Missions Paul

(Remember: the stars are the leaders of the churches which are the golden lampstands. The seven means completeness. So, seven golden lampstands means the whole church; the seven spirits of God are the perfect Spirit of God.)

Read these slowly and meditate:

“These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.” (2 v1) “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.” (2 v 7)

“These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.” (2 v8) “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (2 v11)

“These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.” (2 v 12) “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (2 v 17)

“These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.” (2 v 18) “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (2 v 29)

“These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.” (3 v 1) “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (3 v 6)

“These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David.” (3 v 7) “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (3 v 13)

“These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.” (3 v 14) “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (3 v 22)

Seeing Jesus and listening to the Spirit are interlinked. You cannot have one without the other.

Look and listen.

Without an understanding of the nature and the power of Jesus there can be no ability to listen to what the Spirit is saying.

This is why worship is the leader of discipleship.

Today carry with you the image of Jesus and worship Him and then listen.

If we only knew what was available for us!

“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3 v 19-22)

He doesn’t want to spit you out. He wants to eat with you.

He doesn’t want you self-sufficient. He wants intimacy with you.

He rebukes you not from a place of anger. He speaks to you from a broken heart.

His discipline is not words alone. His discipline expects an enthusiasm to change the way you think which will then change the way you behave.

His followers can be casual. His true friends have all been brought into line.

He doesn’t want to be left to one side. He wants to be included in everything.

He doesn’t want you to work at your spiritual temperature. He wants to come into your life.

He doesn’t want you to be emotionally detached from Him. He wants you sit on His throne.

So turn the handle. Jesus is knocking at your door.

Throughout these churches we have seen that Jesus has reasons for saying what He does. He uses aspects of their city to challenge the church and He does so with Laodicea.

“So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” (Revelation 3 v 16-18)

“We are not poor. Look at our wealth. Our city holds a successful banking centre.

We are not blind. Look at all the doctors who want to come and study ophthalmic medicine.

We are not naked. Look at the sheep farmers who are generating the wool for our clothes.”

That would be the reaction of the city of Laodicea and this attitude had crept into the church.

Be careful of being able to prove you are doing well because you may be only a sentence away from saying ‘I don’t need a thing’ and we should always remain in the place of needing Jesus.

In an interesting twist where later Jesus will be inviting them to come and eat from Him. He is saying, “I am going to spit you out of my mouth”. Why?

Because Laodicea may have been able to boast of everything but their water. They didn’t have a natural source at all. In fact they had to bring it in from miles away through a water system of stone pipes. The water that flowed over the cliff into the city was from Hierapolis, 6 miles away, which by the time it reached Laodicea was full of chemicals and unfit to drink.

Casual Christianity can boast but it doesn’t yearn.

Ever heard someone testify of what God has done and you wonder whether or not they truly believed it was God because they themselves seem to be mentioned so much? It’s casual Christianity.

The words of Jesus to the church in Laodicea are the strongest amongst all the churches.

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:14-16)

Slow this down and look at the titles of Jesus.

Jesus is the Amen. It means He is validated, certain and can be trusted.

Jesus is the faithful and true witness. It means He is the genuine exact representation of God the Father.

Jesus is the ruler of God’s creation. It means everything originates from Him. He is before all things and holds all things together. Can you remember these words from somewhere else? Colossians 1: 15-17 “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

We have to look at the Colossians letter because the Laodicean Church received the same letter with the same instruction because they were facing the same problems. The Apostle Paul wrote, “I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea …” (Colossians 2:3) and “Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea … After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans …” (Colossians 4: 15-16)

The Apostle attacks the threat of the dethroning of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the exact representation of God, that’s what he says.

Over 30 years later we have proof that Laodicea did not take heed to the teaching of Paul about Jesus right here in these verses today. Jesus has to shake them out of their apathetic perspective of Him.

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation”

The world need to know who God is. They need to know what He has done. They need to know who they are as a result of that. They need to know how to live. For that to happen they need to know who Jesus is. They need to know the centrality and supremacy of Christ in 2022. They need to know that when you look at Jesus you look at God.

What the world needs today is to know the amazing truth that the invisible God has allowed himself to be seen and known in Jesus Christ.

Jesus is trustworthy, genuine and the originator of all things!

Persecution doesn’t just come from militants and oppressive regimes but it can come from people very close to you, from neighbours, even family members, people you love. When that happens it hurts even more. It is what was happening to these churches in Asia.

Even places of worship to God can be anything but that. The Christians in Philadelphia were experiencing such opposition from the Jews that Jesus calls them the synagogue of Satan!

“I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3 v 9-13)

If you are facing attacks from people of whatever magnitude then it may be wise for you to heed the message to Philadelphia. Basically, Jesus tells them that what they should do is hold on, wait, continue to follow Him, for He will be the one to settle the score, vengeance is His not ours.

The Jews had their Scriptures to interpret that in the end the nations of the world will bow before them. The truth is what Jesus reveals. The Jewish people, not real Jews at all (synagogue of Satan) will bow down before Jesus and His followers.

The hour of trial will come and this is not 60 minutes but a season and who doesn’t know a time of real difficulty in their life? You may be in it right now. Jesus says ‘hold on!’

As the ancient pillars of temples would have inscriptions on them we also are marked. We have what we must see as the postcode for our destiny marked on our lives. We are citizens of where heaven and earth come together in what is called the New Jerusalem. I met a lady in church yesterday and she has been crippled most of her adult life with mental and physical anguish. She hasn’t yet received her healing but she is holding on to the love of Jesus. I saw the address on her life. It was the New Jerusalem.

No matter how tough your life is whether by being opposed at every turn, oppressed for your faith or facing the extreme trials of life which seem like you are being buffeted by Satan himself, the scores will be settled. There’s a guarantee for He has marked you with a new name. No matter how difficult you will find a way there.

These are not the rapture verses, I don’t think. He will ‘keep you’ not by lifting you from this hour but protecting you in it. Learn to persevere in His presence. For the scores will be settled.

Anyone can confess the Christian faith. Anyone can hold on to this faith when their life is going well and they are feeling blessed, successful, victorious and appreciated.

Jesus says to the Church, “… yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” (Revelation 3 v 8)

They kept God’s word, they held on to it, they didn’t put it down and it indicates that they could have done so. They didn’t deny Jesus, they aligned themselves with His name, they remained as followers and it indicates that they faced pressure to do so.

The seasons of great difficulty when you are grieving, when it appears you are losing, when the battle is intense and you feel like you will give in are proving only one thing that if you hold on, if you keep what you confess and do not cover up who you are, you will not only survive but you will prove that you are real and trustworthy.

Jesus holds the keys to an open door and this is the salvation door but it is also the door of opportunity.

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” (Revelation 3: 7-8)

Jesus calls the Church to see, to look, behold! An open door of opportunity!

But open doors are not free of problems. Paul writing from a Roman Jail doesn’t pray to be released from prison but instead asks his Colossian friends to “pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the message, to speak the mystery of the Messiah “(Colossians 4.3). He was in prison with all of its restrictions but he wanted an open door, not to be free of problems but to be able to preach.

Jesus can see the Philadelphia church have ‘little strength’ for they no doubt have felt the pressure of being in the minority. Within themselves they could not do it. Isn’t that so true of us? Whether that is our own personal witness, evangelism or planting a new church, what is ahead of us is greater than our human resources. We may feel restricted in so many ways. We may wish things be better so that we can move into these open doors of opportunity.

But with Jesus we have all that we need and that is the point He is making to the church.

See! What is the open door of opportunity placed before you today? Is it your family? Your neighbours? Work? Further afield? Wherever and whatever it is you will never feel strong enough, you will always feel weak and that is how it is meant to be. But with Him we can make it we can go through the open door of opportunity.

Our world wakes this morning and though expected nevertheless we grieve for the loss of our Queen.

“Jesus Christ lived obscurely for most of his life, and never travelled far. He was maligned and rejected by many, though he had done no wrong. And yet, billions of people now follow his teaching and find in him the guiding light for their lives. I am one of them because Christ’s example helps me see the value of doing small things with great love”

Queen Elizabeth 2016 Christmas Speech

As a follower of Jesus we know the Queen is with Him now.

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.” (Revelation 3: 7-8)

The context is that the followers of Jesus were being excluded from their Jewish heritage of worshipping in the synagogues. Jesus welcomes them into His household. Only God is holy and true and Jesus says this is who He is and He holds the key of David.

Isaiah prophesied of Eliakim, the finance minister for King Hezekiah and responsible for the doors of the Temple. The wording is the same as what Jesus says to the Church of Philadelphia: “I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open” (Isaiah 22 v 22).

The connection is this: Jesus is the key and He is the King and He opens the door for all of His followers to enter in. It is salvation through Jesus and by Jesus. It is for us and it was for our Queen yesterday. She is in the house of God today.

We should applaud those members of Churches who though they might feel their Church or denomination has lost its way they remain faithful and continue to worship and bring their witness by staying. Sardis shows us that even if you are in a Church that has lost its way it doesn’t mean you have!

Before we read these next verses it is worth noting the following. At this time the people who worshipped false deities would approach their temples wearing white and within their cities when a citizen was about to face the death penalty their name would be blotted from the register of that city so that it would not stain its reputation.

“Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. ⁵ The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. ⁶ Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3 v 4-6)

You’re one of the few.

You walk with Jesus and you do so continually battling against sin knowing this journey is marked by the cleansing work of the cross for your life. Our whole life of discipleship is less about your performance and more about His work on the cross. This is the only way for the soiled clothes to be white. We will not have arrived until we walk with him beyond this life.

Your name is never blotted out. There must have been some thought to Exodus 32:32-33 when Moses offered to have his name blotted out of God’s book for the sin of His people. In the same way Jesus stood for us in our place of execution and took this punishment upon Him.

You will be acknowledged in heaven. We are immediately taken back to the same phrase Jesus had already spoken to his disciples (Matt 10:32). Living life as a disciple, one of the few, means the hard work of holding on will be repaid in full. Whatever happens here happens there for you.

I woke this morning to a link someone sent of a Church website. Looking at its programme my first reaction was probably a wrong one. I saw the only thing in the programme was their meetings on Tuesday and Saturday evenings and nothing on a Sunday so I presumed it wasn’t a busy church.

The Church in Sardis was not like the one I read online. It was a busy church. When you looked at its programme it was packed. It was active. It was an exciting place to be. If it had a website it would be probably the best.

However Jesus is always more concerned with what is on the inside than what others are praising you for. He sees what no other can see. He sees what will be your downfall if you don’t change.

“Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up …” (Revelation 3 v 3)

Let me give 3 important words that is being pointed out to Sardis but is for us today.

It will bring good health to our thinking. Good thoughts lead to good actions.

Remember what you have received and heard. Look back on what has been taught you over the years. Remember the songs, the worship times when you experienced the presence of God. Bring to the surface the shaping of God in your life. Those high moments when the Spirit came on you and the Word directed your life. Don’t let go of the past victories.

Retain what you remember, hold it fast. If your present life as a Christian is less than what it was yesterday then get it back. Refresh. Set the renew button. Hold on to what you had, retain it. If you believed for revival and a powerful move of God in the past retain it now. If you were passionate for Jesus in the past then keep that passion now. If the Church or the Christian is worse than its past then it lost something but it can get it back. Retrace your steps as you remember what you have received and heard and then take hold again and this time retain it.

Repent is the big word that will enable the previous two. In fact if there is no repentance nothing will happen.  The word means to change your thinking. Often we only think it means to change our behaviour. But if we don’t change our thoughts then our behaviour will not move an inch well not permanently anyway. Our thoughts are the default of our life. It all starts there and it all ends there too. You can choose what occupies your mind. You can think differently. You can win the battle of the mind. You can repent.

Those are the 3 R’s which are important for any church/christian and in any generation.