Participants:
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW022257S
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00:19 ♪[soft mysterious music]♪ 00:33 ♪[music swells and becomes suspenseful]♪ 00:36 ♪[music shifts to Middle-Eastern instruments]♪ 00:40 >>John Bradshaw: Welcome to Turkey. 00:43 People have been living here 00:44 longer than almost anywhere else on the planet. 00:49 It's played an important role throughout history. 00:53 Ancient ruins dot this storied land. 00:57 The Trojan War took place here. 00:59 Alexander the Great conquered a large part of what was 01:02 then called Anatolia in 334 AD 01:05 on his way to conquering the Medo-Persian Empire. 01:09 And after Greece moved off center stage, 01:11 the Roman Empire governed this part of the world. 01:14 ♪[music continues]♪ 01:18 Turkey is a beautiful country. 01:22 It borders eight different nations, spans two continents, 01:26 Europe and Asia, and sits between the Black Sea, 01:29 the Aegean Sea, and the Mediterranean. 01:34 But its importance isn't just limited to world history. 01:39 Turkey has an extraordinarily rich Christian history. 01:43 The book of Colossians was written to believers in Turkey. 01:48 Antioch, where believers were first called Christians, 01:51 was here. 01:52 It was also home to seven of the most important churches 01:57 in the history of Christianity: 01:59 the seven churches of the book of Revelation. 02:04 "What you see, write in a book 02:07 "and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: 02:10 "to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, 02:15 to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea." 02:19 ♪[soft piano music]♪ 02:20 The letters to the seven churches are all brief. 02:23 The letter to Thyatira is only 12 verses, less than 300 words; 02:29 the letter to Smyrna, only four verses. 02:33 But however short, these letters endure, 02:36 and they were placed in the last book of the Bible 02:39 with good reason. 02:42 And the reason I say they are among 02:44 the most important churches ever is because Jesus addressed 02:48 these churches personally, prompting the Apostle John 02:52 to write letters to the churches in behalf of Jesus Himself, 02:56 letters which speak to us today, as we're going to learn. 03:01 Each of the letters to the seven churches 03:03 contains several things in common. 03:06 To each of them there is an introduction of Jesus. 03:09 For example, to the church of Smyrna, 03:11 He's the one who was "the first and the last," 03:13 who "was dead, and is alive." 03:15 To Sardis, Jesus is the one 03:17 who has "the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars." 03:22 To all of the churches, Jesus says, "I know your works." 03:25 To most of them there's a rebuke or a reproof, 03:30 and then to all of them there's a promise. 03:32 For example, to the church at Philadelphia, Jesus says, 03:35 "I will make [you to be] a pillar in the temple of my God." 03:38 To Laodicea, He says, 03:40 "I will grant [you] to sit with me [in] my throne." 03:44 Now, the first of the seven churches 03:46 is one that's very well known: Ephesus. 03:49 ♪[soft dramatic music]♪ 03:54 Back in John's time, Ephesus was one of the largest cities 03:58 in the Roman province of Asia Minor, 04:00 and it was a bustling center of pagan worship. 04:05 Originally located on the shores of the Aegean Sea, 04:08 2,000 years of war, earthquakes, 04:11 and the harbor being clogged with silt 04:13 has left the site of old Ephesus three miles inland from the sea. 04:18 However, the ruins that remain clue us in 04:21 on how incredible this city once was. 04:24 Here's how a poet from the second century BC described 04:28 the grandeur of the Ephesian temples and monuments: 04:32 "I have set eyes on the wall of lofty Babylon 04:35 "on which is a road for chariots, 04:37 "and the statue of Zeus by the Alpheus, 04:40 "and the hanging gardens, and the Colossus of the Sun, 04:43 "and the huge labor of the high pyramids, 04:46 "and the vast tomb of Mausolus; 04:50 "but when I saw the house of Artemis 04:52 "that mounted to the clouds, those other marvels 04:56 "lost their brilliancy, and I said, 'Lo, apart from Olympus, 05:02 the Sun never looked on aught so grand.'" 05:07 When you're standing in the old city, 05:08 it's easy to understand what the poet was talking about. 05:12 There are some absolutely remarkable ruins here. 05:17 There's the temple built by Domitian, 05:19 a Roman emperor in the first century; 05:22 the fountain of Domitian; 05:25 the third-largest library in the Roman Empire, 05:28 where thousands of scrolls were held; 05:31 ruins of gymnasiums close to 2,000 years old; 05:35 a relief of the goddess Nike, the goddess of victory; 05:41 the Nymphaeum, an impressive building constructed 05:44 to honor nature spirits called nymphs. 05:49 Ephesus hosted gladiator fights and wild animal fights 05:52 during the third and fourth centuries, 05:54 long after the time of John. 05:57 Many historians say Christians were persecuted in this place. 06:03 Of course, this isn't the only time 06:05 the church of Ephesus appears in the New Testament. 06:08 The Apostle Paul wrote an epistle--that's a letter-- 06:11 to the church here about 20 years 06:13 before Revelation was written. 06:15 So, clearly, this was an important place. 06:18 Paul wrote to the Ephesians of conversion, 06:21 of how God changes the life. 06:23 It was to the Ephesians that he explained people are saved 06:26 by grace through faith-- the inference being, 06:30 by grace alone through faith alone. 06:34 He wrote to the Ephesians of righteousness by faith, 06:37 of being strengthened inwardly by the Holy Spirit, 06:40 of Christ dwelling in the heart by faith, 06:43 of knowing the love of Christ 06:44 and being filled with "the fullness of God." 06:48 He wrote to them about baptism and spiritual gifts 06:51 and manifesting the character of Christ. 06:53 And it was to the Ephesians that he wrote about 06:55 the armor of God: "the shield of faith," 06:58 "the helmet of salvation," 06:59 "the sword of the Spirit," which he said was "the word of God." 07:04 When Paul wrote to the Ephesians, 07:06 he specifically addressed 07:07 both slaves and slave owners, as Ephesus was 07:11 a very significant slave trading center. 07:15 ♪[soft music]♪ 07:16 Years later, when John wrote to the church of Ephesus 07:19 back in Revelation, chapter 2, he had this to say: 07:23 "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, 07:27 "'These things says He who holds the seven stars 07:30 "'in His right hand, 07:32 who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.'" 07:36 Notice, this letter starts with an assurance: 07:40 This comes to you from the One 07:41 "who holds the seven stars in His right hand." 07:45 We're told in chapter 1 that those stars represent 07:47 the angels, or the messengers, of the seven churches. 07:51 Then: This is from the One 07:53 "who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands," 07:56 which chapter 1 said are the seven churches. 07:59 Jesus says He's intimately acquainted with them 08:03 and with what they're going through. That's reassurance. 08:07 He goes on: "I know your works, your labor, your patience, 08:12 "and that you cannot bear those who are evil. 08:15 "And you have tested those who say they are apostles 08:18 "and are not, and have found them liars; 08:22 "and you have persevered and have patience, 08:24 "and have labored for my name's sake 08:26 and have not become weary." 08:29 That's good, isn't it? 08:31 Sure it is. But there was something missing, 08:34 something serious missing. 08:36 We'll find out what that was, and we'll go to the site 08:39 of a riot--that almost cost the Apostle Paul his life-- 08:43 in just a moment. 08:45 ♪[music swells and ends]♪♪ 08:54 >>Announcer 1: Travel back in time and visit 08:56 the historic sites of Revelation's ancient churches, 08:59 where Christianity grew against all odds, 09:02 and learn how messages shared by Jesus 2,000 years ago 09:06 are also messages from heaven for today. 09:09 Call now for your free copy 09:10 of "The Seven Churches of Revelation: Messages for Today." 09:14 Call 800-253-3000. 09:17 That's 800-253-3000. 09:20 Or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 09:25 ♪[upbeat music]♪ 09:27 >>Announcer 2: Planning for your financial future 09:29 is a vital aspect of Christian stewardship. 09:32 For this reason, It Is Written is pleased to offer 09:35 free planned giving and estate services. 09:38 For information on how we can help you, 09:40 please call 800-992-2219. 09:45 Call today 09:46 or visit our website: hislegacy.com. 09:50 Call 800-992-2219. 09:56 ♪[ominous music]♪ 10:03 >>John Bradshaw: Paul didn't have everything his own way 10:05 while he was here. 10:06 In fact, he wrote to the church at Corinth and told them 10:09 that when he was in Ephesus, he "fought with beasts." 10:13 Now, he didn't mean actual animals; 10:14 that was the bitter opposition he was met with 10:17 while he was here. 10:18 Yet God worked powerfully here. 10:21 ♪[somber Middle-Eastern instrumental music]♪ 10:26 In Acts 19, it states that Paul "[disputed here] daily 10:30 in the school of one Tyrannus." 10:33 In an auditorium near the Library of Celsus, 10:36 inscriptions have been found mentioning the name of Tyrannus. 10:40 So Paul preached very near this spot. 10:44 Now, in that same chapter, Paul meets certain believers, 10:49 he baptizes them with the Holy Spirit, 10:52 and they have the miraculous ability to speak 10:55 in other languages. 10:56 It was in Acts 19 that people would bring handkerchiefs 11:00 and so forth that had touched Paul's body and then go 11:04 and place them on sick people, 11:06 and they would miraculously recover 11:08 from their illnesses or have demons cast out of them. 11:11 ♪[soft somber music]♪ 11:12 It was here that the seven sons of Sceva 11:14 were overcome by evil spirits. 11:17 It was also here that people burned their occult books. 11:22 But it was also here that a silversmith named Demetrius 11:25 realized that Paul's preaching against idolatry 11:28 was costing him, and a lot of people like him, a lot of money. 11:33 If people weren't worshiping idols, 11:35 then they weren't buying his idols and shrines. 11:38 So he caused an uproar. 11:41 He said, "This Paul has persuaded and turned away 11:45 "many people, saying that they are not gods 11:49 which are made with hands." 11:51 He feared the Temple of Artemis-- 11:53 or Diana, as the Ephesians called her--might "be despised 11:57 and her magnificence destroyed." 12:00 And he mentioned that "all Asia and the world" worshiped her. 12:04 In Acts, chapter 19, 12:06 there's a story that discusses the Temple of Artemis. 12:09 It's right here in Ephesus. 12:11 It was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. 12:14 There was a belief, mentioned in the same chapter, 12:17 that a statue of Artemis fell to the earth from heaven. 12:21 Of course, that was nonsense, 12:23 but it wasn't out of sync with the teachings of pagan worship. 12:27 And similar things have been taught in Christian churches. 12:30 ♪[somber Middle-Eastern instrumental music]♪ 12:35 So, whipped into a frenzy by Demetrius, 12:37 "The whole city was filled with confusion," the Bible says. 12:41 And people flowed into the theater and shouted in unison, 12:46 "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" 12:48 They kept it up for two hours. 12:51 It was so wild that Paul was told to stay away 12:55 from the protest in order to save his life. 12:58 Order was only restored when a city official 13:01 reasoned with the mob and settled them down. 13:04 So this place was the home of rampant idolatry 13:07 and people who were fiercely committed to that idolatry. 13:10 Fascinating thing, 13:12 today the temple doesn't exist--just ruins. 13:16 Paul's writings, however, 13:18 are still read and respected all over the world. 13:23 The temple was destroyed for the final time in 262 AD, 13:26 and not long after that, the empire became Christian, 13:30 so that the temple was never rebuilt. 13:33 Jesus commended the believers in Ephesus 13:36 for differentiating between right and wrong 13:39 and for refusing to tolerate certain sins 13:43 and for having worked tirelessly in Christ's cause. 13:48 Now, that's a big deal 13:49 because this place wasn't the Bible Belt 13:52 with a Christian church on every corner. 13:54 Notice, Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus-- 13:58 not to the diocese or convention or conference or council-- 14:03 the church. 14:05 And this was a deeply wicked place. 14:09 After commending the Ephesians, Jesus says-- 14:11 and remember, the letters to the seven churches 14:14 were messages from Jesus-- 14:17 He says, "Nevertheless I have this against you, 14:21 that you have left your first love." 14:25 Now, that ought to sober you up. 14:26 He didn't say, "You've all fallen into deep apostasy." 14:30 He didn't say, "I have a problem with your drug use 14:32 or with your immorality." 14:33 He said, "You have left your first love." 14:38 It's interesting that in this first of the seven letters 14:41 to the churches, Jesus goes right to the heart 14:45 of what it is to be a Christian. 14:47 They had left their first love. 14:49 They had commendable works. 14:50 Jesus spoke highly of their labor and their patience. 14:54 They had a lot going for them. 14:56 But there was an Achilles' heel: They had left their first love. 15:00 They were careful in their adherence to the gospel message. 15:04 They guarded the flock of the Lord faithfully. 15:06 They kept evil practices and teachings out of their ranks. 15:10 But they had left their first love. 15:13 We'll find out more about that 15:15 and hear an amazing promise from Jesus in just a moment. 15:19 ♪[music swells and ends]♪♪ 15:28 >>John: Miracles--events that can only be explained 15:32 as the actions of an all-powerful God. 15:35 If you look at the Bible, you'll find it's full of miracles: 15:40 parting the Red Sea, healing the blind, 15:44 walking on water, raising the dead. 15:48 Many have claimed these events never happened. 15:51 But did they? 15:52 ♪[music]♪ 15:53 Is it important for Christians to believe in miracles? 15:57 And do they still happen today? 15:59 Join me for "Do You Believe in Miracles?" 16:02 We'll meet some remarkable people 16:03 and hear some incredible stories. 16:05 We'll learn what miracles are--and what they're not. 16:09 And we'll discuss the greatest miracle of all time, 16:13 one that has significance for every human being on earth 16:17 and the potential to change your life entirely. 16:20 "Do You Believe in Miracles?" 16:22 Brought to you by It Is Written TV. 16:25 ♪[music ends]♪♪ 16:29 >>John: Thank you for remembering that It Is Written 16:31 exists because of the kindness of people just like you. 16:34 To support this international life-changing ministry, 16:38 please call us now at 800-253-3000. 16:42 You can send your tax-deductible gift 16:43 to the address on your screen, 16:45 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 16:49 Thank you for your prayers and for your financial support. 16:51 Our number again is 800-253-3000, 16:56 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 17:00 ♪[soft dramatic music]♪ 17:04 >>John Bradshaw: Now, you know that you can love ice cream 17:06 and love your cousin and love God, 17:09 and they're a different kind of love in each case. 17:12 The church in Philadelphia, 17:14 that's the church of "brotherly love." 17:16 The word "love" there comes from the Greek "phileo," 17:19 and that's, that's "brotherly love." 17:21 But that's not what Jesus is talking about here. 17:24 When Jesus says they've left their first love, 17:27 He uses the words "protos agape." 17:30 "Protos"--"first," like the word "prototype." 17:33 Today we take that to mean the first model of something. 17:37 "Protocol" originally meant the first page or sheet of a volume 17:41 or of a manuscript. 17:43 "Proto," "protos"--"first." 17:46 The word for "love" is the word "agape." 17:49 Not love in a sensual sense 17:51 and not "phileo"--that's "brotherly love"-- 17:53 instead, this is "agape"; that's "self-sacrificing love." 17:58 It's the love that God has for the human family, 18:01 the love which led Jesus to die on the cross. 18:05 And it's the love that we may have for God, 18:08 that same self-sacrificing love 18:11 that leads a person to yield their life to God. 18:15 Now, they had left that. 18:17 There's a message for us there. 18:19 You know that the book of Revelation 18:20 details the last great crisis to come to the world, 18:24 and we're getting closer and closer to that time. 18:28 And the first message given by Jesus in the book of Revelation, 18:32 the first words He speaks to a group of believers 18:35 contain a warning against leaving your first love. 18:40 And they didn't lose it. They left it. 18:44 ♪[melancholy guitar music]♪ 18:55 Even though they were ardent believers, 18:57 even though they worked hard to keep heresy out of their ranks, 19:00 Jesus said they'd left their first love. 19:04 They had no time for the teachings of the Nicolaitans. 19:07 Scholars believed the Nicolaitans fostered 19:09 immorality in the church and taught their fellow Christians 19:12 they didn't need to obey the law of God. 19:15 Got plenty of that in the church today. 19:18 But Jesus said, in spite of all of that, 19:21 they'd left their first love. 19:24 Many of them were simply going through the motions 19:26 of living a, a good Christians life. 19:28 They were teaching the truth, and they were refuting error-- 19:32 all of that. 19:33 They were like many husbands and wives 19:35 who stay together out of convenience 19:37 but simply don't really love each other anymore. 19:41 It might be that you can relate to some of that. 19:43 You've got the Christian label, 19:44 but you're going through the motions. 19:47 You believe, all right, but living in a world 19:49 where there are so many attractions and distractions 19:53 and inducements to sin everywhere you turn, 19:57 it's like you can become sort of numb to real Christianity. 20:02 Where's that first love? 20:06 Jesus spoke to this when He said it's our privilege 20:08 to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, 20:13 with all your soul, and with all your mind." 20:17 But down here in the close of time, 20:19 locked in a titanic spiritual struggle, 20:22 there's an almost magnetic pull 20:23 away from anything that looks like real faith in Jesus. 20:27 Here in Ephesus, 20:28 what sin couldn't do, a lack of focus did. 20:32 While Jesus doesn't say His people dived into idol worship, 20:36 they did get distracted. 20:38 They lost their fire, their zeal. 20:42 And there's a warning here. 20:44 He says to the believers in Ephesus, 20:46 "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; 20:50 "repent and do the first works, 20:52 "or else I will come to you quickly 20:55 and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent." 21:00 Simple: repentance--sorrow for sin and turning away from sin. 21:07 Clearly, just going with the flow 21:09 isn't God's plan A for anyone. 21:12 He'll remove the lampstand. That's interesting. 21:15 The lampstands or candlesticks you read about 21:18 represent the churches themselves. 21:20 Jesus is saying, "If you don't return to your first love, 21:24 you won't be able to function as a representative church." 21:28 So, looking around, 21:31 the words of Jesus have definitely been fulfilled. 21:34 Clearly, in a time of spiritual crisis, real agape love for God 21:39 is needed to guide a person through that time. 21:43 Jesus declared, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' 21:47 "shall enter the kingdom of heaven, 21:50 but he who does the will of my Father in heaven." 21:54 That's not God being arbitrary or capricious. 21:57 That's God letting us know what real Christianity is. 22:01 It's about being all-in, about being committed. 22:05 And, you know, on the cross 22:07 Jesus demonstrated how committed to you He is. 22:11 It's also a warning: 22:13 that a church in a challenging place can lose their ardor, 22:16 can lose their commitment. 22:18 It can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. 22:23 But in the letters to the seven churches, Jesus offers hope: 22:28 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says 22:31 "to the churches. To him who overcomes 22:35 "I will give to eat from the tree of life, 22:37 which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." 22:41 ♪[soft somber music]♪ 22:45 It was said that Artemis and her twin brother Apollo 22:48 were born in a sacred grove called a "paradeisos." 22:52 Here God offers His people a place in the true paradise, 22:57 not a counterfeit, 22:59 not fruit from a tree that would live and then die, 23:02 but the genuine article, 23:04 something that would exist forever--unlike pagan idolatry, 23:10 which itself is a poor and destructive imitation 23:14 of what God offers. 23:16 So even to a church that had begun to drift, Jesus says, 23:20 "One day, through faith in me, you'll have eternal life. 23:25 "You'll eat from the tree of life 23:26 that grew in the Garden of Eden way back at creation." 23:30 Jesus gave the very direct assurance that heaven awaits, 23:33 that there's a better day coming in a better land. 23:37 It couldn't have been easy to live in the midst 23:39 of raw paganism as a believer in Jesus, 23:41 but Jesus encourages them. 23:43 And He says, "Find your first love, 23:46 and you have eternity to look forward to." 23:48 ♪[music continues]♪ 23:53 [sound of waves] 23:55 [goats' bells tinkling, goats blatting] 24:00 So what do you do if you've lost your first love? 24:04 Here on the island of Patmos, 24:07 John was told by Jesus exactly what you should do. 24:12 Jesus said, "Repent and do the first works." 24:16 Now, what would those first works be? 24:19 When you first came to faith in Christ, you were excited. 24:22 You read the Bible; you prayed; you shared your faith; 24:25 you were consistent about corporate worship--those things. 24:29 Jesus is saying, "Go back to those times and relive, 24:33 recapture that fervency about your faith." 24:36 Jesus would be saying, 24:37 "Allow the Spirit of God to work in your life." 24:40 He'd be saying, "Consider the power of the cross." 24:46 Here on Patmos, John did that. 24:48 You know, John was present at Calvary 24:52 when Jesus died on the cross. 24:55 And here on Patmos, he had ample opportunity to relive those days 25:00 and think that through in his mind, 25:01 though it be many decades later. 25:03 At the same time, as he thought back at the cross, 25:06 he looked forward in vision to that time 25:08 when Jesus would come back as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 25:13 John maintained that first love experience, and you can, too. 25:18 Think of what Jesus has done in your life. 25:20 Think of what He's doing right now 25:21 and look forward to that time when He comes back for you, 25:24 King of Kings, Lord of Lords, 25:26 to gather you and the redeemed together, 25:28 to take you to be with Him forever and ever. 25:32 ♪[music ends]♪♪ 25:36 >>Announcer 1: Travel back in time and visit 25:38 the historic sites of Revelation's ancient churches, 25:41 where Christianity grew against all odds, 25:44 and learn how messages shared by Jesus 2,000 years ago 25:48 are also messages from heaven for today. 25:51 Call now for your free copy 25:52 of "The Seven Churches of Revelation: Messages for Today." 25:56 Call 800-253-3000. 25:59 That's 800-253-3000. 26:02 Or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 26:07 >>Announcer 3: "The Hope of Glory" is a new devotional book 26:09 written by John Bradshaw. 26:10 Written with you in mind, 26:11 the 365 Bible-based daily readings cover a wide range 26:15 of important topics to fuel your spiritual journey. 26:17 To order "The Hope of Glory," 26:19 call 800-253-3000 26:21 or visit us online at itiswritten.shop. 26:24 It Is Written viewers can use the promo code "HOPE" 26:27 when ordering "The Hope of Glory" 26:28 to get $5 off the purchase price. 26:30 "The Hope of Glory," 26:31 call 800-253-3000 26:34 or visit itiswritten.shop. 26:37 >>John Bradshaw: Let me pray with you now. 26:39 Our Father in heaven, here where John stood 26:42 on the island of Patmos, we come to You 26:44 asking that we'd never lose our first love. 26:47 And right now there's somebody, many somebodies 26:50 who are battling with that. 26:52 Something's slipping, there's a weakening there, 26:55 and I pray that You'd come alongside that person right now; 26:58 fill that person with Your Spirit; 26:59 give that person a picture of the cross 27:02 and a picture of Jesus coming back...as a conquering King. 27:05 ♪[soft music]♪ [sound of waves] 27:07 And, friend, if that's you, you've lost your first love, 27:09 will you pray the prayer with me now? 27:10 That says, "Lord Jesus, give me that first love 27:14 and don't ever let it slip away." 27:17 We thank You for the revelation. 27:19 We thank You for the messages to the seven churches. 27:22 And we thank You 27:24 that Your will would be wrought out in our lives. 27:27 In Jesus' name. 27:29 Amen. 27:31 Thank you so much for joining me. 27:32 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 27:34 Until then, remember: 27:36 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 27:40 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 27:44 ♪[dramatic, triumphant theme music]♪ 28:25 ♪[music ends]♪♪ |
Revised 2023-08-15