REVELATION - The Kingdom and 7 Churches part 4

REVELATION - The Kingdom and 7 Churches part 4

Words of encouragement from worship time

We have been talking a lot about the church over the past weeks

Its time again to see the creativity churches have on their church signs out there

First sign speaks for all the football fans who came to church today

SLIDE 1 “LETS MEET AT MY HOUSE SUNDAY BEFORE THE GAME”

This next one speaks so true of Jesus being the way truth and life

SLIDE 2 “YOU CAN’T ENTER HEAVEN UNLESS JESUS ENTERS YOU”

How about this sign about forgiving others, really creative

SLIDE 3 “FORGIVE YOUR ENEMIES IT MESSES WITH THEIR HEADS”

And for our final sign / really creative / something to keep in mind!

SLIDE 4 “LIVE YOUR LIFE WELL SO WE DON’T HAVE TO LIE AT YOUR FUNERAL”

After we finish our Revelation series on the 7 churches / quit an amazing setting we will see in heaven in the next part - EXPOUND

SLIDE 5 “7 CHURCHES OF REVELATION”

Lets not forget what we have been seeing in Revelation is a MYSTERY

SLIDE 6

MYSTERY-

Counsel, or secret plan, which God shares only with His people

Wise counsel of God in His guidance of history to its destiny

Jesus answering the question as to why he told stories in parables

SLIDE 7

SLIDE 8

SLIDE 9

The mysteries of God and the kingdom pertaining to the churches is related to the final climactic work of God in history

The parable stories Jesus told pertaining to these mysteries of the kingdom of paint the image of the harvest of souls preparation for eternity and future judgement

SLIDE 10 “7 CHURCHES OF REVELATION”

SLIDE 11

EPHESUS - The Careless / Backsliding Church (2: 1-7)

SMYRNA - The Suffering / Crowned Church (2: 8-11)

PERGAMUM - The Worldly / Compromising Church (2: 12-17

THYATIRA - The Corrupted / Unrepentant Church (2: 18-29)

SARDIS - The Dying / Feeble Church (3: 1-6)

It’s hard to imagine the churches of that day having these issues

These issues are relevant today

Some theologians also believe each church could represent the churches state over the last 2000 years

Keep in mind as Jesus sends these letters to each of the churches - He describes Himself in His glorious state / each description being that church’s remedy, fix or protection for their spiritual condition

Let now take a look at our 6th church in Revelation

SLIDE 12

Have you been thinking, “wow I wonder which church Jesus says we are?”

Out of all of them I feel we are closest to the church of Philadelphia

Philadelphia means “love”, / this church family loves well

Open door speaks of opportunities / important to take advantage when God opens

Jesus holds the key to open and shut doors and no one can interfere

Let’s look what the Lord talks about next

SLIDE 13

This church has opposition from the false church (synagogue of Satan), the counterfeits.

These false brethren claim to be the church and oppose the ministry of God’s people, but Christ promises to bring them to their knees.

The false church has popularity, influence, and money, but it must one day bow before the few saints of God who take the truth to the world.

Verse 10 here brings us hope that Jesus will come for the church before the great tribulation

SLIDE 14

Verse 11 here , “I am coming quickly” / remember we are only in a 7 year timeline of the church / the 7 remaining years left in Daniel chapter 9 / 70 weeks - 490 years pertaining to Israels / spiritual time line

483 years have been fulfilled / this 490 years pertains to Israel returning from exile in Babylon to rebuilding Jerusalem to Jesus entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, His resurrection and now the seven remaining years of the church age. 7 years left is why He is coming quickly

2000 plus years of grace and much patience from God / when the remaining seven years picks up on the 490 year timeline it will be quickly as stated here in verse 11

Verse 12 really confirms all this pertaining to the timeline as Jesus says, “those who overcome will experience the new Jerusalem which comes down from heaven”

Our final church of the 7 / The Church of Laodecia

SLIDE 15

The name “Laodicea” means “the rule of the people” and suggests a democratic church that no longer follows spiritual leaders or the authority of the Word of God.

The church is lukewarm, a condition that comes from mixing hot and cold. It is a church with truth that has been diluted with error

SLIDE 16

The tragedy is that this church is “rich” and does not know its poor spiritually

What a picture of the apostate church of today, with its prestige, wealth, and political power, yet all the while spiritually poor

This church was living in an area known for its wool, wealth and medicine

SLIDE 17

May we always be sensitive to our spiritual state

We never want to let our church spiritual state become just going through the motions and check list of lukewarmness to where Jesus feels like He has to stand outside the church hoping we will let Him back in.

SLIDE 18

SLIDE 19

THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF REVELATION

EPHESUS - The Careless / Backsliding Church (2: 1-7)

SMYRNA - The Suffering / Crowned Church (2: 8-11)

PERGAMUM - The Worldly / Compromising Church (2: 12-17

THYATIRA - The Corrupted / Unrepentant Church (2: 18-29)

SARDIS - The Dying / Feeble Church (3: 1-6)

PHILADELPHIA - The Faithful / Serving Church (3: 7-13)

LAODICEA - The Foolish / Apostate Church (3: 14-22)

All of the church’s man-made programs can never bring life, any more than a circus can resurrect a corpse.

SLIDE 20

JESUS IS ONE TRUE SOURCE FOR THE ROAD CHURCH

1) The church was born by the Spirit of God (Pentecost)

2) The church’s life come from the Spirit of God

3) If the Spirit is grieved the church loses life and power

4) True repentance - Spirit infuses new life and revival

The church was born when the Spirit of God descended on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), and its life comes from the Spirit.

When the Spirit is grieved, the church begins to lose life and power.

When sin is confessed and church members get right with God and with each other, then the Spirit infuses new life—revival

SLIDE 21 “7 CHURCHES OF REVELATION”

WORSHIP TEAM COME

7 CHURCHES / 7 YEARS REMAINING / 7 FEAST OF ISRAEL

Monday Sept 26th was the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah / Israel new year 5783 years old

Shemitah year / 7th year land lays fallow / interpersonal loans or debts are cancelled

Immediately then starts the 10 days of awe / Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement