Hello and welcome once again
to 3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
00:00:31.39\00:00:35.00
We are so glad that you are
joining us for our continuing
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study in the Book of
Revelation, and we encourage you
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to have your Bible and
a pen and we hope you have
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this Quarterly.
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If you do not yet have a
Quarterly, you can go online to:
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ABSG.Adventist.org
and download a copy
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or you can go to your nearest
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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they will be happy to provide
you a copy and you may want to
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stay by and worship
and study with them.
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I'm Shelley Quinn and let
me introduce our panel today...
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Next to me is Pastor
Ryan Day, Jill Morikone,
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Pastor John Lomacang and
then we're very pleased that
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Danny Shelton has also joined
us today. Good to be here!
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Danny, would you like to have
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our opening prayer
please? I would, I would.
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Lord... We thank You for
Your blessings and Your love,
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and Your plan of salvation.
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Lord, we thank You for
Your word and this opportunity
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to expound on it and,
Lord, to see the churches that
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even Your rebukes to us,
and especially as we look down
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to the church that we're in
here in Laodicea, but Father,
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we just thank You that
You stand at our heart's door
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and You knock and we
are receptive and we're open
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that you'll come in.
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You'll hear our prayers,
you'll save us where we are.
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I pray now for the
anointing of the Holy Spirit
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on each and every one watching
this program, listening to it
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today. In Jesus
name I pray... Amen
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Amen and Amen!
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Well, as Genesis is the
Book of beginnings, Revelation
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is the Book of consummation.
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This is where everything
is going to come to a close
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and a new
beginning, right? Amen!
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So what we see here...
and let me just kind of review
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a few things... the very word
"revelation" is in the Greek
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"apokalupsis" and
this is an unveiling.
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It means that it's
showing something that
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we couldn't see if it
weren't for this unveiling.
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And we've already studied,
in chapter 1, that these
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messages were signified;
they were coded in symbols,
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but all of the symbols
are found in the Bible.
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And this is what I love about
understanding Revelation...
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I grew up being taught -
you couldn't understand it,
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and I heard every kind of
interpretation and really,
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for me, Daniel was the
key that unlocked Revelation,
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but it's so beautiful.
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So here we've got the
Apostle John who has been
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banished to this
little, tiny island,
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a rocky island of
Patmos and on the Sabbath day,
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he is in the Spirit, he is
worshipping the Lord and he
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receives a series of
startling visions but it begins
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and I love this - as Jesus
is showing Himself to John,
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and this is the
Revelation of Jesus Christ.
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What happens is he sees
Jesus walking among the seven
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candlesticks which are
the seven churches and we have
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already seen that these
messages have a historic
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application... they
have a prophetic application
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and a universal application.
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So what we're going to do today,
we actually started last week
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and it was you, brother
Ryan, who started on the
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first message to the
first church which was Ephesus,
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so today, we are
going to continue with
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the other six churches.
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And I have to share
something with you...
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our study is going to be
just a little out of order
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because we study from
a prepublished release
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and we've just gotten
these today and found out that
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they're really quite different
than what we were studying,
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but I'm going to cover: "The
Messages to Smyrna and Pergamum"
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and the reason being is
these are the only (excuse me)
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Philadelphia? Yes...
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I was going to
say, "not Pergamum,"
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to Smyrna and Philadelphia,"
and the reason I think
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these were originally coupled
is because they're the only
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two churches that
didn't receive a rebuke.
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Now, let me say one
thing... All messages that Jesus
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gave for the church
have things in common.
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They open with Jesus
addressing the church by a
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specific name and then
He tells something very
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personal about Himself and
every one of His descriptions
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about Himself is specific
to the needs of that church...
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So Jesus points to His
ability to meet their struggles,
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and that's what I love - because
you know, when we think about
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this, Jesus - He gives
an appraisal of the church,
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and for some churches,
what, five of them, He gives
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the commendations and for five,
He gives a rebuke and those
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aren't the same five.
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So we see that the
picture of the seven churches
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as a whole - the
churches are in a steadily
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declining situation here.
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But what I love, let me
read the new memory verse is...
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Revelation 3:21, it says...
"To him who overcomes I will
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grant to sit with Me on
My throne, as I also overcame
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and sat down with My
Father on His throne."
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That's Christ's
greatest promise, I think.
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Of all the promises and it's
to, of all churches, Laodicea
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the lukewarm church.
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So what it shows is that
the more that sin abounds,
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the more than grace
abounds, and that Jesus is
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enough to meet
all of our situations.
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So of all of the seven
churches, only two did Jesus not
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criticize - that was
Smyrna and Philadelphia.
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So the letter to Smyrna
has a lot of similarities
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to the one to Philadelphia,
very positive messages.
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Some historians say that
Smyrna had a population of
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around 200,000 residents
during the first century.
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So this was no small town.
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It had pledged its
loyalty to Rome and had become
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a headquarters for
the imperial cult of
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emperor worship in
the area and Domitian
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had issued an edict that emperor
worship was mandated for all.
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Now this is interesting...
All of the Roman inhabitants
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were supposed to be
worshipping the emperor,
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but they gave a little
grace if you want to say,
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to the - there was a
very large and strong Jewish
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community in Smyrna and
so basically, they exempted
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them from emperor worship.
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But the Jews didn't want that
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same privilege to be
given to the Christians.
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So here we see that Christians
are now - we've got Rome
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is beginning to persecute
them, Jews are persecuting them,
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and there are a lot of
temples and they weren't going
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to participate in
this temple worship,
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so they had a lot of problems.
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But it was interesting,
as I was studying this...
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did you know that the pagans
thought that the Christians
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were atheists?
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They thought they were
atheists because they wouldn't
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worship all of their gods
and they even accused Christians
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of being cannibals.
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So it was because they were
afraid that since Christians
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were not
worshipping their local deities,
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they were afraid that
it was going to have a bad
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effect on their economic
situation and they blamed
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every catastrophe
on the Christians...
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And we may remember
Polycarp who was a disciple of
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John and a pastor - he
was burned at the stake
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in Smyrna about A.D. 156.
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So let's read this... Revelation
2:8-11, "And to the angel
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of the church in Smyrna
write, "These things says
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the First and the Last, who
was dead and came to life..."
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So the first and the last
here is a reference to the
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Old Testament Yahweh,
the God of the covenant.
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And then he says... "I
know your works, tribulation,
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and poverty, but you are
rich; and I know the blasphemy
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of those who say
they are Jews and are not,
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but are a synagogue of Satan."
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Smyrna was a persecuted-poor
church, not like Laodicea
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that could boast of
its material riches.
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It was poor in material
goods, but rich in grace.
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And when it's talking about
the Jews that say they are Jews
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and are not... this isn't
denying their Jewish linage.
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What it's basically saying is...
this is mirroring what Paul
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said is that - "Just
because you're a Jew outwardly,
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doesn't mean that you're
a Jew unless you have this
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circumcision of the
heart and are a Jew inwardly."
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So verse 10, He says, "Do not
fear any of those things which
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you are about to suffer.
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Indeed, the devil is about to
throw some of you into prison,
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that you may be tested, and you
will have tribulation ten days.
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Be faithful unto
death, and I will
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give you the crown of life."
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Most scholars hold that
ten days was a well-used
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expression, a
normal ancient expression
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for a short period of time.
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So there's going to be a time
of testing for the faithfulness
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and the endurance of the
Christian community in Smyrna.
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But they would get the
crown of life... this is not the
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stephanos, not the royal
diadem but this was the crown
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of victory like the garland
leafs that they put on the
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athletes who were
in the Olympic games
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there held in Smyrna
and it signified the joy
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that they would have in victory.
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So verse 11... "He who has
an ear, let him hear what the
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Spirit says to the churches.
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That's interesting...
each church hears that message.
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And then he says... He
who overcomes shall not be
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hurt by the second death...
which is the annihilation
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of the wicked and stands
in contrast to eternal life.
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So the historical application...
and I'm gonna have to hurry,
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is for the message to the
church in Smyrna - is to the
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post-apostolic (I get
that word out here) when
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Christians were viciously
persecuted by the Roman
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Empire in the ten days in
Revelation (ten, as I said,
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is the short time that
Diocletian in A.D. 303,
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started this persecution
and it continued until A.D. 313
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when Constantine the
Great issued the Edict of Milan
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which granted the
Christians religious freedom.
00:12:20.30\00:12:23.20
Now, the church of Philadelphia,
I feel like I am an auctioneer!
00:12:23.24\00:12:28.31
Laughter... Philadelphia
means brotherly love and it
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was in it from
Sardis set amidst the center
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... it was promoted for
Greek language and culture
00:12:39.35\00:12:44.09
in the area of Lydia.
00:12:44.13\00:12:46.76
A severe earthquake
hit Philadelphia in A.D. 17
00:12:46.80\00:12:50.90
and, you know what?
Not only did it devastate
00:12:50.93\00:12:53.77
it then, but the aftershocks
lasted for 20 years afterwards.
00:12:53.80\00:12:58.17
Isn't that amazing?
00:12:58.21\00:12:59.54
So each time the devastation
would just get worse.
00:12:59.57\00:13:03.21
So Revelation 3:7-13 says...
"To the angel of church in
00:13:03.24\00:13:08.05
Philadelphia write, "These
things says He who is holy,
00:13:08.08\00:13:12.52
He who is true, "He who
has the key of David, who opens
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and no one shuts, and
shuts and no one opens."
00:13:18.33\00:13:21.66
This is from Revelation
1:18, when He says, "I have the
00:13:21.70\00:13:25.47
keys of Hades and Death.
00:13:25.50\00:13:27.54
I know your works. See, I
have set before you an open
00:13:27.60\00:13:30.17
door, and no one can shut it;
for you have a little strength,
00:13:30.21\00:13:33.84
and have kept My word,
and not denied My name."
00:13:33.88\00:13:37.45
"An open door" was a
metaphor for the opportunity to
00:13:37.51\00:13:42.22
preaching the gospel and
we know that this church,
00:13:42.25\00:13:45.39
in the historical application,
would be the revival
00:13:45.42\00:13:50.79
of Protestantism during
the 18th and 19th centuries.
00:13:50.83\00:13:55.96
And I'm out of time...
00:13:56.00\00:13:59.20
We need to pray for
that clock! I think we do!
00:13:59.83\00:14:04.01
So much to study,
so much to reveal,
00:14:04.04\00:14:06.34
so little time to do it in,
but we're still going to give
00:14:06.37\00:14:08.54
you the best juiced version
of the study that we can.
00:14:08.58\00:14:12.68
I'm going to continue our study
on to the church of Pergamum.
00:14:12.71\00:14:15.95
"Pergamum"
actually means "elevation,"
00:14:15.98\00:14:19.69
"acropolis or elevation"
because the city of Pergamum
00:14:19.72\00:14:22.66
was such a highly elevated city,
and I'm actually going to reveal
00:14:22.69\00:14:26.16
a few things about the city of
Pergamum throughout the study,
00:14:26.19\00:14:30.07
but I want to jump right
into the text because we have
00:14:30.13\00:14:32.67
so little time... Revelation
2:12-15, we're going to start
00:14:32.70\00:14:37.57
there and we're
going to start breaking
00:14:37.61\00:14:40.54
this down as we go through.
00:14:40.58\00:14:41.91
So Revelation 2
beginning with verse 12 says...
00:14:41.94\00:14:44.75
"And to the angel of the
church of Pergamos write,
00:14:44.78\00:14:48.02
"These things says He who
has the sharp two-edged sword:
00:14:48.05\00:14:52.39
"I know your works, and
where you dwell, where Satan's
00:14:52.42\00:14:56.49
throne is. And you hold fast
to My name, and did not deny
00:14:56.52\00:15:00.16
My faith even in the days in
which Antipas was My faithful
00:15:00.23\00:15:03.97
martyr, who was killed
among you, where Satan dwells.
00:15:04.00\00:15:08.57
But I have a few things against
you, because you have there
00:15:08.60\00:15:12.61
those who hold the doctrine
of Balaam, who taught Balak
00:15:12.64\00:15:17.45
to put a stumbling block before
the children of Israel, to eat
00:15:17.48\00:15:20.95
things sacrificed to idols,
and to commit sexual immorality.
00:15:20.98\00:15:25.82
Thus you also have
those who hold the doctrine
00:15:25.85\00:15:29.42
of the Nicolaitans,
which thing I hate."
00:15:29.46\00:15:33.03
So we're going to just
stop there, I'm want to go back
00:15:33.06\00:15:34.40
through and just kind
of unpack a few things
00:15:34.46\00:15:36.50
that we're seeing in this
particular text that we read.
00:15:36.53\00:15:38.93
First of all, notice how
it opens up by stating "These
00:15:38.97\00:15:43.07
things says He who has
the sharp two-edged sword."
00:15:43.10\00:15:46.57
I don't think we have to
go too far into this before
00:15:46.64\00:15:50.51
we realize who exactly
that's talking about...
00:15:50.55\00:15:52.25
of course, Revelation 1:16,
in reference to Jesus Christ.
00:15:52.28\00:15:56.12
Just a chapter before speaking
of Christ, it says, "He had
00:15:56.15\00:15:59.49
in His right hand, seven
stars, out of His mouth went a
00:15:59.52\00:16:02.29
sharp two-edged sword." Right
00:16:02.32\00:16:04.16
The same thing is
repeated in Revelation 19:15...
00:16:04.19\00:16:08.16
"Now out of His mouth goes
a sharp sword," talking about
00:16:08.20\00:16:11.10
Christ on the white horse
coming back for His people."
00:16:11.13\00:16:13.77
So there's no doubt, and
of course, I have to put it
00:16:13.84\00:16:17.01
in here... Hebrews 4:12,
it says, "For the word of God
00:16:17.04\00:16:21.28
... in the beginning was
the word and the word was God,
00:16:21.31\00:16:23.18
and the word was with
God, referring to Jesus.
00:16:23.21\00:16:25.01
For the word of God is
living and powerful and sharper
00:16:25.05\00:16:27.62
than any two-edged sword
piercing even the division of
00:16:27.65\00:16:30.39
the soul and spirit
and of joints and marrow,
00:16:30.42\00:16:33.05
and is a
discerner of the thoughts
00:16:33.09\00:16:34.62
and intents of the
heart. And there is no creature
00:16:34.66\00:16:37.43
hidden from His sight, but
all things are naked and opened
00:16:37.46\00:16:40.10
to the eyes of Him
whom we must give account."
00:16:40.13\00:16:43.00
So when it says that, right
here in this particular text...
00:16:43.03\00:16:46.53
"He who has the sharp
two-edged sword (this is
00:16:46.57\00:16:50.47
none other than Jesus
Christ representing Himself
00:16:50.51\00:16:53.64
as the coming word of God
in which we shall be judged).
00:16:53.68\00:16:57.41
Notice what verse 13
says though... and of course,
00:16:57.45\00:16:59.65
those words which we will
hear repeated over and over...
00:16:59.68\00:17:02.85
Not "I know your
faith," but "I know your works
00:17:02.88\00:17:06.25
and where you dwell
where Satan's throne is."
00:17:06.55\00:17:11.19
Now when I first read this years
ago, studying this, I thought,
00:17:11.23\00:17:14.23
"Oh man, that's interesting...
"where Satan's throne is."
00:17:14.30\00:17:17.07
And I just want to also
reference the end of verse 13.
00:17:17.10\00:17:20.64
Notice what it says toward
the end - I'm just kinda read
00:17:20.67\00:17:23.64
through that verse here...
"My faith, even in the days
00:17:23.71\00:17:25.47
in which Antipas was my
faithful martyr who was killed
00:17:25.51\00:17:28.14
among you, (there it is
again) where Satan dwells."
00:17:28.18\00:17:30.98
So there's something about
this Pergamum, this Pergamos
00:17:31.01\00:17:33.92
city, this time in
which Satan has a hold.
00:17:33.95\00:17:37.82
He has placed his
throne somewhere in the midst
00:17:37.85\00:17:40.39
of this particular
city, this particular church.
00:17:40.46\00:17:43.43
And so, I'm going to kind of
unpack this for a little bit.
00:17:43.46\00:17:45.73
And I want to kind of
approach this from the concept
00:17:45.76\00:17:48.76
of when Satan was tempting
Jesus because my mind went
00:17:48.80\00:17:52.47
to the time when Jesus
went into the wilderness...
00:17:52.50\00:17:55.50
Do you remember Satan took
Jesus to a very high, elevated
00:17:55.54\00:17:59.21
place - remember that?
00:17:59.24\00:18:01.01
Again, that's exactly what
Pergamum or Pergamos means,
00:18:01.04\00:18:03.81
elevation and he offered to
Jesus the cities of the world.
00:18:03.88\00:18:08.65
Jesus turned him down
because Jesus would have become
00:18:08.68\00:18:12.42
almost like Satan's vice
president, had he had done that,
00:18:12.45\00:18:15.36
and Jesus wasn't
about to have that.
00:18:15.39\00:18:16.86
But what's interesting
though... is while he offered it
00:18:16.89\00:18:20.13
to Christ but Christ turned
it down there in Matthew 4.
00:18:20.16\00:18:23.16
We see that the offer (check
this out...) prophetically,
00:18:23.20\00:18:26.50
see that the offer
is accepted by the first
00:18:26.53\00:18:28.67
beast of Revelation
13, by the way of Pergamum.
00:18:28.70\00:18:32.97
Now follow me for this for a
moment... I may have to take a
00:18:33.01\00:18:35.34
few extra minutes to unpack
this, but I just want to go
00:18:35.61\00:18:37.55
through this here...
Satan's throne, where Satan
00:18:37.58\00:18:41.02
dwells... Babylon was the
central hub of false worship
00:18:41.05\00:18:46.02
and paganism,
right? That's right!
00:18:46.05\00:18:47.39
Okay, now follow me with this...
00:18:47.46\00:18:48.79
Cyrus, who actually
overthrew Babylon through the
00:18:48.82\00:18:52.53
Meds and the Persians,
he was the emperor of the
00:18:52.56\00:18:54.46
Persian Army... Cyrus was a (let
me see if I can say this right)
00:18:54.50\00:18:58.97
Zoroastrian which is
a monotheistic faith.
00:18:59.00\00:19:04.24
Okay, now again, polytheistic
versus monotheistic...
00:19:04.27\00:19:08.41
When Cyrus came in
and conquered Babylon,
00:19:08.44\00:19:10.68
the chief Chaldean
pontiff and many of the priests
00:19:10.71\00:19:14.05
fled Babylon and guess
where they relocated? Pergamum!
00:19:14.08\00:19:18.32
And I looked this up
in history, it's accurate.
00:19:18.35\00:19:20.59
In 520 B.C. Darius I
executed many of the priests
00:19:20.62\00:19:24.99
that remained; some who
survived again fled to Pergamum.
00:19:25.03\00:19:30.67
Notice #5 here, on my list
here; in 482 B.C. Artaxerxes I
00:19:30.70\00:19:35.27
further massacred many
of the remaining priests.
00:19:35.30\00:19:37.64
At that time, Artaxerxes
destroyed their gods and
00:19:37.67\00:19:41.21
melted the image of the
sun god Marduk and once again,
00:19:41.24\00:19:45.98
Pergamum provided
refuge for these priests
00:19:46.01\00:19:47.88
and adopted their
religion and culture.
00:19:47.92\00:19:49.98
So by the time you
get to the year 67 B.C.,
00:19:50.02\00:19:52.55
Pompey made Mithraism which
had its origin in Pergamum,
00:19:52.59\00:19:58.33
(notice the common
theme) the official religion
00:19:58.36\00:20:01.16
of the Roman legions. Okay.
00:20:01.20\00:20:03.73
The eagle, the symbol of
the sun god - Mithras, was also
00:20:03.77\00:20:07.60
adopted by the Roman
legions as their ensign.
00:20:07.64\00:20:10.67
If you want the historical
reference of this, it's a
00:20:10.71\00:20:12.61
multivolume historical
set called, " A Historical
00:20:12.64\00:20:14.94
Connection of the
Old and New Testament,"
00:20:14.98\00:20:17.35
by Humphrey Prideaux, and
you can find it on page 145,
00:20:17.41\00:20:20.82
and 147, also 205-207.
00:20:20.88\00:20:23.65
So what you have here
is an interesting theme.
00:20:23.69\00:20:25.52
You have Babylon, Pergamum,
Pagan Rome, Spiritual Rome,
00:20:25.55\00:20:33.03
and then Papal Rome...
you can follow the influence
00:20:33.06\00:20:36.70
that Pergamum had all the
way from Babylon all the way
00:20:36.73\00:20:39.63
through to Papal Rome and
we will see this as we continue
00:20:39.67\00:20:42.24
on through to
Revelation 13 and onward.
00:20:42.27\00:20:45.71
But it's interesting when
it says that Satan's throne is
00:20:45.74\00:20:49.34
there - Satan, of
course, he's all about some
00:20:49.38\00:20:51.95
false worship and some paganism.
00:20:51.98\00:20:53.45
He wants to establish
that certainty of taking our
00:20:53.48\00:20:57.42
attention away from
the One True Almighty God,
00:20:57.45\00:21:00.59
and placing it on
anything and everything else,
00:21:00.66\00:21:02.79
and that's exactly
what Babylon was all about.
00:21:02.82\00:21:04.69
That's exactly
what Pergamum was about.
00:21:04.73\00:21:06.36
So when we read there,
where it says, Satan's throne
00:21:06.39\00:21:08.73
what's founded
there... where Satan dwells.
00:21:08.76\00:21:10.53
That's exactly what it's
communicating in that aspect
00:21:10.57\00:21:13.60
because it went from Babylon
to Pergamum in history there.
00:21:13.64\00:21:17.97
Then comes the
rebuke! Boy, time is flying.
00:21:18.01\00:21:21.04
Revelation 2:14-16
(notice the rebuke here)
00:21:21.08\00:21:25.01
"But I have a few
things against you because you
00:21:25.05\00:21:26.78
have there those who
hold the doctrine of Balaam,
00:21:26.82\00:21:29.25
who taught Balak to put a
stumbling block... (And we know
00:21:29.28\00:21:31.79
the story of Balaam, so most
of us for the lack of time here,
00:21:31.82\00:21:35.46
I just want to make
mention here Numbers 22 and 25,
00:21:35.49\00:21:40.06
all the way through, I
believe, to Numbers 31 and 33.
00:21:40.10\00:21:44.00
We have this interesting story
of the prophet Balaam being
00:21:44.03\00:21:48.17
kind of enticed by the
King Balak to curse Israel.
00:21:48.20\00:21:53.54
And the reason for this is
because Israel was advancing
00:21:53.61\00:21:56.44
towards Canaan and, of
course, Balak, the king of Moab,
00:21:56.48\00:21:59.11
feared that
paganism would be destroyed.
00:21:59.15\00:22:00.98
He wasn't going to have
that and so he convinces
00:22:01.02\00:22:03.39
this prophet and says, "Look,
why don't you curse them?"
00:22:03.42\00:22:06.09
He tried four times and
eventually, the only thing
00:22:06.12\00:22:08.82
could come up with was,
"Hey, why don't you send in
00:22:08.86\00:22:11.59
the daughters of Moab to entice
and to encourage and sweep
00:22:11.63\00:22:15.70
the men off their feet
and then they will fall into
00:22:15.73\00:22:17.53
idolatry and sexual immorality."
00:22:17.57\00:22:19.37
That's what the Scripture is
referencing here when it says
00:22:19.40\00:22:21.50
"Who taught Balak to put
a stumbling block before the
00:22:21.54\00:22:23.87
children of Israel - to
eat things sacrificed to idols,
00:22:23.91\00:22:26.68
and to commit
sexual immorality."
00:22:26.74\00:22:30.11
Now notice what it
says... "Thus you also have
00:22:30.15\00:22:32.55
those who hold the doctrine
00:22:32.58\00:22:34.18
of the Nicolaitans
which thing I hate."
00:22:34.22\00:22:36.28
Now this brings us
back to the Nicolaitans
00:22:36.32\00:22:38.42
which I talked
about briefly last week
00:22:38.45\00:22:40.32
in reference to Ephesus.
00:22:40.36\00:22:42.02
Now Ephesus turned away the
doctrine of the Nicolaitans,
00:22:42.06\00:22:45.43
and Jesus commended them
for that, and now you come to
00:22:45.46\00:22:47.76
Pergamum -
Pergamum is accepting it.
00:22:47.83\00:22:49.73
Let me read you a little
something about the Nicolaitans.
00:22:49.76\00:22:51.90
First of all, a couple of
historians... Irenaeus and
00:22:51.93\00:22:56.00
Hippolytus tell us that
the Nicolaitans were heretical
00:22:56.04\00:22:59.27
followers of Nicolas and,
of course, this was one of the
00:22:59.31\00:23:02.31
seven deacons
mentioned in Acts 6:5.
00:23:02.34\00:23:05.61
Now if this is
true, Nicolas apostatized
00:23:05.65\00:23:07.88
from the faith, okay...
00:23:07.92\00:23:09.65
The Nicolaitans were a
group who taught a radical
00:23:09.68\00:23:12.25
dualism between
the body and the soul.
00:23:12.29\00:23:14.86
They believed that
what is done with the body
00:23:14.89\00:23:17.06
cannot in any
way defile the soul.
00:23:17.13\00:23:19.83
Therefore, they taught the
believers are free from the law,
00:23:19.86\00:23:22.40
and they can do
as they please. Okay.
00:23:22.43\00:23:24.77
So, in other words, no
law, no discipline and so now
00:23:24.80\00:23:29.07
Pergamum has adopted this
mentality - Jesus is rebuking
00:23:29.10\00:23:32.34
them for it, in fact, He
goes on to say in verse 16...
00:23:32.37\00:23:35.21
"Repent, or else I will
come to you quickly and will
00:23:35.24\00:23:37.88
fight against thee
with the sword of My mouth."
00:23:37.91\00:23:40.95
You will be judged by the
word of God... in other words,
00:23:40.98\00:23:43.28
I can just imagine Jesus
standing there with a drawn
00:23:43.35\00:23:45.62
sword saying... "This or else."
00:23:45.65\00:23:47.32
But we know that with
love, He gives the promise.
00:23:47.36\00:23:51.29
Notice chapter 2:17, in closing
here... "He who has an ear,
00:23:51.33\00:23:55.46
let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches.
00:23:55.50\00:23:57.70
To him who overcomes I
will give some of the hidden
00:23:57.73\00:24:00.54
manna to eat and I
will give him a white stone,
00:24:00.57\00:24:03.81
and on that stone a new
name written which no one knows
00:24:03.84\00:24:08.21
except him who receives it."
00:24:08.24\00:24:10.75
I'm looking forward to
that time when Jesus is going to
00:24:10.78\00:24:13.18
give ME a white stone!
00:24:13.21\00:24:14.78
Amen! That was powerful
and it's the same promise...
00:24:14.82\00:24:18.75
the new name is the
same promise that He gave
00:24:18.79\00:24:21.66
to the church of Philadelphia.
00:24:21.69\00:24:23.63
I'm going to put a new
name on you and I think of
00:24:23.66\00:24:26.36
Revelation 14:1 where
the 144,000 have the name
00:24:26.39\00:24:30.23
of Christ and the
Father on their foreheads.
00:24:30.27\00:24:33.50
because they're going in, right?
00:24:33.54\00:24:35.84
We're going to
take a quick break.
00:24:35.87\00:24:37.37
Please stay tuned,
we'll be right back.
00:24:37.41\00:24:39.67
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Welcome back, we're going to
00:25:16.61\00:25:17.95
continue our study
on the "Seven Churches"
00:25:17.98\00:25:20.12
Jill has the church of Thyatira.
00:25:20.15\00:25:22.48
I do, church number four,
"Christ's Message to Thyatira"
00:25:22.52\00:25:27.36
We're in Revelation
2, this is actually the
00:25:27.39\00:25:31.39
smallest of the cities.
00:25:31.43\00:25:32.83
Thyatira was the smallest of
the cities, but it received the
00:25:32.86\00:25:35.83
longest letter from John.
00:25:35.86\00:25:38.73
The city was focused on trade.
00:25:39.60\00:25:41.67
They uncovered some
ancient coins that showed
00:25:41.70\00:25:45.74
a multitude of guilds.
00:25:45.77\00:25:47.14
They had linen weavers;
they had bronze workers;
00:25:47.18\00:25:49.71
they had potters; they had
bakers; and each trade guild
00:25:49.74\00:25:53.58
had their own patron deity.
00:25:53.62\00:25:56.02
They included feasts
and seasonal festivities,
00:25:56.05\00:25:59.09
but also a whole
bunch of sexual immorality.
00:25:59.12\00:26:02.96
So the Christians did not want
to belong to these trade guilds,
00:26:02.99\00:26:06.86
but yet they were
subject to economic sanctions
00:26:06.93\00:26:10.80
if they refused to
belong to these guilds.
00:26:10.87\00:26:13.84
We know that Lydia, seller
of purple, remember Paul and
00:26:13.87\00:26:17.14
Silas met her in Philippi,
but she came from the church
00:26:17.21\00:26:21.84
of Thyatira.
00:26:21.88\00:26:23.21
So as we look at these churches,
this is church number 4
00:26:23.24\00:26:25.45
in the progression.
00:26:25.48\00:26:27.22
The church of Ephesus which
Ryan, you covered so beautifully
00:26:27.25\00:26:29.88
last week, Revelation 2:6,
it says... "But this you have
00:26:29.92\00:26:34.42
that you hate the deeds of the
Nicolaitans which I also hate."
00:26:34.46\00:26:38.06
So the church of Ephesus
stood for truth and they did not
00:26:38.09\00:26:43.33
tolerate evil, evil
teachings or evil men.
00:26:43.37\00:26:46.80
But yet we know that
that church lacked love.
00:26:46.84\00:26:50.27
And then, Shelley, you
covered the church of Smyrna,
00:26:50.31\00:26:52.31
and Ryan, you just
covered the church of Pergamos,
00:26:52.34\00:26:54.81
the compromising church.
00:26:54.84\00:26:56.38
And this church, they
went from, remember the church
00:26:56.41\00:26:59.11
of Ephesus, they hated
the deeds of the Nicolaitans,
00:26:59.15\00:27:02.08
and they stood for truth.
00:27:02.12\00:27:03.62
Now we come down to the
church of Pergamos and they are
00:27:03.65\00:27:06.19
tolerating evil in the midst.
00:27:06.22\00:27:09.39
We come to the next
church, the church of Thyatira.
00:27:09.42\00:27:12.59
They not only
tolerate it, they teach it.
00:27:12.63\00:27:15.86
In Revelation 2:20-21,
this is part of the rebuke,
00:27:15.90\00:27:21.94
and then we're going to
back up, but I just want to show
00:27:21.97\00:27:24.37
the progression of decline,
as it were, spiritually,
00:27:24.41\00:27:27.88
in the midst of
these seven churches.
00:27:27.91\00:27:29.68
Each church... now, of
course, Smyrna was a pretty good
00:27:29.71\00:27:31.88
church - there was
no rebuke, but the rest
00:27:31.91\00:27:34.12
of the churches, as you go
through, you see this decline.
00:27:34.15\00:27:36.58
Hating the deeds of the
Nicolaitans, then accepting
00:27:36.62\00:27:40.06
them and tolerating
them in their midst and now
00:27:40.09\00:27:42.36
openly teaching false
doctrines and teachings.
00:27:42.39\00:27:45.76
Revelation 2:20... "Nevertheless
I have a few things
00:27:45.79\00:27:48.70
against you, because you
allow that woman Jezebel,
00:27:48.73\00:27:51.97
who calls herself a prophetess,
00:27:52.00\00:27:53.60
to teach and
seduce My servants...
00:27:53.64\00:27:57.01
(now seduce means to
deceive in the Greek,
00:27:57.07\00:27:59.51
it literally means to deceive)
00:27:59.54\00:28:01.51
My servants to commit
sexual immorality and eat things
00:28:01.54\00:28:05.31
sacrificed to idols."
00:28:05.35\00:28:07.72
So they went to
openly teaching this and then
00:28:07.75\00:28:10.95
we see the progression
as we get all the way down
00:28:11.02\00:28:13.49
to the church of
Laodicea, and you might think...
00:28:13.52\00:28:15.39
"Well, Laodicea is
not such a bad church."
00:28:15.42\00:28:17.29
Wait and find
out when we get all
00:28:17.36\00:28:18.99
the way to the
end here of the table.
00:28:19.03\00:28:20.83
Each one of the churches,
the description of Jesus
00:28:21.26\00:28:24.17
at the beginning of
this passage that He gives
00:28:24.20\00:28:27.24
to the church is relevant
for that particular church.
00:28:27.27\00:28:30.91
So let's look at the description
00:28:30.94\00:28:32.27
of Jesus for the
church of Thyatira.
00:28:32.31\00:28:33.98
We're in verse 18,
Revelation 2:18... "To the angel
00:28:34.01\00:28:37.58
of the church in Thyatira write,
"These things says the Son
00:28:37.65\00:28:41.22
of God, who has eyes
like a flame of fire,
00:28:41.25\00:28:44.49
and His feet like fine brass..."
00:28:44.52\00:28:47.19
So the three
descriptions I see there:
00:28:47.26\00:28:49.26
1... The Son of God.
00:28:49.29\00:28:50.63
2... Eyes like flame of fire.
00:28:50.66\00:28:54.00
3... Feet like fine brass.
00:28:54.00\00:28:57.03
This is the only time
the phrase "Son of God"
00:28:57.07\00:29:00.07
occurs in the
Book of Revelation.
00:29:00.10\00:29:02.34
It emphasizes His deity,
He has the right to judge
00:29:02.37\00:29:06.84
because He is divine.
00:29:06.91\00:29:09.01
He's coming to this church as
a judge... not as a high priest,
00:29:09.04\00:29:12.68
not coming to bring
comfort and peace because this
00:29:12.71\00:29:15.98
church
definitely needs judgment.
00:29:16.02\00:29:19.19
#2... Eyes like
the flame of fire.
00:29:19.22\00:29:21.89
You ever notice, Pastor
John, that it's hard to look
00:29:21.92\00:29:23.76
someone in the eye when you're
feeling guilty about something.
00:29:23.79\00:29:26.53
When you're trying to
hide something from someone,
00:29:26.56\00:29:29.40
you don't even want to
look at them because you
00:29:29.43\00:29:31.70
are trying to hide that.
00:29:31.73\00:29:33.07
Fire is often used in Scripture
as a symbol of God's judgment.
00:29:33.64\00:29:38.67
1 Corinthians 3:12-13...
"Now if anyone builds on this
00:29:38.71\00:29:42.88
foundation with gold,
silver or precious stones,
00:29:42.91\00:29:45.38
wood, hay, straw, each
one's work will become clear;
00:29:45.41\00:29:48.85
for the Day will declare
it, because it will be revealed
00:29:48.88\00:29:52.05
by... what's the word?
fire; and the fire will test
00:29:52.09\00:29:55.89
each one's work,
of what sort it is."
00:29:55.92\00:29:58.19
So fire reveals character.
00:29:58.23\00:30:01.00
Then again, the
third description...
00:30:01.03\00:30:02.60
"Feet like fine brass."
00:30:02.63\00:30:04.97
I think this church, in
particular in that time period,
00:30:05.00\00:30:09.20
had a lot of trade guilds.
00:30:09.24\00:30:10.57
There was a lot of
bronze and metal workers,
00:30:10.61\00:30:12.34
so they might even identify
with that description of Jesus.
00:30:12.37\00:30:15.94
But this also shows judgment
00:30:15.98\00:30:17.65
and strength for
trampling on evil and sin.
00:30:17.68\00:30:20.58
Now lets look at
the characteristics of
00:30:20.62\00:30:22.15
the church of Thyatira.
00:30:22.18\00:30:23.75
I see a progressing
church; I see a problem church;
00:30:23.79\00:30:27.82
and I see a
precarious church. Okay.
00:30:27.86\00:30:30.83
Now when we look at
the progressing church,
00:30:30.89\00:30:33.76
amazingly, they're
actually growing in
00:30:33.80\00:30:36.23
some Christian virtues,
even in the midst of all the
00:30:36.26\00:30:38.67
sin that's
rampant in the church.
00:30:38.70\00:30:40.60
Let's look at that... verse
19. "I know your works, love..."
00:30:40.67\00:30:45.01
(but incidentally, the
word for love is "agape" that's
00:30:45.04\00:30:48.51
the highest form of
love and it's the only church
00:30:48.54\00:30:51.51
that's commended for
love, and yet they have open sin
00:30:51.55\00:30:54.08
that they are teaching
their false doctrines, okay)
00:30:54.15\00:30:57.22
"I know your works,
love, service, faith and your
00:30:57.25\00:31:00.99
patience; and as for your works,
00:31:01.02\00:31:03.36
the last are
more than the first."
00:31:03.43\00:31:05.06
So this church is actually
growing in some Christian
00:31:05.09\00:31:09.16
virtues, but at the same time,
the rebuke comes from Jesus.
00:31:09.20\00:31:13.03
There is a
problem in this church.
00:31:13.07\00:31:15.80
That is that the woman, Jezebel,
who calls herself a prophetess,
00:31:15.84\00:31:19.84
is teaching and
deceiving people. Wow!
00:31:19.87\00:31:22.68
Who is Jezebel? She was
a wicked queen, we know,
00:31:22.71\00:31:25.68
in the Old Testament,
who was married to King Ahab.
00:31:25.71\00:31:29.12
And Jezebel
sponsored the worship of Baal.
00:31:29.15\00:31:32.12
She was kind of over the
worship of Baal there in Israel.
00:31:32.15\00:31:35.66
We see here the union, as
it were, of church and state.
00:31:35.69\00:31:39.36
The union of Jezebel with
that religious false teaching
00:31:39.39\00:31:43.50
with Ahab, as it were, the
state, and if you look at the
00:31:43.53\00:31:46.90
church of Thyatira, it
symbolizes the church of
00:31:46.97\00:31:50.24
the dark ages from
538 through the 1500s when
00:31:50.27\00:31:55.24
there was false teaching
united with the Roman Church,
00:31:55.28\00:31:59.78
but united with kingly
power and there was such control
00:31:59.81\00:32:04.12
over the people
during that time.
00:32:04.19\00:32:05.89
So the problem church - they had
two major issues in this church.
00:32:07.72\00:32:10.99
First was the
tolerance of open sin.
00:32:11.03\00:32:14.63
They encouraged sin, they openly
taught it, Jezebel taught it.
00:32:14.66\00:32:18.80
Now this is the opposite of
Ephesus - remember the church
00:32:18.83\00:32:21.10
of Ephesus stood for
truth while neglecting love.
00:32:21.14\00:32:24.71
The church of Thyatira
holds on to love and they
00:32:24.74\00:32:28.41
neglect truth.
00:32:28.44\00:32:29.78
I would submit to you
that both of them are wrong.
00:32:29.81\00:32:32.68
In the Seventh-day Adventist
Church, this is the denomination
00:32:32.71\00:32:35.75
that we're a part of... when
I grew up, I was taught that
00:32:35.78\00:32:38.85
there is no
unity apart from truth.
00:32:38.89\00:32:41.46
We need to hold on to our
doctrines, they need to be pure.
00:32:41.49\00:32:45.03
We need to preserve
the truth at all costs.
00:32:45.06\00:32:47.66
And then our church and
many denominations swung
00:32:47.73\00:32:50.20
in the opposite direction
and they said, "relationships
00:32:50.23\00:32:53.07
are more important than truth."
00:32:53.10\00:32:55.44
We need to hold on to
relationships at all cost.
00:32:55.47\00:32:58.94
This camp says "It
doesn't matter who you hurt."
00:32:58.97\00:33:02.01
This camp says "It doesn't
matter what you believe."
00:33:02.04\00:33:04.85
This camp says, "It
doesn't matter who you step on."
00:33:04.88\00:33:08.12
This camp says, "It
doesn't matter what you teach."
00:33:08.15\00:33:11.05
This camp says,
"It doesn't matter
00:33:11.09\00:33:12.55
how you preserve the truth.
00:33:12.59\00:33:13.96
And this camp
says, "It doesn't matter
00:33:13.99\00:33:15.46
how you compromise."
00:33:15.49\00:33:17.33
Both are wrong - as we
see in the church in Ephesus,
00:33:17.36\00:33:19.86
and the church of Thyatira.
00:33:19.89\00:33:21.70
We are to hold on to the truth,
but hold on to it with love,
00:33:21.73\00:33:25.03
and with humility.
00:33:25.07\00:33:27.10
So the first problem with
this church is they had this
00:33:27.14\00:33:29.14
tolerance of open sin.
00:33:29.17\00:33:30.51
The second problem is
they had a lack of repentance.
00:33:30.57\00:33:34.14
Verse 21... "I gave her
time to repent of her sexual
00:33:34.18\00:33:37.21
immorality and
she did not repent."
00:33:37.25\00:33:40.38
Instead of repentance often,
00:33:40.42\00:33:42.55
how often do we
choose to ignore sin?
00:33:42.58\00:33:45.49
We excuse it, we rationalize it,
we defend it, we even embrace it
00:33:45.52\00:33:52.49
and live in open rebellion
to the truth in the word of God.
00:33:52.53\00:33:57.77
This church is progressive.
00:33:57.80\00:33:59.67
It is a problem church, but it's
also precarious because they're
00:33:59.70\00:34:02.70
faced with a decision right now.
00:34:02.74\00:34:05.14
They can choose God and His
word and choose to repent of
00:34:05.17\00:34:08.84
the sin and the false teachings
that are in that church...
00:34:08.88\00:34:12.58
Or, they would be carried away
00:34:12.61\00:34:14.62
with swift and
complete destruction.
00:34:14.65\00:34:18.22
There's a promise to Thyatira
which I love at the end.
00:34:18.25\00:34:22.46
Verse 26... "He who overcomes
and keeps my works until
00:34:22.49\00:34:26.80
the end, to him I will
give power over the nations.
00:34:26.83\00:34:30.33
He shall rule them with a
rod of iron; they shall be
00:34:30.37\00:34:32.97
dashed to pieces like the
potter's vessels - as I also
00:34:33.00\00:34:36.27
have received from my
Father; and I will give him the
00:34:36.30\00:34:38.81
morning star."
00:34:38.84\00:34:40.28
Three take-aways in closing...
00:34:40.34\00:34:41.94
#1... Never take your
spiritual walk for granted.
00:34:41.98\00:34:45.25
Just because certain
virtues seem to be flourishing
00:34:45.28\00:34:48.02
in your life or in
your church community,
00:34:48.05\00:34:50.55
does not mean there
is sin or something else
00:34:50.59\00:34:53.52
underneath all of that.
00:34:53.56\00:34:55.29
#2... Acknowledge sin and
be willing to repent when the
00:34:55.32\00:35:00.23
Holy Spirit convicts you
of something in your life
00:35:00.26\00:35:03.87
or a teaching that
you are teaching that's
00:35:03.90\00:35:06.30
out of harmony
with the word of God.
00:35:06.33\00:35:08.84
#3... Make a choice
for Christ, choose His way.
00:35:08.87\00:35:12.74
Choose His will and
choose His truth! Pastor John.
00:35:12.77\00:35:16.85
Wow! Amen! That was very good.
00:35:16.88\00:35:18.51
That's sermon material right
there, I appreciate that Jill.
00:35:18.55\00:35:21.32
Which takes us now
to the church of Sardis.
00:35:21.35\00:35:23.59
Sardis is an amazing church,
it's a time where this church
00:35:23.89\00:35:29.86
exists during the Dark Ages
and what's amazing about Sardis,
00:35:29.89\00:35:33.80
it's a church with a glorious
history but the glorious
00:35:33.83\00:35:38.00
part of Sardis was more in
its past than in its presence.
00:35:38.03\00:35:42.20
It was synonymous to those who
will say... "You know, when I
00:35:42.24\00:35:46.34
was 25 years old, I remember
my walk with Christ," but they
00:35:46.37\00:35:50.71
could never make reference to
00:35:50.75\00:35:52.08
any present
experience with Christ.
00:35:52.11\00:35:54.75
This church had a glorious
history, but what had happened
00:35:54.78\00:35:58.02
with Sardis existing during the
Dark Ages 1565 to around 1740,
00:35:58.05\00:36:03.46
that's in the centralization
of the Protestant Reformation
00:36:03.49\00:36:07.50
coming to the forefront,
the battle between Rome and the
00:36:07.56\00:36:10.47
church heating up intensely...
00:36:10.50\00:36:12.60
Martin Luther catapults
the Protestant Reformation
00:36:12.63\00:36:15.77
along with all the
other pre-protestant reformers
00:36:15.80\00:36:18.81
and then the post
protestant reformers.
00:36:18.84\00:36:21.14
And right now, the Church
of Rome is at its height in
00:36:21.18\00:36:24.55
controlling society, so
because of that, Sardis had to
00:36:24.58\00:36:29.08
operate only as
it was allowed to.
00:36:29.12\00:36:31.85
It was a city that was existing
at the top of a steep hill,
00:36:31.89\00:36:35.29
and it had walls surrounding
the city - which was a very
00:36:35.32\00:36:38.36
spiritual application.
00:36:38.39\00:36:40.30
It says that the walls
were guarded but carelessly.
00:36:40.33\00:36:43.97
And, you know, that reminds me
of our relationship with Christ.
00:36:44.03\00:36:47.10
You may have walls
that govern the parameter
00:36:47.14\00:36:50.47
of your worship of God,
but if you guard those walls
00:36:50.51\00:36:53.07
carelessly, anything could
come in and begin to chisel
00:36:53.11\00:36:56.54
away in at your
relationship with Christ.
00:36:56.58\00:36:58.51
The other thing about
the message to Sardis was
00:36:58.55\00:37:01.75
that it was a message
in a spiritual situation.
00:37:01.78\00:37:06.22
It was during the
rise of Protestantism,
00:37:06.25\00:37:08.99
but Protestantism
was under the restraining
00:37:09.02\00:37:11.79
arm of Catholicism.
00:37:11.83\00:37:13.56
So it could only do so
much, and then Romanism
00:37:13.63\00:37:17.50
catapulted the
Counter Reformation which was
00:37:17.57\00:37:21.07
while they were trying to
push us back to the Bible,
00:37:21.10\00:37:23.27
the Counter Reformation
attacked Protestantism by
00:37:23.30\00:37:26.17
saying... "Let's go back
to art and music and math,
00:37:26.21\00:37:28.58
and science.
00:37:28.61\00:37:29.94
So the church is being
stifled and the church,
00:37:29.98\00:37:32.85
while it's not being
able to breathe and thrive
00:37:33.52\00:37:36.25
the way it should, it's
now disintegrating into a
00:37:36.28\00:37:38.52
lifeless formalism and a state
of spiritual complacency. Yes.
00:37:38.55\00:37:44.83
So when you lose the
fervor and, secondly, when
00:37:44.86\00:37:50.07
you give into the
circumstances surrounding you,
00:37:50.13\00:37:52.80
and you say, "Well, I
cannot be a Christian because
00:37:52.83\00:37:54.80
I'm being oppressed by
surrounding circumstances,
00:37:54.84\00:37:58.31
look back at
Elisha, look back at Paul,
00:37:58.34\00:38:00.64
look back at John the Baptist,
look back at Old Testament
00:38:00.71\00:38:02.94
prophets who thrived in
the midst of complacency
00:38:02.98\00:38:06.75
and apostasy.
00:38:06.78\00:38:08.12
We must never allow our
surrounding circumstances
00:38:08.15\00:38:11.75
to define our
relationship with Christ.
00:38:11.79\00:38:14.36
That was what Sardis was
guilty of... they allowed
00:38:14.39\00:38:17.56
the formalism around
them, then they disintegrated
00:38:17.59\00:38:20.93
from spiritual to rationalism
and secularism because
00:38:20.96\00:38:25.50
secularism was
pouring into the church...
00:38:25.53\00:38:28.47
art, cathedrals with
stained glass, music, science.
00:38:28.50\00:38:32.11
The devil did everything
he could to get them away,
00:38:32.14\00:38:34.41
and that's why you
have to really be careful...
00:38:34.44\00:38:37.15
I just saw a report
where a schoolteacher wrote a
00:38:37.18\00:38:40.42
booklet, I mean a book actually,
saying that people that
00:38:40.45\00:38:43.32
focus on getting all A's
in college, really are not the
00:38:43.39\00:38:46.79
ones that change the
world because they're focused on
00:38:46.86\00:38:49.62
academic achievement,
they're focused on academic
00:38:49.66\00:38:51.86
excellence when they
lose creativity. That's true!
00:38:51.89\00:38:54.40
He said those with the
lower grades tend to be the ones
00:38:54.76\00:38:56.53
that shape society.
00:38:56.56\00:38:57.90
Steve Jobs graduated
with a 2.3 GPA. Steve Jobs!
00:38:57.93\00:39:04.14
And he talked about
all these people that are
00:39:04.17\00:39:06.51
famous and movers and
shakers of the world and
00:39:06.54\00:39:08.51
he said, "They had low
education, they hardly had
00:39:08.54\00:39:10.88
any, but look how
they changed the world."
00:39:10.91\00:39:12.81
So what happened with
Sardis was they were able to
00:39:12.85\00:39:16.62
be redirected away from
their relationship, but the
00:39:16.65\00:39:21.12
relationship thrived with
the secular society and the
00:39:21.16\00:39:25.23
rational thought
coming into the world...
00:39:25.26\00:39:27.03
philosophy, psychology grew
tremendously during this time.
00:39:27.03\00:39:31.80
The church was being
stifled, not only that,
00:39:31.83\00:39:34.04
they gave up the
gospel commission.
00:39:34.07\00:39:35.90
Instead of preaching the
gospel commission of salvation,
00:39:35.97\00:39:38.24
they gave in to creedal
and philosophical arguments...
00:39:38.27\00:39:42.34
which you know, when
you read the Book of Romans,
00:39:42.38\00:39:43.85
Paul, he tried to fight against
all the Greeks with Greece.
00:39:43.88\00:39:47.22
He tried to fight and then when
he wrote the Book of Romans,
00:39:47.25\00:39:49.88
he was SO frustrated, he says,
"I don't want to know anything
00:39:49.92\00:39:53.56
but Christ and
Him crucified. Amen!
00:39:53.59\00:39:55.72
Because you cannot win
an argument philosophically
00:39:55.76\00:39:57.99
with those who spend all their
time in philosophy. That's true.
00:39:58.03\00:40:00.40
It's just an act of futility.
00:40:00.43\00:40:03.23
The church of Sardis
began becoming creedal and
00:40:03.26\00:40:05.87
philosophical and
they started slipping.
00:40:05.90\00:40:07.97
That's why the Bible,
when it says here, listen to
00:40:08.00\00:40:12.14
Revelation 3:1, He says, in
the middle... "You have a name
00:40:13.74\00:40:17.75
that you are
alive but you are dead."
00:40:17.78\00:40:20.88
And that could happen
easily - it's a rebuke
00:40:20.92\00:40:24.29
and also a caution to us as
Adventists because we have a
00:40:24.32\00:40:27.52
powerful message, but
if we allow our message to
00:40:27.56\00:40:30.19
descend into
formalism, if we put more
00:40:30.23\00:40:32.43
focus on philosophical
reasoning about our message,
00:40:32.46\00:40:35.90
rather than spiritual
exercise in our own lives,
00:40:35.93\00:40:38.93
then we could descend
into winning an argument
00:40:38.97\00:40:42.04
but losing our connection
with Christ. That's true!
00:40:42.07\00:40:44.81
That's what could happen!
00:40:44.84\00:40:46.17
I want to make sure that all
the points of my philosophical
00:40:47.11\00:40:49.31
argument are tight but
I don't know who Jesus is
00:40:49.34\00:40:51.61
because I rather win an
argument than win the person.
00:40:51.65\00:40:53.65
We have to be
very careful with that.
00:40:53.68\00:40:55.35
I used to be that
kind when I was young.
00:40:55.38\00:40:57.05
I would do
everything to win the argument,
00:40:57.12\00:40:58.92
but nobody would talk to
me when I got on the bus!
00:40:58.95\00:41:02.02
He's ready to argue, but
now I want to win the person,
00:41:02.06\00:41:04.56
show them the Christ in my
own life and let their heart be
00:41:04.59\00:41:07.20
transformed by what
Christ means to me. Amen!
00:41:07.23\00:41:09.50
But you don't throw away the
truth, as you said, you don't
00:41:09.53\00:41:11.60
throw away relationships for
00:41:11.63\00:41:12.97
truth or truth
for relationships.
00:41:13.00\00:41:14.74
A Christian has
Spirit and truth, John 4:23.
00:41:14.77\00:41:18.67
Not only that, the Lord
says, "Remember (verse 3 of
00:41:18.71\00:41:22.84
Revelation 3) how you
have received and holdfast and
00:41:22.88\00:41:26.72
repent; therefore, if you
will not watch, I will come
00:41:26.78\00:41:31.39
among you as a thief and
you will not know what hour
00:41:31.42\00:41:33.82
I will come upon you."
00:41:33.86\00:41:35.19
In winding up my section,
I want to bring that out
00:41:36.06\00:41:38.49
because there are
some significant points
00:41:38.53\00:41:40.66
that the Lord pointed out.
00:41:40.70\00:41:42.03
He wanted them to
remember how they have received.
00:41:42.06\00:41:45.37
What I've discovered
is... when you forget how God
00:41:45.40\00:41:49.97
has delivered the
message to you, it chisels
00:41:50.04\00:41:53.41
away at your gratitude.
00:41:53.44\00:41:54.78
You know, you could have a
powerful gift but you don't
00:41:54.81\00:41:57.41
even appreciate the Giver,
and you could say, "This is
00:41:57.48\00:41:59.95
a wonderful message but
I'm more concerned about
00:42:00.05\00:42:02.38
the surroundings of
my religion rather than
00:42:04.12\00:42:06.52
the person who I am
connected to. That's right!
00:42:06.55\00:42:08.26
They descended. In Deuteronomy
8:11... well, actually I'm going
00:42:08.29\00:42:14.00
to go to Psalms 102 and
Psalm 103, but I'll just go
00:42:14.00\00:42:18.43
ahead and read Psalm
102, I think it's Psalm 102:4,
00:42:18.47\00:42:21.17
remind me if I'm incorrect
because I put two together.
00:42:21.20\00:42:23.14
Read that for me
Jill, what does it say?
00:42:23.17\00:42:24.91
"My heart is stricken
and withered like grass."
00:42:24.94\00:42:26.64
Okay, Psalm 103:2, that's
the one... "Bless the Lord,
00:42:26.68\00:42:30.51
O my soul, And
forget not all His benefits:
00:42:30.55\00:42:33.05
Who forgives
all your iniquities,
00:42:33.08\00:42:35.75
who heals all your diseases."
00:42:35.78\00:42:37.15
So don't forget all the
benefits, don't hold the
00:42:37.19\00:42:40.56
benefits aloof from
the benefactor. Amen!
00:42:40.62\00:42:43.93
Don't forget that this
message is potent but don't
00:42:43.99\00:42:46.49
forget the
Christ of the message.
00:42:46.53\00:42:47.93
We could be so in
tune with the message,
00:42:47.96\00:42:49.53
we forget the Jesus of
the message. Absolutely!
00:42:49.56\00:42:51.27
And that happens sometimes
in the avenue of complacency.
00:42:51.30\00:42:54.00
The other one is... when
you forget, you make "self" the
00:42:54.07\00:42:57.74
focus and it
results in destruction.
00:42:57.77\00:43:00.41
Deuteronomy 8:11, He
says... "Beware that you do not
00:43:00.48\00:43:03.65
forget the Lord your God by
not keeping His commandments,
00:43:03.68\00:43:06.72
His judgments and statutes
which I command you today..."
00:43:06.75\00:43:09.88
Verse 17 of Deuteronomy 8...
"... Then you say in your heart
00:43:09.92\00:43:13.59
"My power and my might
and my hands have gained
00:43:13.66\00:43:17.06
me this wealth."
00:43:17.13\00:43:18.46
And so, sometimes
people are so successful,
00:43:18.49\00:43:20.96
that they
become focused on self.
00:43:21.00\00:43:24.17
When you lose gratitude,
self becomes the focus.
00:43:24.23\00:43:27.64
The third thing is verse 19 of
Deuteronomy 8, you have it Ryan?
00:43:27.67\00:43:31.91
Jill go ahead and read
it because you have it...
00:43:33.07\00:43:34.41
"Then it shall be, if you
by any means forget the Lord
00:43:34.44\00:43:37.45
your God, and follow other
gods, and serve them and worship
00:43:37.51\00:43:39.98
them, I testify
against you this day
00:43:40.02\00:43:42.38
that you shall surely perish."
00:43:42.42\00:43:44.62
Because when you forget,
it removes accountability.
00:43:44.65\00:43:49.16
When you forget... "I'm
not accountable to anybody."
00:43:49.19\00:43:51.09
And when you lose
accountability, the Lord says,
00:43:51.13\00:43:53.66
"You forget where it came
from, you're gonna perish."
00:43:53.70\00:43:56.00
"If you forget Me, it's
not going to be successful.
00:43:56.03\00:43:58.53
Also, it produces what I
call "reciprocal results."
00:43:58.57\00:44:03.44
When we forget God...
One of the things we say
00:44:03.51\00:44:05.81
is true... "I'll never
leave you nor forsake you,"
00:44:05.84\00:44:08.08
but the Lord
says... "If you leave Me,
00:44:08.11\00:44:10.25
I'll leave you...
Don't' forget that.
00:44:10.28\00:44:12.28
Go ahead and look at
Hosea 4:6, this produces
00:44:12.31\00:44:16.45
reciprocal results and,
you know, I didn't even get
00:44:16.48\00:44:19.62
into the repent part, but that's
how it works on this program.
00:44:19.65\00:44:22.82
Revelation is too
deep to be 10 minutes long!
00:44:22.86\00:44:25.23
That's right! But I'm
gonna hit it real quickly.
00:44:25.26\00:44:27.60
Hosea 4:6, it says, "My
people are destroyed for lack
00:44:27.60\00:44:31.00
of knowledge (but look
at this...) because you have
00:44:31.03\00:44:34.10
rejected knowledge, I
will also you from being priest
00:44:34.14\00:44:37.11
and because you have
forgotten the law of your God,
00:44:37.17\00:44:40.18
I will also
forget your children."
00:44:40.24\00:44:42.54
Have to be very careful,
you can't forget the Lord,
00:44:42.58\00:44:45.35
and you can't cannot
forget His law because it has
00:44:45.38\00:44:48.15
reciprocal results.
00:44:48.18\00:44:49.52
"You forget
me... I'll forget you."
00:44:49.55\00:44:50.99
So we must do two things...
Repent, and we must hold fast
00:44:51.02\00:44:54.82
whatever God has
given us, we must hold fast.
00:44:54.86\00:44:56.99
Why? Fight the
good fight of faith.
00:44:57.03\00:44:59.03
1 Timothy 6:12...
"Lay hold on eternal life."
00:44:59.06\00:45:02.40
We have to lay hold...
hold fast to eternal life.
00:45:02.43\00:45:05.03
And then, we've got to repent.
00:45:05.07\00:45:07.14
Why do we repent?
"Repent for the kingdom
00:45:07.17\00:45:11.51
of heaven is at
hand." Matthew 3:2.
00:45:11.54\00:45:14.84
Don't forget... "Repent for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand."
00:45:14.88\00:45:18.11
That's what the Lord encouraged
Sardis to get back to.
00:45:18.15\00:45:22.08
Amen! Thank you,
that was beautifully done.
00:45:22.12\00:45:24.75
Mine is really exciting because
it's "Christians in Laodicea"
00:45:24.79\00:45:29.32
and if there's any time in
earth's history, in any church,
00:45:29.36\00:45:33.60
that aptly
represents the end-time church,
00:45:33.63\00:45:37.13
it's the seventh church
there, so we can look back
00:45:37.17\00:45:40.24
and learn many lessons
from... I'm going to call it the
00:45:40.30\00:45:44.07
"original Laodicea"
because we've taken on that
00:45:44.11\00:45:46.84
the last church. Wow.
00:45:46.88\00:45:48.21
And so it's interesting how
God rebukes in all the churches,
00:45:48.24\00:45:53.05
but in Laodicea, it
seemed like He had no mercy.
00:45:53.08\00:45:57.05
Now I take that back...
God has mercy but He's like...
00:45:57.09\00:46:00.22
to some of them, "Well, you
did this or that," He's like
00:46:00.29\00:46:02.62
"You're wretched,
you're miserable, you're poor,
00:46:02.66\00:46:04.76
you're naked, you're blind."
00:46:04.79\00:46:06.73
Then also you say...
"What terrible sin is it...
00:46:06.76\00:46:09.66
that they did?"
00:46:09.70\00:46:11.13
Well actually, there's not
anything that He doesn't rebuke
00:46:11.17\00:46:14.94
us for some terrible,
serious sin, but it's basically
00:46:14.97\00:46:19.44
... well it wasn't about
adultery and sexual sins;
00:46:19.47\00:46:23.21
it wasn't about, you
know, alcoholism and drugs;
00:46:23.24\00:46:25.95
it wasn't about killing people.
00:46:25.98\00:46:28.85
It's about "You're
asleep." That's right.
00:46:28.88\00:46:31.59
Complacency. That's right!
00:46:31.62\00:46:33.66
And lethargy. Wake
up! You are asleep because
00:46:33.69\00:46:36.93
that is the
most damaging kind of
00:46:36.96\00:46:39.43
Christian that you can
have. That's right. Amen!
00:46:39.46\00:46:41.03
You see, He says, "I'd
rather you be hot or cold,
00:46:41.06\00:46:45.23
but you're lukewarm.
00:46:45.27\00:46:46.84
So I'm going to go back and take
a little bit of the history.
00:46:46.90\00:46:49.74
Laodicea was a wealthy
city during the Roman time,
00:46:49.77\00:46:52.94
but it was a city like some
of these others, it was a major
00:46:52.97\00:46:56.08
trade route that
connected it to other important
00:46:56.11\00:46:58.81
cities like Ephesus,
Smyrna, Sardis and so on.
00:46:58.85\00:47:02.72
But it was a textile center
and also, I thought it was
00:47:02.75\00:47:05.79
interesting - they even
had a medical school where they
00:47:05.82\00:47:08.52
produced eye salve.
00:47:08.56\00:47:09.99
So now as we're
listening a little bit about it,
00:47:10.06\00:47:12.56
you'll start thinking about
the rebuke a little bit later
00:47:12.59\00:47:15.80
on here starting with
verse like 14 through 22.
00:47:15.83\00:47:19.30
So here you have this and
it says also their banks were
00:47:19.33\00:47:23.81
full of money - so it was
considered a wealthy city.
00:47:23.84\00:47:27.11
And I think in verse 17,
we hear that when Jesus says,
00:47:27.18\00:47:30.75
"Try of Me gold in the fire."
00:47:30.78\00:47:32.85
But it's not surprising they
are termed as a wealthy city.
00:47:32.88\00:47:36.99
But an earthquake destroyed
the city in about 60 A.D.
00:47:37.02\00:47:40.46
and when Rome came in
to help them, they said,
00:47:40.49\00:47:43.93
"We don't need the help,
we've got everything we need."
00:47:43.96\00:47:46.43
"We have all the
resources, we don't need you.
00:47:46.46\00:47:48.93
We've got money,
we've got... I mean
00:47:48.96\00:47:50.87
everything you
want, we have it here."
00:47:50.93\00:47:52.80
They were short on one thing
that's most important though,
00:47:52.83\00:47:55.94
and that was water.
00:47:55.97\00:47:57.77
They had no water
period, so you have a whole city
00:47:57.81\00:48:01.44
that depended on Hierapolis,
a city some distance away
00:48:01.48\00:48:05.78
that literally brought the water
through aqueducts. That's right.
00:48:05.81\00:48:08.98
And so when this
water came from a distance,
00:48:09.02\00:48:13.09
guess what... that's
where that came from "lukewarm"
00:48:13.12\00:48:16.79
because it was neither
hot nor cold by the time
00:48:16.86\00:48:19.36
it traveled all this distance.
00:48:19.39\00:48:20.76
So when Jesus is saying to
those of ya, I'd rather you be
00:48:20.83\00:48:24.27
hot or cold, because you
take lukewarm water and it
00:48:24.30\00:48:26.84
really - you do want to get
rid of it... you want to spew
00:48:26.87\00:48:29.17
it out because I don't
know about you all, but I like
00:48:29.20\00:48:31.87
something to either be
hot or be cold. That's right.
00:48:31.91\00:48:34.21
And so here we are, we're
finding out that this church
00:48:34.28\00:48:37.35
that what had
happened is they have so much
00:48:37.38\00:48:40.52
... we're going to call it
"pride" because we don't need
00:48:40.55\00:48:43.25
anything, we have
everything that we need.
00:48:43.28\00:48:45.39
And I look at our own church,
so I have to come back and say..
00:48:45.42\00:48:49.42
"Okay, what are the similarities
between Laodicea of old,
00:48:49.46\00:48:54.10
and the seventh church today
00:48:54.20\00:48:56.73
which I think all of us believe
that we're living in this era,
00:48:56.83\00:49:01.80
this time in earth's history."
00:49:01.87\00:49:03.64
So we look at it and
there were a number of things
00:49:03.67\00:49:05.51
and one that kind of surprised
me was Domitian, the emperor,
00:49:05.54\00:49:10.51
he declared himself a
god... now while he was alive.
00:49:10.58\00:49:14.78
Now most of the time, you know,
somebody did that afterwards
00:49:14.82\00:49:17.45
and said, "Oh well, he's a
god," but Domitian, he says,
00:49:17.52\00:49:20.19
"Hey, I'm a god
and you worship me."
00:49:20.22\00:49:22.59
Now, you had a lot of
rich Christians in Laodicea,
00:49:24.26\00:49:29.33
I mean a lot of that
money in the bank was these
00:49:29.36\00:49:32.43
Christians, but Domitian
said, "If you don't worship me,
00:49:32.47\00:49:36.34
you can't buy nor sell.
00:49:36.37\00:49:39.34
There's organizations
you belong to and you're not
00:49:39.37\00:49:41.84
going to be in that
business organization
00:49:41.88\00:49:43.75
unless you worship me."
00:49:43.78\00:49:45.45
As you mentioned earlier,
he kind of excused the Jews
00:49:45.48\00:49:48.08
and some of the
others, but to Christians
00:49:48.12\00:49:50.29
... "You're going to have to
do this, you can't buy nor sell.
00:49:50.32\00:49:52.85
(And, in fact, it got so bad...)
if you continued to do this,
00:49:52.89\00:49:56.39
then we're going to kill you."
00:49:56.42\00:49:57.76
Now we, as Seventh-day Adventist
Christians, are living in a
00:49:57.79\00:50:01.40
time and here basically,
the similarities are, you know,
00:50:01.43\00:50:05.90
worship the image of the beast
and who am I going to serve?
00:50:05.93\00:50:09.74
And so that, for
several thousands of years,
00:50:09.77\00:50:12.21
has been the big question...
as to whom am I going to serve
00:50:12.24\00:50:16.75
today - do I serve
God or do I serve man?
00:50:16.81\00:50:20.08
And so I began to think about
it as a church and as a people,
00:50:20.12\00:50:23.35
we have some of
the most beautiful
00:50:23.39\00:50:25.15
churches anywhere in the world.
00:50:25.19\00:50:26.92
We have a health system,
John, an educational system
00:50:26.96\00:50:30.79
that's second to none
anywhere in the world.
00:50:30.83\00:50:33.50
We have churches that have
million dollar pipe organs.
00:50:33.56\00:50:37.10
Did you know that?
No. I've been in them.
00:50:37.13\00:50:38.97
I've seen them - I
said, "What does that cost?"
00:50:39.00\00:50:41.00
They said, "A million dollars."
00:50:41.04\00:50:42.44
And I'm like, well a little
synthesizer behind the curtain
00:50:42.47\00:50:45.41
now could do that and no one
00:50:45.44\00:50:47.54
would know it wasn't a
pipe organ, you know, but
00:50:47.58\00:50:49.48
we have all of these
things that appear to be
00:50:49.51\00:50:53.48
great and to be Christian,
but unless that health system,
00:50:53.55\00:50:56.95
that educational system - unless
those beautiful buildings are
00:50:57.02\00:51:00.16
winning souls,
they're spiritually useless.
00:51:00.19\00:51:03.46
Is that too hard to say?
Is that fair enough to say?
00:51:03.53\00:51:06.23
Although what happens within
Laodicea that these people,
00:51:06.26\00:51:10.77
the original, I'm going
to go back to the original,
00:51:10.83\00:51:13.00
they were dependent
on themselves because
00:51:13.03\00:51:16.67
"we have everything,"
we're kind of that way
00:51:16.71\00:51:18.61
as a church today and,
if we're not, it's because
00:51:18.64\00:51:22.34
we're in denial and we are
asleep, but if we wake up...
00:51:22.38\00:51:25.38
But Jesus says, you
know, that we should ask,
00:51:25.41\00:51:28.35
and here's the beauty of it,
as our time... I see what y'all
00:51:28.38\00:51:30.95
are saying about your
time because I haven't even
00:51:30.99\00:51:32.85
got started on my notes
yet, I made some notes here.
00:51:32.89\00:51:36.02
But the beauty of it
is... Jesus says, "Ask of Me,
00:51:36.06\00:51:40.26
ask of Me - so here
He talks about eye salve;
00:51:40.30\00:51:44.00
He talks about, Why
don't you get the kind of gold
00:51:44.03\00:51:46.67
that comes from your
faith, that will last forever.
00:51:46.70\00:51:50.91
Jesus is the living
water, so what happens when
00:51:51.81\00:51:56.11
... and I thought about
this, the likeness - just think
00:51:56.14\00:51:58.68
about every time you get
too far away from the living
00:51:58.71\00:52:01.52
water... you know, this
lethargy, this complacency
00:52:01.55\00:52:04.82
sets in - Laodicea
was too far away from it.
00:52:04.85\00:52:08.32
So we become lukewarm
and so we have to stay close
00:52:08.36\00:52:12.66
to Jesus in order to keep the
vision that - why are we here?
00:52:12.69\00:52:17.23
It's not about our buildings,
it's not about all these
00:52:17.27\00:52:19.43
beautiful things... 3ABN
is a great television network,
00:52:19.47\00:52:22.80
but all these cameras and all
the buildings, all the studios
00:52:22.84\00:52:26.17
really mean nothing if they're
not dedicated to saving souls
00:52:26.21\00:52:30.61
for the Kingdom
of God. That's right!
00:52:30.65\00:52:32.45
So I think about a
people that come to the Lord,
00:52:32.48\00:52:35.65
and the problem with
the Laodicean Christian...
00:52:35.68\00:52:38.99
you come to the Lord and
usually we come to the Lord
00:52:39.02\00:52:41.59
out of trouble... I
mean, if we're doing fine,
00:52:41.62\00:52:45.66
but people... "Uh oh, I've
lost this, my health is bad,
00:52:45.69\00:52:49.73
I may die; I better
look around and see if
00:52:49.76\00:52:52.60
there is a God and if there
is, maybe I need to serve Him."
00:52:52.63\00:52:55.60
You know, "I'm
bankrupt, I have no money."
00:52:56.44\00:52:59.14
Whatever reasons
- we turn to God.
00:52:59.17\00:53:01.81
And, people watch
- they're watching,
00:53:01.84\00:53:04.15
they watch what you do.
00:53:04.18\00:53:05.51
People want to see
when you accept Jesus Christ
00:53:05.55\00:53:07.78
as Lord and Savior -
how are you going to act
00:53:07.82\00:53:09.82
when you get into
a time of trouble...
00:53:09.85\00:53:11.85
when you get into rough time.
00:53:11.89\00:53:13.96
So now, we're doing
fine, but all of a sudden
00:53:13.99\00:53:16.09
our health gets good and
all of a sudden our wealth
00:53:16.12\00:53:20.30
gets better - we're coming
back, so we lose that first love
00:53:20.33\00:53:24.27
and that first love
takes us into that complacency,
00:53:24.30\00:53:29.00
that Laodicean - no
longer are we involved in
00:53:29.04\00:53:32.31
evangelism; no longer
are we giving our testimony.
00:53:32.34\00:53:35.34
And I want you to
ask, in closing here,
00:53:35.38\00:53:37.78
how long has it been
since your church has had an
00:53:37.81\00:53:41.45
evangelistic
series? Had a Ryan Day or
00:53:41.48\00:53:43.65
a Pastor John or somebody?
00:53:43.69\00:53:45.02
How long has it been
since you, personally,
00:53:45.05\00:53:47.42
have done community service?
00:53:47.46\00:53:48.79
We used to do that
when we were young.
00:53:48.82\00:53:50.23
We would keep how
many hours you did.
00:53:50.29\00:53:52.89
What are you doing for
the cause of God today...
00:53:52.93\00:53:55.76
other than just giving
money, that's great, we need it,
00:53:55.80\00:53:58.80
but God is asking for all
of us today and if we want
00:53:58.83\00:54:02.30
to be different; if
we want to be ready...
00:54:02.34\00:54:04.44
here's what Jesus
says... "If you ask of Me,
00:54:04.47\00:54:07.81
I stand at your
heart's door and I'm knocking,
00:54:07.84\00:54:11.31
and if you let Me, if
you'll open up your heart,
00:54:11.35\00:54:14.55
I'll come in,"
and He will save you.
00:54:14.58\00:54:16.22
So Laodicea - whether all
that, you know - the past means
00:54:16.25\00:54:19.89
nothing; the good part is
Jesus says that He will come,
00:54:19.92\00:54:23.29
He will dwell with us,
we can sit with Him on the
00:54:23.32\00:54:25.99
throne and we can rule and
reign forever if we're willing
00:54:26.03\00:54:29.36
to submit and commit our
life to the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:54:29.40\00:54:32.63
So it's my prayer today
that each and every one of us,
00:54:32.67\00:54:35.24
as far as looking at ourselves
individually, our churches,
00:54:35.27\00:54:38.67
remember that it's
all about evangelism.
00:54:38.71\00:54:42.48
I used to say, I had a
few words in my vocabulary,
00:54:42.51\00:54:45.25
but it's kind of
gotten down to one...
00:54:45.28\00:54:46.68
Evangelism,
Evangelism, Evangelism!
00:54:46.72\00:54:50.15
Stay close to the water.
00:54:50.19\00:54:52.49
Stay close, you
don't want to be lukewarm.
00:54:52.52\00:54:54.79
Stay close to the
water of life, Jesus Christ,
00:54:54.82\00:54:57.09
and when you do that,
your love for Jesus...
00:54:57.13\00:55:00.23
as long as you got love
for Jesus, if you have love
00:55:00.26\00:55:02.26
for Jesus, you'll have
love for your fellowman.
00:55:02.30\00:55:04.30
Then, go and tell
what He has done for you!
00:55:04.33\00:55:07.97
Your greatest asset is
your own personal testimony
00:55:08.00\00:55:10.91
of what Jesus
Christ has done for you!
00:55:10.94\00:55:14.21
Amen! Amen! Thank you
Danny, that was powerful
00:55:14.28\00:55:16.75
even though you
didn't get to your notes.
00:55:16.78\00:55:18.45
You know, something I
meant to say at the very
00:55:18.48\00:55:20.52
beginning is as Seventh-day
Adventist Christians,
00:55:20.55\00:55:24.19
we believe in the historicist
application of prophecy.
00:55:24.22\00:55:29.59
And the historist,
that just simply means that
00:55:29.62\00:55:32.96
prophecy follows the
flow of history from antiquity
00:55:32.99\00:55:38.20
till the end of time.
00:55:38.23\00:55:40.00
And this is what all
the reformers believed,
00:55:40.04\00:55:42.67
and in fact, it was the
anti-Reformation that came
00:55:42.70\00:55:48.01
up with the idea of
the futurism that so many
00:55:48.04\00:55:51.95
Christian
churches believe today.
00:55:51.98\00:55:53.88
We have just a
couple of minutes.
00:55:53.92\00:55:57.05
Please just give us a quick
00:55:57.09\00:55:58.95
recap or some
thought from your day.
00:55:58.99\00:56:01.39
Sure, absolutely... Well my day
was on the church of Pergamum,
00:56:01.42\00:56:06.33
and what really sticks out
to me, not just for the church
00:56:06.36\00:56:09.76
of Pergamum but other churches,
00:56:09.80\00:56:11.13
is that Jesus
encourages them to overcome.
00:56:11.17\00:56:14.14
He says, "To them that
overcome," and He gives a
00:56:14.17\00:56:16.47
beautiful promise.
00:56:16.50\00:56:17.84
You know, I desire to
overcome, as I know you do,
00:56:17.87\00:56:21.84
and as I know each one of
us here do and so to overcome
00:56:21.88\00:56:25.91
means you have to overcome
a struggle, a fight because
00:56:25.95\00:56:28.45
this is a fight and so my
prayer is that we will keep
00:56:28.48\00:56:30.89
fighting and we will keep
overcoming through Jesus Christ.
00:56:30.92\00:56:33.79
Halleluiah,
Amen! Thank you Ryan.
00:56:33.86\00:56:35.96
What I love about the
seven churches is that
00:56:35.99\00:56:37.99
Christ knows each
one of them intimately.
00:56:38.03\00:56:40.30
He knows their struggles,
He knows where they have
00:56:40.33\00:56:42.50
failed and He
offers encouragement;
00:56:42.53\00:56:45.20
offers hope; offers a
promise that they can overcome
00:56:45.23\00:56:48.64
and they can be victorious.
00:56:48.67\00:56:50.07
And the promise to Sardis is...
"If you overcome your lethargy,
00:56:50.11\00:56:54.58
your formalism, your cold
commitment, I will not blot
00:56:54.61\00:56:58.68
out your name
from the Book of Life."
00:56:58.71\00:57:00.75
There's only one thing
worse than having your name
00:57:00.78\00:57:05.35
blotted out of the Book of
Life is living thinking that
00:57:05.39\00:57:08.26
it's there and
it's really not. Amen!
00:57:08.29\00:57:10.46
And so I don't want to
live that formalism thinking
00:57:10.49\00:57:12.46
that somehow I'm there
but I've lost my connection
00:57:12.49\00:57:15.46
and I've descended
into cold formalism. Amen!
00:57:15.50\00:57:17.70
Though we're born in Laodicea,
we don't have to stay there.
00:57:17.73\00:57:20.44
Let's ask God for the
Holy Spirit and the Latter rain
00:57:21.20\00:57:23.94
so that we can be equipped
to go out and to win souls
00:57:24.01\00:57:28.38
for the Kingdom of God. Amen!
00:57:28.41\00:57:29.78
I have learned something
from each one of you today.
00:57:29.81\00:57:32.08
I want to thank you very much
for your investment of time.
00:57:32.11\00:57:34.95
And we hope that you
will join us next week
00:57:34.98\00:57:38.69
for Lesson 4 which
is: "Worthy is the Lamb"
00:57:38.72\00:57:42.19
The beautiful thing
about the Book of Revelation is
00:57:42.22\00:57:45.76
it is all about
Jesus and His soon return!
00:57:45.79\00:57:49.40
Our prayer for you is that
the grace of our Lord and Savior
00:57:49.43\00:57:52.30
Jesus Christ, the love of
the Father and the fellowship
00:57:52.33\00:57:54.74
of the Holy Spirit will be with
00:57:54.77\00:57:56.67
you today and always! God bless.
00:57:56.71\00:57:59.47