Think Biblically Radio: March 2008

Here's the sermon I plan to preach to my youth group April Second. Please pray for me and the students.

Please open your Bibles to Revelation chapter three. Let’s start at verse 14 and end at verse 22. But before we begin in our text, allow me to give an brief history of it.

First a little info about the author, which is John. I’m sure almost of everyone here knows about this Author. So, I’ll only mention when they tried to kill him.
It was from Ephesus , it is said that he was cast into a large vessel filled with boiling oil that did not harm him. As a result, he was released and banished to the isle of Patmos, which is were Revelation was wrote.

Okay I discussed the who. Now the what. What is happening in this text. The seven letters to the seven churches are being written. Let’s go to chapter one of Revelation starting with verse 9. Let’s go down to verse 17, and end on verse 19.
The verse we will be reading and studying on today will be the letter to the church of the Laodiceans. It’s the seventh final letter. And most would say it’s the worst church so far.
Now let us read the text. Chapter 3 starting with verse 14 and end at verse 22.

The city of Laodicea was know mainly for three things; It’s wealth, wool, and it’s eye salve. It was wealthy city. If you go a little further in chapter three you see how Christ mentions their wealth.

Now lets go into the letter
(Read verses 14 through 22)

(Repeat verse One.)
I like how Christ starts the letters. He starts them by stating who he is. Just before he states the condition of the church, he states who he is. The church may read the letter, ponder upon it. And get very angry, as to who would say such things about them. “Who is this that says they know our deeds? Who is this that says we are lukewarm? Who is this that counsels us to buy from him? Who does he think he is?” He’s the (repeat verse one.) He has every right to judge. He’s sovereign, perfect, righteous, all-knowing and etc, etc.

It says that he is “the Amen.” Amen is from the Hebrew word meaning “truth,” “affirmation,” “certainty,” It refers to something firm, fixed, and unchangeable. Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews chapter one says that God’s throne is forever and ever. In the same chapter verses 10 through 12 says,
Hebrews 1:10 And:

“ You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
11 They will perish, but You remain;
And they will all grow old like a garment;
12 Like a cloak You will fold them up,
And they will be changed.
But You are the same,
And Your years will not fail.”

I wonder on another topic how often people wish that God would change. How maybe that they could do certain things and they wouldn’t be sins. Maybe that God would be a little less holy, a little less pure, a little less just, a little less righteous. And maybe He would see some things as not being really all that bad.

In Psalm it says that God’s name shall endure forever. Who else can say that they have a name that shall last throughout all of eternity. What happened to the name of Baal. Which many worshiped years ago. His name is no longer heard of . Nor is the “gods” of Rome. You never hear their names spoken of anymore. Where is Moloch which the Canaanites and some Jews use to sacrifice their babies to? He is gone as well. Old Pharaoh and the Egyptian monarchs heaped up their pyramids and said “they shall last forever,” and so indeed they shall for but a moment. But the time is approaching when time shall devour even those. So, with all the proudest works of man, whether they have been his temples or monarchies, he has written “everlasting” on them; but God has ordained their end, and they have passed away. Imagine the great works of man Deviance’s Mona Lisa. With all it’s beauty and mystery. Soon to dust. The leaning tower of Pisa now amazing. As the ages pass by, it will be nothing but a pile of rubbish. Time will eat all of mans physical works. I say physical work because the believers true works for Christ will last. Christ told us to store treasures in heaven not on the earth. I will mention more of this subject, if I have time. Whether they be made of the strongest stone, the mightiest steel, the hardest iron, the thickest thread or the best plastic, which is what most of everything is made of these days. Even the best of man’s buildings will be devoured by time. Let’s look at the everlasting name of Jesus Christ in another way. If all of the believers in the world were to be wiped out, would Christ’s name be gone. No never. The stones would sing, the hills would be an orchestra.
The sun would lead the chorus; the moon would play upon her sliver harp; stars would dance in their measured courses; and the void immensity would burst into one great shout, “Thou art the glorious Son of God; great is thy majesty, and infinite thy power.” Can Christ’s name be forgotten No; it is painted on the skies; it is written on the floods; the winds whisper it; the seas chant it; the stars shine it; the animals low it; the thunders proclaim it; earth shouts it; heaven echoes it. But if these were gone would Christ’s name be forgotten? No. Turn your eyes to heaven “Who are these that are arrayed in white , and whence came they?” “These are they that came out of great tribulation; they have washed their robes, and made them in the blood of the Lamb; therefore they are before the throne of God, and praise him day and night in his temple.” And if these were gone; if the last harp of the glorified had been touched with the last fingers; if the last of the praise of the saints have ceased. Would his praise cease then? No. For the angels still sing his praise. The seraphim’s would continue their worship. All of the heavenly beings would continue to worship their master, for He is worthy. But if these perished-if all the angels have been swept away, if the wings of the seraphim’s never flew again, if the voice of the holy angels was never heard ever again, would his name perish? Absolutely not! As for God upon the throne sits, the everlasting One, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And if the universe were all annihilated still His name would be known, for the Father would know it, and the Holy Spirit would know it. And the Son would know it.
For those who wish to destroy the name of Christ. I shall ask them this “how shall you do so?” With persecution perhaps? Has not history shown you that that will never work. Those who killed millions of Christians hoped to also destroy the name of Jesus. It never worked. It only strengthened the believers. It spread the gospel even more. Thus it brought glory to the name of Christ. Nay, a thousand are to be found, and ten thousand if it were necessary , who are willing to march to the stake tomorrow: and when they have burned , if you could take up their hearts, you would see graven upon each one of them the name Jesus. How will you quench it? It is not in your power. We laugh at your weak attempt.

His name truly “shall endure forever.”

2 Corinthians 1:20 tells us that all of God’s promises are fulfilled in Christ. God promised in the Old Covenant that he would send his Messiah. Even all the way in Genesis chapter three, God said that someone would come to crush the serpent‘s (the devil‘s) head. The Old Covenant is never meant to be permanent. All the old sacrifices of the Old Covenant was just a foreshadow of Christ. They could not take away sins. They could only cover sins. They were a fuzzy picture. Think of it like this. Is your shadow you? No. It’s only a fuzzy picture of the very substance. They long awaited for their Messiah to come. But when he did, they killed him. They wanted Christ to be like a King David. They wanted the bondage of the Roman empire removed. But Christ had a much bigger plan. He said he came to seek and save that which was lost.
And after Christ died, rose again, and ascended to the right of the Father, there was still those who wanted to hold on to the fuzzy pictures. They still wanted do their sacrifices. That was one of the groups of people that the author of the epistle to the Hebrews wrote to. They still wanted to keep the pictures. But why would they? They have Christ. They have the substance (Christ) right there. That’s kind of like holding onto a photo of someone that you know dearly. And they just invited you to dinner with them. But you say “no.” Because you’re too busy looking at their picture.

Christ is also the “Faithful and True witness.” Everything Christ says and said are 100 Percent accurate. In fact in Titus chapter one we are told that God cannot lie. If God promises something, you can be sure of it. Unlike humans. Even if they have the best intentions to fulfill their promises, they still get broken. I remember a story that Ray Comfort told. Someone once told him that they found it hard to believe some of the things that are in the Bible. Ray asked him “where do you live?” He said such and such a street. He said “I don’t believe you.” He asked “what’s your name?” I forgot what his name was, but let’s just say it was Jeff. Ray said “Oh, I don’t believe that either.” As Ray was doing this, the man seemed to get angry. Ray told him that if a mere man is offended at his disbelief, how much more is God offended. You could probably preach about the promises of God in thousands of different sermons, and different promises. But I shall just mention these two; the promise of justice, and the promise of eternal life.

First, the promise of justice. Some would argue if this is a promise at all. Whether you agree or not, it’s up to you . Nevertheless I’ll still go on this topic. God promises that ever human being will get justice. Every person will face judgment day. However, the believer’s judgment will be different. We are going to be judged for our works in Christ. Works does not save us, but when God saves a person, that person will produce good works. But the lost will be judge for their sins. Christians will not be judged for their sins because that was taken care of on the cross. The Bible says that Christ is the propitiation (Romans 3:25, Hebrews 2:17, 1 John 2:2, 1 John 4:10.) That means that Christ pleased that holy wrath of God upon the cross. Christ absorbed all of God’s holy wrath, that we should have gotten, upon himself. John Piper said it like this: “The reason the believers will not be judge for their sins, is not because God’s wrath was withheld. But because it was spent on Christ.” Romans says that he who knew no sin became sin for us. Christ lived a perfect, holy, sinless life and our sins, our transgressions, was placed upon him. And God the Father crushed Him. Isaiah 53:10 says that it pleased the LORD to bruise Him. You learn several lessons from the cross. God’s love is one of them. But God’s hatred for sin, is another.

Back to the title; the promise of justice. Every single person will die and stand before God. And God will not over look sin. Men think they can scheme, plot, or trick their way into heaven and have their sins overlooked. But don’t misunderstand me. Remember the believers will not be judged for their sins. The lost will. Maybe they think that since God is loving, and kind that He will overlook their sin and let them into heaven. Use that same kind of thinking in an earthy court. A man has just stolen a car and murdered the man who owned the car. Here’s his court day. As he’s sitting there in the court waiting what will become of him, people are thinking “I can’t wait until he gets justice. He dissevers what’s coming to him. Lock him up and throw away the key.” Just then here comes the judge. The people are commanded to rise. Here it comes justice, so they think. The judge stares right into the criminals eyes and says “You have done some horrendous crimes. But I’m a loving and kind judge. Thus You are free to go.” The criminal himself can hardly believe what he’s hearing. As soon as news gets out, the people are outraged. They scream “We want justice!” But never mind them. What do you think of that kind of judge. “Well, he’s unjust. He’s worse than the criminal himself. That judge should be brought to justice. Same with God. God is good. Therefore, he must punish murderers, rapist , thieves, adulterers, and crooks. But He’s so good that he won’t stop there. He’ll also punish Liars, fornicators, blasphemers, and etc. Some may say “Well, I don’t see lying, lusting, hating and other things all that bad.” That kind of thinking is dangerous. For you see God as unjust. And sin as such a small thing. Thus you see God as very unimportant. And not worthy of worship. Let’s say someone kills an ant. What kind of punishment will they get? None. What if they go and kill a cat. They may get a fine. What if they go find a homeless man and murder him. They would and should defiantly get jail. What if someone assonates the president? They would probably get life. What changed? They did the same act, but they get different punishments. What changed was who the act was committed against. That’s my point. Christ says in
Mt 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
Mt 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

In the same chapter Christ says

Mt 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Mt 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

What seems so small in our eyes is huge in God’s eyes. Because God is infinitely holy, just, righteous, pure, and good, the acts against Him is worthy of eternal hell. The subject of hell is kind of hard too mention. But we must mention it. You can’t share the gospel without the mention of sin and judgment. A Christian walks up to lost soul, and says “Christ died for you.” “Well” Says the lost person, “why did He die?” If we leave out sin and hell we’re not really being honest with people. We may tell them things that will lull them to sleep and hush their conscience, but they will be awakened when they die and are cast into hell. It’s as simple as this. Man broke God’s law and he must be punished.
We’ve loved things more than God
We’ve made idols
We’ve blasphemed His holy name
We’ve not kept the Sabbath
We’ve dishonored our parents
Some may not have done the physical act of murdering someone, but I’m almost certain that everything has hated someone. Which God sees that as murder.
Also, some may not have done the physical act of adultery, but I’m certain that all have looked with lust. Which God considers that the same.
We’ve stolen, even if it was something small. The size of the thing we stole doesn’t matter. God isn’t impressed with certain thief’s. He doesn’t go “Jimmy only stole a pencil. But whoa, that guy stole a car!” The size of the object doesn’t matter. It’s still stealing.
We’ve lied. Same with the 8th commandment it doesn’t matter how big of a lie. I’ve heard I don’t know how may people say “Just because I tell one lie doesn’t make me a liar.” So how many lies does it take? Five? Eight? Ten, then a bell rings? Nope. If you’ve murdered that makes you a murderer.
We’ve all coveted. Who here can say that they never desired something that someone has?
And the final nail in the coffin is James 2:10 That says

James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
I know the subject of sin and hell may have been a little uncomfortable. But it makes talking about our next subject all the more glorious!

The promise of eternal life.
Whenever I share my faith with someone and once I’m done talking about sin, the law of God, righteousness, the wrath of God, etc. Then I mention greatest thing ever done in history. I say “Now, do you know what God did so that you won’t have to go to hell? And have a relationship with Christ forever, and ever.” Some say “no.” God became a man (Jesus Christ), born of a virgin , lived a perfect holy sinless life, suffered and died on the cross, taking our sins upon himself, raised again on the third day, and then He ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father. It’s like this, let’s go back to the court room. Let say you’re in court you’re broken the law, you have not a penny to pay the fine. There’s no possible way for you to pay it. Just then someone you don’t even know walks in the court room and says “You’re honor I will pay his fine.” That’s what Jesus did. He knew we are not worth dying for. But He said “I’ll still do it. I’ll die for them, for your glory Father.” We broke the law. Jesus paid the fine. He satisfied the wrath of God. Which we deserve. Remember Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane , sweating great drops of blood, saying Father “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” For a while I wonder what was “The cup.” Later I learned that the cup was the wrath of God.

Isaiah 51:17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.

Jeremiah 25:15 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.

Lamentations 4:21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.

And others verses talk about it.
Picture a giant dam ten thousand miles high and ten thousand miles wide. And you’re standing below it. You’re a mile away. And all of a sudden the door is taken away, and all that water comes crushing down. Just as soon as it almost touches you, the ground opens up and sallow’s every single drop of water. So, the wrath of God destined for people was drunken by Christ.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Christ took that cup out of His Father’s hand and drunk every lost drop. And when He cried out “it is finished.” He turned that cup upside down not a single drop fell out.

Now, if someone may be saying “What must I do to be saved?” You must repent (that means confess your sin, turn from your sin, and turn to Christ) and put your faith and trust in Christ. And Christ alone for your salvation. Christ said in Luke chapter 13 that unless you repent you’ll perish. The Bible says in Acts chapter 17 that God commands all men everywhere to repent. And I’m sure that everyone here knows John 3:16. And the word believe there doesn’t mean just believe that He exists. It means to trust and rely upon Him.

And we are not to come to Christ just because we don’t want t go to hell. “Oh, I don’t want to go to hell. I don’t love Christ, but I want to go to heaven.” Paul Washer the missionary said “When you catch a corn field on fire, you get all kinds of creepy things running out of it. Snakes, and spiders. But they’re still snakes and spiders.”
We should want to come to Christ because he died for us. And He’s infinitely beautiful, and glorious. Every man wants to go to heaven. They just don’t want God to be there.

To the person who may think they will have plenty of time to repent later, I say this: Don’t wait until later to repent. The Bible says that now is the day of salvation. You mustn’t think that you have plenty of time. “Oh, I have many years in my life still. I’ll wait until next year to put my faith in Christ. I still want to sin some more before I give that up.” I can’t stress enough how important eternity is. If you could rip the carpet of hell, and speak with them there. A lot would probably say “I thought I had time. I never thought I would die so soon. I thought it would never happen to me.”
You’re like the man walking on old, broken, molded, flooring. And there’s holes everywhere. But you know not where they are. For the floor is covered with carpet. With each step you take could be you’re last.
You’re like the blind man walking aimlessly all around a high way. And knows not what will hit him.
Please do not say “Soul, I have many years to still repent and trust. But for now I love my sin. I want to drink and be merry.” For you know not when God will say “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee.”
How awful it would be to say “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”

The Bible says when a person repents and puts their faith and trust in the Savoir Jesus, that He will forgive all your sins, past, present, and future. And God will became your Father. And you will no longer be a child of the devil (which is stated in John 8:44) but you will be a child of the Most High God. And you can say “I’m going to heaven, not because I’m a good person. But because I’m a very bad person, who has been forgiven by a very good God.”

What does it mean to be justified by God? It doesn’t mean that once someone becomes a Christian they’ll never sin again. John makes it pretty clear in his first epistle that if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. It’s a legal term. And it means “to declare righteous.” The very moment a person repents and put their faith and trust in the Savior God imputes Christ’s righteous to us. And God declares you to be righteous before Him. God says to the universe “You want to know how good I am. I saved this person. I died for them and rescued their soul. I saved them. Not them. I saved them.”

I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more,
But the Master of the sea, heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me, now safe am I.
All my heart to Him I give, ever to Him I’ll cling
In His blessèd presence live, ever His praises sing,
Love so mighty and so true, merits my soul’s best songs,
Faithful, loving service too, to Him belongs.
Souls in danger look above, Jesus completely saves,
He will lift you by His love, out of the angry waves.
He’s the Master of the sea, billows His will obey,
He your Savior wants to be, be saved today.

Anybody here know that song?

Think of this: a reporter is going around asking different beliefs the question “Do you believe in an after life?”
He goes to the muslim and says “do you believe in an after life?” The muslim says “Yes. It’s called paradise.” The reporter says “Do you believe you’re going there?” The muslim says “Yes.” The reporter asks “Why?” he says “Because I love the Koran, I give alms, I do good.”
The reporter goes to the mormon and asks if he believes in a heaven. He says “Yeah.” “Do you believe you’re going there?” Asks the reporter. The mormon says “yes, because I do good deeds, I give to the poor, I respect people, I love and obey the book of mormon, and the mormon church.”
The reporter comes to a Christian and asks if he believes in a heaven. The Christian says “Yes” “Are you going,” replies the reporter. The Christians says “ In sin was I born. I lived a evil life. I’m the chief of all sinners. I…” Just then the reporter stops the Christian and says “I don’t understand. All these other men I get why they’re going to heaven. They say they’re good people. But why you?” “Because my salvation is upon the merit of another. I repented and put my faith and trust in Jesus. And God graciously saved me. I’m going to heaven because my God died for me. And he raised from the dead and sat down at the right of God.”

You see Christianity is the only belief that teaches that. All other beliefs say that you can earn you’re way to heaven.

As it is so beautifully stated in the hymn Rock of Ages

“Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling.”

Note: I didn't comment on the rest because I felt I didn't have enought time to mention it to my youth group. I was wanting to tell them that this verse doesn't mean that Christ is created. But it means that He's the creator.