Participants: Pr. Kenneth Cox
Series Code: RJC
Program Code: RJC000005
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00:20 And welcome to The Revelation of Jesus Christ.
00:23 We're very happy to have you with us today 00:26 as we continue this study on the book of Revelation. 00:30 And our presentation today is 00:34 The Church of Thyatira... the fourth church 00:39 in the series of seven. And so we hope that it has been 00:42 a blessing to you as we have gone along 00:45 so far in our study of the book of Revelation. 00:48 We just want to welcome all of you that are joining us 00:51 by television or by radio or on the Internet. 00:55 We're happy that you're here. 00:57 And as I have told the people each presentation, 01:01 be sure and get your Bible. 01:03 You need to have your Bible because this is a study 01:08 of the book of Revelation chapter by chapter. 01:13 So you are going to want to follow in your Bible. 01:16 Even though we have it on the screen 01:18 you'll want to follow in your Bible. 01:20 And it's good if you have a highlighter 01:23 so you can highlight texts 01:24 or some pencil and paper so you can take some notes 01:28 because we'll look at things that I think you'll find 01:32 to be very, very helpful as we continue through the book 01:37 and taking a look at the different churches. 01:41 These are personal letters that Jesus wrote 01:46 to those seven churches. 01:48 That makes them very, very important. 01:52 And there's much for you and I to learn about the church 01:56 back then but also about what it means to us personally. 02:02 The counsel that Christ is giving... 02:05 what does that say to you and to me in our own lives? 02:08 And then it helps us get a view of the whole plan of salvation 02:14 as far as the church is concerned 02:16 down through the ages. 02:18 So this is what you want to follow 02:20 as we study God's Word together. 02:23 Our next presentation 02:25 is going to be about the church of Sardis. 02:31 A church that 02:35 Christ said is "dead. " 02:38 And we want to take a look at that church 02:40 and what it has to say about it. 02:43 So that's the one we'll be look- ing at in the next presentation. 02:47 And then today we're taking a look at Thyatira. 02:50 So these are the different churches that we're studying. 02:54 We're very happy to have with us Joe Pearles... 02:59 who has worked with us. 03:02 We were looking at... just talking the other day 03:05 and Joe has been actually working with us 03:09 and singing with us for 18 years. 03:12 And it's been a blessing 03:14 as he's continued to have his ministry of music 03:20 going many different places and cities and singing for them. 03:24 And he's always blessed me personally very much, 03:28 and I hope he's been a blessing to you. 03:30 Today he's going to sing a song that 03:34 carries a very, very special message. 03:37 It's called The Sparrow, 03:39 and I think you'll enjoy it as he sings it. 03:42 Also we're happy that Chuck Allgaier each evening has been 03:46 reading to us the scripture that we're looking at for that day. 03:51 In other words, he's going to read to us 03:52 what the Bible has to say about the church of Thyatira. 03:57 So, Chuck, come and share that with us at this time. 04:04 If you have your Bibles this morning, 04:07 please turn them to the book of Revelation 04:09 the second chapter 04:12 verses 18 through 29. 04:15 Revelation chapter 2 verses 18 through 29. 04:21 I hope you'll read together with me. 06:38 He sees the sparrow 06:41 fall to the ground. 06:45 His eyes go misty 06:49 as He reaches down. 06:52 Gently He lifts it 06:56 from somewhere below. 07:00 Touches and heals it 07:04 and then lets it go. 07:09 How much more 07:13 does my Father on high 07:17 care when I'm burdened? 07:21 Care when I cry? 07:26 Sometimes I forget 07:29 that He knows all my sorrows. 07:35 Oh, but then I rejoice 07:39 when I remember the sparrow. 07:54 Why should I covet earth's treasures today? 08:01 In the space of a heartbeat 08:05 they'll all pass away. 08:09 And why should I carry 08:13 this burden of doubt? 08:16 I'll give it to Jesus 08:20 and He'll work it out. 08:26 How much more 08:29 does my Father on high 08:34 care when I'm burdened? 08:37 Care when I cry? 08:42 Sometimes I forget 08:46 that He knows all my sorrows. 08:52 Oh, but then I rejoice 08:55 when I remember the sparrow. 09:01 Oh, but then I rejoice 09:05 when I remember 09:08 the sparrow. 09:32 Heavenly Father, 09:34 we ask this morning that our lives may be surrendered to You. 09:40 Lord bless us as we look at this letter that You 09:45 wrote to the church in Thyatira. 09:50 May we learn the lessons that You have there. 09:54 We pray that the Holy Spirit may give us understanding. 09:59 That our hearts may be open, and that each one of us 10:04 may purpose to walk with You and to follow You 10:09 all the way into Your kingdom. 10:11 This we pray in Christ's name, Amen. 10:19 The church of Thyatira. 10:23 As Christ walked among the seven golden candlesticks 10:27 and with a special message to each one of these churches... 10:33 We've looked at Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, 10:39 and now Thyatira. 10:43 This is a message from Christ to them, and He addresses 10:47 the church with these words and says: 10:54 To this particular church, He's saying: 10:57 "I'm writing you a letter. 10:58 I have a special message just for you. " 11:03 Thyatira actually means sweet savor of labor. 11:08 Now the reason for that is... different than Ephesus 11:14 and different than Smyrna and Pergamos... 11:17 these were cites 11:20 and they were pretty good-sized cities. 11:24 They numbered in the hundreds of thousands of people 11:27 and therefore they were large cities. 11:29 And they had marvelous theatres and temples and all that. 11:34 But Thyatira doesn't have that. 11:37 It sits out on the plain, 11:39 and most of the people that worked there were poor laborers. 11:44 And therefore, labor was very, very real to them. 11:49 These were not people that had a lot of money. 11:52 They were people that had to work day by day hard labor 11:56 for their work, and that's the reason this is a sweet savor 12:00 of labor to them. So this is the church 12:03 that He's addressing there. 12:06 As you can see on the map, uh... 12:09 Ephesus sat right on the coast there of the Aegean Sea. 12:15 And if you went north a little bit you came to Smyrna 12:19 which also had a marvelous port there on the Aegean Sea. 12:23 And if you go on up about 50 miles you come to Pergamos 12:28 who also was close to the sea. 12:31 So all these used the port there as a means of their livelihood. 12:36 But all of a sudden now, we move southeast 12:41 about 30 miles from Pergamos to Thyatira. 12:45 Thyatira sits out on the plains... 12:49 it's just plains there. 12:51 And strange, folks, as it may sound, 12:54 the longest letter that Christ wrote 12:59 was to the church of Thyatira. 13:02 More is said to them than anyone else... and yet, 13:05 we have less historical information on the city 13:11 of Thyatira than any of the others. 13:14 Just not much there we know about it. 13:16 This is some of the ruins of the city that was there. 13:22 It was not a large city. 13:24 It was very medium in size, 13:29 and from the excavation that they have been able to do there 13:32 and some of the things they've found, 13:34 it evidently was kind of an outpost. 13:38 It was... stables and all there for cavalry. 13:41 And they... they were the ones that were there 13:44 and worked in Thyatira. 13:48 And so it's not a big city at all. 13:52 There are a few ruins there, but most of it is buried 13:57 and we just don't know much about it... not a great lot. 14:01 There are a few things that we DO know about it. 14:03 One we know is the fact that they, uh, developed 14:09 the color purple. And you have the incident in the Bible 14:14 here in Acts where Paul meets this woman. And says: 14:25 So she's there. She's a seller of purple. 14:29 You see, purple was a very, very hard color to come by. 14:35 There just wasn't much of it. 14:38 And here in Thyatira they had... up until a certain time... 14:44 the only place they got purple 14:46 was a few drops of the color purple from shellfish. 14:50 And that's where they got it. 14:52 But here in Thyatira, they developed the color purple 14:56 from the madder root, and they were able to put it out 14:59 in much, much greater supply. And so Lydia here 15:03 was there with Paul and them. And it says: 15:11 And so she accepted the Lord. 15:13 And most theologians and historians agree that 15:17 the church here in Thyatira probably had its beginnings 15:22 with her witness. That she went back and witnessed to the church 15:26 and all there. So this is the background 15:30 for the city of Thyatira and the church there. 15:34 Christ identifies Himself, 15:37 and the way He identifies Himself is most interesting 15:39 because this is what He says to them: 15:48 Uh, two things in this text that's different, 15:52 and that is, it says here: 15:54 "These things says the Son of God. " 15:59 That's the only place in the seven churches 16:03 where that phrase "the Son of God" is used. 16:07 In fact, that's the only place that phrase is used 16:11 in the book of Revelation. 16:13 Says "the Son of God" 16:16 emphasizing that He was the Son of God 16:21 and that their worship needed to be of Him. 16:25 Also it goes on here and says: 16:32 That was particularly meaningful to these people 16:36 because in Thyatira another thing they did 16:39 is they had foundries where they produced brass 16:44 and so forth. And so they were used to seeing 16:47 flames of fire and all. 16:49 And so it had a particular meaning to them 16:52 when He says that He was the One who had eyes 16:54 like the flame of fire and feet as brass. 16:58 I told you the first night 17:02 when He uses that word brass there 17:05 that is a particular type of brass. 17:08 And it was what they called Corinthian brass 17:11 which was of more value than gold 17:15 because it was made out of copper, silver, and gold 17:20 and the refining of it was a very, very special process. 17:24 And so this is Christ as He greets the churches. 17:28 This outline that you are following here is what... 17:31 is the same outline you find in every one of the churches. 17:35 And He now talks about the condition of the church there 17:39 in Thyatira. 17:52 So He says: "I know your works. " 17:55 And really their works were quite good 17:58 because He said: "You have service, 18:02 faith, patience. " This was all there. "Love. " 18:07 Those were there. You'll find that these 18:10 particular attributes that they're talking about 18:13 that the church members had there... 18:15 they always go in pairs 18:18 because you always have it love and service. 18:22 Those go in pairs. 18:24 If you have love, you will have service. 18:30 Doesn't come any other way. 18:33 You know? If you love... If you love somebody, 18:37 is it hard to be of help to them? 18:39 No. Comes naturally. You want to. 18:44 It's part of it, and so those always happen together: 18:48 love and service. If you love the Lord Jesus Christ, 18:52 then what are you going to do? 18:54 You're going to serve Him 18:56 because you want to, because you desire to, 18:59 because you love Him. That's part of the process. 19:02 And so here they have love and service... 19:06 they go together. 19:08 Also when it comes to faith and patience, those two go together. 19:13 If you have faith, then you will have patience. 19:18 See? You trust the person, and that's not hard. 19:23 If you have faith or you trust them, 19:26 then it's not hard to be patient 19:28 because you believe in them. 19:30 You know, and therefore you accept that. 19:32 Those are two of the attributes that always go together. 19:36 These people in Thyatira had those attributes, 19:39 and Christ praised them for them. He said: 19:42 "I know your works. " 19:44 By the way, in this church He comes back to that word works 19:47 twice and talks about their works particularly. 19:52 All right, now we come to the problem... 19:56 the problem that this church has 19:59 and what He tells them about their problem. 20:14 And said: "I have this against you 20:17 because you suffer this woman Jezebel... " 20:21 Now folks, this cannot be talking about Jezebel 20:25 in flesh and blood. 20:27 Jezebel has been dead for 500 years, 20:33 so no way is this talking about Jezebel in flesh and blood. 20:37 He's talking about something else, 20:39 and He's making an application to her here... 20:41 "this woman Jezebel that calls herself a prophetess, 20:45 who teaches and seduces My servants... " 20:56 Now... now I'll talk about that in just a little bit. 21:01 But if it's not talking about Jezebel in flesh and blood, 21:06 then how do they commit sexual immorality? 21:11 You think about that. 21:13 How do they do that? OK? 21:17 And He says: "causes them to eat things sacrified to idols... 21:22 to other gods. " 21:35 Said: "I gave her a space of time to repent 21:39 and she did not repent. " 21:43 What she did? 21:55 Severe. Said: "If you don't repent of your deeds, 22:00 I'll cast you into a sickbed 22:02 and those who commit adultery with you. " 22:05 OK... 22:22 He said: "I'll give to each one of you 22:25 according to your works. " 22:29 OK, what is He talking about here? 22:31 Well, we talked about each night that this church age... 22:35 Again I want to stress, folks, when we talk about a church age 22:40 even though I put it on the screen, do not try necessarily 22:44 to tie it down to a date. 22:47 It's talking about a period of time, 22:50 and you'll find that they overlap. 22:53 One will overlap the other, so don't try necessarily 22:58 to put it to a date. I'm putting this to a date 23:01 because there's certain events within this 23:04 that tie it to a date. 23:06 But they still overlap, and you need to look at it in this way. 23:11 This was the church age from 538 AD 23:15 to 1798 AD, and you'll see why those dates are there. 23:21 538 AD was the time in which 23:26 the Bishop of Rome, 23:31 Virgilius... let me back up just a little bit. 23:35 The Bishop of Rome before that was Sylverius. 23:40 He was a godly man... 23:42 a man that loved the people and served the Lord... 23:45 but he refused to go along with the Emperor Justinian 23:50 in his battle or his fight with the Goths, 23:54 and Justinian wanted to replace him. 23:57 And when they got inside the city, 23:59 he had his general Belisarius to replace Sylverius... 24:04 and replaced him with Virgilius. 24:10 Justinian didn't... I'm sure he didn't dream 24:13 this would happen. 24:15 I'm sure it was something totally against 24:16 what he thought would take place. 24:18 But when Virgilius got there, 24:22 history says that the Bishop of Rome 24:24 stepped to the seat of Caesar 24:27 and seized the scepter. 24:30 And thus all of a sudden you find that 24:34 the church - which had been favored by the state - 24:39 all of a sudden became the head of the state 24:44 as well as the church. 24:46 And so that took place 538 AD, 24:51 and that's the reason for that date. 24:53 And we'll give more reason for that as we go along here 24:57 this morning. OK. 25:00 You remember a man by the name of Elijah? 25:03 Hmmm? And you remember the Lord told Elijah... 25:06 He said: "You go see Ahab and Jezebel 25:09 and you tell them if they don't repent 25:12 it will not rain for? 25:17 3-1/2 years... 25:19 will not rain. " And he went in and told Ahab and Jezebel 25:24 "change your ways, repent... " 25:26 but they said: "Who is this crazy old man? 25:30 Get him out of here. " 25:34 Well, uh, Elijah walked out of the palace 25:40 of Ahab, but let me tell you something. 25:45 When Elijah prayed, he locked heaven. 25:51 And when he walked out of that palace 25:56 he walked out with the keys... 25:59 because it did not rain for 3-1/2 years. 26:04 I mean, stopped. 26:06 No rain for 3-1/2 years. 26:10 And they didn't think too much about it. 26:13 Now the Bible tells us some interesting things about Elijah. 26:16 It says "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours. " 26:20 That should be encouraging to you. 26:34 Prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, 26:37 and it didn't rain for three years and six months. 26:42 And it goes on and says... 26:44 Let me ask you a question. Why? 26:47 What right? Now what right did Elijah have 26:51 to walk into that palace room where Ahab was 26:55 and say: "Listen, you change your ways, you repent. 26:58 And if you don't, it's not going to rain for 3-1/2 years. " 27:02 What right did he have to do that? 27:06 What... what basis did he have to do that? 27:14 Let me tell you something. 27:18 What God says in this book is sure. 27:24 It doesn't fail, 27:27 and you can stake your life on it. 27:33 And so Elijah went in there and said: 27:35 "Listen, it's not going to rain for 3-1/2 years. " 27:37 Why? Because he understood what the scripture said. 27:42 Listen to what it says here in Leviticus. 28:03 He said: "Now one thing I do not want you doing 28:06 is setting up images. 28:08 I don't want you worshiping them. 28:10 Don't do that! " 28:19 He said: "The other thing I want you to do 28:21 is I want you to keep the Sabbath. 28:25 I want you to reverence My sanctuary. " 28:28 Don't treat it as something that's light. 28:35 Don't treat going to church 28:42 as something that's not important. 28:44 "Reverence My sanctuary. " 28:54 He said: "I want you to walk with Me. 28:57 I want you to keep My commandments; 28:58 I want you to follow My way. 29:00 If you will do this, 29:02 if you'll not worship idols, 29:05 if you'll remember My Sabbath, 29:07 if you'll reverence My sanctuary, 29:09 if you will keep My commandments, " listen... 29:27 What was Israel doing? 29:31 Just the opposite. 29:33 None of the things that God said "I want you to do. " 29:37 They were doing just the opposite. 29:39 Ahab had come to power... 29:44 Any time... any time in history 29:51 that there has risen a man like Ahab 29:56 who led God's people 30:00 to turn away from the Lord and not keep His commandments 30:04 and to go contrary... 30:07 any time that's happened, God's always had an Elijah. 30:13 This is what it says about Ahab: 30:23 Man... when it says that, that takes in a lot. 30:26 All you've got to do is go back and read 30:28 those that were before him 30:30 and I mean that covers a lot of ground. 30:54 Turned... turned from the God of his fathers. 30:58 Turned from all the counsel he had been given 31:01 and began to worship Baal. 31:19 Said: "Worse than any of the kings that were before him. " 31:22 Ahab did all this. 31:26 And so God said: "OK, he's not doing what I asked him to do. 31:30 He's not reverencing My sanctuary; 31:32 he's not keeping the Sabbath; 31:33 he's not keeping the commandments. 31:35 Elijah, go tell him it's not going to rain. " 31:38 So he went and said: "It won't rain. " 31:45 Listen: 31:54 Hmmm. 31:57 How long? 32:00 How long did God give Ahab and Jezebel 32:06 to repent? 32:09 Three and a half years. 32:13 Said: "It won't rain for 3-1/2 years 32:18 unless you repent, change your ways. " 32:22 Three and a half years. 32:25 Well, says in scripture: 32:36 So if I've got 3-1/2 years, 32:39 and in a Biblical year there are 360 days, 32:45 and if you need proof that a day represents a year 32:50 watch this. And in Genesis the 7th chapter 32:53 it will tell you there are 360 days in a Biblical year 32:56 if you need proof for that. So it tells you clearly 33:00 360 days in a Biblical year. 33:03 So if I've got 3-1/2 years 33:05 and there's 360 days in each year, 33:09 if I multiply it by three and a half 33:12 what does it give me? 33:15 1260... 1260 years. 33:21 Now He says: "I have her a space to repent 33:26 and she repented not. " 33:29 He gave Jezebel 3-1/2 years. 33:34 But it can't be talking about Jezebel in flesh and bl... 33:37 flesh and blood... here in Revelation the 2nd chapter. 33:41 It's got to be talking about something else. 33:44 OK. It's talking about the time that He gave 33:50 her to repent: 538 AD... 33:54 if you add 1260 years to that 33:57 it takes you to 1798 AD. 34:02 This was the time that God gave her to repent. 34:07 This is what it's talking about. 34:09 In Bible prophecy, a woman represents what? 34:13 A church... a woman represents a church. 34:17 God has always used that, for we read in the scripture here: 34:28 Talks about the church as His bride. 34:37 So in Revelation the 12th chapter that 34:41 we're going to be coming to, 34:43 in that chapter we have a good woman... 34:45 clothed with the sun, moon under her feet. 34:49 In that case in Bible prophecy 34:51 that woman represents a good church. 34:55 But in Revelation the 17th chapter 34:59 we have a woman of a different nature. 35:02 This woman the scripture describes as a bad woman. 35:08 OK? Talks of some of the things that she does... 35:13 this woman. And this is Jezebel. 35:17 This is the Jezebel that's being talked about in Revelation 2 35:22 is the one here in the 17th chapter. 35:42 How does she commit sexual immorality? 35:47 How is that possible? 35:50 How can that take place? 35:52 Well it says here in the book of James... It says: 36:17 When I do something 36:22 to lessen the teachings of God's Word... 36:29 when I do something to go contrary 36:34 to what this book says... 36:37 that is spiritual adultery. 36:41 I am adulterating the Word of God. 36:44 Secondly, I am... how should I say this? 36:49 I am being unfaithful to the relationship. 36:56 Being unfaithful to the relationship. 36:58 Therefore I am committing spiritual fornication 37:02 or spiritual adultery. 37:05 And Jezebel was there - her and Ahab - leading the people 37:09 away from God's Word. Not keeping His commandments, 37:13 not following Him, not walking with Him. 37:15 And this was what they were doing 37:18 that was classified as immorality. 37:21 And here in Revelation 2 this woman Jezebel - 37:26 which represents the church at that time - 37:30 was leading people away from God's Word 37:34 saying "You don't have to do these things. 37:37 That this isn't what the scripture means. " 37:39 And when a church does that 37:41 and a church teaches contrary to the teachings of God's Word, 37:45 that is spiritual adultery. 37:49 And God said she was guilty of committing spiritual adultery. 37:55 "Cast her into a sickbed. " 38:19 Describing it that in her hand she had this golden cup 38:25 which was full of the abominations 38:28 and filthiness of her fornication. 38:31 The church had been accepted by the state. 38:37 The state had opened its arms and made Christianity 38:43 the religion of the state. 38:46 And thus the church took in itself 38:51 all the customs of the pagans and what they believed 38:55 and brought them into the church and baptized them 38:59 and put them out as Christian rites, Christian beliefs. 39:04 And you find that the whole teaching of God's Word 39:08 was adulterated and changed. 39:10 You find that she had this cup in her hand. 39:14 And we find things like holy water and sprinkling, 39:19 mass, Christmas, Easter. 39:23 All those had their origin in paganism 39:26 and was taken into the church. 39:30 Handed to the people as a Christian rite 39:33 and a Christian custom. 39:35 No! God said: "This is contrary to My Word. 39:41 This is not what I want My people doing. " 39:45 Dear friend, there has to be... 39:47 there has to be a clear line 39:50 drawn between the world and Christ. 39:54 There has to be! You can't merge it in. 39:58 And as we found out last night, you can't take in 40:02 Balaam and the women of Moab and mix with them 40:06 and find yourself doing what God wants you to do. 40:09 You cannot take in the world and all that it has 40:14 and claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ. 40:17 They are not compatible. 40:19 They will not fit one with the other. 40:21 I cannot believe things that the world holds out. 40:27 I have to be willing to build my faith on the Word of God 40:31 and stand on the Word of God and not be moved from that point. 40:36 When I do that, then I'm doing what God asks me to do. 40:43 But unfortunately, this was a very, very hard time. 41:00 Now I want to say that God 41:06 is merciful, 41:10 longsuffering, 41:12 and He waited, dear friends, for this church to change 41:18 for 1260 years. 41:23 For 1260 years pled with them. 41:26 And dear friend, you can go back in history and where you can see 41:29 one person... I can read to you where cardinals 41:32 and bishops and all kinds of people 41:35 stood up and tried to get her to change her way... 41:39 and she would not! 41:41 Just wouldn't think of changing the way in which she was 41:47 going. And we moved into a period in history 41:52 called the Dark Ages... 41:56 also referred to as the Middle Ages. 42:00 Interesting that they use that term Middle Ages 42:03 because this was the middle church of the seven. 42:08 We moved into the Dark Ages, 42:11 and when He talks about casting her children into a sickbed... 42:16 horrible time! 42:18 I mean, unbelievable what the poor people suffered 42:22 and went through during that period of time in history. 42:26 Do you realize 42:28 that the gospel had expanded and grown so fantastically 42:33 that by the time you reach 500 AD 42:39 that the scripture had been translated in over 42:44 500 different languages? 42:49 Just listen to that. 42:52 Been translated... and men and women had it 42:56 in over 500 different languages and it spread across the world. 43:05 And 100 years after that 43:08 there was only one language it was available in. 43:15 All the others had been crushed 43:18 and the only thing that was available to any man or woman 43:22 was Latin... 43:25 and the vast majority could not read Latin. 43:31 And so the Word of God was taken from the people 43:36 and the whole world moved into the Dark Ages. 43:40 People that didn't want to go along with this, 43:45 didn't want to follow it... they moved out. 43:47 They moved up into the mountains into Northern Italy 43:50 and all and got away from it. 43:52 They were people like the Waldensians and the Albigenses 43:55 and the Huguenots. 43:56 And these people moved out and they hung on to what 44:01 they believed. And the scriptures speaks of that 44:04 because He gives this counsel: 44:15 As many as do not hang onto this doctrine and this belief... 44:33 Now He said: "Those of you that are willing to stand, 44:37 you haven't known the depths of Satan... 44:39 hang on to what you have 44:42 till I come. " 44:44 Marvelous promise given to those... 44:46 Those people that went out and stood up for God's Word 44:50 and many gave their lives for it. 44:56 He said: "Just hang on to what you have. " 44:58 The promise. 45:09 That person who overcomes, 45:12 hangs on to the end, 45:14 "I'll give him power over nations... " 45:32 He said: "Those of you that have hung on, 45:35 been faithful... just continue to stand firm 45:41 and I'm going to give you the Morning Star. " 45:45 Marvelous promise that God would give to His people. 45:50 And of course we know... the scripture tells us 45:54 who the Morning Star is. 45:56 And it says: 46:04 Oh, when you come to know Christ... 46:10 I can remember my own experience 46:15 when I came to know Christ. 46:17 And I picked up His Word... 46:23 began to read and understand what it was about. 46:28 It's like the day broke. 46:32 Like a morning star. 46:35 The morning star always tells you what? 46:39 Hmmm? 46:41 It tells you night is ending. 46:43 They day is coming... about to break. 46:46 And oh, what a marvelous, marvelous experience. 46:51 I can remember it seemed like the light came on. 46:56 Did it happen that way to you? 46:57 When you picked up God's Word 47:00 and for the first time you read it and it began to make sense. 47:04 You saw things you had never seen before. 47:07 Marvelous light broke and you could see and understand. 47:12 And I have people say: "Oh, Brother Cox, 47:14 I don't understand. " 47:16 And I say to myself 47:18 "The light hasn't dawned. " 47:20 When it dawns, you see... 47:23 you see and you understand what the Lord is talking about. 47:27 Tells us that Jesus... 47:36 He is that, and when He comes into your life 47:39 I can assure you, friend, there's none other like it. 47:43 Nothing in this world compares to Jesus Christ. 47:48 He is all together the light of this world 47:53 and you and I can be illuminated by what He gives to us. 47:58 But that... speaking to those people in that period of time 48:03 that had gone through the Dark Ages and faced so much 48:06 He said: "I'm going to give you the Morning Star. " 48:09 And true to God's Word it began to take place. 48:14 In the 1500s you have the Morning Star of the Reformation 48:19 coming on the scene of action. 48:21 All of a sudden the light began to break. 48:24 They began to see things they had never seen before. 48:28 Those people that had been in darkness - 48:29 they hadn't had anything - all of a sudden 48:32 it began to give them hope. 48:34 And rose people like Wycliffe. 48:43 "Last is more than the first. " 48:45 Wycliffe came on the scene of action. 48:48 Began to translate the Bible 48:53 into the language of the people. 48:56 Began to bring back the teachings of God's Word. 49:02 That they began to see the beauty of God's Word 49:06 and what it had to say. 49:08 I fear today... you know... I fear 49:11 that many of us have lost the beauty of God's Word. 49:17 That we don't... we don't see 49:20 how marvelous it is and how wonderful it is 49:23 and how beautifully the truths of God's Word all fit together. 49:27 Oh dear friend, if you don't know that, 49:30 I just want to tell you you're missing something. 49:32 You're missing something that's very, very precious 49:35 and very, very real. 49:36 Wycliffe began to make that available to the people. 49:41 And they sought him and tried to kill him and everything else. 49:44 Arrested him and were going to burn him at the stake 49:49 but he died before they got him to the stake. 49:52 But these men were great, great men. 49:55 Along came John Huss, 49:57 taking the writings of Wycliffe and beginning to read them. 50:02 And he began to see, and it opened his eyes 50:05 like he had never seen before. 50:08 And because he was faithful, because he preached God's Word, 50:13 he stood up and said "This is what is right, " 50:18 they burned him at the stake. 50:20 His fellow companion, Jerome, 50:27 who stood up and said: "This is God's Word, " 50:30 and they put such terrible, terrible pressure upon him. 50:35 Threw him into prison 50:38 and treated him absolutely horrible 50:41 under such adverse conditions it's hard to believe. 50:45 And told him he had to recant, 50:47 and in a time of weakness gave up. 50:50 But when he thought about it he said: "I can't do that. " 50:53 Came back and stood firm. 50:57 They gave him the same thing they gave his friend: 51:01 they burned him at the stake. 51:04 But dear friends, the light had dawned. 51:07 The light had dawned; the Morning Star had risen. 51:11 They had seen it; few had caught hold of it 51:15 and said "Yes. " And out of that 51:18 Reformation began to take place 51:20 and along came men like Luther. 51:23 Stood up, said: "No, this is what God's Word teaches" 51:27 and nailing it to the door of the church. 51:30 Then came Knox... the great, great preacher... 51:36 standing for what God's Word says. 51:40 Calvin teaching that God was a God of sovereignty 51:46 and where he stood. And the trues of God and His nature 51:49 began to come forth. Along came Zwingli. 51:53 Began to also preach. These are reformers 51:57 that stood up and preached the Word of God 51:59 and stood for it. And the light of the Reformation 52:03 broke and moved across the world. 52:07 We come to the close. 52:18 To this church of Thyatira 52:23 who went through a terrible period of time, folks... 52:29 a time that was dark... 52:35 there was no light. A time in which people were treated 52:41 as animals. Referred to, if you please, 52:46 as animals. 52:48 And the Bible was taken and chained to library walls 52:54 and the people were told that 52:56 they were too ignorant to read it. 52:59 Today, we're not treated that way. 53:06 Today we just have been invaded 53:12 with so much commercialism 53:16 and so much things from the television 53:21 invaded our home until we don't have time for the Word of God. 53:25 We don't spend time in it. 53:28 And true, it hasn't been taken away from us. 53:33 But what difference does it make 53:35 if you don't pick it up and read it? 53:37 What... what difference is there? 53:40 If you just leave it laying there and you don't have time 53:44 to think about it and to read it and to meditate on God's Word, 53:48 what difference is there? 53:50 If you life is no different 53:57 than that person who doesn't know Jesus Christ... 54:03 if there's no difference... 54:04 if a person can't look at you and what you do 54:07 and tell there is a decided difference between you 54:10 and the person that doesn't know Jesus Christ, 54:13 then what's wrong? 54:15 They ought to see... they ought to know 54:20 that you and I walk with the Lord, we follow the Lord. 54:23 That He is all in all in our lives. 54:27 Oh dear friend, I pray today 54:30 the light that Jesus Christ gives 54:34 will break forth into your life. 54:37 Let us pray. 54:38 Heavenly Father, 54:41 we pray that we may hold on to what we have. 54:47 That we won't let it go 54:50 and that we'll be faithful until Your coming. 54:53 Grant to us, Lord, Your Spirit. 54:58 May it fill our lives, and may each one of us 55:02 rejoice in Your salvation. 55:05 For this we pray in Christ's name, Amen. 55:09 May God bless you. 55:11 Continue, dear friend, I plead with you... 55:14 continue to study the Word of God. 55:17 Hello, folks. 55:19 One of my favorite things to do in the springtime 55:22 is to take a walk and look at all the new growth. 55:25 The earth seems so fresh, 55:27 and each tree bursts forth with buds and flowers. 55:30 That reminds me of a parable that Jesus told His followers 55:34 in Luke 21. 55:36 You see, He had just described the events which will happen 55:40 immediately before His second coming. 55:55 But in verse 29 Jesus turns their attention 56:00 to the fig tree. 56:01 And ever since then, budding trees have served as a permanent 56:05 reminder that our time here is very short 56:08 and the second coming is very near. 56:26 Folks, many of these signs are already upon us. 56:30 The earth groans from the greed of those who have 56:33 exploited her resources, ravaged her land 56:37 and destroyed plants and animals and atmosphere alike 56:40 in a selfish pursuit of wealth. 56:43 Have you seen the signs? 56:45 Have you seen men's hearts failing with fear? 56:47 If you haven't, then I'm afraid you're not watching 56:50 very closely. However, the Holy Spirit is hard at work 56:55 and so are many Christians who long for an end to sin 56:58 and look forward to their soon-coming Savior. 57:02 That's why we continue to preach the gospel 57:04 to as many as we can through any means that we can 57:08 as often as we can. 57:11 Our ministry team is supported solely 57:13 by your contributions... and we thank you for your 57:17 faithful prayers and financial support. 57:20 May God richly bless you. 57:23 Please consider what you can do for those who still don't know 57:26 about Jesus. As the Holy Spirit impresses, 57:29 please send your tax-deductible gifts to: 57:43 Thank you for helping us spread the light of God's Word 57:46 through television and radio. 57:48 Your gifts help bring the blessed hope of salvation 57:50 to millions around the world. |
Revised 2014-12-17