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Revelation Chapters 2 & 3 - "The Churches in Thyatira & Sardis" by Mission Ebenezer Family Church
Apocalipsis Capítulos 2 y 3 - "Las Iglesias de Tiatira y Sardis" by Mission Ebenezer Family Church
Revelation: Letters to the Churches - 9. The Church in SardisPassage: Revelation 3v1-6Speaker: Will Clifton
Pastor Ken Biggs | Wed June 11th, 2025 | Revelation (Sardis cont'd)
June 8, 2025Jesus' letter to Sardis Church must have been difficult to receive for almost all of its members. Sardis Church had a reputation in the community for being alive, but Jesus knew this was inaccurate, a result of people looking at their outward appearances. He rebuked them and called them “dead”, meaning almost all of them were apathetic Christians: half-hearted, complacent, going through the motions. Furthermore, their works were displeasing to God. They were a church with dead people, and dead works. Jesus commanded them to wake up, strengthen one another, remember and obey what they had received (and forgotten), and repent, or else Jesus would come against them unexpectedly, and discipline them. Fortunately for Sardis Church, all was not lost. Jesus knew there were “a few” (not many at all) vibrant Christians in Sardis Church that had remained spiritually alive, devoted followers of Jesus. Jesus praised these few for resisting the pull to follow the sinful culture of the city, and He considered them worthy. Jesus promised to walk with them, clothe them in white, protect their names in the book of life, and claim them as His own. The timeless theological principle: Jesus desires and blesses vibrant Christians, and will discipline apathetic Christians who do not wake up and repent. The application for us today is straightforward: strive to be a vibrant Christian, and ensure your firm commitment to Jesus is contagious.Revelation 3:1-6
The Corinthian Christians were undeniably saved, as Paul calls them saints (1 Cor 1:2) and brethren (1 Cor 3:1). Yet, they exhibited a persistent pattern of carnality, evidenced by their divisive behavior, internal conflicts, and failure to mature spiritually. Paul rebuked them for their immaturity and misguided allegiance to human leaders, which had fractured the church into competing factions (1 Cor 1:10-13). He then directly addressed their spiritual condition, describing them as “men of flesh” (1 Cor 3:1), signifying their prolonged carnality. He writes, “I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able” (1 Cor 3:2). This was an embarrassing reality for the Corinthians, for by the time Paul wrote to them, they should have progressed further in their spiritual walk. He then laments their ongoing carnality, declaring, “for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?” (1 Cor 3:3). The phrase “you are still fleshly” (ἔτι γὰρ σαρκικοί ἐστε, eti gar sarkikoi este) uses the present indicative, indicating a continued state of carnality. Here, the present tense describes customary or habitual action. Wallace notes, “The customary present is used to signal either an action that regularly occurs or an ongoing state.”[1] The Christians at Corinth were habitually driven by the flesh rather than the Spirit. This confirms that their failure to mature spiritually was not due to a temporary lapse but an entrenched pattern of behavior. Had their sinful patterns been proof of lostness, Paul would have addressed them as unbelievers needing salvation rather than carnal believers needing correction. Paul does not suggest they should question their salvation; rather, he exhorts them toward spiritual growth and maturity. The solution is not introspective doubt but a call to align their practice with their position in Christ.[2] Several of the seven churches in Revelation (Rev 2-3) exhibited patterns of habitual sin, as evidenced by Jesus' rebukes. The church in Ephesus, though commended for its hard work and perseverance, was rebuked by Jesus, who said, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Rev 2:4). The phrase “you have left” translates the Greek verb aphekas (ἀφῆκας), which is in the aorist tense, indicating a decisive act in the past. These believers had, at some point, turned away from their original love for Christ, and the context suggests they had not yet returned to it. Pergamum, while faithful to Christ's name under persecution, tolerated the false teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans, which led to idolatry and sexual immorality within the congregation (Rev 2:14-15). Jesus said, “I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality” (Rev 2:14). The word “hold” translates the Greek kratountas (κρατοῦντας), which is a present participle, denoting ongoing adherence to false doctrine. This wasn't a one-time deviation but an entrenched pattern that led to idolatry and immorality. Thyatira, despite its love and perseverance, was rebuked for tolerating “the woman Jezebel,” whose false teachings encouraged sin through idolatry and immorality (Rev 2:20-21). Jesus said, “I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols” (Rev 2:20). The word “tolerate” translates the Greek verb apheis (ἀφεῖς), which is a present active indicative, indicating that the church at Thyatira habitually permitted Jezebel's corrupting influence. Jesus called each of these churches to repent. To the church at Ephesus, He said, “Remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first” (Rev 2:5). Thomas notes, the church “had simply lost their bearings, like the prodigal son, and needed to regain them.”[3] Repentance (metanōeō) meant they were to recalibrate their thinking according to God's standard and redirect their behavior to righteous living. Repentance, according to Thomas, “Calls for a decisive change of attitude with its resultant action. It is a reversal of the status quo, a deliberate repudiation of former sins and a complete return to the standards and will of God. It is an appeal to begin at this moment a complete change. It calls for a quick and effective decision.”[4] Similar exhortations were given to Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, and Laodicea, urging them to change their minds and turn from their habit of sin and return to faithful obedience (Rev 2:16, 2:22, 3:3, 3:19). Jesus' warnings reveal the serious consequences of habitual sin, including loss of fellowship, diminished spiritual vitality, and potential divine discipline. Jesus said, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore, be zealous and repent” (Rev 3:19; cf. Heb 12:6). Habitual sin does not jeopardize salvation, which is secured by Christ's finished work. Instead, believers are called to address their spiritual failures through humble submission and reliance on God's grace, restoring their walk with Him through confession (1 John 1:9) and obedience (Jam 1:22). Dr. Steven R. Cook [1] Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics - Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament (Zondervan Publishing House and Galaxie Software, 1996), 521. [2] The Corinthian church struggled with a variety of sins, including sexual immorality (1 Cor 5:1-2), lawsuits between believers, greed, and a lack of brotherly love (1 Cor 6:1-8). They also misused their Christian liberty, causing others to stumble, and dishonored the Lord's Supper by indulging selfishly and even getting drunk during the meal (1 Cor 8–10; 11:20-22). Additionally, their pride in spiritual gifts, especially tongues, led to disorder in worship, as they prioritized self-glory over the edification of the church (1 Cor 12–14). These recurring sins reflected an ongoing pattern of spiritual immaturity. [3] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 1-7: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1992), 142. [4] Ibid., 142–143.
In this powerful exploration of Revelation 3:1-6, we're confronted with the sobering reality of spiritual complacency. The church in Sardis serves as a stark warning to us all - having a reputation for being alive, yet being spiritually dead. This message challenges us to examine our own spiritual vitality. Are we, like Sardis, merely going through the motions of faith? The call to 'wake up' and 'strengthen what remains' resonates deeply, urging us to revitalize our relationship with Christ. The imagery of white garments symbolizes purity and victory, reminding us of the transformative power of Christ's blood. As we reflect on our own spiritual state, let's remember that our God is one who can breathe life into dead bones. He offers us the opportunity for spiritual resurrection, challenging us to move beyond mere reputation to a living, vibrant faith that impacts every aspect of our lives.
TEMA: 5 SARDIS LA IGLESIA DE LAS CIZAÑAS(VNPEM IZCALLI 10 FEBRERO 2013)SERIE: LAS SIETE IGLESIAS DE APOCALIPSIS7 CONFERENCIAS La iglesia de Sardis era una de estas iglesias. Tenía reputación de estar viva, pero el Señor Jesucristo dijo que estaba muerta. La espiral descendente que reflejan esas iglesias, comenzando con la pérdida de su primer amor a Cristo de la iglesia de Éfeso y siguiendo con la mundanalidad de la de Pérgamo y la tolerancia del pecado de la de Tiatira, alcanzo un nuevo punto bajo en Sardis. A la iglesia de Sardis se le pudiera muy bien apodar “La primera iglesia de las Cizañas”. Era una iglesia dominada por el pecado, la incredulidad y la falsa doctrina. La iglesia de Sardis era una iglesia que también simboliza las iglesias muertas que han existido a lo largo de la historia, y que lamentablemente siguen existiendo en la actualidad. La apariencia de luz es solo una ilusión.
Assembly of Yahusha The Logos episode 78 Officiated by Bro. Jon Dizon 06-04-2025 ©2025 Assembly of Yahusha All rights reserved.#Yahuah #Yahusha #biblestudy #truefaithReproduction of this audio or parts of this audio is prohibited without the written consent from the author. The objective of the Assembly of Yahusha is to proclaim, advance, propagate, share, and continuously disseminate the pure teachings of Yahuah God and Yahusha Christ to all of mankind. The Assembly of Yahusha provides weekly bible study classes and live worship services through online gatherings and organized Assembly of Yahusha groups. The mission is to proclaim and share the teachings of God and the pure gospel of Christ to everyone around the world. If you are interested in exploring what is taught, please contact the Assembly of Yahusha with your inquiries at info@aoy.today
Pastor Ken Biggs | Wed June 4th, 2025 | Revelation (Sardis)
Anthony Gammage preaches on Revelation 3:1-6 on Sunday, June 1st.To the Church in Sardis.
To The One Who Conquers Sermon SeriesThe book of Revelation is addressed to seven churches that reside in ancient Asia. In the seven sections that address each of these churches we discover that they had different strengths and weaknesses. The Lord addresses their righteousness and their sin and as we study the Lord's messages to the seven churches, we can discover His teaching for our life and for our church.Pastor Matt Clausen preaches from the Prior Lake Campus.
To The One Who Conquers Sermon SeriesThe book of Revelation is addressed to seven churches that reside in ancient Asia. In the seven sections that address each of these churches we discover that they had different strengths and weaknesses. The Lord addresses their righteousness and their sin and as we study the Lord's messages to the seven churches, we can discover His teaching for our life and for our church.Pastor Kenny White preaches from the Shakopee Campus.
Sunday Service (5/25/25) // Revelation 3:1-6 // Visit our website: https://mbchicago.org Follow us to remain connected: Facebook: / mbc.chicago Instagram: / mbc.chicago TikTok: / mbc.chicago Podcasts: Listen on Apple, Spotify & others To support this ministry, you can donate via: Zelle to: info@mbchicago.org Web: https://mbchicago.org/give Venmo: https://venmo.com/mbchurch DAF Donations: https://every.org/mbc.chicago PayPal/Credit: https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but... Revelation 3:1-6 (ESV) To the Church in Sardis3 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.“‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. 4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'#DanielBatarseh #Revelation #BookofRevelation #BibleStudy #mbchicago #mbcchicago #Bible #versebyverse #sermon #sermons #sermononline #bookofrevelation #bookofrevelations #revelation #revelations #newtestament #scripture #verses #lessons #church #chicago #livechurch #churchlive #chicagochurch #chicagochurches #prophecy #prophetic #jesus #jesuschrist
We're often content with appearances, but Jesus calls us to something deeper: true spiritual life. In Revelation 3, the church in Sardis had the reputation of being alive but was spiritually dead. This message is a wake-up call to shake off apathy, remember the gospel, and return to a life marked by repentance, power, and purpose. It's time to wake up, strengthen what remains, and walk in the purity and victory that only comes through Jesus.
Pastor Cody continues our series in Revelation 3:1-6 and the letter to the Church in Sardis.
Dr. Tom Curran continues to discuss 18 scripture passages that will change your life. Tom shares insights on how to overcome comfortable dissipation through disruption, breakthrough and transformation.Tom's List of Life-Changing Scripture PassagesI was caught up in spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind me a voice as loud as a trumpet, which said, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and when I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, wearing an ankle-length robe, with a gold sash around his chest. The hair of his head was as white as white wool or as snow,* and his eyes were like a fiery flame. His feet were like polished brass refined in a furnace,* and his voice was like the sound of rushing water.In his right hand he held seven stars. A sharp two-edged sword came out of his mouth, and his face shone like the sun at its brightest.When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead.* He touched me with his right hand and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last, the one who lives. Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I hold the keys to death and the netherworld. (Rev 1: 10-18)For Zion's sake I will not be silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not keep still, Until her vindication shines forth like the dawn and her salvation like a burning torch. Nations shall behold your vindication, and all kings your glory; You shall be called by a new name bestowed by the mouth of the LORD. You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No more shall you be called “Forsaken,” nor your land called “Desolate,” But you shall be called “My Delight is in her,” and your land “Espoused.” For the LORD delights in you, and your land shall be espoused. For as a young man marries a virgin, your Builder shall marry you; And as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you. (Isa 62: 1-5)Look! I am bringing the city recovery and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them an abundance of lasting peace. I will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel, and rebuild them as they were in the beginning. I will purify them of all the guilt they incurred by sinning against me; I will forgive all their offenses by which they sinned and rebelled against me. Then this city shall become joy for me, a name of praise and pride, before all the nations of the earth, as they hear of all the good I am doing for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the prosperity I give it. (Jer 33: 6-9)
The Letter to Sardis, from our Midweek Bible Study: "What Christ Thinks of the Church" - 5.21.25 Taught by Nathan Gross. Presented by McGregor Podcast 2025 Visit Our Website at McGregorPodcast.com
Rev. 3:2-6 ... The church of Sardis had a reputation for being alive when in fact it was dead, as far as Jesus was concerned. Here on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast Dr. Mitchell will speak of the need to go on in the truth, and not to stagnate, but to grow into the full knowledge of the Lord.In verse 3, Dr.Mitchell shows how the savior calls a Christian to individual faithfulness to God's Word. The Savior says,"Remember,then, what you received and heard. Keep it and repent." The Lord is coming soon.Dr. Mitchell comments on the fact that the Lord know the names of those who are His and He will not blot their names out of the book of Life, but just the opposite, He will confess his name before the father and His angels. What an encouragement from the savior for one's eternal security.Here is Dr. Mitchell, Rev. 3:2.
The warning to the church at Sardis was to be vigilant in their faith and resist complacency. We too need to heed this warning and recognize that we are stewards for Christ's sake. Otherwise, we face the danger of becoming walking dead people: having the outer shell of a Christian without any spiritual life. VF-2045 Watch, Listen and Learn 24x7 at PastorMelissaScott.com Pastor Melissa Scott teaches from Faith Center in Glendale. Call 1-800-338-3030 24x7 to leave a message for Pastor Scott. You may make reservations to attend a live service, leave a prayer request or make a commitment. Pastor Scott appreciates messages and reads them often during live broadcasts. Follow @Pastor_Scott on Twitter and visit her official Facebook page @Pastor.M.Scott. Download Pastor Scott's "Understand the Bible" app for iPhone, iPad and iPod at the Apple App Store and for Android devices in the Google Store. Pastor Scott can also be seen 24x7 on Roku and Amazon Fire on the "Understand the Bible?" channel. ©2025 Pastor Melissa Scott, Ph.D., All Rights Reserved
Welcome to the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast.As we continue our study in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, we are now in chapter 3..the church at Sardis. The Lord again identifies Himself with this statement: "The Words of Him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars."As we look at the first 3 verses, we see that the Lord knows about them. His instruction to this church is found in 4 statements. He told them, "Wake up", "strengthen what remains", "remember what you have received" and "keep what you have heard".Here is Dr. Mitchell, Rev. 3 verse 1.
Have you ever been surprised in a relationship? You thought everything was going well only to find out the other person had major issues. Or perhaps as you got to know someone you realized they aren't who you thought they were. It's one thing to be surprised by someone else. It's a whole 'nother level when you discover you're surprised by...you! Today we again pick up the series in Revelation exploring the personalized letters from Jesus to seven unique churches. In today's letter, Jesus shocks the church of Sardis with the revelation that everything is not as it seems, and they are facing a peril they didn't see coming. Discover that Jesus knows your situation and knows what needs to be done to make every believer and congregation survive and thrive in Part Five of 7 Letters to 7 Churches.
Sardis es la iglesia que tenía apariencia de vida, pero estaba espiritualmente muerta. Este devocional nos confronta con una realidad incómoda: ¿es posible tener una vida cristiana activa por fuera, pero vacía por dentro? Jesús nos llama a velar, afirmar lo que está por morir y a recordar lo que hemos recibido. El Espíritu Santo es el único que da vida verdadera, despierta nuestros sentidos espirituales y mantiene nuestra fe encendida.
Matt Crow, High School Pastor
Matt Crow, High School Pastor
“Alpha to Omega & In Our Midst,” pt 5 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ […]
James Jordan on the churches at Sardis and Philadelphia in Revelation 3. To listen to this ENTIRE series right now (with class notes!), download the Theopolis App! Use the code "theopolitan" to get your first month for FREE. app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu
In our vocation, in our relationships, and in our walk with Christ, experience very often leads to complacency. In Revelation chapter three, Jesus dictates a letter to the church at Sardis. Although the church had a good public reputation, the Lord knew most of its members had grown complacent. Sardis was a dead church, but as you'll see today, the news wasn't all bad. Stay with us now as Ron moves ahead in his teaching series, “Ready For His Return,” based on Revelation chapters 1-3.
April 27th, 2025 If you'd like to get in touch with us, email us at: kerkefree@gmail.comDon't miss an episode by subscribing or following.
It may be nice to have a good public image. But ultimately, you're not defined by what people think you are, but by what God says you are. The New Testament church in Sardis had something of a good reputation. By all appearances, it was vibrant and alive. But Jesus saw through the facade, and in Revelation chapter three, He calls them a dead church. What did He mean by that proclamation? What are the traits of a lifeless church? Ron has answers next, as he continues his teaching series, “Ready for His Return,” based on Revelation chapters 1-3.
Bearing the Fruit of Christ (3) (audio) David Eells – 4/30/25 I'm going to pick up where I left off in part 2 and continue speaking about bearing the fruit of Christ in part 3. The “love” chapter in 1 Corinthians has a lot to say about perfection and, while we won't delve too deeply into all of that now, I would like to point out a couple of things there to you: (1Co.13:9) For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; (10) but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. (11) When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. Notice, “when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.” What is he talking about? A lot of people say, “Oh, this is talking about the Gospel, when He came”; or “When Jesus comes again.” No, he's talking about you. You put away childish things “when that which is perfect is come,” as you mature. (12) For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face…. There it is, right there. “When that which is perfect is come,” you see in the mirror clearly, “face to face,” Jesus Christ. As we are told, But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit (2Co.3:18). We see Jesus face to face by faith now, but the more we grow, the more we see Him maturely, purely and perfectly. It's definitely not talking about the physical coming of Jesus. It's talking about Him coming in you. And he goes on to say, (1Co.13:12) … Now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known. And we were fully known before the foundation of the world. Remember, Jesus says to those who don't arrive at any form of fruit, “I never knew you” (Mat.7:23). He didn't know them before the foundation of the world. But Paul says, “When that which is perfect is come, I'm going to know, even as I was fully known.” He's talking about you coming into the pure, true revelation of Christ. (1Co.13:13) But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three: and the greatest of these is love. We're coming into His image, we're looking into His love, we're coming into His faith and we're coming into His hope because it's all been given to us from the foundation of the world. God is going to finish the good work He started in us. We should continue to hold fast the glorying of our hope firm unto the end because this is His plan. We're just entering into it. First, with our understanding, because we have to know what to exercise our faith in, we have to seek the Word to know what our opportunity is. Then, once we're convinced of the Will of God, we can stand in the faith and stay firm. If a person is not convinced that something is the Word of God, they're not going to be able to endure in their faith unto the end. They're not going to be patient in their faith to receive perfection, as James 1 says. We need to be convinced from the Scriptures that it's the Will of God for us to be perfect; what the Bible calls perfect, not necessarily what men call perfect. That's why I like to look at a lot of Scriptures and study them. I don't have to be a great preacher because God already said it very well. So I think that as we continue to look at what He said and put that in our heart, He's able to bring it to pass through our faith. He'll bring it to our remembrance, and faith cometh of hearing and hearing by the Word. (1Co.2:6) We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown (or “perfect”; it's the same word): yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought. The rulers of God's people didn't understand this wisdom, either. Remember the Pharisees, reputed to be the leaders of God's people, who were supposed to be leading God's people in the Word, didn't know it or Him. (7) But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, [even] the [wisdom] that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory: (8) which none of the rulers of this world hath known; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Amazingly, the leaders of God's people did not know this hidden mystery of “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” but those poor, ignorant disciples walked with Jesus. They had this mystery of the Kingdom. The leaders of Judaism crucified Him, but those simple men had this revelation because they walked with Jesus. And history is going to repeat. I tell you right now that the majority of the leaders of Christianity will do exactly as they have done throughout history. They will lead God's people astray. They don't understand the mystery that has been hidden for ages. Paul spoke about “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” That's the real and true Gospel. It's our opportunity to come into perfection, and the leaders don't understand it. Once again, they will crucify the Lord of glory. (Heb.6:6) … They crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. They will do it again because history always repeats: (Ecc.1:9) That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Because they don't know the Lord, they don't know this mystery and don't understand perfection, they will come against the ones in whom Jesus lives. They will crucify Jesus again in our day because history always repeats, so that we have “the word of prophecy [made] more sure” (2Pe.1:19). The word of prophecy made more sure is the Word of God. The Bible is teaching us how the history of Christianity, which is a prophecy, will be fulfilled in our day. We just have to read and see what has already happened to know what will happen. There's been a cycle for God's people, as we just read in James chapter three, the cycle of life. Well, we're coming to the last cycle here, and the history that happened in the days of Jesus is going to be repeated. The Lord spoke that to me many years ago – that everything that happened in the time of Christ and His disciples, in the time of the Gospels and in the Book of Acts, is going to happen again. Today, however, it will take place on a worldwide stage, with the New Testament people of God, who are worldwide. Do you want God's perfection? He is the One Who is going to manifest His sons in these days. (Rom.8:19) For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. And what is the manifestation of the sons of God, except Christ, the Son of God, manifested in you? That is perfection. This is God's promise. We don't live anymore; Christ lives in us. That's “the good confession in the sight of many witnesses” (1Ti.6:12). This is what the world is waiting to see. The world sees a lot of lukewarm Christians and, for that reason, they don't have much respect for Christianity. But, if they see Christ, you know “the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light” (Luk.16:8). They see right through a lot of things Christians don't see. They see the hypocrisy in God's people. With our busy life we need to remind ourselves regularly of the principles of perfection through Christ: (Heb.5:11) Of whom we have many things to say, and hard of interpretation, seeing ye are become dull of hearing. (12) For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. (13) For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. (14) But solid food is for fullgrown (or “perfect”) men, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil. What is “solid food”? I remember the Lord saying, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me” (Joh.4:34). The meat is not just to understand, but to do His Will. The people who are on the “milk” are people who have not experienced “the word of righteousness.” To put it another way, they have not experienced walking in it, obeying it and doing it. But solid food is for the mature. Mature people are able to take the Word and put it to use. It's being manifested in their actions, in their will, in their motives, and so on. It's for “perfect” men. Here is a similar verse: (Rev.3:1) And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and thou art dead. (2) Be thou watchful, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die: for I have found no works of thine perfected before my God. Last time we saw that the works were only perfected in the people who were being perfected. Of course, imperfect or immature people cannot do perfect works. So He's condemning this group of people because, according to their works, they have “a name that … livest,” which is obviously “Christian,” but they're dead. These people are not living up to the name that was given unto them, and their works are not perfect. He said, “I have found no works of thine perfected before my God.” (3) Remember therefore how thou hast received and didst hear; and keep [it], and repent. God expects perfect works out of His people. We know we were perfected by Christ at the cross and now we're walking into it because it's our opportunity; it's ours to lose, too, by the way. What are works? Galatians chapter five speaks about the “works of the flesh” (verse 19) and the “fruit of the Spirit” (verse 22). Why compare the “works of the flesh” with the “fruit of the Spirit,” unless the fruit of the Spirit is also the “works” of the Spirit? The truth is that the fruit of the Spirit is our works. It's a manifestation of the Spirit through us. If we are Spirit-led, we will have Spirit-works. (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Let me remind you of one of the verses that we emphasized earlier: (Luk.8:14) And that which fell among the thorns, these are they that have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life, and bring no fruit to perfection. In Galatians, we have the fruit of “perfect works” and in Luke we have “perfect fruit,” so, as we see, these are synonymous terms here. We have learned that this word “perfection,” or telesphoreo, actually means “to bring to completion or perfection, with the end in view.” In other words, we have discovered that, as we “calleth the things that are not, as though they were” (Rom.4:17), as we viewed the end and claimed the end, that it was ours! (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord (which is the end in view), are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. We see here the end in view is Jesus in us. the power by we are receiving what God gave to us at the cross, which is perfection. “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” We've received this by faith and this gives us the power and ability to enter into it “from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.” Another verse that talks about arriving at the end that you've viewed as yours is (1Th.5:23) And the God of peace himself sanctify you (talking to Christians) wholly (holoteles, which means “perfection or completeness, unto the end”); and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (24) Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it. There is perfection. The Lord promised to do it because “faith is assurance of [things] hoped for, a conviction of things not seen” (Heb.11:1). As we believe and as we walk by faith, we arrive at that end in view, which is Christ Himself. God will bring it to pass. The Lord Jesus Himself said, “According to your faith be it done unto you” (Mat.9:29). We are trusting Him to bring us to that place. The most important thing is not to walk by sight, not to see your natural face in the mirror, but to accept what the Lord did for you. Repent when you see anything contrary to the face of Christ. Repent and turn your heart toward Him in faith. He will do the work. So, what is perfection? What is maturity? What is full salvation? What is the end in view? (Luk.6:40) The disciple is not above his teacher: but every one when (notice its “when,” not “if”) he is perfected shall be as his teacher. Who is the teacher here? Jesus! Notice that when he is perfected he shall be as his teacher, so we have something wonderful to believe for, don't we? (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. The Lord is the One Who's going to do this, but it's through our faith, and even that's a gift from Him. We have to renew our mind to see the gift of Jesus Christ that God has given to us. We're accepting His free gift, not on the grounds that we've earned it or have any ability or power to partake of it, but on the grounds that God has given Him to us, as a gift. And now Jesus is telling us that when we are perfected, we'll be as our Teacher. This tells us that it's very important who our teacher is. If we make religion our teacher, we're going to fall far short. If we make a certain denomination our teacher, we're only going to go to that level and we're going to stop, because they won't let us go beyond them. They'll judge us pretty harshly if we try. But if we make Jesus, the Word of God our Teacher then we can come into that image. So the best thing to do is to dig and study the Word, to find out exactly what it is to be like Him and to be a disciple. The disciple is not above his Teacher. He promised that a disciple, when he is perfected, shall be as his Teacher. Not all people called Christians will ever be perfected, but disciples will, because they're learners and followers, mathetes. They study the Master. They want to walk as the Master walked. Notice the promise is “when.” But that's for a disciple. There are many, many Christians, but not many disciples. Jesus made conditions for discipleship, and we need to study those conditions, too. Here's a similar verse: (Mat.10:24) A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. (25) It is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher, and the servant as his lord. Again, an awesome word that the Lord has given unto us. Many people would call that blasphemy, but the Lord Himself is the One Who spoke it and therefore we must speak it to confess Him and His power. We see that Jesus is “the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom.8:29), who also will become sons and daughters of God. We, too, are being “born” into His image: spirit, soul, and, ultimately, body. (Mat.10:25) It is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher, and the servant as his Lord. (1Jn.2:6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. To abide in Christ means to be coming into that place where you are walking as He walked, more and more. You're growing in the image and stature of Christ, and you're coming into that place. Let me also point out another verse: (Joh.8:34) Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. (35) And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever…. So there are some who are considered bondservants who will not enter the Kingdom; they will not be “in the house for ever.” They will not have eternal life because they're also bondservants of sin; only “the son abideth for ever.” Therefore we must be sons by faith or by manifestation. “Faith is accounted as righteousness.” There's a difference between a bondservant and a son. Let me explain something to you that the Lord explained to me. Every son is a bondservant and every son serves his Lord diligently, but not every bondservant is a son. A son is a special relationship. This is the heir we're talking about; they're not just a slave. Servants serve for one reason; sons serve for quite another reason. Sons want to promote their father's kingdom because they're also heirs of that kingdom, and they want to please their Father. He's their Father! Bondservants serve, many times, because they have to. Sometimes it might be just fire insurance to them. But to a son, it's different; it's personal when you're a son. And there are far fewer sons than there are bondservants. We see here that the bondservant is not going to abide in the house forever, but the sons abide forever. A son is a servant who has that relationship to the Father. I'd like to further point out the difference between a servant and a son: (Gal.4:1) But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all. Let's say that all who are called Christians are heirs. Some are children, and some are more and more manifesting sonship. Right now, he says, so long as the heir is a child, he's no different than a bondservant, even though, in reality and according to position, he's lord of everything. God has given us perfection at the very beginning of our walk. It's a free gift He's given unto us, and because we accept it by faith, we walk more and more in that position. What is perfection? It's Christ, it's sonship, it's the manifestation of the Son in you. This is God's plan. Reconciliation is an exchange of Christ's life on the cross for your life. “Reconciliation” means “an exchange.” God has given you His life and His blessings and taken your curse and your sin and put it upon the cross. Now we are entering into this because we believe in this. (Mat.9:29) … According to your faith be it done unto you. The Lord is manifesting this in us freely because we believe that we've been given sonship and not just the position of a servant. Here's another confirmation: (Pro.29:21) He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become a son at the last. Servants and children are equal, but the end result, which we're looking in the mirror to see, is sonship. (Gal.4:1) But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all; (2) but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father. That's true; we all start out in kindergarten, which is a lot of religions out there. They are just kindergarten. The Lord told me one time that religions are like playpens that are meant to be outgrown – we're supposed to climb over the bars. They build all kinds of bars around you to keep you in, but you can outgrow them. You can be mature, but in the meantime, there are “guardians and stewards” who keep the baby from getting in trouble. (3) So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world. “Rudiments” here means “elements.” The Greek word stoicheion means “first principles in a series.” Many people are really hung up under the “first principles,” as we read in Hebrews chapter five. They're staying right there; they're not moving from the “first principles.” But if you stay there, you're not going to grow up, and you won't bear fruit. Some people are going around in little religious circles with the same old things, not stretching forth to grow in the fullness of the Word of God. (Gal.4:4) But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, (5) that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Heb.7:19) (For the law made nothing perfect)….If you're under the Law, you'll never come to perfection. We're all in a relationship with God, brethren. Grace is the right relationship. We need His grace and His power to work in us. The Law is actuated by our own works, but we receive grace through faith, and then God works the work in us. (Php.2:13) For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. We need to get out from under the Law, otherwise, we'll always stay a child and bondservant. (Gal.4:6) And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Now, what does “because ye are sons” mean? The answer is here: (Gal.3:25) But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a tutor. (26) For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. (Rom.8:19) For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. That's the manifestation of the sons of God. This is the son of God by faith. We're sons of God by faith because now, in the New Testament, out from under the Law, we're justified by faith in believing that we don't live anymore – Christ lives in us. (Eph.1:4) Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: (5) having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. Remember, He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child Shall have him become a son at the last (Pro.29:21). This comes from both the Jews and the Romans. They had a procedure whereby they would adopt servants in whom they had particular pleasure, maybe if they didn't have a child of their own. They would adopt them as sons, the point being that the word for “child,” teknon, only emphasizes a birth, but the word “son,” huios, emphasizes a particular relationship with the Father. There are many people born into the Kingdom, but they never manifest sonship. They remain children all their lives. They never mature and don't bear fruit. If they believe the Gospel they will bear fruit. One thing that keeps children from bearing fruit is the Law, living under legalism. This is illustrated here: (Gal.4:7) So that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. So we see that, by faith, we are no longer bondservants; we're no longer children. We're sons because we come out from under the Law and into grace to enter into this. (8) Howbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods: (9) but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments (there's “first principles” again), whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again? (10) Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years. (11) I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain. They were going back under the Law and seeking to be justified by the Law, through their own self-efforts to keep the Law, instead of by faith. (Gal.3:11) Now that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by faith. So our life comes from faith. Now Paul was worried because going back under the Law cannot manifest Christ in us and it is not the nature of Jesus Christ to begin with. The Law is just “our tutor to bring us to Christ.” He has to take us from that point on. (Gal.4:19) My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you (in other words, until sonship is formed in you). You're a child if you're under the Law in any form. If your religion is putting you under legalism, whether it's the legalism of the Old Testament Law or their own laws, rather than being able to follow the Spirit, you're going to stay a child. You're never going to grow up. He goes on to talk about the “son of the handmaid” and the “son of the freewoman”: (21) Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? (22) For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman. Now that's clear. If you're under legalism, you're not free to hear the voice of Christ and follow Him, and to submit to all that Scripture has to say – not just the little box that your religion has made for you. It doesn't matter whether it's man's legalism or of your own church rules, or even as far as going back under the Old Testament Law. You're not free, and you're not justified by faith like that. Paul goes on to talk about the difference between the sons of the handmaid and the sons of the freewoman. Sons of the handmaid are servants; sons of the freewoman are sons. He warns us in the next verse, (30) Howbeit what saith the scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman. Yes, they were both children of Abraham, but Paul is making a type and a shadow here to show us that the bondservant who is not a son will not have the eternal life like the son will. The devil has a lot of people walking in bondage, thinking that they're justified by their works, thinking nobody else is obeying this particular part of the Law but them and they're seeking to be justified by that. They're not free and it's sad. (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. The Spirit of God is not going to lead you back under the law, a covenant that God never made with you. The Spirit of God is going to lead you under grace because you are justified by faith. If you can't find your doctrine in the New Testament, brethren, be careful. And if you're twisting the New Testament to fit the Old, be careful because the New is the fulfillment of the Old. The Old was a parable, a type and a shadow of the New. You don't want to go back under the type or the shadow. You want to live under the fulfillment and that is, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Gal.4:31) Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman. Yes, that's exactly right by faith, not necessarily by manifestation, but by faith. So we need to repent. If you are listening to men who are dragging you back under a Law, you need to repent because this is going to stunt your growth. You will be called a son of the handmaid and not of the freewoman. You'll be a bondservant, but you'll never be a son. A bondservant is a child, the Bible says. We're waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. The whole of creation waits. The whole purpose of God is to create His children into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. That's the manifestation of the sons of God. There are false doctrines about the manifestation out there and some are scaring away people from the very words “manifestation of the sons of God,” but it's in the Book. It was taught by the Lord and by the apostle Paul. We need an understanding of what “manifestation of the sons of God” means, which is what we're entering into. I'd like to point out that John says exactly what we read in Galatians: (Joh.8:34) Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. (35) And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever. “Ishmaels” do not have eternal life; “Isaacs” do. We are the seed of promise, through Isaac. Ishmael wasn't; that was a work of Abraham. By type and shadow, we understand what this means. The Parable of the Talents is very clear: (Mat.25:14) For [it is] as [when] a man, going into another country, called his own servants (these are not the people of the world; these are the people of the Kingdom), and delivered unto them his goods. (15) And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his several ability; and he went on his journey. So he gave forth his talents, and he expected them to bear the fruit of this. (16) Straightway he that received the five talents went and traded with them, and made other five talents. (17) In like manner he also that [received] the two gained other two. (18) But he that received the one went away and digged in the earth (in the flesh), and hid his lord's money. (19) Now after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and maketh a reckoning with them. (20) And he that received the five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: lo, I have gained other five talents. (21) His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (22) And he also that [received] the two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: lo, I have gained other two talents. (23) His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (24) And he also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow (This man is like those who claims Gods works were their own, For the Lord did sow the gift unto them and He expected them to bear fruit.), and gathering where thou didst not scatter (But He did scatter); (25) and I was afraid, and went away and hid thy talent in the earth (He consumed the gift for his flesh.): lo, thou hast thine own. (26) But his lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter; (27) thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest. So when the Lord returned, He judged the two who brought forth fruit and they entered into the kingdom and were blessed abundantly. But he also judged the servant who had only one talent and didn't bear any fruit: (28) Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath the ten talents. (29) For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away. (Mat.25:30) And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. The unprofitable servant who doesn't bear the fruit, the servant who doesn't manifest sonship 30-, 60- and 100- fold, is cast forth into the outer darkness. They took the one talent away from that person and gave it to the servant who had 10 talents. Remember that because we're going to see it again. In other words, if you have fruit, you'll get more. If you have less, you'll get less. So, great talents have been given to us through the promises, and we should bear their fruit. Matthew gives us another parable that ends up in the exact same place: (22:2) The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son. Jesus. The marriage feast is the time when the Bride and the Groom celebrate for seven days, while on this earth. We see that He invited the Jews to come to that marriage feast, but they mostly refused and mistreated His servants, as happened then. So He sent his armies to destroy their city in 70 AD. He turned away from them and invited strangers, speaking of the gentiles in the Church now. At that time, when the Jews were rejected because of their unbelief in Jesus Christ, He turned and invited the Church, the early Jewish Christians and the gentiles, to His marriage feast. However, the time is coming now when many gentiles will have worldly excuses not to go to the marriage feast and they also will be rejected as the parables show. And then a remnant of the Jews will return. The marriage feast, by the way, is at the bride's home (on earth). At the end of the seven day feast is the marriage supper which is at the Groom's home (in heaven). All are escorted by the wise virgins. The marriage feast was seven days, and we have seven days/years called the Tribulation period that's coming. That will be our marriage feast, where the Bride and the Groom are going to feast upon the bread (the Word of God) and wine (the nature of Jesus Christ). (Lev.17:14) … For the life of all flesh is the blood thereof…. There's going to be a great feast in the last seven days – the last seven years; a great feast upon the very nature and life of Jesus Christ and upon the true Word of God. Jesus will attend as Groom and teach in the Man-child body. We read on: (Mat.22:11) But when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding-garment. The wedding garment is the brilliant garment that's given to the Bride in Revelation 19:8. That garment is described as lampros, “bright”, and is described as “the righteous acts of the saints.” whereas the leukos, “white,” garment was on all the rest of those invited to the marriage feast (Revelation 19:14). If you don't have on one of those garments, which represent various stages of manifesting sonship or the righteousness of God, then you're going to be rejected. God is not going to accept people who are justified by works or by the Law. Self-righteousness is not the kind of righteousness He wants. He wants the righteousness of grace through faith. (Mat.22:12) And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding-garment? And he was speechless. (Because he was lied to by religion.) (13) Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. (14) For many are called, but few chosen. Notice there are many people called who are not going to be putting on the wedding garment. The chosen are the people who are wearing the wedding garment. The previous parable we just read gives the same ending, but in that case, the one with the one talent lost his talent, his reward. His reward was instead given to the servant who had the 10 talents. Trust the Lord. Read your Bible and don't trust in any man. Hold fast. Be willing to give up your old life. Be perfect, in the Name of Jesus.
Revelation 03:01-06 - The Church in Sardis by Pastor John W. Brown | Revelation 03:01-06 https://s3.amazonaws.com/podcast.calvarycentral.org/rev-03a-john2025.mp3 Description: The city of Sardis was wealthy but wicked! As Willian Barclay once wrote "The combination of easy money and a loose moral environment made the people of Sardis notoriously soft and pleasure loving. “The great characteristic of Sardis was that, even on pagan lips, Sardis was a name of contempt. Its people were notoriously loose-living, notoriously pleasure-and luxury loving. Sardis was a city of the decadence.” Download Outline:
When our oldest grandson was 15 months old, he was our favorite entertainer. Who needed TV? Who needs some show you have to buy a ticket for? No, the show he put on was free! It seemed like he had a new trick every day. His parents used to throw a blanket over his head and ask, "Where's Jason?" He would pull that blanket off, flash a big smile, and his parents would say excitedly, "There's Jason!" Now Jason took that to another level. He doesn't need the blanket. All we have to say is, "Where's Jason?" And he promptly puts both his little hands over his face. Of course, he's peeking between his fingers a little bit. I guess he thought he was hiding. Then, he pulls his hands away and shrieks with surprise and excitement. And we responded on cue, "There's Jason!" We loved it! Let me tell you a little secret. The whole time Jason thought he was hiding - we knew exactly where he was. I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "No Secrets." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Hebrews 4:13, and it exposes our little games of hide-and-seek with God. We cover our face and we think He doesn't know where we are - and He knows all the time. God's Word says, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" So, there's nothing you've done that God hasn't seen. There's nothing you've thought that God doesn't know. And there's nothing you are that God isn't aware of. In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus has a message for each of seven churches, and in a sense, for all believers. All seven messages follow the same pattern. He reviews what people see when they look at these folks and then He tells what He sees, which is often very different from the image everyone else sees. Take the church at Sardis, for example. Here is Jesus' blunt spiritual X-ray: "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead." Ask anyone else about these folks and they would tell you, "Oh, they're really alive over there!" Ask Jesus and He says, "I know they're really dead." Those two sobering words are used with every group of believers - "I know." And what Jesus knows about you, that's the real you. That's the real deal. That's the untouched photos. That's the truth. Among these people in Revelation are some who are busy for the Lord. But Jesus looks underneath and says, "You don't love Me like you used to." He sees another group who appear to be totally together and successful but He says they're settling for spiritual mediocrity and "lukewarmness." As Samuel said so perceptively, "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). So, hide-and-seek games don't work with God. He knows where you really are all the time. Now at first that might seem like bad news, because there are some things you're not very proud of. But the good news is there is one Person in your life with whom you have nothing to hide - nothing you can hide. You can experience the wonderful freedom of coming to your Heavenly Father with the real you. You don't have to hide yourself in spiritual God-talk; in saying what you're supposed to say, feeling like you're supposed to feel. You come as you really are, feeling like you really feel, needing what you really need - to a Savior whose love (thank God!) is totally unconditional! And as you bring the real you to Him, you'll find Him becoming more and more real to you. And you'll find yourself experiencing His forgiving, His cleansing, His healing in parts of you you've never opened up to Him before. This God who knows all about you, this Savior who knows all about you and loves you anyway... isn't it time that you made the Savior your Savior if you never have? By going to His cross where He died for you, to say, "Jesus, for me" - those two words, "for me" - "you're doing this for me, and I'm Yours." Our website will help you be sure you belong to Him. That website is ANewStory.com. Take off the mask. Quit trying to cover your face. God already knows exactly where you are and He's ready to change you.
The letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 are possibly some of the best known parts of the apocalypic book, mainly due to their accessibility compared to the rest of it. But how should we read these seven letters? Are they examples of the history or eras of the church? Are they addressed to different types of church today? Are they symbolic? And why all the Old Testament references?Join Alex, Chris & Jo as they discuss these significant chapters, give some good background information that help make sense of what John is writing, and then talk aboput how we might be able to bring some meaning to us today. For the one who has ears to hear...Resources"Revelation (NIV Application Commentary)" by Dr Craig Keener– A detailed analysis that bridges the historical-cultural context and application for today."The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament" by Dr Craig Keener – Offers essential historical and cultural insights on the New Testament, including Revelation."Discipleship on the Edge" by Darrell W. Johnson – A study on Revelation that considers its relevance for Christian discipleship."Reading Revelation Responsibly" by Michael J. Gorman – A user-friendly guide to understanding the apocalyptic message of Revelation without fear or misinterpretation.Big thanks to Tim Whittle for editing and extra production on this podcast. Get more info at Riverlife Church, and find us on Facebook and Instagram.Subscribe to Bible Streams on Apple, Spotify, Google, and Amazon.
Second Sunday of Easter Bible Readings Acts 5:12,17–32, John 20:19-31 Worship Folder Pastor Paul A. Tullberg Sermon text: Revelation 1:4–18 4 John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, who was, and who is coming, and from the seven spirits that are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful Witness, the Firstborn from the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His own blood 6and made us a kingdom and priests to God His Father—to Him be the glory and the power forever. Amen. 7 Look, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, including those who pierced Him. And all the nations of the earth will mourn because of Him. Yes. Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, the One who is, and who was, and who is com-ing, the Almighty.” 9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingship and patient endurance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus. 10 I was in spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard a loud voice behind me, like a trumpet, 11 saying, “Write what you see on a scroll and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” 12 I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me. When I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was one like a son of man. He was clothed with a robe that reached to his feet, and around his chest he wore a gold sash. 14 His head and His hair were white, like white wool or like snow. His eyes were like blazing flames. 15 His feet were like polished bronze being refined in a furnace. His voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand. A sharp two-edged sword was coming out of His mouth. His face was shining as the sun shines in all its brightness. 17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last— 18 the Living One. I was dead and, see, I am alive forever and ever! I also hold the keys of death and hell.” The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Take a Moment to recall something from today's message. Ask Jesus to create for you opportunities to use your words, activities and thoughts to glorify Him this week. We value your friendship and the opportunity to share the love of Jesus together with you!
Segment 1 • The death of the Pope signals the likely election of a liberal leader. • The papacy's doctrinal errors, based on tradition and magisterium, mislead millions about salvation. • Softened evangelical perspectives, like Russell Moore's, fail to address the papacy's eternal consequences. Segment 2 • Melito of Sardis' 2nd-century sermon contrasts with today's shallow Easter preaching. • Modern sermons are moralistic, neglecting the true gospel of Christ's sacrifice. • A return to gospel-centered, Christ-focused preaching is essential to understand Easter's real significance. Segment 3 • 90% of pastors affirm climate change, but many Christians are unsure about the issue. • Dr. Jason Lisle tackles climate change from a biblical and scientific perspective in a Fortis webinar. • The narrative of human-caused climate change is shaky, with natural cycles and past periods of warming showing no human influence. Segment 4 • Al Gore's climate predictions failed, and the sun's cycles are a bigger factor in climate changes. • Water vapor and clouds, not CO2, account for 75% of the greenhouse effect. • The human contribution to CO2 is small, and the panic surrounding it is built on weak claims. – Preorder the new book, Lies My Therapist Told Me, by Fortis Institute Fellow Dr. Greg Gifford now! https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/liesmytherapisttoldme – Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn't be more thankful for you if we tried!
Segment 1 • The Resurrection is the cornerstone of Christian faith, but Andy Stanley downplays its biblical foundation. • Many missed hearing the Gospel this Easter, with Stanley offering no biblical foundation for the Resurrection. • King Charles' Easter message referenced Muslims, and the Pope's final Easter address called for world peace—but both sidestepped the central message of Easter: God's love through Christ. Segment 2 • Melito of Sardis, a second-century saint, preached a powerful gospel-centered sermon that would be rejected by many modern preachers. • His Easter sermon focuses on the suffering of Jesus, contrasting with today's often trivialized, moralistic messages. • Melito's preaching is drenched in the gospel, not stories or jokes, calling us to rejoice in the true meaning of Easter. Segment 3 • Sermons like Melito's from 170 A.D. are rare today, yet they are a rich example of Christ-centered, theologically sound preaching. • This sermon is lofty and reverent, elevating the listener's understanding of God, and demonstrates the power of high view theology. Segment 4 • A few exceptions to weak Easter preaching: Franklin Graham and Billy Graham both stayed true to the Gospel. • Billy Graham's Easter message was fully focused on Jesus—no distractions, no moralism, just the glorious gospel. • Preaching centered on Christ and the Word lasts, and is desperately needed in today's pulpits. – Preorder the new book, Lies My Therapist Told Me, by Fortis Institute Fellow Dr. Greg Gifford now! https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/liesmytherapisttoldme – Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn't be more thankful for you if we tried!
What happens when a church looks alive on the outside but is spiritually asleep within? Pastors Josh Howerton, Carlos Erazo and Marc McCartney unpack the sobering message to the church in Sardis, diving deep into Revelation 3 and exploring the dangers of spiritual complacency. With powerful stories—including an inspiring testimony of transformation from the UK—and rich historical context from ancient Sardis, this conversation reveals how Jesus calls His church to wake up and walk in genuine intimacy with Him. They also wrestle with a timeless question: Can a Christian lose their salvation? We hope this honest, hope-filled dialogue encourages you to examine your heart and press into a faith that perseveres.
Join us at this weekend for the 2nd Annual Southeast Regional Biblical Counseling Conference
Listen into this week's sermon preached by Pastor Cason Shobert. The church of Sardis was considered to be comfortable and "peaceful" for those that dwelled within it's walls. What are you sacrificing for the sake of "unity" with those around you. As followers of Jesus Christ we are meant to be a peculiar people and follow Christ and Christ alone. As we dive deeper into Revelation let us examine our own hearts and see where we have chosen fellowship with the world over God. Allow for repentance to take it's full effect so as not to be divided from the Lord but to have the fullness of Him be made manifest in our lives.
There's a kind of death that's deeper than physical death. A kind of death that corrodes you from the inside out. Many of us have the appearance of life, but we're actually dead within. This was Jesus' rebuke to the church in Sardis. What characterizes the "Living Dead?" And how do we tap into the life that Jesus promises us?
Revelation 3v1-6 with Bethany Allen Lent is a 40-day season within the church calendar that stretches from Ash Wednesday (March 5) to Easter Sunday (April 20), mirroring Jesus' 40-day fast in the desert. This year, we want God to use the 40 days of Lent to help us reclaim our first love. https://bridgetown.church/teaching
Freddy sits down with the cast and directors of Hell of a Summer, a fantastic horror film packed with great moments, suspense, and a fresh take on the genre. He spoke with Abby Quinn, Sardis Saremi, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Billy Bryk, and Finn Wolfhard about the making of the movie, diving into behind-the-scenes stories, the creative process, and their inspirations in filmmaking. They explore what drew them to horror, how they crafted the film's eerie yet thrilling atmosphere, and the fun (and chaos) of bringing a summer camp slasher to life. Beyond the scares, we also had some laughs, reminiscing about summer camp activities and discussing what makes horror such a timeless and exciting genre. With an amazing cast and a deep passion for storytelling, Hell of a Summer is a must-watch for horror fans. Only in theaters on April 4th! ————————————————————— We officially have merch! Shop your little demonic heart! Want to keep the horror chats alive? Do you want to join a super awesome community that loves the genre and Knight Light? Want to have access to exclusive content? You should join our Discord! For as little as $2 a month, you can access Knight Light's full-month release schedule and participate in polls to choose the film that we cover to conclude the month! ————————————————————— Sign up on our Patreon to access our Patreon-exclusive shows. Sign up for a 7-day trial, and if you like what we offer, stick around! Want to be a part of the growth of Knight Light? Please support us at these links! PATREON | MERCH | X | DISCORD | INSTAGRAM | PRINCE | FREDDY | SIDNEY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mark Booker | Revelation 3:1-6 | This sermon examines Christ's urgent message to the church in Sardis that appeared alive but was spiritually dead. We consider the remedy Jesus gives for this condition as well as the call to avoid the subtle compromises that gradually numb our hearts to the gospel.
Sunday Service (3/23/25) // Revelation 2-3 // Visit our website: https://mbchicago.orgFollow us to remain connected: Facebook: / mbc.chicago Instagram: / mbc.chicago TikTok: / mbc.chicago Podcasts: Listen on Apple, Spotify & othersTo support this ministry, you can donate via: Zelle to: info@mbchicago.org Web: https://mbchicago.org/give Venmo: https://venmo.com/mbchurch PayPal/Credit: https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but...DAF Donations: https://every.org/mbc.chicagoRevelation 2-3 (ESV) To the Church in Ephesus2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'To the Church in Smyrna8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.9 “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander[a] of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.'To the Church in Pergamum12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.13 “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith[b] even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.'To the Church in Thyatira18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.To the Church in Sardis3 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.To the Church in Philadelphia7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.To the Church in Laodicea14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.
Send us a textFor this week, we're talking about the letter written to the church in Sardis found in Revelation 3:1-6. The church in Sardis had a reputation that appeared to be good, but beneath the surface, Jesus reveals that many of them are spiritually dead and that their works lack faith. As we read this letter together, we've been able to draw some helpful applications to our own lives. We hope it blesses you! We also would like to invite anyone who lives in the Philadelphia area to worship and study God's word with us at our in-person meeting that takes place every-other Monday night at 7:30pm. Visit phillyyoungadults.com for additional information about our ministry.Feel free to message us on instagram (@phillyyoungadultscc) with any feedback, questions, or topics you want to hear about on the podcast or you can shoot an email to ya@ccphilly.org
Revelation 2:18-3:6 18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and feet like burnished bronze, says this: 19 ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith, and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with plague, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 24 But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you. 25 Nevertheless what you have, hold firmly until I come. 26 The one who overcomes, and the one who keeps My deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations; 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are shattered, as I also have received authority from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star. 29 The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' 3:1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, and yet you are dead. 2 Be constantly alert, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 3 So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Then if you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. 4 But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who overcomes will be clothed the same way, in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6 The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' BIBLE READING GUIDE - FREE EBOOK - Get the free eBook, Bible in Life, to help you learn how to read and apply the Bible well: https://www.listenerscommentary.com GIVE - The Listener's Commentary is a listener supported Bible teaching ministry made possible by the generosity of people like you. Thank you! Give here: https://www.listenerscommentary.com/give STUDY HUB - Want more than the audio? Join the study hub to access articles, maps, charts, pictures, and links to other resources to help you study the Bible for yourself. https://www.listenerscommentary.com/members-sign-up MORE TEACHING - For more resources and Bible teaching from John visit https://www.johnwhittaker.net
Revelation 1:9-20 9 I, John, your brother and fellow participant in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, 11 saying, “Write on a scroll what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And after turning I saw seven golden lampstands; 13 and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and wrapped around the chest with a golden sash. 14 His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His feet were like burnished bronze when it has been heated to a glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. 16 In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. 19 Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things. 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. BIBLE READING GUIDE - FREE EBOOK - Get the free eBook, Bible in Life, to help you learn how to read and apply the Bible well: https://www.listenerscommentary.com GIVE - The Listener's Commentary is a listener supported Bible teaching ministry made possible by the generosity of people like you. Thank you! Give here: https://www.listenerscommentary.com/give STUDY HUB - Want more than the audio? Join the study hub to access articles, maps, charts, pictures, and links to other resources to help you study the Bible for yourself. https://www.listenerscommentary.com/members-sign-up MORE TEACHING - For more resources and Bible teaching from John visit https://www.johnwhittaker.net
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