Our deeds are unfinished
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
I don't normally re work an introduction right before I give a sermon. This is the last message concerning the churches that Jesus had messages for. The Lord over the last 2 weeks has humbled me and really just woken me up to the purpose of the church. The church is the chosen method of our Lord Jesus Christ to be the light in a world of darkness
We are going to look at 2 churches that failed to be that and one that was victorious
I am going to give you 2 real world issues we are facing because the church has stayed quite.
There is a very real danger when Christians do not follow the will of God.
I want to thank those that prayed for me for this message. This is a tough message but a needed message.
We are going to look at the churches in Sardis, Laodicea, and finally Philadelphia. First we are going to compare the rebukes for Sardis and Laodicea.
“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.
This is very important for us today. In a society that is obsessed with appearances, that is what the church of Sardis was. They went to church, they played church. Yet Jesus who can see our hearts, Jesus who knows our motivations, they church in Sardis was dead. Jesus continues
Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.
Our Lord is not concerned with our appearances.
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
There cannot be any half-measures when following Jesus. God knows our hearts, we cannot fool the Lord. Each one of us most look inward and determine where we are in our walk with Jesus. Have we stopped moving forward?
Now let us compare this with the rebuke from Laodicea,
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.
This is one of the toughest verses. This is a church that Jesus is talking to. This isn’t a group of people that don’t know who Jesus is. We have to understand who Jesus is and who we are following. He is the Lord of all, He is the King of Kings. His kingdom is one that is active and alive right now. The danger presented in this current age, is one where we are not on fire for Jesus. I do not want to to ever not be on fire for Jesus.
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.
They were comfortable. Much like the church in Sardis, the church in Laodicea was concerned with outward appearance. They had wealth but they were spiritually dead. Yet even then Jesus still offers grace
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 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.
This is grace despite what Jesus told them to wake them up. He calls for them to repent. but even more Jesus is waiting for us. We can fellowship with Jesus. We can live out the life He wants for us.
I want to tell you the season of life I am in right now. I look at these two messages and I see a lot that the modern church has in common with these two churches. I do not want to have a dead faith. I want to always be moving forward in my faith and always learning. But even more than that, I want to be a person that puts their faith into action. Jesus went to the cross for us because there was a penalty that we could not pay. God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to pay that penalty.
There is a reason why, you and I are here at this time in this period of history. This is not a dying church. The Gospel is being spread out of this building way more than just Sunday mornings. God is moving in really big ways in this church. There are new leaders being brought up. There are new groups that are starting. There are people that are giving their lives over to Jesus. I want to bring to your attention two more issues that we need to do something about. One of the calls of the people is that we need to protect the vulnerable.
The first issue that I want to bring to your attention is expanding upon the immorality that I discussed 2 weeks ago and specifically the evil our children are facing.
Human Trafficking is a $150 billion industry
One in Four victims is a child
70 percent of victims are female
The United States leads all other nations in consumption
Trafficking has been reported in all 50 states
The red dot map from a screen shot of a Podcast called the Sean Ryan show. This map shows unique IP address that are involved in child exploitation
I do not say this lightly but this is evil. This is the devil at work. This is what blossoms when the church decides to be lukewarm. These are the words of Jesus concerning how we treat children
Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.
There are even more horrifying stats and stories that you can read. On Friday when I was working on this message. Honestly God broke my heart over this. I just sat in silence, my heart breaks for these people and my heart breaks for the church that has lost it’s purpose. My heart breaks for Christians who have lost their purpose. Because we when lose our purpose, when we stop following the word of God, this is what happens when the church is only concerned with Sunday Morning.
I also have one lesson for the teenagers. Basketball analogy
The Tim Tebow foundation is working on getting the Renewed Hope Act passed. There is information on the tables in the front. This isn’t about politics, this is about doing what is right in front of the eyes of the Lord. This is about protecting those that cannot protect themselves. The fact this hasn’t been passed and passed with 100% of the votes is mind blowing. We must be the hands and feet of Jesus.
The second issue is one even closer to home. In the next year the Commonwealth of Virginia is going to be voting to add the ability to have an abortion to the constitution of Virginia. This will be added to the Bill of rights. If that happens it will be virtually impossible to remove it. Now what is especially concerning about this particular amendment is the language that is used in the proposal. As you all know I am big fan of words and how we use them. This proposal is very vague and generalized. I have printed off the actual proposal from the state of Virginia website for you to read for yourselves.
This is not a political issues, please do not fall for that wordly trap. This is a Biblical issue. If you are a believer in Jesus, then you believe that every single person is made in the image of God. You also believe that Jesus died for every single one of us on that cross. I believe every single child born is miracle.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
This is about the sanctity of life. This is about that every single person deserves the chance to live out who God ordained them to be.
In the United States in 2023:
Approximately 1,032,100 abortions performed
Roughly that is 2,830 every single day
These are estimates actual numbers are difficult to pin down
This is what happens when the church is lukewarm. This is what happens when the church decides that we would rather be a social club instead of the body of Christ.
By the way I am not judging anyone for having an abortion. I can tell you from ministry to people and talking to people over the years. Please do not believe the mainstream teachings that it won’t affect you deeply. It does effect you deeply when these procedures are performed. I am not just talking about possible medical side effects. I am talking about the spiritual wound that is inflicted. But I have seen Jesus heals those wounds as well.
It can be tough to look at the world. This is why I need to be a church every Sunday. One of the greatest joys of my life, is watching more and more kids come to this church. It is watching the teenagers want to come to Youth group. I love hearing a baby crying during service. I mean that, that baby is more important than I am.
Let’s close with the Church in Philadelphia
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.
The truth is that I really am a weak man. I am a sinner. What little strength I do have, I use to hold tightly to Jesus because He is the strong one. I knew God was calling me and when I was accepted here as a Pastor, I honestly thought, ok cool, I will preach and teach and life will be simple. I know God laughed at those thoughts. Now God is showing me though His Word, it is time to take even a bigger step than before. Many people know TPUSA Faith, Jackee was here at our last Revival services. I went down there to their conference. This next step is a big one, we will start a faith group partnering with them where we will be getting involved in these Biblical issues. If you are interested in joining me, please speak with me in the back. David Jett will also be in the back as he has also done some things with that group. Here is why
I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.
Jesus is speaking of New Jerusalem. He is telling us that He is coming soon and those that keep to His word, we will be with Him forever. This is what I pray for all the time, this is what I pray for each person that comes into this church. That we will be there together. This is why Jesus went to that cross.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Please listen to what God is putting on your hearts. I know it can seem like a daunting task. God never puts anything easy on our hearts. Whatever He is putting on your hearts, take that step of obedience, not because we are strong but because HE is strong.
Let us pray.
