Don't Miss the message

Intro

I’m going to show you an image.

It will evoke 2 different responses in the room.

For some it will give a sense of agreement and identity

For the others, it will cause anxiety.

Here it is (show the pic of my phone notifications)

We are so inundated with notifications, announcements and messages that it can be overwhelming and we just start to overlook them.

Have you ever missed an important email because you overlooked it or it went to the junk folder.

Or how about “I meant to text you back but I got busy and forgot”...

or in the middle of the message back, you get distracted and never hit send.

It’s easy in life to let the mass of things coming at us make us miss what really matters most.

in Revelation Kesus downloads a pictures of the end times. But before that he had a message for a special group, his church

the closer to the end we get, the more crucial the church becomes Jesus delivers a series of messages to his church shaping a picture of who the church is meant to be and ways we’ve gotten off

The church is God’s plan for the world. God’s hope for the world be his light and spread his good news.

it’s easy to go to church and miss the importance of what it means to be the church

He was speaking to 7 churches that were in the area of Asia minor at the time, but are also 7 messages to us today on what matters most at the end to Jesus for his church to be doing.

Last week we started with the first 3 churches.

Ephesus - Lost their love. Not afraid to stand for the truth, but lost love for God and others. (Love)

Smyrna - Persecuted, struggling church, stay faithful - your’e not alone. You are more than you think. (Perseverance)

Pergamum - the Compromising church. more concerned with fitting in than standing out for God. (Committed)

Jesus’ messages are to get us on track to the difference makers in the world we’re intended to be!

You don’t just exist and live to make it through the day, you are the light of the world!!!!

Revelation 2:18–19 (NIV)

To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:

These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

First glance this church looks good.

Jesus commends them.

You’re doing good deeds, serving others, you are known for your love and even doing more now than ever.

Revelation 2:20 (NIV)

Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.

What does this mean!??

This reference to an old testament person from the book of 1 Kings. It tells the story of the king is Israel, Ahab, and he marries a woman named Jezabel.

It was someone he wasn’t supposed to be with. God had instructed his people to no intermarry to nations who serve others God.

Soon Jezabel lead all of Isreal into worship of other Gods and had corrected the entire country and led them into one of their worst moral downfalls of history.

the church in Thyatira was loving and active, but had allowed things in the church that God calls immoral and sin.

The church was completely corrupt.

TOLERANCE CAN’T TRUMP TRUTH.

Tolerance for people is needed! Tolerance is giving allowance for things i don’t like or agree with.

you can probably think of a good handful of people of people right now that tolerate is a great word...

But this church, in the name of love, had wavered on God’s standards.

No matter what you think or feel, it’s ok, God loves you anyway.

What God calls sin becomes subjective to how I feel.

This church is opposite of the first church we talked about, Ephesus.

The weren’t afraid to stand up for what true and right, but the had no love.

Thyatira was all love, but allowed things God didn’t in the process.

We find this too often in our day.

Tolerance has become a buzzword for not just being accepting of people, but for approving of everything that they do.

And the church has too often catered to what people feel instead of what God says.

What God calls sin is sin. No matter how we package it.

We can’t redefine sin to make it fit what’s current, make truth optional or subjective.

As God’s people we have to have a balance of truth and love.

Truth without love is just mean.

Love without truth is meaningless.

It’s so much more loving to be bold enough to love people and not agree with sin.

When we do, we shine a light for people find the Jesus.

Jesus tells this church it’s time to repent. He will repay each according to our deeds. (Pure church)

church of Conviction

Revelation 3:1 (NIV)

To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

I find the message to this church interesting.

Jesus doesn’t give give a list of things they are doing right or wrong.

He didn’t say there is sin, or corruption in your church.

It’s just… you’re dead.

Not a great assessment by Jesus.

ACTIVE DOESN’T MEAN ALIVE

This church was busy doing something, they had a reputation. (ask around, yeah great place)

But Jesus couldn’t find a pulse.

There was no power.

They had become good at doing church, christian, things without God.

They learned how to check the box and do all of the things, but somewhere along the way had lost dependance on what made them alive.

The spirit of God!

The same spirit that raise Christ from the dead lives in us!

We don’t just do this to do it, but there is purpose, passion and power in our bones.

If we aren’t alive how will we help bring life to others!

But its easy to become professional at church and lose what makes the church alive!

We begin to sub a prayer list for a prayer life.

We seek entertainment instead of engagement.

It becomes more of a task than a calling.

Preference overshadows our mission.

We need the power and the presence of God in our midst.

Jesus tells this church it’s time to wake up!

Come alive!!

This church was good at having church but not being the church.

This church didn’t suffer any persecution like some of the others.

The devil doesn’t care if you go to church, he cares if you get changed, set free and make difference!

Church on mission

Revelation 3:7–8 (NIV)

To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

YOUR LITTLE IS ENOUGH

This group was struggling to hang on. They had trusted but thought their grip may be fading.

Can you relate?

God assured them the little you have is enough in my hands.

Revelation 3:11 (NIV)

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

Just hold on.

As we stay faithful to God, he will take the little we have and open doors we never could.

he will use your life in ways you could never imagine.

God only needs what we do have not what we don’t.

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 (NIV)

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

you’re not limited by your lack, stay faithful with what you do have.

It’s easy to compare and feel like were losing.

Church of Faith

Revelation 3:14–17 (NIV)

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

WE CAN’T SETTLE FOR GOOD ENOUGH

The emoji for this would be the (meh)

This church was just comfortable. They got complacent.

Spiritual indifferent.

They had enough. Life was easy. so they just coasted.

A few months ago I went to a coffee shop out of town and ordered a hot. I waited a while and was excited to try the new coffee place.

it was room temperature!!! I threw it away.

Their lack of conviction, commitment and passion was sickening to Jesus.

that had forgotten the red hot fiery mission for why they exist. To bring hope to a dying a lost world.

To help others find eternal life in Jesus. To be a light that shines in darkness.

Jesus tells them, you think you’re good but your wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked!

Wow!

It’s so easy for daily life to choke out our passions and miss what matters.

We’re on fire and then we have a flat, need to run the kid to the doctor, we go to work, we’re tired and now we’re just meh...

When’s the last time you did something that required having real faith to do it?

What if every single day we intentionally step out of comfort into something that requires faith.

No matter how tired or inconvenient it may feel.

maybe it’s stand up for someone when everyone else is mocking, maybe it’s stopping to pray for someone in need,

it could be apologizing to someone you hurt, forgiving someone who hurt your.

Maybe it’s praying aloud in life group, or maybe it’s it’s taking the step to get connected to a group. Could it be serving on a team. Maybe it’s giving a gift to someone that is a stretch for you.

Could be going somewhere you wouldn’t normally go.

You name it.

But we can’t afford to be passionless and indifferent with so much at stake.

God, give us a spiritual fire!

church with Passion

CONCLUSION

Jesus concludes his messages to the church with an illustration, and image of him standing outside the church trying to get in.

Revelation 3:20 (NIV)

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

if there area areas we’ve gotten away from who he called us to be, Jesus is standing saying just let me back in. I’m here.

I’ll renew your passion, I’ll strength your grip, I’ll be with you, I’ll empower you.

but let me in.

What an honor to be God’s people.

That he would choose to use us to spread his kingdom in this world.

It’s time to be the church that’s ready.

Probably just sitting here you got 4 more texts and 42 more emails. Not to mention facebook notifications...

And as soon as we leave out the doors, life ensues.

Let’s not miss his message to get on mission.

God use me, God change me.

Are any of these you today?

maybe your entertaining things you know is sin and trying to excuse it.

maybe you’ve just been tired and need strength to hold on.

Maybe you’re just spiritually dead, you know if, you feel it and you need a touch.

maybe you’ve just been comfortable but it’s time to get busy again.

Response.