Unholy Boldness — Carter Conlon

The Unveiling of Jesus Christ

Revelation chapter 1 and I'm going to read from verses 1 to 3 and speaking about unholy boldness. Now you won't grasp where this is going in the beginning but you will eventually. The revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass and he sent and signify it by his angel unto his servant John who bear record of the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ and of all things that he saw.

Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand. Now the revelation of Jesus Christ is the word revelation is probably better translated as an unveiling, a disclosing.

That means Jesus Christ comes and if he has been an ambiguous spiritual figure in the minds of some he says I'm going to come and if there's any doubt as to who I am and to what the intentions of my heart are and what type of a God as it is that I am I'm going to unveil Christ and you're going to see me and this unveiling is so that you may understand the future.

Now your own future as well as the future of the world. There's a duality of futures in the book of Revelation. Jesus Christ comes first to John. He's unveiled and of course the unveiling goes first to the church and shows the condition of the church and also there's a revelation of course throughout the book of the future of the church and we know that in the book of Revelation the church for example goes through some very difficult times has to go through some of the same troubling that the world must endure but the church has a different future that I'm talking about those who are Christ's have an absolutely different future.

They go through these times of trouble and difficulty with the testimony of God's grace and glory on their lips and a song in their heart that nothing can of this world can take away from them. Ultimately the world is judged and those who play games with God are judged as well and the church rises of course triumphant.

We know the book we know the end of the story. So folks it doesn't matter so much what's ahead of us we are going to go through no matter what we have to go through. If you are a genuine Christian the Bible says in verse 3 of Revelation 1 if you read and hear the words of this prophecy and you keep those things that are written therein you are blessed.

Now we know from previous study that the word blessed in the Greek is Markarios which means that you are indwelt by Christ and fully satisfied and this is the promise of God. Being a Christian does not mean we won't have to go through difficult times but it does mean if we are willing to hear and we are willing to embrace this revelation of Christ as he unveils himself in the manner that he wants his life to be understood and lived within us then we will be indwelt by him.

It won't come to the casual seeker. The casual seeker is not going to know this. Your heart's got to be engaged with the heart of God. You have to want to hear. You have to want to move toward and do the things that God begins to speak to your heart.

Not enough just to know truth. The Bible warns that there'll be a people in the last days who are learning and yes they might even be learning correct things but they're not applying them. They're not moving towards what they're learning.

It becomes head knowledge. They might even be magnificent Bible expounders but they're not moving into it themselves only to find themselves in the end terrified, confused and in many cases outside even of the kingdom of God.

The Day of the Lord and the Church’s Hope

Now Paul says in the book of Thessalonians, I'll read it to you for time sake, in chapter 5 of 1st Thessalonians verses 2 to 9, he said you know yourselves perfectly that the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night and when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction comes upon them as travail or labor upon a woman with child and they shall not escape but ye brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief.

You're all children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness therefore let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober for they that sleep sleep in the night and they that be drunken are drunken in the night but let us who are of the day be sober putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation for God has not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now there are times coming folks and I think you're aware of it and these recent events that have happened here on our borders are just foreshadows if they're not actually the beginning of some difficult days they are foreshadows of what it's going to be like and the Bible says clearly it will come suddenly people will not they will.

Their natural bravado as it is of man's hearts Jesus said are going to fail them. The calamities are going to come suddenly they're going to be repeated. It's it's as birth pains of a woman who's about to deliver a child and of course this world is about to deliver the church of Jesus Christ.

This world's about to perish and the church is about to come forth. The dead in Christ are going to rise. That what a glorious day that is going to be. I I'm not. My hope and trust is not in anything of this world.

My hope and trust is in Christ. Jesus describes it in Luke 21 as a distress of nations perplexity. The sea in the waves roaring men's hearts failing them for fear and looking after those things which are coming on the earth.

For the powers of heaven shall be shaken. The natural bravado this natural nest that comes from the human spirit that is on its journey far away seeking life without the life that God gives has a measure of picking itself up as it is.

But that's going to fail. Even the Old Testament prophets warned that the ambassadors of peace are going to weep bitterly. They're all the plans to try to tame an untameable soul of fallen man are going to fail.

And the weight of man's sin is going to touch the very place where he lives this very planet earth. Paul the Apostle says creation itself is groaning for the release as it is from the weight of sin that has come upon it because of the condition of fallen man.

Hebrews chapter 12 verse 27 tells us that one day soon all that remains all that will remain of the heavens and the earth is that which cannot be shaken. Everything that can be shaken is going to be shaken.

The very powers of the heaven are going to be shaken. It's going to happen suddenly. It's going to be a quick work. Hebrews 1228 the writer says. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

For our God is a consuming fire. We have a kingdom that cannot be moved. I have within me the very life of God. The same Holy Spirit that said let there be light lives inside of me. I have within me the one who was here before it began.

And the one will be here when it is all over. The kingdom is not anything of this world. The kingdom of God Jesus said is within you. It is Christ in you that is the hope of glory. It is Christ that gave me life.

It is Christ that carries me through my day. It is Christ that makes me all that I am. It is Christ that will lay me in the grave when I die. And it was Christ that will resurrect me from the dead when it is all over.

Judgment Beginning at the House of God

Peter said in first Peter 417 the time has come. The judgment must begin at the house of God. That's interesting that Peter considered the time to be in his in his day. The judgment had begun and it had begun at the house of God.

Now we've shared on this in past weeks. And those who have been here you you hopefully understand this that the judgment that begins in the house of God is not a judgment to condemn the church. It is this constant judging.

It is this heart of the genuine Christian that says Jesus come into this temple where you now dwell of the Holy Ghost and all of the tables and all of the dove selling and all of the things that have found a lodging place in me that offend your nature overturn it judge it.

That's why Paul says in Corinthians if we judge ourselves we should not be judged with the world we are allowing we are inviting. This judgment is an ongoing judgment in the life of the genuine Christian.

The true Christian says Jesus appear to me. Come examine my heart prove me try me see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way of life everlasting. Let your glory be manifested in this temple.

Let people who come in contact with the living Christ within these earthen vessels. Let them find healing. Let them find hope. Let them find words of life. Let them find a tender touch of God. Let them find comfort and consolation strength and direction that only can be given by God.

Let them look upon our lives and have to acknowledge there is a God in heaven. He does live in the hearts of men. He does sit at the right hand of all power and glory. He does reign. He is God. There is no other name given under heaven whereby men must be saved.

Let them acknowledge that Christ is alive. Let them see Christ in us should be the cry of the church. This is not an hour for the church to be ducking and hiding and looking for its own safety. This is an hour to be standing on a hill as a burning bright light in the midst of a darkened time saying Jesus let your glory let your glory let your glory be manifested in my life.

Oh God make me a hundred times more than I am set me in a hundred places more than I can naturally go. Let there be an outflow of my life of this living water that you promised that you would give to all who place their trust in you.

Now this unveiling of Christ first comes to his church because judgment always begins at the house of God not a judgment to condemn although that may be in some cases the inevitable result of those who refuse in their hearts this unveiling of Christ.

And it's tragic to think that people who are sitting in this house today hearing my voice might end up in hell. It's tragic to think so. But I tell you folks if Christ is unveiling himself and you harden your heart against it there's nowhere else that you can go.

And I will prove it to you in just a moment when Jesus unveils himself first to his church. And this is what happens in the book the revelation. I really wish I had time to explain what I feel. The Holy Spirit is speaking to me this morning.

I see it all through the Old Testament. I see the people coming out of the wilderness and the justice as it is judging that which offends his nature all the way through these trials in the wilderness in order to bring into people into a place of promise the people that honestly glorify his name because that's been the point and purpose of what God has been doing.

That's why he leaves the people on the earth. That's why you and I are here where to be a testimony of the fact that he is alive and not a verbal testimony a living testimony. There is quite a difference folks.

There are many churches that are verbal testimonies but they're not living testimonies. Now this unveiling you could say it's a preliminary gathering out of his kingdom all things that offend. Now there will come a day Jesus said the Father will send the angels.

The angels will gather out of his kingdom all things that offend out. But at that time is going to be too late. He's coming down and he's rooting out that which is offended the very work and nature of Christ.

And Jesus said it. I can't say more clear than him he said it'll be bundled up and cast into the fire. I don't know how you could ever equate that with heaven. It doesn't really sound like a very good end to me.

But this unveiling of Christ is a preliminary gathering. It's it's a gathering that is called for cried for. It's a gathering we asked for. It's a gathering I asked for in my prayer time. So God if anything is getting a hold of my heart that is going to cause your name first.

It's not all just about my safety and security. It's about the name of Christ. If it's going to cause harm to your name if it's going to grieve your heart. If it if it's not you living your life through me then gather it and take it out.

Take out what offends you Jesus out of my heart and out of my life. And I believe that has to be the cry of the true Christian. It has to be if I'm a true Christian. If you're a true Christian we're not coming here just so that we can gather a gleam some new promise every week as wonderful as that may be.

There has to be an end result to this. It's that Christ be absolutely glorified in our lives now. Revelation chapter 1 verses 5 and 6 says. And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness in the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our own sins in his from our sins in his own blood and has made us kings and priests to God and his father to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.

Called to Be Kings and Priests

You see beloved. These verses tell me clearly that I am first of all I am loved that God loves me. God loves you. You have to know that he's going to the cross folks was not just God fulfilling some legal obligation for his fallen creation.

He went to the cross because he passionately loves you. There's a passion in the heart of God that caused him to become a man. He was not willing to lose you and he was willing and in so much that he was willing to become a man and pay the price for your sins.

I am loved of God. I am washed from my sin in his own blood. I am called as you are to be a king and a priest to God. I'm called a minister before God. First obviously. But also I stand and you stand as a Christian.

I'm not talking now just about in the sanctuary and in the church but in society in general. I stand as a king and a priest to God. I stand as a I'm called to stand as a living testimony a man a woman as it is if you're here attending this morning that we walk through this world and as the scripture says we leave a savor of Christ.

We leave a sweetness as we walk through and we are trusting God. We live our days worshiping God. We see things from an eternal perspective. We don't look at men as trees just walking but we see them as eternally created in the image of God passionately loved by their Savior.

It causes us to live and think and move and have our being in God. We move a certain way through this world and we make a difference for God's glory and for God's good. Called to be a king and a priest not just a ministry.

Not just those who stand behind pulpits not just those who play instruments and sing in choirs. But you and I are all called to be kings and priests. And you have to settle the issue because it's clearly in the scripture now to this church time of kings and priests Christ comes.

And in the context of the revelation in the context of things are coming on the world that is going to be very very difficult. He unveils himself as it is for those who want me here I am. In other words this is how I think.

This is I move this is my heart this is I feel. And he unveils himself to his church. The assumption we make is that the church especially of course this is in this is first generation. John the beloved who leaned on his breast at the Last Supper is still alive.

This is given to John. This is barely a breath from the cross. I believe John Calvin I was reading recently said we make a tremendous error in thinking that the first century church was pure to the core because it wasn't pure to the core the same elements of human corruption were in these early churches are and have been in church generations right down to our specific day.

Now you would think that this early church so the cross is so fresh the history is right before them the disciple John is still alive. You'd think that they were just literally fall on their knees and say oh god thank you for the revelation of Jesus Christ.

But history doesn't bear witness that this was the cry of every Christian in the time of John. Jesus revealed himself and that revelation he came and he began to walk among the candlesticks which is the testimony of his own church.

He does this you know he'll walk in the candlestick of my own heart if I want him to come to me. And he'll begin to speak to me if I want him to and he'll walk in this temple. And as he walks in the temple he will begin to very tenderly say this is who I am this is what you're making me.

But this is who I am. This is what you're thinking. But these are my thoughts. And if you and I are genuinely concerned about the testimony of Christ then there there should be we should be among those who say blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Blessed is the Holy Spirit who comes within me and reveals Christ to me and inside of me and opens my mind to who Christ is and helps me to understand that the things he shows me is because he loves me and wants his testimony to be firmly established in my life.

The Seven Churches and the Loss of First Love

But this wasn't the case to the seven churches at the time of the Apostle John. Some the scripture tells us were flirting with deadly theology. And this deadly theology was drawing their hearts into union with practices which God had expressly forbidden.

And I think of today of those who might be sitting here and you're wanting the unveiling of Christ and the unveiling of Christ is going to speak to you that you're flirting with deadly theology. You're picking up Christian books and you're watching Christian television.

You're flirting with theology that God has expressly forbidden. He tells us that covetousness is idolatry and idolaters will not inherit the kingdom of God and the ministry. Now the airways are full of absolute thievery and covetousness.

That is another Christ. It's another manifestation of a wrong manifestation of Christ as it is. But many are flirting with this and you want Christ but you want to be rich and you're curious and you're tuning in as is it possible that if I just send this man my thousand dollars and I will have a hundred thousand dollars in return.

And you are flirting with deadly theology. And many many people in the day of John's revelation were told this. The churches were expressly shown that this association with these ones that were drawing them into the ways of the world they were looking for comfort in the ways of the world.

They're looking for success the way the world looks for success. They were following the theologies of Balaam and such like which is strictly looking for materialism to bring about happiness. It's it really all boils down to it.

And there were others that were being taught that it is as a Christian I am free to commit any kind of moral atrocities that I want to. I can I can be an adultery I can have premarital sex I can live a homosexual lifestyle and everything is just fine.

And people in the days of John and the churches of Revelation were believing this but the revelation of Jesus Christ came to expose it but not everybody was willing to bow their knee to it. Others were warned that they were near death spiritually and they were riding on former reputation.

God forbid that should ever happen to you and I God forbid that should ever come to this house. God forbid. God forbid that ever Times Square Church should ride on former reputation and lose the heart of seeking Christ and lose that cry that says Jesus be glorified in and through our lives.

Others were already worldly and they had little or no awareness left in their need of God. They were they were the lead to see in church for example was rich and had goods and said I have need of nothing.

They were completely worldly they were lukewarm. There was no passion for the unveiling of Christ. They didn't love the appearing of Christ and they were not aware that they had lost their need of God.

And others were working hard but losing their first love. And this is the Church of Ephesus. There were a doctrinal church and they're examining and proving and studying and working and laboring. But they were losing their first love.

And and in the context of what I'm speaking today I I see that first love as the as Paul says the love of his appearing. This is what they were losing. This love of the appearing of Christ this this appearance that challenged their wrong religious practices in the beginning that this appearance that of Christ that came to some as Paul preached in and said you are worshiping a God of ignorance.

But I come now to declare to you who he is. And in the early stages of many of these people they loved his appearing. They clamored perhaps to hear some of these early men and women expound the Word of God and they just love this unveiling of Jesus Christ.

It didn't matter what it exposed in their heart it didn't matter how it showed them to be deficient because they were secure in the fact that God loved them and they loved his appearing. And they were losing that first love.

And it was all now works and it was all just what can we do for God. The full focus was shifting from how does Christ want to be revealed through us to what can we do for God. Beware of that beloved. Don't let it happen.

Church historians. Early church historians tell us that Ephesus had an initial response to this unveiling of Christ through John but then historically just faded away and disappeared. And there is no trace of the Church of Ephesus left today in that part of the world.

Unholy Boldness and the Rebellion of Korah

Now we ask ourselves the questions now what happens to those people who will not yield to the unveiling of Christ. What happens to them if I'm sitting here today and Christ Jesus is being unveiled before me unveiled by nature and character.

What happens to me if I resist this unveiling. I'm going to prove something to you. If you go in the Old Testament to the book of Numbers please Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers chapter 16. I'm going to be speaking now.

But unholy boldness unholy boldness is those who defy the authority of God. And this is exactly what happened in Numbers chapter 16. The people had come out of darkness. There was an established leadership over them.

God as it is was revealing himself through the leadership of Moses and Aaron that he had established over his people. He was unveiled in the sense that there was a historical perspective of his judgments.

They knew the judgments that came upon those that resisted him in Egypt. They had seen the manifestation as it is of the pillar of fire knowing that God's presence gives light to those who are walking with him and brings judgment on those that are attempting to pursue the people of God.

And they had this history. They saw the glory over the tabernacle and they knew all of these things. And many of the people of that time were called out from the people and they became people of renown.

That's what the scripture says. They became men of renown. I don't know what happened. They somehow pressed in. Perhaps in the beginning. And when we press into God he does give us abilities. He does give us talents.

He does begin to manifest his life through us. And there were certain men who took leadership upon themselves and they gathered 250. The scripture says men of renown men who had a reputation men who stood before the people like you and I do in our society.

And they were representatives as it is of God. And all of a sudden something got a hold of these people and they gathered themselves together. Verse 3. Let's go to verse 2 in chapter 16. It says. There rose up before Moses certain of the children of Israel 250 princes of the assembly famous in the congregation.

Men of renown. These are not novices. These are people who have known some measure of the calling the life and the grace of God. And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said you take too much upon you.

Seeing all the congregation are holy. Every one of them the Lord is among them. Why then do you lift up yourselves before the congregation of the Lord. Now Moses heard it and he fell on his face. Verse 4.

Verse 5 says he spake the Koran all his company saying even tomorrow the Lord will show who's are his and who is holy. Here's how God does it and will cause him to come near to him. Even him who he has chosen will he cause to come near to him this incredible thing.

There are many many people who claim to be holy many people who claim to be leaders. Many people who claim to have some kind of spiritual insight. But God says there is a line of demarcation that I draw and no man can cross it.

Those that are mine I cause them to come near to me. And the evidence that they are near to me is that there's a change. They are constantly changing from image to image and glory to glory as by the Spirit of God.

They are not proud. They are not stubborn. They are not resistors of God. They're not looking for power and position. They're not trying to gain influence over men's lives for anything other than for the glory of God.

There's no other reason. Their sense of accomplishment is not in the size of their ministry. It's in the fact that they have obeyed God. They have stood before God. They have a clean conscience. And one day the whole heart says I just want to stand before him and hear him say well done thou good and faithful servant.

You have been faithful in a few things. Now we have this group that suddenly defies the authority of God. Now standing in defiance of Moses for example is not a whole lot different than the people in Revelation who had an unveiling because it was.

You have to keep in mind it's through Moses that God is unveiling. In the Old Testament is character. You go to the book of Revelation and Jesus now by the Holy Spirit is being unveiled to his church.

Now these men are standing and they are resisting this unveiling. And Moses said to them in verse 8 he said I pray you you sons of Levi. Verse 9. Does it seem that a small things to you that God the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the congregation to minister to them.

And he has brought the near to him and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee and you seek the priesthood also. In other words is it a small thing that God has come to you and God has saved you out of darkness and God has called you.

But now you are becoming your own priest. You are becoming your own standard your own authority. You are now the judge of what is right and wrong. You are now the judge of what is holy and what is unholy.

And God is no longer able to unveil himself to you. He cannot draw you to himself because you have another standard. You become your own priest. And folks this happens through the church age. It happens to the heart of the unwary Christian where we actually become our own standard.

God cannot speak anymore because we in our own pride become the judges of what is right and what is wrong what is holy and what is unholy what is clean what is pure. And we set up a whole other temple.

And Moses verse 16 said to Korah be thou and all thy company before the Lord thou and they and Aaron tomorrow. Verse 19 says Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

And the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation the glory of the Lord this glory of Christ this unveiling of Christ that you and I cry for that you and I ought to want if we are genuine followers of Jesus Christ this glory appears.

And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron separate yourselves from among this congregation that I may consume them in a moment. Now go ahead in your scriptures verse 23 and the Lord speak to Moses saying speak to the congregation say get up from about the tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abraham.

In other words get away from this place move quickly away from this place of the hardness of heart that establishes itself as its own standard of right and wrong. And Moses rose up and went to Dathan and Abraham and the elders of Israel followed him and spake to the congregation saying I depart.

I pray you from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs lest you be consumed in their sins. Now the question I asked in the belief in the beginning is what happens to those people who don't move.

What happens to the people in the book of Revelation. What happened to those Christians in those seven churches who would not hear would not move from this unveiling of Christ. Well the very same thing that happened to these men.

Moses said in verse 29. If these men die the common death of all men or if they be visited after the visitation of all men that the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord make a new thing and the earth open up her mouth and swallow them up with all that pertain to them and they go down quick into the pit.

Then you shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord and the earth first 32 opened her mouth and swallowed them up and their houses and all the men that I pertain to Korah and all their goods and they that I pertain to them went down alive into the pit and the earth closed upon them and they perished from among the congregation.

Now folks here's exactly what happens in the New Testament church. Those who defy the authority of God in the unveiling of Jesus Christ their judgment is a sudden opening of that which comes from the mouth of the earth into their hearts.

They have defied the Word of God. They defied the unveiling of Jesus Christ. So their hearts now are open to the spirit of the world. And the spirit of the world literally opens its mouth and swallows them.

And they disappear from the congregation. They fade away. They lose their zeal for God. They throw their hands in disgust. They walk away. They follow other ideologies their hearts and minds open to other voices.

And the very spirit that is animated its Babylon system of this world that is going to Paris comes and swallows them. And I've seen it so many times now as a Christian man and as a pastor over the years people who resist the unveiling of Christ and these other voices now begin to come and these other theologies begin to manifest that it's really the spirit of this world that is in rebellion to God opens wide its mouth and begins to swallow them.

And all that pertains to them suddenly gone. The blessing that could have been there the Makarios of God this indwelling of Christ gone their future gone their children gone their heritage gone their ministry gone.

And they disappear from among the congregation. And they end up in a place of seeking comfort and solace from that which comes from them. Hearts and spirits and minds of fallen man. They end up with theologies that deny the blood of Jesus Christ because they can't see the magnificence of it anymore.

They deny the cross because they can't see the cross. They don't understand why their gospel is powerless. Their hope for the future is just vague smog. Their whole perception of God is illusory and almost gone.

And we're seeing in our generation multitudes and the professing church being swallowed by the spirit of this age losing sight of the eternal Christ. Help us if we don't speak about his blood. Help us if we don't speak about his.

Help us if we don't confront men in their sin and rebellion against the Holy God. God help us. I see today the earth swallowing many who are not yielding to the unveiling of Christ. Many in the church are being swallowed.

David’s Prayer Against Pride

David said in Psalm 36. Let not the foot of pride come against me. Let not the hand of the wicked remove me. There are the workers of iniquity fallen. They're cast down and shall not be able to rise David.

This is what made him a man after God's heart. He said Oh God. Don't let the foot of pride come against me. Don't let me exalt myself above the ways and the knowledge of God. Keep my heart clean. You look at it all through the Psalms of David.

This is what really made him a great man. He could have it all. God could entrust to him the treasure of the earth as it is. But he knew that without God he had nothing. He knew his heart was as wicked as any other man's heart.

And he cries in verse 10. Oh continue thy loving-kindness unto them that know thee and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. David says God I've known you in kindness. You've made me more than I am.