There you go. Nice and easy. 1, 2, 3, 4. I think we can manage that. So page 1, 2, 3, 4. Revelation 2, verse 18.
It's God's words through the Apostle John to the church in Tyre Tyre. To the angel of the church in Tyre Tyre write,
these are the words of the Son of God whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like
burnished bronze. I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you
are now doing more than you did at first. Nevertheless, I have this against you. You tolerate the woman
Jezebel who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching, she misleads my servants into sexual immorality
and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I've given her time to repent of her immorality,
but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering and I will make those who commit
adultery with her suffer intensely unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead
then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds and I will repay each
of you according to your deeds. Now I say to the rest of you in Tyre Tyre, to you who do not hold to
her teaching and who have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets, I will not impose any other burden on
you except to hold on to what you have until I come. To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end,
I will give authority over the nations. That one will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces
like pottery. Just as I have received authority from my father, I will also give that one the morning star.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Let's pray. Father, we thank you again for your
word to us. It pierces down to our very soul. It exposes our hearts and Lord, it is also the balm that can bind
them up. And so we pray for our brother Tyre as he comes this morning, as he preaches your word, that we would hear
what Tyre says, but most importantly, that we would hear what you say through him and from your word. Give us
ears that would hear your words this morning to us as a church. Amen.
Amen.
Thanks, Tyre. Do you want some water? Will I get you some water? No, I'm good, thanks.
Good morning. Every time I hear that passage to read out, I'm like, what am I have to get myself into?
But it's a fantastic passage. It's a great passage.
So, by the end of this, hopefully, we'll have three points. First point is Jesus sees everything.
In verses 18 to 19, we have compromise brings consequences. Verses 20 to 23.
And keep your eyes on Christ's return. 24 to 29.
And I asked Ralph to read it out, right? Because the Cork accent, we can't say it.
Tyre Thera. So I'm glad he said Tyre Thera because that's the right pronunciation as well.
So I was just making sure I had it right before I start.
So this is a letter from Tyre Thera.
It's a letter in one of the cities, in the seven cities that the letters are written in.
But Tyre Thera wasn't as special as the rest of them.
There's nothing big about Tyre Thera.
It was a wealthy city. A very wealthy city.
And if you remember in Luke, Luke chapter 16, 14,
there was a lady that they came across.
Lydia. Do you remember Lydia and Luke?
Well, she was also from the city of Tyre Thera.
So in Acts 16,
there's a one who heard was a woman named Lydia from the city of Tyre Thera,
a seller of purple goods,
who was a worshiper of God.
The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.
She was a seller of purple cloth.
And there's a hint in her selling in purple cloth is on about Tyre Thera.
See, Tyre Thera was famous for their trade.
They were famous for their marksmanship.
They were also famous for guilds.
So if you wanted to earn a living in Tyre Thera,
say if you were a carpenter,
and you had to join a guild,
that would be a wood caper,
a wood guild.
So in the guild,
you'd have to sell your stuff through the guild.
It was a way of livelihood.
It was a way that that's the way that they made our money.
But the problem was with guilds,
is when they met up,
they often participated in pagan worshipping.
They participated in pagan feasts.
And they worshipped idols.
And they practiced sexual immorality.
And that is the problem with the city of Tyre Thera.
This is why the letter of Tyre Thera exists.
Let's look at verses 18.
Verse 18.
I'm actually preaching from the ESV.
Just in case of your wording is different than I have.
I made this up in the ESV.
So verse 18.
Straight away,
in the start of this letter,
we just found out that this letter wasn't from John.
This message is from the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
If you can see,
Jesus introduces himself as a son of God.
Now the son of God was only used once
in the whole book of Revelations,
and it's used here.
That's significant.
Jesus is saying,
I am Jesus who is writing this message.
Because at the time,
there was a Roman Empire called Caesar.
He was known as the son of God.
So Jesus is reminding his church
that there is only one son of God,
and it's not Caesar.
That would have got their attention.
Can you imagine if I came up here this morning
and I said,
my name is Tyg,
I'm from Ballyvahan,
and you can call me the son of God.
He'd be like,
what is this for laughter?
That after being picked in a barrel,
after calling himself the son of God.
So that straight away
was after hitting the attention
of the church of Tythera.
Jesus wanted the believers in Tythera
to know exactly who was speaking.
Then he says,
His eyes are like a flame of fire.
He's saying this because Jesus sees
beyond our appearances.
He can see beyond what front we put up here
on a church on a Sunday.
This is something the church needed to know.
Jesus sees everything.
This is something that we need to know
every time we go outside these doors
and go into the world.
We need to be reminded that Jesus sees everything.
You see,
with me,
I don't know about you,
but sometimes I have this sin.
Now I believe that Jesus sees everything,
but I still have this thing in my head
that I can create this magic little dome
around this specific sin
that Jesus can't see.
Jesus sees everything.
We believe that God is sovereign.
We believe that he's all-powerful.
We believe he knows everything,
but when it comes to this specific sin,
we try to fool ourselves into it,
but he can't see
in this moment of our sin.
That is not the truth.
Jesus sees it all.
The message to Thyatira
is also a message for us.
Our hearts have not changed
since the times of Thyatira.
We are still tempted to hide our own sin
when it comes to God.
God.
His eyes
sees through
our reputations
that we put up
in front of people.
His eyes
sees right
into our hearts.
His eyes
penetrates
straight into our hearts.
God.
This also
reminds us in Daniel.
Do you remember Daniel's vision
that he had
in Daniel 10, 16?
His body like a barrel.
His face like a brilliance of lightning.
His eyes the flame and torches.
His arms and feet
like the
gleam of
polished bronze.
This would have made sense
in the city
because of the craftsmanship.
They were bronze makers.
Some translations
in the NAV
says fine bronze.
Bronze here
represents
God's strength.
His stability.
and his judgment.
That's what they would have
known about the bronze.
Throughout the Old Testament
bronze was used
in the tabernacles.
Strength.
And later in the temples
it often symbolizes
God's righteousness
and judgment.
That's what they would have
heard when they heard
the word bronze.
Jesus is reminding
the church
that he's righteous
as pure
his standards
never change
and his character
is unchanging.
Jesus' character
is the same as it was
then
as it is now.
The world changes.
Culture changes.
Opinion
changes.
Jesus does not change.
Let's have a look
at verse 19.
I know your works
your love,
your faith,
your service,
your patience,
endurance,
and that your
later work
succeeds the first.
Jesus begins
verse 19.
Encouragement,
don't he?
can you imagine
being the church
and you're listening
to this for the
first time being read
out?
Can you imagine
hearing
I know your works,
your love,
your faithfulness,
your service,
your endurance?
The church must have
been thinking
yes,
we got this.
We got it.
He's acknowledging us.
We're doing well.
We're not that bad.
We're not worse
than the church
down the road.
We must be doing
better than them.
We're serving.
Look at us.
We serve.
We're loving.
The new guy comes in.
Hi, how's it going?
We love each other.
We're doing great.
And we're even growing.
In fact,
Jesus even says
your layer of works
is better than the first.
does growth in the church.
They must have been thinking
you got this.
But it also
raises
an important question
for us.
Do we sometimes
only focus
on what the good we do?
Are we ignoring
the sin we tolerate?
We can just kind of
balance the scale a bit.
You know,
we're living in a culture
we balance the scales.
Growing up in a culture
we balance the scales.
We're not too bad.
You know,
I know I struggle
with sin
but look how much
I serve.
I know I'm living
in disobedience
but I attend church
every week.
We balance the scale
all the time
in our life
even if we don't
realize it.
I know this relationship
that I'm in
isn't right.
But I'm generous.
I'm not as bad
as I was.
That's why I listen
to all the time
with the guys
in addiction.
You know,
I work with fellas
in addiction
and they'll be telling me
I'm not as bad
as I was.
You know,
I still drink a lot
but I don't black out
anymore.
I don't get arrested.
It doesn't matter.
We can't cancel
out our sin.
We can't.
We cannot
cancel out
our sin
what works.
It's impossible.
So we still
create this imaginary
kind of
scales in our head
and we justify
our behavior
to it.
You know,
I know I'm doing this
but look what I'm doing here.
It doesn't work like that.
It doesn't.
Only fooling yourself
if you think
that it works
like that.
Let's have a look
at verse 20.
But I have this
against you.
Oh.
That you tolerate
the woman Jezebel
who calls herself
a prophetess
and is teaching
and seducing
my servants
to participate
in sexual immorality
and to eat
food
sacrificed
to idols.
mic drop.
Can you imagine
hearing that?
Just after hearing
so encouraging
bang.
Everything changes
with these words
but I have this
against you.
Guaranteed
this.
Okay,
got your attention.
Despite all
the love
service
faithfulness
and endurance
Jesus still
had something
to say.
Hence the letter.
They were
tolerating
false
teachings.
They didn't
see the problem
in what they
were doing
when they
were worshipping
falsely.
Falsely.
They compromised.
using the word
Jezebel
here.
Jesus
is not
about a
literal person
that was in
the city.
Jesus
is reminding
us about
Jezebel
in the Old
Testament.
The verse
would suggest
that there was
a woman in the
city
in one of the
guilds.
there was
a woman
who was
practicing
teachings
that Jezebel
would have
practiced
in the Old
Testament.
And they
were leading
Christians
into sexual
morality
false
teaching
and she
taught herself
to be like
a prophetess.
There's the
contrast.
So Jesus
is saying to
him
and the
Christians
in the
city
were falling
into our
trap.
Go back
a small
about the
guilds.
You see
in the
guilds
because of
the trading
and the
guilds that
you have to
be associated
with when it
comes to
the trading
Christians
were under
enormous
pressure.
Because if
they didn't
participate in
these guilds
they wouldn't
have made
a livelihood.
They wouldn't
have survived.
But every
guild had a
patriot god.
That was the
problem.
In Taitara
there were
temples dedicated
to these
gods such
as Ateta
and Apollo.
Guild
members may
have been
encouraged to
participate in
all kinds of
ungodly
behaviour.
They
participated in
all sexual
immorality
to honour
these gods.
to whoever
the god
was
devoted
to in
the guild.
And there
was people
in the
church
who saw
what was
going on
and thought
nothing
wrong with
it.
They saw
Christians
participating in
such activities
and they saw
nothing wrong
with it.
wrong with it.
And the
feasts that
they're talking
about here
the meat
that was
served at
these feasts
first had to
be offered
up to
idols.
And if
you attended
these meals
you weren't
just eating
the food
you were
participating
in this
feast
in this
worship.
and if
you were
participating
in the
worship
you were
involved
in
sexual
immorality.
But some
Christians in
the church
were saying
it's not a
big deal
what else
are they
supposed to
do?
They went
along with it.
The church
went along
with it.
What are
they going
to do?
They're not
going to
stand out.
They won't
be able to
have their
livelihood if
they don't
part of
these
skills.
Their
families aren't
going to
get the
money.
They're not
going to
get fed.
So what
else are
they supposed
to do?
Some say
compromising
aren't they?
They were
compromising.
They were
compromising
with their
faith.
Christians
compromised
their faith.
But you
know what
was worse?
The church
tolerated it.
who always
noticed about
Jesus,
right?
Especially
in this
letter,
right up
here.
Look,
Jesus didn't
rebuke the
Christians,
did he?
He rebuked
the church.
He rebukes
the church
for tolerating
Christians
who are
participating
in such
rituals.
that should
speak loudly
to us as
a church
today.
If we
see something
in our
churches
that's
sinful,
we should
call it
out.
We shouldn't
compromise it.
We should
call it
out.
We are
called to
love
sinners.
We are
called to
show grace,
but we
were never
taught to
tolerate
sin.
We were
never
taught to
tolerate
false
teaching,
false
worship,
and we
were never
especially
to tolerate
an excuse
for sin.
We're not.
And I'm not
coming here to
talk about
your church,
I'm looking at
my own
church when I'm
talking about
this,
because our
church is
the same
as your
church,
I'm the
same as
you,
our hearts
are exactly
the same.
Every church
that you walk
in the door
to might be
different people
or different
chair or
different
seating,
but we
have all
the same
heart.
So don't
think I'm
talking in
here talking
about your
church,
you're
talking about
you as
the church.
Because it's
hard to spend
all your time
in an unbelieving
world,
isn't it?
Especially in
work.
You're walking
around in
work and
you're walking
around with
friends and
none of
them believes
in God and
none of
them believes
in Jesus.
And you're
staying there
long enough and
do you know
what happens?
You start
compromising with
your faith.
You start
engaging in
conversations you
shouldn't be
in.
You start
trying to
fit in.
You feel
lonely because
everybody's
walking away
from you because
you're a bit
strange.
You're not
engaging with
them but
then you just
feel like one
day I want to
be a part of
this.
So what
happens?
I compromise
with my
faith.
it's not
about
appearance.
It's not
about comfort.
This world
is, Christian
faith is not
about success.
It's not.
That's what the
world offers
you.
And do you
know what?
It'll never
satisfy you.
It doesn't
matter how
much this
world gives
you in
success,
acceptance,
or comfort,
you're never
going to be
satisfied.
Never.
Do you
want to know
why?
Because you
are not
created for
this world.
We are not
created for
this world.
We are
created for
the world
to spend
eternity
with our
King Jesus.
We're
created for
the world
that we
will be
glorified,
body,
no sin,
just like it
was in the
Garden of
Eden.
That's what
we're created
for.
So whatever
this world
offers us,
it ain't
going to
fix us.
And it
might give
you a
temporary
release,
but it's
not going
to give
you a
100%
release of
satisfaction.
It's just
a lie.
But remember
how Jezebel's
story ended?
Grossome.
What a
death she
got.
Kings
chapter 9,
verse 30
to 37.
All Jezebel
done in the
Old Testament.
She was
thrown out
a window,
trampled
on in
horses,
and the
dogs
mangled
her.
What a
way to
go.
She
thought she
was
untouchable.
She
thought God
himself
couldn't
touch me.
What?
Jesus is
reminding the
church that
she thought
Jezebel was
untouchable.
He's reminding
the church
that Jezebel
thought she
was a
prophetess.
God
himself
hasn't got
power over
me.
And God
ended her
life just
as it was
prophesied.
God's
judgment came
to Jezebel
and God's
judgment will
come to us
one day.
Her life
ended in
disgrace.
And one day
our lives
will end and
the question
is how will
our lives
end?
Will we end
our lives
in disgrace
rejecting
God?
Rejecting
Jesus?
Will we
end our
life accepting
Christ and
spending
eternity with
him?
That's the
question.
That's why
Jesus is
calling his
church to
remain
faithful.
We must
remain
faithful.
Doesn't
matter what
this world
throws at
us.
We must
remain
faithful.
even if
the
faithfulness
is costly.
We are
called to
stand
firm in
the
armor of
God and
not to
kneel and
worship
false
gods and
especially
worship
false
idols of
the
heart.
Let's
have a look
at verse
21.
I gave
her time
to repent
but she
refuses to
repent of
her sexual
immorality.
what an
incredible
statement
here and
there.
God
could have
judged her
there and
then.
God can
judge us.
We deserve
death.
He could
have come
down and
just judge
every single
one of
us.
He's
right to
do so.
He could
have done
a hair
with Jezebel.
He could
have gone
a hair
in
entire
era but
he didn't.
instead he
gave her
time to
repent.
Jesus
gives us
time to
repent.
That is
the mercy
of God.
Throughout
scripture we
see that God
is patient
didn't he?
He delays
his judgment
because he
delights in
showing mercy
and
giving people
the opportunity
to turn
away from
sin and
come to
him.
Can you
look back
in your
own life
and just
think of a
certain
moment in
your life
and see
God's
patience
in your
sin?
I can
look back
and see
many of
them.
How many
opportunities
had you
given you
to repent?
I can't
even.
If you're
here today
and you
think that
you're so
bad and
you're so
sinful you
can't repent
anymore because
you reckon
Christ said
or God
said God
will never
be sick
of your
repentance.
Never.
Repent,
repent,
repent.
Turn from
your sin
and come
to him.
He will
have the
patience
but
his
patience
has a
limit
in this
world.
Did you
ever hear
of a
talking to
a non-believer
sick of
hearing this
nearly
two or
three times
a week?
How could
a loving
God send
anybody to
hell?
Common
question
isn't it?
I never
heard anybody
ask the
question
how could
a holy
God
continue
to show
mercy to
people who
constantly
reject him?
That's a
better question
isn't it?
And I
include myself
in that
question.
How can
a holy
God
continue
to show
mercy to
me
who
continuously
rejects
him in
certain
parts of
my life?
Because
he is
merciful.
That's
so.
notice
here
that
Jesus
is
saying
she
did
not
want
to
repent.
Right
there
is a
heart
problem.
Jesus
says
she
will
not
repent.
She
wouldn't
repent.
This
is not
ability.
This
is not
a question
about
ability.
She
was
able
to
repent.
it's
not
about
ability.
It's
about
desire.
She
loved
her
sin.
She
loved
it.
How
many
people
loved
their
sin?
I
love
my
sin.
I
hate
it,
but I
love
it.
Double
mindedness.
We
choose
created
things
over the
relationship
of a
creator.
That's
what we
do.
That's
what our
hearts
do.
Our
hearts
go for
something
that is
created
in this
world
than
going
to
the
creator.
That's
the
idols
of
the
heart.
C.S.
Lewis,
our
hearts
are like
a conveyor
belt
for
idols.
It
just
keeps
coming
out.
What
can I
worship
today?
I
had a
coffee
this
morning.
Behold
the
God
that
took
me
out
of
bed.
Worshiping
idols,
it's
an
insult.
It's
an
insult
to
God.
We
worship
pleasure
instead
of
his
holiness.
We
worship
success,
money,
relationships,
approval,
or
addictions
instead
of God.
They
are just
some
idols
of
the
heart.
So let
me ask
you a
question
this
morning.
what
are you
unwilling
to
repent
of?
Is
there
an
area
in
your
life
where
you
know
God
is
calling
you
to
change
but
you
simply
just
don't
want
to
let
it
go?
I
know
how
that
feels.
For
years
and
years
I
kept
on
to
my
addiction.
I
didn't
want
to
let
it
go.
I
wanted
something
that
gratified
me
instead
of
relationship
with
God.
I
knew
it was
killing
me.
I
just
wanted
it.
I
loved
it so
much
I
even
more
than
loved
it
in
obedience
to
God.
And
repentance
only
began
when
I
stopped
making
excuses
of
why
I
was
drinking
and
surrendered
that
idol
to
Christ.
It
was
only
then
it
was
taken
away.
You
see
I
was
a
young
fella
!
And
my
mother
brought
me
to
be
psychiatrist
when I
was
14
because
she
said
there
was
a
want
in
me.
I
was
told
I
was
a
product
of
my
upbringing.
Loved
it.
It's not
my fault.
I'm a
product of
my
upbringing.
20
years later
he shouted
at my
dad's
face.
I'm a
product
of
my
upbringing.
He
said
you're
mad.
Victim.
I
was
a
victim.
Not
my
fault.
I
sin
because
of
this.
The
scale.
I
drink
because
of
my
family.
I
drink
because
of
my
livelihood.
I
drink
victim
victim.
And if
God
didn't smash
that victim
mentality
I'd
still be
a
victim
today.
I
am
not
a
victim
in
life.
I
am
not
a
product
of
my
upbringing.
I'm
a
sinner.
a
sinner
with
a
heart
that
loves
to
idle
something
that
gratifies
me.
Loves
it.
The
senses.
I
love to
hold
it.
I
love to
control
it.
I
love to
be
its
God.
I
love the
pleasure
it
gives
me.
I
love
the
temporary
release
it
gives
me.
When
you
start
looking
at
them
things
you
can
see
why
you
do
what
you
do.
We
do
what
we
do
because
we
love
we
love
our
sin.
Verses
22
to
23
Behold
I
will
throw
her
into
the
sick
bed
and
those
who
commit
adultery
with
her
I
will
throw
into
a
great
tribulation
unless
they
repent
of
their
works
and
I
will
strike
her
children
dead
and
all
the
churches
will
know
that
I
am
he
who
searches
mind
and
heart
and
I
will
give
to
each
of
you
according
to
your
works
yeah
but
you
said
it
wasn't
about
works
it's
not
it's
not
what
this
verse
is
saying
and
we
hear
the
children
you're
like
slaughtering
our
children
it's
a bit
gruesome
isn't
it
the
children
here
is
commonly
understood
and
it
was
referring
to
our
spiritual
followers
you
followed
the
teaching
of
Isabel
you're
one
of
our
spiritual
we
follow
our
teachings
we
follow
these
things
we
become
children
of
wrath
there
were
people
who
embraced
our
teachings
rather
than
literally
offspring
that's
what it
was
not
talking
about
our
children
people
who
fell
down
to
her
and
worshipped
her
they
were
our
children
but
just
remember
in
these
verses
I
will
throw
her
into
the
sick
bed
I
will
throw
into
great
tribulation
I
am
who
searches
minds
and I
will
give
to
each
who's
in
control
this
shows
that
Jesus
is
in
control
look at
all the
eyes
I
not
I
he's
in
control
the
same
Jesus
who
patiently
offers
repentance
also
offers
judgment
for those
who
refuse
to
repent
there's
a
twist
he
offers
repentance
still
if
you
don't
show
repentance
he
will
show
judgment
his
patience
has a
purpose
but
in
our
sin
if
we
didn't
live
in
our
sin
it's
only
in
our
sin
the
darkness
of
sin
is
only
then
we
can
really
understand
what
grace
is
when it
comes
to
repentance
if
we
didn't
live
in
sin
when
we
were
showing
grace
we
would
never
understand
it
would
we
but
his
patience
does
not
last
forever
because
one
day
we
will
die
and
time's
up
we
can't
respond
anymore
one
day
our
lights
will
be
clocked
out
it's
all
over
those
who
continually
reject
him
his
mercy
will
eventually
experience
his
judgment
you
reject
his
mercy
up to
the
time
of
your
death
and
you
will
experience
his
judgment
but
notice
again
how
Jesus
describes
himself
I
am
the
one
who
examines
minds
and
hearts
nothing
escapes
his
notice
nothing
he
just
said
it
again
he
is
the
one
that
examines
the
mind
and
the
heart
he
sees
it
all
nothing
can
escape
he
sees
every
thought
can
you
imagine
getting
a
projector
and sticking
at the
top
of my
head
and
just
projecting
on the
screen
what I
thought
about
coming
down here
this
morning
horrendous
thank God
for God's
mercy
he sees
every
motive
even if we
think
that it's the
right motive
he knows
our motives
and
he sees
every
single
hidden
sin
he sees
it
all
Jeremiah
17
10
I am
the
Lord
who
examines
the
mind
I
test
the
heart
to
give
to
each
according
to
what
actions
deserves
God's
judgment
is always
righteous
he never
judges
unfairly
he never
makes
mistakes
and one
day
every
single
person
here
and who
has ever
lived
will stand
before him
everyone
believer
unbeliever
rich
poor
young
old
everyone
will experience
a resurrection
everyone
will stand
before his
judgment
and for
those who
trusted
Christ
there is
no
condemnation
because
Jesus
had already
paid the
price of
God's
wrath
there is
the
encouragement
he took
the price
of our
sin
to the
cross
yet
believers
will still
have to
give an
account
of how
they live
their life
in service
to God
believers
if you're
here and
you're thinking
I accept
Jesus
as my
Lord and
Savior
happy
days
you will
still have
to give
an account
to God
in the
resurrection
and how
you serve
them
while you
were on
this world
and I'm
not on
about a
work system
here
I'm not
on about
you have
to work
your way
into heaven
no
if you
have
the grace
from God
then you
should
have
a
heart
to
serve
you
work
because
of
the
grace
you do
not
work
to get
grace
it's
upside down
we live in a culture
that tells you you can work for grace
you can't
we work because of grace
and if you're here this morning
and you think that you can work your way out of heaven
or you're in a system that tells you you can work your way out of heaven
that
is not
the truth
and it doesn't matter if you tell yourself
but I'm okay I don't even believe all this
you're up there talking nonsense for the last
20 minutes
I don't even believe I'm just here because my dad's bringing me along
my mom's bringing me along
I'm just here to fit in I'm just here to show I like the coffee I like the tea
that does not change the reality of the resurrection
the reality is you're still going to be raised when you die
so you can keep fooling yourself to think that it's okay because you don't believe in it
that's not reality
let's have a look at verse 24
but to the rest of you of Thyatira
who do not hold this teaching
who have not learned
what some call the deep things of Satan
to you I say
I do not lay on any other burdens
that's good news isn't it
not everybody in the church
had fallen
into the false teaching
there was faithful Christians in the church
and Jesus encourages them
he speaks
and he also speaks about the deep things of Satan
the NFV uses the so-called secrets of Satan
exactly what this refers to is debatable
it's debatable
it may be talking about false teachers
who claim that believers needed to experience
depths of paganism
and false worshiping to understand
the full spiritual truths
isn't it a lie
it might be that there was a teaching of works
the more you work
the more righteous you are
and you can work your way into heaven
right
there
is a doctrine
straight out of Satan's mouth
if you could walk
if we could walk away into heaven
we wouldn't need a savior would we
we wouldn't need a crucified Christ would we
and if we didn't need a crucified Christ
guess what
we're still dead in our sins
because we didn't have a risen Christ
and guess what
if we didn't have a risen Christ
we are still
under the penalty
of death
if you take the crucifixion
and if you take the resurrection
out of Christianity
you're left with nothing
nothing
no hope
no payment
and still in death
whatever this verse is on about
one thing is for sure
Satan is a liar
a liar
he disguises
lies
with truth
so what's the problem
there's only one
nobody will know
it'll be different next time
you know
the last time he done this
do this
it'll be different
all
lies
he tempts us
through footholds
we allow him
to have over our lives
we give it to him
voluntary
give him
all our desires
we give him the ammunition
he uses it against us
and we respond to it
his lies
wants us to draw us
as far away
as to God
as he can
there's his plan
he doesn't care how
or what he says
he don't want you
coming near the cross
and he doesn't want you
coming near God
he'll throw every single
negative thought
you have in your head
everything
but notice something else
Jesus
doesn't promise
his faithful people
an easy life
does he
he doesn't say
follow me
and all your burdens
be gone
happy days
instead
he says
I
am not putting
any other
burdens
on you
the Christian
life
is hard
life
in general
is hard
it's tough
Jesus
never promised
his followers
that life
will be easy
never
but there's
something that he
did promise us
when we go
through our life
he promised us
that he will
always be there
when we go
through our
burdens
that life
gives us
he will
always be
in the midst
of our
darkness
he will
always be
in that
mind
that's dark
and he's
always there
to come
to
our trials
are real
in life
our burdens
are real
in life
but his
grace
is greater
than any
burden
we can
face
in this
world
his grace
and his
mercy
is better
and greater
and more
powerful
than anything
our minds
are going
through
or our hearts
are going
through
or something
that's going
through
and we don't
want to tell
anybody
we don't
want to bring
attention to
ourselves
and we're
half ashamed
of saying
to somebody
talk to
somebody
he's
there
the worst
thing you
can do
is say
nothing
again
I came
over
past life
that I
had
there's
about
11 or
12 of
my friends
dead
from
suicide
taken
through
our lives
drug
overdoses
and they
didn't say
nothing
said
nothing
they just
picked up
their
addiction
and they
went on
the board
on the
life
and they
went on
the board
on the
trails
and they
just said
nothing
to nobody
let's have
a look
at verse
25
only
hold fast
what you
have
until
I
come
question
what do
we have
what do
we have
today
we
have
Jesus
Christ
that
is more
precious
than anything
that this
world can
give us
life is
hard
life is
tiring
it's
hard
sometimes
more than
others
sometimes
it's a
battle
just to
get up
out of
bed
but this
verse
tells
the
church
it is
also
telling
us
to
hold
on
hold
on
persevere
keep
going
just a
bit
longer
when you
feel like
turning the
toll in
your faith
turning the
toll in
your life
Jesus is
saying
hold on
just wait
stand
because
when
he
comes
the
reward
he
brings
will
be
better
than
anything
this
world
can
offer
just
wait
just
a bit
longer
hold
on
look
verses
26
and
28
the
one
who
conquers
and
who
keeps
my
works
until
the
end
to
him
I
will
give
authority
over
the
nations
and
he
will
rule
them
with
a
rod
of
iron
as
when
earthen
pots
are
broken
in
pieces
even
as
I
myself
have
received
authority
from
my
father
and
I
will
give
him
the
morning
star
to
conquer
the
world
conquer
when we
conquer
this
world
what it
means
is that
we
remain
faithful
to
Christ
we
conquer
we
win
we
stayed
faithful
to
Christ
until
the
end
the
one
who
perseveres
is the
one
who
doesn't
conform
or
compromise
to
this
world
he
who
keeps
going
even
when he
doesn't
think
he
can
anymore
Christians
who
keep
my
works
again
is not
saying
about
the
works
Christ
is
saying
his
works
is
he's
crucified
he's
sacrificed
he's
atonement
and
he's
resurrection
the
rod of
iron
is like
a
judge's
mallet
slamming
on a
table
after
his
judgment
2 Timothy
212
if we
endure
we will
also reign
with him
if we
disown
him
he will
also
disown
us
when that
curtain
is closed
and his
mallet
is down
his
judgment
is there
it's
final
not
turning
back
it's
gone
finished
Matthew
7
21
23
not
anyone
who
says
to
me
this
verse
frightens
the
life
out of
me
Matthew
7
21
23
not
anyone
who
says
to
me
Lord
will
enter
the
kingdom
of
heaven
but
the
one
who
does
the
will
of
my
father
who
is
in
heaven
on
that
day
Emmanuel
will
say to
me
Lord
they will
not
prophesize
in your
name
and cast
out
demons
in your
name
and do
mighty
works
in your
name
and then
I will
declare to
them
I never
knew you
depart
from me
you workers
of
lawless
who
always
thought
of
I
knew
Jesus
unbelievers
I
know
Jesus
atheists
I
know
Jesus
agnostics
know
Jesus
the
world
knows
Jesus
but what
is Jesus
saying
here
it's
not
about
us
knowing
Jesus
the
question
is
does
Jesus
know
you
does
he
know
you
how
does
he
know
you
do
you
serve
does
he
see
you
does
he
see
you
serving
in the
church
does
he
see
you
serving
in
your
life
does
he
see
you
meeting
a
Christian
who's
struggling
do
you
see
you
walking
along
somebody
who's
struggling
does
he
see
you
picking
somebody
up
when
you're
down
does
he
see
you
talking
to
somebody
when
you're
!
does
he
see
you
singing
here
on
a
Sunday
does
he
see
him
make
sure
he
sees
you
scream
out
to
him
because
it's
not
about
do
you
know
him
does
he
see
you
thank
God
for
this
verse
and I
will
give
him
the
morning
star
what a
verse to
come to
the end
of this
chapter
or this
chapter
the
greatest
reward
is not
about
authority
or
prestige
it's
about
Christ
himself
that's
it
we
will
be
given
Jesus
Christ
at the
end
he
is
the
morning
star
the
morning
star
today
the
one
in
the
sky
is
the
first
brightest
point
of
light
visible
to
the
naked
eye
before
the
dawn
breaks
the
night
the
first
breaking
of the
dawn
and the
sun
comes
up
the
first
thing
the
naked
eye
sees
is
the
morning
star
we
will
one
day
see
the
morning
star
Jesus
!
book
of
revelation
the
book of
offers
us
a
future
hope
for
the
faithful
not
to
see
God's
physical
face
but
one
day
we
will
be
totally
immersed
in his
divine
presence
and light
one
day
we
will
stand
and
look
at
God
face
to
face
one
day
we
will
be
in
heaven
in
his
presence
singing
the
most
beautiful
songs
glorifying
him
so
what
happens
first
twenty
thing
he
who
has
an
ear
let
him
hear
what
the
spirit
says
to
the
churches
this
verse
suggests
that
only
true
believers
have
an
ear
to
hear
the
spirit
so
believers
listen
to
the
spirit
let's
pray
heavenly
father
we
thank
you
lord
for
everything
that
you
give
us
lord
we
do
not
deserve
anything
lord
but
death
we
thank
you
for
your
crucified
body
that
was
put
there
for
our
sin
we
thank
you
for
the
blood
you
shed
on
the
cross
thank
you
for
your
resurrection
you
are
alive
lord
we
pray
when
times
are
hard
and
unsure
that
instead
of
going
to
the
idols
of
our
heart
we
will
return
to
your
cross
lord
and
we
embrace
you
lord
and
we
persevere
to
the
end
in
jesus
name
amen