44:38.54\00:44:41.54
Those two churches
received no rebukes.
00:44:41.58\00:44:44.68
So that's kind of the
broad strokes, as it were,
00:44:44.71\00:44:47.95
as we look at the
Historical application.
00:44:47.98\00:44:50.55
As we look at the
Prophetic application and the
00:44:50.59\00:44:53.42
Universal application that
we can have for each one of
00:44:53.46\00:44:56.22
these seven churches and I know,
Ryan, you have the first church.
00:44:56.26\00:44:59.06
Yeah, absolutely! I'm
going to launch us into
00:44:59.09\00:45:00.83
this study of the seven
churches beginning with the
00:45:00.86\00:45:03.60
church of Ephesus.
00:45:03.67\00:45:05.30
And so I just want to give a
little bit of a background...
00:45:05.33\00:45:07.54
You've already
kind of established
00:45:07.57\00:45:08.90
a few of these things,
but I'm just kind of overlap
00:45:08.94\00:45:11.04
here and talk about the
literal city of Ephesus.
00:45:11.07\00:45:15.64
So just a few things... I just
wrote down seven points here.
00:45:15.68\00:45:18.68
Ephesus was the fourth
largest city of the Roman Empire
00:45:18.71\00:45:22.38
and the capital of Asia Minor.
00:45:22.42\00:45:25.05
It was the #1 seaport
of Asia and therefore,
00:45:25.09\00:45:28.96
very important for the
commercial trade industry.
00:45:28.99\00:45:32.26
The city was known for
its theaters, gymnasiums,
00:45:32.29\00:45:35.56
bath houses, brothels
and, of course, the famous
00:45:35.60\00:45:39.07
Temple of Diana which
brought thousands of tourists
00:45:39.10\00:45:42.07
to that particular city.
00:45:42.10\00:45:43.67
The worshippers of Diana
were known for their mystical
00:45:43.71\00:45:46.68
practices of the
magical arts and astrology.
00:45:46.74\00:45:49.81
The city was notorious for
its immorality and idol worship
00:45:49.84\00:45:53.88
as seen on display and
we're kind of given an idea
00:45:53.92\00:45:56.85
of this in Acts 19 with
the big riot and contention
00:45:56.89\00:46:00.42
that was going on with
Paul's preaching of the gospel
00:46:00.49\00:46:02.79
and, of course, this idol
worship, pagan worship going on
00:46:02.82\00:46:05.36
in Ephesus at that
time, but I'll let you
00:46:05.39\00:46:07.40
study that on your own.
00:46:07.46\00:46:08.96
#7... While there seemed to
be resistance to the Christian
00:46:09.00\00:46:12.30
message by pagans, Ephesus
still was home to the most
00:46:12.33\00:46:16.50
influential
Christian church in Asia Minor.
00:46:16.74\00:46:20.11
In fact, if you study the
missionary journeys of Paul,
00:46:20.18\00:46:23.48
before he had died, he
actually spent the longest
00:46:23.55\00:46:27.42
time in Ephesus,
approximately 3 to 3-1/2 years
00:46:27.45\00:46:32.62
and so it was a
special city, indeed,
00:46:32.65\00:46:34.16
and had a very strong church.
00:46:34.19\00:46:35.59
What I would like to
do is go ahead and launch
00:46:35.62\00:46:37.43
into the actual Scriptural
00:46:37.46\00:46:39.56
study of this
particular message to Ephesus.
00:46:39.59\00:46:43.37
We're going to begin with
Revelation 2:1-4 at this moment.
00:46:43.43\00:46:47.84
The Bible says... "To the angel
of the church of Ephesus write,
00:46:47.87\00:46:52.44
"These things says He
who holds the seven stars
00:46:52.47\00:46:55.84
in His right hand, who
walks in the midst of the seven
00:46:55.88\00:46:58.75
golden Lampstands; (He says)
I know your works, your labor,
00:46:58.78\00:47:02.72
your patience, and that you
cannot bear those who are evil.
00:47:02.75\00:47:06.72
And you have tested
those who say they are apostles
00:47:06.79\00:47:10.96
and are not, and
have found them liars;
00:47:10.99\00:47:14.86
and you have
persevered and have patience,
00:47:14.93\00:47:18.10
and have labored for
My name's sake and have
00:47:18.13\00:47:21.10
not become weary.
00:47:21.14\00:47:22.47
Nevertheless I
have this against you,
00:47:22.50\00:47:24.77
that you have
left your first love."
00:47:24.81\00:47:27.84
And so I just want to
unpack just those first
00:47:27.88\00:47:29.71
four verses just for a moment.
00:47:29.74\00:47:31.71
First of all, you'll notice
that Jesus presents Himself
00:47:31.75\00:47:34.85
as holding the seven
stars in His hands, of course,
00:47:34.88\00:47:38.62
and in the Bible, stars
are representative of either
00:47:38.65\00:47:42.16
angels or in the case
of Daniel 8, as we're told,
00:47:42.19\00:47:45.19
stars can also represent
God's people, the saints of God.
00:47:45.23\00:47:49.70
I found this interesting quote
in "Gospel Workers," p.13-14,
00:47:49.73\00:47:54.00
I may not read the entire
quote, but notice what it says
00:47:54.04\00:47:55.87
here at the beginning... "God's
ministers are symbolized by
00:47:55.90\00:47:59.14
the seven stars which He,
who is the first and the last,
00:47:59.17\00:48:03.91
has under His
special care and protection."
00:48:03.98\00:48:07.72
So these stars that
He's holding in His hands...
00:48:07.75\00:48:09.95
they are His special ministers
who are carrying out this
00:48:09.98\00:48:12.85
gospel work and I just
figured I would add that
00:48:12.89\00:48:14.99
because that's very important.
00:48:15.02\00:48:16.36
He's walking amidst
these seven branch candlesticks
00:48:16.39\00:48:19.89
and, of course, we know
that these are His people,
00:48:19.93\00:48:22.13
this is His church and
Christ is always with us, right?
00:48:22.16\00:48:24.83
He promises that He will
never leave us nor forsake us,
00:48:24.87\00:48:27.27
as, of course, Matthew 28
reminds us that, "Lo, He will
00:48:27.34\00:48:30.01
be with us
always," so always remember
00:48:30.04\00:48:32.47
Christ never will forsake you.
00:48:32.51\00:48:35.51
You will notice that in this
particular text we just read,
00:48:35.54\00:48:37.81
He starts with, "I know
your works," not I know your
00:48:37.85\00:48:43.08
faith... He says this to
all the churches by the way...
00:48:43.12\00:48:46.76
"I know your works," and
that always astounds me that He
00:48:46.79\00:48:49.26
says this because, in
the Christian world today,
00:48:49.29\00:48:51.89
what do people say
in regards to works?
00:48:51.93\00:48:53.63
We're not saved by
works, we're saved by grace
00:48:53.70\00:48:55.76
through faith...
which is always interesting.
00:48:55.80\00:48:57.87
Christ could have chosen
to say, "Hey, you know what,
00:48:57.90\00:49:00.37
I know your faith, but
that's not what He says here.
00:49:00.40\00:49:03.14
In fact we know, as we
study in the Bible, that without
00:49:03.17\00:49:07.01
works, of course, our
faith is dead, according to
00:49:07.04\00:49:09.71
James 2:17-18... The
specific Greek word that is
00:49:09.74\00:49:13.68
used here for the word
"works" here, when Christ
00:49:13.75\00:49:15.98
says, "I know your works,"
it's the Greek word "ergon"
00:49:16.02\00:49:18.99
which means "to toil, to
labor, to put forth effort."
00:49:19.02\00:49:22.56
So Ephesus was not
shy in working for God.
00:49:22.59\00:49:24.73
They were very much
on task and on target and
00:49:24.76\00:49:27.76
forgoing the gospel ministry
in putting forth the effort
00:49:27.76\00:49:31.17
in communicating the wonderful
00:49:31.20\00:49:32.63
love and grace of Jesus.
00:49:32.67\00:49:34.40
You also notice here that
He says, "I know your works,
00:49:34.44\00:49:38.17
your labor, your patience,"
and so the word "patience"
00:49:38.21\00:49:42.38
here... there are two
different words that's used
00:49:42.41\00:49:44.55
in the New
Testament for patience...
00:49:44.58\00:49:46.75
the one that is used
here specifically is the
00:49:46.82\00:49:49.55
... let me see if I can say
this correctly... "hypomone."
00:49:49.58\00:49:52.59
That's right! Right!
"Hypomone" which means
00:49:52.62\00:49:55.39
"endurance, perseverance,"
and we have texts in Scripture
00:49:55.42\00:49:59.59
that help us understand this.
00:49:59.63\00:50:00.96
I'm not going to read all of
them, but the famous one from
00:50:00.96\00:50:02.96
Hebrews 12:1... "Therefore
we also, since we are surrounded
00:50:03.00\00:50:06.70
by so great a cloud
of witnesses, let us lay
00:50:06.74\00:50:10.17
aside every weight and the
sin which so easily ensnares us,
00:50:10.21\00:50:13.64
(notice what it says) and let
us run with (there's that word)
00:50:13.68\00:50:16.58
endurance, okay...
patience, hypomone (endurance).
00:50:16.61\00:50:21.45
The Ephesian church
were an enduring people;
00:50:21.48\00:50:24.69
they were all about holding
on to the gospel message,
00:50:24.72\00:50:28.06
preserving the doctrines that
Christ had passed down to them.
00:50:28.09\00:50:33.09
In fact, we get a little bit of
insight in this because in the
00:50:33.13\00:50:35.43
text that we just read,
He says that, "They could not
00:50:35.46\00:50:38.97
bear those who are evil."
00:50:39.00\00:50:41.47
The church of Ephesus had
a very low tolerance for evil
00:50:42.64\00:50:46.47
and for those who
were teaching heresy.
00:50:46.51\00:50:48.94
In fact, we get a little
bit of insight when you go back
00:50:48.98\00:50:51.41
to the Book of Acts 20:28-31,
notice what Paul says here
00:50:51.45\00:50:56.55
to the Ephesian elders
of the church, he says...
00:50:56.62\00:50:59.55
"Therefore take heed to
yourselves and to all the
00:50:59.59\00:51:02.36
flock among which the
Holy Spirit has made you
00:51:02.39\00:51:04.76
overseers to shepherd the
church of God which He purchased
00:51:04.79\00:51:08.46
with His own blood.
00:51:08.50\00:51:10.03
For I know this, (and there
is some sense of a prophetic
00:51:10.07\00:51:12.97
tone to it, so He's
telling them what they can look
00:51:13.00\00:51:15.34
forward to)... "For I know
this at after My departure,
00:51:15.37\00:51:18.01
savage wolves will come
in among you, not sparing
00:51:18.04\00:51:20.54
the flock, also from
among yourselves - men will
00:51:20.58\00:51:23.08
rise up speaking
perverse things to draw away the
00:51:23.11\00:51:25.95
disciples after themselves.
00:51:25.98\00:51:27.82
And then he says, "Therefore
watch and remember that for
00:51:27.85\00:51:31.02
three years I did not
cease to warn everyone night and
00:51:31.05\00:51:33.66
day with tears."
00:51:33.72\00:51:35.56
And so the Ephesian church
were always on the lookout,
00:51:35.59\00:51:38.96
and so in this case, when
God is telling them... "Look I
00:51:38.99\00:51:41.76
understand that you
cannot bear those who are evil,"
00:51:41.80\00:51:44.23
God was commending them
for their doctrinal orthodoxy
00:51:44.27\00:51:47.47
because they held true to
those wonderful teachings.
00:51:47.50\00:51:50.64
But yet... (here comes
the rebuke) "You have left
00:51:50.67\00:51:55.38
your first love (what in
the world does this mean?)
00:51:55.41\00:51:59.38
One thing that comes
to my mind when I think of
00:51:59.41\00:52:01.82
"You have left your
first love" is the illustration
00:52:01.85\00:52:05.32
of marriage - you know,
one is reminded of marriage
00:52:05.35\00:52:10.33
where at the beginning of
the relationship love is alive
00:52:10.36\00:52:12.79
and vibrant, but the
husband and the wife, they spend
00:52:12.83\00:52:15.70
quality time together,
regularly express their love
00:52:15.73\00:52:18.37
one for another - that's
just normal, but over a period
00:52:18.40\00:52:20.97
of time, that can
dissipate as they begin to spend
00:52:21.00\00:52:23.97
less and less time and we
could attest to this because
00:52:24.01\00:52:26.51
divorce rate and separation
rate is higher than ever
00:52:26.54\00:52:29.58
in this country where people
are busy, busy, busy, busy
00:52:29.61\00:52:32.91
and they're not
spending time with each other.
00:52:32.95\00:52:34.45
Our families are fragmented,
marriages tearing apart,
00:52:34.48\00:52:37.45
and we see this here,
but I think of... "You have
00:52:37.49\00:52:40.12
left your first
love," is it possible that
00:52:40.16\00:52:42.32
you can hold on to
those doctrinal truths
00:52:42.36\00:52:45.36
but still lose the
love... is it possible?
00:52:45.39\00:52:49.50
Absolutely and
it's evident right here.
00:52:49.53\00:52:52.20
I think of Mary and
Martha, Martha and Mary...
00:52:52.23\00:52:56.57
So Martha was the worker,
I mean, she's doing the work!
00:52:56.64\00:53:00.18
She's ready to press it
forward, where's Mary at?
00:53:00.21\00:53:02.44
Mary is at the feet of
Jesus and she's soaking it in...
00:53:02.48\00:53:05.08
And so, you know, we have
to have that healthy balance,
00:53:05.11\00:53:07.52
God wants us to hold on
to the doctrinal orthodoxy,
00:53:07.55\00:53:11.29
He wants us to hold
fast to those truths, but yet
00:53:11.32\00:53:14.16
without a daily relationship,
intimate relationship with
00:53:14.19\00:53:17.96
Jesus Christ, we will lose our
first love and that's a lesson
00:53:17.99\00:53:21.16
we can learn from
this Ephesian church.
00:53:21.20\00:53:23.87
His response to that, of course,
is to do your first works
00:53:23.93\00:53:28.04
because you've lost
your first love - you know,
00:53:28.07\00:53:30.51
you've left your first
love, now - you know what,
00:53:30.57\00:53:32.21
let's fix that - you have to
go back and do your first works.
00:53:32.24\00:53:34.84
So Christ promises us
here that if we do our first
00:53:34.88\00:53:38.05
works, we're good; if we
don't, notice what the end of
00:53:38.08\00:53:40.88
verse 5 says, He says,
"I will come on you quickly
00:53:40.92\00:53:43.35
and remove your lampstand
00:53:43.39\00:53:45.12
from its place,
unless you repent."
00:53:45.15\00:53:47.52
Now basically this is Christ
telling us... I'm going to
00:53:47.56\00:53:49.56
remove the light I have given
to you - you're not going to
00:53:49.59\00:53:52.13
have that guiding light anymore
because you chose not to repent.
00:53:52.16\00:53:55.16
So we need to make sure
that we return to Jesus,
00:53:55.20\00:53:57.60
we repent of that
lifestyle; we repent of all the
00:53:57.63\00:54:01.30
deeds that we
have done that's wrong.
00:54:01.34\00:54:03.17
But I want to spend the
rest of my time, in the little
00:54:03.20\00:54:05.44
time that I have
on these Nicolaitans.
00:54:05.47\00:54:07.64
Notice verse 6 here...
"But this you have that you hate
00:54:07.68\00:54:11.81
the deeds of the
Nicolaitans which I also hate.
00:54:11.85\00:54:15.25
Now I have to say this
because I have little time
00:54:15.28\00:54:17.29
but I want to come back
to this when we talk about
00:54:17.32\00:54:19.19
Pergamos or
Pergamum in the future.
00:54:19.22\00:54:21.22
Who are the Nicolaitans?
00:54:21.26\00:54:23.09
According to history,
they were a heretical group of
00:54:23.12\00:54:27.30
followers of Nicholas.
(Now Nicholas is mentioned in
00:54:27.30\00:54:30.23
Act 6:5- he was actually
one of seven deacons and he
00:54:30.27\00:54:34.67
wasn't a true
deacon, he was actually
00:54:34.70\00:54:36.34
a hypocrite and if this
is true, Nicholas, of course,
00:54:36.37\00:54:40.08
apostasized from the faith.)
00:54:40.14\00:54:41.68
The Nicolaitans were a
group who taught a radical
00:54:41.71\00:54:44.31
dualism between
the body and the soul.
00:54:44.35\00:54:46.61
And so, in other
words, they basically rejected
00:54:46.68\00:54:48.78
the truth - it was basically
just live my life however
00:54:48.82\00:54:51.82
I want with the belief
that I'm gonna be saved,
00:54:51.85\00:54:54.12
but no law, no discipline...
so, you know, we have to
00:54:54.16\00:54:57.73
understand that Christ is
telling them, I appreciate the
00:54:57.76\00:55:00.53
fact that you are
not like the Nicolaitans,
00:55:00.56\00:55:02.20
You've rejected that
mentality. That's right.
00:55:02.23\00:55:04.57
And of course, finishing up
here... We have this beautiful
00:55:04.60\00:55:07.27
promise, and by the
way, we're going to come back
00:55:07.34\00:55:08.67
to the Nicolaitans in
Pergamos when we study
00:55:08.70\00:55:11.11
Pergamum but notice
the beautiful promise
00:55:11.14\00:55:13.27
Jesus leaves us with here in
verse 11... "He who has an ear,
00:55:13.31\00:55:17.18
let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches...
00:55:17.25\00:55:20.12
To him who overcomes,
I will give to eat from
00:55:20.15\00:55:23.05
the Tree of Life which is
in the midst of the paradise
00:55:23.08\00:55:26.59
of God! Isn't that
a wonderful promise?
00:55:26.62\00:55:28.49
We will be able to eat
from that Tree of Life,
00:55:28.52\00:55:30.99
I know there will be
avocados on that Tree of Life!
00:55:31.03\00:55:33.40
Laughter! There will be no
onions in heaven. Laughter.
00:55:33.43\00:55:37.57
That's open to discussion!
That is open to discussion.
00:55:37.60\00:55:40.74
Wow, well thank you
Ryan, thank you Shelley,
00:55:40.80\00:55:43.00
thank you Pastor Kenny.
00:55:43.04\00:55:44.37
I'm going to give
each of you a few seconds
00:55:44.41\00:55:46.21
or so to go and summarize
because it's so wonderful
00:55:46.24\00:55:49.08
as we walk through it,
but sometimes it's good to go
00:55:49.11\00:55:51.11
back through that door
and remember where we started
00:55:51.15\00:55:54.28
and what we
talked about... Shelley.
00:55:54.32\00:55:55.65
Yes, well John said
that he was in the Spirit
00:55:55.68\00:55:58.69
on the Lord's day.
00:55:58.72\00:56:00.12
Here he is on this rocky
island... I can just see him,
00:56:00.19\00:56:03.86
it's Sabbath day; he's
worshipping the Lord in spite
00:56:03.89\00:56:08.63
of his persecution; in
spite of his conditions - he's
00:56:08.66\00:56:12.43
worshipping God and Jesus
comes to him and brings him
00:56:12.47\00:56:17.04
this wonderful
revelation. Amen, Amen!
00:56:17.11\00:56:20.08
Pastor Kenny... Well
you know, in studying this
00:56:20.11\00:56:21.84
lesson here, I just see
that the more time that we
00:56:21.88\00:56:24.51
spend with Jesus, the more
that we should come to love
00:56:24.55\00:56:27.32
Him and loving Him
means we want to be obedient
00:56:27.35\00:56:30.59
and serve Him and I
think that we need to avoid
00:56:30.62\00:56:33.66
becoming lukewarm; we need
to avoid becoming burned out
00:56:33.69\00:56:37.86
or to die out, and so
today is the day to shine. Amen!
00:56:37.89\00:56:42.63
I just see the incredible
love of a God who would come
00:56:42.66\00:56:45.53
and dwell with us; a God
who loves us so much that
00:56:45.57\00:56:48.84
He doesn't want to
leave us in our sin.
00:56:48.87\00:56:50.47
He doesn't want to
leave us in our stuff or junk,
00:56:50.51\00:56:53.68
and He says, "Here's a
way out, here's a promise,"
00:56:53.74\00:56:56.14
and that's what I
see in the seven churches
00:56:56.18\00:56:58.31
and the whole Book
of Revelation. Amen!
00:56:58.35\00:57:00.25
Absolutely, you know, I
desire, like the church of
00:57:00.28\00:57:03.08
Ephesus, you know, I want
to uphold the truth of God's
00:57:03.12\00:57:06.05
word - I want to be a
worker for Jesus Christ,
00:57:06.09\00:57:09.02
but I never want to
lose the passion and the love
00:57:09.06\00:57:12.06
for spending time with my
Savior - that I may present
00:57:12.09\00:57:15.00
and project that love of Jesus
00:57:15.30\00:57:17.10
to my fellow brethren,
to everyone around me...
00:57:17.17\00:57:19.30
So that's my prayer
for myself, our church,
00:57:19.33\00:57:21.44
and for everyone. Amen!
00:57:21.47\00:57:23.51
Thank you so much and thank
you also for taking the time
00:57:23.54\00:57:26.47
to study with us, as I
said at the beginning of the
00:57:26.51\00:57:28.38
program - "We're
just getting started!
00:57:28.41\00:57:30.38
Revelation is just
beginning to unfold before us
00:57:30.45\00:57:33.45
like a Spiritual artichoke."
00:57:33.52\00:57:35.45
And we're going to
enjoy every time we...
00:57:35.48\00:57:37.89
is it artichoke?
Is that the right one?
00:57:37.92\00:57:40.26
That's a good one. I
think that's a good one.
00:57:40.29\00:57:42.16
I think I'll work with that one.
00:57:42.19\00:57:43.53
But we want to invite you
to come back when our next
00:57:43.56\00:57:45.99
study next week is going to be:
00:57:46.03\00:57:47.66
"Jesus' Messages
to the Seven Churches"
00:57:47.66\00:57:50.53
This is vitally important,
there are only seven and the
00:57:50.57\00:57:53.50
next one is the
"glorious church" at the
00:57:53.54\00:57:55.47
coming of the
Lord, so we invite you
00:57:55.50\00:57:57.47
to come back, stay tuned...
00:57:57.51\00:57:58.91
walk with us through the most
powerful message for this time,
00:57:58.94\00:58:02.28
which is, in fact, not
just symbols and signs and
00:58:02.34\00:58:05.18
beasts but the beautiful
Revelation of Christ Jesus.
00:58:05.21\00:58:08.02
God bless you
till we see you again.
00:58:08.05\00:58:11.69