Brother Richard Sunday Morning 5/20/12

Brother Richard Sunday Morning 5/20/12

It is a fearful thing to be in the presence of Almighty God.  We don’t want to lose that respect and the reality of it.  The Brother in the Sunday School lesson taught of sacrificial love, loving even our enemies.  It is just at those difficult times that we especially need God and need to not fail God.  We need Jesus.  We need to be able to have Him, not just to teach and know about Him.  We need Him.

There are people that don’t have what we have.  We have a foundation that others don’t have in terms of truth, light, and the church.  God is still calling people.  People are getting the sense of “Religion is just not it.  It will not cut it.  I have to take responsibility for my own soul.” 

On the web one gave the testimony that they had gone to church all their life and didn’t realize how important the Word is and how important it is that they live free from sin.  On their own they realized that they must get out of this mess of modern day religion because it is corrupt, “It is unfaithfulness and I cannot be a part of it.” 

They are searching for one another on the web and trying to connect with one another.  There are others that are trying to gather them that are not of them but pulling them as the enemy always does. 

I like to say to them, “I gathered with the saints today, a people of God that are serving God according to the Bible.”  We want them to be able to find and see Jesus.

Joh 12:20  And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:

Joh 12:21  The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

This is our desire this morning.  We need to see Jesus.  Sometimes we are in difficult situations in life.  We need to see Jesus.

We want to see God’s conviction working in a greater way.  Jesus has the answer for that.  As we let Him work His way, somehow I believe He will answer to that.  I believe we need to see it in our generation. 

Sometimes it is good to step into another time and place so that we can get a different look at what is happening and what is going on.  I want to, if God will help us, step into the shoes of the Apostle John and what he was going through, where he was, what he was doing, and why God did what He did for him, for us, and for the people of that time. 

Everything of the gospel is understood if it is in its right context.  People often take it apart and apply it in a way that is of benefit to them self.  That is a natural human tendency.  We know very little in all we know.  I only understand by what I have experienced and been through. 

When you find where you live on Google Earth and start zooming out, what you know and what you are familiar with around you becomes a little speck.  You realize how little your world and what you know is compared to what is out there. 

I don’t have to know all.  I do need to know the one who understands and created it all.  It will move me from my little speck to what God wants: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel unto all people.” 

The job is so big, how can I even begin?  I simply have to say, “Lord what can I do.”  Sometimes I have to be willing for God to move my little speck out of my comfort zone in whatever direction that He chooses.  It is His choice.

Rev 1:9  I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

He was saying, “I’m just a human just like you.  I’m your companion in tribulation.  I’m going through hard things just like you.  I’m in a place that is not where I’ve ever been before.  It is not where I was raised.  It is not where I would choose and it is not a comfortable, easy place.” 

Before John got the revelation of the future and His life I wonder what He thought.  It is probable that at the age of ninety, all that John had worked with through the years were now gone.  All the 500 that had seen Jesus throughout the resurrection were for the most part gone. 

He wasn’t with his acquaintances where he was on Patmos.  He had been banished to this island where no one that he was used to was around.  He had to labor in the caves, a dark damp place.  Can you imagine when you are 90 that being your retirement place? 

He probably thought that he was almost done with his life; there wasn’t much else that he could do.  He decided that in spite of all that is around me and the position that I am in, I’m going to praise and worship God. 

All trials are difficult.  He’d seen people butchered for the testimony of Jesus Christ.  Murdered and put out.  Things had happened that we could hardly hear or read without a nightmare.  He probably felt that he was almost done and he was ready to go. 

Something happened:

Rev 1:10  I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

He was worshipping.  He wasn’t saying, “I’m feeling good and singing.”  He was feeling grief, but he was worshipping. 

He heard the awesome powerful voice of Jesus Christ.  Then he turned and saw Jesus.  He was clear before God and had faithfully served Christ all his life.  Now he was in the awesome presence of one that he had been with many times before.  He was in the presence of the Almighty, the omnipotent God. 

Just as many times before when he saw Jesus once again he was impacted by Him as all are that see Him.

Rev 1:17  And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

It was not because he had sinned or anything like that.  It is still a fearful thing to come before the Almighty God.  Our clearness does not change where we came from and what we deserve.  It doesn’t change the reality that we did nothing to deserve to be where we are at or to accomplish what we’ve accomplished. 

The reality is that anything that we have done, or even where we are at has been accomplished because Jesus did it.  We’re where we are because of the intervention of the Almighty God.  We have nothing to put on anyone that is here this morning.  If it were not for the Almighty God we would still be in the pit.

“He laid His right hand upon me and said, ‘Fear not.’”  It is as if He was saying, “I’m still here and my grace is sufficient.  I’m not done with you yet.  I still have a work for you to do.”  Sometimes we feel like that with what we’ve been through God is probably done with us.  We’re in a dark miserable place and just toiling away. 

God is not done with you yet.  We just need to get to a place where we are willing to accept it.  We need to get to the place where we fall dead.  He laid not just any hand on him but His right hand, the one that held the seven stars. 

The seven stars represented the messengers that had a job to complete in the earth.  He put it upon John because he fell down as dead.  Sometimes we need to get into the place where we are willing to lay aside all our agenda’s and plans and fall down as dead. 

I’ve done my best to serve God but I’m on Patmos and forsaken by all.  I’ve done my best but I’m here, why?  It is ok to ask why but then we need to wait and let Him answer in his time.  He will answer but we must let those things be done and our will and all our ways need to be dead so He can put His hand on us. 

He fell down as dead and at 90 he probably felt dead.  Jesus said, “No, you’re not done, you need to write some things and send them to the churches.”  He had to write a letter that put judgment on them.  He didn’t say, “Everything is great.” 

The church was struggling and working through difficulties, hardships, and things working right in amongst some of them.  John saw Jesus working right in the middle of all of that. 

In this day and age we see problems and difficulties in the church.  We need to ask God to help us see Jesus right in the midst of that.  There are those there that are suffering harm amongst those that they should not be suffering amongst. 

Jesus said, “I still own them as my people, right amid everything that has been said about them.  They are struggling but they are going through.”  Sin is sin, but some things they are struggling through; they are trying to make it through the difficulty they are in.  They are where they are.  We need to have the vision to see them as God’s people. 

There were serious spiritual conditions right in the midst of them.  In Sardis it says:

Rev 3:1  And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Rev 3:2  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

Rev 3:3  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Rev 3:4  Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

Rev 3:5  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Rev 3:6  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

“You have a few names.” 

This is why there is a church at Sardis.  There were a few, just a few, that had not defiled their garments.  Can you imagine having to write these letters.  It would not have been easy.

They are still God’s people and there is a messenger that God has ordained to teach them.  As long as there is a messenger there then God can work.  There was not the message, “Come out of Sardis, or Pergamos, etc.”  When there is not a messenger to feed the soul, then it is time to come out of there.   There was still one to deliver the message. 

We need to be able to see Jesus.  We need the outreach of heart and the stretch to be able to fellowship every blood washed one, to be able to reach where they are at.  Sometimes we have to wear the bulls-eye because you must go into enemy territory to be able to rescue the few.  You must go in there, gently as sheep but wise as serpents, eyes open watching.  God sometimes tells us to go there, bring a message there.  Somehow God is going to bring it to pass.  The walls will fall and God will bring them out.

Rev 1:17  And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

He said, “I have the beginning and the end of this matter.”

Rev 1:18  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

The devil tries to say that he has the keys.  The world tries to say that they have things under control.  In spite of all that is going on, Jesus is still king of kings and Lord of lords.  Our God is still God, the Almighty.   

Jesus was more than just a man with an earthly purpose.

Mat 17:1  And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

Mat 17:2  And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

Mat 17:3  And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

Mat 17:4  Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Mat 17:5  While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

A cloud and God’s presence overshadowed them.  A voice said, “Wait a minute, the one and only is here.” 

Mat 17:6  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

Mat 17:7  And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

This is what Jesus did to John in Revelations.  Jesus will reach down and touch us if we will fall down and claim His mercy.  When He touches you, you will not be the same.  You will find that you have a purpose.   He told John, your life is not done, I have an assignment for you. 

The devil wants to steal the worship at that time.  Some instead of worshipping take on the ‘why me?’ or ‘why this one or that one?’ attitude.  If we do then we will not find our self in the presence of Christ and he will not be able to put His hand on us for anything. 

We must fall down and say, “I give it all to God, I had different hopes, Patmos was not my idea, where I am at is not what I had in mind at all.  I had a different vision when I got saved, but I’ve learned that I had to give it all to God.” 

Life has not been what I had planned.  I’ve studied Revelation because of what I’ve been through.  I had a desperate need, “I need to see Jesus.”  I’ve been driven by this deep want, it has compelled me.  Sometimes I’ve felt like, “Lord are you done with me.”  But I in no way feel like I’m done.  God says, “No, I still have something that I’d like you to do.” 

As long as there are those that are suffering and have needs there will be work to do.  We must fall down and say, “Lord what would you have me to do?” 

We don’t read here that John ever got off Patmos.  We do know that he was to write a letter and send it seven different ways.  In spite of the difficulties there was an assignment.  He may have died in a cold cave.  Yet he was faithful to his assignment.  We need to stay worshipping Jesus Christ with a heart of purpose.  We need to have a purpose.

A brother in Nigeria Africa said something that struck me.  In terms of those that are courting one another.  He said, “It is not that you have eyes for one another but that you have eyes in the same direction.”  He wants a companion that has a purpose in God of worshipping and serving God. 

We need to get our eyes off of one another.  We cannot meet the needs of another.  We can still be with one another even with how different we each are.  We can still have our eyes pointed in one direction.  If people have eyes for one another they can see faults in one another.  “There is something that I see that I don’t like.”  We need to have our eyes facing forward. 

Heb 10:28  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

Heb 10:29  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Jesus came down as a witness to the almighty truth of God.  He was the witness that was brought among us.  The blood of the covenant was another witness.  To the sinner the blood is witnessing that they are guilty.  “My blood has been shed for your sins.” 

To the one that is saved, His blood is witnessing, “You are innocent.  My blood was shed so that you could be innocent before me.”  We need to have the innocence of the cleansing of the blood.  We need to claim the mercy of the blood and not be involved in the sins that caused Him to shed His blood.

We have three witnesses today, the word, the blood, and the spirit of God.  Don’t ignore those witnesses.  They are powerful witnesses.

Heb 10:30  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

Heb 10:31  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

The presence of Almighty God is a fearful and a respectful thing.  The blood is the only way that we can be in the presence of God and live.  It is the only way we can survive the revival.

When John saw Jesus he saw Him dressed as the high priest, but unlike the high priest he was girt about the chest area with gold.  Jesus has a heart of gold, a proven faith that could not be undone by unbelief.  We need to have that.

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Let’s let this work what it needs to work.

1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

1Pe 1:10  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

1Pe 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

We need that revelation. 

1Pe 1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

We must gird ourselves up.  We must shake our self; the enemy wants to sideline us.  Grief sometimes comes to us; we must grieve and go through.  We need to help one another gird up.  We need to make it to the end, all the way.

John had to hope to the end.

1Pe 1:14  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

1Pe 1:15  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

1Pe 1:16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

John was in awe of the revelation of Jesus Christ.  Jesus showed him, “It is not the enemy having his own way.  I’m still in control of this.  I still have my jewels.  I know who they are.  They are still glorifying me and I’m going to take them through.  They are my bride and I am married to them and I am still in control.” 

We may not see some things.  Jesus is set on His throne and all dominion and power is under him.  It is that way and has been that way all through time.  We don’t see people in the world honoring Him as they should. 

We need to see Jesus.  He is still in control.  They can only do what He allows them to do.  He knows where they are at and what they are doing.  He allows only so much for the trying of His people.