WEBVTT 00:00:01.699 --> 00:00:04.365 Thank you Isaac. Thank you worship team. 00:00:04.365 --> 00:00:09.833 I'm going to begin our service this morning just by giving a prayer of thanksgiving. 00:00:09.833 --> 00:00:11.632 This is a National day of Prayer. 00:00:11.632 --> 00:00:25.699 I know a number of churches are dedicating some time to prayer today in gratitude for our country, and we're going to spend more time on that on July 5th, on the 250th anniversary of our country. 00:00:25.699 --> 00:00:32.133 Though the whole service won't be about that, but we'll give more attention to that that day, mainly through the lens. 00:00:32.133 --> 00:00:41.033 And this is how I'm going to pray this morning of gratitude, that we live in a place where we are allowed to worship freely and openly. 00:00:41.932 --> 00:00:53.133 Not everybody in the world has that privilege or ability, and we may not always have that by the way, but we have had that. 00:00:53.133 --> 00:00:56.566 And of course, there are challenges with that. 00:00:56.566 --> 00:00:59.265 Familiarity breeds contempt. 00:00:59.265 --> 00:01:07.700 Sometimes persecution brings a greater depth of commitment to faith, and we don't ask for that. 00:01:07.700 --> 00:01:08.566 We don't want that. 00:01:08.566 --> 00:01:12.033 What we want is the commitment in the midst of the freedom of expression. 00:01:12.033 --> 00:01:16.533 I'm grateful that we live in a country that at least it's not a perfect country. 00:01:16.533 --> 00:01:20.433 We have a lot of flaws for sure, but we have that. 00:01:20.433 --> 00:01:27.799 And so we're going to pray and give thanks for that and pray that we would make the most of that freedom individually. 00:01:27.799 --> 00:01:28.900 We have that freedom. 00:01:28.900 --> 00:01:31.365 Let's make sure everyone knows about it. 00:01:31.365 --> 00:01:34.632 Everyone around you don't just keep it to yourself. 00:01:34.632 --> 00:01:35.465 And so let's pray. 00:01:35.465 --> 00:01:37.665 Just a prayer of thanksgiving right now. 00:01:37.665 --> 00:01:45.465 On this day, especially on a week of and I'll just say this on the front end before I pray, I said I'm going to pray about three times now. One more comment. 00:01:45.465 --> 00:01:47.700 There are elections this week. 00:01:47.700 --> 00:01:52.799 No matter how they turn out, our security is in Christ whether they go your way or not. 00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:54.200 I don't even know what your way is. 00:01:54.200 --> 00:01:56.000 Our security is in Christ. 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:58.799 Do not be anxious in anything, but in everything. 00:01:58.799 --> 00:02:03.465 Through prayer and thanksgiving with petition, supplication, make your requests made known to God. 00:02:03.465 --> 00:02:07.433 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. 00:02:07.433 --> 00:02:10.099 Our hope is in him, not in the elections. 00:02:10.099 --> 00:02:10.566 Do your best. 00:02:10.566 --> 00:02:11.800 Vote your best, hope for the best. 00:02:11.800 --> 00:02:13.332 Pray for the best. 00:02:13.332 --> 00:02:17.133 Ultimately, no matter how it turns out, our hope is in him. 00:02:17.133 --> 00:02:20.066 That's our joy and our hope and our peace. 00:02:20.066 --> 00:02:21.500 So I'm going to pray now, I promise. 00:02:21.500 --> 00:02:26.233 Lord, thank you for this morning that we can worship openly. 00:02:26.233 --> 00:02:27.699 We can even put it on the internet. 00:02:28.665 --> 00:02:35.566 We don't have to worry that the Army or the military is going to come in and shut us down, or the police. 00:02:35.733 --> 00:02:44.199 God help us to walk in that freedom to not take it for granted every day, to walk in the joy of that, to tell others about you. 00:02:44.199 --> 00:02:56.932 While we can openly and help us this week to pray faithfully for wisdom, but also to walk in peace, our peace is in you. 00:02:56.932 --> 00:02:59.400 Our hope is in you. 00:02:59.400 --> 00:03:00.599 And so we are grateful. 00:03:00.599 --> 00:03:02.432 We love you. 00:03:02.432 --> 00:03:04.966 Amen. 00:03:04.966 --> 00:03:11.900 Well, today we start a new series looking at the seven churches of revelation in the Book of Revelation. 00:03:12.300 --> 00:03:15.599 I was reminded of an interaction I had with a friend of mine in Little Rock. 00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:19.500 We lived on a street where a number of them in there met for a Bible study. 00:03:19.500 --> 00:03:25.066 One of the guys there had started it, and one morning we were meeting and talking about some of the books we like to read. 00:03:25.066 --> 00:03:29.000 A number of us, and there were readers and one of the books was mentioned, a couple. 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:30.366 The guy said, oh yeah, I love that book. 00:03:30.366 --> 00:03:31.599 That was a great book. 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:33.032 And one guy said, oh no, I don't. 00:03:33.032 --> 00:03:35.133 I hated that book, it was terrible. 00:03:35.133 --> 00:03:37.199 I said, really that why do you think that? 00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:38.165 He said, well, I didn't read it. 00:03:39.400 --> 00:03:42.066 I said, okay, well why did you think it was terrible? 00:03:42.066 --> 00:03:42.633 He said, well, I did. 00:03:42.633 --> 00:03:46.633 I read the end, I read the ending and decided it wasn't very good book. 00:03:46.633 --> 00:03:48.466 I didn't want to read it. 00:03:48.466 --> 00:03:49.733 I said, why did you do that? 00:03:49.733 --> 00:03:52.400 He said, well, I do that with every book I decide I'm going to read. 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:55.900 Before I read it, I read the ending first and decide if I like the ending. 00:03:55.900 --> 00:03:57.032 Then I'll read the book. 00:03:57.032 --> 00:04:00.765 And I thought, that is the exact opposite of what every person I know does. 00:04:00.765 --> 00:04:01.733 Why would you do that? 00:04:01.733 --> 00:04:02.866 That's the whole point. 00:04:02.866 --> 00:04:06.165 You read it so that you can be surprised by the ending and enjoy it. 00:04:06.165 --> 00:04:11.733 But for him, he didn't want to risk investing all that energy, reading a book and getting to the end and hating the ending. 00:04:11.733 --> 00:04:14.300 It would have been the worst thing possible to happen to him. 00:04:14.300 --> 00:04:17.000 So that's how he went about it. 00:04:17.000 --> 00:04:19.132 Now there is some wisdom to that. 00:04:19.132 --> 00:04:20.699 You've heard this in business settings. 00:04:20.699 --> 00:04:22.365 Begin with the end in mind. 00:04:22.365 --> 00:04:25.966 If you're going to take on a new venture, if you're going to approach anything, you begin. 00:04:25.966 --> 00:04:26.865 What's the end goal? 00:04:26.865 --> 00:04:27.833 Where are you headed towards? 00:04:27.833 --> 00:04:28.966 What's the outcome? 00:04:28.966 --> 00:04:31.000 Start there and work backwards. 00:04:31.000 --> 00:04:36.466 You want to make sure your life, your actions, your activity are moving you towards that goal. 00:04:37.865 --> 00:04:45.165 And when we think about the book of Revelation, which is what we're opening today, that is the end of the story. 00:04:45.632 --> 00:04:48.132 It's the end of the book. 00:04:48.132 --> 00:04:57.065 And we haven't covered the whole book and our preaching, but we're looking at the end of the book, because the way you view the end of the story shapes how you live the rest of the story. 00:04:57.065 --> 00:05:01.033 The way you think about the end of all things shapes how you live your life. 00:05:01.033 --> 00:05:02.966 And it should. 00:05:02.966 --> 00:05:06.199 And we're not going to unpack the whole book of Revelation in the coming weeks. 00:05:06.199 --> 00:05:18.365 We're just going to look at the first three chapters at those seven churches of Revelation, because I think we live in an age where there's a lot of lessons that were given to those churches that are relevant for us today. 00:05:19.632 --> 00:05:25.266 And it does talk about how the fact and I think many would say it feels like we're moving towards the end times. 00:05:25.266 --> 00:05:33.800 We don't know for sure or not, but we want to follow messages given to churches in that situation and think about how that applies to us today. 00:05:33.800 --> 00:05:35.399 So we're going to be in the book of Revelation. 00:05:35.399 --> 00:05:37.865 If you have a Bible turn there, it's easy to find. 00:05:37.865 --> 00:05:47.199 It's at the end, flip to the back depending on how many maps and concordances and what you have, it'll be closer to the end than others. 00:05:47.632 --> 00:06:01.165 If you have a church Bible, it's on page 976 and we're just going to read the first few verses of chapter one, because we're going to spend most of our time in chapters two and three over the upcoming seven weeks as we look at the seven churches. 00:06:01.165 --> 00:06:09.466 But chapter one helps set that up, helps give us our bearings, helps give our orientation for why we should even be looking at this. 00:06:10.699 --> 00:06:22.365 So Revelation chapter one, verse one, the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. 00:06:22.365 --> 00:06:34.300 He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:43.533 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it. 00:06:43.533 --> 00:06:46.533 For the time is near. 00:06:46.733 --> 00:06:56.199 John, to the seven churches that are in Asia, grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come. 00:06:56.199 --> 00:07:17.632 And from the seven spirits who are before the throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, the ruler of the kings on earth to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. 00:07:18.665 --> 00:07:20.865 Amen. 00:07:20.865 --> 00:07:27.565 So here we have these first six verses of chapter one, setting the stage for us to look at the churches. 00:07:27.565 --> 00:07:31.100 A couple of things to point out to get our bearings. 00:07:31.100 --> 00:07:37.632 Note that first of all, this is a message directly from Jesus to these churches. 00:07:38.165 --> 00:07:41.966 It says the revelation of Jesus Christ. 00:07:41.966 --> 00:07:50.932 This is a message from Jesus to the churches through an angel to John to the seven churches. 00:07:51.865 --> 00:08:03.165 And this is important because many people, when they think about the book of revelation, they think about weird things like dragons and horses and wrath pouring out and crazy stuff. 00:08:03.165 --> 00:08:04.800 And you go, I don't know what to do with that. 00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:07.632 All this doesn't make any sense, so I'm just going to stay away from it. 00:08:09.266 --> 00:08:15.165 But first and foremost, this is a message from Jesus to the church. 00:08:15.165 --> 00:08:21.966 And if Jesus writes a letter to the church, we can trust that there are things in there we can understand. 00:08:21.966 --> 00:08:24.165 We don't have to just give up and think it's too hard. 00:08:24.165 --> 00:08:25.065 We can't understand it. 00:08:25.065 --> 00:08:25.899 Let's stay away from it. 00:08:25.899 --> 00:08:36.865 I wrote in the midweek update this week about two mountain men who had heard that a little girl had been lost in the wilderness in Arkansas, and they go and look for her, and they went, even though they knew it would be hard because they knew it was important. 00:08:36.865 --> 00:08:40.966 We don't avoid hard things just because they're hard when they are important. 00:08:40.966 --> 00:08:44.332 And yeah, there are things that are going to be hard to understand in the book of Revelation. 00:08:45.566 --> 00:08:50.566 But it's important, especially when we know this is how the story ends. 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:56.033 It's worth taking the time to look into it, and we can go into it with confidence. 00:08:56.033 --> 00:09:03.566 If Jesus writes a letter, there's going to be things there for us that we can understand that he wants us to hear and know. 00:09:03.765 --> 00:09:07.666 Also note the word revelation that begins the whole book. 00:09:07.666 --> 00:09:11.299 It's the title of the book because it's the first word of the book. 00:09:11.299 --> 00:09:11.865 You see it here. 00:09:11.865 --> 00:09:14.765 The revelation of Jesus Christ. 00:09:14.765 --> 00:09:19.466 In the original language that word sounds like our word apocalypse. 00:09:19.633 --> 00:09:27.700 If you just sound it out as it looks in Greek, which, of course, when you think of the word apocalypse, you think of the end of all things, the destruction of the world. 00:09:27.700 --> 00:09:31.466 And that has certainly some overlap with the book of Revelation. 00:09:31.466 --> 00:09:33.200 That's what our English word apocalypse means. 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:42.832 But the word in Greek, it meant something more like things that have been hidden are now revealed. 00:09:42.966 --> 00:09:44.466 They are now disclosed. 00:09:44.466 --> 00:09:50.466 Things that were hard to understand are now made known, you can hear that it's been revealed. 00:09:50.466 --> 00:09:53.966 You hear that word revelation in the word revealed. 00:09:54.765 --> 00:10:03.100 If you think about the history of Scripture, when Jesus showed up, Jesus revealed the Old Testament promise that was pointing towards him. 00:10:03.100 --> 00:10:14.332 Because people in Old Testament times knew there was a messiah who would come, and he would come in the form of David, fulfilling the prophecy that he would continue the line of David, the kingly throne. 00:10:14.332 --> 00:10:22.365 And they knew that there would be a messiah who comes and sets a new covenant, makes all things right, and the Holy Spirit will live within us and will give us a new heart of flesh. 00:10:22.365 --> 00:10:28.332 They didn't know exactly what that would look like, but when Jesus came, it was revealed, this is the one you've been looking for. 00:10:30.566 --> 00:10:37.666 And so when we look at the book of Revelation, things that were previously hidden are now revealed. 00:10:37.799 --> 00:10:41.500 And when he comes again, it will be even more revealed. 00:10:41.500 --> 00:10:45.399 We will be able to look back and say, oh, this is that. 00:10:45.399 --> 00:10:46.832 When this happened, it was there. 00:10:46.832 --> 00:10:49.566 It was written. I see it now. 00:10:49.566 --> 00:10:56.200 He's revealing to us his plan for the end of the age, and that will help shape how we live now. 00:10:57.133 --> 00:11:07.466 Now, I think in terms of why we should think about and care about what this book has to say today for our church today, because it seems too far off, too much, too obscure, too hard to understand. 00:11:07.466 --> 00:11:08.365 Why should we care about it? 00:11:08.365 --> 00:11:11.566 I think he gives three reasons why that we're going to look at today here in chapter one. 00:11:11.566 --> 00:11:15.332 The first is he addresses our motivations. 00:11:17.865 --> 00:11:19.066 Our motivations. 00:11:19.066 --> 00:11:19.732 So what for? 00:11:19.732 --> 00:11:22.732 Why we should care about this. 00:11:22.932 --> 00:11:24.232 He gets right to the heart of the matter. 00:11:24.232 --> 00:11:25.066 Why should you care? 00:11:25.066 --> 00:11:26.365 What is your motivation? 00:11:26.365 --> 00:11:30.466 Look back at verse three and he says this. 00:11:30.533 --> 00:11:34.466 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy. 00:11:34.466 --> 00:11:40.966 And blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it. 00:11:40.966 --> 00:11:44.466 First he gives in these, I think, two motivations. 00:11:44.466 --> 00:11:47.566 The first is we see a conditional promise. 00:11:47.566 --> 00:11:55.666 Here's a promise that if you take these words to heart, there is a blessing in store for you. 00:11:55.966 --> 00:12:09.732 And it's important to note, by the way, he says, it's not just those who hear, yes, there is a blessing to simply hearing the book of revelation, hearing the promise of God, hearing the Word of God, but also to those who keep it. 00:12:09.732 --> 00:12:15.466 And I think anyone who's been a part of the Christian faith, any amount of time would know. 00:12:15.466 --> 00:12:20.332 It's not just merely hearing God's Word that matters, but it's also doing it. 00:12:20.566 --> 00:12:28.500 You're not saved by doing enough good works to please God, and somehow then he let you in. No, but we are not just hearers. 00:12:28.500 --> 00:12:33.533 But James talks about that we don't just hear and turn away like none of it matters the rest of the week. 00:12:33.533 --> 00:12:36.133 We're we're doers too. You live it out. 00:12:36.133 --> 00:12:40.700 You show that it means something to you by the way you live your life. 00:12:41.633 --> 00:12:49.033 Some I think when they think about Christianity, think of it more like maybe the way you might add a feature to a new car. 00:12:49.033 --> 00:12:50.765 You know, I got this new car. 00:12:50.765 --> 00:12:52.399 It's nice already. 00:12:52.399 --> 00:13:00.832 Hey, but now I'm going to upgrade, get that 4x4 package, or I'm gonna make it a little nicer with that leather, all leather interior or upgrade that sound system. 00:13:00.832 --> 00:13:02.332 So my life was pretty good already. 00:13:02.332 --> 00:13:04.533 But now I'm going to add on just a little more. 00:13:04.533 --> 00:13:05.832 I'm going to bring Jesus into it. 00:13:05.832 --> 00:13:09.566 And he's going to take was okay, and make it even just a little bit better. 00:13:09.566 --> 00:13:11.100 And whenever I need it, I'll lean on him. 00:13:11.100 --> 00:13:13.399 But otherwise he's just kind of there, tacked on. 00:13:15.332 --> 00:13:22.100 But the committed Christian, the faithful Christian, the one who hears and does, looks at that, the completely opposite. 00:13:22.100 --> 00:13:27.466 He's not just an added on feature, he's the very core of everything in my life. 00:13:28.365 --> 00:13:30.500 Should be. 00:13:30.500 --> 00:13:35.533 He affects everything I do and think and say every minute of every day. 00:13:35.533 --> 00:13:41.765 He's at the center of everything, not just tacked on as a maybe here and there. 00:13:41.765 --> 00:13:47.633 And that is a huge shift to make in your thinking when it comes to following Christ. 00:13:47.633 --> 00:13:55.600 Being dependent on him completely and entirely, and everything you do. 00:13:55.966 --> 00:13:56.932 See, he lives in you. 00:13:56.932 --> 00:14:01.432 When he came, he put His Spirit within you when you committed to following him. 00:14:01.432 --> 00:14:05.899 And the question is, will you experience the fullness of that on a day to day basis or not? 00:14:08.332 --> 00:14:14.466 There's a conditional promise, but there's also secondly, a motivation because there is a warning right? 00:14:14.466 --> 00:14:15.265 There is a blessing. 00:14:15.265 --> 00:14:19.399 But also he says in verse three, blessed are those who here who keep. 00:14:19.399 --> 00:14:22.399 But the warning is the time is near. 00:14:23.865 --> 00:14:27.732 This should also be part of our motivation. 00:14:27.732 --> 00:14:30.732 The time is near. 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:42.265 Because there's a temptation to think that it's not near, that life's just going to go on like it always has been. 00:14:43.299 --> 00:14:47.365 I mean, just this morning we were talking in our elder prayer time. 00:14:47.365 --> 00:14:57.566 One of the guys had a friend of a family member or an extended family member who was just riding down the road on their moped this week, the other side of Louisville, just another day. 00:14:57.566 --> 00:15:00.000 Just another day home from work and was hit and killed. 00:15:02.600 --> 00:15:04.932 You never know. 00:15:04.932 --> 00:15:05.966 The time is near. 00:15:05.966 --> 00:15:08.265 And do we know exactly when he will come? 00:15:08.265 --> 00:15:09.765 When things will end for this world? 00:15:09.765 --> 00:15:13.633 Or for me personally? No, but it is near. 00:15:13.633 --> 00:15:14.566 The time is near. 00:15:14.566 --> 00:15:17.533 It's nearer than you think, no matter who you are. 00:15:17.533 --> 00:15:20.200 For some it's a lot nearer than others. 00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:22.166 No matter who you are, it is near. 00:15:22.166 --> 00:15:25.932 Don't take it for granted or take it for granted that you have another day to have another minute. 00:15:25.932 --> 00:15:26.932 That you have another hour. 00:15:26.932 --> 00:15:29.932 Live every moment with purpose. 00:15:30.332 --> 00:15:32.966 And so he addresses our motivations here right at the beginning. 00:15:32.966 --> 00:15:34.332 Here's why you should care about this book. 00:15:34.332 --> 00:15:36.966 This tells you how things end and the time is near. 00:15:36.966 --> 00:15:39.966 Take it to heart. 00:15:40.365 --> 00:15:43.000 So first he tells us, addresses our motivation. 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:54.066 Second, he talks about his operations, meaning his activities, what he does, what he has done on our behalf, and what he will do. 00:15:54.066 --> 00:16:10.166 So let's look here back in verse four and five for this first aspect of his operations, John, to the seven churches that are in Asia, grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come. 00:16:11.265 --> 00:16:16.633 And we, when we refer to Asia, refer more to like China, Japan, Korea. 00:16:16.633 --> 00:16:21.000 But this would have been like East of Middle East Asia at that time. 00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:29.200 And this area, Turkey would have been the area in particular, which was often referred to as Asia to the churches in Asia, modern day Turkey. 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:31.166 The seven spirits who are before his throne. 00:16:31.166 --> 00:16:41.533 And then verse five, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, the ruler of kings on earth. 00:16:41.533 --> 00:16:46.832 To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood. 00:16:46.832 --> 00:16:53.832 And then verse eight, I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God. 00:16:53.832 --> 00:16:58.299 When we think about his operations, first we can look at who he is. 00:17:00.232 --> 00:17:01.600 And it's listed here. 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:09.532 As we looked at all these things said in verse five, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, the ruler of the kings on earth, he loves us. 00:17:09.532 --> 00:17:11.566 He freed us from our sins by his blood. 00:17:11.566 --> 00:17:13.333 He is the Alpha and the Omega. 00:17:13.333 --> 00:17:16.432 Jesus is the one sovereign overall. 00:17:17.500 --> 00:17:20.500 That's our starting point. That’s who he is. 00:17:21.066 --> 00:17:28.799 And we live in a world that not only does not acknowledge that, but vehemently denies that that could even be a possibility. 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:35.932 All of the culture around you is completely opposed to this idea that Jesus is the founder of all creation. 00:17:35.932 --> 00:17:37.665 He is preeminent overall. 00:17:38.865 --> 00:17:43.965 There's nothing more distasteful or disdained in this world than that idea. 00:17:44.500 --> 00:17:53.465 In your day to day life, more than likely, everyone around you is doing all they can to deny and oppose and avoid that idea, even if it's not outwardly. 00:17:53.465 --> 00:17:56.266 They don't want to hear it. 00:17:56.266 --> 00:17:58.665 But don't forget it's true. 00:17:58.665 --> 00:18:00.032 It's absolute truth. 00:18:00.032 --> 00:18:04.365 It's truer than anything else that you experience in this world. 00:18:04.365 --> 00:18:05.232 The world wants to tell you. 00:18:05.232 --> 00:18:12.532 Life is all about accomplishments and money and getting your name on a building and more possessions. 00:18:12.532 --> 00:18:14.165 And that's everything around you. 00:18:14.165 --> 00:18:18.333 That's what everybody is doing, and that's what they're all ate up with. 00:18:20.833 --> 00:18:27.165 But Jesus is the one who is King of kings, Lord of lords, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. 00:18:29.165 --> 00:18:31.133 That's what he, that’s who he is. 00:18:31.133 --> 00:18:34.133 It's what he has done. 00:18:34.633 --> 00:18:36.532 But then also what he has done in us. 00:18:36.532 --> 00:18:42.633 This is letter B, he comes having remade us. 00:18:42.766 --> 00:18:45.766 He remade us. 00:18:47.432 --> 00:18:55.900 In fact, look here at verse six, he made us a kingdom of priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. 00:18:55.900 --> 00:18:59.500 That phrase here in verse six, he made us a kingdom of priests. 00:18:59.500 --> 00:19:00.465 That's an important phrase. 00:19:00.465 --> 00:19:04.665 It goes back to the book of Exodus, when God was giving the law to Moses. 00:19:04.665 --> 00:19:11.266 He told Moses, I'm going to make the nation a kingdom of priests, meaning everyone to have access to me equally. 00:19:13.365 --> 00:19:16.799 But the hard part of that is the people didn't want that. 00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:21.032 If you look back, they said, Moses, why don't you go on for us? 00:19:21.032 --> 00:19:22.599 You you go talk to him. 00:19:22.599 --> 00:19:25.700 Let's keep a little distance between us and him. 00:19:25.700 --> 00:19:27.333 Why don't you be our go between? 00:19:30.266 --> 00:19:34.032 And the tragedy of that is you can't just keep God at a distance. 00:19:34.032 --> 00:19:35.066 I mean, you can try. 00:19:35.066 --> 00:19:37.766 It's not like he goes, hey, fine. 00:19:37.766 --> 00:19:42.965 I'll stop being God, since you don't really want me very close. 00:19:43.665 --> 00:19:51.732 Now the challenge is he might back off his blessing and involvement in our lives when we say, hey, please just stay at a distance. 00:19:51.732 --> 00:19:57.932 I prefer a safe God personally, I don't really want everything that seems dangerous and unknown about you. 00:19:57.932 --> 00:20:01.465 And I don't want to have to walk by faith all the time. 00:20:02.333 --> 00:20:04.333 But you miss out on the fullness of his blessing. 00:20:04.333 --> 00:20:08.566 And when Jesus came, he restored that idea of a kingdom of priests. 00:20:08.566 --> 00:20:12.032 We don't no longer have to go through someone else to go to him. 00:20:12.032 --> 00:20:14.232 You don't have to come to church and talk to me. 00:20:14.232 --> 00:20:18.099 And then I go and talk to Jesus for you on your behalf or anyone else. 00:20:19.665 --> 00:20:22.665 He says in First Peter, I will remake you a kingdom of priests. 00:20:22.665 --> 00:20:24.566 I put my Holy Spirit within you. 00:20:24.566 --> 00:20:26.432 I make your heart new. 00:20:26.432 --> 00:20:30.299 He's done that for everyone who knows Christ here. 00:20:30.299 --> 00:20:36.965 You walk in the joy of that. Now third, in terms of what he has done, what are his operations? 00:20:36.965 --> 00:20:39.965 Here's the third one. 00:20:40.665 --> 00:20:51.200 Verse seven, behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. 00:20:51.400 --> 00:20:55.000 And all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. 00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:57.099 Even so. 00:20:57.099 --> 00:20:59.266 Amen. 00:20:59.266 --> 00:21:07.465 The third thing to realize about what he has done, what he will do, he will return. 00:21:09.099 --> 00:21:11.865 He will return. 00:21:11.865 --> 00:21:14.732 Just because he hasn't doesn't mean he won't. 00:21:14.732 --> 00:21:17.000 There will be a day when he returns. 00:21:17.000 --> 00:21:19.099 And it says here in verse seven, he is coming. 00:21:19.099 --> 00:21:20.500 He is coming with the clouds. 00:21:20.500 --> 00:21:22.099 Every eye will see him. 00:21:22.099 --> 00:21:25.665 It'll be visible, it'll be obvious, it'll be awesome. 00:21:25.665 --> 00:21:28.032 It'll be amazing. 00:21:28.032 --> 00:21:30.400 And yet for some, it will lead to wailing. 00:21:32.732 --> 00:21:35.099 We talked a lot about this last week. 00:21:35.099 --> 00:21:41.099 I talked about how I often begin funerals with First Thessalonians four. 00:21:41.099 --> 00:21:42.532 We do not grieve as those without hope. 00:21:42.532 --> 00:21:44.965 If you know Christ, you don't grieve the same as if you don't. 00:21:44.965 --> 00:21:47.766 You know you will see them again. 00:21:47.766 --> 00:21:50.732 But another verse I often talk about is Ecclesiastes 00:21:50.732 --> 00:21:52.365 2. 00:21:52.365 --> 00:21:56.732 Better to go to the house of mourning than the house of feasting. 00:21:57.099 --> 00:22:03.500 Because the living, this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. 00:22:04.200 --> 00:22:05.400 He will come back. 00:22:05.400 --> 00:22:11.333 There will be a day where we are called to account for our lives. 00:22:12.266 --> 00:22:13.766 The living will lay it to heart. 00:22:13.766 --> 00:22:14.932 When you're at a funeral. 00:22:14.932 --> 00:22:22.932 That's one of the rare moments in your normal life where you pause for just a minute and you think about your life, and you think about, how would I give an account for my life? 00:22:24.465 --> 00:22:28.599 I remember being at a funeral of a friend of a friend in high school. 00:22:28.599 --> 00:22:34.232 This was a guy he was he was popular across the city in high school. 00:22:34.232 --> 00:22:39.099 I mean, there were people there from dozens of high schools at his funeral. 00:22:39.099 --> 00:22:42.099 And he was also incredibly crazy. 00:22:42.133 --> 00:22:49.365 I mean, he was known for being a troublemaker and causing a lot of trouble and being crazy. 00:22:49.365 --> 00:22:52.500 And I remember sitting there at the funeral and they shared how he died. 00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:55.066 And some of my friends were like, I don't even think that's the whole story. 00:22:55.066 --> 00:22:58.066 He was into some bad stuff. 00:22:58.532 --> 00:23:01.566 I remember sitting there thinking, man, what is my legacy going to be like? 00:23:01.566 --> 00:23:03.032 What will people say about me? 00:23:03.032 --> 00:23:04.032 Here I am in college. 00:23:06.099 --> 00:23:10.232 That's one of the powers of dwelling upon the end of all things. 00:23:11.400 --> 00:23:13.532 There will be an account for our lives. 00:23:13.532 --> 00:23:19.099 It's easy to lull ourselves into thinking it won't happen, that we can just keep going on as things are all the time. 00:23:19.099 --> 00:23:26.333 But there will be a time when he returns and that should shape the way you live now. 00:23:27.432 --> 00:23:29.432 So we have motivations, we have operations. 00:23:29.432 --> 00:23:33.232 And then here we get to these seven churches. 00:23:33.232 --> 00:23:36.232 These are the destinations. 00:23:36.766 --> 00:23:40.465 The destinations for these letters are these seven churches. 00:23:40.465 --> 00:23:42.532 And so look with me at verse. 00:23:42.532 --> 00:23:48.232 Let's look at verse nine here where John begins to directly address them. 00:23:48.465 --> 00:23:57.099 I, John, verse nine, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus. 00:23:57.099 --> 00:24:01.500 I was on the island called Patmos on account of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 00:24:01.500 --> 00:24:10.133 I was in the spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, saying, write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches. 00:24:10.133 --> 00:24:18.165 And he lists them out here to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamum, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. 00:24:18.165 --> 00:24:26.566 So here he lists these seven churches that we're going to address, one at a time over the next, next seven weeks. 00:24:26.965 --> 00:24:30.165 And that number seven is significant in Scripture. 00:24:30.165 --> 00:24:33.165 You often hear it mentioned. 00:24:33.165 --> 00:24:37.965 In fact, some will call it the number of completion or the number of perfection. 00:24:37.965 --> 00:24:42.266 It's not always indicating that, but many times it does. 00:24:42.266 --> 00:24:46.066 You can think back to even creation or the six days of creation. 00:24:46.066 --> 00:24:49.532 On the seventh day, Jesus, God wrapped it up. Jesus was there too. 00:24:49.532 --> 00:24:51.032 It was wrapped up. It was finished. 00:24:51.032 --> 00:24:52.965 It was completed on the seventh day. 00:24:52.965 --> 00:24:54.799 You see that number repeated here? 00:24:54.799 --> 00:24:57.900 You see it repeated in the book of Revelation over and over again. 00:24:57.900 --> 00:25:01.532 Here we have the final book, and we see the number seven represented over and over again. 00:25:01.532 --> 00:25:04.066 You see the seven angels, you see the bowls of wrath. 00:25:04.066 --> 00:25:14.732 You see all kinds of the number seven represented over and over again the candlesticks, the seven stars, once again just emphasizing the end is coming. 00:25:14.732 --> 00:25:19.365 This is all pointing towards the end to the wrapping up of all things, the summation of all things. 00:25:19.365 --> 00:25:20.799 So the number seven is significant. 00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:23.500 But why these seven churches in particular? 00:25:23.500 --> 00:25:28.266 I want to give you just a little bit of bearing on that to set us up for the coming weeks. 00:25:28.266 --> 00:25:32.633 In fact, I've got a map to put on the screen of these seven churches in particular. 00:25:32.633 --> 00:25:34.665 This is western, western Turkey. 00:25:34.665 --> 00:25:48.833 You can see on the map that shows that they're kind of in a circle and many if this were a more detailed map, you would see even on ancient routes, they were positioned along key ancient routes along the way. 00:25:48.833 --> 00:25:54.032 The main roads that many would have traveled, and the church of Ephesus in particular. 00:25:54.032 --> 00:26:00.732 I didn't put this on the map, but the island of Patmos, where John was writing from, was kind of right off the coast from Ephesus. 00:26:00.732 --> 00:26:02.633 It would have been the closest one to Ephesus. 00:26:02.633 --> 00:26:06.732 It wasn't very far the point of this being. 00:26:06.732 --> 00:26:10.500 And by the way, this region, Turkey itself, is probably about the size of Texas. 00:26:10.500 --> 00:26:16.566 This region is probably where these churches are, is maybe the size of Kentucky. 00:26:16.566 --> 00:26:33.965 So imagine if there were a circuit of seven significant churches in Kentucky that were well known as the most influential in their area, and they were all along the key stops on the interstate, you know, you go Louisville, then to Frankfort, then to Lexington, and maybe on around to Richmond and to Bowling Green and Paducah. 00:26:33.965 --> 00:26:37.365 You know, these are key significant locations. 00:26:38.532 --> 00:26:42.165 And part of the reason that is this links them together many believe. 00:26:42.165 --> 00:26:55.365 In fact, when I was preparing to to go through this study, I met with Larry Peercy-- Larry leads our Senior Adults Life group, which is our largest life group here at the church, and he recently taught through the Book of Revelation. 00:26:55.365 --> 00:26:59.032 And I just actually I just had one question for him about Revelation. 00:26:59.032 --> 00:27:01.365 And so I called him up and said, Larry, I've got one question. 00:27:01.365 --> 00:27:04.333 I want to ask you to get your insight on this because I'm getting ready to set this up. 00:27:04.333 --> 00:27:06.465 I'm not teaching the whole book, so I don't need everything from you. 00:27:06.465 --> 00:27:07.665 I just need this one question. 00:27:07.665 --> 00:27:16.000 And so I asked him the question, and then about 30 minutes later, I said, Larry, why don't I come over for a little bit and let's talk some more? 00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:18.799 Because he's like, I can't just only answer your one question. 00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:25.099 I've just spent a year walking or more walking through this book, and the class loved it and everybody was really into it. 00:27:25.099 --> 00:27:31.365 So I came over and, we sat down and he pulled out all his notes, two big binders full of notes, and he said, here you go. 00:27:31.365 --> 00:27:32.066 Just take these. 00:27:32.066 --> 00:27:34.299 He said, I don't Larry is 90 years old. 00:27:34.299 --> 00:27:38.133 I don't think I'm going to get to it again in my class at this point. 00:27:38.133 --> 00:27:39.133 I said thank you. 00:27:39.133 --> 00:27:40.432 So I took all the notes. 00:27:40.432 --> 00:27:47.665 One of the things he said to me was he said, I really think John after he left Patmos, and there's different reasons why he might have been there. 00:27:47.665 --> 00:27:49.932 Some say he was exiled there because of his faith. 00:27:50.932 --> 00:27:52.732 I think that's probably the main idea. 00:27:52.732 --> 00:27:57.965 There's other competing ideas he may have gone there on, on purpose to take the gospel on, on his own. 00:27:57.965 --> 00:28:03.133 But Larry's view was that once he left Patmos, he ended up at Ephesus as the pastor of that city. 00:28:03.133 --> 00:28:09.232 Ephesus would have been the most influential city in that region among all of those churches. 00:28:09.232 --> 00:28:13.000 And so imagine the weight that that church in particular would carry. 00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:16.133 That's why it'll be the first one we look at next week. 00:28:16.133 --> 00:28:18.700 I mean, think about if you've followed Tim Keller. 00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:21.165 I've quoted him just about every week I've been here. 00:28:21.165 --> 00:28:25.965 It seems like if you've not heard of him, you’ve not been listening, I've quoted him all the time. 00:28:25.965 --> 00:28:27.333 He's been very influential for me. 00:28:27.333 --> 00:28:29.365 But he pastors a very influential church. 00:28:29.365 --> 00:28:43.365 Or did --he's passed away --in New York City, and you can imagine the pressures they face there as a church to give up on the gospel, living in that city, the pressures they face to stop being so backwards. 00:28:43.365 --> 00:28:52.965 And your Christian, traditional Christian views, the pressures they endure to stand firm for the gospel, to stay faithful. 00:28:54.165 --> 00:28:59.099 I mean, that's why this first message to them is so important as we look at it next week. 00:28:59.099 --> 00:29:08.165 But there's a relationship between these influential churches, and it's really important to remember those were real churches at a real time in history. 00:29:08.165 --> 00:29:13.365 And these messages were to address them specifically in real situations. 00:29:14.032 --> 00:29:20.133 Because the other thing Larry said that stuck with me, that I think it is important for us to land on in this message. 00:29:21.400 --> 00:29:30.200 And Larry said, John is not just that these were messages for them back then, back in that day, in those churches in ancient western Turkey. 00:29:31.066 --> 00:29:55.032 But there are messages for us here today, and not just for the church across a general area of the world, yes, for all churches, but also for Valley View and also for you specifically, as we look at these seven churches, there's a message for each and every one of you in these look, each church, some are given compliments. 00:29:55.032 --> 00:29:56.266 Here's what you've done great. 00:29:56.266 --> 00:29:59.500 Some are only given condemnation. 00:29:59.500 --> 00:30:01.266 Here's what you've done poorly. 00:30:01.266 --> 00:30:11.066 I mean, they read like maybe a if you've ever had this job review where you go in with your boss and they go, hey, here's how the last year has been, you did this great. 00:30:11.066 --> 00:30:12.865 Stop doing this. Great. 00:30:12.865 --> 00:30:14.799 Or start doing this thing you should have been doing. 00:30:14.799 --> 00:30:16.965 They read kind of like, here's what hasn't gone well. 00:30:16.965 --> 00:30:18.400 Here's what has gone well. 00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:20.365 Some got some compliments, some got none. 00:30:21.932 --> 00:30:23.932 You've been in those meetings too. 00:30:23.932 --> 00:30:26.232 Those are hard. 00:30:26.232 --> 00:30:32.633 The living shall lay it to heart as we look at these messages over the coming weeks. 00:30:32.633 --> 00:30:35.532 Be praying, God, what do you have for me to hear? 00:30:35.532 --> 00:30:44.566 Because all a church is, is a collection of individuals you know, the atmosphere, the culture of the church is made up of each and every one of us in here. 00:30:44.566 --> 00:30:50.633 And how you follow Christ influences the culture and direction of this church. 00:30:52.400 --> 00:30:57.400 One other thing Larry shared with me and I'll I'll end with this really stuck with me. 00:30:57.400 --> 00:31:07.865 I knew the book of Revelation was important to him, and I knew the message that we'll be unpacking in the coming weeks of faithfulness was important to him. 00:31:07.865 --> 00:31:10.865 If you want to remain faithful to the end, dwell on the ending. 00:31:12.165 --> 00:31:13.465 But Larry said this to me as well. 00:31:13.465 --> 00:31:16.465 And keep in mind, Larry is 90 years old. 00:31:18.465 --> 00:31:24.766 Larry said, every morning I review parts of the book of Revelation. 00:31:25.232 --> 00:31:25.700 That's good. 00:31:25.700 --> 00:31:27.066 That's impressive. 00:31:27.066 --> 00:31:29.000 I review the parts that I've memorized. 00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:37.266 He has taken time to memorize chapters two and three completely, and there are seven churches and there are seven days of the week. 00:31:37.266 --> 00:31:41.732 And by the way, I didn't ask his permission to share this. Sorry, Larry. 00:31:41.732 --> 00:31:46.633 Not sorry actually, but every day of the week he reviews. 00:31:47.500 --> 00:31:48.432 It's the first day of the week. 00:31:48.432 --> 00:31:50.165 The first church is Ephesus. 00:31:50.165 --> 00:31:51.532 I'm going to review what I've memorized. 00:31:51.532 --> 00:31:52.633 I'm going to keep it fresh. 00:31:52.633 --> 00:31:54.133 I'm going to keep it front and center. 00:31:54.133 --> 00:31:58.633 And he said, if you don't use it, you lose it and it fades quicker every passing year. 00:31:58.633 --> 00:32:01.599 And I'm thinking, man, at 52, it fades quickly. 00:32:01.599 --> 00:32:03.165 How's it going to be at 90? 00:32:03.165 --> 00:32:04.665 He fights for it every day. 00:32:04.665 --> 00:32:08.200 He fights every day to dwell on how is the end going to be? 00:32:08.200 --> 00:32:10.932 What's the message for me in the book of Revelation? 00:32:10.932 --> 00:32:13.432 And I want to have that kind of fight for faithfulness. 00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:24.299 I mean, when I listen to him say that who's we don't know exactly nearer to the end than me, hopefully, maybe you understand what I'm saying. 00:32:24.299 --> 00:32:26.165 Faithfulness. 00:32:26.165 --> 00:32:29.165 He's fighting for faithfulness. 00:32:29.232 --> 00:32:31.500 And in our coming weeks together, be praying. 00:32:31.500 --> 00:32:37.732 God, how are you calling me to fight for faithfulness in my life in the coming years? 00:32:39.465 --> 00:32:41.599 Thank you, Jesus for this word to us. 00:32:41.599 --> 00:32:51.965 Thank you that you have given a message both to the churches 2000 years ago, but that are relevant to us today. 00:32:53.400 --> 00:32:56.400 I pray these messages hit home with us. 00:32:57.133 --> 00:33:00.932 Each of us has an area where we need to grow in faithfulness. 00:33:00.932 --> 00:33:05.266 Each of us has an area where we haven't been trusting you. 00:33:05.365 --> 00:33:17.266 Would you help us to have ears that are open to hear you say that over and over again in these two chapters, that the one who has ears to hear, hear, help us to have ears to hear each week as we come. 00:33:18.599 --> 00:33:21.599 Thank you, Jesus, for your word. 00:33:21.665 --> 00:33:24.066 Thank you for the many who are faithful who have gone before us. 00:33:24.066 --> 00:33:26.965 We love you, Jesus. Amen.