WEBVTT

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 It's good to worship with you guys.

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 Please turn with me in your Bibles

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 to the book of Revelation, chapter three.

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 This is the last book of the Bible.

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 If you don't have a Bible, please raise your hand.

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 We'd love to give you a copy that you could have

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 then take home with you.

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 We started this series a couple months ago.

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 We're in chapter three today, verses one through six.

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 Let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's word.

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 Father, your word is truth.

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 And you are good.

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 Your love endures forever.

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 You are worthy of all our praise

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 and the praise of every nation, tribe, and tongue, and people.

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 We ask that you would address us from your word again.

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 Speak to us with the word that never returns void

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 so that our hearts are spurred on to exalt your name,

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 the name of your son, Jesus,

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 so that we might be changed, become more like him,

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 so that we might live with faith and hope and love

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 in eager expectation of the hope that will be revealed to us

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 at the second coming of our Lord Jesus.

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 Wake us up

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 so we might not be given to spiritual slumber,

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 but make us alert, watchful,

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 sober-minded.

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 In Jesus' name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 If you are able, please stand for the reading of God's word.

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 Revelation chapter three, verses one to six.

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 And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,

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 the words of him who has the seven spirits of God

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 and the seven stars,

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 I know your works.

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 You have the reputation of being alive,

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 but you are dead.

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 Wake up

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 and strengthen what remains and is about to die,

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 for I have not found your works complete

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 in the sight of my God.

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 Remember then

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 what you received and heard.

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 Keep it

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 and repent.

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 If you will not wake up,

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 I will come like a thief

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 and you will not know

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 at what hour I will come against you.

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 Yet you have still a few names

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 in Sardis,

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 people who have not soiled their garments

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 and they will walk with me in white,

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 for they are worthy.

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 The one who conquers

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 will be clothed thus in white garments,

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 and I will never blot his name

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 out of the book of life.

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 I will confess his name

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 before my father

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 and before his angels.

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 He who has an ear,

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 let him hear what the spirit says

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 to the churches.

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 This is God's holy

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 and authoritative word.

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 You may be seated.

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 For those of you

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 who are new to the church,

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 we use a communication platform

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 called Slack

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 and on Slack earlier this week,

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 I asked some of you guys

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 questions

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 about what was the most important thing

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 and event that you missed

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 due to oversleeping

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 and I should have asked you guys

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 for permission

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 to share this beforehand,

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 but you guys shared it

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 on a public platform,

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 so I'm taking my license

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 and airing out your...

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 Aubrey mentioned

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 that she overslept

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 and missed her SAT exam.

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 David Foreman

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 missed his meeting

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 with an advisor.

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 Charlie Yang

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 and Andrew Rimm

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 missed a final presentation

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 and a final exam

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 in college,

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 respectively.

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 Nathaniel Jenkins,

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 is Nathaniel here?

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 Yeah,

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 he missed a human-powered

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 flying engineering competition.

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 It's a very geeky thing

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 to miss there,

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 but he's at MIT,

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 so that's not surprising,

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 for which he happened

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 to have all of his university's

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 tools in his car

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 and he missed it.

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 Sungmin confessed

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 to oversleeping

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 and missing church sometimes.

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 God forgives you.

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 Jen Cook missed

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 her own birthday party

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 that her friends and family

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 were throwing for her

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 because she overslept

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 and missed her flight

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 and thankfully,

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 they had a good sense

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 of humor about it

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 and had the party anyway

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 with framed pictures of her

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 to carry around everywhere

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 and she had photo evidence

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 to prove it

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 and one of Joseph Johnson's

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 sisters missed

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 their brother's wedding

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 this summer

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 because of a little nap

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 that went a little too long

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 and I thought

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 that would take the cake

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 and then Daniel Yuan

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 responded

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 and he said

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 that he has missed

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 multiple weddings

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 due to oversleeping,

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 including one

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 for which he was in charge

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 of the video audio equipment.

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 It's funny, yeah.

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 I thought you guys

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 would have some good stories

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 and you guys did not disappoint

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 so thanks for the

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 sermon fodder there

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 that Ed was quick

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 to catch on to.

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 Thankfully,

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 you all seem to have

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 recovered just fine

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 from all those things.

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 Missed exams,

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 missed classes,

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 missed, you know.

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 I think oversleeping

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 and missing something

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 is a familiar fear

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 for most of us

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 but there's a kind

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 of slumber

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 that you never

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 recover from

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 and that's

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 spiritual slumber

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 and I don't mean

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 that you can't

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 recover from it

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 now but rather

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 if you die

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 in that state

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 then you don't

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 recover.

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 There's no second chance

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 after that.

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 We are repeatedly

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 warned throughout

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 the New Testament

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 that Jesus will come back

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 like a thief

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 and that's not to steal

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 but to claim

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 what is his own

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 and when you come

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 to claim what is your own

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 that's not stealing

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 that's redeeming

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 and so he will come

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 back to redeem

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 but he will come

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 like a thief

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 in the sense

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 that he will come

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 unannounced.

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 No thief ever comes

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 after announcing

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 his coming

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 because then

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 the residents

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 of the house

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 will be ready

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 and he will not

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 be able to break in.

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 He comes unannounced

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 likewise Jesus

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 will come unannounced

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 and that's why

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 we are repeatedly

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 commanded throughout

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 scripture to be alert

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 and to be watchful

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 to be awake.

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 If we are found

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 spiritually sleeping

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 when the Lord returns

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 there's no makeup tests.

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 That's the end.

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 It's the second death.

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 The lake of fire

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 because spiritual sleep

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 is a metaphor

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 for spiritual death

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 as we see here

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 in verses 1 to 2.

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 You have the reputation

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 of being alive

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 but you are dead.

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 Wake up

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 and strengthen

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 what remains

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 and is about to die.

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 Our eternal life

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 is at stake

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 in us being awake.

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 And so I urge you

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 to listen to this passage

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 and what Jesus

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 has to say to us

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 in this letter

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 because our lives

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 depend on it.

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 This passage teaches us

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 that we must wake up

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 and keep what we have heard

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 and received

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 so that our names

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 are never blotted out

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 from the book of life.

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 And first we're gonna talk

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 about the one

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 who has the spirit of life.

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 Secondly,

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 the church that is alive

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 in name only.

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 And third,

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 we'll talk about

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 the promise of life

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 for those who keep

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 Christ's name.

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 Now,

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 first let's look at

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 the one who has

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 the spirit of life

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 in verse 1.

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 That's how Jesus

00:07:45.520 --> 00:07:46.540
 introduces himself

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 in slightly different terms

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 in this letter

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 to the angel

00:07:49.379 --> 00:07:49.780
 of the church

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 in Sardis.

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 He says,

00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:52.160
 the words of him

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 who has the seven

00:07:53.379 --> 00:07:54.620
 spirits of God

00:07:54.620 --> 00:07:56.500
 and the seven stars.

00:07:57.520 --> 00:07:59.060
 The seven spirits of God

00:07:59.060 --> 00:07:59.740
 is alluding back

00:07:59.740 --> 00:08:00.480
 to chapter 1,

00:08:00.540 --> 00:08:01.060
 verse 4,

00:08:01.180 --> 00:08:01.860
 which introduced

00:08:01.860 --> 00:08:03.300
 the sender of these letters

00:08:03.300 --> 00:08:04.259
 to the seven churches

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 in Asia

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 and it was a Trinitarian formula.

00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:07.280
 He said,

00:08:07.660 --> 00:08:08.280
 grace and peace to you

00:08:08.280 --> 00:08:09.420
 from the one who is

00:08:09.420 --> 00:08:10.319
 and who was

00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:11.420
 and who is to come.

00:08:11.540 --> 00:08:12.300
 That's the father.

00:08:13.340 --> 00:08:15.019
 And from the seven spirits

00:08:15.019 --> 00:08:15.840
 before the throne,

00:08:15.920 --> 00:08:16.699
 that's the Holy Spirit.

00:08:16.980 --> 00:08:18.819
 And from Jesus Christ,

00:08:18.899 --> 00:08:19.579
 that's the son.

00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:22.240
 So the Trinity

00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:23.300
 is the author

00:08:23.300 --> 00:08:24.800
 of this book

00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:26.000
 and of these letters

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 in particular

00:08:26.560 --> 00:08:27.660
 to the seven churches

00:08:27.660 --> 00:08:28.480
 in Asia Minor.

00:08:29.180 --> 00:08:29.980
 But the expression

00:08:29.980 --> 00:08:30.800
 seven spirits

00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:31.839
 is a little confusing, right?

00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:32.340
 Because we're used

00:08:32.340 --> 00:08:32.960
 to thinking about

00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:33.700
 the Holy Spirit

00:08:33.700 --> 00:08:34.440
 being one.

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 And that's true

00:08:36.919 --> 00:08:38.000
 because Ephesians 4,

00:08:38.059 --> 00:08:38.659
 4 to 5 says,

00:08:38.799 --> 00:08:39.840
 there is one body

00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:41.340
 and one spirit,

00:08:41.659 --> 00:08:42.340
 just as you were called

00:08:42.340 --> 00:08:43.259
 to the one hope

00:08:43.259 --> 00:08:44.279
 that belongs to your call.

00:08:44.820 --> 00:08:45.600
 One Lord

00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:46.539
 and one faith

00:08:46.539 --> 00:08:47.379
 and one baptism,

00:08:47.639 --> 00:08:48.200
 one God

00:08:48.200 --> 00:08:49.059
 and Father of all.

00:08:49.159 --> 00:08:49.679
 So there is

00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:51.259
 the oneness of God

00:08:51.259 --> 00:08:51.919
 and the oneness

00:08:51.919 --> 00:08:52.559
 of the Spirit

00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:54.220
 is actually the basis

00:08:54.220 --> 00:08:55.460
 for unity in the church.

00:08:55.460 --> 00:08:56.240
 So there can't be

00:08:56.240 --> 00:08:57.860
 more than one spirit.

00:08:58.940 --> 00:09:00.440
 And John actually knows this

00:09:00.440 --> 00:09:01.040
 and you can see this

00:09:01.040 --> 00:09:01.940
 later in verse 6

00:09:01.940 --> 00:09:02.379
 when it says,

00:09:02.500 --> 00:09:03.220
 he who has an ear

00:09:03.220 --> 00:09:03.879
 let him hear

00:09:03.879 --> 00:09:04.960
 what the spirit

00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:07.340
 says to the churches

00:09:07.340 --> 00:09:07.940
 in the singular.

00:09:08.400 --> 00:09:09.080
 He knows that

00:09:09.080 --> 00:09:10.400
 there's only one Holy Spirit.

00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:12.259
 What's going on here then

00:09:12.259 --> 00:09:13.100
 is John using

00:09:13.100 --> 00:09:14.139
 the number seven

00:09:14.139 --> 00:09:15.200
 symbolically

00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:16.780
 as he frequently does

00:09:16.780 --> 00:09:17.320
 throughout the book

00:09:17.320 --> 00:09:17.879
 of Revelation.

00:09:18.620 --> 00:09:20.060
 Because God completed

00:09:20.060 --> 00:09:20.840
 the work of creation

00:09:20.840 --> 00:09:21.820
 in seven days,

00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:22.940
 the number seven

00:09:22.940 --> 00:09:23.900
 comes to represent

00:09:23.900 --> 00:09:25.000
 in the rest of Scripture

00:09:25.000 --> 00:09:25.919
 the fullness

00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:27.080
 or completeness

00:09:27.080 --> 00:09:27.980
 of something.

00:09:28.919 --> 00:09:30.000
 And so other translations

00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:31.019
 like the NIV

00:09:31.019 --> 00:09:32.519
 or the CSB

00:09:32.519 --> 00:09:33.600
 have a footnote

00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:34.740
 after the seven spirits

00:09:34.740 --> 00:09:35.600
 to explain

00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:36.220
 that it means

00:09:36.220 --> 00:09:37.759
 sevenfold spirit

00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:38.159
 and I think

00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:39.220
 that's a good translation.

00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:41.659
 The expression

00:09:41.659 --> 00:09:42.740
 seven spirits

00:09:42.740 --> 00:09:43.279
 conveys

00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:44.240
 the immensity

00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:44.860
 of God.

00:09:45.259 --> 00:09:46.139
 His fullness,

00:09:46.779 --> 00:09:48.200
 His omnipresence.

00:09:49.000 --> 00:09:49.840
 He fills

00:09:49.840 --> 00:09:50.620
 all in all.

00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:51.500
 He's everywhere.

00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:52.779
 Where shall I go

00:09:52.779 --> 00:09:53.839
 from your spirit?

00:09:54.199 --> 00:09:55.600
 Or where shall I flee

00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:56.419
 from your presence?

00:09:56.860 --> 00:09:57.899
 If I ascend to the heaven,

00:09:58.019 --> 00:09:58.379
 you are there.

00:09:58.439 --> 00:09:59.600
 If I make my bed

00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:00.240
 in Sheol,

00:10:00.539 --> 00:10:01.319
 in the realm of the dead,

00:10:01.379 --> 00:10:02.159
 you are there.

00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:03.980
 If I take the wings

00:10:03.980 --> 00:10:04.579
 of the morning

00:10:04.579 --> 00:10:05.759
 and dwell in the uttermost

00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:06.639
 parts of the sea,

00:10:07.139 --> 00:10:07.860
 even there,

00:10:08.199 --> 00:10:09.539
 your hand shall lead me.

00:10:10.039 --> 00:10:10.759
 God's presence

00:10:10.759 --> 00:10:11.559
 is full,

00:10:11.799 --> 00:10:12.379
 immense.

00:10:12.759 --> 00:10:13.539
 It is everywhere

00:10:13.539 --> 00:10:14.939
 and inescapable.

00:10:15.339 --> 00:10:16.000
 And that meaning

00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:16.839
 is later confirmed

00:10:16.839 --> 00:10:17.799
 in Revelation 5,

00:10:17.799 --> 00:10:18.240
 verse 6,

00:10:18.299 --> 00:10:18.759
 which says that

00:10:18.759 --> 00:10:19.059
 Jesus,

00:10:19.500 --> 00:10:20.219
 the Lamb of God,

00:10:20.279 --> 00:10:21.439
 has seven eyes

00:10:21.439 --> 00:10:23.859
 which are the seven spirits

00:10:23.859 --> 00:10:25.059
 of God sent out

00:10:25.059 --> 00:10:25.899
 into all the earth.

00:10:26.319 --> 00:10:27.479
 So the seven spirits

00:10:27.479 --> 00:10:28.799
 are the seven eyes

00:10:28.799 --> 00:10:29.979
 of God sent out

00:10:29.979 --> 00:10:30.719
 into all the earth

00:10:30.719 --> 00:10:32.000
 to observe everything

00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:32.779
 in every corner

00:10:32.779 --> 00:10:33.399
 of the earth.

00:10:34.519 --> 00:10:35.459
 This is a particularly

00:10:35.459 --> 00:10:36.459
 appropriate way

00:10:36.459 --> 00:10:37.479
 for Jesus to introduce

00:10:37.479 --> 00:10:38.439
 Himself in this letter

00:10:38.439 --> 00:10:39.799
 to the church in Sardis

00:10:39.799 --> 00:10:41.159
 because the church

00:10:41.159 --> 00:10:41.699
 in Sardis

00:10:41.699 --> 00:10:42.699
 has the reputation

00:10:42.699 --> 00:10:44.039
 of being alive

00:10:44.039 --> 00:10:45.419
 but are dead.

00:10:45.419 --> 00:10:47.000
 and Jesus

00:10:47.000 --> 00:10:48.879
 is uniquely aware

00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:49.399
 of that

00:10:49.399 --> 00:10:51.699
 because He sees

00:10:51.699 --> 00:10:52.219
 everything.

00:10:52.959 --> 00:10:53.439
 He's the one

00:10:53.439 --> 00:10:54.639
 who has the seven spirits.

00:10:55.939 --> 00:10:57.120
 The church in Sardis

00:10:57.120 --> 00:10:57.959
 might be really good

00:10:57.959 --> 00:10:58.860
 at faking it

00:10:58.860 --> 00:11:00.099
 but they can't fool

00:11:00.099 --> 00:11:00.979
 Jesus who

00:11:00.979 --> 00:11:02.919
 has the seven spirits

00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:03.659
 and searches

00:11:03.659 --> 00:11:04.799
 both the surfaces

00:11:04.799 --> 00:11:06.259
 and the deeps

00:11:06.259 --> 00:11:07.699
 and sees through

00:11:07.699 --> 00:11:08.620
 the facades

00:11:08.620 --> 00:11:09.759
 and perceives things

00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:10.779
 as they really are.

00:11:12.539 --> 00:11:13.500
 This expression

00:11:13.500 --> 00:11:14.379
 is also appropriate

00:11:14.379 --> 00:11:15.099
 because the church

00:11:15.100 --> 00:11:15.580
 in Sardis

00:11:15.580 --> 00:11:16.940
 is about to die

00:11:16.940 --> 00:11:17.360
 as it says

00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:17.920
 in verse 2.

00:11:18.560 --> 00:11:19.220
 Their lamp

00:11:19.220 --> 00:11:21.720
 on the seven golden

00:11:21.720 --> 00:11:22.340
 lampstands

00:11:22.340 --> 00:11:22.860
 which represent

00:11:22.860 --> 00:11:23.740
 the seven churches

00:11:23.740 --> 00:11:25.560
 according to Revelation

00:11:25.560 --> 00:11:26.080
 1.20

00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:26.800
 that lamp

00:11:26.800 --> 00:11:28.620
 is about to die out.

00:11:29.560 --> 00:11:30.580
 Their flame

00:11:30.580 --> 00:11:32.300
 is just barely burning

00:11:32.300 --> 00:11:35.019
 like a smoldering wick

00:11:35.019 --> 00:11:36.879
 and what's the fire

00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:37.540
 that burns

00:11:37.540 --> 00:11:38.620
 in these churches?

00:11:39.580 --> 00:11:40.320
 We know

00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:41.720
 from other parts

00:11:41.720 --> 00:11:42.100
 of scripture

00:11:42.100 --> 00:11:44.120
 that Jesus baptizes us

00:11:44.120 --> 00:11:45.240
 with Holy Spirit

00:11:45.240 --> 00:11:46.340
 and fire.

00:11:47.100 --> 00:11:48.100
 It's the fire

00:11:48.100 --> 00:11:49.120
 of the Holy Spirit

00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:50.139
 that burns

00:11:50.139 --> 00:11:51.360
 in these churches.

00:11:51.539 --> 00:11:52.820
 That's why Revelation 4.5

00:11:52.820 --> 00:11:53.200
 says,

00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:54.259
 Before the throne of God

00:11:54.259 --> 00:11:54.659
 were burning

00:11:54.659 --> 00:11:55.700
 seven torches

00:11:55.700 --> 00:11:56.639
 of fire

00:11:56.639 --> 00:11:57.419
 which are

00:11:57.419 --> 00:11:58.580
 the seven spirits

00:11:58.580 --> 00:11:59.139
 of God.

00:12:02.139 --> 00:12:02.560
 So,

00:12:02.740 --> 00:12:03.740
 the spirit of God

00:12:03.740 --> 00:12:04.379
 is described

00:12:04.379 --> 00:12:05.100
 all throughout

00:12:05.100 --> 00:12:05.539
 the Old

00:12:05.539 --> 00:12:06.399
 and the New Testaments

00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:06.919
 as the one

00:12:06.919 --> 00:12:08.320
 who imparts life.

00:12:08.320 --> 00:12:09.040
 Paul calls him

00:12:09.040 --> 00:12:09.640
 the spirit

00:12:09.640 --> 00:12:10.820
 of life.

00:12:11.280 --> 00:12:11.900
 Romans 8.2

00:12:11.900 --> 00:12:13.460
 John says in 6.63

00:12:13.460 --> 00:12:14.320
 that it is

00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:14.860
 the spirit

00:12:14.860 --> 00:12:16.180
 who gives life.

00:12:17.080 --> 00:12:17.320
 So,

00:12:17.400 --> 00:12:18.080
 it's the flame

00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:18.680
 of the spirit

00:12:18.680 --> 00:12:19.220
 of God

00:12:19.220 --> 00:12:19.840
 that's about

00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:20.600
 to go out

00:12:20.600 --> 00:12:21.800
 in this church

00:12:21.800 --> 00:12:23.540
 flickering precariously.

00:12:24.820 --> 00:12:25.340
 So,

00:12:25.420 --> 00:12:25.820
 to whom

00:12:25.820 --> 00:12:26.420
 should they turn?

00:12:27.540 --> 00:12:28.040
 Of course,

00:12:28.120 --> 00:12:28.500
 the one

00:12:28.500 --> 00:12:28.980
 who has

00:12:28.980 --> 00:12:29.920
 the seven spirits.

00:12:30.900 --> 00:12:31.820
 He's the one

00:12:31.820 --> 00:12:32.360
 who can

00:12:32.360 --> 00:12:33.060
 fan

00:12:33.060 --> 00:12:34.100
 that flame.

00:12:34.100 --> 00:12:37.340
 make them

00:12:37.340 --> 00:12:38.300
 alive again.

00:12:39.700 --> 00:12:39.899
 So,

00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:40.240
 Jesus

00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:41.440
 is the one

00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:42.120
 who is the

00:12:42.120 --> 00:12:43.480
 life-giving spirit

00:12:43.480 --> 00:12:43.920
 as it says

00:12:43.920 --> 00:12:45.240
 in 1 Corinthians 15.45

00:12:45.240 --> 00:12:45.920
 and he is here

00:12:45.920 --> 00:12:46.879
 inviting the church

00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:47.420
 in Sardis.

00:12:47.800 --> 00:12:48.460
 Wake up!

00:12:49.540 --> 00:12:50.060
 Repent!

00:12:50.800 --> 00:12:51.620
 Turn to me!

00:12:51.779 --> 00:12:52.680
 Turn back to me

00:12:52.680 --> 00:12:53.940
 because I am the source

00:12:53.940 --> 00:12:55.560
 of all spiritual life

00:12:55.560 --> 00:12:56.920
 and I can make you

00:12:56.920 --> 00:12:57.720
 live again.

00:12:58.500 --> 00:12:59.680
 I can make you

00:12:59.680 --> 00:13:00.180
 burn

00:13:00.180 --> 00:13:00.920
 again.

00:13:03.080 --> 00:13:03.920
 But the fact

00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:04.379
 that Christ

00:13:04.379 --> 00:13:05.219
 has the authority

00:13:05.219 --> 00:13:05.939
 to impart

00:13:05.939 --> 00:13:06.559
 the spirit

00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:07.839
 also means

00:13:07.839 --> 00:13:08.379
 that he has

00:13:08.379 --> 00:13:08.799
 the authority

00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:09.519
 to remove.

00:13:11.299 --> 00:13:11.839
 And the next

00:13:11.839 --> 00:13:12.419
 part of Jesus'

00:13:12.579 --> 00:13:13.379
 self-identification

00:13:13.379 --> 00:13:14.000
 is a reminder

00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:14.319
 of that.

00:13:14.379 --> 00:13:14.819
 The words

00:13:14.819 --> 00:13:15.219
 of him

00:13:15.219 --> 00:13:15.679
 who has

00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:16.139
 the seven

00:13:16.139 --> 00:13:17.120
 spirits of God

00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:17.919
 and the seven

00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:18.439
 stars.

00:13:19.259 --> 00:13:20.000
 We were told

00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:20.620
 explicitly

00:13:20.620 --> 00:13:21.159
 earlier in

00:13:21.159 --> 00:13:21.639
 chapter 1

00:13:21.639 --> 00:13:22.099
 verse 20

00:13:22.099 --> 00:13:22.779
 that the seven

00:13:22.779 --> 00:13:23.719
 stars represent

00:13:23.719 --> 00:13:24.599
 the angels

00:13:24.599 --> 00:13:25.319
 of the seven

00:13:25.319 --> 00:13:25.759
 churches.

00:13:28.299 --> 00:13:29.000
 The angels

00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:29.399
 are,

00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:29.959
 these angels,

00:13:30.099 --> 00:13:30.539
 seven angels

00:13:30.539 --> 00:13:31.500
 are the representatives,

00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:32.579
 heavenly representatives

00:13:32.579 --> 00:13:33.500
 of these seven

00:13:33.500 --> 00:13:33.860
 churches

00:13:33.860 --> 00:13:34.600
 on earth.

00:13:35.100 --> 00:13:35.700
 So then the fact

00:13:35.700 --> 00:13:36.159
 that Jesus

00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:36.980
 has the seven

00:13:36.980 --> 00:13:38.360
 stars in his

00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:38.860
 right hand,

00:13:38.899 --> 00:13:39.500
 as said in

00:13:39.500 --> 00:13:40.500
 chapter 1,

00:13:40.800 --> 00:13:41.580
 is a symbol

00:13:41.580 --> 00:13:42.580
 of his authority

00:13:42.580 --> 00:13:43.419
 and sovereignty.

00:13:43.639 --> 00:13:44.379
 He's full control

00:13:44.379 --> 00:13:45.120
 over all of these

00:13:45.120 --> 00:13:45.419
 churches.

00:13:46.899 --> 00:13:48.200
 It doesn't matter

00:13:48.200 --> 00:13:49.220
 to Jesus

00:13:49.220 --> 00:13:50.519
 that the church

00:13:50.519 --> 00:13:51.060
 in Sardis

00:13:51.060 --> 00:13:51.879
 has a sparkling

00:13:51.879 --> 00:13:52.539
 reputation

00:13:52.539 --> 00:13:54.000
 among their peers.

00:13:56.500 --> 00:13:57.480
 What matters

00:13:57.480 --> 00:13:58.259
 is Jesus'

00:13:58.580 --> 00:13:59.080
 assessment,

00:13:59.920 --> 00:14:00.360
 Jesus'

00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:01.060
 judgment,

00:14:01.059 --> 00:14:01.199
 judgment,

00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:03.019
 and Jesus

00:14:03.019 --> 00:14:03.619
 says that

00:14:03.619 --> 00:14:03.919
 they are

00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:04.239
 dead.

00:14:07.159 --> 00:14:07.779
 So this

00:14:07.779 --> 00:14:08.319
 is the warning.

00:14:08.719 --> 00:14:09.339
 I am the

00:14:09.339 --> 00:14:09.919
 one who is

00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:10.579
 in charge

00:14:10.579 --> 00:14:11.019
 of the

00:14:11.019 --> 00:14:11.359
 book of

00:14:11.359 --> 00:14:11.759
 life.

00:14:12.299 --> 00:14:12.799
 Repent

00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:14.759
 and confess

00:14:14.759 --> 00:14:15.319
 my name.

00:14:16.699 --> 00:14:17.339
 So that's

00:14:17.339 --> 00:14:17.779
 Jesus,

00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:18.259
 the one who

00:14:18.259 --> 00:14:19.659
 has the

00:14:19.659 --> 00:14:20.019
 spirit of

00:14:20.019 --> 00:14:20.299
 life.

00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:21.379
 And Jesus

00:14:21.379 --> 00:14:21.859
 has to

00:14:21.859 --> 00:14:22.319
 remind the

00:14:22.319 --> 00:14:22.759
 church in

00:14:22.759 --> 00:14:23.319
 Sardis

00:14:23.319 --> 00:14:23.919
 of this

00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:24.579
 because they

00:14:24.579 --> 00:14:25.119
 were a

00:14:25.119 --> 00:14:25.659
 church that

00:14:25.659 --> 00:14:26.379
 is alive

00:14:26.379 --> 00:14:27.019
 in name

00:14:27.019 --> 00:14:27.519
 only.

00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:29.120
 That's

00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:29.500
 my second

00:14:29.500 --> 00:14:29.740
 point.

00:14:29.799 --> 00:14:30.039
 It says

00:14:30.039 --> 00:14:30.279
 at the

00:14:30.279 --> 00:14:30.519
 end of

00:14:30.519 --> 00:14:30.939
 verse 1,

00:14:31.480 --> 00:14:31.779
 I know

00:14:31.779 --> 00:14:32.379
 your works.

00:14:33.159 --> 00:14:33.480
 You have

00:14:33.480 --> 00:14:34.299
 the reputation

00:14:34.299 --> 00:14:34.840
 of being

00:14:34.840 --> 00:14:35.159
 alive,

00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:35.500
 but you

00:14:35.500 --> 00:14:36.039
 are dead.

00:14:36.139 --> 00:14:36.439
 The word

00:14:36.439 --> 00:14:36.960
 reputation

00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:37.679
 is the

00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:38.220
 same word

00:14:38.220 --> 00:14:38.460
 in the

00:14:38.460 --> 00:14:38.639
 Greek

00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:39.079
 for the

00:14:39.079 --> 00:14:39.259
 word

00:14:39.259 --> 00:14:39.720
 name.

00:14:40.439 --> 00:14:40.819
 So they

00:14:40.819 --> 00:14:41.159
 have the

00:14:41.159 --> 00:14:41.639
 name

00:14:41.639 --> 00:14:42.100
 of being

00:14:42.100 --> 00:14:42.539
 alive,

00:14:42.819 --> 00:14:43.960
 but they

00:14:43.960 --> 00:14:44.899
 are dead.

00:14:45.500 --> 00:14:46.079
 That's a

00:14:46.079 --> 00:14:46.579
 key word

00:14:46.579 --> 00:14:46.919
 in this

00:14:46.919 --> 00:14:47.199
 passage

00:14:47.199 --> 00:14:47.579
 actually.

00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:48.139
 That word

00:14:48.139 --> 00:14:48.419
 name

00:14:48.419 --> 00:14:48.699
 occurs

00:14:48.699 --> 00:14:49.379
 four times

00:14:49.379 --> 00:14:49.659
 throughout

00:14:49.659 --> 00:14:49.899
 this

00:14:49.899 --> 00:14:50.259
 passage,

00:14:50.379 --> 00:14:50.500
 this

00:14:50.500 --> 00:14:50.679
 letter

00:14:50.679 --> 00:14:50.980
 to the

00:14:50.980 --> 00:14:51.159
 church

00:14:51.159 --> 00:14:51.299
 in

00:14:51.299 --> 00:14:51.659
 Sardis.

00:14:55.519 --> 00:14:56.139
 So in

00:14:56.139 --> 00:14:56.340
 other

00:14:56.340 --> 00:14:56.559
 words,

00:14:56.559 --> 00:14:56.899
 these are

00:14:56.899 --> 00:14:57.299
 a church

00:14:57.299 --> 00:14:57.919
 full of

00:14:57.919 --> 00:14:58.579
 nominal

00:14:58.579 --> 00:14:59.079
 Christians,

00:14:59.599 --> 00:15:00.000
 Christians

00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:00.739
 in name

00:15:00.739 --> 00:15:01.219
 only.

00:15:02.079 --> 00:15:02.699
 They're not

00:15:02.699 --> 00:15:03.239
 completely

00:15:03.239 --> 00:15:03.719
 spiritually

00:15:03.719 --> 00:15:04.059
 dead,

00:15:04.719 --> 00:15:05.899
 because we

00:15:05.899 --> 00:15:06.239
 know from

00:15:06.239 --> 00:15:06.739
 verse 2

00:15:06.739 --> 00:15:07.279
 that they

00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:07.819
 are about

00:15:07.819 --> 00:15:08.359
 to die,

00:15:08.459 --> 00:15:08.799
 so it's

00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:09.439
 hyperbolic,

00:15:09.599 --> 00:15:09.979
 the part of

00:15:09.979 --> 00:15:10.339
 verse 1

00:15:10.339 --> 00:15:10.599
 that says

00:15:10.599 --> 00:15:10.859
 you are

00:15:10.859 --> 00:15:11.239
 dead.

00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:12.659
 They are

00:15:12.659 --> 00:15:13.079
 dying,

00:15:13.219 --> 00:15:13.679
 not quite

00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:14.279
 dead yet,

00:15:14.959 --> 00:15:15.699
 but if you

00:15:15.699 --> 00:15:16.219
 lived in the

00:15:16.219 --> 00:15:16.839
 first century

00:15:16.839 --> 00:15:18.279
 and you met

00:15:18.279 --> 00:15:18.559
 a fellow

00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:19.219
 Christian while

00:15:19.219 --> 00:15:19.419
 you were

00:15:19.419 --> 00:15:20.159
 traveling who

00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:20.639
 was from

00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:21.179
 Sardis,

00:15:21.239 --> 00:15:21.419
 and they

00:15:21.419 --> 00:15:21.539
 say,

00:15:21.599 --> 00:15:21.819
 oh yeah,

00:15:21.859 --> 00:15:21.979
 I'm a

00:15:21.979 --> 00:15:22.239
 member of

00:15:22.239 --> 00:15:22.539
 the church

00:15:22.539 --> 00:15:23.219
 in Sardis,

00:15:23.859 --> 00:15:24.279
 you would

00:15:24.279 --> 00:15:24.459
 have been

00:15:24.459 --> 00:15:24.899
 impressed.

00:15:25.639 --> 00:15:25.919
 Oh,

00:15:26.019 --> 00:15:26.319
 wow.

00:15:26.979 --> 00:15:27.259
 You would

00:15:27.259 --> 00:15:27.399
 have been

00:15:27.399 --> 00:15:27.539
 a church

00:15:27.539 --> 00:15:28.339
 in Sardis.

00:15:30.419 --> 00:15:30.959
 I've heard

00:15:30.959 --> 00:15:31.399
 great things

00:15:31.399 --> 00:15:31.799
 about that

00:15:31.799 --> 00:15:32.099
 church.

00:15:34.839 --> 00:15:35.419
 That was

00:15:35.419 --> 00:15:35.559
 their

00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:36.019
 reputation,

00:15:36.719 --> 00:15:39.000
 but they

00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:39.339
 were in

00:15:39.339 --> 00:15:40.039
 reality about

00:15:40.039 --> 00:15:40.459
 to die.

00:15:40.599 --> 00:15:41.000
 There are

00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:41.599
 many churches

00:15:41.599 --> 00:15:42.059
 in the world

00:15:42.059 --> 00:15:42.319
 that are

00:15:42.319 --> 00:15:42.739
 like that,

00:15:43.339 --> 00:15:44.119
 like the

00:15:44.119 --> 00:15:44.459
 church in

00:15:44.459 --> 00:15:44.699
 Sardis,

00:15:44.779 --> 00:15:45.359
 alive in

00:15:45.359 --> 00:15:45.979
 name only,

00:15:46.139 --> 00:15:46.439
 and there

00:15:46.439 --> 00:15:46.899
 can be many

00:15:46.899 --> 00:15:47.539
 reasons for

00:15:47.539 --> 00:15:47.799
 that.

00:15:47.799 --> 00:15:48.759
 a church

00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:49.240
 might have

00:15:49.240 --> 00:15:49.939
 the reputation

00:15:49.939 --> 00:15:50.839
 of being

00:15:50.839 --> 00:15:51.659
 alive because

00:15:51.659 --> 00:15:52.019
 of its

00:15:52.019 --> 00:15:52.959
 traditionalism,

00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:55.799
 because it's

00:15:55.799 --> 00:15:56.299
 an ancient

00:15:56.299 --> 00:15:57.879
 church with

00:15:57.879 --> 00:15:58.599
 impressive

00:15:58.599 --> 00:15:59.699
 cathedrals and

00:15:59.699 --> 00:16:00.259
 sparkly

00:16:00.259 --> 00:16:00.899
 vestments.

00:16:01.899 --> 00:16:02.459
 I'm not

00:16:02.459 --> 00:16:03.039
 discounting

00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:04.120
 tradition here.

00:16:04.359 --> 00:16:04.839
 I actually

00:16:04.839 --> 00:16:06.419
 value tradition.

00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:06.919
 I think it's

00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:07.379
 important.

00:16:07.599 --> 00:16:08.579
 Tradition preserves

00:16:08.579 --> 00:16:09.719
 the experience and

00:16:09.719 --> 00:16:10.419
 wisdom of the

00:16:10.419 --> 00:16:11.719
 old, but

00:16:11.719 --> 00:16:12.719
 traditionalism

00:16:12.719 --> 00:16:13.719
 preserves tradition

00:16:13.720 --> 00:16:14.580
 for tradition's

00:16:14.580 --> 00:16:14.820
 sake.

00:16:16.740 --> 00:16:17.440
 As 20th

00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:18.080
 century church

00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:18.540
 historian

00:16:18.540 --> 00:16:19.740
 Yaroslav Pelikan

00:16:19.740 --> 00:16:20.240
 once said,

00:16:20.340 --> 00:16:21.100
 tradition is the

00:16:21.100 --> 00:16:21.820
 living faith of

00:16:21.820 --> 00:16:22.240
 the dead.

00:16:23.480 --> 00:16:24.259
 Traditionalism is

00:16:24.259 --> 00:16:25.080
 the dead faith

00:16:25.080 --> 00:16:25.600
 of the living.

00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:27.320
 And I suppose I

00:16:27.320 --> 00:16:27.700
 should add,

00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:28.680
 it is traditionalism

00:16:28.680 --> 00:16:29.060
 that gives

00:16:29.060 --> 00:16:29.940
 tradition such a

00:16:29.940 --> 00:16:30.420
 bad name.

00:16:32.700 --> 00:16:33.580
 Antiquity and

00:16:33.580 --> 00:16:35.300
 traditionalism alone

00:16:35.300 --> 00:16:37.060
 are no signs of

00:16:37.060 --> 00:16:38.040
 spiritual life.

00:16:39.100 --> 00:16:39.980
 As Jesus says in

00:16:39.980 --> 00:16:40.840
 Mark 7, 13,

00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:41.680
 they make void

00:16:41.680 --> 00:16:42.800
 the word of God

00:16:42.800 --> 00:16:43.560
 by their

00:16:43.559 --> 00:16:44.059
 tradition.

00:16:47.259 --> 00:16:48.099
 Some churches

00:16:48.099 --> 00:16:48.959
 have the reputation

00:16:48.959 --> 00:16:49.719
 of being alive

00:16:49.719 --> 00:16:50.399
 because of their

00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:52.339
 experientialism or

00:16:52.339 --> 00:16:53.279
 emotionalism,

00:16:53.759 --> 00:16:55.719
 because of the

00:16:55.719 --> 00:16:57.139
 therapeutic or

00:16:57.139 --> 00:16:58.519
 cathartic experiences

00:16:58.519 --> 00:16:59.500
 that they provide,

00:16:59.959 --> 00:17:00.479
 whether that's

00:17:00.479 --> 00:17:01.439
 through interpersonal

00:17:01.439 --> 00:17:03.119
 accountability sessions

00:17:03.119 --> 00:17:04.720
 or topical sermons

00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:05.599
 that are geared

00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:06.359
 toward meeting

00:17:06.359 --> 00:17:07.399
 people's felt needs

00:17:07.399 --> 00:17:08.440
 or the emotional

00:17:08.440 --> 00:17:10.019
 release of

00:17:10.019 --> 00:17:10.779
 exuberant

00:17:10.779 --> 00:17:11.980
 concert-like

00:17:11.980 --> 00:17:13.220
 musical or

00:17:13.220 --> 00:17:14.279
 theatrical production

00:17:14.279 --> 00:17:15.380
 or performance

00:17:15.380 --> 00:17:16.620
 or the performance

00:17:16.620 --> 00:17:17.559
 of charismatic

00:17:17.559 --> 00:17:18.259
 miracles.

00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:20.620
 But if you win

00:17:20.620 --> 00:17:21.559
 people to Christ

00:17:21.559 --> 00:17:22.460
 with such

00:17:22.460 --> 00:17:23.160
 experiences,

00:17:23.339 --> 00:17:23.980
 then you will win

00:17:23.980 --> 00:17:25.500
 them to such

00:17:25.500 --> 00:17:26.140
 experiences.

00:17:27.259 --> 00:17:28.400
 And that's what

00:17:28.400 --> 00:17:29.380
 they'll want over

00:17:29.380 --> 00:17:30.279
 and over again.

00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:32.980
 Seeking one

00:17:32.980 --> 00:17:33.660
 subjective

00:17:33.660 --> 00:17:35.000
 experiential high

00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:35.940
 after another.

00:17:35.940 --> 00:17:38.120
 instead,

00:17:38.340 --> 00:17:38.980
 we need to turn

00:17:38.980 --> 00:17:39.860
 to the person

00:17:39.860 --> 00:17:40.940
 of Jesus Christ

00:17:40.940 --> 00:17:41.960
 so that our

00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:42.980
 assurance does not

00:17:42.980 --> 00:17:44.100
 rest on these

00:17:44.100 --> 00:17:44.779
 other things,

00:17:44.940 --> 00:17:46.660
 but this ever-fluctuating

00:17:46.660 --> 00:17:47.900
 rollercoaster of emotions

00:17:47.900 --> 00:17:48.640
 and experiences,

00:17:48.779 --> 00:17:49.880
 but rather on the

00:17:49.880 --> 00:17:51.360
 bedrock of who Christ

00:17:51.360 --> 00:17:52.220
 is and what he has

00:17:52.220 --> 00:17:52.900
 done for us.

00:17:54.279 --> 00:17:55.120
 In Luke 11,

00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:56.160
 when the crowds

00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:56.720
 were increasing

00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:57.500
 because of his

00:17:57.500 --> 00:17:58.460
 miraculous signs,

00:17:59.140 --> 00:18:00.039
 Jesus denounced

00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:00.799
 the generation,

00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:01.120
 saying,

00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:01.939
 this generation

00:18:01.939 --> 00:18:02.759
 is an evil

00:18:02.759 --> 00:18:03.239
 generation.

00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:04.179
 It seeks for a

00:18:04.179 --> 00:18:04.599
 sign,

00:18:05.059 --> 00:18:06.039
 but no sign

00:18:06.039 --> 00:18:06.500
 will be given

00:18:06.500 --> 00:18:07.039
 to it except

00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:07.779
 the sign of

00:18:07.779 --> 00:18:08.139
 Jonah,

00:18:08.479 --> 00:18:08.859
 and that's

00:18:08.859 --> 00:18:09.339
 referring to

00:18:09.339 --> 00:18:09.699
 his death

00:18:09.699 --> 00:18:10.279
 and resurrection

00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:11.719
 on the third

00:18:11.719 --> 00:18:11.959
 day.

00:18:12.719 --> 00:18:13.319
 A church

00:18:13.319 --> 00:18:14.139
 might elicit

00:18:14.139 --> 00:18:15.079
 woos and

00:18:15.079 --> 00:18:16.119
 wows with

00:18:16.119 --> 00:18:17.000
 their spectacular

00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:17.639
 performances

00:18:17.639 --> 00:18:19.459
 and signs,

00:18:19.679 --> 00:18:20.619
 but those

00:18:20.619 --> 00:18:21.719
 experiences fade.

00:18:22.459 --> 00:18:22.979
 Only the word

00:18:22.979 --> 00:18:23.459
 of God

00:18:23.459 --> 00:18:24.239
 stands forever.

00:18:24.240 --> 00:18:26.940
 Some churches

00:18:26.940 --> 00:18:27.680
 have the reputation

00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:28.480
 of being alive

00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:29.519
 because of their

00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:30.220
 formalism.

00:18:31.799 --> 00:18:32.720
 Everyone wears

00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:33.420
 their best Sunday

00:18:33.420 --> 00:18:35.200
 clothes on Sunday

00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:36.140
 and puts on

00:18:36.140 --> 00:18:36.740
 their best Sunday

00:18:36.740 --> 00:18:38.759
 smiles and have

00:18:38.759 --> 00:18:39.740
 their polite Sunday

00:18:39.740 --> 00:18:40.599
 lines memorized

00:18:40.599 --> 00:18:41.079
 to a T.

00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:42.700
 God is good

00:18:42.700 --> 00:18:44.200
 all the time.

00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:46.799
 I'm doing better

00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:47.480
 than I deserve.

00:18:48.839 --> 00:18:49.819
 I'm a sinner

00:18:49.819 --> 00:18:50.799
 saved by grace.

00:18:52.740 --> 00:18:53.660
 These are all

00:18:53.660 --> 00:18:54.900
 good and true

00:18:54.900 --> 00:18:55.240
 things,

00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:55.600
 and I hope

00:18:55.600 --> 00:18:56.060
 all of you

00:18:56.060 --> 00:18:56.540
 say them,

00:18:57.160 --> 00:18:58.460
 but in a

00:18:58.460 --> 00:18:59.220
 formalistic church,

00:18:59.320 --> 00:18:59.940
 they don't mean

00:18:59.940 --> 00:19:00.400
 it when they

00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:00.820
 say it.

00:19:03.500 --> 00:19:04.240
 Their faith

00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:05.200
 is a formality.

00:19:05.400 --> 00:19:05.880
 They have

00:19:05.880 --> 00:19:06.980
 perfect attendance,

00:19:07.180 --> 00:19:07.600
 but all their

00:19:07.600 --> 00:19:08.320
 Christian activities

00:19:08.320 --> 00:19:09.380
 are merely

00:19:09.380 --> 00:19:10.320
 boxes to check

00:19:10.320 --> 00:19:10.800
 off their

00:19:10.800 --> 00:19:11.380
 to-do list.

00:19:11.840 --> 00:19:12.400
 They don't have

00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:12.980
 a vital,

00:19:13.180 --> 00:19:14.500
 personal relationship

00:19:14.500 --> 00:19:15.040
 with God,

00:19:15.120 --> 00:19:15.620
 and so on the

00:19:15.620 --> 00:19:16.160
 inside,

00:19:16.259 --> 00:19:16.860
 in the privacy

00:19:16.860 --> 00:19:17.640
 of their lives,

00:19:17.860 --> 00:19:18.360
 they're full

00:19:18.360 --> 00:19:19.180
 of all kinds

00:19:19.180 --> 00:19:19.779
 of sin.

00:19:21.920 --> 00:19:22.960
 They're hypocrites,

00:19:23.040 --> 00:19:23.640
 as Jesus said.

00:19:23.660 --> 00:19:24.620
 in Matthew 23,

00:19:24.700 --> 00:19:25.200
 27,

00:19:25.400 --> 00:19:26.480
 whitewashed tombs,

00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:27.680
 which outwardly

00:19:27.680 --> 00:19:28.460
 appear beautiful,

00:19:28.820 --> 00:19:29.540
 but within are

00:19:29.540 --> 00:19:30.440
 full of dead

00:19:30.440 --> 00:19:31.420
 people's bones

00:19:31.420 --> 00:19:32.640
 and all uncleanness.

00:19:35.080 --> 00:19:35.940
 Some churches

00:19:35.940 --> 00:19:36.759
 have the reputation

00:19:36.759 --> 00:19:37.420
 of being alive

00:19:37.420 --> 00:19:38.060
 because of their

00:19:38.060 --> 00:19:38.680
 activism.

00:19:40.740 --> 00:19:41.700
 Activism is not

00:19:41.700 --> 00:19:42.840
 bad in and of itself,

00:19:43.040 --> 00:19:43.960
 but there are

00:19:43.960 --> 00:19:44.800
 churches that are

00:19:44.800 --> 00:19:45.740
 so consumed

00:19:45.740 --> 00:19:47.279
 with doing justice

00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:48.460
 and loving kindness

00:19:48.460 --> 00:19:49.340
 that they don't

00:19:49.340 --> 00:19:50.180
 have any time

00:19:50.180 --> 00:19:50.900
 to proclaim the

00:19:50.900 --> 00:19:51.600
 gospel and make

00:19:51.600 --> 00:19:52.019
 disciples.

00:19:52.019 --> 00:19:55.539
 their church

00:19:55.539 --> 00:19:56.059
 members have

00:19:56.059 --> 00:19:56.819
 those yard signs

00:19:56.819 --> 00:19:57.279
 that says,

00:19:57.519 --> 00:19:58.059
 no human is

00:19:58.059 --> 00:19:58.460
 illegal,

00:19:58.980 --> 00:19:59.480
 and love is

00:19:59.480 --> 00:19:59.819
 love,

00:20:00.119 --> 00:20:00.579
 and kindness

00:20:00.579 --> 00:20:01.160
 is everything.

00:20:03.500 --> 00:20:04.240
 They're so

00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:04.839
 consumed with

00:20:04.839 --> 00:20:05.539
 meeting people's

00:20:05.539 --> 00:20:06.240
 felt needs

00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:06.700
 that they've

00:20:06.700 --> 00:20:07.579
 lost sight

00:20:07.579 --> 00:20:08.200
 of what the

00:20:08.200 --> 00:20:08.819
 Bible says

00:20:08.819 --> 00:20:09.220
 is their

00:20:09.220 --> 00:20:10.259
 greatest need.

00:20:10.259 --> 00:20:16.059
 They're so

00:20:16.059 --> 00:20:16.839
 focused on

00:20:16.839 --> 00:20:17.579
 saving the

00:20:17.579 --> 00:20:19.019
 world that

00:20:19.019 --> 00:20:19.240
 they've

00:20:19.240 --> 00:20:19.819
 forgotten that

00:20:19.819 --> 00:20:20.339
 God already

00:20:20.339 --> 00:20:20.879
 sent his

00:20:20.879 --> 00:20:22.220
 only son into

00:20:22.220 --> 00:20:22.779
 the world to

00:20:22.779 --> 00:20:23.279
 save it.

00:20:26.460 --> 00:20:27.379
 Jesus says in

00:20:27.379 --> 00:20:27.819
 John 6,

00:20:27.859 --> 00:20:28.220
 26,

00:20:28.359 --> 00:20:28.640
 that many

00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:29.359
 people followed

00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:29.779
 him not

00:20:29.779 --> 00:20:30.420
 because of

00:20:30.420 --> 00:20:30.759
 him,

00:20:31.420 --> 00:20:31.980
 the bread of

00:20:31.980 --> 00:20:32.319
 life,

00:20:32.980 --> 00:20:34.000
 but because

00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:34.519
 they ate

00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:35.240
 their fill of

00:20:35.240 --> 00:20:35.879
 the loaves.

00:20:36.700 --> 00:20:37.240
 They came

00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:37.879
 for the food

00:20:37.879 --> 00:20:38.720
 that perishes

00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:39.900
 and not for

00:20:39.900 --> 00:20:40.220
 the food

00:20:40.220 --> 00:20:40.900
 that endures

00:20:40.900 --> 00:20:41.500
 to eternal

00:20:41.500 --> 00:20:42.100
 life.

00:20:43.400 --> 00:20:43.799
 Likewise,

00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:44.339
 there are many

00:20:44.339 --> 00:20:44.960
 churches nowadays

00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:45.779
 who cater to

00:20:45.779 --> 00:20:46.579
 peoples who

00:20:46.579 --> 00:20:47.480
 want their fill

00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:48.140
 of the loaves

00:20:48.140 --> 00:20:49.839
 and offer food

00:20:49.839 --> 00:20:50.680
 that perishes

00:20:50.680 --> 00:20:52.160
 but without

00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:52.860
 offering them

00:20:52.860 --> 00:20:53.220
 Jesus,

00:20:54.420 --> 00:20:55.120
 the bread of

00:20:55.120 --> 00:20:55.779
 life who

00:20:55.779 --> 00:20:56.180
 nourishes

00:20:56.180 --> 00:20:56.819
 unto eternal

00:20:56.819 --> 00:20:57.220
 life.

00:20:57.220 --> 00:21:00.579
 some churches

00:21:00.579 --> 00:21:01.000
 have the

00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:01.620
 reputation of

00:21:01.620 --> 00:21:02.120
 being alive

00:21:02.120 --> 00:21:02.660
 because of

00:21:02.660 --> 00:21:03.460
 their legalism.

00:21:06.279 --> 00:21:06.860
 You have

00:21:06.860 --> 00:21:07.440
 never found

00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:07.900
 a group of

00:21:07.900 --> 00:21:08.400
 people who

00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:08.860
 seem so

00:21:08.860 --> 00:21:09.720
 serious and

00:21:09.720 --> 00:21:10.420
 so zealous

00:21:10.420 --> 00:21:10.940
 for God.

00:21:11.640 --> 00:21:12.220
 You think

00:21:12.220 --> 00:21:12.720
 you're serious

00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:13.160
 about following

00:21:13.160 --> 00:21:13.460
 God?

00:21:14.059 --> 00:21:14.680
 These guys

00:21:14.680 --> 00:21:15.079
 take it to

00:21:15.079 --> 00:21:15.500
 the nth

00:21:15.500 --> 00:21:15.759
 degree.

00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:18.640
 You think

00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:19.039
 you're a good

00:21:19.039 --> 00:21:19.600
 Christian because

00:21:19.600 --> 00:21:19.940
 you attend

00:21:19.940 --> 00:21:20.519
 Sunday worship

00:21:20.519 --> 00:21:21.019
 every week?

00:21:21.079 --> 00:21:21.519
 These guys

00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:22.579
 do dawn prayer

00:21:22.579 --> 00:21:23.180
 every prayer

00:21:23.180 --> 00:21:23.720
 every day,

00:21:23.940 --> 00:21:24.400
 Wednesday night

00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:24.860
 prayer and

00:21:24.860 --> 00:21:26.120
 CG and Sunday

00:21:26.120 --> 00:21:26.640
 morning and

00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:27.500
 evening services

00:21:27.500 --> 00:21:29.020
 and they're

00:21:29.020 --> 00:21:29.500
 doing personal

00:21:29.500 --> 00:21:30.120
 devotions.

00:21:31.020 --> 00:21:31.600
 Bible reading

00:21:31.600 --> 00:21:32.300
 prayer every

00:21:32.300 --> 00:21:32.759
 day, maybe

00:21:32.759 --> 00:21:33.540
 for twice as

00:21:33.540 --> 00:21:34.040
 long as

00:21:34.040 --> 00:21:34.680
 many of you.

00:21:37.040 --> 00:21:37.320
 You think

00:21:37.320 --> 00:21:37.660
 you're a good

00:21:37.660 --> 00:21:38.220
 Christian because

00:21:38.220 --> 00:21:39.060
 you haven't had

00:21:39.060 --> 00:21:39.540
 sex before

00:21:39.540 --> 00:21:39.840
 marriage?

00:21:39.940 --> 00:21:40.300
 These guys

00:21:40.300 --> 00:21:40.700
 don't even

00:21:40.700 --> 00:21:41.820
 kiss before

00:21:41.820 --> 00:21:42.180
 marriage.

00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:46.560
 These are

00:21:46.560 --> 00:21:47.200
 not bad

00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:47.920
 practices in

00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:48.080
 and of

00:21:48.080 --> 00:21:48.720
 themselves but

00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:49.360
 because they

00:21:49.360 --> 00:21:50.340
 think it's

00:21:50.340 --> 00:21:50.840
 their own

00:21:50.840 --> 00:21:51.400
 theological

00:21:51.400 --> 00:21:52.600
 rightness or

00:21:52.600 --> 00:21:53.140
 their own

00:21:53.140 --> 00:21:54.100
 moral righteousness

00:21:54.100 --> 00:21:54.900
 that make

00:21:54.900 --> 00:21:56.040
 them acceptable

00:21:56.039 --> 00:21:57.659
 to God and

00:21:57.659 --> 00:21:58.099
 not the

00:21:58.099 --> 00:21:58.839
 atoning work

00:21:58.839 --> 00:21:59.379
 of Christ

00:21:59.379 --> 00:21:59.859
 on the

00:21:59.859 --> 00:22:00.220
 cross.

00:22:00.420 --> 00:22:00.819
 They are

00:22:00.819 --> 00:22:01.259
 ultimately

00:22:01.259 --> 00:22:01.879
 depending on

00:22:01.879 --> 00:22:03.279
 themselves and

00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:03.659
 not on

00:22:03.659 --> 00:22:05.319
 Christ and

00:22:05.319 --> 00:22:05.940
 that leads to

00:22:05.940 --> 00:22:06.859
 spiritual pride

00:22:06.859 --> 00:22:08.159
 when they're

00:22:08.159 --> 00:22:08.779
 keeping up with

00:22:08.779 --> 00:22:09.220
 their spiritual

00:22:09.220 --> 00:22:10.980
 disciplines but

00:22:10.980 --> 00:22:11.440
 it leads to

00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:12.379
 spiritual despair

00:22:12.379 --> 00:22:14.059
 when they fail

00:22:14.059 --> 00:22:15.200
 and fall short.

00:22:16.200 --> 00:22:17.099
 They have no

00:22:17.099 --> 00:22:17.859
 humility before

00:22:17.859 --> 00:22:18.440
 God and other

00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:19.180
 believers because

00:22:19.180 --> 00:22:19.839
 they have not

00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:20.680
 received for

00:22:20.680 --> 00:22:21.379
 themselves the

00:22:21.379 --> 00:22:21.960
 grace and

00:22:21.960 --> 00:22:23.299
 mercy of God.

00:22:23.299 --> 00:22:25.720
 they have

00:22:25.720 --> 00:22:26.480
 trouble extending

00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:27.099
 that mercy to

00:22:27.099 --> 00:22:27.480
 others.

00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:30.740
 They are like

00:22:30.740 --> 00:22:31.339
 the scribes and

00:22:31.339 --> 00:22:31.960
 the Pharisees who

00:22:31.960 --> 00:22:32.980
 tithe mint and

00:22:32.980 --> 00:22:33.940
 dill and cumin and

00:22:33.940 --> 00:22:34.700
 have neglected the

00:22:34.700 --> 00:22:35.619
 weightier matters of

00:22:35.619 --> 00:22:36.799
 the law, justice,

00:22:37.139 --> 00:22:37.879
 mercy, and

00:22:37.879 --> 00:22:38.539
 faithfulness.

00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:42.619
 We don't know

00:22:42.619 --> 00:22:43.319
 exactly what was

00:22:43.319 --> 00:22:44.200
 going on with the

00:22:44.200 --> 00:22:45.119
 church in Sardis and

00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:45.779
 these are only a

00:22:45.779 --> 00:22:46.619
 partial list of

00:22:46.619 --> 00:22:48.539
 possible problems but

00:22:48.539 --> 00:22:49.279
 we do know that they

00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:50.440
 were spiritually dead

00:22:50.440 --> 00:22:51.539
 and so Jesus

00:22:51.539 --> 00:22:52.340
 exhorts them this

00:22:52.340 --> 00:22:53.039
 way in verse 2,

00:22:53.460 --> 00:22:54.860
 wake up and

00:22:54.860 --> 00:22:55.799
 strengthen what

00:22:55.799 --> 00:22:56.559
 remains and is

00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:57.799
 about to die for

00:22:57.799 --> 00:22:58.580
 I have not found

00:22:58.580 --> 00:22:59.660
 your works complete

00:22:59.660 --> 00:23:00.660
 in the sight of

00:23:00.660 --> 00:23:01.019
 God.

00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:02.940
 Remember Jesus said

00:23:02.940 --> 00:23:03.519
 in verse 1, I

00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:04.620
 know your works and

00:23:04.620 --> 00:23:05.200
 this is what he

00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:05.820
 knows about their

00:23:05.820 --> 00:23:06.320
 works, that their

00:23:06.320 --> 00:23:07.160
 works are not

00:23:07.160 --> 00:23:08.460
 complete in the

00:23:08.460 --> 00:23:09.140
 sight of God.

00:23:10.420 --> 00:23:11.279
 Recall that with

00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:12.220
 each letter written

00:23:12.220 --> 00:23:12.660
 to the seven

00:23:12.660 --> 00:23:13.820
 churches of whom

00:23:13.820 --> 00:23:14.480
 Jesus is the

00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:15.500
 author, Jesus

00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:16.539
 evaluates the

00:23:16.539 --> 00:23:17.279
 spiritual condition

00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:18.440
 of these churches

00:23:18.440 --> 00:23:19.580
 and usually that

00:23:19.579 --> 00:23:20.659
 evaluation is a

00:23:20.659 --> 00:23:21.899
 combination of

00:23:21.899 --> 00:23:22.779
 commendation and

00:23:22.779 --> 00:23:23.220
 correction.

00:23:24.639 --> 00:23:25.460
 Some churches only

00:23:25.460 --> 00:23:26.359
 receive commendation,

00:23:27.539 --> 00:23:30.679
 two of them, and

00:23:30.679 --> 00:23:31.480
 the evaluation always

00:23:31.480 --> 00:23:32.139
 begins with Jesus

00:23:32.139 --> 00:23:33.240
 saying I know,

00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:34.839
 usually I know your

00:23:34.839 --> 00:23:36.139
 works and that's

00:23:36.139 --> 00:23:37.179
 usually followed first

00:23:37.179 --> 00:23:38.339
 by the commendations

00:23:38.339 --> 00:23:39.619
 but not the church

00:23:39.619 --> 00:23:40.279
 in Sardis.

00:23:41.299 --> 00:23:42.419
 It goes straight to

00:23:42.419 --> 00:23:43.899
 corrections because

00:23:43.899 --> 00:23:44.699
 there's not much to

00:23:44.699 --> 00:23:45.599
 commend about this

00:23:45.599 --> 00:23:46.220
 church at all.

00:23:46.220 --> 00:23:49.600
 The only redeeming

00:23:49.600 --> 00:23:50.220
 factor about the

00:23:50.220 --> 00:23:51.160
 church in Sardis is

00:23:51.160 --> 00:23:51.980
 that not all of

00:23:51.980 --> 00:23:52.860
 them are like this.

00:23:53.039 --> 00:23:53.839
 A few of them,

00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:54.860
 verse 4 says, have

00:23:54.860 --> 00:23:56.079
 not yet soiled their

00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:56.440
 garments.

00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:01.160
 But the rest, they

00:24:01.160 --> 00:24:01.720
 have the reputation

00:24:01.720 --> 00:24:03.019
 of being alive but

00:24:03.019 --> 00:24:03.680
 are dead.

00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:05.579
 They have no works

00:24:05.579 --> 00:24:07.220
 for which Jesus can

00:24:07.220 --> 00:24:07.779
 commend them.

00:24:07.860 --> 00:24:08.900
 That's really sad to

00:24:08.900 --> 00:24:10.360
 see because that

00:24:10.360 --> 00:24:11.400
 means they have no

00:24:11.400 --> 00:24:13.539
 toil or patient

00:24:13.539 --> 00:24:14.519
 endurance or

00:24:14.519 --> 00:24:15.680
 intolerance of evil.

00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:16.720
 intolerance of evil

00:24:16.720 --> 00:24:17.560
 like the church in

00:24:17.560 --> 00:24:18.360
 Ephesus that Jesus

00:24:18.360 --> 00:24:19.200
 commended them for.

00:24:19.900 --> 00:24:20.860
 They have not endured

00:24:20.860 --> 00:24:22.259
 tribulation or poverty

00:24:22.259 --> 00:24:23.600
 like the church in

00:24:23.600 --> 00:24:24.460
 Smyrna for the name

00:24:24.460 --> 00:24:24.980
 of Christ.

00:24:25.759 --> 00:24:26.640
 They have not held

00:24:26.640 --> 00:24:27.759
 fast to Christ's name

00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:28.519
 in the midst of deadly

00:24:28.519 --> 00:24:29.580
 persecution like the

00:24:29.580 --> 00:24:30.420
 church in Pergamum.

00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:31.840
 They have no love and

00:24:31.840 --> 00:24:33.100
 no faith and service

00:24:33.100 --> 00:24:33.940
 and patient endurance

00:24:33.940 --> 00:24:34.720
 like the church in

00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:35.240
 Thyatira.

00:24:36.120 --> 00:24:37.360
 They lack these works.

00:24:39.700 --> 00:24:40.580
 This is a church that

00:24:40.580 --> 00:24:41.740
 has the name of being

00:24:41.740 --> 00:24:43.340
 alive but are dead.

00:24:43.339 --> 00:24:46.139
 Apart from this, we're

00:24:46.139 --> 00:24:47.159
 not told exactly what

00:24:47.159 --> 00:24:48.099
 the spiritual malady of

00:24:48.099 --> 00:24:49.099
 the church of Sardis

00:24:49.099 --> 00:24:49.559
 was.

00:24:50.159 --> 00:24:50.939
 They don't seem to be

00:24:50.939 --> 00:24:51.619
 dealing with the

00:24:51.619 --> 00:24:53.000
 Nicolaitans and Jezebel

00:24:53.000 --> 00:24:54.039
 and sexual morality and

00:24:54.039 --> 00:24:55.659
 idolatry like the

00:24:55.659 --> 00:24:56.599
 churches in Pergamum and

00:24:56.599 --> 00:24:57.079
 Thyatira.

00:24:57.699 --> 00:24:59.000
 But nonetheless, their

00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:00.899
 critique, this critique

00:25:00.899 --> 00:25:07.099
 is so severe because

00:25:07.099 --> 00:25:08.659
 their condition is so

00:25:08.659 --> 00:25:09.339
 deficient.

00:25:09.339 --> 00:25:10.279
 deficient.

00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:12.779
 There's a level of

00:25:12.779 --> 00:25:13.639
 entanglement and

00:25:13.639 --> 00:25:15.119
 defilement because apart

00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:16.240
 from the few mentioned in

00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:16.919
 verse 4, they've all

00:25:16.919 --> 00:25:17.740
 soiled their garments.

00:25:18.779 --> 00:25:19.799
 But I do think we can

00:25:19.799 --> 00:25:21.139
 infer a little bit more

00:25:21.139 --> 00:25:22.159
 about what they might be

00:25:22.159 --> 00:25:23.059
 struggling with by looking

00:25:23.059 --> 00:25:24.299
 at what Jesus commands

00:25:24.299 --> 00:25:25.720
 them to do in verse 3.

00:25:26.459 --> 00:25:26.779
 He says,

00:25:26.779 --> 00:25:28.299
 Remember then what you

00:25:28.299 --> 00:25:29.959
 received and heard.

00:25:30.819 --> 00:25:32.819
 Keep it and repent.

00:25:32.819 --> 00:25:35.839
 The pair of verbs,

00:25:35.939 --> 00:25:38.039
 receive and hear, most

00:25:38.039 --> 00:25:39.279
 often occur in the New

00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:40.960
 Testament together to

00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:42.539
 refer with the object as

00:25:42.539 --> 00:25:43.740
 the word of God.

00:25:43.919 --> 00:25:45.079
 Hear the word of God.

00:25:45.279 --> 00:25:46.839
 Receive the word of God.

00:25:46.919 --> 00:25:47.659
 For example, in 1

00:25:47.659 --> 00:25:49.480
 Thessalonians 2.13, when

00:25:49.480 --> 00:25:50.839
 you receive the word of

00:25:50.839 --> 00:25:52.740
 God, which you heard from

00:25:52.740 --> 00:25:54.539
 us, you accepted it not as

00:25:54.539 --> 00:25:55.639
 the word of man, but as

00:25:55.639 --> 00:25:56.539
 what it really is, the

00:25:56.539 --> 00:25:58.240
 word of God, which is at

00:25:58.240 --> 00:25:59.119
 work in you believers.

00:25:59.859 --> 00:26:00.799
 Similarly, the parable of

00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:02.139
 the sower in Matthew 13

00:26:02.139 --> 00:26:03.579
 talks about those who

00:26:03.579 --> 00:26:04.759
 hear the word and

00:26:04.759 --> 00:26:06.180
 immediately receive it

00:26:06.180 --> 00:26:07.759
 with joy, at least for a

00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:08.039
 time.

00:26:09.180 --> 00:26:10.980
 So when Jesus is exhorting

00:26:10.980 --> 00:26:11.919
 the church in Sardis to

00:26:11.919 --> 00:26:14.119
 remember the word of God,

00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:15.799
 remember what you received

00:26:15.799 --> 00:26:17.519
 and what you heard, that's

00:26:17.519 --> 00:26:18.819
 the gospel of the word of

00:26:18.819 --> 00:26:19.200
 Christ.

00:26:19.559 --> 00:26:21.299
 Remember that and keep it,

00:26:21.379 --> 00:26:22.359
 hold on to it, because

00:26:22.359 --> 00:26:23.399
 presumably they are not

00:26:23.399 --> 00:26:24.059
 keeping it.

00:26:25.220 --> 00:26:26.220
 It seems like the church

00:26:26.220 --> 00:26:27.500
 in Sardis is not bearing

00:26:27.500 --> 00:26:29.000
 witness to Jesus in any

00:26:29.000 --> 00:26:29.220
 way.

00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:33.639
 I think this condition,

00:26:34.019 --> 00:26:34.639
 that this is what is

00:26:34.639 --> 00:26:35.460
 going on, is confirmed

00:26:35.460 --> 00:26:36.419
 later by what Jesus

00:26:36.419 --> 00:26:38.119
 promises to do to those

00:26:38.119 --> 00:26:40.039
 who repent and conquer

00:26:40.039 --> 00:26:40.899
 in verse 5.

00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:42.619
 The one who conquers will

00:26:42.619 --> 00:26:43.680
 be clothed thus in white

00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:44.980
 garments, and I will

00:26:44.980 --> 00:26:46.579
 never blot his name out

00:26:46.579 --> 00:26:47.519
 of the book of life.

00:26:47.980 --> 00:26:50.359
 I will confess his name

00:26:50.359 --> 00:26:51.859
 before my father and

00:26:51.859 --> 00:26:53.019
 before his angels.

00:26:54.279 --> 00:26:56.079
 Jesus said in Matthew 10

00:26:56.079 --> 00:26:56.859
 that if his disciples

00:26:56.859 --> 00:26:58.339
 confess his name before

00:26:58.339 --> 00:26:59.960
 men, that he will

00:26:59.960 --> 00:27:01.180
 himself confess their

00:27:01.180 --> 00:27:02.420
 name before the father

00:27:02.420 --> 00:27:03.079
 and his angels.

00:27:03.420 --> 00:27:04.180
 I think that's what

00:27:04.180 --> 00:27:05.100
 Jesus is referring to

00:27:05.100 --> 00:27:05.920
 here in this letter to

00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:06.960
 the church in Sardis.

00:27:07.480 --> 00:27:08.660
 It seems like the issue

00:27:08.660 --> 00:27:09.380
 is that the church in

00:27:09.380 --> 00:27:12.279
 Sardis is not confessing

00:27:12.279 --> 00:27:13.559
 openly the name of

00:27:13.559 --> 00:27:13.960
 Christ.

00:27:15.059 --> 00:27:16.680
 They've gone incognito.

00:27:18.120 --> 00:27:20.100
 They've blended in so well

00:27:20.100 --> 00:27:22.920
 to society that they're

00:27:22.920 --> 00:27:24.299
 really Christians in name

00:27:24.299 --> 00:27:24.799
 only.

00:27:25.380 --> 00:27:26.480
 Nothing stands out about

00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:27.180
 them as Christians.

00:27:28.920 --> 00:27:30.059
 But how could these

00:27:30.059 --> 00:27:30.779
 Christians in Sardis

00:27:30.779 --> 00:27:32.039
 manage to do that

00:27:32.039 --> 00:27:34.180
 without partaking in

00:27:34.180 --> 00:27:35.620
 Roman idolatry like

00:27:35.620 --> 00:27:36.279
 these other churches

00:27:36.279 --> 00:27:37.220
 that Jesus called out

00:27:37.220 --> 00:27:37.700
 explicitly?

00:27:39.259 --> 00:27:40.500
 One way that they could

00:27:40.500 --> 00:27:41.299
 do that would have been

00:27:41.299 --> 00:27:42.480
 to blend in with the

00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:44.220
 Jews and to come under

00:27:44.220 --> 00:27:45.140
 the auspices of the

00:27:45.140 --> 00:27:45.759
 Jewish synagogue.

00:27:47.220 --> 00:27:48.460
 The Jewish community in

00:27:48.460 --> 00:27:49.360
 Sardis was one of the

00:27:49.360 --> 00:27:50.279
 largest and most

00:27:50.279 --> 00:27:51.460
 prominent in Asia Minor.

00:27:52.460 --> 00:27:53.420
 They boasted, Sardis

00:27:53.420 --> 00:27:54.480
 boasted the largest

00:27:54.480 --> 00:27:55.920
 Jewish synagogue built in

00:27:55.920 --> 00:27:56.880
 the ancient world that

00:27:56.880 --> 00:27:58.120
 could seat almost a

00:27:58.120 --> 00:27:58.840
 thousand people.

00:28:00.660 --> 00:28:01.940
 The Jewish community was

00:28:01.940 --> 00:28:03.480
 very well established in

00:28:03.480 --> 00:28:04.240
 Sardis and they were

00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:05.440
 acknowledged by the Roman

00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:06.300
 governing authorities

00:28:06.300 --> 00:28:07.480
 because of their

00:28:07.480 --> 00:28:09.120
 antiquity and the Romans

00:28:09.120 --> 00:28:10.240
 tolerated the Jews

00:28:10.240 --> 00:28:11.580
 despite their refusal to

00:28:11.580 --> 00:28:13.560
 worship the emperor as

00:28:13.560 --> 00:28:14.460
 long as they honor the

00:28:14.460 --> 00:28:14.779
 emperor.

00:28:18.120 --> 00:28:19.860
 So if the Christians in

00:28:19.860 --> 00:28:21.680
 Sardis, many of whom

00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:23.000
 would have been Jewish by

00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:23.860
 their ethnic background

00:28:23.859 --> 00:28:25.059
 anyway because most

00:28:25.059 --> 00:28:26.459
 Christians, converts back

00:28:26.459 --> 00:28:28.059
 then were Jewish at first,

00:28:28.699 --> 00:28:32.240
 they could have just fit in

00:28:32.240 --> 00:28:34.479
 with the Jews, go into the

00:28:34.479 --> 00:28:37.899
 synagogue, don't ruffle any

00:28:37.899 --> 00:28:40.879
 feathers, don't make anyone

00:28:40.879 --> 00:28:43.240
 mad, then they would have

00:28:43.240 --> 00:28:44.479
 been able to fly under the

00:28:44.479 --> 00:28:47.479
 radar and avoid all kinds of

00:28:47.479 --> 00:28:48.859
 persecution and maybe even

00:28:48.859 --> 00:28:50.059
 idolatry.

00:28:52.899 --> 00:28:55.119
 But that required a level of

00:28:55.119 --> 00:28:56.379
 unacceptable compromise.

00:28:57.699 --> 00:28:59.039
 It required that they soil

00:28:59.039 --> 00:29:00.659
 their garments, that they

00:29:00.659 --> 00:29:02.599
 don't confess the name of

00:29:02.599 --> 00:29:02.859
 Jesus.

00:29:04.039 --> 00:29:05.259
 This is actually not unlike

00:29:05.259 --> 00:29:06.899
 what we call the insider

00:29:06.899 --> 00:29:08.299
 movement among some Muslims.

00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:11.000
 There are Muslims who

00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:12.559
 supposedly come to faith in

00:29:12.559 --> 00:29:15.299
 Jesus but then continue to

00:29:15.299 --> 00:29:16.699
 identify as Muslim.

00:29:16.700 --> 00:29:19.000
 They still observe Islamic

00:29:19.000 --> 00:29:20.519
 religious and legal

00:29:20.519 --> 00:29:22.620
 practices, remain in the

00:29:22.620 --> 00:29:24.019
 mosque as their social

00:29:24.019 --> 00:29:24.440
 community.

00:29:25.080 --> 00:29:26.460
 They regard Muhammad as a

00:29:26.460 --> 00:29:27.580
 true prophet of God and

00:29:27.580 --> 00:29:29.120
 Quran as a true scripture of

00:29:29.120 --> 00:29:29.380
 God.

00:29:30.980 --> 00:29:32.080
 They call themselves

00:29:32.080 --> 00:29:33.180
 messianic Muslims.

00:29:35.360 --> 00:29:36.759
 But they're like the Jews

00:29:36.759 --> 00:29:38.799
 that John 12 describes who

00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:41.019
 believed in Jesus but for

00:29:41.019 --> 00:29:42.700
 fear of the Pharisees they did

00:29:42.700 --> 00:29:45.140
 not confess his name so that

00:29:45.140 --> 00:29:46.520
 they would not be put out of

00:29:46.520 --> 00:29:48.259
 the synagogue for they love

00:29:48.259 --> 00:29:49.400
 the glory that comes from

00:29:49.400 --> 00:29:50.580
 man more than the glory that

00:29:50.580 --> 00:29:51.360
 comes from God.

00:29:53.880 --> 00:29:55.759
 The lack of confrontation

00:29:55.759 --> 00:29:57.860
 with the sinful world is sure

00:29:57.860 --> 00:30:00.200
 evidence of our complicity with

00:30:00.200 --> 00:30:01.000
 the sinful world.

00:30:03.780 --> 00:30:05.280
 But this kind of compromise

00:30:05.280 --> 00:30:06.600
 doesn't occur merely in foreign

00:30:06.600 --> 00:30:07.520
 missions contexts.

00:30:08.540 --> 00:30:10.320
 It occurs right here in the U.S.

00:30:10.319 --> 00:30:13.819
 Do you profess the name of

00:30:13.819 --> 00:30:14.939
 Christ in your life?

00:30:16.740 --> 00:30:18.339
 Do your coworkers know that

00:30:18.339 --> 00:30:18.879
 you're a Christian?

00:30:20.619 --> 00:30:21.939
 When they ask you about your

00:30:21.939 --> 00:30:23.079
 weekend do you mention that you

00:30:23.079 --> 00:30:23.779
 went to church?

00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:28.259
 Is your lifestyle

00:30:28.259 --> 00:30:31.319
 distinguishable from theirs in

00:30:31.319 --> 00:30:31.819
 any way?

00:30:32.639 --> 00:30:34.399
 Do you talk differently from

00:30:34.399 --> 00:30:36.539
 them or are you as vulgar and

00:30:36.539 --> 00:30:37.500
 foul-mouthed as they are?

00:30:37.500 --> 00:30:41.680
 Do you date people differently

00:30:41.680 --> 00:30:43.319
 or do you have little regard for

00:30:43.319 --> 00:30:44.799
 God-given physical boundaries

00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:46.440
 before marriage like the rest of

00:30:46.440 --> 00:30:46.819
 society?

00:30:47.740 --> 00:30:49.559
 Do you think differently from

00:30:49.559 --> 00:30:51.059
 them or is the way you process

00:30:51.059 --> 00:30:52.779
 current events and cultural

00:30:52.779 --> 00:30:55.299
 trends identical with the way

00:30:55.299 --> 00:30:57.240
 with the world that doesn't know

00:30:57.240 --> 00:30:58.839
 the gospel and doesn't have the

00:30:58.839 --> 00:30:59.980
 wisdom of God from his word?

00:31:01.940 --> 00:31:03.579
 Does the way you spend your time

00:31:03.579 --> 00:31:05.960
 and money look any different from

00:31:05.960 --> 00:31:07.000
 your unbelieving friends?

00:31:08.500 --> 00:31:09.900
 When your friends bash

00:31:09.900 --> 00:31:11.440
 Christianity or take the Lord's

00:31:11.440 --> 00:31:12.840
 name in vain do you say anything?

00:31:15.140 --> 00:31:17.420
 You just hush up and just blend in.

00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:25.680
 There are people who have not been

00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:27.140
 transformed by the Spirit from the

00:31:27.140 --> 00:31:28.680
 inside out and are only Christians

00:31:29.340 --> 00:31:30.559
 in name only.

00:31:31.500 --> 00:31:32.799
 And in a group this large it's

00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:33.900
 likely that there's some of you

00:31:33.900 --> 00:31:34.360
 here.

00:31:37.700 --> 00:31:38.620
 Spiritually asleep.

00:31:39.960 --> 00:31:40.820
 And Jesus says,

00:31:41.340 --> 00:31:42.200
 wake up.

00:31:45.780 --> 00:31:47.200
 Strengthen what remains and is

00:31:47.200 --> 00:31:48.900
 about to die for I have not found

00:31:48.900 --> 00:31:50.860
 your works complete in the sight of

00:31:50.860 --> 00:31:51.360
 my God.

00:31:52.140 --> 00:31:54.360
 Whether we die first or Jesus comes

00:31:54.360 --> 00:31:56.560
 first, that hour will come when we

00:31:56.560 --> 00:31:57.700
 don't anticipate it.

00:31:57.700 --> 00:32:04.380
 But Jesus doesn't leave them only

00:32:04.380 --> 00:32:05.740
 with that grim prospect.

00:32:05.920 --> 00:32:07.680
 He ends with the promise of life for

00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:09.000
 those who keep Christ's name in

00:32:09.000 --> 00:32:09.819
 verses 4 to 5.

00:32:10.420 --> 00:32:12.100
 He says, yet you still have a few

00:32:12.100 --> 00:32:13.759
 names in Sardis.

00:32:14.299 --> 00:32:15.980
 People who have not soiled their

00:32:15.980 --> 00:32:18.680
 garments and they will walk with me

00:32:18.680 --> 00:32:20.960
 in white for they are worthy.

00:32:20.960 --> 00:32:25.660
 The one who conquers will be clothed

00:32:25.660 --> 00:32:28.720
 thus in white garments and I will

00:32:28.720 --> 00:32:31.200
 never blot his name out of the book

00:32:31.200 --> 00:32:31.620
 of life.

00:32:32.559 --> 00:32:34.259
 I will confess his name before my

00:32:34.259 --> 00:32:35.960
 father and before his angels.

00:32:36.680 --> 00:32:37.900
 Note the repetition of the word

00:32:37.900 --> 00:32:38.900
 garments here.

00:32:39.960 --> 00:32:41.779
 It's those who have not soiled their

00:32:41.779 --> 00:32:44.440
 garments that will later receive will

00:32:44.440 --> 00:32:46.460
 be clothed in white garments.

00:32:46.460 --> 00:32:49.259
 So this doesn't mean that we are

00:32:49.259 --> 00:32:51.299
 saved by our good works because

00:32:51.299 --> 00:32:52.759
 those two garments are not the same.

00:32:53.360 --> 00:32:55.480
 If we justify ourselves by our own

00:32:55.480 --> 00:32:56.819
 good works then we would not need

00:32:56.819 --> 00:32:58.480
 new white garments to receive

00:32:58.480 --> 00:32:59.700
 because we'd already be clothed in

00:32:59.700 --> 00:32:59.940
 white.

00:33:01.900 --> 00:33:02.980
 But they're not the same.

00:33:03.059 --> 00:33:04.480
 On the one hand we see later in

00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:06.000
 Revelation 19.8 that the church,

00:33:06.100 --> 00:33:08.100
 the bride of Christ, will be ready for

00:33:08.100 --> 00:33:09.620
 the marriage of the Lamb because it

00:33:09.620 --> 00:33:12.299
 was granted her to clothe herself with

00:33:12.299 --> 00:33:13.740
 fine linen bright and pure.

00:33:13.740 --> 00:33:15.860
 For the fine linen is the righteous

00:33:15.859 --> 00:33:17.319
 deeds of the saints.

00:33:18.259 --> 00:33:20.799
 So on the one hand, in a sense in

00:33:20.799 --> 00:33:22.979
 which our righteous deeds do adorn

00:33:22.979 --> 00:33:24.939
 us for the future and they are

00:33:24.939 --> 00:33:26.059
 pleasing to God.

00:33:27.000 --> 00:33:29.359
 So that's one sense true.

00:33:29.799 --> 00:33:31.439
 However, it's not our righteous deeds

00:33:31.439 --> 00:33:33.939
 that justify us and we see that

00:33:33.939 --> 00:33:35.559
 clearly in Revelation 7 which says

00:33:35.559 --> 00:33:36.959
 that those who belong to Christ from

00:33:36.959 --> 00:33:38.159
 every nation will be clothed in

00:33:38.159 --> 00:33:38.859
 white robes.

00:33:39.039 --> 00:33:40.839
 And how did those robes get white?

00:33:40.839 --> 00:33:42.639
 Revelation 7.14 says they have

00:33:42.639 --> 00:33:45.459
 washed their robes and made them

00:33:45.460 --> 00:33:48.000
 white in the blood of the Lamb.

00:33:50.220 --> 00:33:52.980
 Even the most righteous among us

00:33:52.980 --> 00:33:55.340
 cannot get the stain of sin out of

00:33:55.340 --> 00:33:56.000
 our robes.

00:33:56.579 --> 00:33:58.640
 Many of you have tried that and know

00:33:58.640 --> 00:33:59.980
 how futile that is.

00:34:00.920 --> 00:34:03.340
 The only way to do that, only way to

00:34:03.340 --> 00:34:05.940
 have clean robes is to wash them by

00:34:05.940 --> 00:34:07.120
 the blood of the Lamb.

00:34:07.759 --> 00:34:10.019
 It's only those that wash their robes

00:34:10.019 --> 00:34:12.380
 by the blood of the Lamb that can do

00:34:12.380 --> 00:34:13.860
 righteous deeds that are pleasing to

00:34:13.860 --> 00:34:15.260
 God because without faith it is

00:34:15.260 --> 00:34:16.400
 impossible to please Him.

00:34:18.700 --> 00:34:20.599
 It's Christ's once and for all

00:34:20.599 --> 00:34:22.740
 sacrifice on the cross that enables

00:34:22.740 --> 00:34:25.620
 us to be living sacrifices,

00:34:26.180 --> 00:34:27.559
 pleasing and acceptable to God.

00:34:29.900 --> 00:34:32.480
 Jesus was the sacrificial lamb that

00:34:32.480 --> 00:34:34.700
 was slain to make atonement for our

00:34:34.700 --> 00:34:37.079
 sins and it's because His blood was

00:34:37.079 --> 00:34:39.780
 shed in death in our place that our

00:34:39.780 --> 00:34:41.820
 sin-stained robes can be washed clean,

00:34:41.820 --> 00:34:43.620
 as white as snow.

00:34:44.900 --> 00:34:47.260
 And it's as those who have put their

00:34:47.260 --> 00:34:49.780
 faith in Jesus, as those who have been

00:34:49.780 --> 00:34:53.840
 justified, that we ought to confess the

00:34:53.840 --> 00:34:55.600
 name of the one who saved us.

00:34:59.160 --> 00:35:00.860
 Until that glorious day when we'll be

00:35:00.860 --> 00:35:02.420
 clothed with the white garments of the

00:35:02.420 --> 00:35:03.160
 bride of Christ.

00:35:03.159 --> 00:35:07.059
 Let's look at the rest of the promise in

00:35:07.059 --> 00:35:07.519
 verse 5.

00:35:07.599 --> 00:35:11.099
 I will never blot out His name out of the

00:35:11.099 --> 00:35:11.819
 book of life.

00:35:12.460 --> 00:35:15.199
 I will confess His name before my Father

00:35:15.199 --> 00:35:16.639
 and before His angels.

00:35:17.119 --> 00:35:20.279
 If the church in Sardis repents of being a

00:35:20.279 --> 00:35:22.579
 Christian in name only and then in

00:35:22.579 --> 00:35:24.699
 reputation only and if they start to live

00:35:24.699 --> 00:35:26.719
 like those few names in Sardis that are

00:35:26.719 --> 00:35:29.179
 not yet soiled their garments, then their

00:35:29.179 --> 00:35:31.480
 name will never be blotted out of the book

00:35:31.480 --> 00:35:34.280
 of life and Jesus will confess His name

00:35:34.280 --> 00:35:36.300
 before His Father and before His angels.

00:35:38.340 --> 00:35:40.599
 See, the repetition of the word name there,

00:35:40.639 --> 00:35:41.860
 the converse is also true.

00:35:41.940 --> 00:35:44.360
 If you do not confess the name of Jesus

00:35:44.360 --> 00:35:46.800
 before men, He will not confess your name

00:35:46.800 --> 00:35:47.559
 before the Father.

00:35:49.760 --> 00:35:52.119
 If you do not keep the name of Jesus Christ

00:35:52.119 --> 00:35:53.880
 until the end, then your name will

00:35:53.880 --> 00:35:58.000
 not be found in the book of life.

00:35:58.000 --> 00:35:59.960
 To your dismay.

00:36:01.619 --> 00:36:03.599
 Scripture consistently teaches us that there

00:36:03.599 --> 00:36:05.300
 are people in the church who claim to be

00:36:05.300 --> 00:36:08.320
 Christians and may seem to be Christians

00:36:08.320 --> 00:36:10.860
 even to others around them, but who

00:36:10.860 --> 00:36:12.739
 nevertheless prove that they were never

00:36:12.739 --> 00:36:15.340
 true Christians by failing to persevere in

00:36:15.340 --> 00:36:16.340
 faith until the end.

00:36:18.039 --> 00:36:20.500
 1 John 2, 19 describes them this way.

00:36:20.579 --> 00:36:24.480
 They went out from us, but they were not of us.

00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:28.539
 For if they had been of us, they would have

00:36:28.539 --> 00:36:30.400
 continued with us.

00:36:30.820 --> 00:36:33.860
 But they went out, that it might be complained

00:36:33.860 --> 00:36:35.440
 that they are not of us.

00:36:40.179 --> 00:36:44.000
 The Jews around the time Revelation was written

00:36:44.000 --> 00:36:47.400
 had a curse that they regularly uttered

00:36:47.400 --> 00:36:48.320
 about Christians.

00:36:48.320 --> 00:36:50.940
 And it went like this.

00:36:54.640 --> 00:36:56.980
 And I know some of you guys have Jewish

00:36:56.980 --> 00:36:58.580
 backgrounds, so I hope you're not thinking

00:36:58.580 --> 00:37:00.820
 that I'm...

00:37:00.820 --> 00:37:03.260
 Our Savior is Jewish.

00:37:03.559 --> 00:37:06.160
 This is not an indictment of Jews in general.

00:37:06.280 --> 00:37:08.460
 Rather, this is just the reality on the ground.

00:37:08.960 --> 00:37:11.140
 And of course, Christians have sinned past as well.

00:37:11.180 --> 00:37:13.160
 But this is a curse that the Jews regularly uttered

00:37:13.160 --> 00:37:13.660
 in that time.

00:37:13.660 --> 00:37:16.320
 It says, may the Nazarenes and the Minim

00:37:16.320 --> 00:37:19.820
 suddenly perish, and may they be blotted out

00:37:19.820 --> 00:37:20.720
 of the book of life.

00:37:23.120 --> 00:37:25.039
 The Nazarenes is a reference to Christians,

00:37:25.539 --> 00:37:27.720
 and the Minim can also be a reference to Christians.

00:37:27.840 --> 00:37:29.740
 It refers to all those who separate themselves

00:37:29.740 --> 00:37:32.660
 from the Jewish community, the Jewish synagogue.

00:37:34.620 --> 00:37:37.760
 Perhaps the church in Sardis feared that curse.

00:37:42.160 --> 00:37:43.900
 They tried to blend in with the Jews,

00:37:44.000 --> 00:37:45.100
 not cause any trouble.

00:37:46.320 --> 00:37:48.780
 Because they didn't want to be blotted out

00:37:48.780 --> 00:37:49.760
 of the book of life.

00:37:51.360 --> 00:37:53.240
 But Jesus assures them,

00:37:54.039 --> 00:37:56.920
 if you are cursed by men for confessing my name,

00:37:57.600 --> 00:38:00.240
 and if your name is blotted out of the synagogue,

00:38:00.880 --> 00:38:03.100
 and out of the registry of your community

00:38:03.100 --> 00:38:04.800
 because of your allegiance to me,

00:38:05.220 --> 00:38:07.320
 if you become a social outcast

00:38:07.320 --> 00:38:09.640
 because of your faith in me,

00:38:09.860 --> 00:38:12.559
 I will never blot out your name

00:38:12.559 --> 00:38:13.539
 for the book of life.

00:38:13.539 --> 00:38:18.619
 I will confess your name before the Father

00:38:18.619 --> 00:38:19.880
 and before his angels.

00:38:20.119 --> 00:38:22.960
 And that's the most precious promise

00:38:22.960 --> 00:38:25.320
 we can have as God's people.

00:38:26.000 --> 00:38:27.219
 At the final judgment,

00:38:27.800 --> 00:38:29.320
 during that heavenly roll call,

00:38:29.420 --> 00:38:31.539
 God's not going to be just rummaging around

00:38:31.539 --> 00:38:39.259
 and I don't see your name.

00:38:44.259 --> 00:38:46.000
 He's not going to turn to us and say,

00:38:47.000 --> 00:38:48.199
 I never knew you.

00:38:49.199 --> 00:38:50.679
 Depart from me, you evildoers.

00:38:50.679 --> 00:38:57.659
 Jesus will confess your name.

00:38:58.319 --> 00:39:00.339
 If you hold on to your faith in Jesus,

00:39:00.379 --> 00:39:03.319
 Jesus will confess your name before the Father.

00:39:03.419 --> 00:39:03.859
 He will say,

00:39:04.159 --> 00:39:06.159
 Sean, he's mine.

00:39:07.759 --> 00:39:10.019
 Pay for him with my blood.

00:39:12.679 --> 00:39:15.179
 And we'll get to enter into the joy of our master.

00:39:15.179 --> 00:39:19.719
 Don't you want to be identified with Christ?

00:39:21.339 --> 00:39:24.199
 Imagine your very name on the lips

00:39:24.199 --> 00:39:25.779
 of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

00:39:27.559 --> 00:39:30.579
 Your very name on the lips of our Heavenly Father

00:39:30.579 --> 00:39:32.960
 saying, come.

00:39:36.539 --> 00:39:38.859
 If Christ is rejected by our society,

00:39:38.980 --> 00:39:40.179
 let us be rejected with him.

00:39:40.719 --> 00:39:42.579
 If Christ is ridiculed by our society,

00:39:42.679 --> 00:39:43.940
 let us be ridiculed with him.

00:39:43.940 --> 00:39:46.440
 For if we confess his name here on earth,

00:39:46.659 --> 00:39:49.019
 he will confess our name there in heaven.

00:39:51.420 --> 00:39:53.780
 Some of you are spiritually dead

00:39:53.780 --> 00:39:55.599
 because you have never put your faith in Jesus.

00:39:56.659 --> 00:39:58.260
 Some of you think that you're Christians

00:39:58.260 --> 00:40:00.440
 but are spiritually asleep and about to die.

00:40:01.480 --> 00:40:03.659
 But the solution for both is the same.

00:40:04.760 --> 00:40:06.579
 Repent of your sins.

00:40:06.960 --> 00:40:08.639
 Turn in faith to the one

00:40:08.639 --> 00:40:10.340
 who has the seven spirits of God

00:40:10.340 --> 00:40:11.679
 and the seven stars.

00:40:11.679 --> 00:40:14.599
 He is the one who has the life-giving spirit of God

00:40:14.599 --> 00:40:15.739
 and if you turn to him

00:40:15.739 --> 00:40:17.099
 and you cling to him,

00:40:17.419 --> 00:40:20.899
 he can make even the bone-dry dead

00:40:20.899 --> 00:40:23.239
 alive again.

00:40:27.319 --> 00:40:28.839
 Awake, O sleeper,

00:40:29.799 --> 00:40:31.919
 and arise from the dead

00:40:31.919 --> 00:40:35.699
 and Christ will shine on you.

00:40:36.179 --> 00:40:36.819
 Let's pray.

00:40:36.820 --> 00:40:53.000
 Yes, Father,

00:40:53.700 --> 00:40:56.340
 wake us all up

00:40:56.340 --> 00:40:59.900
 and make us alert and watchful.

00:40:59.900 --> 00:41:08.700
 Thank you for

00:41:08.700 --> 00:41:12.820
 taking our soiled garments

00:41:12.820 --> 00:41:18.920
 and giving us new white garments

00:41:18.920 --> 00:41:24.300
 washed in the blood of the Lamb.

00:41:24.300 --> 00:41:33.920
 Help us not to lose the wonder

00:41:33.920 --> 00:41:35.120
 of what you have done for us

00:41:35.120 --> 00:41:39.200
 so that joyfully we confess

00:41:39.200 --> 00:41:40.840
 the name of Jesus

00:41:40.840 --> 00:41:43.720
 in all of our lives

00:41:43.720 --> 00:41:46.019
 until the end of our lives.

00:41:49.660 --> 00:41:50.980
 In Jesus' name we pray.

00:41:51.580 --> 00:41:51.880
 Amen.

00:41:51.880 --> 00:41:51.980
 Amen.

00:41:51.980 --> 00:41:52.019
 Amen.