Richard Carrera: Las 7 Iglesias de Apocalipsis / The Seven Churches of Revelation
Sermónes bilingue ( english / spanish)
Sábado Especial 24 Agosto 2024
Red ADvenir Television
YouTube: https://youtu.be/DCjuI7D20Vs
YouTube : https://youtu.be/T05g8KoOJZc
YouTube Europe: https://youtu.be/dRYyeHVB9-U
*** IMPORTANT:
see also: / ver tambièn:
Richard Carrera: Looking backward to see the future / Mirando hacia atrás para ver el futuro
Revelation and the Seven Churches / Apocalipsis y las Siete Iglesias
Sermón bilingue ( spanish / english)
Sábado Especial 15 Junio 2024
Red ADvenir Television Internacional
PDF: https://t.me/liveredadvenir/898
Powerpoint: https://t.me/liveredadvenir/899
YouTube: https://youtu.be/iB_VtjdslUA
YouTube : https://youtu.be/D5VAf3WIDZU
YouTube Europe: https://youtu.be/c0Mg8g-umyk
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y sin censura en:
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Odysee: https://odysee.com/@RedAdvenir:6/Richard-Carrera-Looking-backward-to-see-the-future-Mirando-hacia-atr%C3%A1s-para-ver-el-futuro:e
DailyMotion: https://dai.ly/x90eg2g
BitChute: https://www.bitchute.com/video/iB_VtjdslUA
Sermónes bilingue ( english / spanish)
Sábado Especial 24 Agosto 2024
Red ADvenir Television
YouTube: https://youtu.be/DCjuI7D20Vs
YouTube : https://youtu.be/T05g8KoOJZc
YouTube Europe: https://youtu.be/dRYyeHVB9-U
*** IMPORTANT:
see also: / ver tambièn:
Richard Carrera: Looking backward to see the future / Mirando hacia atrás para ver el futuro
Revelation and the Seven Churches / Apocalipsis y las Siete Iglesias
Sermón bilingue ( spanish / english)
Sábado Especial 15 Junio 2024
Red ADvenir Television Internacional
PDF: https://t.me/liveredadvenir/898
Powerpoint: https://t.me/liveredadvenir/899
YouTube: https://youtu.be/iB_VtjdslUA
YouTube : https://youtu.be/D5VAf3WIDZU
YouTube Europe: https://youtu.be/c0Mg8g-umyk
Facebook: https://facebook.com/1019863136524850
y sin censura en:
Telegram: https://t.me/RedADvenir/573
Rumble: https://rumble.com/v51tvgl-looking-backward-to-see-the-future-mirando-hacia-atrs-para-ver-el-futuro-ri.html
Odysee: https://odysee.com/@RedAdvenir:6/Richard-Carrera-Looking-backward-to-see-the-future-Mirando-hacia-atr%C3%A1s-para-ver-el-futuro:e
DailyMotion: https://dai.ly/x90eg2g
BitChute: https://www.bitchute.com/video/iB_VtjdslUA
Category
🛠️
Estilo de vidaTranscripción
00:00:00Good morning and happy Sabbath to everyone.
00:00:29We have a very cold morning and everyone is all dressed up for the cold.
00:00:44But we have so much to thank God for, that we don't have to worry about the cold.
00:00:47We have more things to thank God for.
00:00:58I want to thank Brantley for such a timely sermon.
00:01:02It was very good and it's a good message for us to know what the future holds for us.
00:01:23The Holy Spirit is moving and I can tell.
00:01:29Because the sermons combine again.
00:01:36So let's have a word of prayer and enter into the study.
00:01:45Heavenly Father we want to thank you for such a beautiful day we have today with you.
00:01:57We ask that your Holy Spirit will be with us this morning.
00:02:04Enlighten our hearts and minds.
00:02:08So that we can receive your word.
00:02:12And live according to your will.
00:02:16In Jesus name, Amen.
00:02:23This is chapter 2 of the study we were doing some weeks ago.
00:02:35Some weeks ago we did Revelation chapter 1.
00:02:45And now we are going to study chapter 2 and 3.
00:02:53Hopefully we will get to the end of this sermon.
00:02:59The seven churches of Revelation.
00:03:07When we hear about the seven churches we always think about it in terms of historic.
00:03:24But today I want to look at the seven churches from this point in time.
00:03:30And what it has for us.
00:03:41In the last study we looked at this chart.
00:03:49And we studied that.
00:03:52The four gospels covered the whole ministry of Jesus.
00:04:04On the earth.
00:04:08Then when he moved to heaven.
00:04:13Then 50 days after started the Pentecost.
00:04:22And Jesus began his ministry in heaven in the holy place.
00:04:34But to begin his ministry he sent his Holy Spirit.
00:04:43So the sanctuary is being completed right now in heaven.
00:04:54And the book of Revelation now covers for when Jesus began his ministry in the holy place.
00:05:03And the book of Revelation is built on the map of the sanctuary.
00:05:21So all the language, everything it is saying it is using the language of the sanctuary.
00:05:33And it is important for us to understand that even the candlesticks.
00:05:41Jesus is starting the book of Revelation with the seven candlesticks.
00:05:54And where is the location of the candlesticks?
00:05:57It is in the holy place.
00:06:03And we know that the holy place is before the time of judgment which is 1844.
00:06:19So from Pentecost to 1844.
00:06:22So the seven candlesticks which we are going to talk about is in the compartment of the holy place.
00:06:41So if we were to put the study of the seven candlesticks we can tell it is historic.
00:06:53But today we are going to take that historic event and we want to see how would it affect us.
00:06:59How is it affecting us today and for the future.
00:07:03Now the other point that we covered for those of you who were not here.
00:07:13The kingdom of grace is reflected in the sanctuary.
00:07:21And the kingdom of grace is reflected in the sanctuary.
00:07:25The kingdom of grace is reflected in the sanctuary.
00:07:38We see that it was established when Jesus died.
00:07:47And then the kingdom of grace continued at Pentecost.
00:07:54And then the kingdom of grace continued at Pentecost.
00:08:09And we also see how the Holy Spirit had a very important role from Pentecost to 1844.
00:08:19So Jesus had his role in the outer court.
00:08:26He is continuing his role in the holy place.
00:08:33But the Holy Spirit has his role also when he came down to be our comforter.
00:08:38But we see the Holy Spirit assuming his role once he comes as our comforter.
00:08:53And we also see the role that the Father has when he sits on his throne of judgment in 1844.
00:09:03And Jesus still continues his role interceding for us.
00:09:11And we can see this in John 4 where it says,
00:09:13Grace be unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come.
00:09:20And from the seven spirits which are before the throne.
00:09:33And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead
00:09:38and the prince of the kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood.
00:09:47And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead
00:09:51and the prince of the kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood.
00:10:06So to begin this study we have to understand and that's why I had to go back.
00:10:10We have to understand the kingdom of grace and what was done.
00:10:16And that's why I wanted to go back to these aspects.
00:10:19It is necessary that we understand the kingdom of grace.
00:10:28Now the last text that we read in the sermon before.
00:10:46The churches which are in Asia.
00:10:48Unto Ephesus. Unto Smyrna. Unto Pergamos. Unto Thyatira. Unto Saris. Unto Philadelphia. Unto Laodicea.
00:11:17Unto Ephesus. Unto Smyrna. Unto Pergamos. Unto Thyatira. Unto Saris. Unto Philadelphia. Unto Laodicea.
00:11:26Now why is Revelation beginning with the seven churches?
00:11:36When you look at Revelation 4.
00:11:38When you look at Revelation 4.
00:11:48You will realize that it is going to talk about sealing, trumpets and many other activities.
00:11:58But Jesus begins with the seven churches.
00:12:03And that is because of love.
00:12:08He is preparing them for events that are about to take place.
00:12:17And if you notice.
00:12:20There is Patmos.
00:12:24And then we have all the seven churches on this map. We can see them.
00:12:39And it is in geographical order. Jesus Christ is following.
00:12:48And there is something. This message of the seven churches is not only for these seven churches. Not only.
00:13:03But it is for throughout the generations.
00:13:09And even to our day.
00:13:15Now this is what Acts of the Apostles says.
00:13:23The names of the seven churches are symbolic of the church in different periods of the Christian era.
00:13:39The number seven indicates completeness.
00:13:47And it is symbolic of the fact that the messages extend to the end of time.
00:13:59While the symbols used reveal the condition of the church at different periods.
00:14:09And as you can see on this slide. We have the periods of time.
00:14:20But we are not going to focus on the periods of time this morning.
00:14:28I want to know what these seven churches mean to me.
00:14:31And how I can be prepared for the future.
00:14:39Now this chart that I have on the screen here.
00:14:46It is all the seven churches.
00:14:51And I want to know how I can be prepared for the future.
00:14:54Now this chart that I have on the screen here.
00:14:59It is all the seven churches.
00:15:03And we are going to focus on the strength of the church.
00:15:12The faults the church had.
00:15:18And the promises God had for these churches.
00:15:25And maybe this is too small for you to see on your screen.
00:15:29So we will put it on one of our social networks.
00:15:33So that you can have this.
00:15:49So let us turn to Revelation 2.2-4.
00:15:54So let us turn to Revelation 2.2-4.
00:15:59We are going to begin with the church of Ephesus.
00:16:04And we want to know if we have the church of Ephesus with us today.
00:16:09And we want to know if we have the church of Ephesus with us today.
00:16:15It says, I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil.
00:16:33And thou hast tried them which say they are apostles.
00:16:40And are not, and hast found them liars.
00:16:49And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted.
00:16:56And hast borne, and hast patience, and hast labored, and for my name's sake hast not fainted.
00:17:11So here we can see where the strength of this church is.
00:17:18Do we see some of that strength with us today?
00:17:26Yes, and we fight against false doctrine, and we can pat our back, and we are doing a good job.
00:17:37But, there is verses 4 that says, nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
00:17:46But, there is verses 4 that says, nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
00:18:06You know, I personally don't like when someone starts with something good.
00:18:10you know, Richard, you're this, you're that, and then I'm waiting for the but.
00:18:14You see, but, and none of us like that conjunction.
00:18:18You know what, none of us, personally, I don't like it when a person comes to me
00:18:24and starts saying, well, Richard, you know, you've done this and that,
00:18:29but there's a conjunction that none of us like to hear, that but.
00:18:35And Jesus himself, with his own mouth, is going to talk to us in these letters.
00:18:46And we have to remember, these are not our words, these are not words from Paul.
00:18:56These are letters from Jesus Christ himself, talking to John.
00:19:06So, let us begin, and we see, we want to know, what is love?
00:19:16So, let us identify.
00:19:18We did a good job, but we fall out of that love.
00:19:30It says, 1 Corinthians 13, 1 to 3.
00:19:351 Corinthians 13, 1 to 3.
00:19:39Though I speak with tongues of men and of angels,
00:19:46and have not charity,
00:19:50I am become a sounding brass or a tingling cymbal.
00:19:59Now, as a musician,
00:20:01when I join with like an orchestra playing the trumpet,
00:20:09before the concert, you will hear everyone is tuning their trombone, their trumpet,
00:20:14their flugelhorns.
00:20:16When you see that before the orchestra starts playing,
00:20:20you will realize that each of these instruments will start tuning,
00:20:25whether it is the French horn, the trumpets, etc.
00:20:31And you know what? It is horrible.
00:20:36Because everyone is playing their own tune.
00:20:40They are playing their scales, they are warming up.
00:20:46And until when the teacher or the conductor comes,
00:20:58all is peace.
00:21:01And the beautiful music begins.
00:21:05So, we sound like sounding brass, noise.
00:21:08Everyone plays their own melody.
00:21:15And a tinkling cymbal.
00:21:25My wife hung this little thing on a string and it has these long bells,
00:21:29and it blows with the wind.
00:21:41It can be a little annoying sounding.
00:21:44It has no form of melody.
00:21:56So, when I read this text, I can think of a noisy brass band warming up,
00:22:00and this little thing that is making noise.
00:22:02And that is what we sound like.
00:22:13It is not for a concert, but it sounds horrible.
00:22:16And also, this mobile phone that sounds without any melody.
00:22:28Doesn't that sound familiar? We have the gift of prophecy.
00:22:36And understand all mysteries.
00:22:39And knowledge.
00:22:44And though I have all faith.
00:22:48So that I could remove mountains.
00:22:54And have not love.
00:22:58I am nothing.
00:23:02And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor.
00:23:09And though I give my body to be burned.
00:23:15And have not love.
00:23:19It profits me nothing.
00:23:25So, it puts me in a position to think.
00:23:29If I don't have love and I can do all these great things, I am nothing.
00:23:39But if I don't have love, that is of no use to me.
00:23:45We can give food to the hungry, to the poor.
00:23:48How good can you be?
00:23:52But if you don't have love, you are nothing.
00:23:56And now the question is.
00:23:59What is true love?
00:24:03Charity suffered long.
00:24:08It is kind.
00:24:11Charity envied not.
00:24:16Charity wanted not itself.
00:24:21It is not puffed up.
00:24:24So, the church of Ephesus forgot all about this.
00:24:33They were moving mountains.
00:24:34Mountains.
00:24:37They were feeding the poor.
00:24:40Jesus with his own mouth congratulated them for all that they did.
00:24:48But they forgot about the love part.
00:24:54And when we speak about long suffering.
00:24:59We are not talking about tolerating someone for a short period of time.
00:25:05We are not talking about tolerating someone for a short period of time.
00:25:14It is a type of suffering that I have to bear this person for a long time.
00:25:26Sometimes we see this in marriage.
00:25:28Not all marriages are so good.
00:25:35There will be some gentlemen who say.
00:25:37Listen, my friend.
00:25:39I have to suffer with this woman.
00:25:47And the woman can say the same.
00:25:49Listen, I have to put up with this man.
00:25:51I have to put up with this drunk man.
00:25:54But you know what?
00:25:56I have suffered love.
00:25:59Maybe he can be a friend.
00:26:04And that friend can do the same.
00:26:07And you have to practice this kind of love.
00:26:15We have to be kind.
00:26:17I am preaching this.
00:26:19But it is actually hitting me.
00:26:21Because this message is for me.
00:26:22And you know what?
00:26:23I am preaching this.
00:26:25We have to talk about kindness and all this.
00:26:27But this message is for me.
00:26:36Because for a while I can bear suffering with some people.
00:26:45And I give them one opportunity and another, and another, and another.
00:26:48And this was my experience this week again.
00:26:54So this sermon is for me.
00:26:58If you see yourself in this, where you see Ephesus, it is for you.
00:27:08Kindness.
00:27:09Sometimes we are not kind.
00:27:11And again, we start with the home.
00:27:13We are not kind to our wives.
00:27:15Or the wife is not kind to the husband.
00:27:30Especially when we get angry.
00:27:32We say things we don't really mean.
00:27:34Especially when we get angry.
00:27:36We say things we really shouldn't.
00:27:45So this is one of the characteristics of true love.
00:27:48Love is kind, it is benign, and it is also suffering.
00:27:54Look here, it says that love does not envy.
00:27:56You know, maybe somebody has a better car than you.
00:28:04They are progressing in life.
00:28:09And you have to do something kind to that person.
00:28:16But inside you can't do it because they are progressing more than I do.
00:28:19Or they have everything better than what I have.
00:28:26Am I able to love that person and don't have envy in my heart?
00:28:38And charity vandeth not itself.
00:28:48And it doesn't show up itself as I am better than you, I am more important than you.
00:28:56And getting down to the real thing.
00:29:07Because I am not going to be politically correct.
00:29:12Sometimes it is we are more talented than someone.
00:29:20Or our skin color is different so we feel we are better than someone.
00:29:25And we want that.
00:29:32These are Ephesus that is in us today.
00:29:38Or your country is better, is bigger, is more powerful than another country.
00:29:49Charity is not puffed up.
00:29:55So if we want to hear this message we have to hear what Jesus is telling us.
00:29:59So that we can root these dirty things out from our hearts.
00:30:14And it says the greatest of these is charity.
00:30:22You can have faith, hope and charity but the greatest is love.
00:30:26Now we want to do a measurement.
00:30:31We want to measure how close am I to God?
00:30:39How much do I love God?
00:30:44And I am sure if I ask any one of you in the audience.
00:30:52How much do I love God?
00:30:56Or via social media.
00:30:58Or television.
00:31:02And if I ask do you love God?
00:31:08Every one of us would say yes.
00:31:14Well that is why I am here.
00:31:18And that is why I am on YouTube, I am on television and I am watching the television because I love God.
00:31:26Now let us take out a tool and let us measure to see if we really love God.
00:31:44At some point in time I am sure we all had a flat tire.
00:31:55Maybe your bicycle.
00:31:59Maybe it is your car.
00:32:03And when you look the tire is just flat.
00:32:12You are not going anywhere.
00:32:16So we are going to look at this graphic here.
00:32:22Now this needle is going to start from zero.
00:32:26And we are going to measure how much we love God.
00:32:37So we start with self.
00:32:42Because it is easy to love self.
00:32:46I love me.
00:32:49I make sure I eat well, I enjoy my drinks and everything.
00:32:56I may not share with you but it is for me.
00:33:03Because I love myself.
00:33:06So that is between zero and ten.
00:33:14Does that meter tell me that I am close to loving God?
00:33:26No, I am very far.
00:33:34I am between zero and one.
00:33:38Now let us go to the other one.
00:33:40It says family.
00:33:45Now you are pumping that tire and the pump is getting a little stiffer.
00:33:56A little more pressure you have to add.
00:34:02And here comes your mother-in-law.
00:34:09And she is telling you how to cook for her son.
00:34:19You have to love your mother-in-law.
00:34:26Or you go for a trip and your brother sold your vehicle.
00:34:33A trip somewhere.
00:34:37And your brother sold the vehicle and you say well you know, I needed some money.
00:34:49It is getting tough and I have to love my brother.
00:34:56Not as easy as to love me.
00:35:02Then you go to friends.
00:35:07And that gauge is going up and up.
00:35:13And that friend betrayed you for something.
00:35:20It is easy, drop your friend.
00:35:22No, you have to love him.
00:35:29And there are many things that happen between friends.
00:35:37And we find that it is easy to hate them.
00:35:43But if you want to measure to see that we love God.
00:35:52Forget all what he did and love him.
00:35:58Now let the needle go up a little bit higher.
00:36:00You have your neighbors.
00:36:07So you move into this area.
00:36:09The first time and you love everybody.
00:36:17And you let everybody know I love God.
00:36:19And you go to church with your Bible every Sabbath.
00:36:22You want all the neighbors to see.
00:36:24You put your dark glasses down.
00:36:26So that everybody can see it is you going to church every Sabbath.
00:36:45And then you find out this neighbor has pigs behind her house.
00:36:49And it stinks.
00:36:57And not only that, she takes part of your land.
00:37:06And her cows come in and eat all your veggies.
00:37:13And you want to eat the cow but you remember you are vegetarian.
00:37:19So these are some of my experiences.
00:37:25With neighbors cows coming in and the pig farm stinks.
00:37:29But you have to love them.
00:37:40So guess what?
00:37:42The needle goes up and up.
00:37:44And you are learning to love that neighbor.
00:37:46You hug them, you invite them home.
00:37:49They themselves smell like the pig.
00:38:00So we have to love.
00:38:03Now we go to our enemies.
00:38:08And that needle is measuring us.
00:38:11Do I love like God?
00:38:19Or do I love God?
00:38:22Because God says love your enemies.
00:38:27And He said bring them home into your house.
00:38:30And give them water to drink.
00:38:36But they are your enemies.
00:38:41They don't like you.
00:38:46They don't like you and you don't like them.
00:38:49But we have to put that pride away and love our enemies.
00:39:03And I have heard stories where people,
00:39:09this person was actually at the TV station
00:39:11where this little child saw someone kill her father.
00:39:19Yes, so this was a girl
00:39:21and she lived with this all her life.
00:39:28And she saw her mom treating this killer with love.
00:39:37And she saw her mom treating this killer with love.
00:39:43And she saw her mom treating this killer with love.
00:39:49And this topic of the enemies,
00:39:53it goes into countries hate each other.
00:40:07So if we go beyond all these painful experiences
00:40:11with people,
00:40:19and we can overcome and love,
00:40:29then we know we love God.
00:40:37So let us look at it and say,
00:40:41I love God, now let us look at it again.
00:40:49So ask yourself the question,
00:40:51with this gauge in mind,
00:40:53and measuring my love for God,
00:41:01do I really love God
00:41:07when I look at this gauge?
00:41:11And we are not talking about
00:41:12how much food you give to the poor anymore.
00:41:14We are not talking about
00:41:15how much food you give to the poor anymore.
00:41:17We are not talking about
00:41:19moving the mountains
00:41:21or the mountains
00:41:23or wanting to impress people
00:41:25with your good works.
00:41:28This is simply
00:41:29what the Bible is telling us.
00:41:32How much you love your neighbors
00:41:36is how much you love me.
00:41:40Because one of these days,
00:41:43Jesus will tell you, I was in prison and you did not visit me.
00:41:47Jesus will tell you, I was in prison and you did not visit me.
00:41:52I was hungry and you did not feed me.
00:41:54I was hungry and you did not feed me.
00:41:56You had no love.
00:41:57You had no love.
00:41:58So, that's the bottom line of this.
00:42:01So, that's the bottom line of this.
00:42:07Now, Revelation 2.6 says,
00:42:10But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
00:42:27Now, the question is, who are the Nicolaitans?
00:42:35Because we always hear about it.
00:42:37Okay, fine.
00:42:37That was in history.
00:42:45The Nicolaitans were a heretical sect within the church.
00:42:56Propagating the belief that Christians could engage in sexual immorality without moral
00:43:02consequences.
00:43:13They encouraged Christians to pursue sexual pleasure without restraint.
00:43:23This movement contended that faith in Christ meant freedom from moral laws.
00:43:32Leading some to indulge in sexual immorality.
00:43:43Convinced that Jesus' liberation from the law negated any repercussions.
00:43:56So, here it is.
00:43:57We can see that Ephesus is in our church.
00:44:02Because I have heard people say that, well, he's my husband.
00:44:14We're not married, but God sees us as married.
00:44:19And we see the churches, sometimes they cover that sin.
00:44:33And the young people think, well, it's okay.
00:44:36We can flirt around, do whatever we can.
00:44:39The church is not going to do anything about it.
00:44:49So, we can reflect and see that this Nicolaitan doctrine is in our church.
00:44:58And we are used to it.
00:44:59We are normal.
00:45:00And we are holding on to it.
00:45:01So, we can see that in our church, these practices and beliefs of the Nicolaitans are alive.
00:45:08And many of us hold on to that type of belief.
00:45:13And we accept it.
00:45:14We see it as something normal.
00:45:20It says,
00:45:32So, I mean, I would like to eat of that tree.
00:45:42And I heard it may have mangoes there.
00:45:50So, this is what God wants.
00:45:52This is what Jesus wants for us.
00:45:53So, this is not historic.
00:45:55This is future.
00:46:02And if you want to partake of this tree, we have to overcome the period of Ephesus, which is in us.
00:46:18Now, let us go to Smyrna.
00:46:22I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty.
00:46:26And I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
00:46:46Now, if you notice, this church does not have...
00:46:51Jesus does not point out the error.
00:46:55Jesus does not point out the error to this church.
00:47:01He simply says, you are rich.
00:47:06But do you know why He is saying they are rich?
00:47:10Because they are going through tribulation and poverty.
00:47:19And one has to think,
00:47:21doesn't it seem like when someone is close to God, it is because they have tribulation and poverty?
00:47:36Sometimes we want to pray for a country because they are going through tribulations and trials.
00:47:46And we want to pray for them.
00:47:48Maybe we should pray that out of this tribulation, more souls will be converted and come closer to God.
00:48:06And He told Smyrna, be thou faithful unto death.
00:48:18I will give thee a crown of life.
00:48:23I want that crown. That is the future.
00:48:28There is tribulation coming.
00:48:33And it is just around the corner.
00:48:36It could be tomorrow.
00:48:39And we want to overcome so that we can have this crown.
00:48:48I have my crown already.
00:48:53And no one is going to take it away from me.
00:48:56It has my name on it.
00:48:58So, each one of you has your crown.
00:49:04But we have to be overcomers.
00:49:10It says, he that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
00:49:18We all have ears.
00:49:22He that hath an ear, let him listen.
00:49:26He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
00:49:37So, we know the second death is at the end of the one thousand years.
00:49:41That is the second death and that is eternal.
00:49:48Now, Pergamos.
00:49:58We will have to go through this really fast.
00:50:02It says, I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is.
00:50:14And thou holdest fast my name.
00:50:18And hast not denied my faith.
00:50:22And even in those days when Antipas was my faithful martyr.
00:50:34Who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth.
00:50:42See, when Antipas died, he was like a testimony to everyone.
00:50:48And everybody wanted to stay faithful.
00:50:54And it says, but I have a few things against thee.
00:51:02But thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam.
00:51:10Who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel.
00:51:18Who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel.
00:51:22To eat things sacrificed unto idols.
00:51:28And to commit fornication.
00:51:31Now, look at this really quick.
00:51:35We just dealt with the Nicolaitans.
00:51:40Sexual immorality.
00:51:41But in Pergamos, not only the Nicolaitans they have, they have also the doctrine of Balaam.
00:51:57Now let us see, what is this doctrine they have?
00:51:59So just to make sure, we don't have this doctrine with us today.
00:52:11It says, to eat sacrificed, to eat things sacrificed to idols.
00:52:24And to commit fornication, yes.
00:52:26It is the attitude that one can be in the world and still serve God.
00:52:36So here it is, the doctrine of Balaam teaches to compromise.
00:52:41The doctrine of Balaam teaches us to make a commitment to the world.
00:52:51The doctrine of Balaam makes believers look like and dress like the world.
00:53:03We all know the story of Balaam, we don't have time to get into that.
00:53:11But he put stumbling blocks.
00:53:18And here it is, we want to dress like the world, like the Philistines.
00:53:28And think it's okay with God.
00:53:32We want to watch movies of the world.
00:53:35It's like when the Philistines came into the camp of Israel and dancing before the Israelites.
00:53:52And causing them to lust.
00:53:55And we have the television shows, the music in our homes.
00:54:10And we allow our children to have equipment with headphones and we don't know what they're listening to.
00:54:24That's the doctrine of Balaam in our church today.
00:54:37And we are holding on to it.
00:54:42Because it's part of our culture now.
00:54:47And then our children go off to cinemas.
00:54:50And we don't know what they're watching.
00:54:58And for us, that's okay.
00:55:03They dress promiscuously and that's okay.
00:55:06They dress in a provocative or promiscuous way and we think that's okay.
00:55:22And this is the doctrine of Balaam, which is not only in our church, it's in our lives.
00:55:26And we have to overcome this.
00:55:31And you know the music and the movies, they are like idols to us.
00:55:41And it says,
00:55:44He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
00:55:47To him that overcometh, I will give to eat of the hidden manna.
00:56:01And I will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written.
00:56:14So this is a promise again for those who overcome.
00:56:22So we need to get rid of anything that causes us to lose out on salvation.
00:56:30We need to get rid of everything that would threaten our own salvation.
00:56:42Now we go to Thyatira.
00:56:54I know thy works, love, faith, service, and patience.
00:57:00And that thy later works are more than the first.
00:57:06Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee.
00:57:12Because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel,
00:57:18which calleth herself a prophetess,
00:57:22to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication.
00:57:30And to eat things sacrificed to idols.
00:57:38Now if you notice again, this is the third time we are speaking about fornication and idolatry.
00:57:52So it means, if it is mentioned three times,
00:57:57it means that it is well saturated into our fabric of the society.
00:58:11And Jesus himself is dictating this letter to John
00:58:19to remove those idolatry and fornication and love of the world
00:58:25from us.
00:58:37And he has a gift for them.
00:58:40He said, hold fast till I come.
00:58:49I will give power over the nations.
00:58:51And I will give him the morning star.
00:58:59Let us go to Sardis.
00:59:03And it says, I know thy works,
00:59:05that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead.
00:59:17And be watchful and strengthen the things
00:59:19which remain.
00:59:27That are ready to die.
00:59:29For I have not found any good works perfect before God.
00:59:39So here it is, this church Sardis is dead.
00:59:45And God is saying, hold on to the little bit that you have.
00:59:49And he says, God is saying to Sardis,
00:59:51hold on to the little bit that you have.
00:59:55And he says, thou hast a few names in Sardis
00:59:59which have not defiled their garments.
01:00:07And they shall walk with me in white.
01:00:11And if you study the history of all these churches,
01:00:14and the era where they came from,
01:00:22you will realize, although that church was dead,
01:00:28there were a few who were not defiled.
01:00:36But do you know who came out of that era?
01:00:38And do you know who came out of that era?
01:00:44John Calvin.
01:00:46Martin Luther.
01:00:48John Knox.
01:00:52And others came through this era.
01:00:58Even though this was the era of a dead church.
01:01:00Even though this was the era of a dead church.
01:01:06So even though we seem to be dead,
01:01:08can we hold on to the truth
01:01:10and live a victorious life?
01:01:24Now let's go to Philadelphia really quick.
01:01:26And he says, I know thy works.
01:01:28Behold, I have set before thee an open door.
01:01:36And no man can shut it.
01:01:40For thou hast a little strength
01:01:44and hast kept my word
01:01:48and hast not denied my name.
01:01:52Behold, I come quickly.
01:01:56Hold that fast which thou hast
01:02:00that no man take thy crown.
01:02:04Again, it's mentioning that crown.
01:02:08It is something future for us.
01:02:12And he is even at the door.
01:02:16Philadelphia means brotherly love.
01:02:20And this is where we have to practice
01:02:22what is true love.
01:02:26Now look at this here.
01:02:28It says love looks through a telescope.
01:02:34Envy through a microscope.
01:02:40So people who envy
01:02:42and they are jealous of people,
01:02:48they look at everything
01:02:50and they are jealous of everything.
01:02:52They look at everything
01:02:54that you do
01:02:58and they criticize.
01:03:02But if you look through a telescope,
01:03:08you can see the heavens.
01:03:12You can see the great creation of God.
01:03:18You would see man as a creation of God
01:03:21and love him too.
01:03:29Now, let's go to the last church.
01:03:33I know thy works
01:03:35that thou art neither cold nor hot.
01:03:41I would thou wert cold or hot.
01:03:45So then because thou art lukewarm
01:03:47and neither cold nor hot,
01:03:53I will spew you out of my mouth
01:03:57because thou sayest,
01:03:59I am rich.
01:04:03Jesus himself said
01:04:05that there was a church
01:04:07that was rich.
01:04:13But here it is,
01:04:15I am rich.
01:04:21I am increased with goods
01:04:25and I have need of nothing.
01:04:31Knowest not that thou art wretched,
01:04:33miserable and poor
01:04:35and blind and naked.
01:04:45This is where we are,
01:04:47we are in the Laodicea.
01:04:51So we know
01:04:53that we have Laodicea in us
01:04:59and we need to overcome
01:05:01all these temptations
01:05:03and the selfishness
01:05:05that we have.
01:05:07And we need to be tried
01:05:09in fire.
01:05:13We need tribulation
01:05:17and it is coming.
01:05:21And when that tribulation comes
01:05:23it will prepare us
01:05:27and it will prepare us
01:05:29for a great time
01:05:32and it will prepare us
01:05:34for a great time
01:05:38for the sealing time.
01:05:40We are not going into
01:05:42the sealing time unprepared
01:05:46so we need to be tried
01:05:48in the fire
01:05:54that we may be rich
01:05:58and white raiment
01:06:00and that we may be clothed
01:06:06and that the shame
01:06:08of the nakedness
01:06:10do not appear
01:06:14and anoint
01:06:16thine eyes
01:06:18with eye salve
01:06:22that thou mayest see.
01:06:24Don't anoint
01:06:26your eyes
01:06:28with all the
01:06:30garbage
01:06:32that the social media
01:06:34has.
01:06:36This is serious
01:06:38my friends.
01:06:40This is our future
01:06:42at stake
01:06:44and you can choose
01:06:46to block your ears
01:06:48if you want.
01:06:50You don't have to listen.
01:06:54Our brother Brantley
01:06:56this morning
01:07:00and the two sermons joined
01:07:06to one climax
01:07:10and we all have to open our ears
01:07:12and listen
01:07:18so you can block your ears
01:07:20and pretend
01:07:23at the end
01:07:25of the day
01:07:29you will pay the consequence
01:07:33you will lose out on salvation
01:07:37because this letter
01:07:39was written by Jesus himself
01:07:45and this is for his church
01:07:49today
01:07:51for the future
01:07:53so don't pretend to block your ears
01:07:59One thing that is highlighted
01:08:01in every single one of these churches
01:08:03He that hath an ear
01:08:05to listen
01:08:17Pay attention to what God is saying
01:08:19Pay attention to what Jesus
01:08:21himself is saying
01:08:23Get ready
01:08:25because
01:08:27you don't know
01:08:29what tomorrow holds
01:08:31and tribulation
01:08:33can start tomorrow
01:08:35Are we going to be ready?
01:08:39Are we forming our lives
01:08:41everyday
01:08:43everyday
01:08:45so when that time
01:08:47comes
01:08:49God knows that we were trying
01:08:51and He is going to help us
01:08:57but it's not that
01:08:59now I'm going to stop smoking
01:09:01now I'm going to stop watching movies
01:09:03going to the theater
01:09:05now I'm going to stop all these things
01:09:07because tribulation started
01:09:09it's too late
01:09:17for that time
01:09:19it's going to be too late
01:09:21so let's get ready
01:09:23today
01:09:25Amen
01:09:29Let us pray
01:09:37Heavenly Father
01:09:39we want to thank you again
01:09:41for your love towards us
01:09:47we thank you
01:09:49for taking the time
01:09:51to send us these letters
01:09:57letters of love
01:09:59and to warn us
01:10:01and to tell us
01:10:03how to live
01:10:05to prepare
01:10:11help us to show
01:10:13the love we have for you
01:10:17by how we treat these letters
01:10:19and how we take them
01:10:25and to show our love
01:10:27by how we treat others
01:10:33forgive us our sins
01:10:35and make us ready
01:10:37and this we ask in Jesus name
01:10:41Amen
01:10:47Okay, let's go