Revelation 2:19-29 Thyatira

You are listening to the podcast of Recast Church in Matawan, Michigan I'm gonna have you guys all stand what we're gonna do now is read this morning's passage

Well, I'll have you all stand and we'll read it I'll read it and in honor of sort of respect of God's Word I'll pray and while I pray the band will will come and then we'll go right into worship from there.

So we're in Revelations We're picking up in the fourth church If you guys want to turn there in your Bibles, this is Revelation chapter 2 the fourth church is the

The address to Thyatira, we're gonna read chapter 2 18 through 29 again.

I'm gonna read you guys can read along This is God's Word to us at Recast this morning and to the angel of the church in Thyatira Write the words of the

Son of God who has eyes like a flame of fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze I know your works your love and faith and patience or service and patient endurance and that your latter works exceed the first 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 sacrifice to idols

I gave her time to repent but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality 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 and I will strike her children dead

In 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, but to the rest of you in Thyatira who do not hold this teaching who have not learned what some

Call the deep things of Satan to you. I say I do not lay on you any other burden

Only hold fast what you have until I come the one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end to him

I will give authority over the nations and he will rule them with a rod of iron as with earth and pots are broken

In pieces even as I myself have received authority from my father and I will give him the morning star

You as an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Let's pray

Father God in heaven We do ask you this morning that we've had ears to hear that you would produce a spiritual transformation inside of us

God Prepare our hearts to worship you in spirit and truth as we come into contact with your word that you would be

Transforming us from one degree of glory to the next God as we desire to wholeheartedly worship you help us to put aside that the

Distractions to lay aside anything that the sin and the the weights that cling so closely to us

God this morning We love you, and we desire now to worship you in Christ's name. We pray. Amen Wouldn't have a seat

Again, we're gonna be in Revelation chapter 2 It's page 884 in the church provided Bible if you don't have one raise your hand we can get you one

Looks like everyone's doing all right, but I just want to again comment on Dave and the band and their leading I really enjoy

I know music is a preference issue and we can get kind of tweaked about it But what Dave and the group does is certainly within my?

Preference, so I'm just so thankful for their and their surface service to us So we're gonna be in this text and you're gonna walk through it this morning and like Don has said in the book of Revelation It is a book of Revelation.

It's revealing Jesus. It's not a hiding. It's a revelation So we desire to see

Jesus this morning That's the goal if nothing else happens that we would see Jesus But it is addressed to the church at Thyatira and to give you some just historical background on Thyatira Thyatira is

Another one of these cities there and it's the one that the least amount is known about of all these seven cities

It's sort of a town of commerce And there's not a lot that can be said outside of there seem to be a lot of guilds and guild isn't a term

I'm totally familiar with but apparently it is similar to like a union There was a lot of craftsmanship and a lot of guilds a lot of unions or maybe society

In terms of like professional societies like I'm in a society of toxicology another society of quality assurance a society of engineering so just your peers your colleagues, and they had those associations and usually what those provide is a

Business network, but also it provides a level of credibility if you've been accepted into that union into that guild into that society

Other people can see that on your resume and identify. Yes, you do quality work. You've you are up to their standards

So for Christians in this society There was the challenge because to belong to be a craftsman in this society

You also had to partake in what that society did what that guild did and that included worship of other gods so they would get together periodically for meals and they would worship other gods and give thanks to that God for Providing for them for their jobs for their careers, and that would also include some sexual immorality and some revelry

And I don't get into that sounds like a pretty swinging party I don't know exactly how that went But obviously as a

Christian you would not be able to participate in that or you would completely compromise So you had the choice you can compromise your faith and act like this is fine, or you could separate from that and cost yourself

Livelihood you would have to go out on your own So that's the that's the challenge. We see as this dress this letter is addressed to Christians there under those circumstances and One other artifact that we see in scripture about Thyatira is there is a woman in Acts Named Lydia, and she is described as a woman sold purple dyes, and she was from Thyatira so again that kind of substantiates the idea that she that this town is a town of commerce a lot of craftsmanship a lot of Business goes through there but I'm going to Kind of start with the last verse first in this chapter 2

Our text is the last verse is verse 29 and emphasize that with us this morning as we get started he who has an ear

Let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches and and just to emphasize that with all of you

That we only hear when God reveals it to us This isn't talking about here. You know take the stuff out of your ear make sure your eardrum your cochlea is working appropriately

This is praying that God and I've actually put together a number of slides giving scriptural references And I think there's two that Eric might help us through the first one

I think has to do with Romans 11, and it's talking about maybe you can't see that But the idea that God gives them a spear of stupor this is talking about Israel And then in the

Gospels we see repeatedly where Jesus is talking to his disciples, and they're not getting it He's like do you not yet here, and it says there that you will indeed hear

But never understand and you will indeed see but never Perceive so the idea that I want to ask us recast is that God would speak to us through his word

That we have ears to hear that this is a spiritual hearing That we would all be convicted as we come into contact with his words.

That's really what my desire is This passage lays out just like every other Address to the church it starts with identifying

Jesus who's talking it gives strength weakness But this address also includes some promises, so we'll go with seeing

Jesus We'll identify his strengths there the church's weaknesses The strengths of the church's strengths and the church's weaknesses and some promises and then closed with Jesus So that's the the flow of the text this morning

So start with me in verse 18 and we see and to the angel of the church in Thyatira Write the words of the

Son of God so this is Jesus talking again It's revealed to John on the island Patmos, but this is the words of son of God There's that's to be emphasized, and I don't think in this context

I need to tell you but the Son of God is Jesus This is Jesus's words to this church at Thyatira, but it gives two two characteristics of him it says

Who has eyes like a flame of fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze? So those

Don's already addressed that those exact same characteristics were mentioned in chapter 1 Notice he doesn't have eyes of fire and feet of burnished bronze.

It's like it's metaphorical language So what does it mean to have eyes like fire?

What is what do we need to understand about who God is who Jesus is specifically in this? What are they trying to communicate by describing that so if we want to turn over to chapter 1st

Corinthians chapter 3? And I think Eric has a slide there. I'm gonna just jump right into this explanation. I think it will give some credibility to Who Jesus is and I don't know can you guys even see that if not there's page number 816?

We're gonna read verses 10 through 15 to kind of get some window into what is being revealed here in in terms of characteristics of Jesus This is

Paul talking to the church at Corinth And this is what he says according to the grace of God given to me. That's Paul like a skilled master

Builder I laid a foundation and someone else is building upon it Let's each one take care how he builds upon it for no one can lay a foundation other than which is laid which is

Jesus Christ Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold silver precious stones wood Hey straw each one's work work will become manifest for the day will disclose it because it will be revealed by Fire and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done if the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives

He will receive a reward and if anyone's work is burned up He will suffer loss though.

He himself will be saved but only as through fire So I highlighted the word work there because Jesus here is judging their works.

We see that Several times in this passage. He's talking about the works. This church is Performing but what's evident is that what's described here?

in fact if you jump down later in the passage of verse 23 it says 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, so the idea is that Jesus not only can see our works He can also which is omniscient right and maybe someday we'll get to an area where an era where there's cameras on every move of Our day, but still it won't reflect what

Jesus knows and that is he'll know what's behind it He'll know our hearts what searches our heart and that's that what we're seeing with his eyes like fire it's the idea that he's testing our works and he is able to discern what's behind them and Whether or not they are founded on Jesus Christ So that goes to the part about his feet his feet are burnished bronze

It's polished bronze and that would have fallen on these workers and Thyatira as a significant

They're working in metals and to see these shiny feet or that idea Alludes to the idea that he has a firm foundation just like in first Corinthians 3

Foundation of works built upon Jesus Christ. So that's he's judging them in that light that they would have works

That are built upon Jesus and he can understand the motives behind them And so it's helpful to understand right now and pause because it's we have a

Notion when we hear works, well, no, that's all grace. I can't do anything through works So why does he judging our works and that's what that that passage is about?

And I think the next passage if I can choreograph it right is James He says but someone will say this is James saying you have faith and I have works

So that's some James quoting somebody but James says show me your faith apart from your works And I will show you my faith by my work.

So the true faith works That's what he's judging them out. There's no condemnation for us that are in Christ Jesus nothing to do with works.

We're talking about What we're doing because of our faith and in fact Ephesians 2 10 might be the next slide that says these works

He prepared we are his workmanship in Christ Jesus Which that these are works that he prepared for us to walk in good works that Jesus Prepared the idea is that we're walking in his works that he's already prepared

So that's what we're talking about this morning. I mean how Jesus is judging this church

So hopefully that's a little bit clear in terms of what the focus is But let's look at the strengths the works that he sees in this church verse 19

I know your works your love and faith and service and patient endurance

And the latter works to see the first this is high praise in my opinion So unlike the church at Ephesus which did not they lost their first love they had the right doctrine, but they lost love this church has love and you might think of first Corinthians 13, which

Closes out by saying faith hope love these three, but the greatest of these is love but particularly because it says

Though I have all faith faith that I could move a mountain and I don't have love it says in first Corinthians 13

I am nothing this church has love That's high. That is really a remarkable praise and also they are growing

So well, I don't I never considered Thyatira when the vision for recast was set up But our vision for our spiritual growth would be to grow in faith community and service

So you see both faith and service mentioned here in this church. They are doing the work They are out of love motivated to do things

They're not sitting in a high tower working on theology and getting their pencils sharpened. They're actually doing the work

They're working at the pantry. They're taking care of the care of the least of these taking care of the widows They are loving so this is really encouraging that these that Jesus is highlighting this characteristics about them

And I think we can learn but also you see that their faith and love produce service, but also patient endurance

I think that's just talking about those that have Are required to endure because of their current culture to be a

Christian meant you had to patiently endure So they were they were enduring that also

We're gonna move on to so yeah, I talked about so they are growing in there. They're doing it better So it's not only that they have achieved these things, but they're continuing to grow in those things

But it then transitions to this I have against you But I want to highlight that this is

Jesus's letter to the church and he's loving them It is loving for him to identify things that are wrong that he sees.

I mean, he's not just throwing shade He's not just trying to bring them down humble them. Well, don't get too full of yourself

Here's some bad things. He really does love them. The church is the bride of Christ. He wants us to be

Sanctified from one degree of glory to the next. I mean we are in Christ We are perfect But we know that we are sinners now and he's transforming us from one degree of glory to the next and that's what this is

About it would I think the next slide talks about Hebrews 12 6 and there are lots of passages like this is it for the

Lord? Disciplines those he loves and he chastises every son whom he receives So the idea that we are his children and because he loves us

He's going to highlight where we are weak where we can be improving He wants us to be the bride that he receives at the culmination of the marriage supper

So let's look at the weaknesses with the idea that this is actually loving He's writing this letter that they could improve on these things

He says but I have this against you in verse 20 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 sacrifice to idols

So the first thing they're doing they are tolerating and in our culture tolerance is like the highest virtue

It seems in the last few years if you are going to be intolerant you might as well be KKK wearing bigot

Tolerance is a low bar. I'll be honest Jesus didn't say Tolerate your enemies.

He said love your enemies That's our calling is to love our enemies and and I also want to highlight what tolerance really is

To tolerate somebody means you have to first object to where they're at Like if I'm watching

Western play, Ohio State yesterday, and they're rooting for Western like I am I don't have to tolerate their opinion, right?

If they are rooting for Ohio State then that's tolerant. So to tolerate somebody that points to this church Tolerated they knew what

Jezebel was saying this woman in their church But they tolerated it and so I think even in our culture that understanding of tolerance isn't always

Tolerance and seems to convey a wholesale endorsement or getting it. That's not tolerance

That's just you guys agree if it's if it's that but to highlight this is a real letter

This is a real church. It really did exist There isn't a woman in that church probably named Jezebel, but there is a real woman in that church in Thyatira and she's been teaching

So that Jezebel will get to that is sort of a connotation for a particular type of teaching but I would guess that she's not

Just droning on Inane drivel. I think she's probably pretty Persuasive I think she's probably

Appealing she's has good arguments and she's probably deceptive and it's easy to be convinced that of what she's teaching

So I think it requires some discernment on our parts to understand what we're dealing with here

But also notice that she it says who calls herself a prophetess She's self -appointed a prophetess.

I speak on behalf of God. That's how she describes herself Nobody's come alongside her and say yeah, she's talking about on behalf of God and Just to highlight maybe that little point there as we serve each other in this church

To not seek out and appoint yourself positions allow the body of Christ to affirm those strengths and weaknesses in you

I doubt any of us are gonna affirm somebody that comes every Sunday and leaves every Sunday and doesn't contribute doesn't

Edify doesn't use their skills and no one's going to be affirming that but also we shouldn't be saying I just have the gift to Sing I need to be on stage singing.

I know it allow somebody else to affirm that in you Okay, so I'm not trying to Inhibit anybody from serving but also to allow us all to be taking note to use our gifts and talents to serve the body of Christ but also

To use our words to build one another up and to affirm that because if you're appointing yourself a position in the church It's probably not gonna go well and as is the case here where she's

I don't think she has an official role in the church I think she just has a following In this person

But I also want to give you guys the backstory so we understand in our culture Probably Jezebel is associated with sort of cultural scandal or sexual immorality and That really is pretty true

Because Jezebel was an Old Testament character and it's based out of the story in first and second Kings of King Ahab So there's

Israel this northern kingdom. Well first Israel. They said we don't want God to be our king We want our own king so then you just see a succession of kings that just do a terrible job almost every one of them

It's like and they did what was evil on the side of the Lord when you come to Ahab It says he did what was evil unlike any before him

He was the worst Ahab was and he had a wife and he didn't take a wife from Israel He took a wife from a pagan culture named

Jezebel who worshiped Baal and Asherah. That was her gig That's what she was good at was worshiping.

He's gotten and she was sort of a prophetess so he married her and God did not like that because she would

Assault and she would seek out to kill many of the prophets of the Lord In fact, there's great stories of Elijah a prophet of God going against Jezebel and you can read about those, but I want to highlight

That she was against God and that she was judged particularly in dramatic fashion There was a man named

Jehu that comes to bring the judgment upon her Maybe it's a soft Jehu or something He comes to visit her and she's all dressed up got her gold on she comes to the window and he sees her up there and he tells the eunuchs beside her says throw her out and the

Bible says she fell and hit the Pavement and blood hit the wall and hit the horse So I mean, but that's literally what the

Bible says pretty graphic death But not only that the horses then trampled her Jehu says let's go eat

So they go in and eat and they come back out. They said let's take care of the body and she's not there anymore

Well, just her skull hands and her feet are gone dogs have devoured her So when we see this letter written they are reading this in the church of Thyatira it should be obvious to everybody exactly who

Jesus is calling out and particularly with that connotation that Judgment is coming those of you that are following her

You know who she is and there should have been a you should have been able to hear a pin drop there in that church when That letter was read because they all would have been able to understand what he was talking about Spend a moment here talking about exactly what she was teaching it says

That she in verse 20 Yeah, seducing teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrifice to idols

So sexual immorality is is pretty obvious. I don't there's no condition where sexual immorality is good

I think we're all immorality essentially means sinful. So that's an easier one I think we don't need to spend too much time on that But the the idea of eating food sacrifice to idols there seems to be a dialogue in the

New Testament on what that means We see Peter Has a vision where a cloth comes down with everything in it and God says you can eat all this stuff

This is all fine And then we see Peter Later not eating with the Gentiles specifically because he doubt what doesn't want to be associated with them and Paul calls him out to his face saying

What are you doing? There's no reason you should be making a difference between eating with the Gentiles or with the Jews But Paul gives definitive teaching and if you don't mind turning there, it's in 1st

Corinthians chapter 8 I think I have it up on the board, but it's a little bit longer teaching and it's weird

How many times in the study of this passage I came back to 1st Corinthians? It seems like there's a lot of parallels between the church at Corinth and the church at Thyatira But start with me in verse 4 and we'll read to the end of that chapter

Just this is some definitive teaching on what to make of idols. I know it's a longer passage, but I think it's helpful

Therefore as to the eating of food offered to idols We know that an idol has no real existence and that there is no

God but one For although there may be so -called gods in heaven and on earth as indeed there are many gods and many lords yet for us there is one

God the Father from whom are all things and for whom we exist and One Lord Jesus Christ through whom all things and through whom we exist however

Not all possess this knowledge but some through former association with idols eat food is like it was really offered to idol and Their conscience being weak is defiled food will not commend us to God We are no worse off if we do not eat and no better off if we do

But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak for if anyone sees you

Who have knowledge eating in an idols temple? Will he not be encouraged or will he not be encouraged if his conscience is weak to eat food offered to idols and So by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed the brother from whom

Jesus died or Christ died Thus sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it's weak you sin against Christ Therefore if food makes my brother stumble,

I will never eat meat lest I make my brother stumble So the idea here is there is a context where it's appropriate

It's okay to eat food sacrifice to idols and Paul says he's never going to do it in front of anybody and I think Again, we're talking about works that We are there's no condemnation for those of us that are in Christ So we're talking about everything we're doing as a result of our faith and we have opportunity to do a lot of different things and I think

I thought I'd use this illustration to kind of give a little bit of context or To teach it in a different way because it is about context and how we behave.

So I'm a toxicologist I've been working at a toxicology lab for 17 years rule. Number one.

The basic tenet of toxicology is everything is toxic Everything it's a matter of dose.

It's a matter of how you're applying it So you can take straight water and inject it into your veins and because of the tonicity

It will lyse the cells around where the blood the water is being injected. So it's a matter of dose

You take the most toxic thing Well, I'll back up just one step to note that in toxicology

You want to put some kind of label on how toxic is something? It's called an LD 50 a lethal dose that kills 50 % of the population

So you see a prescription it will have an LD 50 listed for In your prescriptions and that describes the dose at which it will kill 50 % of the population so the

LD 50 for the most toxic thing known to man is botulinum toxin botulinum toxin is

If you take one gram of it and divide it into a billion a nanogram 13 nanograms

Injected per kilogram into a human will kill 50 % of the population. That's botulinum toxin very toxic

However, people inject it into their face to get rid of wrinkles. So in the right context Botox can be helpful

So you see how there's a context there where certain things that we can do We could eat food sacrifice idols, but it doesn't necessarily it's usually not good like botulinum toxin

Thalidomide was another drug. It's a great case study Germany developed in the late 50s a drug that got rid of morning sickness and it was great

They all started taking this but by the early 60s thousands of babies were being born with focal Amelia.

It's deformed limbs half of them died so That's not a great drug right if you were pregnant

It has been shown now and is being marketed by a company called Celgene to or kill or me to treat

Blood cancer multiple myeloma is being thalidomide is a drug in combination with others to treat that so in the right context certain things

So it's not it's not a matter of that's sinful. That's not sinful I think all things Paul said at the end of the next verse there all things are lawful

But not all things are expedient. Not all things are helpful We need to be wise in what we do and to be honest, we shouldn't be asking

Well, is this in or not? How close can I get to the line? We should be asking ourselves What's best these days are evil

Paul says because we have so few of them What's the best thing I can be doing with my time? We should throw off every

Weight and sin that hinders us and run the race set before us that we might see Jesus the author and founder of our faith

He's seated at the right hand of Jesus. Those are the types of things we should seek How can we use our time rather than is this idolatry or is this not so hopefully that's helpful to you but I think

I Want to talk about what is really behind this because I don't as you see in Paul's first Corinthians passage

It's not really about there's no such thing as idols. There's really it's there's no

God to be worshipped there. However, God is Jealous for our worship and that's really what's behind this that God sees them

Looking to these other gods and Eugene Peterson says the worship of Baal and Ashworth was really about a feel -good

Religion what makes me feel good? So this church and these Christians in Thyatira, they would have to compromise their faith or they would

Suffer, they would not have all the things that are comfortable and I have the income they would not have the social status

I mean going to those parties was probably pretty pleasing to the flesh perhaps

But it doesn't it doesn't satisfy and what God sees here and what I think is underneath This is real idolatry not to sort of flatten the message completely

But it really is that's the underlying sin that they are finding their satisfaction in something. That is not

Jesus Jesus has provided everything they need and he often and that's really what is described here where it says in verse 24 at the end it says you have not learned what some called the deep things of Satan and that sounds kind of mysterious like Maybe there is some deeper witchcraft involved.

But really Satan's message has been the same from the get -go is To question God's Word has

God really said Sure, God is omniscient omnipotent and he is for us.

He is always good. It's always good for us We know that all things work together for our good those of us that are in Christ Jesus But Satan wants to come along and say has

God said that is he always for your good? That's the deep thing and and I would doubt that This Jezebel in that church was actually talking about saying well

These are the deep things that Satan she was likely saying these are This is a way to have a better relationship with God if you do these things you can have your cake and eat it, too

This is actually a better religion It's and Jesus is correctly identifying. That's actually

Satan's teaching That's not anything more godly And I think that's really helpful for us often because we come into contact with people and there seems to be some grayness there

But this is black and white that's Satan teaching that so that's his love That's his grace towards this church like look time to repent and and to bring that up.

He gave her a chance to repent And where was that at? Verse 21

I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality So I don't know exactly what that looked like But I want to encourage you.

I would imagine that at that time It was probably that the leaders in the church confronted her That's what would happen here and just to be praying for our elders

Certainly, I'm excited to have Steve on board with Mark and Bruce and Robin and Don these guys they care for us

And they have to have these conversations It's easy to tolerate to just let bygones be bygones.

That seems like let's not make a big issue out of that one That we this is a fundamental issue here that needs to be addressed and so pray for them as they have these conversations and to have the discernment about which ones to address and which ones not to address

But she is off. I mean he is gracious He's giving them a chance to repent, but no there is judgment coming

They're gonna get sick she could put her on a sickbed and her children are gonna die so that the children aren't actually she doesn't

Have physical offspring. That's that's really language to talk about those that are following her those that are taking on her beliefs and Following her they are going to die

I believe that's a literal judgment not that they are eternally gonna die if they are really in Christ But they are going to suffer judgment

That's not a unique teaching to the scriptures where you could have where sin brings about bad things

So let's look at the promises. So he says He gives them the strengths the weaknesses and there's the promises in verse 24

But to the rest of you in Thyatira who do not hold this teaching Who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan's eye to you?

I say I do not lay on you any other burden And that's really what happens most other religions most heresies require you doing something else besides What Christ has already done for you and it says in the next verse 25 only hold fast to what

Jesus has done That you what you have until I come that's what it's talking about only hold fast what you have until I come

Jesus The one who conquers Jesus has conquered death. He's gone to the grave. He's conquered sin and death and Who keeps my works until the end?

So he's talking about those in the church that are clinging to these promises that God is there and again, it's

It's that there is no additional burden Jesus said my burden is like my my yoke is easy

My burden is light. We we just have to hold fast to what Jesus has said and what he's done for us

There's no additional burden, but also in verses 26 and 27. It talks about This is the kind of military language the one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end there

We see again these works that he prepared beforehand that we should walk in that Ephesians 2 10 is still there to him

I will give authority over the nations. I Will give authority over the nations and that is if you want to pull up that verse

Eric Psalm 2 8 and 9 It's a direct quote. This is a messianic sort of Psalm it says and Ask of me and I will make maybe

I'll read it here so I can read it better and I will make the nation's your Heritage and the ends of the earth your possession you shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces

Like a potter's vessel, so this is talking about the Jesus that is to come but then we see in the at the end of Matthew the gospel the next verse where he is about to give the

Great Commission and Jesus says and Jesus came and said to them all Authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me and now we see in revelations that as in Christ We have that same authority so that we have the gospel to preach to the

Gentiles to all nations that as our authority It's not that we're going around and literally killing people taking up arms.

This is a spiritual authority that we have in Christ and that's that's a promise That's an encouragement to us as the church to be going out because Jesus has already done it for us

And lastly, I want to identify The what they get and that is in verse 28. He says and I will give him the morning star in the morning star there's a lot of different ways you could take it but I'm gonna go with what

I think is the appropriate way because Within revelations that same word or that same phrase is used one other time at the end of the book

Revelations 22 16 if you want to pull that one up This is Jesus talking it says

I Jesus have sent my angel to testify you about these things for the churches I am the root and the descendant of David the bright and morning star.

So that's Jesus identifying himself as the morning star Also last week when

Don was talking referencing the Balaam Balak story in Numbers There was oracles that Balaam was giving and one of those oracles

You know go to the next one in verse 24 of verse 17 of Numbers says I see him again looking forward but not now

I behold him but not near a Star shall come out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise out of Israel And it will crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth So those two things lead me to believe this morning star is talking about Jesus because those that hold fast to him

That's what we ultimately get we get Jesus Christ. That is our ultimate. That's what's going to satisfy

That's what's gonna fill that Jesus state void is only Jesus and that's what we get when we trust in him

So I'll close with it's Jesus. It sounds a lyric that I really like in a song it says if he's truly raised to life if How profound that is if he's truly raised to life he is

Jesus died Rose again conquered death conquered sin. He is raised to life

So he is Then that news should change your life and by his grace You can put your faith in a place that rules your days and your night

So the idea is if we truly believe that Jesus is raised to death We should be contemplating that and fixing our eyes on that and run that race with endurance laying aside everything that's encumbering us for Jesus it should change how we live our lives if we are reflecting on that that alone is enough to change our

Life, so we're gonna close with communion like we usually do and I want to emphasize Communion here is about celebrating what

Jesus has done for us. He has Died his body was broken. We remember that by taking that cracker and the juice there's stage if you're visiting we have

Stations throughout we're gonna have the band play you're gonna have an opportunity to remember It's a celebration that Jesus died for us and he shed his blood for the remissions of sins.

We are in Christ There is now no condemnation for us. If you're not trusting in Christ, we ask you just forget about nobody's taking

Notes, who's going to get communion take an opportunity to consider what Jesus has done for you You can trust him this morning in the amount of time it takes to play the song and still participate in communion

But I want you guys to take it serious, but to recognize this is a celebration Would you pray with me?

Heavenly Father Lord We thank you and we ask that we would have ears to hear God that you would do a work in our hearts through your

Holy Spirit God Awaken us to what you did for us that we would know that you are

God and the things of this world would grow Strangely dim and that we would lay aside the things that Come so close to us

Help us to celebrate you with purity of heart and mind as we celebrate communion here