Participants: Alvin Kibble
Series Code: AOT
Program Code: AOT000128
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00:13 Welcome to Anchors Of Truth
00:15 live from the 3ABN Worship Center. 00:22 Good morning and happy Sabbath. 00:24 Thank you for joining us live around the world. 00:27 This is a live program today coming here from the 00:30 3ABN Worship Center. 00:32 And that's right here between West Frankfort 00:35 and Thompsonville, Illinois; southern Illinois. 00:37 So we're glad that you're joining us around the world. 00:39 And for those of you here, we're glad you came out this morning. 00:43 I know that you have been blessed by brother Alvin Kibble. 00:46 And he's here again this morning. 00:48 Pastor Kibble; we're so thankful that he's here. 00:50 North American Division Vice President 00:53 of Seventh-day Adventists. 00:54 And he's been in ministry, I was talking to him 00:57 a while ago, 45 years. 00:59 Can somebody say amen? 01:00 Alright. 01:01 Anybody that can do anything for 45 years 01:04 deserves an amen, right? 01:06 And this brother has an anointing on him. 01:09 He's been serving the Lord a long time in our church 01:13 and the division headquarters here in North America. 01:15 We're so thankful for the ministry that he has, 01:19 that he has consented to come here for our Anchors Of Truth. 01:23 He and Jim Gilley go back a long ways. 01:25 He was telling me when Jim and his offices were 01:28 next to each other there in the North American Division. 01:31 He said, "When Jim left, I felt lonely." 01:33 And so they're good friends. 01:35 Jim speaks highly of him. 01:38 And we're so glad that he's here. 01:39 Thank you for joining us from around the world. 01:42 Thank you for your love and your prayers and financial support 01:45 of 3ABN as we continue to take this great gospel 01:48 of the kingdom into all the world. 01:51 Right before Pastor Kibble comes out today, 01:55 was have a special song. 01:57 And I'm so thankful for the ministry of Yvonne Lewis 02:01 with Dare To Dream. 02:02 And Yvonne, you're going to be singing today, Amazing Grace. 02:06 Thank you so much for what you do for the cause of God. 02:09 Thank you for Dare To Dream, as now it's having an impact 02:12 on many, many people around the world. 02:14 Praise the Lord. Thank you. 02:34 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound 02:42 that saved a wretch like me. 02:50 I once was lost but now I'm found, 02:57 was blind but now I see. 03:09 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, 03:17 and grace my fears relieved. 03:25 How precious did that Grace appear 03:32 the hour I first believed. 03:44 Through many dangers, toils, and snares 03:52 I have already come; 04:00 'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, 04:08 and grace will lead me home. 04:20 When we've been there ten thousand years, 04:27 bright shining as the sun, 04:35 we've no less days to sing God's praise 04:43 than when we'd first begun. 04:54 Amazing grace. 05:25 Great is the Lord. 05:28 And greatly to be praised. 05:32 In the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness, 05:38 beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth 05:46 is Mount Zion. 05:49 How grateful I am to be in your presence one more time. 05:57 This morning we have a wonderful message to share with you. 06:04 And I anticipate that there will be many, 06:09 as a result of the message today, 06:14 who will finally understand the secret of being faithful 06:23 unto death. 06:25 You know, in the plan of God, He does not always 06:36 answer our prayers in the exact way and at the exact time 06:44 that we would want Him. 06:49 The truth of it is that sometimes 06:55 God's answers are delayed. 07:03 But they are never denied. 07:08 And so we're going to look at that today 07:14 as a part of our study. 07:18 We've been considering the general theme 07:22 of how a Christian looks at trouble and suffering 07:32 and heartache. 07:36 There's really a Christian view to all of life. 07:44 Our joys and our sorrows. 07:48 Our wealth as well as our need. 07:57 There's a Christian way of viewing marriage and parenting 08:03 and fathering and being a mother. 08:12 There's a Christian view of life's calling and purpose. 08:20 But there's a also a Christian's view of suffering. 08:28 And that's why we thought to engage you during this 08:33 particular spring series. 08:37 Because there is so much suffering and hardship and 08:43 heartache that is taking place all around our world. 08:50 I would like to direct your attention this morning 08:54 and for the next few minutes to the book of Revelation 09:00 chapter 2. 09:03 And I would like to read in your hearing verses 8 through 11. 09:11 Revelation chapter 2 verses 8 through 11. 09:19 "To the leader of the church in Smyrna, write this letter: 09:27 This message is from Him who is the First and Last, 09:33 who was dead and then came back to life. 09:38 I know how much you suffer for the Lord, 09:44 I know all about your poverty, but you have heavenly riches. 09:53 I know the slander of those opposing you, 09:58 who say that they are Jews, the children of God, 10:03 but they aren't, for they support the cause of Satan. 10:10 Stop being afraid of what you are about to suffer..." 10:16 I'm going to repeat that for emphasis. 10:20 Stop being afraid of the things that you anticipate 10:29 and that you are about to suffer. 10:32 "...for the devil will soon throw some of you 10:37 into prison to test you. 10:40 You will be persecuted for ten days. 10:44 Remain faithful even when facing death 10:50 and I will give you a crown of life." 10:56 I've given title to this text. 11:01 I want to talk to you about a standard for faithfulness. 11:09 Being faithful unto death. 11:16 But before I talk with you, please join me 11:21 as we talk with God. 11:24 Beyond the sacred page we seek Thee, Lord. 11:32 Our spirits crave for Thee, 11:38 oh living Word. 11:41 So Father, let the words of my mouth and the sweet and 11:49 sincere meditations of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight. 11:58 For You are my Strength and You are our Redeemer. 12:06 In the blessed and holy name of Jesus, amen. 12:15 What do you think about when you hear this admonition, 12:26 "Be thou faithful unto death." 12:33 What does it mean? 12:37 "Be thou faithful unto death." 12:45 I asked my secretary, and she said, "To be found faithful 12:53 means to stay faithful. 12:57 It means being faithful every day. 13:02 Drawing a line and saying, 'Thus far and no further.' 13:10 It takes a lot of courage," she said, "to be found faithful." 13:18 Joseph was found faithful, and he ended up in jail. 13:23 Daniel was found faithful, and he ended up in a den of lions. 13:28 The three Hebrew boys were found faithful, 13:31 and they ended up in a fiery furnace. 13:35 Jesus was found faithful, and He ended up on a cross. 13:44 I asked another friend, and she said, 13:48 "It means doing everything that the Holy Spirit tells you to do. 13:53 And not doing those things that the flesh wants you to do." 14:01 Some time ago I asked my mother at the age of 93, 14:08 the daughter of one of our pioneer ministers. 14:12 And she said, "Carrying out the will of God 14:16 in everything you know. 14:19 Living up to all that God has called you to be. 14:24 That all God requires of us. 14:31 I asked my son in the ministry, Dr. Andrew Harewood, 14:38 and the scholar and theologian that he is. 14:44 His mind began to twirl, and he said, "The answer, Pop, 14:52 to that question is embedded in the original question, 14:59 which is the central theme of the great controversy. 15:04 It was the implied defamation that Lucifer 15:14 brought to the throne of God, and that the fallen angels 15:22 inferred in their expressions and in their declarations 15:29 throughout the courts of glory as to whether God was just. 15:38 Will the God of the universe be fair? 15:48 Will Jehovah do right?" 15:53 He said, "It's a question of God's providence 15:58 and God's power." 16:02 David, he reminded me, in Psalm 84:11, had declared, 16:08 "For the Lord God is a sun and a shield. 16:13 The Lord will give grace and glory; and no good thing 16:17 will He withhold from those who walk uprightly." 16:24 But I am here and God is there. 16:28 And the haunting question is whether or not 16:32 God will be just in my regard. 16:42 We're often prone to think because God did not 16:45 answer our prayers the way we wanted Him to 16:48 and how we wanted Him to, that our prayers are denied. 16:58 So he said, "Being faithful unto death is about 17:02 trusting God's clock. 17:06 It's about waiting and trusting. 17:10 It's about being obedient and waiting. 17:19 Waiting," he said, "has to do with God's providence. 17:23 And the miracles have to do with God's power. 17:27 And the bottom line," he said, "it's not about us. 17:33 It's about Him." 17:37 But what does it mean to you... 17:42 ...to be found faithful? 17:47 Is it a matter of maintaining your daily devotion? 17:54 Is it continuing to keep the right day, the seventh day 17:58 of the week, as you would say, as the Sabbath? 18:05 Is it about maintaining a certain dress style 18:12 or a dress standard? 18:17 What does it mean to remain faithful? 18:20 Is it a matter of returning a faithful tithe? 18:25 Or better still, a tithe and a half? 18:30 Or making sure that your candle doesn't go out? 18:38 Because we have been counseled that in the last days 18:43 that some lights are going to go out. 18:46 What does it mean, what does it really mean, 18:50 to be found faithful? 18:53 "Be thou faithful unto death, 18:57 and I will give thee a crown of life." 19:01 Just four miles from the city of Ephesus stood, and still stands, 19:07 the city of Smyrna. 19:09 Of all the seven cities of Asia spoken of in the book of 19:14 Revelation, it alone is of any really spiritual importance. 19:24 The other cities have gone into eclipse. 19:28 All of the other messages of the seven churches of Asia Minor, 19:32 the messages of the church at Smyrna... 19:35 Of all the messages to the seven churches of Asia Minor, 19:39 the message to the church of Smyrna is the most gracious 19:44 and the most complimentary. 19:49 The risen exalted Christ sent messages by way of John, 19:54 the Patmos prisoner, to the seven churches. 19:58 Seven churches that were both actual and symbolic. 20:03 These seven churches actually existed. 20:06 But in a greater sense they represented the seven ages 20:10 of the church, 20:13 through which the church would pass through 20:17 prior to the great consummation. 20:21 And this message to the church of Smyrna 20:25 is rather short and succinct. 20:29 But the risen Lord has ought against all the other six. 20:34 Ephesus, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, 20:39 and Laodicea. 20:42 He's not happy with their performance. 20:45 But Smyrna, of all the seven, received no rebuke. 20:52 To the angel of this church, to the pastor of this church, 20:57 to the messenger of this church, He who is the First and the Last 21:03 who was dead and came to life says, "I know your works, 21:11 your tribulation, and your poverty." 21:14 And then parenthetically, He adds, "But you are rich. 21:22 I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews 21:25 and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 21:30 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. 21:33 Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison 21:37 that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. 21:44 But be thou..." 21:46 What, everybody? 21:47 "...faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life." 21:55 Smyrna was a very progressive city. 21:58 It was one of the few planned cities of the ancient world. 22:03 It was founded by the Greeks as a colony about 1000 BC. 22:09 The streets were broad and straight. 22:13 And they were paved with huge blocks of marble. 22:18 Can you believe that? 22:21 And it contained a famous street of gold. 22:25 I don't know whether they called it Main Street or Broad Street. 22:34 But the street began at the temple of Zeus 22:38 and it ended at the temple of Dionysus; 22:47 the god of fertility and the god of joy. 22:56 Dionysus, I believe is the correct pronunciation. 23:01 One of the loveliest cities in all of Asia. 23:04 Smyrna became wealthy as a commercial center 23:07 for the entire Hermas Valley. 23:11 It had one of the safest harbors. 23:14 And it could be well protected from all the 23:19 enemies round about. 23:23 The inhabitants of this city were primarily Jews. 23:28 And these Jews had become very friendly to Rome. 23:34 It appears, according to the historians, that the Jews had 23:40 assimilated into the society. 23:43 And they had gained wealth there. 23:45 And their chief interest was in material things. 23:51 Does that sound familiar to you? 23:54 They were eager to stay on good terms because they saw 23:58 that their livelihood depended on being politically correct. 24:08 So along with their other fellow citizens, 24:10 they built a statue to the Roman Emperor Tiberius. 24:20 Now these Jews were especially antagonistic 24:25 to the Christians. 24:27 In fact, the very first persecutions suffered 24:30 by the Christian church was at the hand of Jews. 24:37 And throughout the record of the New Testament 24:39 the Jews had done all that they could to stop the progress 24:44 of the gospel. 24:46 They had demanded the death penalty of Christ, 24:49 they put Stephen to death, they jailed many of the apostles, 24:53 and dogged the footsteps of the apostle Paul 24:56 all throughout his missionary journey. 25:00 It's no wonder that in Revelation these Jews, 25:03 who were not the spiritual sons of Abraham, 25:07 are called, the synagogue of Satan. 25:12 Later, Rome picked up their malice and continued to 25:16 meet out cruelty toward the Christians. 25:21 Starting merely as a political matter of loyalty to Rome, 25:26 it had grown into compulsory worship of Caesar. 25:30 And once a year each Roman citizen was compelled 25:39 to pinch some incense 25:44 out of the special vase or dish 25:52 and offer it on the altar of the godhead of Caesar. 26:00 And it had to be done in the presence of witnesses. 26:04 Like paying your taxes, they had to go and pinch some incense 26:09 and place it there on the altar. 26:14 And they had to record who did and who did not perform 26:20 this sacred rite. 26:23 And upon doing so, each one received a certificate 26:28 of acknowledgement. 26:30 Oh, this thing gets good. 26:33 All that you had to do was to burn some incense 26:38 on the altar and say, "Caesar is Lord." 26:45 And you received your certificate and you walked away. 26:51 But the true Christian could never do that, could they? 26:56 The true Christian acknowledged Jesus Christ as Lord. 27:02 So the threat of death hung over every Christian's head 27:09 who lived in Smyrna. 27:11 In contrast to the Jews, the Christians were poor. 27:16 Almost to the point of destitution. 27:20 Generally speaking, most early Christians. 27:24 Now all the Bible characters were not poor. 27:29 Job certainly was not poor. 27:31 Abraham and Lot were not poor. 27:36 But many of the New Testament Christians were very poor. 27:42 When Jesus chose His twelve disciples, in effect He said, 27:46 "Give Me twelve ordinary men 27:49 and I will turn the world upside down." 27:56 And from that we could pretty clearly assume 28:03 that God is not really asking anybody to be extraordinary. 28:09 In fact, God does not require you to be successful. 28:16 What God is really asking is that you be faithful. 28:23 God is looking for ordinary people 28:28 whom He can fill with His power, and then He declares, 28:33 "You will do extraordinary things. 28:38 You will do greater things than even I have done." 28:44 So what is the message... 28:47 ...that was sent to this church in Asia Minor? 28:53 This hard pressed church? 28:57 Four things the Lord recognized in the persecutions suffered 29:06 by the church of Smyrna. 29:09 The Lord says first of all, "I know your tribulation." 29:15 And the word literally means, 29:19 "The pressure that you're under." 29:21 The world and the devil are always trying to afflict 29:26 the Christian. 29:27 Because we are counter-culture. 29:30 We're trying to swim, as it were, upstream. 29:33 Against the tide. 29:37 And so the world says, "Be one of the crowd. 29:41 Just go with the flow. 29:43 Why do you have to be so different?" 29:47 And this kind of pressure is one of the devil's most 29:53 subtle temptations. 29:56 But the Bible says, "Be not conformed to the world, 30:02 but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." 30:08 Don't let the world shape you into its mold. 30:15 Remember the sermon that we preached the other night 30:17 on the potter and the clay. 30:20 You're in the Potter's hand. 30:22 The Potter is trying to shape you. 30:25 Don't let the world shape you into its mold. 30:32 There was pressure on the Christians to conform. 30:37 Nevertheless, the Lord said, "Be thou faithful unto death." 30:43 And then the Lord says, "I know the blasphemy, 30:49 the slander that you are receiving from those 30:54 who say that they are Jews, but who aren't." 30:59 The Christian is always in danger because of the 31:05 blasphemy of those who are attacking the church. 31:12 In the ancient world, in many cases, the Jews had the ear 31:16 of those in high places. 31:19 And it was their slanderous and perverted information 31:23 which turned Nero against the Christians. 31:28 When the Christians would not conform, the next step 31:34 in persecution was to slander them. 31:37 So the Christians were falsely accused. 31:41 They were accused of being disloyal to the state. 31:46 Of being revolutionaries. 31:49 Of being trouble makers. 31:51 In Acts chapter 6 and verse 14, the disciples were slandered 31:56 because they dared to change the customs 32:00 which Moses had delivered. 32:06 Even so, the Lord said, "Be thou faithful unto..." What? 32:11 "...unto death." 32:14 And the third thing that our Lord observed about the 32:18 church of Smyrna was its poverty. 32:24 If affliction and slander do not work, 32:28 the next thing to issue upon the church is poverty. 32:35 We're talking about how a Christian views trouble, 32:40 heartache, and suffering. 32:45 Many Christians in the first century were 32:48 forbidden employment. 32:53 And there are many people today who are suffering unemployment. 33:01 Their homes and property were pillaged and plundered. 33:06 And in many cases foreclosed upon. 33:11 Back in those days, they would have probably 33:13 called it confiscated. 33:16 The writer to the Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 10:34, 33:20 "You received the pillaging of your homes with joy." 33:26 Huh, these were some amazing people, were they not? 33:30 People were confiscating and pillaging their homes. 33:34 And the writer of Hebrews says that the Christians 33:39 received it with joy. 33:42 In other words, like Paul said, "Count it all joy." 33:47 After all, it's only on loan. 33:52 That's what I discovered during my convalescence. 33:57 My job, it was on loan. 34:01 My gifts, they were on loan. 34:04 My clothes, they were on loan too. 34:08 My house, my car, my health. 34:13 It was all on loan. I'm not an owner. 34:16 Paul has it right, I'm a steward. 34:26 And so these early Christians in Smyrna suffered from 34:30 economic boycott. 34:33 They couldn't get a job, not because there were no jobs, 34:37 but because of who and what they represented. 34:48 In early days here in America, 34:54 people of my complexion were often denied housing and jobs 34:59 because of what is called, redlining. 35:07 These Christians were being redlined. 35:13 When they called the job seeking employment, 35:18 they would say, "Well we're not hiring." 35:20 And then someone else would come right behind them 35:22 and call, and they'd say, "Well sure, absolutely. 35:25 Come right down." 35:30 And if a person insisted on carrying their Christian 35:33 principles into their business life or into their 35:37 everyday life, they would be in a very real danger 35:43 of being fired. 35:46 So what is Christ's message to this church? 35:50 What is the message to the people of this age? 35:53 "I know your poverty, but you are really rich." 35:59 This is a rich poor church. 36:03 Some churches are poor rich churches. 36:08 They are rich in material things, but poor 36:13 in those things that pertain to God. 36:18 It doesn't matter whether they have glass cathedrals, 36:23 or handmade organs, or 500 voice choirs. 36:33 But Smyrna, although poverty stricken, were declared rich 36:40 by the King of glory. 36:42 Their metal had been tested. 36:44 They had come through so much. 36:46 They had been tried in the fire of persecution. 36:50 They are a society of sufferers. 36:56 The demonic had made its move on them. 37:01 They were presently under terrible persecution. 37:04 But in spite of all that they had gone through, 37:08 they persevered, they pressed on. 37:12 And they are rich in the sense that they have everything 37:16 in abundance that they need in order to hold out. 37:24 "I know your poverty, but you are really rich." 37:29 Their poverty was of body, but not of spirit. 37:34 And this compliment is rather unique. 37:37 There's no other church in the New Testament 37:39 that is described as being rich. 37:43 There is one that thought itself to be rich 37:49 and increased with goods. 37:52 And beyond that, having need of nothing. 37:55 They had a huge surplus. 38:03 They had trust funds and they had investments 38:08 far greater than they would ever be called upon to use. 38:16 But Jesus saw them as pitiful, wretched, miserable, 38:25 blind, and naked. 38:30 This church was not in reality rich at all. 38:34 It was rich in things, but that wasn't enough. 38:39 A rich church is to be prized, provided it is rich 38:43 in the right things. 38:45 The church at Laodicea was suffering from a delusion 38:50 of grandeur. 38:52 In reality, it was poverty stricken. 38:56 And the Master had some lovely words of commendation 39:00 for the church at Ephesus. 39:03 But there was also one bit of criticism. 39:07 He said, "I have this against you, 39:10 because you have left your first love." 39:15 But with this church, 39:17 I said this church, 39:19 it has no fault that can be found. 39:23 It was absolutely perfect. 39:28 But it was on its way. 39:30 It was not absolutely perfect. Correction. 39:33 But it was on its way. 39:37 So wherein was it rich? 39:40 Well, the First and the Last declared Himself, 39:48 in the form of a challenge, "Be thou faithful unto death." 40:01 That's it. 40:03 That is the key. 40:08 That was the gold in them there hills. 40:11 It was their faithfulness. 40:14 It was their loyalty, it was their fidelity. 40:18 He didn't say, notice, "Become faithful." 40:22 He didn't say, "Get faithful." 40:24 He said, "Continue to be in the future what you are now." 40:30 "Be thou faithful." 40:35 Now "faithful" is a great word, to be sure. 40:39 But it is often a greatly misunderstood word. 40:45 And therefore regularly misused. 40:51 We use the word, "faithful," too loosely. 40:58 And today, almost anybody is considered faithful. 41:03 Anybody who attends church and supports the church 41:07 is faithful. 41:09 But that's not really what is meant by being faithful. 41:14 That's simply regular, punctual, and generous. 41:22 Faithful means something far deeper than your attendance 41:28 and your financial regularity of support. 41:35 It is "pistos" in the Greek. 41:38 And pistos is best expressed as self surrender. 41:43 Pistos is more than just showing up. 41:46 It's more than just attending services. 41:50 It's more than just being a dutiful member. 41:53 Pistos is, paying the price. 41:59 But with more than just tithe and offerings. 42:02 If I am faithful, three experiences are at work 42:07 in me in tandem. 42:10 If I am faithful I am believing, I am trusting, and I am relying. 42:19 I am believing. 42:21 I am believing God; not just in God, but God. 42:29 I believe the revelation about God. 42:34 I believe His words to be true. 42:37 I believe His promises are for real. 42:40 I believe, I believe, I believe. 42:44 You can't make me doubt Him, 42:47 because I know too much about Him. 42:51 And then I am trusting. 42:54 I trust God. 42:56 I trust God to perform according to His purposes, 43:00 according to His promises. 43:03 I trust His directions, I trust His decisions, 43:07 with respect to my daily life. 43:09 I trust Him to provide all of my needs. 43:13 I trust God. 43:15 He has my confidence. 43:17 On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea, 43:21 though billows roll He keeps my soul. 43:25 I know my heavenly Father watches over me. 43:31 And finally, I am relying. 43:37 I believe God, I trust God, I am relying on God. 43:43 Now this is beyond trust. 43:47 Reliance is assurance based on experience. 43:54 Reliance is a positive assertion predicated on the sure knowledge 44:00 that whatever I get into in God's name 44:05 and for God's kingdom, I can rely on Him 44:09 to not only be with me, but to bring me through. 44:14 I believe God; I'm a follower. 44:18 I trust God; I am a servant. 44:21 I rely on God; I am a conqueror. 44:26 So then, to be faithful is to be so full of faith... 44:35 ...that you, through your entire life, are obedient 44:44 to His will. 44:46 Knowing that He is completely in charge. 44:51 This church at Smyrna gives us a standard for faithfulness. 44:58 By example, their faith declares, 45:00 "Lord, the answer is yes. 45:05 Now what's the question." 45:09 That's belief, that's trust, and that is reliance in concert. 45:15 And that is what was happening at the church of Smyrna. 45:19 And it caused the Lord to say, "I know what you have 45:23 been through, and I know what you're going through now. 45:26 And I want you to know that your faith is of such 45:30 that you are equipped to go on through. 45:33 So then, be thou faithful unto death, 45:38 and I will give thee a crown of life." 45:42 Look again at the text. 45:44 "Be thou faithful unto death." 45:46 He didn't say, "Be thou faithful unto..." 45:48 He said... 45:49 Look again at the text, "Be thou faithful unto death." 45:52 He didn't say, "Be thou faithful until death." 45:58 He said, "...unto death." 46:01 "Until" is extensive. 46:04 "Unto" is intensive. 46:07 "Until" is time dimensional. 46:09 "Unto" is event dimensional. 46:12 "Until" is, "chronos." It is clock time. 46:16 "Unto" is, "kairos." God time. 46:20 "Until" is quantitative. 46:23 "Unto" is qualitative. 46:26 So what is the message? 46:29 Glad you asked. 46:31 "Be thou faithful to the point of death." 46:37 Die as you fight the good fight of faith. 46:41 "Be thou faithful unto death." 46:45 That is what He told this church of Smyrna. 46:49 And that is what He is telling you and me today. 46:54 That's it. 46:55 That is the standard of faithfulness. 47:03 And you know something? 47:05 They were. 47:07 Why, the angel, the messenger of the church of Smyrna, 47:12 was a preacher named Polycarp. 47:15 I'm almost done. 47:17 And near the close of the second century 47:20 he was martyred for being faithful. 47:24 It was a festival day. 47:26 And the crowd was in high and excitable gear. 47:30 Under the emotion, someone cried out, "Away with Polycarp. 47:36 Away with Polycarp." 47:40 And so they searched out for the pastor of the church of Smyrna. 47:47 His whereabouts were made known by a slave child. 47:52 And he was arrested. 47:54 When the officials came to arrest Polycarp, 47:58 he ordered that a meal be prepared for them. 48:04 And he asked while they were eating if they would give him 48:09 the privilege of praying for one hour. 48:13 Just one hour. 48:16 The chief police was so impressed that he didn't 48:19 want to carry out his orders. 48:21 And he pleaded with the pastor, "Just say, 'Caesar is Lord.' 48:27 And if you did that, you won't have to be burned." 48:31 And Polycarp replied, "Eighty-six years have I 48:36 served my Lord, and He has done me no wrong. 48:42 How can I blaspheme my King who has saved me?" 48:49 Now martyrs were normally nailed to the stake 48:53 before they were set on fire. 48:56 But Polycarp was only tied to the stake 48:59 because he assured his murderers that he wasn't going anywhere. 49:07 That's being faithful unto death. 49:12 Don't, don't, don't, don't tell me it can't be done. 49:19 Don't tell me that people can't be faithful unto death. 49:25 Too many already have. 49:29 Finally, the members of the church of Smyrna 49:32 discovered a quality of life which neither tribulation, 49:35 nor poverty, nor slander, nor death could destroy. 49:40 Though pillaged and peeled, they were not utterly impoverished. 49:44 In fact, their suffering only made them richer. 49:49 Their want brought them greater wealth. 49:52 Their weakness was a pathway to power. 49:56 Their crucifixion enabled them to be crowned. 50:03 If we are faithful unto death, then we will become candidates 50:10 for a robe and a crown. 50:14 If we are faithful, something better awaits us 50:20 on yonder shore. 50:23 So be thou faithful unto death. 50:28 When the risen Lord made this pronouncement to the 50:31 church members of Smyrna... 50:40 ...He was not speaking of the material crown. 50:46 He was not offering them some fading laurel wreath 50:52 or tarnishing piece of metal. 50:55 No, there's a bright crown, a glorious crown, 51:02 awaiting you and me in the New Jerusalem. 51:07 But what kind of crown? 51:12 Glad you asked. 51:15 There are two, you know. 51:17 There is the diadem and there is the stephanos. 51:23 Now the diadem, that's what it is in the Greek, 51:28 is the one for the person who occupies the throne. 51:35 It is the symbol of kingly sovereignty, 51:38 imperial dignity, majestic enthronement. 51:42 I can't wear that crown. 51:45 That is God's crown. 51:50 That's my Lord's crown. 51:51 I can't wear the diadem, but I can wear the stephanos. 51:57 The stephanos is the victor's crown. 52:01 I'm about to shout here now. 52:04 It's for those who have run the race. 52:08 It's for those who have kept the faith. 52:12 In God's great Jerusalem I shall wear a crown. 52:20 And do you know what I'm going to do? 52:22 I'm going to join the saints of all the ages 52:26 and start singing with that great coronation hymn, 52:31 "All hail the power of Jesus' name; 52:35 let angels prostrate fall. 52:38 Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him, yes crown Him, 52:45 crown Him Lord of all. 52:49 O that, with yonder sacred throng, 52:52 we at His feet may fall; 52:54 we'll join in the everlasting song, and crown Him 52:59 Lord of all." 53:01 And if you are faithful, He will crown you. 53:06 And you will have the privilege of crowning Him. 53:11 My, my, my, what gracious reciprocity. 53:15 He crowns me, and I share in the process of crowning Him. 53:21 Thank you, Jesus. 53:23 Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. 53:27 Thank you, Lord. 53:28 You have brought me, yes, you have brought me 53:31 from a mighty, a mighty long way. 53:34 "Be thou faithful unto death, 53:42 and I will give thee a crown of life." 53:50 Let us bow our heads as we pray. 53:57 What a precious promise, 54:02 oh God our Father. 54:07 We humbly bow before You, 54:15 we worship and adore You. 54:22 King of my life I crown Thee now, 54:30 Thine shall the glory be; 54:35 but lest I forget Thy thorn-crowned brow, 54:42 lead me, lead us to Calvary. 54:50 Help us, Holy One, to remain faithful, 54:59 not until death, but unto death, 55:06 that we might have the privilege of everlasting life. 55:13 And give someone today listening to this message 55:17 the assurance and the peace and the confidence of knowing 55:25 that in Christ they too are victors. 55:34 Victory is mine, 55:37 victory is mine, victory today is mine, 55:46 through the merits and blessings of Jesus our Christ. 55:52 Amen, amen. 55:59 Thank you, Brother Kibble. 56:01 God bless. 56:02 We just appreciate your ministry so much, 56:04 what you're doing for the cause of God. 56:07 I know everything in life has not been easy for you. 56:10 And health problems, you've gone through all the things 56:13 that all the rest of us have gone through. 56:14 Maybe some more. 56:16 But you're still there serving the Lord. 56:19 And to me that's encouraging to see 45 years of ministry, 56:23 still strong in the Lord. 56:25 We have less than a minute left. 56:26 If you could look in that camera out here; 56:28 and somebody is wavering today. 56:30 They feel like they're the only one's that are going through 56:32 some things that nobody else has gone through. 56:35 Maybe the Lord doesn't really love them. 56:37 They fell like giving up. 56:38 What would you say to them? 56:40 One person... 56:44 ...one person... 56:49 ...is so precious to God 56:52 that in comparison, worlds slip into insignificance. 57:04 God has invested in you. 57:09 And all that He has asked is that you trust in Him. 57:16 Trust in God. 57:19 Believe in God. 57:23 Rely upon God. 57:26 Alright, thank you so much. 57:28 God bless you and those of you at home. |
Revised 2014-12-17