PART 8

Where we have been- What we have been taught Ephesus- Lost their 1st love (lack of worship) Smyrna- Carefully living in the light of (paradoxical) Christian truth Pergamum- Watching within the church Thyatira- Walking wisely Sardis- Follow through

Revelation 3:1–6 (NASB95) “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, but you are dead. ‘Wake up, 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. So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. ‘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. He who overcomes will thus be clothed 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. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Reputation v Reality Similar opening to Ephesus; Reputation v Reality Similar opening to Ephesus; “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:” “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this:

Reputation v Reality Similar problem in Sardis. “ Reputation v Reality Similar problem in Sardis “...and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary.‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. “I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Wake up, 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.

Reputation v Reality Similar problem in Sardis--(They are the 2nd Son) Reputation v Reality Similar problem in Sardis--(They are the 2nd Son) Matthew 21:28–32 (NASB95) “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ “And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went. “The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go. “Which of the two did the will of his father?” They *said, “The first.” Jesus *said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.”

Solution Established “Wake Up” Philippians 2:8–13 (NASB95) Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Solution Established “remember what you have received and heard” Ephesians 2:12–16 (NASB95) remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.

Solution Established “keep it and repent” Job 42:1–6 (NASB95) Then Job answered the LORD and said, “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ “Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.” ‘Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me.’ “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.”

Solution Established “I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.” Luke 12:40–43 (NASB95) “You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.” 1 Peter said, “Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.

Always a remnant “They will walk with Me in white” Revelation 7:13–15 (NASB95) Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.”

Always a remnant “I will not erase his name from the book of life” Psalm 69:28 (NASB95) May they be blotted out of the book of life And may they not be recorded with the righteous. Revelation 13:8 (NASB95) All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. Revelation 20:15 (NASB95) And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Always a remnant “I will confess his name before My Father and His angels” Hebrews 2:11–12 (NASB95) For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, “I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE.” The Holy Trinity(?)