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Shall we sing #36 in the appendix?
We go to meet us.
At 3 megabytes, make ourselves a little friendly and make it strong.
They're together.
Our God and our father, we're so very thankful for my precious word. And I pray now that if we have another opportunity to have it open that my spirit might have liberty to take it and to make it good to our hearts that we would be, uh, encouraged on in that path of going to meet the Savior and.
Just, uh, ask for help and for those who, uh, would speak that they would have courage and they might speak as the oracles of God. And you just, uh, pray that in everything Lord Jesus would be glorified. And I just pray this in his precious and worthy name, Amen.
Well, this is our last reading meeting and umm.
I would suggest, if, uh, might be the mind of the Lord, to just, uh, make some brief comments on the, uh, umm, last, uh, couple of the assemblies that are addressed by attire and then Sardis and then, umm, perhaps to read and, umm, comment a little more in depth on Philadelphia and, uh, perhaps late to see if we have time. So perhaps we could read the, the third chapter.
Of revelation and then maybe make some brief comments, as I say, about Thyatira and that period of time that, uh, is umm, referred to by the Lord himself, and then Sardis, and then maybe begin to take up Philadelphia.
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Revelation chapter 3.
And unto the Angel of the Church and stardom right these things, saith he that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars. I know by works that thou hast the name that thou liveth, and our dead.
Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die, for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast perceived 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 power I will come upon you. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not filed their garments, and they shall walk with me in light, for they are worthy.
See that overcometh the same shall be clothed, and white raining. 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. He that happened here, let him hear what the Spirit land under the churches. And to the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia. Right these things, saith He that is holy, he that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shut it, and shut us, and no man open it.
I know by works. Behold, I have set before thee and open door, and no man can shut it, for thou hast a little strength.
And has kept my word, and has not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not. But do why? Behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved, because thou hast kept the word of my patients. I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly. Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
And that overcometh. Will I make a pillar in the temple of my God?
And he shall go no more out, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God. And I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
And onto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans. Right these things, saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would that thou art cold or hot. So then, because thou are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth, because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing. And know us not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor.
And blind and naked, I counseled it to buy a green gold tried in the fire. Uh, thou mayst be rich and white, Raymond, that thou must be clothed, and that the shame of my nakedness do not appear. And anoint thine eyes with Isaac, that thou mayest see as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will Sup with him, and he with me. To him, and overcome will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and have sat down with my father at his room. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith under the churches.
I think it's been brought out the last, uh, meeting that, uh, these last four churches or assemblies that are addressed, the, umm, spirit of them really continues on until the end. And so Thyatira is, uh, a picture to us in the word of God of Roman Catholicism and that time, that period of time from, umm, basically around the fall of the Roman Empire and, uh, the.
Hopes that came in and all of the the.
Wickedness that really the world coming in, in, in Pergamus, it really manifested itself fully in Thyatira in the world fully and infiltrated, christened them. And so you have evil doctrines permitted and even taught, and you have Jezebel here, that woman in verse 20 which calleth herself a prophetess.
Which to teach and to seduce my servants, servants to commit fornication, to eat things sacrificed into idols. And so we have a picture, a graphic illustration of Thyatira and Thyatira itself. I think the name means, uh, a continual sacrifice. So it really refers to the mass and, umm, how there was uh, uh, a continual sacrifice and transubstantiation and all those, uh, doctrines that the Roman Catholic Church.
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Uh, brought in and penance and, uh, confession all those things and umm, so the Lord speaks to those at the end of the his address there it says in verse 25, but that which you have already hold fast till I come. So there were actual real believers as the dark ages and even the world refers to this period of time in church history and world history, Western civilization as the dark ages. And that is because the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ was hid.
And much of the truth was lost and they still held the, the Trinity, the truth of the Trinity, but it was, uh, mixed with, uh, uh, it was, uh, the woman hid, uh, a little leaven in three measures of meal. And so there was, umm, evil in that system. So you have those that are addressed there. Hold fast till I come. So they had in the last four churches, the Spirit of God reminds and the Lord Jesus himself says, I'm coming quickly.
Fast what you have just hold it fast and in scripture the apostle Paul used that term hold fast and the Lord Jesus himself used the term hold fast. I don't believe anyone else, none of the other writers uses that term.
And so the Lord Jesus in the last, uh, written revelation to the church here uses this term. And so he presents himself as the morning star. He had half an year. Let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. And then he writes to Sardis. And Sardis is really addressing that time of the Reformation. And it was really a work of God during the 1500s. And there was a real work of the Spirit of God. Men were saved and, umm, they sought to, uh, throw off the yoke of, uh, Roman Catholicism.
And umm, they saw the evil of that system and there were two things that really energized them and that was the recovery of some of the truth in connection with the, the Lord. They held, uh, the word of God that began to read the word of God again. And they held that the word of God was the supreme authority for the believer in this world. Isn't that nice? You and I, we hold the Bible in our hands. It's the supreme authority of God in the world for you and I and in the assembly in our homes and then.
The other thing was that it was salvation by faith alone, by grace. Are you saved through faith and not not of yourselves? It is the gift of God. So they saw that the blood of Jesus Christ his Son was shed for them and they didn't need an edict from the Pope or from the priests to, umm, get them into heaven in any way. And so those two things the reformers held. But what we find is that the the Lord says in verse two, be watchful and strengthen the things that remain and that are ready to die. For I have not found my works perfect before God.
And so Rome persecuted Sardis, those that were in this period of time during the church reformation. If you read Miller's church history and if you don't have a copy of Miller's church history, it's one of the must haves in the library of those I believe that are gathered to the Lord's name is just read this little, It's a big book. It's maybe, uh, seven or 800 pages, but little headings and broken out nicely and goes through this era of the refor reformers.
And they were persecuted to death. Some of them were burned at the stake. They paid.
They paid a heavy price to name the name of Christ and to seek to separate in some way from the evil of the Roman system and umm, But the persecution was so great that oftentimes what happened is that they look to the government's in the Western Europe to protect them. They in the Switzerland, they, uh, petitioned the government in Bern to protect them and, uh, to, uh, seek to deflect the umm.
Persecution for that was coming from Rome and from the church. And so the church became again infiltrated by the principles of the world. So you had the, uh, national churches of Protestantism really, that were formed and established at that time. And so that's why you look out and you see a Presbyterian Church. You see, uh, umm, uh, the Church of England, in, uh, England, all those, uh, national churches, they still continue today, but it says here the Lord says.
Umm, hold fast and repent. Remember, therefore, verse three, how thou hast received and heard. 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. Well, Sardis is going to continue on until the tribulation, and so the Lord, when he speaks us coming as a thief, is always in connection with his appearing, and so he's going to appear and take the kingdoms for himself, as we have this morning. But, umm.
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Sardis continues. There. He gives them encouragement. Those that, uh, would walk.
Worthy they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. And then he says he encourages them. He says 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. So in Sardis during the Reformation.
The Church of Rome.
Assume the response the.
Power to blot out from the book of life the names of those that left the church or would dare to oppose the Pope. And it's opposed the Roman Church, the Roman Catholic Church. And so the Lord here encourages him. Isn't that nice? Just encourages, says no, I will confess his name before my father and before his angels. He wasn't going to allow anything to come in. So he brought in in the Reformation.
A sense of the eternal security of the believer that had been lost in the past. And then we have here, uh, Philadelphia. And so the address the Lord begins to speak to Philadelphia and not begins in approximately 1827 when the church truth was really recovered and work a real work of the Spirit of God using men like Mr. Darby and, and, uh, Mr. Ballet and uh, others. And I believe the work really began in umm.
Ireland and uh, in the British Isles was discussed a little bit, perhaps, uh, yesterday.
If we look at.
Colossians chapter uh, chapter 2.
We all, we all know these verses, but I just want to be good to read them.
From which all the body by joints and bands have nourishment, ministered and lit together, increases with the increase of God.
Of the thought of of of not holding the head.
And umm, I do believe that holding the head is in connection with.
Are beginning to realize the mystery, the heavenly aspect of the mystery and, uh.
Allowing to head his place.
And I think this was probably lost early on in church history.
Then we popped up, they replaced the head, and then in Tardis the head still isn't isn't restored.
The head still is not restored in Sardis, but the head gains his place once again.
In Philadelphia. So this I think we can say that about, about Thyatira. In other words, what? What Thyatira?
Pretending to have a biker for Christ, et cetera, replacing the head.
God restores. I mean, we know it's done in Steps and Sardis there was restoration of justification by faith and so on. But then in Philadelphia, the head gets his place once again.
I'd just like to make one, uh.
A couple brief comments on verse uh two of uh chapter 3. Be watchful which remain that are ready to die.
No. Normally when something is ready to die, there's some kind of signs to look for before it can, before it's gonna die. Unless, of course, it's gonna be more. Unless it's mortally wounded. Then there's perhaps no warning. I.
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I don't intend to be humorous, but I'm not very good at taking care of house plants at home. And, uh, generally they start to droop a bit before they get watered. And when I, what I'm gonna say next is speaks as much as to my own heart as to anyone else here. Is that how we treat our brethren? Do they have to droop before we're ready to diminish to them, ready to edify them and strengthen, encourage them?
Philadelphia responds to the time when there was a a new beginning, a revival of UMM, and a work of God to recover the truth to the Church, that the church was a heavenly body, a heavenly Organism, and did not belong to this world. And so God raised up faithful men at that time that were well suited to UMM, dig into the Word of God and to minister the truth and were prepared to buy the truth.
With their position in leaving the national church systems, many of them left those church systems that have been raised up during the time of Sardis, during the Reformation. So 300 years had passed.
From the time that perhaps, uh, a man like William Farrell had lived and, umm, the, uh, the whole system of things, uh, had uh, in some way, umm, a great measure become a dead system. It lived it. It said that it had life, it named the name of Christ, but the truth of God was largely obscured still during Sardis. But isn't it the grace of God at the darkest time of, uh, man's history? We look at the children of Israel and at the darkest times.
In, uh, namely as day and Ezra's day, God raised up, uh, these two men and uh, others that went with them. And, umm, there was a, a real recovery. And the wall was built again in, uh, Nehemiah's time and in Ezra's time, the, uh, temple was built and there was a real recovery of, uh, worship of the true God in the land of Israel, but it was a remnant that came back. And so here you have in Philadelphia, that's not.
A widespread movement, if I could use that terminology. But God in his grace for his own purposes of blessing was going to raise up a testimony once again that when the Lord Jesus came, when he would come, that there would be evidence of a testimony in this scene that was suited to the character, that the holy character of the Son of God. And so he he raises up a testimony and he raises up those that would teach the truth.
That the truth might be once again known and held and enjoyed by the Saints.
My brother mentioned the other day that, uh, there's a change in the way the overcomers addressed and.
And, uh, once you get to Thai Tyra, umm, and the hearing ear is, uh, only mentioned after the overcomers address. So on the first three churches is it where there's, there's, uh, uh, a hope that, uh, there would be repentance and a restoration to that Ephesian, uh, state of things, a recovery of, uh, that, uh, first love that had been left.
And so on. But when you get to Thyatira, umm, repentance is, uh, not going to take place. And that from that point on, a remnant is distinguished among, uh, the church that's, uh, being addressed through the assembly that's being addressed. And the overcomer is the only one where the, there is a expectation that there's going to be a hearing here. So the expectation, he that hath an ear to hear comes after the word to the overcomer, really.
There's not an expectation that the church as a whole is going to hear just the overcomer. And so we come to that statement in chapter 2, verse 21. I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she really should read. She will not.
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And, uh, from that point on to the Lord's coming is held out as the really the true hope.
Of and remedy to all hold fast till I come. It's really his coming. There's going to be no restoration back to that pristine day of things, that Pentecostal, uh, glory that, uh, and grace that the church had, but, uh, rather a remnant that is, uh, uh, marked out, separated from the corruption around and only to the overcomers. Uh, they're going only found among the overcomers. Will there be a hearing ear?
Uh, until the Lord comes. And so you get really a succession.
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamus and time, Thyatira finally, and out of thigh Tyra, uh, comes Sardis. Protestantism and Catholicism. And so the Church had been seen in a certain sense as a whole outwardly by the world up until Sardis, and now the world looks on Christianity and what do they see? They see Catholicism.
And they see Protestantism and they see Christianity, as it were, in those two groups. And that's how, what the world sees. But when we come to Philadelphia and Laodicea, we're getting what the Lord sees, what the Lord is taking, uh, knowledge of and, uh, addresses. And so really Philadelphia and Laodicea, you might say, are two conditions. Uh, I don't want to say states of Seoul. That doesn't exactly represent the thought, but it's two conditions of things very opposite from one another.
That really are present there among in this world that only sees Catholicism and Protestantism, but the Lord sees.
Laodicea in Philadelphia, he sees those two conditions of things. Uh, he looks deep into the heart, doesn't he? The world only can look on the outward appearance and see these two great camps, as it were. Uh, and so that's, to me, that was a help in seeing that, that, yes, there is a certain sense in which it was in time and there is a succession in time, but once you've passed Thyatira, you're not viewing the church as a whole in its whole condition.
You're saying Protestantism just a part of what professes to be the Church of God in this world. And then two conditions of things, Philadelphia and Laodicea.
There were three things that characterized this movement.
That was really a movement of the Spirit of God among his people.
And when Philadelphia is being addressed here, the three things are in connection with His Holiness. It says He that is holy, he that is true. And then the third, the second thing, he that hath the key of David, and then he that openeth. And no man shut us, and shut us, and no man openeth. And so the Lord was working himself and intervening in, umm, this world, in the testimony himself and umm.
The ones that were first began to be exercised about what it was to be connected with the church systems in Protestantism and UMM.
Saw the error of what? How the Reformers had not gone far enough and had once again really just had Roman Catholicism with a little bit of a different flavor. In many cases. They began to see that the Lord was holy and that He is true, and that God desired to have holiness and truth if, uh, we were truly to be gathered to his precious name and to be found in his presence. And so he says, umm.
Be, therefore holy even as I am holy. And so they began to be exercised about that thing, that, uh, element of things. And then it says he didn't have the key of David. And this perhaps refers to the, uh, prophetic scriptures that, uh, in connection with the Lord Jesus and his rights in the earth and, umm, his relationship to Israel and his relationship to the church that, uh, you and I are not, uh, a part of, uh, prophecy. We're, umm, the church is not, uh, the subject of prophecy, but Israel is. And so they began to read the prophetic scriptures and to be able to.
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And began to understand the prophetic scriptures and be began to write about those things. And we know that ladies powers court and those that met with her and those that were of wealth and had the ability to be able to meet for meetings, conference, you might say. And they had, they took up the prophetic scriptures. They began to understand the church's place in history. They began to understand that God was, uh, soon.
To, uh, take up with Israel again. And so this has to do with the, uh, the key of David. And then he that opened it, and no man shot us and shot us, and no man openeth. I have set, I know thy works. Behold, I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut it. While this was a work of God, that umm, the word of God was being opened and the Spirit of God was working in power as, umm, they desired to walk in the light that they were given.
And church truth was recovered and men began to men and women began to be gathered to the Lord's name again, gathered by the Spirit of God, remember him in his death. And church order once again was restored in large measure to what it was in the apostles day. And umm, no one, no one was going to be able to stop it. And so as uh, we remember in Sardis, they in Protestantism, the Roman church raised persecution and was in a large measure, umm, responsible for.
The movements, perhaps you might say fizzling out and not coming to fruition as it ought to have come. But, umm, now the Lord himself was going to withhold the work of the enemy. There was an open door. And uh, so Paul's doctrine was, uh, read and taught and held and there was an open door. There's still an open door in the day that we live in to be able to read Paul's doctrine and minister the truth in connection with the heavenly calling of the church.
And the rapture, the things that have to do with Paul's doctrine in this scene be remembering the Lord in his death as the Lord, uh, gave Paul, it says, uh, first Corinthians Chapter 11 For I received of the Lord that also which I've delivered unto you. And so we ought to be very thankful for that light. So the darkness that was seen in Roman Catholicism began to fade a little bit, as if you might say in Sardis, there was a little light that Shawn, but they didn't go as far as they could have gone.
But the Lord in His sovereignty saw to it that the truth was recovered, and here in Philadelphia the door was open.
And that's, that's character and authority, isn't it?
Character authority.
And that's what.
You might say verse seven sums up character and authority, the Holy One and the True.
Possessing the key of David, and that's.
And realizing him giving place to him, the meetings took on that character and gaining his authority, he gathered in his name.
Character and authority.
And uh, just just to comment too on what our brother was just saying.
In verse 8A, Precious thaw.
You know, resuscitation of Paul.
Is where the head gets his place again.
The person of the Lord Jesus.
I like to put it this way.
We might say for our hearts, John comes first. Christ in humiliation wins the heart.
And the heart wants him and follows him. Well, where does he lead?
And union is realized with him.
And thus the potential to allow the head to have his place once again.
So as they realized that John and their hearts and their souls, they were brought to Paul.
And Paul was given place again.
The head of the Church now had his place again, as those early brethren realized union with him, and gave place to him.
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Joined him where he was, where he is.
And his presence was felt amongst them.
One might ask, well, how do you connect Paul's doctrine with what we have here in Philadelphia? The Lord says, uh, thou hast kept my word and not denied my name. It was especially the apostle Paul that directly had communicated to him by an ascended Christ that truth which was recovered in the early 1800s. My word, not just the word of God, but it's very specially my word, that which was communicated.
Uh, to Paul, it's Christ speaking here.
My word and so that's especially I believe the connection with Paul's doctrine here and uh, as her brother brought out its result in Christ being exalted. There's a holy in verse seven and true, and then we get my word and my name and verse 8.
To keep his word is to keep it in the heart, treasure it in the heart, but it comes out in the life, doesn't it? In a holy walk. He that is holy, keeping his word goes along with holiness and walk. And, uh, it could turn back just to, uh, uh, the Gospel of John.
Uh, chapter. Excuse me, Chapter 14.
Verse 23.
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. But earlier in the chapter the Lord had.
Uh had uh said just find the verse here.
Verse 21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him is a little difference between commandments and words. You know, it's like David asking, uh, longing for that drink from the well at Bethlehem. Those were words. It wasn't a command, but it was the breathings of his heart.
And those three took it up. They took up the breathings of David's heart, and they loved David and they fulfilled that desire of his heart and brought to him what his heart longed for. And that drink from the well at Bethlehem. You know, there's the commands in Scripture and how well we do to take them up and keep them. And if we, if, uh, as he says here, uh, he that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he is that loveth me. If there's love for the Lord, we'll take those things up.
But then he goes on to say, if a man loved me, he will keep my words, not just my commandments, but the very breathings of his heart, all the little things in scripture. You know, it's really the thought of going to the Scripture and, and looking for all those little things and the hearts, uh, desire to take them up and, and, uh, keep them. And so when he says thou has kept my word, not only Paul's doctrine, but it's more than commandments. It's really taking this book up as the breathings of his will.
And uh, and a longing desire from the heart to walk in the good of it and, and please and please him in it.
Just like, uh, just like in the Apostles day.
He's always doing the work. He's still doing the work. Thank God, through his mercy, he's doing the work with all of us.
And he was doing the work with the apostles in that day, preparing them for his departure. Was it?
And there's a there's a there's a similarity with the apostles in their day and with, with the men of the recovery in the day of Philadelphia. God was doing the work.
We're noticing that.
In their ignorance had the nerve to seek to replace the head. Naturally they can't replace him, but as far as on earth goes, what they did would.
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Keep the Saints from anymore looking to the true head they now had. A artificial head, you might say.
But but the Lord was doing the work even in the recovery days, and it's.
Started and Sardis and he he completed it, we might say in Philadelphia, as we've been noticing, but in John 17, the Lord we all know the upper room ministry was was preparing the disciples for his departure, especially those those 1314151617 those chapters. The Lord is is preparing them for his departure.
In chapter 17.
Verse six. It says, I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world, thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word.
Now that's because the Lord was doing the work with them.
And it's the same thought in in chapter, in verse eight of our chapter.
They have kept my word and not denied my name.
There was a sovereign work with those men being brought to that point where they received the word from the Lord and kept the word. I, I'm just my point is that this is a sovereign work of the Lord. It's a mercy. It was such a mercy of the Lord to allow this restoration of the, of, of church truth to the church. She had let it go. She had let it slip. She had even tried to replace the head. I should, I should say we as the church.
But God in his mercy was doing the work.
It, it, it works no doubt through the end of Tyra, into Sardis and then into Philadelphia. But just like the Lord could say, I have manifested thy name, they have kept thy word. It was it was a result of the Lord's working in their hearts, in their souls. And that's the same reason that they in verse 8 kept His word and did not deny His name.
Mentions here too that they had a little strength. Their proper rendering is a little power.
And so they had the, the same power as, umm, what was evident in the Pentecostal era when the church was first formed, but just a little power, just a little of that umm.
Glory that shone in the church. The testimony was evident and they had power in that at the beginning of that Philadelphia, that, uh, era of Philadelphia, the church period that's marked by Philadelphia here and umm, there was revival. There was a work of God. There were hundreds that were saved. The gospel went out with power. Halls were packed to hear the gospel of the grace of God. Assemblies, umm, were formed in many places.
Throughout the Western world and uh, there was a real power, real energy of the Spirit of God. It was just a little power. It wasn't in the same, uh, to the same magnitude as it was in the Apostolic era, but was the same truth. It was the same energy of the Spirit and it was the same word of God. And they had a value for the name of Christ. It's a word to us ourselves. You know that to my own heart, if, uh, we're going to value the word of God.
There's going to be some energy of faith and God always values faith. God always values our faith. If we're going to walk in faith and the energy of the truth and then here to be associated with his name, let him that name is the name of Christ, depart from iniquity. We need to be careful as we name the name of Christ and have taken his name by receiving him as Savior. Now to walk in a path that's a clean path because we are named by the name of Christ.
Might be good to refer to Acts chapter 20 as well in connection with the Paul preaching there. You have several pictures of the, uh, church history given in the Gospels and in the UMM.
Particularly Matthew's Gospel and the book of the Acts. And this is one of them. And her brother just said, how do we know it's Paul's doctrine that was being referred to here when there was an open door and the word was presented. Well, it says in Acts chapter 20, umm, let's read verse seven. Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the moral, and continued his speech until midnight.
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And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eudicus being fallen into a deep sleep. And as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
And Paul went down and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves, for his life is in him. And when he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
Well, there's a little picture there to us of how Paul's doctrine was taught and preached in the church. And, uh, Paul, the Apostolic era was going to end and he was going to depart on the Morrow. And he continued his speech until midnight, right into the darkest time of, uh, the Middle Ages. Even in Thyatira, there was something of, uh, Paul's doctrine, those that, uh, perhaps of, uh, the Waldenses and others that, uh, held some of Paul's doctrine and sought to walk in the truth in the measure that they knew.
But to the church at large in verse nine, that speaks of a young man fallen down to the world's level. And then it says, umm, he fell down from a third loft and the third loft, perhaps Speaking of, uh, the highest truth that was delivered to the church in connection with the heavenly church, uh, the heavenly calling of the church, uh, the epistle to the Ephesians and so on the third loft. And Paul went down and embraced and fell on him and embracing him said trouble not yourselves, for his life is in him. So it appeared to the world.
From outward appearance that the church was dead, but God in sovereignty.
Wrought and by his power, there was this testimony that was raised up again and it was characterized by holiness, by truth, by the recovery of, uh, the proper teaching and understanding of prophecy and, uh, by an open door. The enemy wasn't going to shut this down. And umm, then a little power, a little energy in the power of the spirit and umm.
The love of the Word of God and the study of the Word of God, the value of the Word of God, and then characteristic of having a value for the name of the Lord Jesus, and that's what characterized that age.
It's not God's way to, uh, use great displays of strength in a day of ruin and weakness. And it's a little strength. It's just a remnant character of things. And he wasn't going to restore things back to the day of Pentecost, but he did give this, uh, little restoration and, and a remnant character of things in Philadelphia's little remnant out of, out of these, uh, great, uh, outwardly seen, uh, things in the world, Christianity, Protestantism.
Protestantism and Catholicism, it's just a remnant character. And, uh, you know, in Ezra's day, uh, a little before his day, he came a little afterwards, there was a little remnant of the Jews brought back to the land of Israel. And, uh, you know, there was no ark with them. And when they crossed the wilderness, there was no pillar of cloud or fire. There were none of those displays of power that characterized that exodus out of Egypt.
Just a feeble little company, but they sought to be true to his word, and that's really why they came back. They wanted to keep his word, and they wanted to go back to that place where Jehovah had placed his name in Jerusalem. And so they returned. But God had a purpose in it, maybe not even seen at first by themselves. But you know, the Messiah was to be born in that land, and he brought back a little company that would be there to receive Messiah when he was born.
In that land, well, sad to say.
We know the reception that he received at large, but you know, there were the few, there were the shepherds, there were the Anas and Simeons and, uh, the Zacharias and Elizabeths and so on. And, you know, there was still a little remnant character there in the land to receive Messiah when he was born. And the Lord allowed the recovery of the truth. And one of the great aspects of that recovery was the truth that the church is true hope.
Is not death to die and go to heaven?
But the church's true hope is Christ's coming out of heaven for her to catch her up, to be with himself. But that had been lost, you know, when, uh, Anthiatyra, after the church settled down the world with Pergamus, and then Thyatira really isn't just settled down and the world is reigning over the world and, and Catholicism became so powerful. And really, I believe it was under Augustine, we start to really see the development of some of these doctrines.
00:50:18
That, well, aren't we supposed to get everything? Doesn't the scripture promise that we're going to possess all things? Well, then let's take them. They're ours, right? I, I sit as a queen and I'm no widow quoting from Revelation. And they sought to rule the world and did for a time, so to speak, uh, and so that doctrine went out that yes, presently it's the rain of Christ and presently.
It's the time for the church to reign with him and possess all things. And there are various aspects of that doctrine. And so when the reformers, uh, broke away from Catholicism and then Protestantism developed, they never left fully some of those doctrines. And the doctrine that was held in the, uh, late 1700s, early 1800s, uh, and Protestant Christianity was.
You know, we gotta go out and evangelize the world and convert the world to Christianity. We've got a we've got to conquer all those, uh, Muslims and Hindus and so on, and bring Christianity to them, although Christianity to them was often just civil, being civilized, learning how to read and write and so on. No, no gospel at all. We've got to go out and convert the world to Christianity. And when we do, there'll be a wonderful time of peace, and the arts will flourish and the sciences will flourish and medicine will flourish.
And it'll be a wonderful golden age will unfold on this earth, and at the end of that time, the Lord will come from heaven and claim His pure Kingdom for himself. And that's what Mr. Darby and Kelly and those brethren came out of.
And when the Lord opened up to their understanding that the Church's true hope was no such thing like that in this world.
But to be caught out, she was not part of this world at all. Her character was unworldly. It was a heavenly calling and a heavenly hope. That truth went around the globe and and Protestant Christianity and was embraced by many, many believers. And what was the Lord doing?
If he had not recovered that truth.
Would there be those who are waiting for the Lord to come?
No, you know, there were those who were waiting for the Messiah to be born. Oh, Anna went around. She spoke to all those in Jerusalem that were looking for deliverance, who were waiting for Messiah. The Lord recovered that truth so that His people would be waiting.
For Him, and that He would have here, though it be in weakness, though it be in little strength, though it be a remnant character, that which represented His bride on this earth that He was coming for.
So in verse 10 he says to them, Because I was kept the word of my patience, they entered into the patient waiting of Christ to come and claim his bride.
He says, I will keep thee from the hour of temptation. Well, what is that hour of temptation? Well, we're not left to our own, he says, which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell.
On the earth, he's Speaking of the great tribulation, not kept through it like Noah's ark through the flood or lot led by the hand out of, out of, uh, Sodom that was, uh, being rained on with brimstone and, and fire. But like, Enoch caught up from this scene, like Elijah caught up from the scene. And so it's not through or in, but it's from the hour of temptation. And so that was another truth that was recovered. The church was not going to go through the tribulation. Not only was her hope the Lord's coming.
But it wasn't any moment coming of the Lord. There was nothing to take place prophetically, no tribulation to take place. That's part of the prophetic scripture. No, the church was not going to pass through the tribulation.
Any moment the Lord could come for her, and that was her true expectation.
Well, you know that that truth has has marked itself above all the other recovered truths, I think upon many of our dear brother who never separated from the camp to be gathered to the Lord's name. But they have embraced that, and thankfully so, and it was the Lord's purpose that it would be so.
00:55:18
You have the Lord speaking in Matthew's Gospel chapter 25, and he brings that out in a seed plot, as it were in, uh, the parable of the 10 virgins. And he says, uh, in verse 5, Matthew 25, verse five, while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made. Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And so you have a picture of that midnight cry going out and the truth.
Pulse, uh, doctrine, part of Paul's doctrine, a large part of it has to do with, uh, the church, uh, umm, the rapture. And so First Thessalonians chapter four and 1St Corinthians chapter 15 and uh, perhaps, uh, Philippians chapter 3, verse 21 And how we shall all be changed, uh, into, umm, I'm not gonna quote it properly, so I'm just gonna read it, uh, Philippians chapter uh, three.
And verse 21 Who shall change our vile body, or our body of humiliation, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working, whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself? And so that was particularly.
Brought out and there was great rejoicing, wasn't there in that time at the early as the truth was recovered. And umm, it's, it ought to bring great joy to us today that, uh, we're, we're almost 200 years closer to the coming of the Lord as the truth was recovered that he was coming and it's being lost today. And I just want to give a little bit of a warning as to what we read and what we listen to. If we listen to Christian radio today, the, the people that are talking on the Christian radio are confused. They're becoming more and more confused.
They don't know when the Lord's coming. And the reason is that they're giving up some of Paul's doctrine, some of the teaching of Scripture that Paul taught because it's not popular to hold. And so we need to hold all of Paul's doctrine. Be careful.
What you read and what you listen to, because it's not all right. Christianity, the Umm Sardis and Protestantism today and the evangelical world is starting more and more to give up the truth that the Lord's coming is before the Tribulation, as our brother's been bringing out.
In verse 11 he says, Behold, I come quickly, hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. And you know the Philadelphian believer had a crown.
He had a crown that he, he valued and cherished those truths that had been given by an ascended Christ, and he, he valued them and, uh, in, in the heart walked them in the life. And the danger was that that crown would be taken. In other words, there would be a loss of really having a value for that which had been recovered in a remnant character.
And a despising of it and a carelessness to it. Uh, uh, So what?
Attitude and really we just have a minute or two left. So just say this Laodicea is really the result of that recovered truth being let go in a careless, indifferent and callous way. It just doesn't matter. And that's really that final aspect of things of a lukewarmness towards Christ.
Uh, that he spews out of his mouth. And so there's, it's a warning that we, I need to take to heart, hold that fast, which I'll have. How much truth has been ministered to us over so many years by faithful men of God and, uh, how much we have been given and so much we are responsible for. Hold it fast. There's a man that wants to take that crown. And you know, it's been often occupational men, hasn't it?
And, uh, men.
That have been used and so we go back to that little word we had on Acts 20 man among your own selves arising, seeking to lead away disciples after themselves. It wasn't lest Satan take your crown. No, some man occupation was some man in some way or some form. But there was that danger of losing a heart that valued and cherished that which in the grace of Christ he had been pleased to recover to his church lost for so many years.
Our loving God and our Father, we thank Thee for this little hymn that we've sung together and the sentiments of it sung is a little prayer.
Blessed Savior, we long to see Thee in all of Thy glory, to see Thee face to face, and it thrills our souls to think of how we've considered in the Scriptures the history of the Church, and it's just about to end. Thy true Church is vote to be called home in Thy glorious presence. And so we thank Thee that the hour is just about upon us, and we pray for Thy blessing upon Thy precious word as we've had it before us, that we might be found holding the head.
In the glory and walking as those that are members one of another and uh, walking in love and uh, holding, uh, the uh, truth of God with affection to our breasts and uh, in our hearts rejoicing the word that thou has given us. Behold, I come quickly. And so we commend ourselves to thee and ask thy blessing upon my precious word, our God and our Father, and the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.