WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:00.959 Chapter number two. 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:08.160 Wherefore, seeing all these things must be dissolved. 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:12.320 What manner of persons ought we to be? 00:00:17.519 --> 00:00:24.160 In Revelation chapters two and three, we are given a glimpse into the kind of person we ought to be. 00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:31.199 Not just the kind of person we ought to be, but John talks to us about the kind of church that we ought to be. 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:38.880 The church is God's representative organism on the earth. 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:51.439 A local church is a group of called out, saved and baptized believers who voluntarily join themselves together to observe the ordinances and to obey the Great Commission. 00:00:53.439 --> 00:00:54.880 That's a church. 00:00:55.119 --> 00:01:05.920 There's lots of people who gathered together today that could be called an assembly, but no assembly like this assembly meets anywhere outside of this assembly. 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:08.560 This is God's body on the earth. 00:01:09.680 --> 00:01:15.040 We are the heart and the hands and the feet and the eyes and the ears of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:20.560 And what the Lord accomplishes in Inglewood this week will be through this body. 00:01:24.400 --> 00:01:26.079 Rooted in Christ. 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:31.200 Seven churches, seven needs to return. 00:01:31.359 --> 00:01:37.760 Each of these churches in chapters two and three have one thing that God wants them to return to. 00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:42.239 One thing to return to. 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:50.400 See if you can find the one thing in our reading this morning from Revelation chapter two and verse one. 00:01:50.799 --> 00:02:01.920 Under the angel of the church of Ephesus write, these things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. 00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:21.120 I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear with them which are evil, and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not, and hast found them liars, and hast borne and has patience, and for thy name's my name's sake, hast labored and has not fainted. 00:02:22.800 --> 00:02:30.560 Nevertheless, I have somewhat against you, because thou hast left thy first love. 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:45.039 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:52.000 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which also I hate. 00:02:52.319 --> 00:02:57.439 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:03.520 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God. 00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:08.240 One thing to return to. 00:03:10.639 --> 00:03:12.000 Did you see it? 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:18.960 Thou hast left thy first love. 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:24.960 I know I've told this story so many times, but it's this is my story. 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:28.560 They asked Mel Trotter, I told a story a few months ago. 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:32.479 Trotter was a drunk who was radically converted. 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:36.800 They asked him, how do you know that you're saved? 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:40.879 And he said, I was there when it happened. 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:45.280 I was there when it happened. 00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:51.039 I remember that night. 00:03:51.680 --> 00:03:57.840 I remember how I thought of Jesus and how I believed by faith he thought about me. 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:00.639 First love. 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:08.240 I remember becoming a Christian and memorizing scripture and pursuing God. 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:09.199 I remember. 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:21.519 May we pray. 00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:31.920 Our Father, we thank you for the Lord Jesus and this service that has prepared our hearts to speak the Word of God. 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:43.600 May everything that has been accomplished already have prepared each person to receive the Word of God. 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:55.600 Maybe we're coming to this passage for the 10th or 20th or 30th time. 00:04:55.839 --> 00:05:07.199 Help us, Lord, to approach it as a curious child, waiting to receive from you what you have for us in it today. 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:09.439 And we'll be careful to thank you for it. 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:10.800 In Jesus' name. 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:11.360 Amen. 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:14.399 Thank you for standing and please be seated together. 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:32.879 If we're honest with ourselves, many of us know what it's like to keep showing up, to keep serving, to keep doing all the right things. 00:05:34.720 --> 00:05:47.439 And yet, in maybe so subtle of ways, feel a quiet distance of our heart and passion from where we used to be. 00:05:55.600 --> 00:06:01.040 But somewhere along the way, we replaced relationship with routine. 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:14.079 The distance is also felt by our loving Lord, who calls us back to himself again. 00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:31.839 Our great God doesn't do this to shame us or to reprove us, but to invite us back into proper fellowship because he so greatly yearns to have communion with us. 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:42.319 Tune my heart to sing thy grace. 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:47.600 Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:52.959 Teach me some melodious sonnet sung by flaming tongues above. 00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:54.560 Praise the mount. 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:56.560 I'm fixed upon it. 00:06:57.120 --> 00:06:59.040 Mount of thy redeeming love. 00:06:59.680 --> 00:07:02.319 Here I raise my Ebenezer. 00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:08.000 Hither by thy help I'm come, and I know by thy good pleasure safely to arrive at home. 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:14.639 Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God. 00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:19.759 He to rescue me from danger, he interposed his precious blood. 00:07:20.560 --> 00:07:22.079 Oh, to grace. 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:24.240 How great a debtor. 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:27.439 Daily I'm constrained to be. 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:32.639 Let thy goodness like a fetter bind my wandering heart to thee. 00:07:32.879 --> 00:07:33.839 Here it is. 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:40.399 Prone to wonder, Lord, I feel it. 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:43.279 Prone to leave the God I love. 00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:46.720 Here's my heart, O take and seal it. 00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:51.680 Robert Robinson wrote that song. 00:07:52.560 --> 00:07:56.319 He wrote it at a high peak of his Christian life. 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:00.079 Maybe you could hear the passion in it. 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:03.120 He was in love with Jesus. 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:06.000 But something happened in Robinson's life. 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:08.240 He, what we call backslid. 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:12.560 He quietly distanced himself from Christ. 00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:19.680 So much so that he came to a place where he doubted his faith, even that he was a Christian. 00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:24.160 This is back in the days of train cars. 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:36.559 He purchased a ticket, he got in the train car, a public place, and there was a young lady in the train car seated with him reading the newspaper. 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:44.799 And she had just read this most amazing soul-stirring poem entitled Come Thou Found. 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:50.639 She said, Sir, not knowing who he was, sir, I want you to listen to this song. 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:53.519 And she read what I just quoted. 00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:57.279 And she got to that last verse. 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:00.799 Prone to wonder, Lord, I feel it. 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:03.039 Prone to leave the God I love. 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:05.679 And she said, Sir, what do you think of that? 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:10.799 He said, I am that man. 00:09:14.320 --> 00:09:14.960 Hello? 00:09:17.600 --> 00:09:18.879 I am that man. 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:30.639 I think it'd be good for us just to observe this morning that we are prone to leave the God we love. 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:47.840 And it's in the habit and routine of our daily lives, with our suit and maybe tie on today, and our Bible under our arms and a happy look on our face, we've lost the wonder of it all. 00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:52.080 We've lost the joy of our salvation. 00:09:53.600 --> 00:10:05.120 And what John calls these believers back to is a full-throated, wholehearted love for the person of Jesus Christ. 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:15.600 So sum up the message in one sentence: God wants you to fall in love with him all over again today. 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:18.000 What is revival? 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:21.120 Revival is a new beginning of obedience to God. 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:26.559 Someone said that revival is the church falling in love with Jesus all over again. 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:30.159 And that's what he calls us to in our passage this morning. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:32.720 I want to give you three things about God this morning. 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:36.000 First of all, write down the God who knows. 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:38.799 The God who knows. 00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:42.000 Under the angel of the church of Ephesus, right? 00:10:42.320 --> 00:10:48.639 These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the golden candlesticks. 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:50.240 I, what's that next word? 00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:51.919 I I know. 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:54.159 I know thy works. 00:10:55.600 --> 00:11:05.039 Now there's a few things I want you to notice about this God who walks in the midst of the church, who holds the seven stars in his hand. 00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:08.879 First of all, John says he is in the midst of the church. 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:11.919 Or can I say Jesus Christ is present in the church? 00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:13.919 If you're glad for that, will you say amen? 00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:16.960 He is in the midst of the church. 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:25.679 Now, to all of these seven churches that we'll look at over the next two months, the Lord Jesus reveals himself in a particular way to them. 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:33.120 For example, to the church of Smyrna, he reveals himself as the first and the last, which was dead and is alive again. 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:40.399 To the church of Pergamos, he says he is he which hath a sharp sword, a two-edged sword. 00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:48.240 To the church of Thyatira, he reveals himself as the Son of God with eyes as a flame of fire and feet like fine brass. 00:11:48.399 --> 00:11:52.960 To Sardis, he hath the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. 00:11:53.120 --> 00:12:00.000 To Philadelphia, Jesus is he that is holy and true, and hath the key of David and shutteth and no man openeth. 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:08.879 To the Laodicean church age, he describes himself as the amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:17.120 But here he introduces himself to this church as he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand. 00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:25.679 Now, the book of the revelation of Christ is, it comes from the word apocalypse or the unveiling. 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:31.440 Sometimes people misspeak when they talk about revelations. 00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:36.159 It is the book of the revelation, or they'll say it's the revelation of John. 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:41.120 Well, dear brothers and sisters, we don't need a revelation of a human being. 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:43.679 We need the revelation of Jesus Christ. 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:52.240 Because in this book, he tells us of the things that were or had been, the things that are or were present in A.D. 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:54.240 95 when John pinned this. 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:56.879 And he writes about the things that shall be. 00:12:57.120 --> 00:12:59.759 So he speaks of a few preceding events. 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:04.240 He speaks of the present condition of seven churches in Asia Minor at the time. 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:19.919 And from chapter four on, he takes us into the future and he unfolds events that will occur upon planet earth and in heaven as the consummation and restoration of all things is accomplished by God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:24.000 So in chapters one through three, if you have this in your notes, you want to write it down. 00:13:24.159 --> 00:13:28.399 In chapters one through three, Jesus is in the midst of the church. 00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:31.840 He is here, hallelujah. 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:33.919 He is here, amen. 00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:37.039 He said, where two or three would be gathered in his name. 00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:39.039 That's Matthew chapter 18. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:42.559 That's a passage about church restoration of a fallen brother. 00:13:42.720 --> 00:13:47.679 And he said, where two or three were gathered in his name, he would be in the midst of them. 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:51.840 Aren't we all glad this morning that Jesus is in the midst of the church? 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:56.480 But from chapter four on, it's not Jesus in the midst of the church. 00:13:56.639 --> 00:13:57.679 I have good news for you. 00:13:57.919 --> 00:14:01.679 Chapter 4 on, it's the church in the midst of Jesus. 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:09.120 One day we will be with him, and until we are with him, he is forever with us. 00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:13.120 Now, I will never leave thee or forsake thee. 00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:15.360 Jesus is present in the church. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:20.720 But not only that, notice he's speaking symbolically here. 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:28.559 If you'll notice in verse 1, he said, These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the midst of seven candlesticks. 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:31.279 Now, what in the world is he talking about? 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:34.159 Seven stars and seven candlesticks. 00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:38.799 Well, he gives us the key to unlock the interpretation of this passage. 00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:41.039 Look at the last verse of chapter one. 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:47.440 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand and the seven golden candlesticks. 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:48.480 Watch this, church. 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:57.440 The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:03.440 Stars in the hands of Jesus. 00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:08.559 Now, I have to admit, I got a little happy when I read this this week. 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:17.759 Seven stars in the hands of Jesus, and Jesus is in the midst of the church. 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:19.600 Now, there's three interpretations. 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:20.960 I'll give them to you quickly here. 00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:23.679 The word angel comes from the Greek Angelos. 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:25.120 It means a messenger. 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:27.600 So it could be three, one of these three views. 00:15:27.679 --> 00:15:33.679 First of all, these could be spiritual beings or guardian angels of those seven churches. 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:49.519 It could be that John had received visitors, and as messengers, they had come to John to see of his well-being, and they have returned with a message from Don uh from John to those churches. 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:58.240 But the overwhelming majority of scholars agree that these stars are church leaders. 00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:03.200 They're the pastor leading these bodies of believers. 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:15.759 In other words, the stars, the angels, the messengers to declare the message of God to the church are in the hands of Jesus, and Jesus is walking in the midst of the church. 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:20.000 Now, this may not encourage you a lot today, but it sure did help my soul a lot. 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:27.279 It's wonderful to know that God did not call us to do something in our own strength and our own power in his absence. 00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:32.399 He holds us in his hands as we serve and labor with him. 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:34.000 We don't labor alone. 00:16:34.159 --> 00:16:35.279 We don't strive alone. 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:36.639 We don't go alone. 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:42.480 We have God who cares for us as we seek to serve him and to deliver his message to the church. 00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:45.840 Thank you, Jesus. 00:16:47.440 --> 00:16:49.120 He doesn't just not leave the church. 00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:59.039 Jesus has the stars, but he also walks in the midst of the candlesticks. 00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:04.000 For second of all, we see he's not only in the midst, but he's on the move. 00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:05.599 He is patrolling. 00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:08.079 Notice the word in verse 1. 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:14.640 These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand and walketh in the midst of the candlesticks. 00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:16.079 He's on the move. 00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:24.720 Pai Patterson said that he is fully cognizant of all that is happening in the churches. 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:28.480 And there is nothing hid from Christ's view. 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:34.400 Perhaps here is even more evidence to suspect that the angels are in fact pastors. 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:43.599 The Lord walks among his churches, knowing them thoroughly, and grasping the lives and ministries of the pastors firmly in his own hand. 00:17:43.759 --> 00:17:48.480 How many of you, how many of you panic a little bit when you have company coming to your house? 00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:50.079 Will you raise your hand? 00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:54.480 Thanks for ten of you that were honest this morning. 00:17:54.640 --> 00:17:54.960 Okay. 00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:58.960 That's why God made closets. 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:02.480 And that's why you don't have anything under your bed. 00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:07.759 You have a place to just stock things and stow things away until they leave. 00:18:13.039 --> 00:18:21.279 Did we forget that the most special guest of all was coming to Calvary today? 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:29.440 We had a new members' meeting in Kids City this morning. 00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:31.279 I don't preach a lot in Kids City. 00:18:31.359 --> 00:18:32.480 I did this morning. 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:37.839 I came in and there were some supplies for their normal services. 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:42.319 There was some candy in there, which I left alone. 00:18:42.880 --> 00:18:44.079 I stored it away. 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:48.559 And then I said to Caleb, I need you to grab the coffee and some donuts and set it over there. 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:53.920 And he he came back, he said, Pastor, there's some there's also some boxes under the table. 00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:57.039 Would you like me to put those out of sight? 00:18:58.160 --> 00:18:59.359 I said, I would. 00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:01.839 Why? 00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:09.920 Because we have some very special people who are coming to a meeting, and we want to make sure it's presentable when they come. 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:12.559 Did we forget? 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:32.960 Not just a guest, not just the creator, but the owner and the purchaser of the church who shed his precious blood is walking in the midst of the candlestick this morning. 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:35.359 He's on the move. 00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:48.160 His feet, riven by rusty nails, walk in the midst of the church this morning. 00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:51.279 He's on the move. 00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:53.039 He's in the midst. 00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:56.559 John says he's of a right mind. 00:19:57.039 --> 00:19:58.400 He is perceptive. 00:19:58.720 --> 00:20:01.039 He walks in the midst of the candlesticks. 00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:03.920 Verse 2, I know, I know, I know. 00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:09.279 Verse 2, he says he knows their deeds. 00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:12.400 I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience. 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:14.079 Notice verse 2. 00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:16.559 You can't tolerate evil. 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:19.359 You don't bear with false doctrine. 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:22.960 You try people who say they are apostles. 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:28.960 You try them, you test them, you exclude them if they do not qualify. 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:31.039 You found them liars. 00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:38.480 This church, listen, this church has an unassailable, unimpeachable, systematic theology. 00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:42.799 You read their statement of faith on their website, it matches what's preached in the church. 00:20:43.119 --> 00:20:45.200 They're people, they love the truth. 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:47.039 They love righteousness. 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:55.279 They're seeking to keep their church pure from false teachers and wolves that would enter in to feed upon the sheep. 00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:57.440 This is the church moving and going forward. 00:20:57.519 --> 00:21:02.480 I mean, if you lived in Ephesus and somebody said, Where can I go to church to learn the truth? 00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:05.759 somebody would say, You got to go down there to First Baptist Ephesus. 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:07.839 They have a theology that's on fire. 00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:14.720 They have people that they have high standards and they they try to color within the lines and they obey the word of God. 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:18.319 He said their deeds were matching God's requirement. 00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:20.480 Their labor was not in vain. 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:22.640 And he even says they were patient. 00:21:23.599 --> 00:21:27.519 He says they couldn't bear with those which were evil. 00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:31.039 Verse 3, they they had borne and had patience. 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:36.400 This word means that their faith persevered even in the midst of opposition. 00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:39.599 There were no fair weather friends in this church. 00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:44.960 No, when Satan turned up the heat, they just got their roots even deeper in Christ. 00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:46.640 What a good church. 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:48.880 I'd like to be a part of a church like that. 00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:54.799 Matter of fact, I would put my life and influence in a church just like that. 00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:59.599 The God who knows said. 00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:04.880 I have somewhat against thee. 00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:09.680 For he's not only the God who knows, he is the God who confronts. 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:14.640 Verse 4, I have somewhat against thee, thou hast left thy first love. 00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:19.200 Now the word left, it's the accusation. 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:23.200 It means to be forsaken, to send away, to leave. 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:26.400 It's even translated as to divorce. 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:32.079 You've left your first love. 00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:43.839 May I say this morning that if that can happen to that church, it could surely happen to any church. 00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:48.799 It could happen to our church. 00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:59.839 For the God who walks in the midst of the church wants them to know that the thing that he is most concerned about is how much they love Jesus Christ. 00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:06.400 Can I show you a little comparison that's so subtle in the text, but I think it really helps us? 00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:07.920 Look at verse 6. 00:23:08.799 --> 00:23:10.559 There's a group called the Nicolaitans. 00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:12.319 Nikkei in the Greek is victory. 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:14.160 The laity would be the people. 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:18.559 These are people who dominate souls. 00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:24.400 We don't know exactly what their belief system is, but they're a nuisance to the first century churches. 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:26.640 They teach a false theology. 00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:32.559 And he says, verse 6, but this thou hast, he says, I want to give you some credit, some more credit. 00:23:32.720 --> 00:23:33.759 Verse 6. 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:36.640 You hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans. 00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:39.599 Which also I, what's the word, church? 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:41.279 I hate. 00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:42.559 Watch this. 00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:48.640 It's one thing to hate what he hates. 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:56.000 And to love what he loves. 00:23:57.680 --> 00:24:09.839 Listen, this is not a message for a compromising church that preaches a compromising theology to reach compromising people, who waters down theology, who's culturally relevant, who does whatever it takes to win people. 00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:13.759 And when they compass land, this message is not for that church. 00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:24.960 This message is for a church who has positions itself to be in the right place where they hate the thing that God hates. 00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:31.839 I remember being in a meeting one time and a man quoted the Proverbs and he said it was his life verse. 00:24:32.079 --> 00:24:34.319 And I hate every false way. 00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:37.440 That guy's a blessing, let me just tell you. 00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:39.039 He was mean. 00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:41.759 I hate every false way. 00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:45.920 He hated what God hated. 00:24:46.559 --> 00:24:52.640 It's one thing to hate what God hates, but the accusation is they don't love what God loves. 00:24:54.640 --> 00:24:56.400 I hate worldliness. 00:24:57.039 --> 00:24:59.359 There's things in this culture I hate. 00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:11.759 I hate pornography and I hate what it does to families and to men and to women and to teenagers and young people and cell phones that are instant gateways into a life of addiction. 00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:14.640 I just want to go on the record and say, I hate that. 00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:20.880 It's one thing though. 00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:23.920 I hate the shedding of innocent blood in our country. 00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:25.119 I hate it. 00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:31.359 But do I love what he loves? 00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:42.480 God hearkened the whole world together in the waters of the Jordan River. 00:25:43.279 --> 00:25:45.200 He got the whole world's attention. 00:25:45.440 --> 00:25:47.200 You have John the Baptist in the water. 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:50.799 You have Jesus getting into the water to be baptized by John. 00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:58.079 The whole religious world gathers at the banks of the muddy Jordan to see what God will say about his son. 00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:01.519 What does he say? 00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:06.400 This is the creator of the world. 00:26:07.119 --> 00:26:08.079 Hear him. 00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:11.200 No, that's not what he said. 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:18.160 This is my beloved son. 00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:22.720 God wanted the whole world to know what he loved. 00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:24.799 And you know what God loved? 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:26.880 He loved Jesus. 00:26:28.079 --> 00:26:30.640 Oh church, do you love Jesus? 00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:34.720 Do you really love Jesus? 00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:40.400 We've got to learn that song if we're going to sing it back and forth together. 00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:47.039 Oh, he he had to confront this. 00:26:50.319 --> 00:26:58.000 Now there were lesser motives that this church could live on, and we can fall victim to the same trap. 00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:03.920 Someone said maybe this church was guilty of institutional perpetuity. 00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:17.519 Perhaps, Patterson says, Ephesus had succeeded well in many areas, but the maintenance of that success had become more important than the motivation for service, namely their love for Christ. 00:27:19.680 --> 00:27:23.039 The survival of the church over their faith in Christ. 00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:26.960 Tradition might have become more important to them than transformation. 00:27:27.119 --> 00:27:31.519 Maybe it was personal recognition that had become the motivation of this church. 00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:34.240 Let's face it, this is a prominent church. 00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:36.880 The Apostle Paul started it. 00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:45.119 Not only that, John the Beloved and Mary, the mother of Jesus, were somewhat involved in this church. 00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:49.599 It had not only Paul as a pastor, but Timothy as the pastor as well. 00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:57.359 Personal recognition might have been the thing that drove the success of this church, or maybe it was the improper ministry emphasis. 00:27:57.519 --> 00:28:06.400 Maybe there was an emphasis of crowds over disciples or programs over people or expansion over transformation or culture over Christ. 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:11.200 But he accuses them that they have left Christ and their love for him. 00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:16.160 But he says so simply here, there is the ascent back to God. 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:18.319 How do we get back? 00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:20.799 How do we get back? 00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:28.799 If you're married, you have somewhat of an inside track into what John's talking about here. 00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:38.880 Do you remember the things that you were willing to do when you were seeking to gain your spouse's heart? 00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:42.079 Do you remember? 00:28:42.640 --> 00:28:45.920 Well, if you forgot, just ask your spouse, they will tell you. 00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:49.759 You know what happens? 00:28:50.160 --> 00:28:58.240 The thing that we do to gain someone's heart are the things we stop doing in pursuit of their heart. 00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:08.079 Hey guys, I just want to go on record and say, if you won her with love letters, it'd probably be a good idea if you kept writing them. 00:29:08.480 --> 00:29:10.799 Come on, ladies, how I'm trying to help you out. 00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:18.400 If it was mashed potatoes and gravy that won his heart. 00:29:20.559 --> 00:29:23.039 Get the peeler out and start mashing. 00:29:28.400 --> 00:29:37.039 We're so quick to stop doing the things that we did in our first love. 00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:42.000 Number one, remember. 00:29:43.440 --> 00:29:44.319 Remember. 00:29:45.039 --> 00:29:46.559 Now the verb is in the perfect. 00:29:46.640 --> 00:29:48.480 It means keep on remembering. 00:29:48.720 --> 00:29:50.079 Keep on remembering. 00:29:53.599 --> 00:29:54.880 I love that old song. 00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:58.960 Roll back the curtain of memory now and then. 00:30:00.240 --> 00:30:05.440 Show me where you brought me from and where I could have been. 00:30:08.240 --> 00:30:11.119 Remember I'm human. 00:30:11.599 --> 00:30:14.319 And humans, forget. 00:30:15.519 --> 00:30:16.400 Remember. 00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:28.799 Remember the night you, as unworthy and Christ as worthy, had on collision at an old rugged cross. 00:30:29.519 --> 00:30:35.279 And you trusted him and he saved you and delivered you and has worked in your life. 00:30:35.519 --> 00:30:38.960 If you do one thing today, remember. 00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:46.640 We come to a table, we take simple elements, bread and juice, why we remember. 00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:52.000 We come down to an altar, we bow our unworthy knee, and we thank him for salvation. 00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:53.200 Why we remember? 00:30:53.279 --> 00:31:02.319 If there's one exercise Christians perform entirely too seldom, it is the exercise of memory. 00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:05.039 Don't ever forget, remember. 00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:09.839 Then he said, repent. 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:14.319 The word is a change of mind that leads to a change of action. 00:31:14.559 --> 00:31:17.039 He says, sharply break with the thing. 00:31:17.119 --> 00:31:17.759 You know the thing. 00:31:17.920 --> 00:31:19.200 You know the thing. 00:31:19.440 --> 00:31:22.960 Is the Holy Spirit putting his finger today on the thing? 00:31:24.480 --> 00:31:25.759 Repent of that. 00:31:29.200 --> 00:31:34.160 Besides, if you were close enough to Jesus, you'd already know what it is. 00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:38.880 Because you'd love what he loves and hate what he hates. 00:31:39.359 --> 00:31:48.720 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy on him and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 00:31:50.079 --> 00:31:54.000 Someone said Christianity is not primarily negative. 00:31:55.839 --> 00:32:01.359 So he says to them, Remember, repent and repeat. 00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:03.839 Repeat what? 00:32:03.920 --> 00:32:05.519 Well, he told you. 00:32:05.759 --> 00:32:07.279 The first works. 00:32:08.400 --> 00:32:09.279 The first works. 00:32:09.359 --> 00:32:12.079 We'll talk about that in just a moment. 00:32:12.319 --> 00:32:15.119 Number three, the God who condemns. 00:32:16.640 --> 00:32:23.200 You remember the nail-scarred feet walking in the midst of the candlestick? 00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:24.000 You remember that? 00:32:24.240 --> 00:32:25.680 I want you to hold your place here. 00:32:25.839 --> 00:32:28.720 Go with me to the Gospel of Matthew in chapter 5. 00:32:28.799 --> 00:32:30.480 I want you to see something here. 00:32:35.119 --> 00:32:38.319 If you can't tell, I'm having a good time this morning. 00:32:40.880 --> 00:32:43.759 Had some of my guys tell me they were praying for me today. 00:32:45.440 --> 00:32:49.359 So if you're offended, they threw so much fuel on the fire. 00:32:49.519 --> 00:32:50.480 Just join them in prayer. 00:32:50.559 --> 00:32:53.440 We'll have a party next Sunday morning, too. 00:32:56.799 --> 00:33:00.400 Hey, it shouldn't it be a sin to be boring when you preach the Bible. 00:33:02.319 --> 00:33:04.240 You can say amen right there. 00:33:04.720 --> 00:33:12.880 This living book, this lively sword, this love letter from heaven, how can you be bored when you teach and preach and read it and love it? 00:33:12.960 --> 00:33:14.319 What a great book we have. 00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:21.839 I remember Lee Roberts, 90 years old, on his 90th birthday, taking that Bible, lifting it in the air. 00:33:22.720 --> 00:33:26.400 If God knows my heart, he said, I'd give my life for the Bible. 00:33:27.440 --> 00:33:28.319 You're a young man. 00:33:28.400 --> 00:33:30.240 You don't forget things like that. 00:33:30.559 --> 00:33:31.839 Matthew 5. 00:33:32.880 --> 00:33:34.160 The sermon's short today. 00:33:34.240 --> 00:33:36.880 It's all the interjections taking me so much time. 00:33:37.680 --> 00:33:40.160 Let your light so shine before men. 00:33:41.119 --> 00:33:46.240 That they may see your good works and glorify your Father, which is in heaven. 00:33:48.559 --> 00:33:51.519 We should sing this little light of mine. 00:33:52.240 --> 00:33:53.279 I'm going to let it shine. 00:33:53.359 --> 00:33:55.039 How many of you have a light? 00:33:56.160 --> 00:33:57.119 Alright? 00:33:59.039 --> 00:33:59.839 You're a light. 00:34:00.000 --> 00:34:00.640