InToMeSee #8
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InToMeSee #8
Back on January 31st we started a series called InToMeSee which is all about the 7 letters written to 7 churches in the book of Revelation.
Most sermons you hear on the book of Revelation are about the prophetic nature of the book and about the end times. It is usually about 2nd coming of Jesus, the AntiChrist and the Great Tribulation and the Millennial Reign of Jesus... These are all great subjects of study. I wanted to show you something different.
These 7 letters to 7 churches paint a picture of Jesus and show us (you and I) images with which to see Jesus better.
An old pastor friend of mine used to refer to intimacy as InToMeSee - the more you see into someone the more you know them. The better image we have of Jesus - the more accurate image we have of Jesus - the more intimate we are with Him.
If all we know is about Jesus - well - thats. What it actually is is RUMOR.
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I wish I had time for review - but I really do not. I would strongly encourage you to go to FLFC.church and listen to any one of these you may have missed - or even listen again. You can listen - to the audio only which is great while driving... or you can watch the video...
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Each church is given up to 5 images.
Each church is given up to 5 images.
An image of Jesus - that relates to His character and ability. An image of what they do that is good An image of what they do that is bad An image of what will happen if they do NOT repent Finally - an image of the rewards of victory
7 churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea. Jesus us gave the following images of himself.
Revelation Chapter 2 & 3
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Ephesus: The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands
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Smyrna: The one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive
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Pergamum: The one with the sharp two-edged sword
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Thyatira: The Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire, whose feet are like polished bronze
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Sardis: The one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars
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Philadelphia: The one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David
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Laodicea: The one who is the Amen— the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation
See this
These letter to the church of Asia Minor - where letters to all the churches and can and should be received as letters to you and me.
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Jesus is the one who holds us (the churches) in His hand and He walks in the heavens. He is the First and the Last, He was dead but is now alive. Jesus has the sharp two-edged sword which is the power to exercise Judgment, His eyes are like flames of fire and his feet like polished bronze, his eyes are a source of light and darkness has no power over Him, and nothing can stand against Him. He is the source of the Holy Spirit - the angels are His. Jesus is set apart and true and He holds the highest authority in heaven. Jesus is the faithful and true witness, He is our new beginning.
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So many wonder how can Jesus be the THE ONLY WAY TO GOD?
Surely all of the other religions of the world can’t all be wrong.
Jesus is either THE WAY to heaven - or he is NOT even A WAY...
Because if he is not the WAY - then what he said is not true. That would make him a false prophet and a Liar.
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John 14:6 (NLT)
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
I have this pad lock that was on a truck I bought. Had the lock but no key.
The thing is I have a lot of Keys - LOTS of them!
How many of you have keys - that you have no Idea what they go to BUT you are afraid to throw them away???
I have keys older than my marriage - no idea what they go to. Yet somehow I just know if toss it out - I will find that lock...
Have so many keys - surely one of these keys will open the pad lock right? It is mathematical certainty - or so it would seem.
When we believe that we will just try every key...
(Try Keys)...
(Pour out Keys all over the table...)
No matter how many keys I have - I will never open this lock until I have the one key that fits it.
(Use correct Key)
The number of other Keys is irrelevant. If you can understand that and you lock your doors at night - not worried about all the other keys out there that might open your doors - then you can understand that Jesus is the Key to God.
And is not because God is trying to be mean to other religions and prophets and demigods and false gods... it is Because WHO Jesus is:
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Jesus is the one who holds us (the churches) in His hand and He walks in the heavens. He is the First and the Last, He was dead but is now alive. Jesus has the sharp two-edged sword which is the power to exercise Judgment, His eyes are like flames of fire and his feet like polished bronze, his eyes are a source of light and darkness has no power over Him, and nothing can stand against Him. He is the source of the Holy Spirit - the angels are His. Jesus is set apart and true and holds the highest authority in heaven. He is the faithful and true witness, Jesus is our new beginning.
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And if we don’t see this picture of Jesus we don’t see all of who HE is!
Not every church was given a picture of what they do that is good - not every church was given a picture of what they do that is bad - so not every church was given an image of what will happen if they do not repent.
But every church was given an image of victory.
Jesus says this statement “To all who are victorious...” to each church.
7 churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea
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Ephesus: To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.
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Smyrna: Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.
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Pergamum: To everyone who is victorious I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it.
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Thyatira: To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end, To them I will give authority over all the nations. They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.
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Sardis: All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.
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Philadelphia: All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of my God— the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will also write on them my new name.
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Laodicea: Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.
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Whoever is victorious will never die again, they will taste manna from heaven and be given a new name that only they understand written on a special white stone. The victorious ones will rule the nations with unstoppable power and authority. They will wear all white and their names will never be erased from the Book of Life. Jesus will personally announce their names before God and the Angels. Those who are victorious will support the temple of God and will never have to leave. They will be citizens of new Jerusalem and Jesus will write on them the name of God and His new name. They will sit with Him on His throne.
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Can you see into Him better than you could before.
>>>CUE MUSIC<<<
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Whoever is NOT victorious will die not only once but twice, they will never taste the manna from heaven and they will never be given a new name. Those who are not victorious will ruled with unstoppable power and authority. And their names will be erased from the Book of Life. Those who are not victorious will not wear white and their names will never be heard in the presence of God and the Angels. They will never enter the Temple of God.
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I know some will think I am being too harsh - or judgmental.
I am not.
If we are going to look what happens to those who are victorious do we not also have to acknowledge that none of that happens for those who are not.
When I started this series I heard someone teach on this subject and who said, “There is no bad news in the good news”. People applauded and rejoiced and said “oh Yes, praise God - no bad news in the good news”.
Let me tell you something - if there is no bad news then the good news doesn’t mean anything.
The truth is there is only one key - one way to heaven and His name is Jesus & He wants wants you to SeeInToHim.
Can you give the Word of the Lord a big round of applause?
Would you bow your Heads...
This is somebody’s moment!
Pray
TODAY IS MY DAY.