The Church Of Sardis - Wake Up

[0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Reverend Dr. David Etrie. We know you will be blessed as you seek and serve God. We believe that this message will stir up a desire for more of God even as you listen.

[0:13] Be blessed. Last Sunday, I spoke about great awakening. Those of you who were not around last Sunday, I continued from where I left off.

[0:30] I've been teaching on the seven churches of Revelation, which were called the seven churches of Asia. They are the church of Ephesus, the desirous church, the church of Smyrna, the persecuted or suffering church, the church of Pergamos, the worldly church, the church of Titeria, the apostate church.

[0:55] And we came to the church of Sardis, the remaining, the recovered church. And last Sunday, we read from, I think we can all look at Revelations chapter three.

[1:11] And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, These things say he who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

[1:22] I know your works, that you have a name, that you are alive, but ye are dead. Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die.

[1:37] For I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember, therefore, how you have received and heard. And hold fast and repent.

[1:51] Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come unto you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

[2:03] You have a few names in Sardis who have not defiled their garments. And they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.

[2:14] He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments. And I will not blot out his name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before my father and before his angels.

[2:30] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Praise God. This is a very serious text. It said, I know your works.

[2:43] And verse 2, verse 1, it said, I know your works. And I know your works. That you have a name that you are alive.

[2:54] But in effect, you are dead. You are a dead man walking. Some elderly folks were invited to go and meet a certain evangelist or a speaker from America in some part of England and in a big house, very nice house.

[3:20] And when you enter the house, they are having the meeting in the garden. When you go to the garden, my God, the garden, English, all kinds of flowers, blossomed with colors, beautiful, beautiful.

[3:34] And you can imagine this elderly, once they get there, the way the flowers, oh my God, everybody's face lights up. Wow, flowers, they love it.

[3:46] They're beautiful, different colors. They're beautiful, rich in color. And so one of them particularly went closer to Gwen. See the flower?

[3:56] Because at that season, the flower shouldn't be blue. So it touched it. And they realized that it was a plastic one. The flowers had a name of being alive.

[4:11] But it was plastic. We have powerful praise and worship, but is it likely that it is plastic?

[4:25] Look at how nice you are. You see, most of us, the truth is, let me start from leaders. When you are a church leader, most church leaders in their dry states, no, people don't know.

[4:39] Most people don't. It takes another senior sensitive leader to tell that you are down. Even sometimes when you begin to go down, you don't realize you are going down.

[4:50] And I've spoken to several people, and said, oh, Pastor, I'm fine. I'm fine. The fact that I've not been in church, doesn't mean I'm not. It's not just the church. You don't know what we are seeing. Moses can strike the rock for the water to cash out, but between him and God, he knows that he's missed God.

[5:06] The people are clapping for Moses. That's the man of God. He's done it again. Moses, go Moses, go Moses, go Moses, go Moses, go Mo, go Mo, go Mo, go Mo.

[5:19] And the congregation was clapping for him, but God said, thumbs down. You have missed. Because of that, what they clapped for him, he didn't enter the promised land.

[5:31] The same thing people were appreciating him for. They didn't know that God, it was a plastic flower. Plastic. Some of you church workers like that, you stand here singing.

[5:45] People credit you with certain levels of righteousness, you know it's theft. Let me bring it to most of us here.

[6:00] Some of you, you say you are going to church. And people, your colleagues think you are very spiritual. But you know. People, your neighbors, people, your family members, some of them see you, ask for you, we know you are, they don't know how you are struggling.

[6:17] No, not always. There are times you are dead. Your spiritual life is comatose. In coma. Something said, I will arise and go at other times.

[6:31] He wished not that the spirit has departed from him. May the spirit not depart from our church. There are many churches in our nation who are completely dead.

[6:51] Dead. Dead. I'm telling you, dead. There are some churches, you dare not go there. Because when you go there, you'll be frozen to death.

[7:05] And I'm not talking about lively music. No, no, no. Lively music, you can have lively music and you are dead. So activities is not necessarily productivity. So, some may be singing him and they may be more alive than you who are jumping and fire.

[7:23] So it's not about the style of worship, but it's about the heart of worship. How do you know where the Holy Spirit will be? Where the word of God is giving priority and it's elevated about everything.

[7:36] And it is the center of teaching and center of behavior, center of the church life. Where the pure word of God, I'm not talking about ideological word of God, the pure rightly defining the word of truth.

[7:47] And people are living and pursuing that Christ in that. That is living church. So it's not about garments. It's not about sacraments.

[7:58] It's not about rituals. It's not about traditions of men and ceremonies that are lifeless. We can be singing.

[8:11] You see, most of us think because we attend church, that sing and dance, you are born again. Probably you are born against. But the truth is, you can be alive and die later.

[8:33] So some of us were on fire once. And all you've got to share about your Christian life is I used to, the way I used to, the way I have, you know, I've always, you know, people, he told you guys, excuse me, God is, is not a monument.

[8:50] God is a movement. I'll show you in the Bible. It says that, it says that, blessed, in Revelation chapter three, I think we should just put it up. Let me go ahead of myself before I come back. Revelation chapter three, verse five.

[9:02] Verse five. No, let's go to, verse four. Let's, it's what I'm looking for. You have a few, a few names, even in Sardis, who have not defiled their garments.

[9:13] Okay. Defiled, and they shall walk with me. Say, walk with me. Walk with me. Say it again. Say, walk with me. Walk with me. God, Bible says that God was walking, Genesis chapter three, walking in the cool of the day, in the garden of Eden.

[9:26] God is always walking. That's why we call Christian walk. It must be, you must be making movement. If you're always talking about, a picture of your future, of your past, forget it.

[9:38] God is gone from the past. He's always moving. God is a movement. He's not a monument. Amen. So, God, God walks with us. Bible said, and Enoch walked with God, and he was not.

[9:53] He walked so much with God, they were so close, closer to God's house than his house. God said, okay, since you're close to my house, come in. You don't have to go back home. It's a walk. It's a walk.

[10:05] It's a walk. It's a walk. It's a walk. So, please, don't think, because you are wearing a tie, and a suit, and sitting in church, you are alive unto God.

[10:20] It's possible that you, because, don't think because you are hearing preaching, or you are the one preaching, that makes you alive. Right. You can't have the name.

[10:33] Yeah. You have the name that you are alive, but you are an artificial flower. Hey. You are a plastic flower.

[10:45] Plastic. And, sadly, in our nation, most people judge Christianity by plastic flowers. Wow. By plastic flowers.

[10:57] People who have a name that they are Christians, because Christianity is branded as just one of the major religions. No. It is alive. You must be alive unto God. Amen. There are many, so many priests, and church leaders, who are, actually don't even have the life of God, let alone to sleep.

[11:19] Wow. That's true. They are, they are lecturers in theological seminaries. Yeah. Should have been called cemetery. Seminaries. Whether it's cemetery or seminary.

[11:30] They are lecturers who teach, who teach theology, and they are not alive unto God. They don't, they actually don't have any relationship with God.

[11:41] They don't know God. They don't know God. They know about God. But they don't know God. they are not alive.

[11:53] And if we don't wake up, that's why our month, this month is our month of great, great awakening. Why? Because somebody has to wake up. He said, Oh Lord, enlighten my eyes, that I do not sleep a sleep of death.

[12:06] Amen. Psalm 13, verse 3. Hear me. And enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death. Lazarus was dead.

[12:17] Jesus said he was asleep. But they didn't understand that when Jesus said asleep, it meant the guy's dead. So, there is, this, you are, you can be asleep, but it's a sleep of death.

[12:31] I will explain it. When he wrote the letter to the church of, Sardis, he said, I know your works. I know that you have, that you have a name.

[12:42] You have a name that you are alive. But, you are dead. Go to the next verse. Be watchful. Ah, dead person watchful.

[12:55] So, he's sleeping. He's slumber. Be watchful. And straining the things that remain. they, that are ready to die.

[13:08] Be watchful. There's a lot packed in here. Somebody say, be watchful. Be watchful. Say, be watchful. Be watchful. So, this is talking about the sleep of death. Awake from your sleep, oh sleeper.

[13:22] Wake up from your sleep, and Christ shall give thee light. when a person is asleep, what is the sign that person is asleep, or, the characteristics of sleep?

[13:35] Tell us. Tell us. Tell us. Tell us. Tell us. Tell us. The characteristics of sleep. Oh, you know that already. You know that. When you're asleep, what happens to you?

[13:47] Somebody says, snoring. That's, snoring is another level. snoring is another level.

[14:08] When you are asleep, one, your body is in a state of rest. You are kind of resting. I know, it's not every sleep that means rest, because some of you, you are asleep, and yet you are awake.

[14:25] I said, yet my heart is awake. So, resting. Christians are supposed to rest.

[14:38] But what is the normal? Jesus said, come unto me, all you who labor, and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew chapter 11, verse 27, 28.

[14:48] I will give you rest. Okay. So, if Jesus said he will give you rest, why shouldn't I be resting? What's the difference between resting in God, and sleeping the sleep of death?

[15:02] Hey, hey, hey. The sleep of death. What's the difference? In Hebrews chapter 4, it talks about, look at from this one, it'll be a nice text to read.

[15:14] Hebrews chapter 4, 1 to 3, it said, therefore, since a promise remains of entering his rest, let us fear, lest any of you seem to come short of the rest.

[15:26] There's a promise to enter into God's rest. But you have to be afraid, fear. In other words, like, be on guard. Other than that, you will not get into the rest of God.

[15:38] Verse 2, for indeed, the gospel was free to us as well as to them, but the word which they had did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who had it.

[15:52] So, you see, this sleeping, this entering the rest, first of all, introducing God's word, introduces God's word, and what you do with God's word. God's word and faith in God's word is what will lead you into the rest.

[16:06] So, when we talk about Christian rest, he's talking about absolute, unconditional belief in what God's word says. That is when you have entered the rest of God.

[16:19] So, look at the verse 3. For we who have believed do enter that rest. As he said, so I swore in my wrath they shall not enter my wrath, although the works of God have finished from the front.

[16:32] So, those of us who believe, we believe, and then, when you believe God, God's word, and you hold on, in spite of the conditions around you, in spite of your feelings, in spite of situations, believing God's word, and holding on to God's word, standing on God's word, is what brings you into the rest of God.

[16:55] Some didn't enter the rest. Why? Because they did not believe. Look at verse 6. Verse 6 says that, since therefore, no, let's go to verse 4. I think, verse 4 is better.

[17:06] For, he has spoken in a certain place that, okay, so let's go to verse 6. Verse 6 says, since therefore, therefore, it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter it.

[17:19] Why? Because of this. The King James tells you that because of unbelief. Right? Because of unbelief. Unbelief denies you or strips you of entering the rest God has prepared for you.

[17:32] God can help you outside of your belief. In other words, God can help you in spite of your unbelief. Heaven helps, they will tell you, heaven helps those who help themselves.

[17:46] Why would heaven help you if you can help yourself? Heaven helps those who believe. Amen. Amen. For as many as believed, he gave them the right to become the sons of God.

[17:59] So, why didn't they enter the rest of God? I can't hear. Why didn't they enter the rest of God? Because of unbelief.

[18:10] Look at verse 9. Verse 9 to 11. There remained therefore a rest to the people of God. So, resting is okay, but it must be in God.

[18:24] It must be in God. Other than that, what you are calling rest is the sleep of death. Right? Right? Sure. Go, verse 9, verse 10, sorry.

[18:35] For he that is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God ceased from his works. Verse 11. Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest.

[18:48] Lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. It's unbelief that will make you fall. Amen. Amen. So, this sleep we are talking about starts with unbelief.

[19:02] Starts with, your unbelieving will deny you. Now, when I talk about unbelief, I'm not talking about, there are two types of believing, subjective of the objective. I'm not talking about just, okay, I accept that the word of God is true.

[19:13] I'm talking about living based on God's word. Wow. Now, taking that, taking it as final, in spite of the threats that the devil will emit against you, or will release against you, you still hold on to God's word, and you say, for me to live is Christ, to die is gain.

[19:30] I'm going to stand on God's word. If it means I'm going to lose money, I'm going to lose my job, I'm going to lose my, my friends, whatever I lose, for me to live is Christ. Amen.

[19:40] So, one, it's okay to rest, but it's only okay to rest in God, as a believer. Resting outside of God is your sleep.

[19:53] So, when you are sleep, number one, rest. Number two, your eyes are usually closed. I know people can't sleep without their eyes closed, but that is an exceptional gift.

[20:07] That's the same thing that happens to the death church. You have a name that you are alive, but you're actually dead. So, when all lookers look at you, you have all the signs that show that this is a lively person.

[20:19] You are asleep. You have not missed any service for the past four years, and yet you are asleep. You haven't missed any service.

[20:34] Your eyes are closed. You can't see. That's why I pray that God, open my eyes. Look at Revelation 3, verse 17. We haven't gotten to the church of Laodicea, but I think I have to read it.

[20:47] Verse 17 says that, because thou said, give me Nuki James, I think. Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing, and you don't know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

[21:10] You don't know. You are asleep, but you don't know. Wow. Wow. Thanks. Oi! Hey! This is a serious situation. He said, you are, sorry, you say, you are rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of, so, you know that you don't have the need of anything.

[21:32] You are fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. But he said, you are, you are not aware. God is saying that, your actual condition is that, you are so poor, you are so wretched, you are miserable, you are blind, and you are naked.

[21:45] Wow. Naked. This is, this is a strong way. And watch this, this is not a message to the world, it's a message to the church. Wow. So, unfortunately, we can't tell the world, world is not everything church, that is church.

[22:00] This one is only us, who know the thieves amongst us. This is for us. It will only take a church, to identify another sleeping church.

[22:10] Wow. The world don't have the apparatus. They don't have the techniques. They don't have what it takes. People who don't have a relation with Jesus, don't have what it takes to, to find who is a sleeping giant.

[22:24] You can't tell. At best, they will judge by works, by, by your behavior, your character. But there are people who, tick all the boxes of character.

[22:39] Very good people, very decent people, very calm people, very loving, they will not hurt an aunt. Wow. A fly can come and sting them, on their forehead, and they won't kill him.

[22:49] They'll say, oh, fly, it's okay. You've had enough, you've had enough, had enough dinner. And they say, oh, kill that fly. I say, oh, no, no. He has to leave. He has to also enjoy. Yeah. So, the world, the world judges Christians, or the world judges Christians, based on character.

[23:13] Yeah. Especially, morality, or moralism. Yeah. Morals. Niceness. Praise God. So, when you are asleep, your eyes are closed, or shut.

[23:29] So, spiritually, you can't even discern. You can't see things. You can't, so much is going around you, God is moving, and you can't even tell God is moving. You are distracted by so many things. You are distracted by the uniform.

[23:44] You are distracted by the screen, the niceness of the, but you, you are not looking at, you can't see the move of God. Or you can't see the enemies coming in. And you are jumping and singing, show your power.

[23:58] And, your, your, your music is jumping. It's groovy. Groovy. The music is good. You are asleep. You are asleep. You are asleep.

[24:09] Church, wake up. Wake up. Wake up. So, your eyes are shut. You are in a state of rest.

[24:19] And, number three, your body is inactive. Your body is inactive.

[24:31] No, no productivity, no fruitfulness. So, when you are asleep, you are inactive. Now, when you are asleep, it's not that your body is inactive.

[24:44] Your mind can't be thinking by itself. It's involuntary. You are just gone. You just dream. But, your mind is not active. I know your brains will be, because some of you eat so much, when you are asleep, your brain will be, that's not what I'm talking about.

[24:59] I'm talking about, your mind, no one can, you can't think. You can't think. You're in a state of rest. Your eyes are shut.

[25:10] Your body is inactive. It's inactive. Your mind is not productive. A Christian mind, a Christian who is alive, their mind should be set on the word of God.

[25:24] Bible says, in this word, do I meditate day and night. Psalm 119, verse 148, he said, I will awake, or wake me. So, he said that, my eyes are awake, through the night, through the night watches, that I may meditate on your word.

[25:43] Meditation, focused thinking. You are thinking on God's word. Spiritual slumber is dangerous. The cost of sleep, poverty will come.

[25:59] You will lose delivery when you are asleep. You can't deliver when you are asleep. You can't deliver. You, you, you lose your ability to be fruitful, to do, to do something.

[26:19] That's why, now, set up, rehearsal, coming to church on time, other things have become so much heavy chore for you.

[26:31] Heavy chore. Most of these things are signs of sleep. Man is tired. So, so, sleeping will rob you of, you, you will lose your delivery.

[26:48] When you sleep, it's not only delivery that you, in fact, in Proverbs, it says that, a little sleep, a little slumber, and poverty will come up, jump on you like an arm robber. When you sleep, Judges chapter 16, verse 6, is a very interesting text.

[27:08] This one is serious. So, Delilah said to something, please, tell me where your great strength lies, and with what, with what you may be bound to afflict you.

[27:22] And then verse 15, look at verse 15. Verse 15 says that, then she said, how can you say I love you when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times.

[27:36] I didn't understand, I didn't understand, um, something. Because you tell her your secrets, and then, when you sleep, she tries to remove that, and then tells you, so just are in.

[27:49] And then, ah, got you. And all these three times, the man was, couldn't tell that he was being betrayed. Delilah put pressure on him, watch this, let's go to the next verse quickly.

[28:01] And it came to pass, when he, he pasted him daily with her, she pasted him daily with her words, so that his soul was vexed to death. He couldn't take it, this thing, this woman, every time, every time, every time, every time, every time, every time, she kept, she kept nagging, he had to tell him, her everything.

[28:21] And then, when he told her everything, he slept. He told her all his heart.

[28:33] And then, look at the verse, um, 18, 19, Delilah saw it, he told her, he told her, listen, and then they came to wait. And then when, verse 19 talks about when, um, yeah, so she leered him to sleep on her knees.

[28:49] Hey! When a man is tired, his definition of rest becomes compromised. When a person is tired, your definition of rest becomes compromised.

[29:02] Go to the airport and see people and see people who have missed their flights. They are tired and you see where they are sleeping. Because they are just looking for rest.

[29:14] You are so tired. You are defining what will pull you down as a place of rest. Oh, all right, let's go back. So, when you sleep, it will cost you, uh, uh, delivery, and then it will also, when you are asleep, um, let me just check my, so I, yeah, when you are, you will also lose your anointing.

[29:37] Oh, I'm telling you, the devil does not fear anointed people. He will just be accosting you.

[29:50] It doesn't matter how long it will take. He'll be following you. Accosting you. He's waiting for the sleeping moment. Because until you sleep, you, your anointing is not at stake.

[30:05] Wow. Wow. When you sleep, that's when you lose God. Yeah. Until you sleep. And every pastor, every strong Christian, man of God, strong Christian, woman of God, you have to constantly be, how can you watch when you are sleeping?

[30:22] Yeah. So, most of us would think we are very strong. Yeah. You're, you're as strong as, as how, as how awake you are. Yeah.

[30:32] Wow. Your strength is a function of how awake you are. Yeah. You can be strong today, but when you sleep, tell somebody, wake up, wake up.

[30:42] Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. You will lose your anointing. God has great ideas or great plans for you. He's going to use you to do some amazing things.

[30:54] All these things. Listen, all these things can be compromised because you slept. Bible said, but while men slept, Matthew chapter 13, verse 26 and 27, while men slept, the enemy came in and sowed tears.

[31:13] While men slept. Don't call it you are resting. It's a sleep of death. Yeah. God deliver me. You got to wake up.

[31:26] So, when you are asleep, you lose your anointing. When you sleep, you will lose your anointing. When you sleep, you will lose your productivity or you lose your delivery, the fruitfulness, anointing.

[31:43] Then number three, when you sleep, you lose the brightness of Christ. You can't shine for Christ in sleep. In a state of sleep.

[31:55] You can't shine. Ecclesiastes chapter 5, verse 14. I like that text. So, those of you who can see it, let's read it out loud. Let's go. Therefore, he says, awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead and Christ will be the last.

[32:13] Awake. And Christ will give you light. The light of Christ begins to shine properly through you. Awake. Awake. Awake.

[32:25] Revelation chapter 3, again, I need you to see something. Open to your Bibles. Revelation chapter 3. Verse 2, be watchful.

[32:39] Let's all say, be watchful. Be watchful. And strain in the things that remain. So, don't sleep. Be watchful. Be watchful. Be watchful.

[32:51] He said, watch unto prayer. Watching there unto prayer and supplications. Ephesians chapter 6, verse 18, talks about watching unto prayer and supplication.

[33:03] But, in Matthew chapter 24, verse 42, 42 to 44. Matthew 24, 42 to 44.

[33:16] It says that, watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. All right, let's go to the, verse 45. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allow his house to be broken into.

[33:35] Verse 44. Therefore, you also be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Be watchful. He's talking about Christians.

[33:45] This is this. Christianity, you have to be alert. We have liberty. But now, we have slept away and everything has crept in.

[33:58] Whilst men slept, the enemy came in. Whilst men slept. Whilst men slept, I sometimes have a feeling people like William Booth of the Salvation Army, people like John Wesley of Methodist Church, they would turn on their graves and say, oh, Great Britain.

[34:23] Oh, turning. They'll be turning on their graves. How come? But thank God, because of you and I, there is hope for United Kingdom. There is hope for Europe.

[34:35] There is hope for Europe. Ah. I know the problem is say, oh, these foreigners, but still foreigners that have also infiltrated the system with their gods.

[34:50] They've infiltrated and for information, Jesus was a foreigner. He came from heaven on earth to be able to effect a blessing on earth. God sometimes can use foreigners and the devil also uses foreigners.

[35:07] Most of the time, the system that you have become so used to, you don't realize the excesses and the extremes. Church, wake up. Listen, we are here making so much noise.

[35:19] Some of us, the reason why you are in church is just what you can get from God. No wonder your sleep is so easy because only what God is supposed to be doing for you.

[35:29] I need a miracle. I need a job. I need a husband. I need a wife. I need a house. I need, I need, I need, I need, I need. Haven't realized that you have come into the kingdom for such a time as this.

[35:43] You are born again. You are in church. You are in a word-based, word-teaching church for such a time as this because of the agenda of God for our generation.

[35:55] Sleeping giant, wake up. part of us is alive. It says that, that remains. There's a remaining liveliness and way.

[36:07] So it says that, be watchful and strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die for I have not found your works to be perfect. That word perfect is complete. Not found your works to be complete.

[36:19] Remember, therefore, how you have, how you have received and heard. Hold fast and repent. therefore, therefore, if you will not watch, I will come.

[36:32] You see, the watching is showing up again. I will come upon you as a thief in the night, as a thief and you will not know at what time, what hour I will come. You have a few, if you have a few names, even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments.

[36:48] Say defiled garments. Defiled garments. Say defiled garments. Defiled garments. Now, I need to draw your attention to the defilement of the garments. Your garments is a reflection of your life in God, your righteousness.

[37:05] Okay? I will show you, I think, all right, let me just, so your garment, defiled garments. It's important not to defile your garments. The next verse, those who have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy.

[37:26] He who overcomes shall be clothed with white garments. Do you see garments, garments, garments, garments? Some have defiled their garments. Some have defiled their garments and he says that those who overcome, overcoming what?

[37:43] Now, what defiles is what we have to overcome. What is the defiling thing? It is the death. Watch this.

[37:55] So long as God is concerned, death is more dangerous than sin. I will explain it. When people sinned in the Old Testament, they were asked to confess or they were asked to wash, go to the temple and just wash your sins.

[38:12] But look at Numbers, or let's start with Leviticus. Leviticus, Leviticus chapter 11 verse 24 and 25. Someone who handles a dead body.

[38:23] By this you shall become unclean. Whoever touches the carcass of any of them that shall be unclean, of any of them shall be unclean, even, until even.

[38:37] Go to the next verse 25. Whoever carries part of the carcass of any of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. Touching dead bodies, you are deemed unclean from handling dead bodies.

[38:54] Numbers chapter 6 verse 6. All the days that he separates himself to the Lord, he shall not go near dead body.

[39:06] Verse 7. He shall not make himself unclean even for his father or his mother, for his brother or his sister when they die because his separation to God is on his head.

[39:23] So in other words, he said, when those days, when a loved one dies, you don't even have to go near the dead body because he was talking about these people who have been separated unto God.

[39:34] don't go near the dead. Other than that, you will defile yourself. You will defile your garment. Look at verse 9. If anyone dies very suddenly besides him and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall shave his head on the day of his cleansing.

[39:59] on the seventh day he shall shave it. That's quite drastic because you have dealt, you have touched the dead body and you have been defiled.

[40:12] And he said that you have a name that you are alive but you are dead. There are few remaining amongst you who have been defiled. They have not allowed the dead to come near them.

[40:23] Some of us must be careful about hanging around dead brethren. Dead brethren. Dead brethren.

[40:36] Verse 4. Revelation chapter 38 verse 4. You have few names that you have and defiled your garment and they shall walk with me in white. Those who have no defile. They shall walk with me.

[40:46] In the book of Revelation, listen to this. The white, okay, the color white stands for the two things, purity.

[40:59] And it also stands for heaven. Most people think heaven is blue. Heaven is white. The color of heaven is not blue.

[41:11] The color of heaven is white. So in Revelation, you keep coming across white. Revelation chapter 3 verse 8. it talks about white.

[41:23] Revelation, few names, even they have no defile their government. Verse 8. Verse 8. Revelation 3, 8.

[41:36] I know your works. Verse, I think let's write it. It's verse 18. Verse 5 and then verse 18. Look at verse 5. Sorry. Yeah. Verse 5 says that he who shall overcome clothes.

[41:46] God talks about he who give you white garments. Look at verse 18. 3 verse 18. Buy gold and then you have white garments. Quite a few littered all over in Revelation.

[41:59] White, white. Revelation chapter 6 verse 11 talks about white. Revelation they wore white robes. Revelation chapter 7 verse 9.

[42:10] Yeah. Revelation chapter 7 verse 9 verse 13 verse 14 all talks about white. In fact, verse 14 said they have washed their robes white in the blood of the lamb. White in the blood of the lamb.

[42:22] You know it talks about and I saw a great white throne. The throne of God is white. Do you know that gold in its purest form is white? Gold in its purest form is actually white.

[42:37] White. So he says that I'll give them, I'll clothe them, I'll give them white garments. White garments. Say white garments.

[42:48] White garments. Then finally garments, garments stand for garments stand as I told you it stands for our righteousness, our deeds and our ways.

[43:02] Now watch this, but we are not made righteous just because of what we do. Christ is according to 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 30, Christ is our righteousness. There are two types of righteousness.

[43:13] Listen, I'm ending on this. There are two types of righteousness the Bible talks of. We have the righteousness of Christ which is given to us according to 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 30 where you become a Christian.

[43:25] The righteousness with which you approach God is not based on your own works. It's based on the righteousness Christ gives us. It's called objective righteousness. It's not based on other things but what Christ has done.

[43:38] So it's objective righteousness. Romans chapter 3 verse 26 talks about the righteousness of Christ. But we have the subjective righteousness which is based on our works.

[43:50] So after you have come to Christ you are now supposed to live a certain life of Matthew chapter 5 verse 20 Jesus told them that I like this one. Matthew chapter 5 verse 20 Jesus said for I say to you that unless your righteousness exists the righteousness of the Pharisees and the scribes you will by no means enter the ark.

[44:11] So what are you talking about? The Pharisees their righteousness is based on the law. But Jesus brought it higher. The acts of righteousness that Jesus spoke about is higher.

[44:25] in fact they said that if you sleep with a woman by the law if you sleep with a woman or a man you are not married to it is adultery.

[44:41] Jesus said it is said if you sleep back don't think about it. If you think about it you have done it. Another level.

[44:53] The higher righteousness Jesus told them look in the book of Matthew chapter 22 I like this text so much verse 11 and 12 you will like this Bible talks about a man puts together wedding feats for his son and then those who are invited didn't turn up so he said go and invite everybody from the street but the king came in so when they invited everybody to come then the king came in so when the king came in to see the guest he saw a man there who did not have a wedding garment and he said what are you doing here I said they should bring everybody everybody is qualified to come but how come you are in without the appropriate attire in heaven it's going to be interesting some of us are born again but you miss the supper of the wedding supper of the lamb look at the verse 12 so he said to him friend how did you come in without the wedding garment and he was speechless the next verse then the king said to the servant bind him hand and foot take him away and cast him into outer darkness there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth because he has been given the right to come in but now he is coming in with his sinful life revelation chapter 19 verse 7 and 8 the same thing is there that's the actual story let us be glad and rejoice giving glory to him for the marriage of the lamb has come and his wife has made himself ready now look at verse 8 and revelation chapter 19 verse 8 and to her it was granted to be arid in fine linen clean and bright say clean and bright clean and bright brightness is the expression cleanness is the state the cloth was clean and it's a given expression of brightness clean and bright for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints so your behavior your acts are the right your fine linen unsported garments the bright of christ must have fine linen other than that you will not be allowed to be a partaker of the wedding feast somebody say fine linen fine linen fine linen it's very important to understand in i think some 45 verse 13 and 14 it describes a scenario of a princess or a queen the royal daughter is all glorious within her palace her clothing is woven with gold go to the next verse 14 she shall be brought to the king in robe of many colors the virgins her companions who follow her shall be brought to you so she's supposed to be clothed the church is supposed to be clothed in purity purity what we do matter we are not saved by what we do but we certainly sit and enjoy the marriage supper based on what we do he says that i can't quickly marry what is with me to give to everyone according to his works righteousness don't defile your garments some of us are asleep and they have poured all kinds of dirty oil into your garments garments so can you imagine we are in church we are lifting your hands you are giving your offerings by your garments the angels look at you this is so

[48:53] dirty it's so dirty yes you are saved but your garments are unclean the truth is there are people who are sitting in church who don't think this whole judgment thing we talk about is real what are you a Christian for the essence of Christianity is waiting for the glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we don't live our best life now we know our best life is ahead our best life as Christians is ahead therefore it doesn't matter what we go through we keep our eyes looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of your faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and therefore is set at the right hand of the majesty on high Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15 if on this earth we have only hope we only have hope we are of all men most miserable we are most miserable if our hope is all based on the shoes you are wearing the house you live in the job you are getting if the

[50:12] Christian hope is just that we are of all men most miserable because there is a better life ahead there is a better life there is glory coming so wake up before you sew your garments wake up wake up things are dripping into your garments but you don't know things are tainting your garments you don't know wake up my brothers and sisters open my eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death Jesus said you have a name that you are alive but you are dead and he said wake up he who overcomes to him I will give a white garment I want to talk to my brothers and sisters let's take the responsibility to wake up unto God wake up unto be awake towards God by virtue of your attitude and your affinity towards his word and prayer and let's be awakened unto others you be careful about who you relate with associate with you must be awake and you can tell that this person is not going to be a good influence of my garments others be awake unto the devil

[51:35] Satan is putting all kinds of landmines around you you have sleep so you don't realize it Satan is behind the whole system the whole change of your job condition Satan is trying to trap you out of church trap you out of your Christian world Satan is behind what is happening in your family when you are awake you can notice that Satan is working Satan is working he's not everything that you are going to fight she will see what I'll do to her he will see no no no no you have to keep be awake you will realize some battles you don't have to fight Satan is behind it Satan is behind Satan Satan be awake be awake unto yourself and stop deceiving yourself that's for me it's natural sometimes you convince yourself that you're okay meanwhile you are the most fruitless so please even me I realize that I have to wake up big time and be on my watch lest I sleep the sleep of death may God add his blessing to his holy world did you receive something hallelujah please lift up your right hand wherever you are and let's pray lift up your right hand

[52:50] I need you to pray and ask God help me to wake up help me to wake up I've chosen to wake up and be awake and walk with you pray that prayer right now you know the areas the things that you have to walk away from the things that you have to give up on you know what God has been talking to you about pray that prayer right now pray that prayer pray and talk to God help me to wake up help me to be awake help me to be an awakened Christian and to have faith in you and your word and rest only in you oh Lord help me to be awake help me not to lose my anointing help me not to lose my productivity and delivery help me oh Lord not to lose my eyes help me not to lose my reward help me help me not to stain my garment or stain my garments Help me to be awake.

[53:40] Holy Spirit, I pray for grace. I pray for wisdom. I pray for empowerment. I pray for understanding. Help me to stay awake. Help me to stay awake. Help me to honor your name.

[53:52] Help me to do it your way. Help me with strength to walk away from everything I have to walk away from. Help me with a spirit of humility. Oh, Lord, help me. Somebody pray and ask the help of God.

[54:04] Ask for the help of God. Ask for the help of God. Your garments will not be swelled. Your garments will not be stained. Your garments will not be tainted. In the name of Jesus, when Christ comes, he will find you watching.

[54:18] When the master comes, he will find you in the day. When the Lord returns. Father, we thank you. Thank you for your word to wake us up.

[54:31] Thank you for your love for us. Thank you. Even when we have gone so far astray, you always reach out to pull us back to yourself.

[54:43] Thank you for such love and help. Yes. Lord, we choose to be awake. Thank you. Holy Spirit, we can't wake up. We can't be awake without you.

[54:54] Stare up a greater awakening in our congregation. Stare up a great awakening in our church. And our branches and churches all around the country.

[55:05] Lord, stare up great awakening in the Christian church, in the body of Christ, in London, in England, and in United Kingdom, in the name of Jesus, and in Europe. Lord, stare up your body.

[55:18] Help us to wake up. Help us to keep our eyes on you. Looking unto Jesus, the utter and finisher of our faith. We thank you. Thank you. We thank you for the heart of humility.

[55:30] Yes, Lord. And the heart of obedience. Yes, Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen. We thank God for using this sermon, Reverend Dr. David Entry, to share this awesome word. If this message has blessed you in any way, please spread the word by sharing it and send us an email to amen at charis.org.

[55:47] Remember to stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter for regular updates on what God is doing here at Charis Ministries. Stay blessed. Thank you.