WEBVTT 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:02.660 I'm going to invite you to the book of Revelation. 00:00:03.180 --> 00:00:04.900 Chapter two is where we're at together today. 00:00:05.520 --> 00:00:12.620 Revelation chapter two, as we continue on in the story of Revelation, which is, one of the things that we have 00:00:12.620 --> 00:00:19.620 that's helpful for us as we get ready to engage this particular section, is really Revelation chapter one, verse 19, sort of 00:00:19.620 --> 00:00:19.970 set. 00:00:20.120 --> 00:00:23.450 It set a foundation for us for how to approach the book of Revelation. 00:00:24.160 --> 00:00:31.240 If you if you look at Revelation 1:19, the apostle John writes, and he says, I'm going to write to you the things that are and the things that 00:00:31.240 --> 00:00:31.830 are to come. 00:00:32.580 --> 00:00:39.640 And so when you approach the book of Revelation, it kind of sets the frame for work, for what you're about to read in this book, because a lot of people, you hear the word revelation, you instantly 00:00:39.640 --> 00:00:44.280 start thinking of a lot of crazy images that are shared with you in Revelation. 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:51.580 In fact, I find with people there is this infatuation for the beautiful imagery of this book, and at the same time, there's this reluctant, 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:54.560 timid concern over some of the content. 00:00:54.700 --> 00:01:00.250 And some of you might read that if you if you have a your typical state is to start off with some anxiety. 00:01:01.380 --> 00:01:02.710 You're the kind of person that reads Revelation. 00:01:03.040 --> 00:01:04.040 You're like, oh no, thank you. 00:01:04.080 --> 00:01:04.200 Right. 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:06.650 I just I just want to do the other nicer books. 00:01:06.880 --> 00:01:08.720 I don't I don't know what's happening here, but. 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:10.400 But I've reminded you as a church. 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:18.020 Look, the Book of Revelation, more than anything, is a worship book intended to encourage and inspire God's people in the midst of adversity. 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:25.400 Revelation is a beautiful book that encourages the soul of how to discover the richness of God in the 00:01:25.400 --> 00:01:28.260 midst of the situation you find yourself in. 00:01:28.940 --> 00:01:36.280 It has been used by the Lord to encourage his church throughout the centuries, and the beauty of who Christ is, and what that means 00:01:36.280 --> 00:01:37.480 for you in the here and now. 00:01:38.140 --> 00:01:45.720 In fact, when you think about the book of Revelation, I've told you as a church, when it comes to the second coming of Christ, Jesus 00:01:45.720 --> 00:01:50.260 taught on that topic more than anything, and so it's important for us to understand it. 00:01:50.320 --> 00:01:57.000 In fact, he encouraged his people to look forward to it with great anticipation because this is our ultimate hope. 00:01:57.000 --> 00:01:57.940 Christ face to face. 00:01:57.960 --> 00:02:00.040 This is not something you need to balk at. 00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:00.800 Be worried about. 00:02:00.800 --> 00:02:01.640 Run away from. 00:02:01.660 --> 00:02:02.870 If you belong to Jesus. 00:02:03.380 --> 00:02:07.490 This is the restoring of all things that are broken, culminating in him. 00:02:07.600 --> 00:02:10.780 And so this is the great anticipation of our people right now. 00:02:10.780 --> 00:02:14.360 We get to labor in the midst of darkness that God has called his people to be a light in this world. 00:02:14.440 --> 00:02:15.540 And we're going to look at that in a minute. 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:23.560 But in the midst of this light, we also do so knowing that no matter what happens, we're going to be okay because we are victors in Christ. 00:02:24.280 --> 00:02:30.500 At the same time, there's another group of people that Revelation talks about, and those are individuals who never turn to the Lord. 00:02:30.580 --> 00:02:38.080 In fact, it describes in the book of Revelation, even on the return of Jesus, when they see Christ coming, rather than bow the knee to who Christ is, 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:41.410 they cry out to the rocks to fall on them and to crush them. 00:02:41.640 --> 00:02:44.840 They would rather be dead than to turn to Jesus, is what it's saying. 00:02:45.300 --> 00:02:45.320 But. 00:02:45.420 --> 00:02:50.920 But the Book of Revelation is a book of rejoicing and worshipful hope for God's people. 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:53.670 So it's not something that we approach with worry or concern. 00:02:54.120 --> 00:03:01.380 And as you look at this book, it really categorizes itself in the first three chapters, talking about right now and then the 00:03:01.380 --> 00:03:04.120 remainder of the book talking about what is to come. 00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:09.640 And God wants to set the tone for where they are right now in order to encourage them in what is to come. 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:16.460 And in chapter one, it set the precedent for understanding what this book was about and the identity of who Christ was, and because the identity of who Christ is. 00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:19.350 Now chapter two, he's going to talk about the seven churches. 00:03:20.660 --> 00:03:27.990 Now we ask the question in chapter two and three as we dive into these churches, why in the world, these particular churches, and why just seven? 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:28.800 Why not one? 00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:29.390 Why not six? 00:03:29.500 --> 00:03:30.000 Why not ten? 00:03:30.140 --> 00:03:30.380 Why? 00:03:30.540 --> 00:03:31.300 Why these seven? 00:03:31.340 --> 00:03:35.530 I mean, when you look in the New Testament, some of these churches, this is the only place that they're mentioned. 00:03:36.580 --> 00:03:39.320 So why would he not just pick the popular ones we already know about? 00:03:39.460 --> 00:03:39.620 Why? 00:03:39.860 --> 00:03:40.930 Why these seven? 00:03:41.540 --> 00:03:47.880 Well, seven for us, these churches become a picture really, of all of God's people throughout history. 00:03:48.180 --> 00:03:50.640 These seven churches represent the universal church. 00:03:50.680 --> 00:03:53.510 In fact, seven is a regular number that you read in Revelation. 00:03:53.980 --> 00:03:56.980 And that number is related to the idea of completeness. 00:03:57.680 --> 00:04:03.640 When you look at the book of Revelation, the Book of Revelation is tying together really all of God's story. 00:04:03.640 --> 00:04:11.080 It's this grand theme of God's redemption for his people that he has faithfully fulfilled in Revelation is 00:04:11.080 --> 00:04:15.980 sort of like tying the bow to the end of the Bible to say, look how God has been faithful to you. 00:04:16.320 --> 00:04:21.680 And so it's taking these grand themes of all of Scripture and showing the beauty of who God is in this book. 00:04:21.700 --> 00:04:27.310 In fact, when you read Revelation, it's described in chapter one and in the first five verses as a prophecy. 00:04:28.300 --> 00:04:32.190 And when we think of word prophecy, we typically think about predicting the future. 00:04:32.620 --> 00:04:38.440 But the word prophecy not only is a book of foretelling, but predominantly it's foretelling. 00:04:38.440 --> 00:04:41.400 It's just the declaring of truth, God's Word. 00:04:41.580 --> 00:04:48.700 And when you read John's Revelation, what you discover is John's not saying a whole lot of new things, but rather what he's doing is he's going back to the Old Testament, 00:04:48.840 --> 00:04:55.940 the Hebrew pull of images, and he's helping us see how Jesus has been the fulfillment of all those things, that God has been faithful to what he promised 00:04:55.940 --> 00:04:56.900 to his people. 00:04:57.660 --> 00:05:00.480 And because of that, we can worship with great hope. 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:01.910 Even in the midst of trial. 00:05:02.360 --> 00:05:05.870 We go through these momentary places of affliction. 00:05:06.180 --> 00:05:11.840 But they pale in comparison to what you have for eternity, in eternity with God. 00:05:12.080 --> 00:05:17.980 And so this idea of seven draws its images all the way back from the book of Genesis. 00:05:17.980 --> 00:05:25.020 If you remember in creation that God made the world in seven days, and in his design in those seven days, God never intended 00:05:25.020 --> 00:05:27.110 for the seventh day to come to an end. 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:31.830 His desire was to enjoy his presence in the Garden of Eden forever. 00:05:31.900 --> 00:05:39.110 In fact, his call on humanity was to pierce the darkness of this world and spread Eden all over. 00:05:39.340 --> 00:05:46.600 That we as God's people, would be his representatives in this world and display radiate the light of God wherever we 00:05:46.600 --> 00:05:46.860 went. 00:05:46.880 --> 00:05:53.920 And because of that, no matter what we interacted with in creation, whether people or land or whatever it was, everything would be blessed that we put 00:05:53.920 --> 00:05:55.040 our hands to. 00:05:55.680 --> 00:06:02.680 God's desire in those seven days was to be complete, to experience the richness of our relationship with him, lived out 00:06:02.680 --> 00:06:04.920 in the way that we bless the world around us. 00:06:05.660 --> 00:06:08.720 But man rebelled and life was broken. 00:06:09.160 --> 00:06:10.640 Sin destroyed. 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:17.140 But what you're seeing in the book of Revelation now is that God's people become become the light of the world. 00:06:17.160 --> 00:06:23.820 We see this in Revelation that Jesus describes his people, and it's actually in verse one, not verse seven. 00:06:23.940 --> 00:06:29.620 But we described his people as this candle stand, this light to bless. 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:36.700 So we're called in this world as darkness to pierce the light that what was broken can be ultimately restored in Jesus as we live for his 00:06:36.700 --> 00:06:37.400 glory. 00:06:38.280 --> 00:06:45.330 And so in Revelation chapter two, what you start to see is the communication of what is, as God writes to these churches. 00:06:45.460 --> 00:06:52.430 These churches are God's people, representative of God's people throughout all of history? 00:06:52.740 --> 00:07:00.140 Each one of these churches uniquely have a different personality, but collectively represent all of God's people in and the struggles 00:07:00.140 --> 00:07:02.970 we might go through and the victories we might have. 00:07:03.360 --> 00:07:07.440 And so as you look at these churches, we're going to see the good and the bad and everything in between. 00:07:08.280 --> 00:07:15.520 And God is encouraging his people through these seven churches and how we're to respond in light of who they are. 00:07:15.820 --> 00:07:22.860 Meaning, as you look at these churches, we're not called to idolize them, nor are we called to cast stones at them, but to use this as 00:07:22.860 --> 00:07:30.180 a reflective place to examine ourselves, saying, Lord, as I look at these churches, God, 00:07:30.200 --> 00:07:31.800 where do you have our church? 00:07:32.820 --> 00:07:35.830 In fact, Revelation chapter two and three is much like a diary. 00:07:36.820 --> 00:07:43.840 You're reading very a very personal account, as the Lord is describing where these churches are in light of who he is. 00:07:44.480 --> 00:07:50.360 And, we come to a place like that and realizing, oh, this is this is a very vulnerable statement made about these churches. 00:07:50.360 --> 00:07:51.800 Sometimes you get a little uncomfortable with that. 00:07:51.800 --> 00:07:54.480 Is it okay for me to read someone else's diary? 00:07:54.480 --> 00:07:55.160 Right. 00:07:55.580 --> 00:08:02.640 But what you discover in this passage is this is this is exactly what the Lord wants in chapter two, verse seven, which is the concluding verse of 00:08:02.760 --> 00:08:09.830 the church of Ephesus, he says this he who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches and to the one who conquers. 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:14.040 I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is the Paradise of God. 00:08:14.120 --> 00:08:18.580 So he's saying, look, I want you as we're talking about this one church in a very vulnerable way. 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:25.960 I want the churches to understand this, not to praise or idolize that church, not to cast stones in judgment against 00:08:25.960 --> 00:08:29.740 the church, but to use it to ask the question, now, where is your church? 00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:33.900 What is that God desires to do in your church? 00:08:34.260 --> 00:08:36.760 I mean, could you imagine if God were to write a letter to ABC today? 00:08:38.299 --> 00:08:39.490 What would he say about us? 00:08:40.980 --> 00:08:41.340 Where? 00:08:41.400 --> 00:08:42.130 Where are we strong. 00:08:43.659 --> 00:08:45.460 Where do we need to grow in him? 00:08:46.760 --> 00:08:49.240 How might the Lord encourage us in the things we're doing well? 00:08:49.420 --> 00:08:52.540 And how might the Lord encourage us and the things we're not doing so well? 00:08:53.740 --> 00:08:55.290 Or maybe, maybe I could make it more specific. 00:08:57.300 --> 00:08:59.210 Sometimes we can hide behind the idea of the church. 00:08:59.680 --> 00:08:59.980 But. 00:08:59.980 --> 00:09:05.420 But what would the Lord say to you about your life before him? 00:09:07.100 --> 00:09:10.000 Where is it that you feel like your relationship with the Lord is healthy? 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:14.910 And where is it you might feel your relationship with the Lord is struggling. 00:09:16.540 --> 00:09:18.570 And the Lord writes this to the church of Ephesus. 00:09:18.940 --> 00:09:23.800 So we understand what it is to live for his glory in the midst of a fallen and broken Babylon. 00:09:25.540 --> 00:09:28.000 God, how are we to honor you? 00:09:29.020 --> 00:09:32.040 What is it, Lord, that you have to say to me? 00:09:32.620 --> 00:09:38.870 And so he writes this letter to the churches for the purpose of helping us discover how to live as a healthy faith community. 00:09:40.100 --> 00:09:47.100 What is it God desires for us to know from the church of Ephesus In order to be a healthy faith community, let me give you point number one in your notes is this 00:09:47.100 --> 00:09:53.090 to be healthy, you must stay humble. 00:09:54.640 --> 00:09:58.980 To be healthy, you must stay humble. 00:09:59.760 --> 00:10:03.720 And you see this in the very opening phrase of what God says to the church, right? 00:10:04.920 --> 00:10:09.870 He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. 00:10:10.820 --> 00:10:13.630 What it's acknowledging is that God wants to lead his church. 00:10:14.820 --> 00:10:16.060 God wants to lead his people. 00:10:17.140 --> 00:10:18.550 God wants to lead you. 00:10:20.280 --> 00:10:27.660 But the way God leads you, the language of God, the way God speaks to you, is found in the humbleness of your own heart before him. 00:10:29.200 --> 00:10:34.880 Not coming to God to get what you want, but to receive what only he can offer. 00:10:36.860 --> 00:10:39.280 Humility is the language of God. 00:10:40.140 --> 00:10:44.820 In fact, the Bible says, humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and he will exalt you in due time. 00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:47.620 You want to draw near to God. 00:10:47.680 --> 00:10:52.940 That journey begins by emptying, emptying all that you are before his presence. 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:57.360 God, have me have your way with me. 00:10:58.280 --> 00:11:00.310 Lord, what is it that you created me for? 00:11:00.940 --> 00:11:02.680 What is your desire for my heart? 00:11:03.760 --> 00:11:10.940 And John, he's writing this letter to this first church this way, because he knows the tendency of our life is to draw back from God 00:11:10.940 --> 00:11:14.620 and to harden our hearts and to cling to things for our own purposes. 00:11:14.660 --> 00:11:20.940 If we are God and fail to recognize that we were created for one who is greater than ourselves. 00:11:21.800 --> 00:11:23.260 We're created to belong to him. 00:11:24.360 --> 00:11:25.810 That God made you for a relationship. 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:34.000 But it's not until there's humility in your heart that you're able to discover that a complete surrender, an undoing of who you are 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:34.670 before him. 00:11:34.880 --> 00:11:38.080 It's why Jesus calls us throughout the New Testament to take up your cross. 00:11:39.160 --> 00:11:41.040 It's the sacrifice of who you are. 00:11:41.040 --> 00:11:46.060 It's what Romans 12 one says, I beg you, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice. 00:11:46.480 --> 00:11:53.680 You are never going to live for the purpose to which God has created you, until the humility of heart is made known before the presence of God. 00:11:53.740 --> 00:11:55.450 And you say, Lord, have your way with me. 00:11:56.200 --> 00:12:03.340 And sometimes as a pastor, when I interact with people, there's a there's a few times in my interaction with people that there is this concern 00:12:03.340 --> 00:12:10.360 in my life and almost this weeping in my heart when I hear people speak and not not, not 00:12:10.360 --> 00:12:12.580 not to make anyone feel bad about saying that. 00:12:12.640 --> 00:12:20.060 But sometimes I realize that people recognize that there's something broken, something wrong, and they come to Jesus thinking, 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:27.360 well, as if Jesus is this another, another little add on that they need in their life that perhaps could fix all of the eclectic views 00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:28.620 that they have towards their life. 00:12:28.620 --> 00:12:35.010 And what I mean is, they recognize something's off and they want to invite Jesus in some, but not all the way. 00:12:35.700 --> 00:12:38.400 And really, the prayer of their heart is being honest as Lord. 00:12:38.740 --> 00:12:40.500 Lord, accomplish my will not. 00:12:40.700 --> 00:12:41.940 Lord, let your will be done in me. 00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:50.140 And so they kind of make Jesus the sort of tack on to the things they're doing, asking Jesus to join them on their journey rather than ask Christ, how 00:12:50.140 --> 00:12:53.420 can I join in you in your journey and what you desire? 00:12:54.900 --> 00:13:01.220 And so there's this place in my heart that walks concern with people in that position. 00:13:01.220 --> 00:13:04.060 Because I know as a believer there is no true joy there. 00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:12.480 There is no true joy in a half hearted pursuit of Christ that Jesus made you to give all, all of yourself to him 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:19.580 as he has given all of your life to you for all of his life to you, that you would know him and enjoy 00:13:19.580 --> 00:13:23.500 that journey does not begin until there. 00:13:23.680 --> 00:13:24.760 There is humility in life. 00:13:24.820 --> 00:13:28.580 And there's another, I would say, another person that gives me a little concern too. 00:13:28.620 --> 00:13:33.860 And that is that is one that walks passionate very quickly about Jesus. 00:13:34.920 --> 00:13:37.360 But the commitment is not completely there. 00:13:37.960 --> 00:13:41.180 There's an emotional excitement, which I hope in your relationship with the Lord. 00:13:41.180 --> 00:13:45.490 There's there is that excitement in knowing Christ and desiring to know Christ. 00:13:45.880 --> 00:13:48.760 But the quality of the depth is not quite developed. 00:13:48.840 --> 00:13:52.620 And so there's this all this energy, and it burns bright, but it burns out so fast. 00:13:54.260 --> 00:13:58.160 What God is interested in this morning is the posture of your heart. 00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:01.580 He who has an ear to hear, let him hear. 00:14:02.560 --> 00:14:09.930 That's the place where God speaks into your life to direct it with only the full joy of who he is. 00:14:10.760 --> 00:14:18.080 And so, John, he's writing to this church when it comes to the idea of being a healthy faith community with that understanding, is this the position of 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:21.000 your heart right now or is it warring with God? 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:25.650 Are you holding something back from him, or are you saying, God have your way with me? 00:14:26.880 --> 00:14:32.360 Point number two in your notes is this a healthy church is a devoted church. 00:14:33.820 --> 00:14:37.240 A healthy church is a devoted church. 00:14:37.340 --> 00:14:44.540 Now, when I use this word devotion, I know sometimes based on where you've been in your life, there might be a lot of reluctance 00:14:44.540 --> 00:14:51.720 to that, especially especially if you've maybe trusted in something in life that's turned out to be a lie. 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:55.130 We are reluctant as people to devote to anything again. 00:14:55.520 --> 00:15:02.560 And let me just tell you, as a church, we don't want to devote yourself to you, to devote yourself to something that you don't believe in or you don't yet 00:15:02.560 --> 00:15:03.060 trust. 00:15:04.360 --> 00:15:11.380 But I will also acknowledge that because we've been lied to sometimes as people, we think that we have to know everything before we 00:15:11.380 --> 00:15:12.780 can ever trust in something again. 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:15.990 And it takes time to build trust. 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:24.260 But what I try to encourage us as God's people that when it comes to Christianity, there are two foundations that if you can 00:15:24.260 --> 00:15:29.300 rest on those two foundations, you've got a basis to be able to move forward. 00:15:29.400 --> 00:15:33.380 You may not know where everything else might lead, but that's okay. 00:15:33.400 --> 00:15:40.580 In fact, that's what this Christian journey is about, is recognizing every day you wake up is another opportunity to continue 00:15:40.580 --> 00:15:46.130 to grow in your depth of relationship with the Lord, that not anyone on planet Earth has it all figured out. 00:15:46.520 --> 00:15:47.440 But we know the one who does. 00:15:48.540 --> 00:15:55.620 And that's the fantastic reality of the gospel, that one of the beautiful things of the biblical gospel is that it's simple 00:15:55.620 --> 00:16:02.000 enough that a child can understand it, and deep enough that you will be plunging it for all of eternity. 00:16:03.240 --> 00:16:03.280 So. 00:16:03.380 --> 00:16:07.120 So your Christian journey is about growing in that relationship with the Lord. 00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:14.340 And so when it comes to devotion, if I just gave you two, two pillars to rest your life up on, it's whether or not you can trust in God's Word 00:16:14.340 --> 00:16:18.690 the truth of what he says and answer the question, Who is Jesus? 00:16:20.500 --> 00:16:27.840 If you can discover the truthfulness of God's Word and the truthfulness of who Jesus is, those become the monumental 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:29.940 pillars to guide your life. 00:16:30.540 --> 00:16:36.100 And so when it when it comes to the Christian journey, devoting ourselves becomes essential. 00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:43.480 In fact, in chapter two, verse one, it says to the angel of the church in Ephesus, write the words of him who holds the seven stars in 00:16:43.480 --> 00:16:47.160 his right hand, who is among the seven golden lampstands. 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:49.860 Look what we're seeing in Revelation chapter two. 00:16:49.920 --> 00:16:53.590 Verse one is this image of who Christ is and all of his authority. 00:16:54.060 --> 00:17:01.400 In fact, for each of these churches, John goes back and he pulls from chapter one, he takes a component 00:17:01.400 --> 00:17:03.240 of the description of who Christ is. 00:17:03.900 --> 00:17:11.460 And then he starts each letter to the church with the identity of who Jesus is, the authority of Christ in their lives, and how that becomes paramount 00:17:11.460 --> 00:17:18.500 to everything that they do, that the devotion would be there, and the identity of who Christ is, that you would know not what people say 00:17:18.500 --> 00:17:19.319 about Jesus. 00:17:19.380 --> 00:17:23.079 People have all kinds of thoughts of Jesus, but it doesn't make it true. 00:17:23.280 --> 00:17:25.099 There are a lot of crazy thoughts about Jesus. 00:17:25.579 --> 00:17:27.420 It's not about what others say, who Jesus is. 00:17:27.420 --> 00:17:29.560 It's about who Jesus says Jesus is. 00:17:30.840 --> 00:17:38.320 And if you can trust God's Word and what it says, then you could read God's Word to understand who Jesus is as he's communicated to you. 00:17:38.700 --> 00:17:45.700 And in fact, in acts chapter two, it tells us that verse 41 and on that, what made the 00:17:45.700 --> 00:17:47.120 early church so powerful? 00:17:47.280 --> 00:17:51.840 It tells you at the very end of chapter two that they saw thousands come to know Christ. 00:17:51.980 --> 00:17:58.260 And what made the church so powerful in acts chapter two, verse 141 and 42 it says, and they were devoted. 00:17:59.520 --> 00:18:00.520 They were devoted. 00:18:00.680 --> 00:18:02.500 And then it tells you exactly what they were devoted to. 00:18:02.540 --> 00:18:06.640 And the first thing it says is to the teaching of the apostles, which is your New Testament. 00:18:07.620 --> 00:18:15.130 They were devoted to the teaching of God's Word, not what other people say about the Lord, but what God says about himself. 00:18:16.060 --> 00:18:19.260 They were devoted, and that becomes the foundation for everything that they did. 00:18:19.380 --> 00:18:23.830 And then it goes on and says to the breaking of bread of one another, having all things in common. 00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:32.380 That their understanding of their relationship with God and the devotion they had towards him led to the impact that they experienced as a community, and 00:18:32.380 --> 00:18:34.880 the richness of what that fellowship was about. 00:18:35.640 --> 00:18:43.580 You know, God drives everything we do as his people, and it begins in our own relationship to him and how it impacts our relationships around us. 00:18:43.700 --> 00:18:49.700 What you discover as you grow in your walk with the Lord is how valuable human beings are, is because no one else was made. 00:18:49.740 --> 00:18:51.140 Nothing else was made in his image. 00:18:52.360 --> 00:18:55.360 And so we honor God through the way that we treat those around us. 00:18:55.360 --> 00:18:59.780 It's living out as the Garden of Eden in the midst of a fallen, broken world. 00:18:59.780 --> 00:19:02.240 We get to pierce the darkness as his light. 00:19:02.280 --> 00:19:09.540 We are that lampstand called into this world, and the effectiveness of his people is discovered in the devotion to 00:19:09.540 --> 00:19:10.180 His Word. 00:19:12.260 --> 00:19:14.160 In fact, it's very common. 00:19:14.260 --> 00:19:21.400 I regularly get phone calls asking our church questions that I 00:19:21.400 --> 00:19:23.940 think compromise who we are. 00:19:24.920 --> 00:19:32.840 Oftentimes I'll get people to ask, want to be a part of your body and but will you support something 00:19:32.840 --> 00:19:34.300 that they want to stand for? 00:19:35.360 --> 00:19:36.720 Do you align with this? 00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:44.520 Or sometimes I'll even I'll even get calls of, say, other religious groups and they'll I can 00:19:44.520 --> 00:19:46.900 appreciate the sentiment behind what they ask. 00:19:47.840 --> 00:19:51.580 And I care very much about the people that call because everyone matters to the Lord. 00:19:51.600 --> 00:19:55.100 We're all image bearers of God, whether you belong to this church or not. 00:19:55.100 --> 00:19:56.460 Everyone has intrinsic value. 00:19:57.560 --> 00:19:58.850 And so I want to be honoring to human beings. 00:19:59.040 --> 00:20:04.320 But the religious groups sometimes will call and ask and say, can we have worship services together? 00:20:05.140 --> 00:20:08.000 And I think that the point of that is they want some camaraderie. 00:20:08.180 --> 00:20:08.930 They want to feel closeness. 00:20:09.300 --> 00:20:10.390 They want to show love and appreciation. 00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:13.080 But my answer is always the same. 00:20:13.900 --> 00:20:21.030 And I'll say, in our community, if there's ever a need, if there's ever a disaster, if there's ever a problem, if there's ever something ABC can do to be an answer, 00:20:21.800 --> 00:20:22.560 we want to be there. 00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:28.820 We want going to be shoulder to shoulder meeting people where they're at, loving them as Christ loves them to the best of our ability with the resources that we have. 00:20:28.820 --> 00:20:35.940 We want to do that, but we care about those around us, and because we care about those around us, one of the things we will not do 00:20:35.940 --> 00:20:42.200 is join and worship with other groups who might teach a message contrary to biblical Christianity. 00:20:43.540 --> 00:20:50.580 And the reason we don't want to do that is because it compromises the power of the message for which we stand for, and we don't want to confuse people. 00:20:51.720 --> 00:20:56.360 We think what we're about is so important that we want the purity of the message to stand true. 00:20:57.100 --> 00:20:58.250 It doesn't mean we don't like people. 00:20:59.260 --> 00:21:00.560 It doesn't mean we have to be hateful to people. 00:21:01.280 --> 00:21:03.960 In fact, we can say, look, we love you. 00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:04.800 We do love you. 00:21:04.840 --> 00:21:11.860 And because we love you, we think one of the most important things we can do is let the purity of the message that we stand for stand, because that becomes the power 00:21:11.860 --> 00:21:13.710 of everything we live for as a church. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:21.860 You know, there are unhealthy churches in this world that prioritize loving one another over and above the truthfulness 00:21:21.860 --> 00:21:22.420 of God's Word. 00:21:23.260 --> 00:21:29.190 And look, we don't want to pit those things against each other, but it's the truthfulness of God's Word that should compel us to love people. 00:21:29.760 --> 00:21:36.920 But if the emphasis of what you're about is just simply love without truth, it leads to antinomianism. 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:38.230 It just falls apart. 00:21:39.000 --> 00:21:45.840 What makes the church powerful is the purity of what we stand for, because it's compelling everything that we do behind it. 00:21:47.080 --> 00:21:50.410 We certainly want to be a church that does wonderful, good things in this world. 00:21:50.580 --> 00:21:58.040 And in fact, if ABC didn't exist, we would want the community to ache over lack of our presence just because of how much our desire is to bless people around us. 00:21:59.380 --> 00:22:03.880 But the thing that makes who we are is the purity of what we stand for. 00:22:04.520 --> 00:22:10.930 And this is what you see in the church of Ephesus, this light of the world built on the foundation of who Christ is. 00:22:11.140 --> 00:22:16.360 And in fact, this church of Ephesus was, I would say, the most blessed church in all of the New Testament. 00:22:17.160 --> 00:22:18.530 If you study the city of Ephesus. 00:22:18.900 --> 00:22:22.160 It was one of the top five most powerful cities in the Roman Empire. 00:22:22.260 --> 00:22:25.480 Some 250,000 to 500,000 people were a part of this. 00:22:25.500 --> 00:22:28.840 One of the Seven Wonders of the world was built here, dedicated to the goddess Artemis. 00:22:29.360 --> 00:22:35.820 One of the reasons the early church chose this city in order to plant a church is because they knew that from this church would become influence. 00:22:36.140 --> 00:22:42.460 They would influence the towns and countryside around them, that if they could reach the city, they would reach the people around them. 00:22:42.580 --> 00:22:44.870 This is the same reason we started ABC, where we did. 00:22:44.920 --> 00:22:51.000 We looked on a map and we discovered the highest concentration of population with the least biblical gospel presence. 00:22:51.420 --> 00:22:57.180 And we knew if God could create a powerful movement here, it would influence the towns around us. 00:22:57.360 --> 00:23:03.680 And so we move forward with the hope and a dream that God would build a powerful group of people that could make a punch for his gospel in this world. 00:23:03.820 --> 00:23:07.620 As we stayed humble and devoted to what God called us to in this world. 00:23:08.800 --> 00:23:12.480 And so you see in the church of Ephesus, it's being built here. 00:23:12.520 --> 00:23:18.300 They picked this place because they knew if the gospel took root, the influence they could have on people, people around them. 00:23:18.340 --> 00:23:24.210 In fact, a lot of incredible church leaders were a part of the Church of Ephesus, more so than I think any other church in the New Testament. 00:23:24.840 --> 00:23:31.540 Priscilla and Aquila started this church with Apollos, the Apostle Paul, and spent over three years at one time with this church. 00:23:31.620 --> 00:23:34.060 He spent more time with this church than any other church he planted. 00:23:35.120 --> 00:23:37.420 Timothy who Paul writes a couple letters to Timothy. 00:23:37.420 --> 00:23:39.020 He pastored this church. 00:23:39.020 --> 00:23:42.620 The apostle John, it's thought, was at this church before he was exiled to Patmos. 00:23:43.560 --> 00:23:46.200 Jesus's mother, Mary, lived in Ephesus. 00:23:46.380 --> 00:23:52.360 Part of the reason that we know that historically is that John from the cross, Jesus told John to take care of his mother. 00:23:52.820 --> 00:23:53.670 John went to Ephesus. 00:23:53.780 --> 00:23:59.320 And you can even Google today Virgin Mary's house, and you can see what many claim to be where Mary dwelt. 00:24:00.080 --> 00:24:00.200 Now. 00:24:00.320 --> 00:24:04.200 Ephesus was an incredible city with a rich history. 00:24:04.300 --> 00:24:09.600 And then when you consider the impact, they had such an impact on the temple of Artemis. 00:24:09.600 --> 00:24:17.280 There was something during this time period, there was the individuals called metalworkers who would craft images dedicated to the goddess Artemis. 00:24:17.320 --> 00:24:24.380 And it was when you went to that town, it was expected of you that you would buy one of those images that you could afford, and you would take it to that temple in 00:24:24.380 --> 00:24:25.910 honor of that goddess. 00:24:26.800 --> 00:24:33.770 And the gospel made such a move in Ephesus that these metalworkers became angry and created a riot. 00:24:34.600 --> 00:24:39.420 They not only had that kind of a movement in the city of Ephesus, but in the towns around it. 00:24:39.460 --> 00:24:46.480 What we've discovered with the church of Ephesus is that the other churches mentioned in Revelation were most likely started from the church 00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:52.130 of Ephesus, that God created a movement from this church that impacted this region of Asia. 00:24:52.340 --> 00:24:59.400 Now, Asia at this time is much smaller than you think of Asia today, but this region of Asia, it tells you in acts chapter 19, verse ten, that 00:24:59.400 --> 00:25:03.680 all of Asia heard the gospel because of what God did among this church. 00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:11.160 And so when you read the book of Revelation, it kind of goes in clock a clock movement, starting with the Church of Ephesus and around to all the other churches. 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:17.340 And it was this church that spurred the existence of the other churches as God moved through them. 00:25:17.380 --> 00:25:20.170 And in fact, you see the way this church lived in their devotion. 00:25:20.280 --> 00:25:27.540 Verse two God says, I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot hear with those who are evil, but have tested those 00:25:27.540 --> 00:25:31.200 who claim themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:36.980 And I know that you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 00:25:37.960 --> 00:25:40.160 I mean, here's this church enduring incredible hardship. 00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:44.950 We've talked about, first few centuries of the church, the persecution, the martyrdom that they faced. 00:25:45.860 --> 00:25:49.020 And yet beyond it all, the church is enduring that hardship. 00:25:49.100 --> 00:25:56.280 And they're even contesting with false teachers that people are coming in and trying to usurp the authorities in the church by claiming to 00:25:56.280 --> 00:25:57.250 be apostles themselves. 00:25:57.680 --> 00:25:59.720 And they're teaching something contrary to God's Word. 00:25:59.720 --> 00:26:05.980 And the Lord is saying, look, you're devoted to the purity of my truth, so much so that you're committed to it. 00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:06.860 Even in adversity. 00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:10.740 You will not let it go, because this is what defines you. 00:26:12.580 --> 00:26:16.140 I mean, the question for you today is what defines who you are? 00:26:17.880 --> 00:26:25.200 You know, I think it's important to decide the kind of person that you're going to be before adversity comes, because when it comes, you don't have to question 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:25.420 it. 00:26:27.280 --> 00:26:34.310 I know who I am, and I know what I'm going to live for, and I'm going to let the chips fall where they may. 00:26:35.300 --> 00:26:40.160 But my life will be with no regrets from this day forward, because my identity is Christ. 00:26:41.380 --> 00:26:44.740 And this church was devoted to this foundation. 00:26:45.860 --> 00:26:52.340 And because of that, in the midst of trials and the contesting of false teachers, they remain pure. 00:26:52.840 --> 00:26:53.930 Now, let me just do this quickly. 00:26:54.140 --> 00:27:01.280 I want to talk about this identity of Apostle for a minute, because this place of apostle, whether it's in a formal title or 00:27:01.280 --> 00:27:04.050 just the concept of how a person carries himself. 00:27:04.120 --> 00:27:10.600 You're always going to walk in this world, and people are going to try to usurp position over you, to tell you to believe them because of what they have to say. 00:27:11.280 --> 00:27:15.940 And that word apostle was something used in the New Testament in order to leverage over other people. 00:27:15.940 --> 00:27:19.340 And so the question that maybe we could ask is, do they exist today? 00:27:19.680 --> 00:27:22.810 I can tell you here at ABC we do not have formal apostles. 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:24.600 Right. 00:27:24.620 --> 00:27:26.520 And I will give you some biblical foundation for that. 00:27:26.520 --> 00:27:28.370 And this is not to be contentious for anyone. 00:27:28.420 --> 00:27:35.350 And where you come from, I just want you to know what the Bible says about apostles and why we don't have that title as a church. 00:27:35.980 --> 00:27:38.360 there are three types of apostles in the New Testament. 00:27:38.440 --> 00:27:45.740 So if you ask the question of apostles exist today, I would say it depends on what you mean by that, because there is one type of apostle that's 00:27:45.740 --> 00:27:47.640 the capital, a apostle. 00:27:47.740 --> 00:27:50.550 These are often referred to capital A as the 12 right. 00:27:50.840 --> 00:27:52.060 The 12 apostles. 00:27:52.060 --> 00:27:55.220 These were unique apostles above any other mention of the word apostle. 00:27:55.720 --> 00:27:57.660 They were the 12, and everyone knew him, right? 00:27:57.660 --> 00:28:00.260 And you have a few references, particularly to the 12. 00:28:00.460 --> 00:28:05.080 Then you have another type of apostle that may be not even an apostle, which is the heretic apostle. 00:28:05.080 --> 00:28:06.640 You just read about one of those, right? 00:28:06.700 --> 00:28:06.900 So? 00:28:06.980 --> 00:28:08.580 So they claim to be apostle. 00:28:08.580 --> 00:28:11.540 Maybe we could just give them that and say, okay, you're an apostle, but you're a heretic. 00:28:11.580 --> 00:28:12.160 Apostle, right? 00:28:12.160 --> 00:28:13.590 So there is that kind of apostle. 00:28:24.580 --> 00:28:25.100 And then there's this lowercase a apostle, because the word apostle literally means just sent forth. 00:28:25.100 --> 00:28:25.100 We would generally substitute that word today with the word missionary. 00:28:25.100 --> 00:28:28.400 We send out missionaries or apostles on behalf of the church to represent the Lord, to preach the gospel in places where it hasn't been preached. 00:28:29.080 --> 00:28:30.810 We send people out to do that. 00:28:31.100 --> 00:28:36.210 And so in little, a apostle is probably better served as calling it a missionary, so it doesn't lead to confusion. 00:28:36.260 --> 00:28:37.580 So there's three types. 00:28:37.640 --> 00:28:40.680 But when it comes to the capital, a apostle, there's a few things I want you to know. 00:28:41.960 --> 00:28:48.960 if God intended for that office to continue, what you would expect to find is somewhere in any, any of the epistles that they're writing 00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:56.160 to the churches to, it would be to explain to the churches, this is how you appoint an apostle, but none of the New Testament letters do 00:28:56.160 --> 00:28:58.490 you have a place where it's saying, this is how you appoint an apostle? 00:28:59.600 --> 00:29:02.520 And the reason is because they never intended for the office of apostle to continue. 00:29:03.160 --> 00:29:07.110 Rather, they teach the church how to appoint elders and deacons in order to lead the church forward. 00:29:07.520 --> 00:29:09.040 Another word for elder as a pastor. 00:29:09.880 --> 00:29:12.980 But when you look at what the apostleship is in the New Testament. 00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:15.380 Ephesians chapter two, verse 20 says this. 00:29:15.560 --> 00:29:17.420 He gave apostles to lay the foundation. 00:29:18.520 --> 00:29:21.660 Which I think is a beautiful imagery, because when God describes the church, he. 00:29:21.880 --> 00:29:25.980 He refers to us all as living stones, that God is building his presence among. 00:29:26.120 --> 00:29:27.380 Us as living stones. 00:29:27.380 --> 00:29:29.510 As if God is constructing a greater building with. 00:29:29.980 --> 00:29:30.260 With. 00:29:30.280 --> 00:29:30.900 Us as his people. 00:29:30.900 --> 00:29:33.010 Not a literal building, but a figurative building. 00:29:33.140 --> 00:29:35.360 And the apostles were called to lay to lay a foundation. 00:29:36.200 --> 00:29:41.080 And you and I know anytime you build a house, when you lay a foundation, you move on from that. 00:29:41.080 --> 00:29:42.240 You don't keep laying foundation. 00:29:43.040 --> 00:29:45.230 You lay a foundation to build the rest of the building. 00:29:45.360 --> 00:29:51.240 And the point of the apostles were to lay that foundation, that the rest of the building could rest upon it, Jesus himself being the cornerstone. 00:29:51.360 --> 00:29:58.400 The Apostle Paul called him, called himself the last of the apostles, and in order to be qualified as an apostle is impossible 00:29:58.400 --> 00:29:59.150 today. 00:30:00.200 --> 00:30:07.280 And if you look in acts chapter one or in first Corinthians nine, in both those places it says you have to physically see the resurrected Christ before 00:30:07.280 --> 00:30:12.160 you can even be qualified as an apostle, which is an impossibility for us. 00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:16.580 And so the qualification of an apostle is an impossibility. 00:30:16.580 --> 00:30:18.160 But let me give you these last points and be done. 00:30:19.180 --> 00:30:22.320 If everything I just said you disagreed with me on. 00:30:22.520 --> 00:30:22.860 You know, we can. 00:30:22.940 --> 00:30:23.720 We'll still be friends. 00:30:23.890 --> 00:30:26.350 Okay, you're wrong, but we'll be friends. 00:30:27.380 --> 00:30:28.800 but here's what I want you to know. 00:30:28.820 --> 00:30:29.480 Because this is. 00:30:29.540 --> 00:30:30.200 This is dangerous. 00:30:31.260 --> 00:30:38.340 We're talking about someone who wants to come into your life to usurp position so that you listen to what they say, 00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:41.400 rather than study God's word for yourself. 00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:42.940 Right. 00:30:43.040 --> 00:30:50.060 And we very much want to be a church where people feel comfortable to ask questions, or we understand people are coming from all sorts of different places, 00:30:51.140 --> 00:30:59.060 and we want you to discover the truth of what God says, not because I tell you what it says, but because you're seeing it in His Word and 00:30:59.060 --> 00:31:04.730 it becomes a stronger conviction in your life that way, not simply take your faith and say, oh, just tell me what to think. 00:31:05.860 --> 00:31:09.190 And so when you look at the apostles in the New Testament, let me just tell you a few things about their life. 00:31:09.440 --> 00:31:12.240 First of all, what's important is to recognize their life style. 00:31:13.080 --> 00:31:15.080 And they were abused, shipwrecked, beaten. 00:31:15.080 --> 00:31:17.540 The Apostle Paul refers to them as the least of society. 00:31:18.260 --> 00:31:24.840 These individuals would go to the furthest parts of the earth, places where the gospel has been preached, and endure incredible hardship. 00:31:25.120 --> 00:31:32.260 They were not people that lived in ivory tower towers, drove fancy cars and more expensive clothing that was not an apostle 00:31:32.260 --> 00:31:33.380 in the New Testament. 00:31:34.140 --> 00:31:41.180 They were the ones who laid it all on the line and led by example to the far ends of the earth, sacrificing themselves for the sake of the gospel to the 00:31:41.180 --> 00:31:41.920 benefit of others. 00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:50.520 When it comes to the idea of the apostle, they had this confirmation, and in their lives, and seeing 00:31:50.520 --> 00:31:51.810 the resurrected Jesus. 00:31:51.860 --> 00:31:55.490 And not only that, they carried certain signs with them, the marks of an apostle. 00:31:55.620 --> 00:31:59.670 Second Corinthians 12 and then what was important is to examine what they were teaching. 00:32:00.100 --> 00:32:04.030 The Apostle Paul said this in Second Corinthians 11 about heretical apostles. 00:32:04.320 --> 00:32:09.530 If someone comes and proclaims another Jesus, I mean people will talk about a Jesus that isn't Jesus. 00:32:10.100 --> 00:32:14.210 People will use the name Jesus and then go on to describe something that's anything other than Jesus. 00:32:14.760 --> 00:32:16.660 So he says, they teach another Jesus and we proclaim you. 00:32:17.240 --> 00:32:19.060 You accept a different gospel from the one you accepted. 00:32:19.140 --> 00:32:20.200 You put up with it readily enough. 00:32:20.720 --> 00:32:24.240 Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super apostles. 00:32:25.100 --> 00:32:27.300 So Paul is saying, look, they think that there are these apostles. 00:32:27.760 --> 00:32:32.460 And look, they are not, because they're not even aligned with what God's teaching us. 00:32:34.080 --> 00:32:36.000 So don't give them weight in your community. 00:32:36.140 --> 00:32:37.460 Don't let them guide your people. 00:32:37.460 --> 00:32:38.660 The purity of God's Word. 00:32:38.760 --> 00:32:41.020 And there's many ways to look at the health of a church, right? 00:32:41.940 --> 00:32:49.200 The precedent of the gospel, the way it's taught, their appreciation for the sacredness of God's Word, the sweetness 00:32:49.200 --> 00:32:51.120 of the fellowship, whether or not they live on mission. 00:32:51.360 --> 00:32:53.110 The health of the church is seen that way. 00:32:53.640 --> 00:33:00.640 And here is a church that's putting up with the adversity they're experiencing through false messages in this world, and they're staying true to that 00:33:00.640 --> 00:33:00.940 message. 00:33:01.080 --> 00:33:03.660 And they're enduring even under pressure, even under persecution. 00:33:05.180 --> 00:33:06.990 The purity of who God is made known. 00:33:07.300 --> 00:33:08.600 And let me give you point number three. 00:33:09.260 --> 00:33:10.560 Let me give this last point so we can close. 00:33:11.420 --> 00:33:15.660 My number one pursuit must always be to know Christ. 00:33:17.100 --> 00:33:19.180 It must always be to know Christ. 00:33:20.640 --> 00:33:22.150 Guys, can I tell you humility is important? 00:33:23.380 --> 00:33:25.340 Devotion to God's word is important. 00:33:26.300 --> 00:33:28.270 But all of that is for one purpose. 00:33:29.720 --> 00:33:35.830 To understand that God made you for a relationship, that you would come before him completely surrendered. 00:33:37.200 --> 00:33:42.910 Asking the Lord to teach you through he who he is to the power of His word, and that you would connect to him in relationship. 00:33:44.340 --> 00:33:46.270 That the whole point is not about what we do. 00:33:47.580 --> 00:33:51.410 The point of this church is about who we know walking with him. 00:33:51.880 --> 00:33:58.600 In fact, it gives a warning in Revelation two four, but I have this against you, Ephesus, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 00:33:59.060 --> 00:34:01.520 Some translations say you've left your first love. 00:34:02.400 --> 00:34:06.200 I mean, this is one of the most cutting verses I think exists that exists in the New Testament. 00:34:07.480 --> 00:34:09.429 You've left your first love. 00:34:10.719 --> 00:34:12.280 I mean, what your life is all about. 00:34:13.460 --> 00:34:14.659 To know Jesus. 00:34:16.060 --> 00:34:19.480 I read this verse and out of worry that this could even be us. 00:34:19.520 --> 00:34:19.800 One day. 00:34:19.840 --> 00:34:23.239 I just want to say, man, as a church, can we just make this commitment? 00:34:23.239 --> 00:34:26.020 I mean, this is one this is out of our five values as a church. 00:34:26.020 --> 00:34:31.300 This is our number one value that we would know Christ, know him relationally. 00:34:32.360 --> 00:34:39.540 And could we make this commitment that of all the things we might do as God's people, that we never get lost from the ultimate goal for which we exist, 00:34:39.580 --> 00:34:44.150 and that is to know Christ and in so doing, make Christ known. 00:34:44.880 --> 00:34:50.699 I mean, that's what's happening here at this church, is they've got so busy in the doing, they forgot the whole point. 00:34:51.800 --> 00:34:56.219 They forgot the whole point that it's an outflow of your own relationship with Jesus. 00:34:56.340 --> 00:35:03.580 And if you're neglecting coming to Christ, you're neglecting the whole point of everything that you're doing that 00:35:03.580 --> 00:35:07.310 the health of the church, I would say, is established here, foremost in anywhere. 00:35:08.140 --> 00:35:14.580 As our hearts are humbled and devoted to the Word of God, that we may know the beauty of Christ in our in our lives and therefore live him out in our world. 00:35:16.080 --> 00:35:21.080 And look what he says in verse five, remember, therefore from where you have fallen, repent and do the works you did at first. 00:35:21.660 --> 00:35:26.120 If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent. 00:35:26.920 --> 00:35:30.100 When you realize what this lampstand represents, the church who's a light? 00:35:30.100 --> 00:35:32.980 I mean the Holy Spirit empowering God's people to do his work in this world. 00:35:33.460 --> 00:35:37.180 And Jesus is saying, I'm going to take you away because the power of who you are is not there. 00:35:37.800 --> 00:35:40.080 And I've often thought practically, what does this look like? 00:35:41.440 --> 00:35:48.440 And I think very specifically, this is this church, if it's known in this world, and I think there's a lot of churches like 00:35:48.440 --> 00:35:55.440 this in America today, 80% of churches are plateaued or declining and more churches are closing their 00:35:55.440 --> 00:35:57.280 doors than churches are opening their doors. 00:35:57.280 --> 00:35:58.300 Not here, not here. 00:35:58.300 --> 00:36:00.120 But that's happening around the world. 00:36:01.200 --> 00:36:02.500 And how is that happening? 00:36:02.580 --> 00:36:09.000 I would maybe argue this, that the church might still meet on Sunday morning, but the presence of God is completely gone. 00:36:09.920 --> 00:36:11.240 And that's probably what this looks like. 00:36:11.980 --> 00:36:14.200 Jesus comes in and there's no Holy Spirit there anymore. 00:36:15.040 --> 00:36:16.160 But the people still gather. 00:36:16.760 --> 00:36:18.830 But it's just it's dead on the inside. 00:36:20.080 --> 00:36:22.000 And it's all because they forgot. 00:36:23.040 --> 00:36:27.520 The whole point of this journey is about a relationship with Jesus. 00:36:27.740 --> 00:36:30.940 You know, I think about the beauty of the early church. 00:36:30.940 --> 00:36:30.940 There was this guy named Julian. 00:36:30.940 --> 00:36:32.070 I'll use these examples to be done. 00:36:32.500 --> 00:36:34.310 He's often referred to as Julian as the apostate. 00:36:34.820 --> 00:36:38.100 He looked at the early church and he critiqued the early church with frustration. 00:36:38.320 --> 00:36:40.140 He was angry about the things they were doing. 00:36:40.140 --> 00:36:40.560 He said this. 00:36:41.040 --> 00:36:44.070 He is a pagan, wrote to a pagan priest in the fourth century. 00:36:44.100 --> 00:36:51.400 He says, when it came about that the poor were neglected and overlooked, I think the impious Christians observed the fact that and devoted themselves to 00:36:51.400 --> 00:36:52.400 philanthropy. 00:36:52.420 --> 00:36:55.320 They support not only their poor but ours as well. 00:36:55.320 --> 00:36:58.130 All men see that our people lack aid from us. 00:36:58.400 --> 00:36:59.680 So he's saying, man, look at this church. 00:36:59.680 --> 00:37:02.330 They're having such an incredible impact because they love people. 00:37:02.560 --> 00:37:07.560 They're just meeting people in the brokenness and displaying the hands and feet of Christ wherever they are. 00:37:07.600 --> 00:37:08.660 And it's impacting hearts. 00:37:08.660 --> 00:37:09.680 And it makes me so mad. 00:37:09.720 --> 00:37:10.780 That's what he's saying in this story. 00:37:11.940 --> 00:37:18.210 But can I tell you the power of that church was not simply about what they were doing, but who was driving what they were doing. 00:37:19.360 --> 00:37:24.080 And when you look at the early church, hospitals began because of the early church. 00:37:24.100 --> 00:37:27.660 Educational systems started because of the early church soup kitchens. 00:37:27.660 --> 00:37:28.580 They warred against infanticide. 00:37:29.200 --> 00:37:33.920 The early church made an impact in those beginning centuries because of their love for people. 00:37:33.940 --> 00:37:35.770 That was ultimately driven, because of their love for Christ. 00:37:36.960 --> 00:37:43.040 In fact, Polycarp, who became a martyr when he was in his 80s, 86 years old, he became a martyr. 00:37:43.120 --> 00:37:46.380 He was brought before Roman leaders and told to recant of his faith. 00:37:46.400 --> 00:37:47.640 And he said, absolutely, I will not. 00:37:47.720 --> 00:37:51.680 And he said this 86 years have I served him and he has done me no wrong. 00:37:52.160 --> 00:37:54.240 How can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour? 00:37:55.320 --> 00:37:56.600 And they immediately took him to a stake. 00:37:56.840 --> 00:37:58.500 And they burned him. 00:37:58.800 --> 00:38:04.320 History says that when they lit the stake on fire that he actually radiated, and the flames wouldn't touch him. 00:38:04.640 --> 00:38:10.520 And so out of anger, the soldiers ran towards the stake, and they speared him while he was there. 00:38:11.820 --> 00:38:12.100 Yeah. 00:38:12.200 --> 00:38:18.860 Polycarp's testimony in the midst of verses standing true to Christ, became an example to God's people. 00:38:19.400 --> 00:38:25.780 And that passion for Jesus lit a fire under them that compelled them to continue to live for his glory in this world. 00:38:26.780 --> 00:38:30.340 Guys, can I tell you more than anything what Jesus wants is your heart today. 00:38:31.360 --> 00:38:36.640 Humility devoted to the word for one pursuit that you may know Christ.