[2] The title of the sermon today is “REVELATION CHAPTER 3.”
- We’ll be going through Chapter 3 verse by verse today so please open your Bibles to Revelation Chapter 3.
- In Revelation Chapter 2, Jesus began giving messages to the 7 literal churches that were in Asia at the time that John wrote the Book of Revelation.
- The time of the writing of the Book of Revelation is towards the end of the first century when John was in the Island of Patmos.
- We went over 4 of the 7 churches in Chapter 2 so we’ll continue with the fifth church right now.
[3] Revelation 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
- We’re looking at the Church in Sardis. Jesus is the one who has the seven Spirits of God.
- We went over these previously, but you can find these 7 Spirits in the Book of Isaiah Chapter 11.
- The 7 Spirits are the Spirit of the Lord, wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord.
- The seven stars are the angels of the 7 churches.
- Jesus is speaking to us here in every verse of this Chapter so let’s pay attention.
[4] Revelation 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
- Jesus is telling them here that they have a “name” that is living but are actually dead.
- He says He has not found their works perfect before God.
- What does Jesus mean when He says they are actually dead? He’s talking about their works here.
- These are saved people. They are His church, but their works are dead.
Please understand that once you believe on Jesus, you’re saved and are alive forevermore.
- This is a BASIC teaching throughout the entire Bible and one that you MUST understand to put together the rest of the teaching throughout the Bible.
- Once you’re saved, you’re expected to do good works for God.
- But, if you don’t, you’re still saved and going to heaven because He said you HAVE eternal life.
In other words, do you know anyone whose been saved in their life and now doesn’t do anything for God?
- Oh yeah, those people are the majority. They aren’t hard to find.
- In other words, they are saved but their faith is dead and not producing anything.
[5] James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
- When the Bible says faith is dead does that mean the faith no longer exists? No.
- Same with a tree. Think of a tree growing and producing seed/fruit.
- When it grows and produces fruit, it’s due to its faith.
- If a tree doesn’t grow anymore and doesn’t produce any fruit, you might say the tree is dead.
- But, does the tree still exist? Is it still there?
- Yes, the tree still exists but it’s dead because it’s not growing and producing fruit.
Notice that James 2:26 doesn’t say “FAITH WITHOUT WORKS DOESN’T EXIST.”
- It’s says faith without works is dead.
- Does it say the person who has faith without works is going to hell?
- See: You can’t automatically see that and say the person that has FAITH WITHOUT WORKS is going to hell.
- That’s not what it says. It says the person has faith without works.
- Faith alone saves you because the Bible says so over and over again.
- Back to Revelation Chapter 3.
The same thing is happening here with the Churches.
- They weren’t doing good works so they weren’t growing and profiting Jesus Christ.
- They were a dead church.
- And there’s many of those same dead churches around here today that aren’t going out and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
- Most of them don’t even know the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They don’t understand it, and it’s very simple.
But remember, Jesus is talking to His Churches so these are definitely SAVED people.
- This is more proof that FAITH WITHOUT WORKS doesn’t mean you’re going to hell.
- Think of this: There are days when you don’t have works to go with your faith.
- You’re faith is considered dead that day. Did you lose your salvation?
- Then, when you did good works a few days later, did you get your salvation back?
- Then you lost it again another day. Then got it back? This makes no sense because salvation is eternal.
- The Bible NEVER says you earn it by doing good works, then lose it when you don’t, then get it back, and so on.
- That’s just silly, and I’ve believed that MYSELF because I listened to MAN and not GOD.
- Now, we listen to God and we KNOW that we HAVE eternal life.
So Jesus, in Revelation 2 and 3, is giving us examples of good and bad things for all churches.
- These were 7 literal churches in that time, but He wrote the book for us.
- Many teachers and preachers around here will say that there are 7 church ages, and we’re not living in that church age so we don’t need to understand this. That’s a lie.
- The Book of Revelation is written to us to REVEAL things that we need to know.
- Revelation is REVEALING things to us.
- Jesus is showing His servants things which must shortly come to pass.
For example, there are churches that were on fire for Jesus Christ at one time.
- They have a great reputation, but NOW they are dead meaning they aren’t doing the good works Jesus wants them to do.
- Does it mean they are going to hell when Jesus says they are dead? No!
- They are saved, but they aren’t doing what God asks them to do.
- They may still have a great reputation, but they just aren’t preaching the word of God any more.
- What if someone hears about all the great works we do as a Church and they’re excited to come here and they get here and we’re all just lazy, not doing anything for God, and just sitting in Church daydreaming?
- Going home watching TV all week, connected to the world, never growing in faith, never reading our Bibles, never producing any fruit for God.
- That’s a similar situation here with the Church at Sardis. We don’t want to be like that.
- Let’s continue in verse 3.
[6] Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
- Jesus is telling them to WAKE UP, REPENT, HOLD FAST, and change your ways.
- If you don’t watch, He will come on them as a thief and they won’t know when He’s coming.
- We need to listen when Jesus talks.
- And keep in mind, these are SAVED people He’s talking to here because He’s talking to HIS CHURCH!
The Bible has symbolic meanings everywhere and it’s amazing.
- You have to know your Bible to pick up on many of these. For example, when you hear “I will come on thee as a thief in that verse right there” this might remind you of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5.
- Again, Jesus is saying if you do not watch, He will come upon you as a thief.
- He doesn’t say He is coming upon all as a thief. He says if you do not watch.
- False teachers teach that rapture can come at any moment at any time because it’s coming like a thief in the night for everyone.
Well, let’s go back and look at where false teachers get this stuff and see if that’s what it says about the rapture.
- 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4 is the most well known Rapture chapter and everyone I’ve known has always agreed that this is the Rapture in Chapter 4.
- Let’s look at some of Chapter 4, and then we’ll see where Chapter 5 matches perfectly with what we see in Revelation Chapter 3 verse 3.
[7] 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
- So right there is the end of Chapter 4.
- This is clearly talking about the rapture.
- Now look at the next verse in Chapter 5.
[8] 1 Thessalonians 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
- We talked about this in the past Revelation Chapter’s teaching, but notice the first word is “But” which happens to be a conjunction.
- This means it’s continuing to talk about the same thing.
- No one in their right mind would argue that, but many people do so they sure aren’t in their right mind.
- The word BUT right there is continuing the teaching about the rapture.
- So, we don’t need to know the times and seasons of the Rapture. Why? He tells us in the next verse.
[9] 1 Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
- He says: “I don’t need to tell you when the Day of the Lord is coming because you already know that the Day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night.”
- The Rapture takes place on the Day of the Lord.
- If it didn’t, why would we not need to know when it was coming?
- He says you already know it’s coming on the Day of the Lord.
- Anyone who is sincere and wants to learn the truth in the Bible cannot ignore that right there.
But, the false teachers and preachers will continue to ignore that and make up fairy tales about the Rapture.
- Their fairy tales are not in the Bible.
- If you study throughout the entire Bible, Old and New Testament, the Day of the Lord is ALWAYS characterized by the Sun and Moon being darkened.
- ALWAYS. Here’s an example from the book of Joel.
[10] Joel 2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
- That same verse is repeated in Acts 2:20.
- The Day of the Lord is going to be both a great day and a terrible day.
- You might ask: “How can it be great and terrible?”
- It’s going to be GREAT for God’s SAVED people and it’s going to be terrible for those who aren’t SAVED.
Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 are all talking about the Day of the Lord when the sun and moon is darkened.
- They also state that the Day of the Lord is AFTER THE TRIBULATION.
- It’s very easy to see IF you haven’t been indoctrinated with all the false teaching that the rapture is NOT before the tribulation.
- You’ve probably also been taught that God’s wrath is being poured out during the tribulation and that is also false.
Those chapters also talk about God’s people being gathered together.
- Obviously, it’s talking about the rapture and if you’re sincere and will let go of any man-made teaching, you will see exactly what the Bible says.
- I’m not adding anything to it like the false doctrines do.
- They even tell you that you have to do mental gymnastics to make the pre-tribulation rapture work.
- Well, with what I’m telling you, you don’t have to do any of that nonsense.
God wrote it plain and clear, and it’s easy to see.
- You’ll see that what I’m teaching here today is EXACTLY what’s written in the Bible with nothing added or nothing taken away.
- Some false preachers will tell you that the post-tribulation, pre-wrath rapture that I’m teaching today was just invented here lately.
- It wasn’t. Here’s proof of that.
- The King James Bible translators, who you might say knew the Bible pretty well, put a reference note right there in Matthew 24:31 referencing 1 Thessalonians 4:16.
[11] Here’s proof of that. That’s a picture from my 1611 King James Bible.
- Even the King James Bible translators knew Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, and even 1 Corinthians 15:32 were talking about the same event.
- But false preachers today, who make absolutely no sense with what the Bible actually says, will argue that.
- It’s amazing to me. Wake up people. Don’t fall for false doctrine and false teaching.
Those same people will call me a false preacher because they are holding to their man-made teaching.
- Well, guess what? There’s a truth in there somewhere, and I’ll choose what the Bible says over your man-made fairy tales.
- The Bible is the truth, and this is THE ONLY TRUTH we have in this world. Understand that today.
- So now, let’s continue to look at Thessalonians 5 because this is very important to understand.
- Let’s review the 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5 verse and continue reading in context.
[12] 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
- So again, it’s saying the Day of the Lord, which the rapture takes place on, cometh as a thief in the night.
- Don’t STOP reading right there, though.
- You MUST continue line upon line in the Bible to understand each verse.
- Who does it come like a thief in the night for? Let’s continue and see.
[13] 1 Thessalonians 5:3-5 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
- Do you see that? This matches with Revelation 3:3 perfectly.
- Look, Verse 4 says right there that YOU BRETHREN are not in darkness that this day will overtake you as a thief.
- He says: “You are the children of light.” Let’s continue with the next verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:6.
[14] 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
- So, today, you have all of these movies showing that the Rapture can happen at any moment and everyone starts believing that false teaching that’s all around here in the churches today.
- Don’t be fooled. Read and know your Bibles. The Bible says to let us not sleep. Let us watch and be sober.
The Rapture cannot happen at any moment. It won’t happen tonight.
- It cannot happen until many other things take place. The Bible is VERY clear about this.
- And you’re going to see that once you listen to God’s words, THE TRUTH.
- For God’s SAVED people, the day will not come upon YOU like a thief in the night.
- It’s that simple. It says it VERY clearly right there.
Now, is every believer and saved person watching and reading their Bibles and learning what’s going to happen?
- No, not even close. This is why we’re being commanded to watch right there.
- He’s trying to tell us to WATCH!
- So, that’s why we’re here right now.
- We’re studying and learning the Book of Revelation so we know what to watch for.
- Others could care less, including Christians. We know its importance so we’re going to learn and watch.
- In 1 Thessalonians 5:7, it talks about being drunken and not watching for that day.
- Guess what? Matthew 24 says the same thing. Hear this today.
[15] Matthew 24:48-50 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; 49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
- It’s saying the same thing over and over again. It’s saying the same thing in Revelation 3:3.
- Now that you’ve heard and seen all of those verse, let’s go back to Revelation 3:3 and see if it makes sense.
[16] Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
- Do you see that? If you do not watch, I will come on thee as a thief.
- He’s not telling ALL BELEIVERS that He will come upon them like a thief.
- He’s telling all that aren’t watching that He will come upon THEM as a thief.
The Bible tells us everything that’s going to happen before the Rapture and the Day of the Lord takes place.
- We learn about the antichrist, wars, famine, pestilences, death, martyrs, the Abomination of Desolation in which people are made to worship an image or be killed.
- We learn that the sun and moon will be darkened first. Have these things happened? No.
- This means Jesus isn’t coming back at any moment. He tells us to watch and see these things.
- Then, we’ll know the Day of the Lord is approaching.
- If we believe the Day of the Lord can happen at any moment and is happening next in the chain of events BUT the antichrist coming next is what really happens, what do you think that means?
- The antichrist is going to deceive people and some are going to think it’s Jesus coming back. And it’s not.
- Jesus coming back is NOT the next event that’s going to happen. Understand that today.
- Going back to Revelation Chapter 3 verse 4.
[17] Revelation 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
- So listen to this verse.
- What this tells me is that even though the Church as a whole is dead, there are still a few names in Sardis that are doing good.
- So not all of them are dead. He says those shall walk with me in white for they are worthy.
- This also tells us that it’s better to be in a TRUE CHURCH of BELIEVERS that are not doing what they’re supposed to be doing than to NOT go to Church at all.
- Some people make excuses not to go to Church because there’s no good church around.
- Well, I agree with you on the part that there’s a shortage of good churches around here, and that’s why this Church is here now.
I was sick of going to Church and NEVER learning the Bible.
- You’ve learned more of the Bible already today than you’ll learn in years at other churches.
- And that’s sickening. It really is.
- There’s so much for us to learn and churches aren’t helping us learn anything.
- Instead, we get the same false teaching about love, love, love everyone no matter what when the Bible CLEARLY doesn’t teach that AT ALL, ANYWHERE.
This verse 4 is telling us that it’s better to be in Church somewhere than to not attend at all.
- If you’re serious about God, then you need to be in a TRUE Church somewhere.
- But make sure the Church understands the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
- If not, I don’t consider that to be a Church.
For example, don’t go to a Catholic church. That’s not Church.
- You should stay at home before you do that.
- In the United States, though, you should be able to find a TRUE BIBLE BELIEVING CHURCH somewhere close.
- And don’t just take their word that they believe the Bible is the word of God.
- Ask them if they believe the Bible has errors within it?
- If they do, they don’t believe the Bible is the word of God because God doesn’t make mistakes.
- Find a King James Bible believing Church somewhere and go there.
[18] Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
- Notice the NOT FORSAKING THE ASSEMBLING OF OURSELVES TOGETHER as the manner of some is.
- Listen, understand the importance of gathering together with a group of believers in a local church.
- It’s VERY important. We’re here for each other. We’re here to comfort each other.
- If someone is in need in our Church, we’re going to make sure you get what you need.
- That’s why we gather together. We support each other in all ways.
- We don’t just take, take, take all the time. We give, give, give and we take as needed.
- Understand that. We help and support each other.
Notice that verse also says there at the end that we need to be gathering together more often as the Day of the Lord approaches.
- This is very important. This is why we have 3 services each week.
- This is why we go out soul winning together.
- Let’s continue there in verse 5 of Revelation Chapter 3.
[19] Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
- If you remember from Chapter 2, Jesus is speaking here to all the Churches and He gives each message to each Church in a similar format.
- Remember, He’s talking to the 5th Church in Sardis right now.
- He says something similar about “HE THAT OVERCOMETH” to every church.
- We learned previously what overcometh means. Let’s look at that again quickly in 1 John 5 verses 4 and 5.
- And I want to look at this because false preachers will tell you that you must OVERCOME to make it to heaven.
- That you must stop sinning, repent of your sins always, continue in good works, and endure to the end to be saved.
- The Bible doesn’t say this EVER. Here’s what the Bible defines OVERCOMING as:
[20] 1 John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
- You are an overcomer if you believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
- You will be clothed in white raiment says Revelation 3:5.
- Let’s look back at that verse because we need to look at it a little closer.
[21] Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
- Jesus says those that overcometh, or those who are saved, He will not BLOT out their name from the Book of Life.
- But instead He will confess His name before His Father and before His angels.
- There’s much argument over that verse especially because SO MANY PEOPLE teach that you can lose your salvation.
- The Bible is very clear that you cannot lose your salvation.
- God will NEVER blot out your name from the Book of Life because you HAVE eternal life already.
- If He took it out once you HAVE eternal life, that would make God a liar.
- He says so Himself in 1 John Chapter 5.
[22] 1 John 5:10-11 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
- Once you’re saved, you HAVE eternal life.
- Once you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to save you, you’re saved. It’s that simple.
- You’re born of God. He is your Father. He will never leave you NOR forsake you.
Revelation 3:5 NEVER says you can lose your salvation.
- It says HE WILL NOT BLOT OUT YOUR NAME FROM THE BOOK OF LIFE.
- Some people will say that this implies that He can blot out your name.
- We believe all names are written in the Book of Life from the beginning just like the Bible says.
- Then, your name can be blotted out if you’re NEVER saved.
- If you’re saved, your name will NEVER be blotted out.
We’ll talk more about this later in other chapters in Revelation when this is mentioned again.
- It’s actually mentioned 6 more times in the Book of Revelation for a total of 7 times.
- We’ll go over it in more detail each time it’s mentioned.
- So remember Revelation 3:5 and how God will not blot out the saved from His Book of Life.
[23] Revelation 3:6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
- Again, this is saying if YOU HAVE EARS, you need to HEAR this message that Jesus is giving to His Churches.
- It doesn’t say: “Hey, you don’t need to know this because this is some fairy tale church age that man made up.”
- It says, “If you have ears, you better hear these messages.”
- That concludes the message to the Church in Sardis.
- Let’s move to the Sixth Church, the Church in Philadelphia.
[24] Revelation 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
- This is a quote from Isaiah Chapter 22, which says this:
[25] Isaiah 22:22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
- This is talking about Jesus Christ so again, Jesus is speaking here in Revelation 3 verse 7.
- Let’s continue in verse 8.
[26] Revelation 3:8-9 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
- So Jesus tells them here that He knows their works.
- He says they have not denied His name and they have kept His word.
- And then He continues by saying He will make THEM of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and are not.
- He will make them to come and worship before their feet.