Take Stock of Your Life — Erlo Stegen

Shall we begin? Let's pray. We thank you, Lord, for this opportunity that you've granted us, that we may gather together at your feet. That we will take after Mary and not after Martha. That we would sit at your feet, listening to what you have to say.

Be with us now, Lord, be in our midst. By your grace. We'll begin by reading our text. Revelation 1 and verse 19. Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now, and what will take place later. In Revelation 1 verse 3 it says, Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it. I like the English translation, which says, the one who hears it and takes it to his heart.

John's Exile and Faithful Witness

This book is the revelation which John saw. John was already old. Most of the disciples of our Lord Jesus had already passed away from this world. All of the disciples were martyrs. They were killed for the gospel.

But church history tells us that John was the only one who wasn't killed for his faith. And this was approximately 90 years or 95 years after the birth of Christ that this took place, that he wrote this book.

John was persecuted for the gospel's sake. But he persevered. Persecuted by the Roman government, by the Roman Empire, which ruled the whole known world of that time. But John didn't stop preaching God's word.

He didn't stop testifying. And then John, because of his testimony, because of his stand, was sent into exile to the isle of Patmos. One of the emperors of France, Napoleon, was sent to St Helena, also in exile.

He was sent into exile all on his own until he died there. John was also sent into exile to the isle of Patmos, not because of being a criminal, not because of political reasons, but because of the word of God and because of his testimony about Jesus Christ.

Don't think that you'll automatically receive a reward just because you suffer. Maybe you suffer because of being a criminal, you're a thief, or because of being lazy. No, you'll only receive a reward if you suffer for the witness of Jesus Christ.

You'll only receive a reward if you suffer for the witness of Jesus Christ. There are many who say, well, we suffer, we are like Lazarus, and therefore we'll just automatically go to heaven. No, that's no guarantee that because you suffer you'll go to heaven just because the dogs come and lick your wounds.

You'll only go to heaven because of Jesus Christ. There are many who will suffer in this world as well as in the world to come. John suffered because of his witness of Jesus Christ, because of the word of God.

And that is why they hated him. They told him, they forbid him to preach and to testify. They threatened him, and yet he just persisted and persevered. And it's not only him. There were many at that time, and also after that, who were persecuted for their faith.

And that's why he wrote in the same chapter in verse 9, I John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus. So you are blessed if you are persecuted, if you suffer for the sake of the gospel.

You are blessed, great is your reward in heaven, if you suffer for the sake of the gospel. And so John, as an old man, was sent into exile to the island of Patmos. It wasn't a very pleasant atmosphere and climate there.

It was a rocky island. It was terribly hot. And he was parted from the brethren, parted from the churches. They wept, and those that were parted from him, they wept. And his enemies thought, by doing this, they are now wiping out the gospel from the face of the earth.

Instead, it didn't happen. Even though the enemy intended that which was evil, God intended that which was good. Always understand and grasp that even though Satan wants to bring about that which is evil in your life, God will use it for the good.

While he was there in exile on the island, and they thought, well, that's the end of his matter, Jesus himself came to visit him and showed him this amazing revelation of things to come. And as Jesus revealed himself to him, he said to him, John, write down everything that you have seen.

Everything that is. What is now and also that which will take place later. That which will take place after this, later. All that which you have seen, and in the verses prior to this, we read about that which John saw.

John said he saw somebody with a loud voice, the voice like a trumpet behind him. A voice that spoke to him. And he turned around to see who this person was who addressed him. And then he saw seven golden lampstands.

And amongst these lampstands was somebody, and it seemed to him like the Lord Jesus Christ. Like a son of man. Amongst these seven golden lampstands. These seven golden lampstands are symbolical of the church of Jesus Christ, of his congregations.

These were the seven congregations amongst which John ministered. In Western Asia, Ephesus, Sardis, all those different congregations. Seven, the number seven is symbolical of that which is complete. In other words, these seven congregations represented the church of Jesus Christ universally.

The Glory of Christ Among the Seven Churches

And so John saw Jesus Christ amongst his congregations. With his face shining brighter than the radiance of the sun. Just imagine a face shining like that as the sun shining in all its brilliance. And his eyes were like blazing flames of fire.

Now we don't have time to explain all of it, but when you're at home, you can go and read about it. But as John saw the Lord Jesus in his appearance as he appeared amongst these congregations, he became fearful and he fell down like a dead person.

John knew the Lord Jesus. He used to be together with him, close to him, resting his head on his breast. He would always refer to himself as the disciple, the one dearly loved by the Lord. He would always live for him and he preached the gospel.

But when he saw him there as he appeared, he fell at his feet as though dead. Not that he didn't know Jesus, he knew him. I don't know what the reason was why he fell down as though dead before him. Whether he was shocked by the appearance of the Lord Jesus.

Whether perhaps he realised, my, is our Lord like this when he's amongst these churches. These days, there's a Dutch Reformed minister who would very often phone me. Asked me whether I could be with him today in his church.

And then I apologised and said it's not yet possible for me. For certain reasons. He said, I so wished that you could come. He said, is it really not possible for you to come and be there on the Sunday referring to today?

I said, well, I'm very sorry. I don't want to promise but the Lord willing, perhaps on another day I'd be able to come. He said, I don't want to promise but the Lord willing, perhaps on another day I'd be able to come.

He said, hello, I cannot explain to you what's happened to me, what's come over me in my church, in my congregation. He said, if you would see the state of the church, if you would see the state of the young people, the youth, the way in which they're living, the way in which they get dressed, it's as if the world has come like a flood and swamped the church.

He said, come and help me to fight this battle because Satan is entering at will and destroying the church of God. And the worst is this, young people, that it's you that is bringing the devil into the church.

I said, brother, forgive me, but the Lord willing, I would remember you and perhaps come at another time. So things are in a terrible state amongst the Christians in the church today. And Jesus said to John, write down all that which you have seen.

And this is what he saw, and it caused him to fall down as though dead. I don't know how you and I would have reacted if we would have seen Jesus like that. John, write that which you have seen. And so John was faithful in that.

He wrote it down. He kept it safe that it wouldn't go lost, that you and I could read it today, that we can hear it and take it to heart. All that what you have seen. This is a great matter, this of seeing.

But we'll return back to that just now. Write therefore what you have seen and what is now. That which he saw, you find in verses 1 to 18. And also that which is now. What is now, referred to those seven congregations.

And we read about that in chapters 2 and 3. What existed was the church of Ephesus. The church in Ephesus which lived its first love. It was a church that was on fire. But their love was no longer as fervent as it was at the beginning, but it was busy cooling down.

One of the churches thought that they were wealthy, that they lacked nothing. And that everything was fine. And Jesus said, don't you realize that you are poor, pitiful and naked. And so Jesus said to John, write first of all about that which you have seen.

And then secondly about that which is now, the situation at present. And then also write about that which will take place later. And then as from chapter 4, we read about that which is to come. And then we read about that which is to come, where God took John into the heavens, so to say, into the heavens.

And he showed him there about the things, the heavenly things, and he saw God, who is the creator, who rules over all the earth. Now I want to take this and apply it to us. If God would say to you, write all that which you have seen, what is it that you have seen up till now?

When John and Peter and them were forbidden to continue preaching and speaking about the name of the Lord Jesus. And speaking about the word of God and his testimony. And then they said to those elders, they said to them, now you judge for yourself, whom we should obey, God or you.

And they said, but for us, we cannot stop speaking about that which we have seen and heard. Now I want you to listen very carefully. There is something that John had seen, and Jesus said to him, write that down, record it.

And John and Peter said, there is something that we have seen, and we cannot stop speaking about that and testifying about it. Now I am going to stop speaking about John. I mentioned to you that which John saw, that which existed at the present time, and that which was going to be, and I really just touched the hem of the garment, the fringe of the matter.

But now today, I would like to speak to you personally, not to the person next to you, not to your neighbour, but to you. Is there something in your life, up to now, that Jesus has shown you? Is there something that you have seen?

Is there something in the past that Jesus has spoken to you and shown you? That would cause you to say, like Peter and John, we cannot stop preaching and testifying about that which we have seen and heard.

What is there that Jesus has already shown you, that which pertains to heaven, that which pertains to the Lord Jesus? Has the Lord Jesus ever spoken to you? Has the Lord Jesus ever revealed himself to you?

Is there anything that Jesus has ever spoken to you in the past? Maybe while you were still a young child, or maybe as you are at present, a school child, or maybe you are a husband or a wife. Man or woman, or has he never spoken to you?

Is there nothing that God has ever spoken to you or shown you in your life? Well, if you say there is nothing, then I say, well, now I understand why your life is as it is. It is dark and there is no light, there is no life in you.

Your life, that is why your life is just like a wild beast, or like the cattle, or like a dog. Because we would speak to them and say, is there anything that God has shown you or spoken to you? Well, there is nothing.

But I trust that with the majority of you, that there is something that God has spoken to you. And he has spoken to you perhaps through your child being ill, or maybe through you suffering, or maybe through an accident, or whatever manner God used.

And remember, perhaps at that time, you also made promises to God. And you promised him and you said, oh God, if you would deliver me from this predicament, if you would save me out of this mess, or this problem that I am experiencing, whatever it might be, then I will do this and this for you.

You made promises to God and today I say, write down those promises and you have got to pay your debt that you have towards God. If you write it down, you don't easily forget, you don't easily lose it because you can always go back to it and remind yourself of that which God spoke to you.

Have you never heard Jesus saying to you, follow after me, follow me, maybe through a word that you heard in the service? But perhaps you have forgotten it, but you will remember it on the day when you die, or perhaps when you stand before Jesus after you have died, he will remind you of that.

We are blessed today because of John faithfully writing this down, for our sakes, and we can read about it today, about how it was at that time, and what he saw, how it was going to be, and we are blessed through that.

You are some believers, some Christians, who just don't make any progress spiritually. Why? Why? Why? It is because they have forgotten what God spoke to them, they didn't record it, they didn't write it down, they have forgotten their promises where they said Lord, I will serve you, they have forgotten their calling.

They have forgotten their calling. Maybe you have debts, and you remember those. Maybe you're suffering in some way or another, and you're remembering that. But you don't remember your calling. You don't remember that which you've promised God.

These other things are busy trampling underfoot that which God spoke to you. And that's why I say, let us remember that which we have seen, that which the Lord has shown us. That we would, as it were, record it in our hearts and minds.

Maybe you're suffering in some way, maybe your work oppresses you in some way, maybe you're ill in some manner. Forget that. What will you say when you appear before Jesus in this appearance, with his eyes of blazing fire, and his face shining like the sun?

What will you say to him? Perhaps you'll regret it on that day. Will you say, oh, that which was worthless, I wrote those things down, I remember that. But that which was of utmost importance, I forgot.

That which Jesus has spoken to you, is it seed eaten by the birds? Is it being choked by the thorns? Is it being scorched by the sun? Or is it growing and is it bearing much fruit? Maybe one could even say eaten up by the rats.

Or have you written it down? Have you reminded yourself, this is what God has spoken to me, I've got to be obedient, I've got to do it. I remember a certain man who came to me around about 66, 67, and said to me that God had spoken to him, God had called him to go to Lesotho, and to tell the people there about the Lord Jesus, but he said, I've got no peace anymore because I didn't do it, I wasn't obedient.

Taking Stock of Present Spiritual Condition

What has God said to you in the past? Do you remember that, or not? Have you written it down? Do you remind yourself every day of that which God has said to you? Again to you! I don't promise you heaven, the opposite, I want you to be obedient.

Have we got the hope to enter heaven with our disobedience? Have we got the hope to enter heaven with our disobedience? John, write this down. What you have seen, remind yourself of that. What has the Lord shown you?

And if there's nothing, stay behind after this service and ask somebody to pray with you and say, well, I'm closed, I'm shut up spiritually, I'm dead spiritually and there are demons in my ears that I can't hear.

Remember, write down that which you have seen. And if there's nothing, stay behind after this service and ask somebody to pray with you and say, well, I'm closed, I'm shut up spiritually, I'm dead spiritually and there are demons in my ears that I can't hear.

And if there's nothing, stay behind after this service and ask somebody to pray with you and say, well, I'm closed, I'm shut up spiritually, I'm dead spiritually and there are demons in my ears that I can't hear.

It would have been good for us to close the service now and then to go through the rows, starting on this side, that each person would tell us what is it that they have seen. And I'm reminding you that that which the Lord Jesus has shown you, He'll remind you about that again.

You'll remember that because He's going to come back and you'll have to give an account before Him. Now, let me leave the first point. What is now? Look at your life and see what its present condition is.

Look at your present times. Look at your present condition, look at your daily life, what you keep yourself busy with and write it down. It would be good that after this service, you go and write down what your present spiritual condition is.

Is the first love there? Is it burning? Take your life and compare it to the condition of the seven churches and see where you fit in. Because that which you write down has to correspond with the Bible, with God's holy word.

If it doesn't go according to God's word, it's just rubbish. What is your present condition, that which is now? And the present state you are in. The ministers of Korea, they said, Brother, can't you please come there to us in Korea and also start a Kwasi Zabantu mission there?

They said, can't you please come and teach them spiritual truths and also come and teach them just how to be able to plant something and to look after themselves materially because our people are perishing because of poverty.

They said, won't you please come to Cambodia? If you would see the state of the people there, your heart would break. They said, that which you are busy doing here, it's exactly that which we need over there.

I said, well I can't divide myself. I said, we don't have the manpower. I said, if we would send our people to you over here, would you teach them? I said, that's fine, you can do that if you would like to do so.

You heard what I mentioned about the minister who phoned me and said that the world is coming in like a flood through the young people into the church. I said, that's fine, you can do that if you would like to do so.

Would you be able to write down your present spiritual state, what you are like? Would you be able to write down that you are in the spirit? John said that when he saw this revelation on the Lord's day, he was in the spirit.

Write what is now, at present, this very moment in your life, your spiritual life. There's something that's stirred my heart and it's remaining with me in these days. I've heard it long ago, but in these days, I'm just reminded anew of it.

Those who calculate this say that if you, as a Christian, would win, you would win. Just one soul in one year, in 365 days. Is that asking for too much? For you just to win one soul right from January until December?

If each Christian would only win one person in a year, lead one person to Jesus Christ. And in the following year, you do the same, you just win one person again to Jesus. And then you teach that person whom you have won to the Lord, that he should also go and just win one person in a year.

And then in 33 years, the age of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he was on earth, we would have reached every soul in this world. Every soul! Can you imagine that? Just one soul! Oh, Christians are asleep!

And if they don't awake, they'll end their sleep, they'll end in hell. The Lord charged his people and his disciples to go into all the world, right to the end, and make disciples. Teach them all that I have taught you.

But well, if he couldn't teach you, well, then one can understand that you're a blind one, and that you are in outer darkness. And when you are bound hands and feet one day and cast out, you just go to your rightful place.

If you've got some brains and you can think, if you've got no paper and pen here, you can write it down when you're at home, we've just finished a year. How many souls have you led to Christ in 2002? Now think!

How many souls have you led to Christ in 2002? How many souls have you led to Christ in 2002? How many souls have you led to Jesus Christ? And you as a school child, how many of you led to Jesus, whereas have these 365 days passed by, and they've been too few for you to lead one soul to Jesus?

What can I say of you if it's like that, that you're dead, you're spiritually barren? Maybe you work at school, as a teacher. How many pupils have you led to Jesus last year? Write down their names, and number them, count them, how many there are.

Maybe you're a nurse, maybe you work in a shop. Amongst all those, those multitudes of people that you are in contact with daily, that come to you, how many have you led to Jesus? I'm not in a hurry, I've got time now.

I want to know from you, how many souls did you lead to Christ in your last year? You want to face Christ with empty hands? What is your spiritual condition? If you didn't bring one soul to Christ, I'm sorry that I've got to preach to you.

This week I said, God may be, I forbid you to come. I said, no service, you go, and do what you're supposed to do. I don't want to preach corpses, people that I sleep, I speak to them and they don't hear.

What a disgrace. I don't want to be like you. Let me rather go to Korea, another Cambodia, to other nations that hear. I'm not in a hurry, I've got time now. I want to know from you, how many souls did you lead to Christ in your last year?

I'm not in a hurry, I've got time now. Let me rather go to Korea, another Cambodia, to other nations that hear. I'm not in a hurry, I've got time now. I want to know from you, how many souls did you lead to Christ in your last year?

I'm not in a hurry, I've got time now. Let me rather go to Korea, another Cambodia, to other nations that hear. I'm not in a hurry, I've got time now. Let me rather go to Korea, another Cambodia, to other nations that hear.

I'm not in a hurry, I've got time now. Let me rather go to Korea, another Cambodia, to other nations that hear. And if you don't do that, maybe the day will come when I will plead that you should go, and even come and pack your bags for you.

I don't want anybody that's not on fire for God and who doesn't want to go the way that I go. I want to know from you, how many souls did you lead to Christ in your last year? I'm not in a hurry, I've got time now.

Let me rather go to Korea, another Cambodia, to other nations that hear. I'm not in a hurry, I've got time now. Let me rather go to Korea, another Cambodia, to other nations that hear. I'm not in a hurry, I've got time now.

Let me rather go to Korea, another Cambodia, to other nations that hear. I'm not in a hurry, I've got time now. Let me rather go to Korea, another Cambodia, to other nations that hear. How many of them have you knelt down that they surrendered their lives to Christ?

The Bible says that this gospel needs to be preached to all nations, to the ends of the earth. And once it's been preached to every nation, the Son of Man will return. Let me rather go to Korea, another Cambodia, to other nations that hear.

I'm not in a hurry, I've got time now. Let me rather go to Korea, another Cambodia, to other nations that hear. How many of them have you led to Christ in your last year? Tell me, what are you busy with?

What are you doing? What are you doing? Are you sitting around with your wife? Is she your goddess? Is your work a god? If the main thing is not your main thing, it's a shame if you call yourself a Christian.

Are you just sitting around with your wife? Is your job, your career, is that your god that you're worshipping? It's a disgrace even to call yourself a Christian if that which is of prime importance isn't the most important in your life.

Examining Idolatry and Spiritual Fruitfulness

All the nations! How many blacks have you saved? Or Indians, or colored people? I think it's a disgrace if you go to church every Sunday and you don't lead a soul to Jesus. I think it's a disgrace if every Sunday you sit in church and you're not leading one soul to Jesus Christ.

If you can't, then come assist the person who can and say, win a soul for me. But if you don't do it, you must be as dead as a church mouse. If you don't do it, you must be as dead as a church mouse. There are many who cry, many who complain.

And I can read to you of people that say, I'm suffering, I'm in darkness, I'm troubled, I don't have peace. But there's nobody, there's no Christian who helps me to get out of it. And I will accuse the church because of it.

What are you busy with? Are you leading people to Satan? Are you strengthening them in that? Just write down what is now in your life, your present state. Or are you alone, on an island, or maybe in jail, totally isolated from everybody else?

I think it would be a good idea if you take pen and pencil and take stock of your life. I think it would be a good idea if you take pen and pencil and take stock of your life. Just on this one point, how many have you taught that which Jesus has taught you?

That you can say, here is somebody whom I have made a disciple of Jesus Christ, and now he in turn is making others be disciples of Jesus Christ. Just imagine, if you would just win one person to Jesus in one year, how the church of Jesus Christ would grow?

What is your matter like? How is it progressing? Somebody phoned me these days. Said, Uncle Elo. Don't leave this gospel that you are preaching. Even though we trouble you, he said, but don't forsake it, don't leave it.

There is no other gospel but this gospel in the whole world. There is no other gospel but this gospel in the whole world. I said, this person said, we preach the gospel in the free state to farm workers and other workers.

And I said, we need this gospel that you preach, even though we trouble you. But don't stop with it. I am not proud because of that. I don't boast because of that. Don't say, how can I say something like that.

I preach Jesus Christ and I say, stop with your nonsense. Turn to him and follow him. Stop with your hypocrisy, calling yourself a Christian. Take pen and paper and write down what is now, what you are now spiritually.

Accountability Before Christ's Return

Maybe you needn't have a vision of Christ. If you see yourself as you really are, maybe you will faint and fall down like dead. And say, is that what my life is like? Is that what I have achieved in the last years?

And that which will take place later. We know that each one of us will have to appear before our Lord and say, and give an account of our lives. Jesus is coming back. He will ask you concerning those talents that he entrusted to you.

He will ask you what you did. If you slandered with those who slander and you became drunk with those who drink. Maybe you went to bars or you even prepared alcohol for people. Write down what it is going to be like in your life.

How you will be tied hands and feet and cast into utter darkness. Maybe you are very good and you are busy with criticizing God's servants and God's work. The righteous judge will come like a thief in the night and we don't know what it's going to be like after that.

I don't know what we would read if we would read about that which you have seen. That which is now in your life. And that which will happen later whether people will be blessed through that. Will they say we were blessed by him or not?

I don't know church whether you hear that which is being said or not. You as a Christian, do you hear? What will you do about it? Will this coming year just be a year as the last year has been? Shall we bow our heads and pray?

There we are, speak to the Lord now. What do you say about that which the Lord has shown you but you have forgotten about it? You haven't kept it, you haven't been obedient. What do you say about that which you are right now?

And remember, contemplate on what it will be like when Jesus returns. What will you do about it? What will you do about it? What will you do about it? What will you do about it? What will you do about it?

Hearing and Obeying Christ's Word

Lord I pray that that which each one has heard now, that they would take it to heart. Not that it would just come in the one ear and go out by the other. Because we will regret it when we come to the end.

Remember that minister of the Church of England, when Jesus appeared to him he fell over backwards and he died. And the questions that Jesus asked of him. And you also remember about the minister I've also told you about, who came here in his old age.

And he wept, he said that he wasted his life. He said he never preached the message that he was supposed to preach during his ministry. He said he wasted his whole life. Says my life is lost. And he wept.

An old man crying, weeping bitter tears, seeing his whole life had been in vain. And he wept bitter tears, seeing his whole life had been in vain. One person who heard the Lord Jesus said, blessed is the womb who bore you and the breasts which suckled you.

And then Jesus said, no I say blessed rather is the one who hears these words and goes and puts them into practice. That one is blessed because that which you hear can either take you to heaven or it can lock you up in hell.

That womb was blessed but much more he that hears and does and is obedient to God's word. Let's pray once again. Lord make us to be your true disciples. That we'd also be able to make true disciples of others.

Teaching them all that which you have commanded us. Work through your Holy Spirit in our midst. That there would be those who would respond.