They were in Revelation chapter 3 verse number 6 it says here that hath an ear let him hear
what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
The title for the sermon this morning is what the Spirit saith, what the Spirit saith and
unto the churches.
So just a quick reminder even though we're going church by church looking at these seven
churches the message is to all churches.
The Spirit is speaking to all the churches.
So everything that we can see here in these verses or in these chapters are for us things
that we can learn.
All right.
Now just a quick reminder in Revelation chapter 2 of the seven churches we went through the
first four of the seven churches.
So now we're looking at the last three of those seven churches.
So like last week we're going to first look at this reference he that overcometh and if
you don't recall he that overcometh is someone that is saved.
Okay.
So let's start with the Revelation chapter 3 verse number 5.
Speakers of the church inside us he says he that overcometh the same shall be clothed
in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life but I will
confess his name before my father and before his angels he that have an ear let him hear
what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
And so what we see for those that are saved we see that the Lord is going to clothe us
in white raiment.
Now look we are already in the white raiment we already are saved our sins have been cleansed
of us but there is coming a time when we will receive new bodies that will never sin and
God is promising hey we're going to get to a point where we will never have defiled garments
again.
He says I will not blot out his name out of the book of life and so you can never lose
your salvation.
Once again that's been reinforced.
Then he says but I will confess his name before my father and before his angels.
Can you imagine Jesus Christ in heaven before God the Father before all the heavenly hosts
he says hey that Kevin is one of my believers.
Okay.
And for each one of us he's going to name you by name he's going to proclaim your name
and say look this is someone that has overcome this is someone that is saved this is someone
that has trusted me for their salvation.
Now very quickly keep your finger there and come with me to Matthew chapter 7.
I am going to speed up I've got my stopwatches you know so I might not wait for you but Matthew
chapter 7 verse number 21 Matthew chapter 7 verse number 21 Jesus speaks these words
in Matthew 7 21 about false prophets and about false converts false brethren.
He says in Matthew 7 21 not everyone that's safe unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven.
Look Jesus Christ is saying there are some that call me Lord and they're not going to
inherit the kingdom of heaven.
So this you know when people say oh what must I do to be saved well you've got to make Jesus
the Lord of your life.
Well not everyone that says Lord Lord that's not how you get saved saying well Jesus is
my Lord.
No being saved is trust in his death bearing resurrection his payment for sin in your faith
upon that.
But what are these people trust in these people that say hey I'm making him my Lord.
What are they trusting in verse number 22.
Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name.
Have we not been preaching and saying your name Jesus and in thy name have cast out devils.
Jesus we've done these miracles and in thy name done have done many wonderful works.
So you have these people calling Jesus Lord but what are they trusting in.
They have many wonderful works.
They're not trusting the death bearing resurrection of Christ.
They're not trusting what Christ has done.
They're still trusting what they've done but they're still calling Jesus Lord.
And what does Jesus say in verse number 23.
And then I will profess unto them I never knew you.
Depart from me you that work iniquity.
So they're going to be some that call Jesus Lord and Jesus says I don't even know who
you are.
I never knew you.
It's not like I used to know you and you lost your salvation.
You can't lose your salvation because I never knew you.
Hey for those that have overcome those that have trusted Christ.
Hey he says I'm going to proclaim the name.
I'm going to confess the name to the father and to his angels.
It's a vast difference between those that are saved and those that have not trusted
Christ for salvation.
Back to Revelation chapter 3 please.
Revelation chapter 3 verse number 12.
Revelation chapter 3 verse number 12 says him that overcometh will I make a pillar in
the temple of my God.
So a pillar is you know usually the foundations of a building but also in a temple it can
be holding up the ceiling.
What I'm trying to say is it is a fixed object in the temple.
Once again once you're saved you're a fixed object in God's temple.
Nothing's going to change that.
He goes and he shall go out no more and I will write upon him the name of my God and
the name of the city of my God.
Let's stop there for a moment.
He goes look I'm going to write upon him upon each believer the name of my God name
of the father and the name of the city of my God.
Now for a lot of Baptist churches today they're going to be telling you the city of God is
Jerusalem and you'll be praying for the for the war that's happening there between the
Jews and the and the and the and is it Hamas or Palestine.
Yeah.
All right.
You know that's that's the people of God.
That's God's land.
That's the city of God.
What does Jesus say is the city of God and then the city of God which is new Jerusalem
which cometh down out of heaven from my God and I'll write upon him my new name.
Here they have an ear.
Let him hear with the spirit safe unto the churches.
Now one thing that I got taught and a lot of Baptist churches teach is that earthly
Jerusalem they'll say is for the Jews.
OK.
But heavenly Jerusalem that's for the Gentile church.
You know that that term that they like to say.
There is this idea amongst many dispensational Baptists that there will be a forever distinction
between the Jews and if you're not a Jew if you're a believer in Jesus God has two separate
people and two different Jerusalem's for his two different people.
Now let's just quickly check if that's true.
The reason I talk about this a lot is because it is so incorrect.
It is it is such a bad era but there are so many churches that teach this.
I've been taught this.
OK.
But I'll tell you I've gone to good churches and I still was taught a lot of rubbish.
So if you can come with me to Revelation 21.
Of course you can you're in Revelation.
Revelation 21 again.
So we're trying to debunk this idea that heavenly Jerusalem is for the Gentile church and earthly
Jerusalem is just for the Jews and there's this constant separation between the two groups.
Well in Revelation 21 verse number 12 speaking about heavenly Jerusalem you can see the context
later in your own time.
It says in verse number 12 and had a great had a wall great and high and had 12 gates
and at the gates 12 angels and names written there on which are the names of the 12 tribes
of the children of Israel.
Look New Jerusalem each gate each of the 12 gates is named after one of the tribes of
Israel and then they're telling me oh that's not for Jews that's not for the Jews that's
not for Israel.
It's like what in the world.
What in the world.
Right.
And what do we see in Revelation chapter 3.
He's speaking to the churches.
So to the churches.
That's our city.
And guess what.
For the Jews that of course have trusted Christ as Saviour.
That's their city as well.
And look at verse number four.
Actually before I keep before I go there I'm going to quickly read to you from the book
of Hebrews.
Hebrews.
Who are the Hebrews?
Or the Jews.
OK.
When the book of Hebrews it's to all of us of course but it is targeting primarily the
Jews the Hebrews Hebrews 12 22 but yeah come unto Mount Zion and unto the city of the living
God.
Oh that must be earthly Jerusalem.
No.
It says the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels.
So now you think OK maybe the heavenly Jerusalem that's for the Jews.
You know if this this eternal separation between the church the gentile church but then it
says straight away in verse number 23 to the General Assembly and church of the firstborn
which are written in heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men
made perfect the spirits of just men made perfect.
Whether you're Jew whether you're a Jew there is no Jew or gentile in Christ Jesus.
If you're a just man made perfect OK you your city your your eternal city is new Jerusalem
which comes from heaven above and this was written to the Hebrews.
OK.
This idea there's this constant separation it's so rubbish and there are so many verses
that have just debunked that idea.
You're still there in Revelation 21 look at verse number 14 you say well if the twelve
gates are the names of Israel maybe it's just for the Jews maybe it's just for the Israelites.
Well Revelation 21 14 about the city it says and the wall of the city had twelve foundations
and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
So the foundations of the city are named after the twelve apostles.
Who are the twelve apostles?
So after Christ resurrected and ascended to be with the Father those twelve apostles
started the New Testament churches.
So who's the city for?
All believers of all time of all people Jews and gentiles.
Anyone that has made their has there has been made perfect.
Anyone that has been saved.
Anyone that has overcome.
This is our city and this idea of this constant separation by race it's racism is what it
is.
I mean I don't know I don't know what's going on in the heads of many preachers that teach
this nonsense.
But you hear it.
You're not making this stuff up you hear these crazy things and I hope you remember
these passages that make it crystal clear there is no difference between the Jew and
the Greek.
Okay.
Now back to Revelation chapter three please.
Revelation chapter three and verse number 21.
Revelation chapter three verse number 21 now this is to the church of the lay of the Saiyans.
It says to him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne.
Think about that for a moment.
Jesus has a throne he's look this is amazing I can't understand I can't comprehend it makes
me emotional.
Jesus says I'm going to get you to sit with me on my throne.
No no no that's your throne God.
That's step along.
No no I'm going to get you.
I mean look at look how much he loves us.
Like remember we're part of his family now you're now that you're saved you're a child
of God.
Are you being saved by Jesus Christ and he just wants to honor us.
Not only that he's confessed our name but hey come sit with me on my throne.
Come and sit with me with the highest authority of eternity of all creation.
I want to spend time with you.
I want to talk to you.
I want to be with you each one of us it's amazing.
He says again verse 21 to him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne even
as I also overcame and am set down with my father in his throne.
He says I'm just doing what my father does.
My father lets me sit with him on his throne I'm going to let you sit with me on my throne.
And then here that happened yeah let him hear what the spirit say from the churches.
I was once asked well how long is this going to take if all who know billions of believers
are going to get the chance to sit on God's throne this is going to be a long process.
Yeah but how long is eternity there's plenty of time don't worry about it there's plenty
of time for each of us to sit one on one with Jesus Christ on his throne and what an honor
that will be.
Okay let's go back to verse number one Revelation chapter three and verse number one and I'm
going to slow down a little bit now because we're going to see some really deep stuff
here okay.
Revelation chapter three verse number one and unto the angel of the church inside us
write these things save he that have the seven spirits of God we looked at that in Revelation
chapter one if you want to go back and listen to that and the seven stars that's the seven
pastors of the seven churches he says I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou
livest and art dead.
Oh that's interesting you've got a name that lives but your church is dead verse number
two be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die for I have
not found thy works perfect before God.
What is he saying about this church he's saying look you've got a good name you've got a good
reputation all right in the early days of your church you guys were faithfully serving
God everybody knows of your service we were rejoicing in heaven for all the works that
you were doing but now you're still living off that reputation but no longer are you
serving God no longer are you doing the works worthy of that reputation look let us never
be a church I hope when there can never be a church that hey we live off a reputation
but we ourselves have gone dead as it were as a church we're no longer doing the works
we're no longer the service potentially that God may have for us you can live off our reputation
look and my biggest concern we are part of the independent fundamental Baptist movement
of churches they have a really good reputation okay their reputation goes back in Australia
at least around the 70s 80s an excellent reputation of soul winners of church planters on people
zealous for the word of God but I find in my own time I'm seeing this major decline
amongst independent fundamental Baptists they are looking at the hillsongs they're looking
at those churches and going hey how can we increase our attendance based on shaping ourselves
after the modern movement of churches look they still have a name that liveth they still
a good I don't mind being in court an independent fundamental Baptist I think those words are
important but hey I believe the movement at least in Australia is starting to die it's
starting to die and look we don't I don't want to be that one of the churches I don't
want God to say about us that you know we're starting to die but he does say look there
are some words that they have that's why he says in verse number two be watchful and strengthen
the things which remain because look you still have something good strengthen those
things you know do better because that are ready to die even the things that you're doing
well they're starting to die right and like to me this is almost like the last chance
of this church you better get these things right otherwise we saw last week that God
can take away a candlestick out of a church and then verse number we'll go we'll go back
to we'll go to verse number four quickly we'll skip verse number three for a minute verse
number four now even in a dying church even in a dying movement of churches okay it's
he says in verse number four thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled
their garments and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy so look you can
be part of a dying church but God still sees the individual of each church because there
are some names within your church that haven't defiled their garments hey they're still walking
with me in the garments of white for they are worthy now the reason I wanted to talk
to you about look at verse number four quickly is something that's very important in your
Bible reading something that's very important in your faith as you grow and learn more about
God's Word you must and I know for those that have been in my church for a long time you
guys know I emphasize this a lot because it's really important there is a huge difference
between your position with God and your walk with God okay your position with God is the
work of Jesus you've trusted him you're saved you've overcome you have the white garments
nothing can take that away but then we have our walk with the Lord and you know as God
in him there's light and no darkness when we walk in darkness we break our walk we break
our fellowship with God we don't lose our position we don't lose our salvation but we can
lose our fellowship and our walk you know with the Lord God okay so I want you to notice in
verse number four it says which have not defiled their garments because we can defile our garments
but this is talking about our walk which is why it says and they shall walk with me in white for
they are worthy so they are worthy of fellowship they're worth are worthy of walking with Jesus
Christ because they've maintained a clean walk with God whereas the rest of the church they're
not doing very well okay now how do you know that's about just a what it mentions walk there
but I want to notice verse number five which we've already read because in verse number five it says
here that overcometh we know that's about salvation that's your position it says the same shall be
clothed in white raiment all right so if you're saved your position you always have a white
raiment because it's the raiment of Jesus Christ okay it's his righteousness but in our walk we
also have white garments but as we walk we can defile those garments as we sin against the Lord
we walk in selfishness we walk against his will we can defile those garments and damage our walk
so what I like about verses number four and five it separates the difference between the walk and
your position but both of those things we're striving to be white well we're not striving to
be white to be saved that's what Jesus did but in our walk we'll be striving to maintain these
white garments unspotted from the world now let's go to verse number three because verse number three
is very deep he says remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent
they're telling the church look get it right okay you've got a good reputation go back to the way
you were before I repent of that he says if therefore thou shalt not watch I will come on
thee as a thief and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee so Jesus is saying look
because you're not watching I'm gonna come to you like a thief okay now these words aren't there for
no reason okay we're looking at the book of Revelation you know the end times the coming of
the Lord Jesus Christ keep your finger then come with me to first Thessalonians chapter 4 first
Thessalonians chapter 4 please first Thessalonians chapter 4 now most independent fundamental
Baptist churches at least in Australia believe in a pre-tribulation rapture that they're going
to be taken away with Jesus Christ in the clouds and praise God for that I love the rapture but
they believe it's before the tribulation before the seven years what they call the seven years
of tribulation and they'll often say that they often with that doctrine they've got another
doctrine called immanency Christ can come back at any moments Christ can come back you know when
this service is ended they'll say Christ can come back you know five minutes from now are you ready
are you watching and when you say to them well what gives you that confidence or that belief
that doctrine that Christ can come back at any moment instead of after tribulation what why do
you believe him to come back at any moment they'll say well the Bible says that he's coming as a
thief in the night and that's what we saw in Revelation 3 but I want to just read it once
again while you're tuned to first Thessalonians 4 he says to the church remember therefore how
that has received and heard and hold fast and repent if therefore thou shalt not watch I will
come on thee as a thief so he's coming as a thief why if or what's the condition if they're not
watching if they're not watching is that a negative connotation or a positive one for this
church if they're not watching it's negative Christ coming as a thief is a negative concept
even for God's people who are not watching okay like Christ is rebuking them he's telling them
look repent get right you're not watching and because you're not watching I'm gonna come to
you like a thief like that's a negative thing Christ is rebuking a church for believing that
he can come as a thief and then we have our independent Baptist pre-trippers he's coming
as a thief in the night can happen any moment that's like a rebuke that's a negative connotation
about Jesus Christ okay now and now and this is why like if you come with me to first Thessalonians
chapter 4 again verse number 15 everybody agrees this is the rapture okay everyone agrees with
your pre-tree post-tree pre-raft whatever it is everyone agrees this is the resurrection the
rapture in first Thessalonians chapter 4 verse number 15 it says for this we say unto you by
the word of the Lord that which we are that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of
the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep what does Paul call the rapture here the coming
of the Lord I've made this I stress this in chapter 1 the most famous passage on the rapture
called the rapture the coming of the Lord but what are you going to hear from many independent
Baptist pastors today ah the rapture is not the coming of the Lord it's the coming of the Lord
according to God's Word verse number 16 for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a
shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise
first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord wherefore comfort one another
with these words so we're going to be caught up in the air we're going to be in the clouds
with Jesus Christ and all believers then chapter 5 begins verse number 1 now here's the issue
a lot of my Baptist brethren they stop at chapter 4 and they think chapter 5 is this unrelated topic
now look when the scriptures were written there were no chapters and verse numbers
I like chapters I believe it was by the Lord's leading that these chapters and verse numbers
were added to the scriptures but you need to understand like just because there's a chapter
doesn't mean now we're on some new thought it's not like you're reading a novel right and now
you're at chapter 2 okay finish up the two of them son chapter 3 which could be a complete
different scenery different different characters or what have you no in fact chapter 5 begins with
the words but but but what you know obviously it's related to what we just read okay about the
rapture he says here but of the times and the seasons brethren ye have no need that are right
unto you for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night
so let's stop there for a moment okay so the day of the Lord the rapture is coming as a thief in
the night okay and then you'll see all the baptism see it's like a thief you don't even know
when the thief's gonna break in so it can happen at any moment can happen five minutes from now
can happen five seconds from now but remember it's a negative connotation the idea of Jesus
coming as a thief because it says in verse number three for when they shall say who's they all right
now we saw earlier in verse number one that he's calling the Thessalonian church hey brethren but
now it says they wouldn't normal English grammar say dictate to you that they are a separate group
from the brethren that he's writing to all right it's an external group all right it says here for
when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them look it's sudden
destruction coming upon God's people no it says upon them as travail upon a woman with child and
they shall not escape but then it says but ye so you not they now you but ye brethren
are not in darkness that the day should overtake you as a thief so it says about the brethren
about they the church look this day is not going to overtake you as a thief because you're not in
darkness right the thief comes at night time when it's unexpected but he's saying about his church
about the believers look you're not in darkness you're in the light of Christ this day is not
going to overtake you as a thief but it will be like a thief to the unbelievers and what we see
in Revelation chapter three a church that's not watching to them it's also going to be like a
thief in the night coming through and breaking in and stealing and then it says in verse number
five this is why it's not going to overtake us as a thief because in verse number five it says
ye are all the children of light and the children of the day we are not of the night
nor of darkness therefore let us not sleep as do others look at this but let us watch and be sober
what was the instruction given to the church uh before in revelation of the free to be to watch
to repent and to watch what's the instruction given to us in here in first Thessalonians
chapter five to watch and be sober uh it says uh verse number seven for they that sleep sleep in
the night and they that be drunken are drunken in the night but let us who are of the day
right be sober putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for an helmet the hope of
salvation and then it says in verse number nine very important verse for god have not appointed
us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our lord jesus christ look we are not appointed to wrath
this is why we believe in a post tribulation pre wrath rapture we're not appointed to god's wrath
we're not going to experience god's wrath or whatever that last generation of believers are
no we're not appointed to wrath but we are commanded we are instructed to watch okay
to be sober and to watch because we're children of the light meaning that in the daytime in the in
the light time a thief is not going to break in and steal that's for those that are in darkness
those are for the people that are in the night they're not expecting the coming of christ
but you can see a church themselves can get to the point where they are dead they're not watching
and christ is look i'm going to come to you like a thief in the night in a negative connotation
because he's lumping them together with the rest of unbelievers okay now matthew 24 please matthew
24 matthew 24 so again watching thief look these words are not there by accident okay matthew to
oh why are you turning to matthew 24 that's for the jews that's not for the church people say
right and yet those that say that in matthew 24 they'll read verses like this in matthew 24 42
matthew 24 42 which are great verses the great verses for us but matthew 24 42 watch therefore
why for you know know what hour the lord doth come for know this that if the good man of the
house had known in what in what watch the thief would come he would have watched and would not
have suffered his house to be broken up therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as you think
not the son of man cometh the coming of the lord what's the instruction that god is giving his
believers to watch all right to watch otherwise you you know you're not going to know when the
thief breaks in then stills once again christ is using the same language and i've heard pre-tree
brethren use these verses that i just read and say yep that's about the rapture all right well
okay it's about the rapture when you want it to be and i agree it's about the rapture okay but
again rules for me uh for thee but not for me many times but look before we got to chapter
verse number 42 in matthew 24 let's read verse number 29 quickly verse 29 it says immediately
after the tribulation of those days wherever post-tribulation free wrath right we're not
appointed to god's wrath immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened
and the moon shall not give a light and the star shall fall from heaven and the powers of the
heaven shall be shaken and then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven and then shall
all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory so when you combine all these verses watch all right the thief is
coming as it were if you're not watching it's like a thief but not to us because we're in the light
and what do we learn by combining all these passages we see that christ is using the same
language that paul uses we first test the ownership of four and five which they all
agrees about the rapture but we see it's after the tribulation but when that appoints to god's
wrath which is why at his coming he takes us before he pulls out his wrath on this world
all right come back with me to revelation of the free revelation of the free
revelation of the free in verse number seven revelation of the free verse number seven
so i want to again when when when when when when a church or a pastor says he's coming as a thief
it's like you're lumping yourself with unbelievers and with churches that are not watching
you say how do i watch you know what do we do to watch you know well first of all get right on the
end times right believe god's word all right i mean that's one sure way to watch is to know
exactly what god is teaching us in the book of revelation at the end times that's one sure way
another sure way when christ we saw the coming of christ immediately after the tribulation of
those days i mean hey that's a great time to watch when there's great tribulation upon the earth when
god's people are being persecuted and even before that we saw um uh you know in your own time have
a read of this method 24 the beginning of sorrows wars and rumors of wars and all this kind of
persecution that's happened upon the whole earth i mean it's going to be a great war that's going
to wipe out a huge population upon this earth all of these signs are there so we can watch
but then many baptist churches are saying to you there's nothing to watch there are no signs
it can happen at any moment because it's like a thief in the night man i don't want to lump
myself with unbelievers and bad churches that are not watching but that's what they do i mean
at least been being honest about where they stand you know when they say christ is coming as a thief
in the night it can happen at any moment they're saying to you we're not watching like don't listen
to us we're not watching we're in the dark we can't see the lights of the coming of christ
i know it sounds harsh but that's that's what it is you know that's what the lesson is there for
and i i don't all i want like deep in my heart is for these churches that i love these pastors
that i appreciate it's just to get right on this on these end times and look i'm not going to go
and force it down their throats i hope they can just pull away from their associations
and what are my friends going to think and what is that church that sends me money going to think
haven't you stand up and preach god's truth and please god rather than pleasing man
revelation chapter three verse number seven revelation of the three verses seven
unto the angel sorry answer the angel of the church in philadelphia writes these things save
he that is holy and he that is true and he that have the key of david he that openeth and no man
shut off and shut off that no man openeth all these things are important please don't let it
go of your head i know thy works because i have set before thee an open door and no man can shut
it for thou hast a little strength and has kept my word and has not denied my name now look when
god opens a door for us as a church hey what i see here is let's take it let's walk through that door
okay it's a door that no man can shut if god opens that door hey i meant we just saw earlier
there's a missions conference in the philippines all right if you have the ability if you have the
time if you've got the date if you've got availability from work if you've got the finances
hey put it down hey god has opened the door i'm gonna go okay regardless of if man tries to shut
it i'm gonna go with the doors that god opens for me and that applies to many aspects of mission
uh ministry and and your life because the lord is the one that opens and shuts okay and we need to
always be looking out for hey lord what are you doing you know how are you opening the doors for
new life at the church or how are you closing doors for my family or what have you and that
way we can always be walking in the leading of our lord jesus christ now what i want to do is
come with me i know this is going to sound strange but keep your finger then come with me to isiah 22
come with me to isiah 22 i mean this what i'm going to show you here this this needs its own
sermon all by itself so i'm going to speed through it as best as i can okay isiah 22 verse 15 isiah
22 verse 15 now the context of isiah 22 is the threat of the isyrian empire okay the isyrian
empire took the northern kingdom of israel into captivity and then the southern kingdom are really
concerned what's going to happen to us are they going to you know are they going to take us into
captivity are they going to defeat us as well and in this story in isiah 22 we're introduced
to two people okay one is called shebna and the other one is alike him okay shebna now we're
talking about n times here okay i want as i go through this story it's about real people like
real earthly man and and historic events about the isyrian empire and the and the concerns and
the threats to judah okay but you'll soon see as we're reading this this is all symbolic of the
antichrist and jesus christ okay shebna is the antichrist symbolically or the beast of the
revelation and alike him is a representation of jesus christ okay now in isiah 22 15 let's start
there is i 52 15 it says thus saith the lord god of hosts go get thee unto this treasurer even
shebna which is over the house and say so shebna is the treasurer okay for the kingdom of judah
now shebna is a representation of the antichrist keep that in mind the beast
okay it says in verse number 16 what hast thou here and whom hast thou here that thou hast
hewed thee out a sepulchre here as he has hewed him out a sepulchre on high and and that grave
and habitation of himself in a rock behold the lord will carry thee away with a mighty captivity
and will surely cover thee that mighty captivity is the isyrian empire now god is rebuking shebna
he's saying look what are you doing here why are you making a grave a high grave uh you know
making a name for yourself in the kingdom who are you to do this now look in these days the kings
had their own graveyard their own uh you know king kingly line that were buried there this shebna
wants to be buried amongst the kings okay but he's not the king he's a treasurer okay and god's saying
look what are you doing all right and look kids you're going to be taken away by mighty captivity
which is the isyrian empire okay now in the end times the antichrist is going to do what
he's going to claim to be jesus christ he's going to claim to be god he's going to step above his
authority levels and start making these claims and of course the lord's not going to be happy
with that obviously the lord's going to take down the antichrist and the beast in due time
well what do we see here in verse number 18 he was surely again that's isyrian empire he was surely
violently turned and tossed thee like a bull into a large country there shalt thou die and there the
chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord's house so this is the feet of shebna by the
isyrian army well the defeat of the antichrist in the book of revelation is by the hand of
jesus christ and the beast is going to be cast into the lake of fire tormented forever day and
night forever and ever all right now keep going there in verse number 19 and i will drive thee
from thy station and from thy state shall he pull thee down because you're going to be demoted you're
going to be driven away from your station or your your high authority that you had and then in verse
number 20 and it shall come to pass in that day that i will call my servant eliacim the son of
hilkiah again his representation he represents jesus christ okay and then says this and i will
clothe him with thy robe so instead of the antichrist having the authority of the earth
hey christ has come in he's going to have the authority of the earth okay it says and strengthen
him with thy girdle look at this and i will commit thy government into his hand everything
all the authority you amass for yourself is going to be given to jesus and he shall be a father to
the inhabitants of jerusalem and to the house of judah but i want to notice that the government is
being given to like him okay now again this is a picture of christ because after the antichrist
gets demoted thrown into lake of fire that's when christ comes and establishes his kingdom
his thousand year reign upon this earth now look at verse number 22 say what does this have to do
with revelation well now i want to show you revelation uh in in isaiah 22 22 and the key
of the house of david will i lay upon his shoulder that's a lie kim shoulder and he shall
open and none shall shut and he shall shut and none shall open and i will fast him as a nail in
a short place and he shall be a glorious throne to his father's house look when christ comes all
right he's going to be given this key of david just like a lie kim has now you can start to see
the the symbolic representation of christ and when christ comes it says here he'll be fastened
as a nail in a short place in other words once christ rules that's it he rules for all eternity
right he's going to be above all things he's never going to be moved be moved from that in
verse 24 and they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house the offspring and
the issue all vessels of small quantity from the vessels of cups even to all the vessels of
flagons so i like him is going to have all of this under his authority and of course when christ
comes all powers all all all governments all powers even death and hell are going to be under
the authority of june christ then it says in verse 25 in that day save the lord of hosts shall the
nail that is fastened in the short place be removed and cut down and fall and the burden
that was upon it shall be cut off for the lord has spoken it verse number 25 is speaking of again
back to shebner okay that's going to happen shebner he's going to be demoted and someone
else is going to take over all the governments okay and that is a picture of jesus christ
now again remember what it said it says again he's got the key of david that he shall open
none shall shut he shall shut that none should open and we saw earlier in verse number 21 i
will commit thy government into his hand why is this so important because if you're in isiah so
come with me to isiah 9 please come with me to isiah 9 very quickly isiah 9 verse number 6
and you guys know these passages much better right these ones that we're about to read
in isiah 9 6 isiah 9 6 it says for unto us a child is born the prophecy of the coming of christ
unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called
wonderful counselor the mighty god the everlasting father the prince of peace of the increase of his
government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of david and upon his kingdom to order
it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever the zeal
of the lord of hosts will perform this i want to show you look there's much more going on
all right when christ says i've got the key of david book of revelation then open and no man
shut off you know if you've read the bible you'll be like oh hold on a lot of kim got that key that
key and then you start to see hey remember how we always say hey the bible is always about
jesus christ it's always pointed to him and his salvation well next time you read through isiah
22 and i can spend more time on this i want to start paying attention hey this is speaking about
the second coming of christ and the authority that he's going to have over the entire earth
all right back to revelation chapter three and verse number nine revelation chapter three
verse number nine the revelation number three verse number nine he says behold i will make them
of the synagogue of satan now we already looked at this last week who worships in a synagogue
the jews okay judaism the jewish religion that is the synagogue of satan it's a false religion
it denies christ as the messiah it says which say they are jews and are not because we saw last week
that those are the jews have been circumcised in the heart it's something internal not something
external it says but do lie okay they're liars behold i will make them to come and worship
before thy feet and to know that i have loved thee look at some point these jews that think
they're the chosen people of god they're the special people they're going to come before
god's people god's true people okay and literally worship and know that i have loved thee
so again when people are choosing sides over the jews and palestinians many churches but god loves
the jews no it says here god loves his churches god loves his saved people and the jews have to
will one day recognize that it was god's church it was god saved people of jews and gentiles those
that believe in christ that are truly the ones that god loves
verse number 10 behold thou has kept the word of my patience and i will keep thee from the hour
of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth
behold i come quickly hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy crown
all right now if you go to a pre-tribber someone that believes in the rapture before the tribulation
and look i've got a lot of experience here and look let me say i'm not an argumentative person
i'm not trying to convince anybody i'm just my job is just preach god's word it's up to you
all right honestly i've been able to convince my friends about this doctrine but i've never
forced them you know and i didn't base my friendship whether they believe it or not
you know if you're saved you're a believer i love you you're my brother in the lord that's strange
to me that people make crazy divisions over doctrines that are secondary or tertiary all
right but then when it comes to primary doctrines like salvation they've got no problem fellowshiping
people that believe you have to turn from your sins to be saved as long as they write on the
rapture it's really it's crazy to me it's all in the world i mean salvation is the primary
doctrine where's it going with this ah yeah okay so you asked somebody okay can you just show me
one verse can you just show me one verse that says that jesus christ is coming before the
tribulation they'll turn you to revelation of the free verse number 10 this happens very often
i've experienced this many many times or if they haven't got a verse for you they'll say well
you know it's it's implied god you know like you're just meant to know like god doesn't have
to tell you that it's before the tribulation it's just implied in the verses that it's before the
tribulation but if they're going to give you one verse where they feel this is just black and white
christ is coming for the great tribulation then they'll turn you to revelation 3 10 and let's
read it like they read it because that has kept the word of my patience i mean i guess for them
that means you're saved i mean yeah you have to be safe to keep the word of his page but we'll
talk about what it means soon okay but for them that means all right so they'll read it because
thou are saved i will keep thee from the oh our that means seven years by the way
okay our means seven years oh okay seven years uh of temptation uh temptation great tribulation
okay i mean look i know the king james barber is perfect but let me make it more perfect right
now i know they both start with t temptation and tribulation but really this is the great
tribulation okay uh and then um which shall come upon all the world see and try them that dwell on
the earth seats for the whole earth so again if you're saved christ is going to keep you
from the seven years of great tribulation or tribulation whatever they call it that's how
they read it and you know what's so sad there are pastors that preach that and then god's people in
the congregation like oh amen that's what it says look whatever you hear it's it's so strange like
you can read it and still be like oh yeah teach me incorrectly look god means what he says just
take it at face value what he's speaking about right but that's what they say i'd say with
seven years of great tribulation that's the look honestly you're asking give me one verse
i reckon ninety percent of the time they're going to give you that verse and just ask them look
where in the bible is one hour seven years nowhere but it is why because i said so
because prophecy experts said so all right now temptation tribulation yeah there can be uh
similarities you know there is a time of temptation potentially when you go for tribulation
to give up on the faith and not walk faithfully i understand there can be some correlation
but still these words mean different things now what does this my point my goal is to teach you
what what this is about anyway okay and i remember when i read this several times it clicked to me
what this is about now if you can keep your finger there come with me to luke chapter 8
come with me to luke chapter 8 and we're looking at the parable of the soa
okay the parable of the soa now all of this information all these words all these phrases
are contained in this parable we're not going to spend time going for the whole parable you
can do so in your own time i just want to bring you to the main points here now again let's just
repeat uh revelation 310 because it has kept the word of my patience kept the word and we keep it
patiently right because growing the lord doing his commandments requires patience requires time
your faith is a marathon it's not a sprint okay then he says i will keep thee from the hour of
temptation all right so when you look at luke free sorry luke 8 the parable of the soa we're
looking at believers and sometimes certain events happen in a believer's life where they get shaken
about the faith and they don't walk with the lord god they're still saved positioning they're saved
but they're not walking with the lord right the garments have been spotted from in the world
so look at luke 8 13 they on the rock of a which when they hear receive the word with joy
they receive god's word right they're saved they're happy about it it says and these have
no roots which for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away okay so when they face
temptations and a parallel passage does speak of trials and persecutions yeah when they start they
start to realize man it's just not it's so hard to live righteously and godly they give up okay
and when the time of temptation comes they fall now when god is telling us that he's going to
keep us from the hour of temptation what is he saying to us he says look if you keep the word
of my patience i will keep from the hour temptation meaning that if we keep god's word of patience
we're going to have a greater victory when temptation comes we're going to continue we're
not going to fall away right we know there's coming a great falling away you know leading up
to the tribulation time but we're not going to fall away because we've kept his word patiently
now what does that mean well look at verse number 10 in uh luke three uh luke 8 not 10 uh 14 14
please luke 8 14 and that which fell among thorns are they which when they have heard go forth and
are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to perfection
so some people are just chasing the world and the pleasure of the world that's not so much the
verse that i wanted to focus on but verse number 15 is the one but that on the good ground are they
look at this which in an honest and good heart having heard the word keep it now he said about
the church you've kept my word all right well when you've heard the word you keep look at this
and bring forth fruits with patience all right so when you're keeping god's word with patience
this makes you fruitful okay this makes you able to see other souls saved all right and when you're
walking with christ jesus you know you're more likely to not fall when the hour of temptation
comes okay the satan is the tempter he puts temptations in our face to cause us to fall
to cause us to damage our walk with the lord jesus christ but if we're walking faithfully
we're preaching the gospel we're being fruitful we're keeping his word patiently in our lives
you're going to be saved when that time temptation comes you're going to have greater victory
when that time comes okay and i mean look once you see that in the in the parable to me once
you read revelation 3 it's 10 it's that's what it's all about right it's only such look well
i'm trying to save you i'm trying to protect you from temptation look keep my word patiently keep
my word patiently and do the works that he's asked us to do back to revelation chapter three
revelation of the free please in verse number 14 revelation triple three in verse number 14
and unto the angel of the church of the lay of the sea is right these things save the amen the
faithful and true witness the beginning of the creation of god now if you come across the jahovah
witness and they're trying to preach to you they're trying to convince you that jesus is not god
one of the verses they'll turn to is verse number 14 because at the end of it speaking of jesus it
says the beginning of the creation of god you say well see jesus is a creation of god he's the
beginning of it so he's the first thing that god the father created has anyone heard that before
that's what jw's believe that's what i'll show you right the beginning of the creation of god
now let me just show you the the the what's the word i'm looking for
i don't know jumping like the jumping through hoops that the jw's do come back with me to
revelation chapter one revelation up to one in verse 8 revelation up to one verse 8
now what we're about to read here in revelation 1 8 they'll say that they don't want to they can't
it's not jesus to them because they don't believe jesus is god keep that in mind jw's okay but they
don't like these words because it says in verse 8 i am alpha and omega the beginning and the ending
save the lord which is and which was and which is to come the almighty they don't believe jesus
is the almighty god so they'll say to you well now the father is speaking not jesus all right
well let's say it's the father speaking what does the father say apparently according to them
i am alpha and omega the beginning ah the father had a beginning too then
you see how it then falls apart look jesus christ is obviously speaking there in revelation 1 8
because he is the beginning and the ending there is nothing that exists outside of god all right
and the bible tells us in john 1 1 in the beginning was the word and the word was with god
and the word was god the same was in the beginning with god all things were made by him and without
him was not anything made that was made so the beginning of everything is jesus christ because
he is the creator of all things so when we go back to revelation 3 14 when he says he's the
beginning of the creation of god is because creation began with jesus he's the one that
created all things he is the beginning and the end the alpha and omega the first and the last
there is nothing outside of jesus christ again reinforcing he is eternal he is god there is
nothing beyond jesus christ and of course nothing beyond god verse number 15 i know thy works that
thou art neither cold nor hot i would thou were cold or hot so then because thou art lukewarm
and neither cold nor hot i will spew thee out of my mouth now what christ is saying here and i look
i've seen a lot of believers here some people believe what we're reading here verse 15 and 16
that the only place that we ought to be as a church or any church is hot obviously lukewarm
is an issue because if you're lukewarm god's going to spew you out of his mouth
okay but the idea also is some people have well being cold is also bad and god just wants us to
be hot but then i have a problem with that in verse 15 i know thy works that thou art neither
cold nor hot i would thou were cold or hot because i want you to be either cold or hot
okay now some will say well jesus christ being sarcastic there about being cold
but there isn't like a sarcastic i can't pick up on like this sarcastic tone in these verses like
if you read the book of first and second corinthians paul he's been really sarcastic
but like verses after verses of the verses chapters after chapters like there's a real
sarcastic tone when it comes to paul writing the book of first corinthians but i don't see christ
being sarcastic here about being cold all right now very quickly i'll just read to you from matthew
these are the words of christ and whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones
a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple verily i say unto you he shall in no wise lose
his reward like i can't see anything in the bible where cold water or cold drink is something
negative in fact i'm very thankful right now to have a cold drink because i am sweating it is a
bit humid like right now i'd rather a cold drink than a hot drink okay so this is really nice
refreshing okay to my body all right and so what i see here is that christ saying look
a cold drink is good all right a cold drink is refreshing right it's nice it satisfies the thirst
i guess but hot drinks are good too right i mean sometimes i just want a hot coffee all right and
sometimes it's a cold weather i just want it as hot as you can get it my mother-in-law she boils
you know her water when she makes coffee and then she puts it in the microwave to make it even
hotter that's my mother she wants to you know so obviously a cold drink can be nice in the right
circumstances a hot drink can be nice in those right circumstances but a lukewarm drink in fact
not even that long ago i uh i got myself a coke i was thirsty i bought a coke and um i was drinking
it was nice and cold because it had ice obviously from i think it's mcdonald's or something anyway
i forgot i left it in my uh in the van the next day i see this cup and i'm going oh what's this
and i had a look at it oh hook and i had a little sip ah it was lukewarm right it was like it just
it was disgusting i i literally wanted to spew that out of my mouth so i understand you're being
lukewarm is disgusting but look there's nothing wrong with being either cold or hot okay the
reason i like these two concepts at the right time you can be a cold drink a refreshing drink
to the mouth of jesus or a hot drink all right to give him that that that comfort that that's
that like it's a zeal that's driving a church and what i like about this is because
not all churches have to be alike okay churches can taste differently okay but as long as it
satisfies the mouth of jesus that's what we're aiming for like i'm not looking at one church
out there that might be hot or cold and go i want to be like that church i just want to make sure
that we taste nice in the mouth of jesus and what we definitely don't want to do is be lukewarm
okay and you say well what does it mean to be lukewarm well it says in verse number 17
he tells us what a lukewarm church is okay because right so don't be lukewarm because
i'm going to spew out of my mouth because right thou sayest say the church is saying
i am rich oh we're a rich church and increased with goods look at our wonderful building
and all the things that we've got going for us all right we must be doing right with god if
we're blessed with riches and great possessions and have need of nothing we've got everything
right and again because but look it says this and no it's not that thou art wretched and miserable
and poor and blind and naked because you're saying you're rich
it goes but you're poor that's why they're lukewarm they think they appear one way to god
but god says look you're you're miserable i want to spew you out of my mouth you think you're
doing well with me you think you're you're serving jesus but you're not you're miserable naked blind
and poor but it's really interesting because jesus does not judge a church by its riches
and possessions like on this earth just a quick reminder come with me to revelation 2
revelation chapter 2 verse number 9 now we're looking at the church in smurna here
in revelation chapter 2 verse number 9 christ says i know thy works and tribulation and poverty
so this church is poor but then he says but thou are rich you see even a poor looking church
without much finances can be rich in the eyes of god and then what we saw the lay of the sea and
church it's a church that is actually rich on the earth but they're poor in the eyes of god
they're poor in the eyes of jesus they think they're doing well they think they're amassing
treasures in heaven but when they get to heaven there's not going to be much
okay because they were lukewarm they thought they were doing great but they're not doing great okay
that's what it means to be a lukewarm church how do we know if we're doing great as a church
well we need to judge our church according to god's word god how do you want a church to be
run what do you want a church to be doing you know how do you want us to be loving and serving one
another and serving you and all right we'll do what you say lord and that's going to taste great
in the mouth of jesus whether it's a cold drink or a hot drink it's going to taste nice in his
mouth but we don't want to be a lukewarm church you know oh praise jesus we're doing so well
just man your poor miserable blind naked verse number uh 18 so he says about this church i
counsel thee i'm going to give you counsel i'm going to give you advice right now to buy of me
of god of jesus gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich instead of chasing the riches of
the earth buy gold off me heavily heavenly riches lay up your treasures in heaven is what they
should be doing and white raiments so what do you see they're not walking with the lord right
their raiment is filthy it's it's it's disgusting look buy some white raiment so we can be in
fellowship that thou mayest be clothed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear
and anoint thine eyes with eye soul that thou mayest see look this is a saved church
but they've gotten blinded they've got cataracts in their eyes right they're not they're you know
they're opening god's word but they're not understanding they're not learning because
look get some solution in your eyes so you can see like you can see your condition you can see
what i need from you you can see my will and put it into action and then you'll be getting
the treasures and the riches in heaven and you might say man god must be angry with this church
but he says in verse 19 as many as i love i rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent
all right so what do we see look christ saying look i'm going to rebuke this church
i'm going to chastise this church and by the way if you go through god's chastisements if god
punishes you you start to see your your life falling apart after you're saved you start saying
there's a problem there's an issue it may very well be the chastisement of god when he's trying
to correct you he's not saying well god i don't like i don't like the feeling of being corrected
this is as many as i love look if you're being chastised by the hand of god he does it because
he loves you if he didn't love you he'll let you be the spoiled child without correction
and continue down this path but there are no eternal value for that church they look
like they did great on the earth but there was nothing in heaven of value then he says in verse
number 20 about the church it's so interesting behold i stand at the door and knock if any man
hear my voice and open the door i will come into him and will sup with him and he with me
jesus saying look i'm not even inside the church i'm outside at the door knocking hey guys can i
come in i mean the church is doing works they've got the riches they've got all the great things
happening and oh man we're serving jesus but instead of jesus being in the midst he says look
i'm outside the door knocking guys can i come in can we make this church service about me about
jesus but once again look you can be in a bad church and he says individually if any man hear
my voice and open the door i will come into him this is not about salvation these churches are
already saved we already know that right he that overcometh he's already saved but again we can
break our walk with the lord we can break our fellowship all right we can come to church and
forgot we left jesus outside i don't want that that's why you know singing hymns choosing great
hymns praising jesus and telling hey jesus you're invited to church come in right take the best seat
right so how do we how do we how do we serve jesus we serve each other
all right instead of complaining when we're serving one another
all right we're serving remember you serve jesus when we serve one another
he says i will sup with him and he with me all right brethren revelation of the free
what the spirit saith and i hope we can take some of these principles these learnings that
christ has said about churches hey he said some really good things about churches
let's try to aim to do those great things there are some things that
churches fail and look i'm sure this church is going to fail may have failed will fail but when
we do we need to repent and get back to what we're doing so we remain to be a great candlestick
for jesus christ and i want to make sure we always invite jesus come to our church this
is your house jesus this is your house we want to hear from you we want to bless you we want
to praise you okay let's pray