Revelation: Sardis
Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.
Transcript
Good morning my name is Spencer and I'm one of the pastors here we are in the Book of Revelation still in part one walking through these letters that Jesus wrote to the churches uh and we are going to be in the letter to Sardis this morning it's on uh it's in chapter 3 veres 1-6 you can uh turn in your Bible too there you can also just follow along on the screen uh one of the more famous battles of the Revolutionary War was the Battle of Trenton.
So it was the winter of 1776 at this point in the uh War uh the Americans the Continental Army was losing battle after battle they were pushed out of New York City they were pushed out of New Jersey into Pennsylvania and the morale of the troops and really the the whole cause itself was very low they were beginning to question whether George Washington was the man to lead him and the winter came and typically at that time and even still today in some parts of the world.
When there are is a war going on during the winter you uh you stop fighting because the winter is hard to survive it's hard to fight in the winter time so you just really hunger down for the winter survive and then when it starts to warm up again uh the battle begins again but the American Army was the morale was so low uh that they began to uh as they began to question George Washington he realized they needed a victory they needed something to really boost the morale as they could head into the warmer months in fighting again.
So they decided to take back Trenton New Jersey so they crossed uh the the Christmas of 1776 they made their cross uh the Del over the Delaware River that's the picture of George Washington on the Delaware River it's that battle and then the morning of December 26th after the uh British and really their mercenary Army the hessan Army were recovering from a day of celebrating Christmas and eating and drinking and being married they invaded Trenton caught them completely off guard and they won a huge battle only five American soldiers there were only five casualties there were over a thousand on the other side and it turned the war it boosted the morale it raised their.
Belief again in George Washington but it it taught a very important thing in military history two things you cannot get complacent you cannot get lazy you see the British had won battle after battle after battle and they got complacent and lazy and the second thing is you have to keep watch they they were unprepared they were celebrating they didn't have the people in in place to To Be watchful for the enemy to come in and then they were taken the same is true.
For us as Christians uh we're going to look at another letter today we're going to look at a rebuke of the Church at Sardis and we're going to see that Sardis is a Church that has become complacent that has become lazy that is not watchful and is actually on the verge of spiritual death and as we look at Christ's rebuke of this Church we as Christians should be reminded of what is at stake for us as Christians and the danger that we might fall into and becoming complacent becoming lazy and not being watchful.
So let me pray for us then we'll walk through this together heavenly father I pray that you might help us see your truth today that you would open our eyes and our heart to receive your word that you might call us into faith that you might call us into repentance you might call us into worshiping you over the things of this world so that we might not be complacent in Jesus' name amen all right kick up in verse one and to the angel of the Church in Sardis write the words of him who has the seven spirits of.
God and the Seven Stars so as in each of these letters there's the introduction of uh the Church this is the Church of Sardis and the City of Sardis Sardis was a uh a city that was known for also its riches and prosperity very much like some of the other churches that we've seen so far Sardis was the ancient capital of an uh ancient empire called the lydian Empire and like many empires the lydian Empire had its rise had its Hay Day.
And then eventually it was taken over first by the Persians then later the Greeks and the Romans but the Romans knowing the history of the city and really liking this city it was a favored City in the Empire they very much they loved this city and therefore it had lots of of wealth it had lots of prosperity had elements of pagan worship that we saw in some of these other cities but that's the city of Sardis and then as we typically get in these letters we get a description of.
Jesus him describing himself he says the words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the Seven Stars now we've seen this description before we saw it all the way back in chapter one now it was very clear in chapter one The Seven Stars are the seven angels who are on guard in these Seven Cities but in chapter one when I said the seven spirits uh when I walked through this it was uh this is debated this could be uh uh seven other Angelic uh uh Spirits in heaven with.
Jesus or it could be the Holy Spirit as I've spent more time in this I've grown stronger in my belief that the right interpretation of this is that the seven spirits is just uh apocalyptic metaphorical language for the Holy Spirit and that's what he's talking about here seven is is a number of fullness completeness uh in an apocalyptic literature like this I think this is a reference to the Holy Spirit so Jesus saying the words of him Jesus who has the Holy Spirit and the Seven Angels this is him reminding the Church at Sardis I am present among you I.
See you now typically he shifts into a commodation to encourage them that's what we've seen in each of these letters that is not what happens in this letter there is no encouragement for Sardis he goes straight into rebuke so he says I know your works you have the reputation of being alive but you are dead he says you you're known for being alive you're known for being a vibrant Church but you're not you're actually dead this is very similar to how.
Jesus spoke to the Pharisees when Jesus spoke to the Pharisees he would call them whitewashed tombs that you have the appearance of godliness but you lack the power of God it's all appearance but you don't have the power you look alive but you are dead when I was a kid I watched a movie that came out called the others it's about a family that's being haunted in a house and the whole time they're trying to figure out why they're being haunted who they're being haunted by and at the very end what they learn is is that they're actually dead they're the ghosts they're the ones that are haunting the family that is there and it.
Would have been so much cooler had the six cents not come out two years before it and just completely ripped the plot away from that movie for their own purposes but that imagery of just walking around thinking you're alive but you're actually dead I mean that that's what happens there have been people for thousands of years who claim the name of Christ who claim to be Christ Christians who thought they were alive but in fact they were spiritually dead they did not belong to.
God and this city seems to have this reputation for being alive it's possible that other cities looked at Sardis as a shining example of what it meant to be a Christian it's possible that they themselves just said but well I guess if we call ourselves Christians we must be Christians but Christ sees through all of that and he says no I see your heart you're actually spiritually dead you have the op appearance of godliness the appearance of power but you lack my power that's the problem with this Church and I think we've seen I think.
If you if you've lived in the South long enough you've probably seen some of that right when I was in my rebellious teenager phase following the ways of the world drinking doing drugs all kinds of stuff I used to see people that were like this that they they had the appearance of godliness they were churchy they were put together they were outwardly religious but then I'd see them in their private life or I'd see them outside of the Church they were gossips they were very judgmental they they were weren't very happy people very self-righteous and like.
For me and many others was like I I see both I mean this is this is hypocrisy and then after becoming a Christian and walking with Jesus all these years I have to ask myself the same question which is a haunting question to ask yourself as we have unbelievers all around us in our neighborhoods in our workplaces in our lives and we said we we represent Christ we say we're Christians but where are we being Hypocrites where are we having the appearance of godliness.
But we actually don't have the power of God it's a question we should ask ourselves it's a question that every Christian should wrestle with because I don't think uh Sardis was very aware I don't think they were self- aware I think they were blind to their own spiritual reality the very spiritual Decay that was within them and Jesus is Calling them out and saying you have the appearance but you like the power and in verse two he says wake up wake up and strengthen what remains and is about to die.
For I have not found your Works complete in the sight of my God he tells them you need to wake up wake up which commentators will say this is the language here is a play on their history you see that the city of Sardis was a an ancient Capital that was a complacent because they were an acropolis they were a fortified city on a hill this is a picture of modern day Sardis and uh in Turkey right there the city was built on a giant Hilltop.
And when you are on a giant Hilltop and you have enemies below that try to fight it's very hard to be taken and they were complacent and that what is what led to them being taken by the Persians and then later the Greeks and the Romans and it's the play on their history to say oh you you you've grown complacent here you think that you're okay but you are not just as the leian empire fell just as the British hessan Army in Trenton fell the Church can get complacent and asleep believing that they're.
Okay when they're on the verge of spiritual death so Jesus says wake up which is similar to the language that Jesus uses in First Peter when he speaking through Peter and Peter's writing to the churches in 1 Peter 5:8 he says be sober minded Be watchful wake up Be watchful your adversary the devil prows around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour you need to wake up you do not realize what is at stake you do not realize that you you have an enemy who wants to destroy you who wants to.
See the Church be crushed you need to wake up to the spiritual reality that you are unaware of and he says you need to strengthen what remains and is about to die strengthen what remains and is about to die for I have not found your Works complete in the sight of my God so Jesus is warning them now he is not uh taken their lampstand which is the language that he uses in the letter to Ephesus that we read back in Chapter 2 that there's a judgment that fin.
Finally comes where Christ takes the lampstand he takes the power from the Church that you might appear to be a Church you might call yourself a Church but you're actually an apostate Church you're a Church in name only that you have the appearance but you lack the power altogether he has not done that yet with this Church there seems to be a a a flicker of like a like a candle that is just barely alive that's slowly beginning to flicker In and Out In and Out in and out that's where they are and it's like you're getting ready to be completely snuffed out you're getting ready to be completely spiritually dead you got to strengthen.
What remains and what he means by strengthen what by uh what remains he says your Works uh he wants the works complete in the sight of God so what he's calling them to and the call to strengthen what remains is to do good works to do good works that's what he means by he says your work is not complete now he's not talking about Works based salvation Works based righteousness that's not what he is talking about here because in the very next verse in verse three he says.
Remember then what you received and heard keep it and repent he says remember the Gospel remember the Gospel of how I came I saw you in your sin and I came and I live the perfect life that you could not live and I went to the Cross to have my blood shed for your rebellion and then I Rose from the grave and the resurrection giving you the ability to walk in the newness of New Life in me into eternity remember the Gospel that saved you and out of the Gospel that Sav that changed your heart walk in the good works that I done and provided.
For you that's the language of the New Testament when you get to Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8-10 we're very familiar with 8 and N for by Grace you have been saved through faith and this is not of your own doing it is a gift of God not a result of works so that no one may boast that it's by grace that we've been saved through faith and we will beat that drum because that is the Anthem and the Heart of the Gospel that we are saved by grace through faith your Works do not save you.
But you have to keep reading on to verse 10 when he says for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them that you're not saved by your Works you're saved by grace through faith but in Christ Jesus has prepared good works for us to be obedient in them as Luther once said your good works is not for God it is for your neighbor there are these works that God has prepared.
For us that we would walk in them James in the New Testament he's writing to some Churches it's clear from the context he's writing to some churches that have uh have started to just claim faith and live in waywardness claim faith and not do the works that God has called us to in James chapter 2: 18- 19 he says but someone will say you have faith and I have Works he's quoting someone you have faith and I have works and then he says show me your faith apart from your works and I will show you my faith by my Works he says we're not petting Faith against works we know that order.
But the faith will have fruit the faith will display works and he goes on to say you believe that God is one you do well even the demons believe and shudder so the demons know that Jesus is Lord the demons can articulate the Gospel but they're unregenerate and they're enemies of God so you can claim to be a Christian you can claim that Jesus died on the cross for your sins but if you don't you don't have the fruit that bears that out your confession is meaningless.
If you belong to Christ if your heart has been changed by him you're going to bear that fruit you're going to look a certain way you're going to act a certain way they go together I and I know many of you know this I'm a Gamecock fan all right so and The Season's approaching now I'm a Gamecock fan and some of you might say well so am I and if that's true I will know it by your works I will know it by the fruit like I I will I will know it.
Because you won't be the kind of person that plans an event a wedding a birthday on a Saturday in the fall and what what happened recently is my daughter's birthday is this Saturday and I've been very busy lately and I failed really is a failure of leadership in my house and we we planned her birthday party on her birthday and then one of our friends said hey uh did you know that that's the first game of the season the first home game and I was.
So first off I was so embarrassed so I felt I felt the The Sting of failure and I just said I man I just I guess we'll do our birthday the next day and we we have we have we have pushed her birthday because I'm a fan you don't do that that's just I just if you're if you are overly optimistic right now if you're like oh boy have you seen Lenor sellers I don't know I think I mean this is like it might be Heisman I don't know.
If you're overly optimistic and if you're so used to being completely disappointed and crushed that you can endure years of suffering and loss I know the fruit of your belief that's just I know it that's that if you believe something you're you're going to embody that and if you believe in Christ you're going to embody The Works what it become what it means to be a Christian and that that's what's being called out here he's trying to get Sardis to see that.
If you believe this then you need to work you need to your Works need to be complete in the sight of God you need to remember the Gospel that saved you and set you apart to live out the good works that he has for you and he goes on to tell them if you will not wake up I will come like a thief and you will not know at what hour I will come against you that is the language of Christ's return that's the language of his return that's the language of his return and his judgment one of the passages we're going to use a lot as we go through the Book of Revelation is.
Matthew 24 Jesus has a teaching that is forward-looking to the Future and what awaits the Church and in that teaching he says in verse 42 and 43 therefore stay awake same language stay awake wake up stay awake for you do not know on what day your lord is coming but know this that if the Master of the House had known in what part of the night the thief was coming he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into same language.
Jesus comes like a thief in the night you do not know the hour any of us could die tomorrow Jesus could come back tomorrow you do not know when you do not know the hour so do not sit on your hands stay awake wake up that's what he's trying to impress upon the Church Sardis now the good news is is that in Sardis there seems to be a few the very the minority who have stayed awake and he has this to say to them in verse four yet you still have a few names in Sardis people who have not soiled their gments and they will walk with me in white.
For they are worthy so the language here is descriptive imagery and it's fairly blunt to the point that if you belong to me if you have faith you have you will have a white garment this is the language that you see throughout the Scriptures of of righteousness that you'll walk in righteousness that you'll that you'll have the righteous of Christ that covers you and that faith faith will initiate the good works that you will walk in but if if you're Wayward it is the language of SPO of SPO soiled garments impurity is the picture here Chasing After idols not Faithfully following Christ.
But he's trying to help the rest of that Church see you you're you're flickering you're nearing the end and you need to wake up now in these other letters that we've already read we get some context for what he's actually talking about we get some context for uh what what type of sin that need to repent of we see uh idolatry is something that is prevalent in this Church we see sexual immorality is prevalent in some of these churches and certainly this being a similar City that might be also true.
But we don't know that for sure we don't actually get what we get are two sketches you have the appearance of God without the power and that they are asleep and they are complacent so I want to take both of those sketches that that you are have the appearance of godliness but you lack the power of God and this idea of being asleep and complacent and lazy and I want to apply those to our context because if Jesus wrote a letter to uh the American Church.
If he wrote a letter to a Church like us what would he say in those two different categories and I want to think about this I want this to be something we think about as we head into community group this week to think about all throughout the the week the first category appearance without the power how might we be tempted to have the appearance of being a follower of Christ but lacking the power that comes with that I think for some that is following all the rules checking all the boxes and outwardly you're doing all the things you're taking all the steps.
But inwardly your heart has grown cold because what Christianity has been for you is a bunch of boxes to check off it has been a legalistic list of things to do but it actually isn't about meeting and knowing and beholding who our God is it is not that those boxes of reading your Bible and prayer and uh being faithful to worship on Sundays it's not that those are bad those are actually good but the heart posture behind those is I do these things to prove as opposed to I do these things to know who our.
God is and that's the appearance of godliness but without the power I think for others that's going to be uh helping others not to the glory of God helping others not because we look at Christ who in our helplessness saves us and redeems us and sets us apart so that we might look to others and help them too you like to help others not for that reason but because it makes you feel good or worse it makes you look good and that serving others is actually not about faithfulness to Christ it's about a way to make yourself.
Look more presentable to others I think others others would listen to sermons on behalf of others I think that's a thing listening to a sermon and thinking oh man Chad's moving today he's got jokes he's got illustrations boy oh boy I hope Tim hears this just old Tim he needs to hear if he he just if he's sitting right there I hope he's listening and it's like oh Ma'am Spencer's preaching today he's clear most weeks and just I hope I really hope that Tina is just I I hope she's listening and it's like sister you need to.
Listen brother you need to listen if you're consistantly thinking about other people who need to hear this or need to hear teaching to hear truth but you're not actually listening with open ears to have the truth impact your own heart and out of the Overflow of your own heart care for Tim or care for Tina which by the way this is just names guys I don't I don't even think we have we might actually I'm not going to do that I'm not going to try to guess.
If there's a 10 or 10 in the room but if you're constantly listening for other people not listening to hear the word of God impact your own heart it's a problem I think another way we have the appearance of the power is like a faux concern for other people in a way that like praying is I need we need to pray for this person what it really is is like gossip and slander is I we need to pray for for this person.
Because air their dirty laundry I think what's actually more prevalent especially in younger folks is can I get with you I got got to process this because do you you not believe what just happened I just can I process with you and it's like I I I think process is code for I just want to gossip and again I'm not against externally processing I'm an external processor but you know discretion because airing out other people's laundry is not okay it's the appearance of I care about them.
But it does not honor God I think another way we do this is showing partiality which is something that happens you see that clearly the Book of James is being called out being partial to others because of who they are what they have one of the things I've seen over the years is is partiality to having cooler people in your group just I just want I I just want cooler people in my group more put together people in my group I.
Listen I've I've had folks that have come to me come to other pastors and just they go in some version of the speech and it's like yeah you know I've been going to this group for a few months and like I just you know I don't know like I just I mean can I like go can I go see other groups like I just because you know and they're trying to be careful with their words but it's like guys I just you know there they these people I they're they're nice they love.
Jesus but like I just they're you know we're just different you know and they like we're just different stage different different personalities and it's like oh you think they're lame it's just you can say it like you they're not cool enough for you and you know we we're very much against group hopping and we have to give this speech it says no no like I think you should stay I think it's okay for you to be around people that are are different than you I think it's.
Okay to be around people that aren't as aren't think the same as you I think you should stay but we do that we want folks that look like us we want to talk to folks that look like us we want to talk to folks that have the same skin color as us we want to talk to folks that have the same class as us we want to talk to folks that dress the same as us that talk the same as us.
Because that's more comfortable but that's partiality and it's sin and you might think oh I'm a social person I'm welcome people in but if it's the exact same type of people every time that certainly is the appearance of godliness but it is not the power of God at work it's about your own interest and not the interest of others and you may think you can hide behind those appearances but Jesus sees right through it I think the the second category this a sleep been complacent.
Jesus in Matthew 24 in that sermon he continues when he gets to verse 48 he says but if that Wicked servant says to himself my master is delayed and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards which is just language that as a part of the story that Jesus is telling is that they're just there the master is gone I'm going to do what I want I'm going to beat my servants I'm going to eat I'm going to drink the master of that servant will come on a day.
When he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the Hypocrites in that place there will be weeping and nashing of teeth that's language of judgment and if you go deeper into that cuts him into pieces and you try to look at the original text and what it says it means cut him into pieces this is language for judgment y'all that Jesus is getting at if you're a away.
If you're if you're not awake if you're asleep and you're complacent and I think we can do this in a number of ways you can spend your days seeking the pleasures of this world eat all the finest meals and drink all the nicest drinks and you can eat and drink and be merry and just seek pleasure and be complacent to not have a hustle behind you and sit on your hands but you're asleep and Jesus is trying to open your eyes to.
See no no no this is not this is not this is not what the Christian Life is supposed to be about it should not not be about enjoying the pleasure of this world I think sometimes we can make excuses for how hard it is to serve it's hard like I'm it's hard to serve on a Sunday or it's hard to serve and and be like it's hard for me to be at group don't you I work I work 8 to 5 9 to5 it's hard.
For me to get the group I work six days a week it's hard for me to serve on Sunday and it's like y'all the people of the New Testament I don't know if you know know this they also worked hard like you know what happens if they don't work in this context they die they don't eat there's no government that's going to give any type of of safety net if if you don't work you don't live these people worked and we.
See evidence in the New Testament and the early Church history that they hustled that they worked and then they gave themselves away to others they regularly gathered together as a Church they did not neglect the Gathering of the Saints but they leverag their lives for one another they leverage their lives the mission of God going forward and it's like but that's that's that's exhausting yes it is and it should be it should be so much so that you have to actually commit to carving out a day of rest where you actually do rest before the.
Lord so yet it is you should hustle you you should serve we we should be that kind of people we should not be asleep we should not be complacent we should be marked by this I think this happens with folks who spend listen if you spend more money on entertainment on Sports on concerts on movies that whole category in a budget if you spend more money on that than you do giving to the local Church giving to missionaries giving to Orphan orphan care you spend more money on enjoying the things of this world than giving to the kingdom of.
God you have misunderstood the Gospel youve misunderstood the kingdom values that God calls us to and I'm not against those things I I enjoy a good concert I was in the queue to go see uh Zack Bryan in May and and you know what it didn't work out because our budget's not wasn't we we we we're I'm not perfect we got all our problems but we just like this this isn't going to fit some like I don't know who Zach Bryan is is that a new Christian artist it's not just disclaimer I think you can.
Listen we can do you you you can be the kind of person that another way we do this is that you can you can sense the Holy Spirit calling you to do a thing and then box him out and I I I'm trying to grow in this because I for years I would just be ah you know I don't know like I that could is that I think that's probably just my conscience I maybe not I don't know it's just a thought move on.
And then I just keep driving or I keep walking or I keep doing and I'm I'm I've grown to a place where when I sense something like this this leading I just I try to pause and go all right God I don't know if that's me I don't know if that's to you but if it is make it clear right now all right I'm going pull around drive back and go talk to the guy but listen if you continue to box him out like that you make it to a place where he doesn't speak anymore and you don't want to be there there are a lot of different ways that we can lure ourselves to.
Sleep with the cares of this world there's a lot of different ways we can lure ourselves to sleep by not listening to God there's a lot of different ways we can lure ourselves to sleep by not being faithful to the good works that God has called us to and here's the reality you can live a good Moral Moral outward life morally looks good asleep complacent and when you die there will be people at your funeral who will say man that was a good man what a Godly woman that was and you can live that type of life where everyone around you and yourself would have thought man what a Godly Christian that was.
Jesus sees right through all of it because the most haunting thing you could ever hear is after you die standing before Jesus and he says depart from me you worker of lawlessness I never knew you and that should sink in for us because here's the deal I don't think Sardis was aware otherwise Jesus wouldn't need to tell them I think they thought they were fine I think they thought that they were okay and they didn't realize they're marching towards spiritual death which is way worse than physical death I think they believe they have the reputation.
For being alive I think they had the reputation that they thought they were being faithful but this letter is meant to confront them and say your outward appearance your complacency will not stand for you in judgment repent turn back to the God to the Gospel that saved you and walk in the works that he has for you and then therefore receive the final picture vers 5 and six the one who conquers which is how each of these letters end the one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments and I will never blot his name out of the book of life I will confess his name before my.
Father and before his angels He Who has an ear let him hear what the spirit says to the churches now we get this reward here clothed in white garments that's the Eternal righteousness of Christ upon us but we get this language I will never blot his name out of the book of life now the book of life it's the first time it's mentioned it's going to be mentioned six other times in the Book of Revelation it is this book that has existed before the very foundations of the world before.
God created the world there was a book where God had predestined names there are people there are Christians whose names are written in that book it breaks our brain we can't mathematically work out that equation but that's what the Book of Revelation makes abundantly clear clear that there's a name there's a book with all names of those who are faithful in following Christ and what he's not doing here is he's not saying you better you better just work to earn your spot in that book that's not what he's getting at we would take this in the context of all the other passages of how we are saved by grace through faith.
But passages like this don't miss this are a motivation to live out the calling that he's bestowed upon us in faith to be obedient to the good works that he's called us to not to try to earn favor with him but to worship him and to glorify him and he's saying do you know it's at the end the book will be open and Jesus Christ will read from the book he will read your name before God the Father see that picture and live life towards that picture you probably picked up on.
Listen this sermon or if you've ever listened me preach I like football it's a great hobby of mine I love college football and I love pro football I think they're both great the argument between which one's better college or Pro is dumb because both of them are great for different reasons but that's not the main point what happens between college and pro is there's one event that overlaps one event that combines the two together and that is the NFL draft all right every April NFL teams pick players from the best players from college and I'm such a nerd.
Because cuz I will follow like mock drafts to see if the Colts like who are they going to draft I don't know is it going to be we need really need a tackle this year oo like I just get it's sad I know but it I get really into this but when you follow the draft you sometimes follow these storylines that there are these players that come out of really difficult uh families and neighborhoods and situations and they work really hard in high school.
And then they finally get recruited and they get a scholarship and they go to college and not everyone plays at Alabama and they go to a college they have to work throughout the summer and grind and if you've ever seen College athletes whoever been in college and seen how they work they wake up early at 5:00 they work out they stay late they they work hard and after everything they've done after years of suffering and trials coming from very difficult situations and working hard to play this game on a day in April one day they.
Finally hear their name called and they are now a part of the National Football League the most elite level of football in the world and there's these videos their families that are crying that are hugging that are hooting and hollering and celebrating and listen you watch that and if you don't get chills I don't know what's wrong with you it's awesome to see some of these players who their lives have been changed and guess what it's for a game it's for a game that one day is probably going to give him CTE or chronic pain right it's.
For a game and that is such a small just tiny picture of one day you're going to stand before God the father and if you belong to Christ Jesus is going to read your name he is going to call out your name before God the father and all of the Heavenly hosts and the angels and you're going to enter into the new heavens and the new Earth with life with God forever that is worth every suffering every trial and changing the way we live that we might walk in the good works that.
Jesus has for us so hold out that picture receive the rebuke that Jesus gives us and wake up because what awaits us is better the band's going to come up we're going to take the Lord's Supper when we come to take the Lord's Supper from the table we're reminded that on the night that Jesus was betrayed he took bread and he broke it and he said this is my body that was broken for you he took the cup of the New Covenant he said this is my blood that was shed.
For you that as often as you eat this and you take this you you remember my death until I return which means the meal is looking back at the cross and what Jesus did for us but it's also looking forward to that day that day when we will sit at the table of God when our name is read out loud in eternity with him there are some of you here that have the appearance of godliness you have the appearance of being called a Christian.
But you lack the power of God because your life has been one that is faking being a Christian but actually doesn't belong to him and I want to say so clearly to you right now now please do not take part in this Meal please come to Christ come in your sin come in your Rebellion Jesus wants all of it he wants to cover you with his blood and he wants to give you the power of God which will change every aspect of your life and yes it may make it far more difficult.
But the reward that awaits us is far better so don't come to the table come to Christ and if you are a Christian you have failed I have failed we have rested in appearances and we have gotten complacent but guess what he offers repentance and he offers forgiveness so as you come to the table think of the ways we have become complacent ask for forgiveness joyfully come to the table take part in the Lord's supper and walk in Repentance in the good works that he has.
For us when you are ready come to the table there's gluten-free back that back corner over there.