Series: The Gospel Story
Preparing for the Future: Living Faithfully in the Last Days
August 18, 2019 | Todd Cyphers
Revelation 2:1-3:6
Preparing for the Future: Living Faithfully in the Last Days
Revelation 2:1-7; 3:1-6
8-18-19
I. Love God, live by faith and repent as needed. (Revelation 2:1-7)
Repentance - Turning away from sin and by faith returning to the Lord.
Revelation 2:15-16 - “So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.”
Revelation 2:20-23 – “But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 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.”
Revelation 3:1-3 - “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.”
Revelation 3:19 – “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.”
Two Major Fruits of Real Repentance:
1. Authenticity
Matthew 7:16 - Jesus said, “You will recognize them by their fruits…”.
2. Strength of spirit.
Isaiah 30:15 -“This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”
i. Repentance -Turning away from sin and by faith returning to the Lord.
ii. Rest - Quiet attitude, quiet demeanor or lifestyle”. Opposite is clamoring, trying and demanding life be what we want it to be.
iii. Saved -Delivered, preserved, avenged, defended, rescued, victory.
iv. Quietness - Settled, to be at peace, be undisturbed.
v. Trust - Confidence, certainty, fully relying on.
vi. Strength - Might, power, mastery, courage under fire.
II. Believe the Lord opens doors that no one can shut. (Revelation 3:7-13)
“Keep” - (Téreó) To watch over, to guard, keep.
“From” - (ek) Out from among, often suggesting from the interior outwards.
“Hour” - (hora)hour, a season, the particular time for anything.
“of trial” - (peirasmos)Trial, temptation, testing, season of tragedy and affliction.
Genesis 3:15 -” I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
“Bruise” - (shuph)Severely bruised, overwhelmed or overcome.
How Then Should We Live?
1. Live in Christ’s victory. (Revelation 12:10)
Romans 8:32 -” He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
2. Overcome Satan. (Revelation 12:11)
1 John 3:8 “…The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”
3. Live purposely like time is short. (Revelation 12:12)
Romans 1:16 - “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
Discussion Questions for the The Week
1. What stories lately of persecution have moved you to pray for the persecuted church and to live more faithfully?
2. Have someone share the Gospel with another person in the group. Discuss how to sharpen one another.
3. Why is it important that we take sin seriously and repent without letting it crush us under its weight of shame and guilt?
4. Each church in Revelation 2-3 had a reputation. What is the reputation of your church in the community? How are you part of this reputation?
5. How can we, in Christ, be loving and different from our culture in the last days?
6. Are you ready for the last days to get more difficult? Discuss and then Pray.
