WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.020 Okay, we're reading from Revelation chapter 3, verses 1 to 6. 00:00:07.100 --> 00:00:15.560 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. 00:00:16.719 --> 00:00:18.300 I know your works. 00:00:18.940 --> 00:00:22.960 You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:27.920 Wake up and strengthen what remains and is about to die. 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:31.720 For I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:36.480 Remember then what you received and heard. 00:00:37.380 --> 00:00:39.179 Keep it and repent. 00:00:40.400 --> 00:00:47.299 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. 00:00:48.560 --> 00:00:55.980 You have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white. 00:00:55.979 --> 00:00:57.519 For they are worthy. 00:00:58.819 --> 00:01:05.759 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. 00:01:06.599 --> 00:01:10.579 I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:15.560 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:21.439 Well, good morning, everyone. 00:01:21.820 --> 00:01:22.840 Nice to be with you again. 00:01:23.260 --> 00:01:30.540 Even though today we should have been meeting in our building for the first time in a long time, but it will come. 00:01:30.680 --> 00:01:31.460 Hopefully it will come. 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:40.540 Well, the question to get us started with this morning, based on this passage, is a very confronting question, but we need to ask it. 00:01:40.540 --> 00:01:51.920 Is it possible for a church family like us, GECN, is it possible for us to be dead and not actually know it? 00:01:54.780 --> 00:01:59.820 Well, Jesus himself says, yes, this is the frightening reality. 00:02:01.100 --> 00:02:07.860 The frightening reality of his challenge to the local church at Sardis, and therefore to us in GECN. 00:02:07.859 --> 00:02:13.180 So with that question ringing in our ears, we need to come to the Lord in prayer. 00:02:16.439 --> 00:02:30.099 Lord, your word does always draw us to it, and yet then, Lord, like a moth drawn to a bright light, it sears us and burns us and challenges us. 00:02:30.099 --> 00:02:49.340 We pray, Lord, that we might not hide from the challenge of these words this morning, but nor, Lord, that we might despair because of these words this morning, but come to you in repentance and ask you to help us see whatever problems there might be in our hearts as a church and individually. 00:02:49.340 --> 00:02:59.379 And help us by your spirit to address those problems that we might be those who are pleasing to you in the community in which we live in here in this GECN church. 00:02:59.640 --> 00:03:02.099 So help us, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:03:02.099 --> 00:03:13.419 Well, before we get into the detail of the text, we need to do some revision as we get back into our church reset series, which was based in Revelation 1-3. 00:03:14.340 --> 00:03:21.439 Now, you might remember four weeks ago, the aim of the series is to get us thinking of its strengths and weaknesses in our church. 00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:29.199 And to reset our vision and practice of church as required to bring us into line with what God's word demands. 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:37.379 And we've based it in Revelation because Revelation is God's revealing the events of our world from his perspective. 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:49.599 And I've been saying right through, it's been a real eye-opener, a real eye-opener to know that Christ's church is the total focus of his attention, even heaven. 00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:54.099 The church is central to God's purposes and salvation. 00:03:55.259 --> 00:03:58.340 The church is the object of Christ's passion. 00:04:00.259 --> 00:04:07.060 And it's a real eye-opener that Jesus, in seven letters, and the seven we've said over the weeks, symbolizes completeness. 00:04:07.719 --> 00:04:09.659 And so it represents the church as a whole. 00:04:09.659 --> 00:04:23.920 It's a real eye-opener that Jesus demands his died-for resurrection community in local churches like GECN reflect his passion in our church. 00:04:25.219 --> 00:04:33.540 Now, these letters combined are a diagnostic snapshot of the health of his church, including our church. 00:04:33.540 --> 00:04:45.780 And with really confronting words throughout these letters, Jesus demands that we maintain our first love, passion for Jesus, and not give our hearts to another. 00:04:46.120 --> 00:04:47.640 So many want to claim our hearts. 00:04:47.860 --> 00:04:48.460 Don't do it. 00:04:48.640 --> 00:04:51.100 Maintain your passion for me, says Jesus. 00:04:51.100 --> 00:05:01.060 Jesus demands that we believe he is worth serving, even if it means feeling the hatred of the world as a result of that. 00:05:02.580 --> 00:05:13.640 Jesus demands that we avoid creeping compromise, which erodes our distinctiveness as Christ's people and allows us to easily settle into the values and practices of the world. 00:05:13.639 --> 00:05:43.620 Confrontation after confrontation. 00:05:43.639 --> 00:05:57.180 In which he promises the full resource of the Holy Spirit is deployed to us, helping us back onto our feet and into the struggle and renewing us from the inside out every step of the way. 00:05:58.360 --> 00:06:04.000 So with that introduction, let's look at Christ's word to his community of Christians at Sardis. 00:06:04.740 --> 00:06:07.180 Now look at the second half of verse one. 00:06:07.180 --> 00:06:16.259 Again, the pattern is that Jesus begins with the words, I know, because he knows everything in this world and especially in his church. 00:06:16.379 --> 00:06:17.759 I know your works. 00:06:18.860 --> 00:06:25.000 I know every aspect of your daily living and the attitudes and thinking which shape it. 00:06:25.000 --> 00:06:32.360 And says Jesus, I need to tell you something really severe. 00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:40.259 That in spite of you thinking you're healthy, you are effectively dead. 00:06:44.779 --> 00:06:51.300 This is the doctor diagnosing a serious illness which nobody else in the local church could see. 00:06:51.300 --> 00:06:54.259 It's totally left field. 00:06:55.220 --> 00:07:05.600 The patient, no doubt prepared to hear of some minor ailments, is absolutely stunned to hear that they're next to death. 00:07:06.759 --> 00:07:07.680 Essentially dead. 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:19.040 Now, in this case, we need to understand the diagnosis, what it is, and very importantly in this case, what it is not. 00:07:20.300 --> 00:07:22.780 Otherwise, we're going to get ourselves in a real mess on this one. 00:07:24.019 --> 00:07:28.500 Now, first up, we need to remember that these letters are full of a contrasting picture language. 00:07:28.500 --> 00:07:40.980 So it's very likely here that the picture is contrasting the appearance of health and vitality with the reality of underlying undiagnosed life-threatening disease. 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:56.639 So, Jesus is not saying that people in this church were once Christians, once alive in Christ, but have now lost their salvation or are spiritually dead because of their failings or sin. 00:07:56.639 --> 00:08:03.860 In fact, if you look at the words here, Jesus' own words in verses 2 and 3 demonstrate this. 00:08:03.919 --> 00:08:09.139 It can't be that because he actually goes on to speak to people who actually know life. 00:08:09.899 --> 00:08:13.199 He speaks to them as those who once served him with a passion. 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:16.839 And their problem is that they've fallen asleep on the job. 00:08:17.079 --> 00:08:19.399 They've stalled in their commitment to Jesus. 00:08:19.399 --> 00:08:28.139 And in verse 3, Jesus' call to act decisively and repent. 00:08:28.759 --> 00:08:32.100 That of itself assumes that they're alive in Christ. 00:08:32.759 --> 00:08:37.019 And that there is an opportunity for them to return to full health and vitality. 00:08:38.179 --> 00:08:42.759 Now, if you look at verse 3 there, it says, in the ESV, it says, 00:08:42.899 --> 00:08:45.980 Remember then what you have received and heard. 00:08:45.980 --> 00:08:52.879 Now, the word in the Greek is actually better translated how, as the King James translation has it. 00:08:53.399 --> 00:08:55.879 Remember how you have received and heard. 00:08:57.019 --> 00:09:00.240 Now, there seems at first glance to be a big difference between what and how. 00:09:01.080 --> 00:09:02.940 But they're actually closely related. 00:09:03.960 --> 00:09:07.220 Because in this context of memories, he's saying remember. 00:09:07.220 --> 00:09:15.879 In this context of memories, memories are the emotional response driven by the facts. 00:09:16.180 --> 00:09:21.600 In this case, the emotional response to Jesus driven by the facts or truth of the gospel. 00:09:23.060 --> 00:09:26.180 So, the Sardis diagnosis is this. 00:09:26.300 --> 00:09:34.940 Jesus is saying that this Sardis syndrome is forgetting the gospel basics which shape them as Christians. 00:09:34.940 --> 00:09:40.480 The truth of acceptance and new life in Christ, which was totally undeserved. 00:09:41.100 --> 00:09:46.080 The joy of forgiveness, being loved, adopted into God's family. 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:57.960 So, this is a contrast between what they once displayed and what they now display in extreme picture language. 00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:04.180 Now, verse 4 and 5 makes the same point, only using colors, color contrast. 00:10:04.600 --> 00:10:07.820 So, if you turn over to verse 4 and 5, look at verses 4 and 5. 00:10:07.820 --> 00:10:37.800 So, this is a contrast between the two and the two and the two and the two. 00:10:37.820 --> 00:10:50.020 In this picture, those who have fallen victim to the Sardis syndrome have carelessly allowed their distinctive white garments to become dirty or gray. 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:55.200 They've just lost their shame. 00:10:56.200 --> 00:11:04.080 Now, this is in contrast to those who are called worthy or acceptable and welcomed home into heaven. 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:06.100 And why are they like that? 00:11:06.160 --> 00:11:08.460 Because they've maintained their distinctiveness. 00:11:10.040 --> 00:11:15.660 So, the picture of white garments is most likely a picture of justification. 00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:19.759 It's a common picture through the New Testament and especially in Revelation. 00:11:20.460 --> 00:11:24.400 White is a symbol of purity and righteousness across the whole Bible. 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:26.959 So, here it works like this, I think. 00:11:27.559 --> 00:11:31.059 Justification is pictured as the great transfer. 00:11:31.819 --> 00:11:37.039 So, if you can imagine, we've got a robe of sin, a dirty, filthy, stinking robe of sin. 00:11:37.419 --> 00:11:45.120 Well, Jesus takes our robe of sin upon himself and gives us his robe of righteousness instead. 00:11:45.120 --> 00:11:49.840 And sets us apart to live in light with what we now are. 00:11:50.519 --> 00:11:52.080 Those clothed in white. 00:11:52.980 --> 00:11:57.980 Sets us apart to live as a forgiven, renewed people we now are. 00:11:57.980 --> 00:12:01.840 So, put it all together. 00:12:01.960 --> 00:12:07.379 The Sardis factor, the Sardis syndrome is forgetting who you are in Christ. 00:12:07.879 --> 00:12:11.000 Not living in light of who you are in Christ. 00:12:13.139 --> 00:12:14.639 And here's the rub. 00:12:16.200 --> 00:12:22.379 When churches forget the what and how of their Christian distinctive, 00:12:23.379 --> 00:12:26.899 they slip into spiritual oblivion. 00:12:27.980 --> 00:12:34.080 The Sardis syndrome will effectively kill a church. 00:12:37.080 --> 00:12:44.240 Even more alarming, it's a condition that may well be working in a church, our church even. 00:12:44.879 --> 00:12:49.220 It's a condition that may well be working in a church that looks quite healthy. 00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:56.680 Yet, this condition remains unnoticed until it's almost too late. 00:12:57.980 --> 00:13:00.920 Confronting words. 00:13:03.240 --> 00:13:05.220 So, what's the remedy? 00:13:06.180 --> 00:13:10.759 Well, focusing on imputation. 00:13:10.759 --> 00:13:15.419 And hopefully you're looking at the sermon outline, because otherwise this is going to be hard for you. 00:13:15.860 --> 00:13:19.139 I'm taking a risk on playing two words against each other. 00:13:19.580 --> 00:13:21.379 Focusing on imputation. 00:13:21.639 --> 00:13:23.360 That means to be shaped by Jesus. 00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:26.279 Over and against reputation. 00:13:27.159 --> 00:13:28.240 Shaped by others. 00:13:29.179 --> 00:13:30.259 Well, see how we go. 00:13:30.259 --> 00:13:33.620 This might be a massive failure or a spectacular success. 00:13:34.519 --> 00:13:36.860 I don't want any chat comments along the line. 00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:46.200 So, Jesus' diagnosis of the Sardis syndrome emphasizes his expectation of his church. 00:13:46.200 --> 00:13:49.300 And it goes like this, I think. 00:13:49.300 --> 00:14:01.620 Jesus demands that what he has imputed to us, that is, the status he has given us, the new creation he has made us, this ought to have visible expression in the way we live. 00:14:01.620 --> 00:14:09.799 As a church, we are to be shaped by Jesus and our new gospel life in the spirit. 00:14:11.580 --> 00:14:18.460 But, of course, we all know, going back to sort of the physical metaphor again, it's so easy to get out of shape. 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:20.679 So easy to become unhealthy. 00:14:20.679 --> 00:14:30.699 You just have to stop doing your exercises for a few weeks and months and months' worth of fitness just withers away. 00:14:32.719 --> 00:14:41.719 Well, just so, as a church, we need regular spiritual health checks to keep in shape, to keep healthy. 00:14:44.139 --> 00:14:47.199 So those health checks will come in a series of questions. 00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:58.240 Are we clearly a community, and I'm not talking individually, it involves us individually, but are we clearly a community shaped by gospel grace? 00:14:59.060 --> 00:15:07.040 That is, living thankfully, knowing we have escaped hell and damnation and enjoy new life and relationship with God. 00:15:10.820 --> 00:15:14.860 Do we display a whole of life response to God's grace? 00:15:14.860 --> 00:15:18.580 A whole of life response to God's grace? 00:15:18.860 --> 00:15:23.980 That is, constantly struggling to say no to sin and yes to righteousness. 00:15:25.159 --> 00:15:31.560 Showing passionate to express the mind of Christ in love, unity, service of one another. 00:15:33.879 --> 00:15:39.259 Is that what people would see if they dig down into the heart of us as a church? 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:44.379 Are we committed to confessing Jesus to those around us? 00:15:44.860 --> 00:15:49.180 As he is committed to confessing us to his father, verse 5 and 6 here. 00:15:51.940 --> 00:15:58.399 Friends, being shaped as a church by Jesus and the gospel will not happen automatically. 00:15:59.779 --> 00:16:01.259 Verse 3, you've already looked at. 00:16:01.259 --> 00:16:10.620 It requires thought and effort and discipline if we're going to be shaped by Jesus. 00:16:11.259 --> 00:16:22.039 But moving on, as always, there's another appealing but dangerous option, and that is to focus on reputation or reputation. 00:16:22.039 --> 00:16:29.939 Reputation is focused on what others think of me and how I look to others around me. 00:16:30.500 --> 00:16:34.439 Reputation is something I can be busy trying to build before others. 00:16:34.440 --> 00:16:45.080 Now, in Sardis, historically, reputation shaped by the past was a big thing in the history of Sardis. 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:48.500 And Jesus hints at it to make his point here in these verses. 00:16:49.160 --> 00:16:50.360 So, a little bit of history. 00:16:50.360 --> 00:16:57.300 Sardis had been the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia and King Croesus. 00:16:58.060 --> 00:17:01.300 It had been legendary for its wealth and the good life. 00:17:01.779 --> 00:17:06.240 And at one stage, that legend and that reputation was perfectly true. 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:12.759 But at the time this letter was written, Sardis was in decline. 00:17:13.140 --> 00:17:17.880 It was dying as a town, as a city, at the expense of other nearby growth areas. 00:17:18.819 --> 00:17:23.339 But the problem was to see that proud locals hung on to the city's reputation. 00:17:23.779 --> 00:17:25.640 They lived on past memories. 00:17:27.400 --> 00:17:31.500 Even though those memories had now become a delusion. 00:17:31.500 --> 00:17:39.519 Now, historically, Sardis also had a big reputation as an impregnable fortress. 00:17:39.859 --> 00:17:43.660 Because the original city was built on top of a hill that had sheer cliffs all around. 00:17:43.940 --> 00:17:48.220 Except for one narrow neck of land that was easily defended. 00:17:50.579 --> 00:17:57.500 But twice in its history, not once but twice, Sardis the impregnable, as the city was called, 00:17:57.500 --> 00:18:03.279 had been captured by enemy troops climbing the unguarded cliffs at night. 00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:07.140 Now, you can understand it happening once. 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:13.140 But that this was allowed to happen twice revealed their arrogance. 00:18:14.059 --> 00:18:15.299 Revealed their stupidity. 00:18:15.640 --> 00:18:17.799 Revealed their false sense of security. 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:24.660 It revealed how much they'd relied on reputation rather than facts. 00:18:24.660 --> 00:18:29.480 Now, again, here's the rub for us. 00:18:30.700 --> 00:18:37.480 Assuming what was true in the past continues to be true is very dangerous. 00:18:41.360 --> 00:18:44.480 A church can easily focus on reputation. 00:18:46.200 --> 00:18:48.980 We might have a reputation for being a growing church. 00:18:50.620 --> 00:18:52.680 But are we a maturing church? 00:18:52.680 --> 00:19:01.380 We might have a reputation for emphasizing the centrality of churching, of being an authentic community of Christ's people. 00:19:02.539 --> 00:19:10.640 But we actually only engage in the community minimally in terms of energy and time and money and relationships. 00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:22.400 Now, it's interesting that in the letter to Sardis, there's no mention of persecution in the church at Sardis compared to other churches that have been written to. 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:32.759 Is it perhaps that they had such a good reputation with the local community that the local community didn't see them as a threat? 00:19:32.759 --> 00:19:39.819 Perhaps they were not gospel-shaped enough to be a threat to their community. 00:19:40.420 --> 00:19:44.079 Perhaps they didn't even clash with the prevailing worldviews. 00:19:45.339 --> 00:19:47.579 Perhaps they were there as a community aid. 00:19:47.579 --> 00:20:03.799 Friends, even if the reputation we have as a church is true, it's not good enough for individuals within our church to ride on that reputation. 00:20:04.339 --> 00:20:05.960 And again, you see, this is a really subtle thing. 00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:12.980 If you're part of our church and belong to it and really value the church, then you'll analyze the church as a whole unit. 00:20:13.460 --> 00:20:15.400 And that's how you'll think it is for you. 00:20:15.660 --> 00:20:17.259 But it doesn't have to be like that. 00:20:17.940 --> 00:20:20.299 It wasn't like that for the church in Sardis. 00:20:20.519 --> 00:20:25.880 There was a lot of people with really soiled garments, but some who were doing the right thing, 00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:31.180 who were really passionately committed to Jesus and passionately committed to serving them. 00:20:31.180 --> 00:20:40.640 The fact that in the church in Sardis there were some who were shaped by Jesus and living consistently with who they were in Jesus, 00:20:40.860 --> 00:20:43.799 did not excuse others who were not. 00:20:45.340 --> 00:20:47.980 And that's the danger of being in a community. 00:20:48.940 --> 00:20:53.480 We tend to evaluate ourselves relative to one another. 00:20:53.980 --> 00:20:55.240 I'm part of this community. 00:20:55.500 --> 00:20:56.620 They're part of this community. 00:20:56.940 --> 00:20:58.320 Therefore, we've got to be the same. 00:20:58.940 --> 00:21:00.279 Well, not so, says Jesus. 00:21:01.180 --> 00:21:08.820 You can be part of the same community, but your hearts can be vastly different. 00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:20.380 So each one of us must check carefully that individually, that is, I'm speaking to you individually, 00:21:20.900 --> 00:21:24.840 you are totally committed to the things which our church is built upon. 00:21:24.839 --> 00:21:33.679 Now, young people especially, you can't just grow up in this church and gradually move into doing things in this church. 00:21:33.679 --> 00:21:37.220 You need to be totally committed to the things which our church is built upon. 00:21:37.220 --> 00:21:43.460 Older people, we can't just live on what our church has been from the past. 00:21:44.860 --> 00:21:50.440 We need to make sure that our reputation, if we do have a reputation for some of these things, is actually real. 00:21:50.740 --> 00:21:51.779 It's actually current. 00:21:52.900 --> 00:21:55.259 And not currently undeserved. 00:21:55.259 --> 00:22:03.980 And friends, as we resume physical church in two congregations, this is the time to do a spiritual health check. 00:22:04.220 --> 00:22:10.480 This is the time to reset, to ensure that we're shaped by Jesus and the gospel rather than reputation. 00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:16.559 And what a trap there will be for us moving into two congregations. 00:22:17.019 --> 00:22:19.640 We can then say to other people, ah, our church is growing. 00:22:19.740 --> 00:22:22.259 We've had to go into two groups to be able to meet together. 00:22:23.019 --> 00:22:24.059 Aren't we great? 00:22:25.960 --> 00:22:28.180 Well, that might be the case. 00:22:28.860 --> 00:22:32.539 But boy, where's your heart in it as you go into these two congregations? 00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:34.460 Is it resentful? 00:22:34.460 --> 00:22:39.360 Is it focused on family, almost to the point of familiality? 00:22:40.340 --> 00:22:41.900 Is it focused on convenience? 00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:49.740 Or are you seeing an opportunity, a new opportunity, to grow into two groups, 00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:55.259 each of which will bring honor and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ in their own right? 00:22:55.880 --> 00:23:01.900 Are you prepared to do the heavy lifting for the sake of the gospel that will be required in the weeks and months ahead? 00:23:04.460 --> 00:23:07.840 So, what's the prognosis for the church at Sardis? 00:23:09.700 --> 00:23:19.019 Well, this is where we need to understand that verses 1 and 5 and 6 are sort of hedge in this fearful warning issued by Jesus. 00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:21.319 It's a bracket. 00:23:21.640 --> 00:23:22.940 There are brackets around about it. 00:23:24.100 --> 00:23:24.960 So, verse 1. 00:23:25.740 --> 00:23:30.100 Jesus sees what no one else saw. 00:23:30.099 --> 00:23:34.000 Even the Christians in the church at Sardis. 00:23:34.779 --> 00:23:43.779 But equally true, he is the great physician who does not write his people off when they collapse in a mess or lose their way. 00:23:44.599 --> 00:23:52.339 He has both the ability and the desire to help his church restore spiritual vitality and health. 00:23:53.079 --> 00:23:56.519 He wants them to chase a good reputation. 00:23:56.519 --> 00:24:02.599 He does want them to chase a good reputation, but a reputation before him and in his power. 00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:04.480 Now, verse 1. 00:24:05.220 --> 00:24:10.299 Jesus is described here as having the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. 00:24:11.099 --> 00:24:14.740 Now, again, this is a picture, a symbol already introduced in chapter 1. 00:24:14.740 --> 00:24:23.819 Now, in chapter 1, verses 46, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all involved in God's plan of salvation. 00:24:24.759 --> 00:24:30.279 And they're symbolized in the order in which they're recorded in chapter 1, verses 4, 5, and 6. 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:34.539 They symbolize the order of the three rooms of the Old Testament tabernacle. 00:24:35.859 --> 00:24:36.819 Here's how it works. 00:24:36.819 --> 00:24:45.200 Sin-dirty people first required the cleansing power of priests and sacrifice to deal with their sin and guilt. 00:24:45.799 --> 00:24:48.460 That was the outer courtyard of the tabernacle. 00:24:50.139 --> 00:24:52.779 Then they needed the renewing power of the Holy Spirit. 00:24:52.779 --> 00:25:14.399 And that was the next room in, in which there was a seven-branched candlestick symbolizing the power of the Holy Spirit to renew hearts and minds as an essential qualification to moving into the presence of God in the Holy of Holies. 00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:22.759 So, sacrifice, removing the guilt, the Holy Spirit, renewing. 00:25:23.380 --> 00:25:30.280 Only then were they acceptable to and had access to God himself in the Holy of Holies. 00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:35.320 But seven also represents completeness. 00:25:35.940 --> 00:25:38.540 So, the picture here, when you put it together, is multidimensional. 00:25:38.539 --> 00:25:49.859 God's Spirit is equally and completely present in each local expression of Christ's church, doing his work of renewing. 00:25:52.940 --> 00:26:05.680 So, my friends, there is always hope and encouragement for God's people to see their feelings, to repent, to seek the help of God's Spirit, to renew or correct our attitudes and desires, 00:26:05.680 --> 00:26:10.259 so we might live and act in a way that properly reflects who we are in Christ. 00:26:14.759 --> 00:26:22.460 So, will we take seriously the dangers we face as Christ's church? 00:26:25.320 --> 00:26:33.100 The danger of getting so comfortable with our nice friendship group, getting comfortable with good teaching, 00:26:33.099 --> 00:26:39.119 getting comfortable with a wide variety of programs, getting comfortable with our nice secure building. 00:26:40.159 --> 00:26:46.899 Will we understand that we might, in all that comfort, simply drift off to sleep 00:26:46.899 --> 00:26:52.980 when we should be on guard for attack from the enemy? 00:26:55.980 --> 00:26:59.599 There's a syndrome known in churches, and many people have written about it. 00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:04.599 It's called the danger of middle-aged death, particularly for churches. 00:27:05.740 --> 00:27:09.659 When we live on memories of the good old days, 00:27:10.659 --> 00:27:13.559 rather than looking to the future as new opportunity, 00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:17.619 in a new two-congregation format. 00:27:17.619 --> 00:27:25.339 And will you take seriously the challenge to rethink who you are in Christ? 00:27:27.459 --> 00:27:29.219 To repent as required? 00:27:31.099 --> 00:27:35.779 And to reset your commitment to Christ and being part of his body? 00:27:36.919 --> 00:27:37.739 This church. 00:27:37.740 --> 00:27:40.920 We have two options. 00:27:41.420 --> 00:27:46.599 We can just tune out these confronting words of Jesus and make them white noise in the background 00:27:46.599 --> 00:27:50.319 while we continue to do what we've always been comfortable doing in church. 00:27:51.640 --> 00:27:53.279 Or we can take them on board. 00:27:54.519 --> 00:27:57.319 We can be traumatized by their potential, 00:27:57.759 --> 00:27:59.140 by the threat of them, 00:27:59.480 --> 00:28:00.740 by the seriousness of them. 00:28:00.740 --> 00:28:05.420 And we can turn to the Lord Jesus and his spirit 00:28:05.420 --> 00:28:08.539 for renewing, cleansing power, 00:28:08.640 --> 00:28:10.960 so that we might be confident 00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:14.279 that he will be pleased to confess us, 00:28:14.660 --> 00:28:15.799 as a church family, 00:28:16.700 --> 00:28:17.900 to his Father. 00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:21.059 That we might be pleased to confess him now, 00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:22.960 so that he might be pleased 00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:24.400 to confess us then. 00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:28.160 Well, join me again as I pray 00:28:28.160 --> 00:28:29.580 to bring this to a conclusion. 00:28:29.720 --> 00:28:30.800 Thank you very much for listening. 00:28:32.980 --> 00:28:34.220 Lord, as I prayed at the start, 00:28:34.300 --> 00:28:35.340 these are confronting words, 00:28:35.680 --> 00:28:38.120 but they're also words of hope and encouragement. 00:28:38.840 --> 00:28:39.480 Help us, Lord, 00:28:39.540 --> 00:28:41.240 not to take the easy option 00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:44.220 of just closing our ears 00:28:44.220 --> 00:28:45.780 to the harshness, 00:28:46.100 --> 00:28:48.560 to the potential challenge of these words. 00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:50.680 Help us to allow those words 00:28:50.680 --> 00:28:52.200 to sink deeply into us, 00:28:52.759 --> 00:28:53.759 to unsettle us, 00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:54.960 to shake our tree 00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:58.200 individually and as a church family, 00:28:58.299 --> 00:28:59.460 so that we might see 00:28:59.460 --> 00:29:00.700 what we need to see 00:29:00.700 --> 00:29:02.640 and act, 00:29:03.019 --> 00:29:04.879 while there's still time and opportunity, 00:29:05.119 --> 00:29:07.440 graciously given to us by you 00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:10.779 to cleanse our garments 00:29:10.779 --> 00:29:13.079 and once again to act and live 00:29:13.079 --> 00:29:16.019 according to the shape that we now have 00:29:16.019 --> 00:29:17.519 as renewed, 00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:19.440 forgiven sinners 00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:20.700 in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:29:21.400 --> 00:29:22.799 Help us to that end, we pray, 00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:23.899 in Jesus' name. 00:29:24.319 --> 00:29:24.559 Amen. 00:29:25.899 --> 00:29:26.819 Thank you very much. 00:29:26.819 --> 00:29:27.759 Amen. 00:29:35.960 --> 00:29:35.980 Amen. 00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:36.079 Amen. 00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:36.359 Amen. 00:29:36.359 --> 00:29:36.379 Amen. 00:29:36.379 --> 00:29:36.799 Amen. 00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:37.079 Amen. 00:29:37.220 --> 00:29:37.399 Amen. 00:29:37.539 --> 00:29:40.039 Amen. 00:29:42.039 --> 00:29:43.539 Amen. 00:29:43.679 --> 00:29:44.059 Amen. 00:29:44.059 --> 00:29:44.099 Amen. 00:29:44.099 --> 00:29:44.159 Amen. 00:29:44.179 --> 00:29:44.579 Amen. 00:29:44.579 --> 00:29:45.859 Amen. 00:29:46.200 --> 00:29:46.519 Amen. 00:29:46.839 --> 00:29:47.119 Amen. 00:29:47.119 --> 00:29:47.519 Amen. 00:29:47.519 --> 00:29:48.179 Amen. 00:29:48.179 --> 00:29:48.619 Amen. 00:29:48.720 --> 00:29:49.039 Amen. 00:29:49.039 --> 00:29:49.259 Amen. 00:29:49.259 --> 00:29:49.279 Amen. 00:29:49.279 --> 00:29:49.799 Amen. 00:29:49.879 --> 00:29:51.779 Amen. 00:29:51.779 --> 00:29:52.579 Amen. 00:29:52.579 --> 00:29:53.019 Amen. 00:29:53.099 --> 00:29:53.480 Amen. 00:29:53.480 --> 00:29:55.079 Amen. 00:29:55.099 --> 00:29:55.460 Amen. 00:29:55.460 --> 00:29:55.839 Amen. 00:29:55.859 --> 00:29:55.919 Amen. 00:29:55.919 --> 00:29:56.379 Amen. 00:29:56.379 --> 00:29:56.799 Amen.