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| Rev. Canon George Sinclair |
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(Podcast of CFRA broadcast on Sunday, December 15th, 2013)
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Broadcast Notes:
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‘Following the Lamb’ - Part 1
Following the lamb in the dying days of the
dragon: Zealous?
Today, we are looking at: Revelation2: 1-7
To the reader and listener: I
share these broadcasts with other speakers. However, with this broadcast and
the next 6 or seven broadcasts that I will do, I will speak on the Book of
Revelation. In particular, I will spend a week on each of the "words to
the seven churches" found in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. Each of these
broadcasts are a shortened and adapted talk from a longer sermon that I have
preached in the church that I have the privilege of being the pastor. In Church
of the Messiah, I hope to preach through the whole Book of Revelation. That
longer series is entitled "Following the Lamb in the dying days of the
dragon." Hopefully this helps explain my curious title. Obviously, in the
six weeks between my two talks, the other speakers will speak on whatever the
Lord is laying on their hearts to address.
Please pray for me. In the book
of Revelation there is a stern warning about those who teach the Book - we are
to be faithful expositors! There are also promises to the reader of great
blessing to all who read and heed this powerful part of God's word written.
The Book of Revelation is a book
about Jesus: what He has done, what He is doing and what He will do. It is on
one hand a book about the future, but it is also a book which is always
contemporary. God desires us to listen and follow what is written in
Revelation.
Please turn in your bibles to
Revelation 2:1-7. This is the resurrected Jesus speaking to the church in
Ephesus - and also to every Christian in every church.
The Loveless Church
2 “To the angel of the
church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in
His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works,
your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you
have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them
liars; 3 and you have
persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not
become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this
against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore
from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come
to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have,
that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 “He who has an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will
give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of
God.”’
1. Jesus
walks with His churches and His Church. We see this in verse 1.
There are both local churches and
there is the Church which is both world wide and trans-historical.
We enter the Jesus Way one-by-one
but we walk the Jesus Way with Jesus and others.
2. Jesus
cares about true doctrine and we should care about what He cares about. Read verses 2-3.
Because Jesus is real. Because He
really did rise from the dead. Because He really is the Saviour. Because He
really is God's on, then we can know and say true things about Him. If people
say false things about our loved one, we want to defend their reputation and
set the record straight. So it is for the Christian with Jesus - we should want
to speak truly of Him and keep the record straight.
3.
Indifference to bearing witness to the person and work of Jesus is a deadly
sin. Read verses 4-5.
A zeal to bear witness to Jesus
outside of the safe confines of the Christian community emerges out of true
love and trust of Jesus.
Jesus asks me a question. He asks
my church a question. He is asking you a question. Have I lost my zeal for Him?
Have I lost my first love. He does not ask this to stop the conversation. He
asks this that we might repent and call out to Him.
Read verse 6. This is very shocking and un-Canadian. Loving Jesus more
does NOT mean I will test less or care for doctrine less or care for truth less
or 'hate' false teaching less.
4. The
Gospel pulls or draws us to enable personal change. Read verse 7.
Prayer:
Dear God, please grow in me a humble trusting
knowledge of the greatness and majesty of Jesus to save me completely and perfectly
and immediately and eternally. Please grow in me a zeal for Him. In Jesus name,
AMEN.
Rev. Canon George Sinclair
Church
of the Messiah
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To
listen to the above broadcast, click on the following link:
http://proxy.autopod.ca/podcasts/chum/6/18126/good_news_083_dec15.mp3
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