Revelation Pt 3 Jordan Waage: Welcome to the Faith Alive Sermon Podcast. This is a replay of a past sermon from Faith Alive Church. Whether you missed it, want to hear it again, or share it with someone you know, we're glad you're here. This sermon is by Jordan Waggy, lead pastor at Faith Alive Church. Somebody give Jesus some praise in the house today. Man, what amazing Sunday. The presence of God is at Faith Alive Church. Amen. Amen. Wave at me if you love Jesus. Come on now. Yeah, I love it. I love it. I love it. Man, before we jump into this, I wanted to give you a quick recap of what we talked about just last week. We dove into a new sermon series all about revelation. We are digging into the final book within Scripture, and we are talking about what it represents, what it means. The book of Revelation is not to scare, it's not to frighten, but it is to warn. It is to warn the church of what is to come. If you're on the right side of Jesus Christ, you have nothing to fear, but you have all to celebrate because our King, our Savior, the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings is coming back. Somebody say Amen. We're excited to dive into part two here today. I promise I won't. No, I don't promise. I'm gonna go long. I know I am. but it's gonna be it's gonna be good. I'm excited about that. Would you pray with me here today? Father, we come before you, we thank you. Father, would you speak to us today? Would you move in us today? Would you operate in us today? Lord, the words that come from my mouth, may they not be mine, may they be yours. Lord God, may you be recognized and realized in the place of Lord, for those that have walked in hurting and broken, we pray that by the end of this service, Lord God, that you would take that from them, that you would alleviate them. Lord God, that they would walk with you, that a transformation would be begin in the house here today and wouldn't continue, wouldn't stop, Lord God, until they get to the end of their days. Lord God, you are worthy to be praised if you believe it in the house. Somebody shout with me. Amen. Amen. Jesus is alive. I said Jesus is alive. Amen. Amen. Amen. You know, a lot of us know this story, but let me remind you that our Savior, our King, came as a baby. Born of a virgin, lived 33 years on this earth. And at the end of his time on this earth, he was murdered. He was killed. He took a penalty and a punishment that you and I deserved. Why did he do that? Because he loves us. If it's the first time you're hearing that today, let me remind you and let me tell you that the Bible says that He loves you with His whole heart. And He gave all of Himself so that you could have hope and a future in eternity. After Jesus, we know that he was killed. He was murdered. But who in this place remembers, who in this place knows that he did not stay in that tomb? He didn't stay in that tomb, but how many days later did he rise again? Just three days later he rose again. Then what did he do? He spent time with his followers. He spent time with his disciples. How many days did he spend with his followers? Forty. He spent 40 days teaching his disciples, teaching his followers about what? The kingdom of heaven. And on one occasion, Jesus is speaking and teaching his followers, his disciples, and he tells them to remain in Jerusalem. He says, remain here. Why does he tell them to remain there? Because he's about to pour out a gift upon them. Now this gift Is not a gift that you and I understand. It's not wrapped up pretty with a bow on top. This gift would empower the disciples, would empower the followers of Christ to do the work of ministry. This gift would empower them to go about not just their community in Jerusalem, but it would give them the power and the authority in Judea and Samaria and to where? at the ends of the earth. He teaches them about this and then Jesus ascends. Day one, no gift from heaven. Day two, no gift from heaven. Day three, no gift from heaven. Day five, no gift from heaven. Day ten, they were all together in one place. They were in an upper room of a home. 120 had gathered when the Bible says, suddenly, somebody says suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the house where they were sitting. This wasn't a gentle breeze, this was violent sounding. They saw what seemed to be what? Tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. Some of them were filled, all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now, while this was taking place, while the Spirit of God was resting upon the hundred and twenty in the upper room, a large crowd began to gather around this area. Why? The Bible says that they were bewildered, they were astonished. They didn't know what was taking place. They were confused. Why? Because what they heard was interesting. See, each and every person that was gathered there from different cultures, different languages, they all heard their native language at the same time. Why is that significant? Because aside from the very fact that it is a supernatural event. The point is this that it does not matter where you come from, it does not matter how you grew up, it doesn't matter what language you speak, the Holy Spirit of God is for all believers. The Holy Spirit of God is for all people, not a specific people group, it's for all people. And it has the ability, the Holy Spirit has the ability to transcend cultural barriers. It has the ability to transcend linguistic barriers. It is for all people. After this, Peter stood up with the eleven. He raised his voice and addressed the crowd. Man, you've heard me talk about Peter before, but what I love about Peter is that he started off not so hot, denied Jesus three separate times. So now we see him in Acts, and he raises his voice and he says this, fellow Jews. And all who live in Jerusalem. This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel. Watch this. In the last days, God says, I will pour out my spirit on all people. What did Peter just do? He recalled a prophecy that came from the Old Testament, now fulfilled in the New Testament. Listen to me. Jesus is coming. After Jesus died, after Jesus rose again, he fulfilled over 300. Hundred prophecies, we call that the messianic prophecies. Do you know that it is nearly impossible for just 80 prophecies to be fulfilled? But he fulfilled over 300. Don't you tell me that our Jesus ain't real? Don't you tell me that Jesus ain't fighting for us? Don't you tell me that he ain't a king? Fellow Jews and all who have lived in Jerusalem, this is what the is spoken by the prophet Joel. In the last days, God says, I will pour out my spirit, giving validity to what had just taken place in the upper room. Your sons and your daughters will what? Prophesy. And your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. Listen to me. For those of you that are along in years, don't you ever stop dreaming dreams. Don't you ever stop dreaming dreams. Don't you ever think that God can't use you. God is using you. God will move in you. God will encourage you. God will give you new purpose. God will give you encouragement. God will build you up in that. Don't you write yourself off because Jesus hasn't. Jesus hasn't written you off. Keep dreaming dreams. Verse 19, I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs in the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. Verse 20, the sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. You know how How Paul writes I'm sorry as as Luke writes. He says, The great and glorious day, but the Prophet Joel said it this way, the great and dreadful day. Why? Because for some it will be great, and for others it will be dreadful. For some it will be magnificent seeing our Savior face to face, walking streets of gold and for some He will say, depart from me, for I know you not. I want you to know that as it says here, he will pour out his spirit on all people. This is the importance of the Holy Spirit working in and through you. This is the importance of the Holy Trinity. I know what you're thinking, Pastor, you get real hyper about the Holy Spirit. You get real passionate when you talk about the Holy Spirit. You get real hyper when you talk about the Holy Trinity. Can I tell you in this place, if you neglect just one person of the Holy Trinity, you are not experiencing the fullness of God. That's the problem that we see in some of these churches. See, without the Spirit, you have no power. Without the Father, you have no King. Without the Son, you have no savior, you have no love, you have no future, you have no hope. Each with its own purpose. It's important to recognize that you have all three, and each church needs to practice all three. We have seen churches in our day neglect just one. And what do we get when we see that? We see churches that are broken, we see churches that are lacking. We see churches that are boring. We see churches that are missing the mark. We need to remember to remain in the Holy Trinity. Let the Trinity move throughout the church. Today we'll be talking about a church that became just that, a church that had forsaken its first love. See, during Paul's third missionary journey, Paul writes. And establishes one of the most prominent churches in Asia. This is the church in Ephesus. Ephesus was the capital of Asia Minor. Okay, this was an important city. This church, which is modern-day Turkey, by the way, to get your geography correct. Ephesus was the capital of Asia Minor. And the church really became the standard of Of Christian faithfulness. They were doing amazing things for the kingdom of God. They stood firm on doctrine. They stood firm on faithfulness. They stood firm on what Jesus had spoken and encouraged them to do. They stood faithful and persevered during oppression and persecution. And at the foundation of the church, it was its love for God and its love for people. That was at the foundation. That's why they were prospering. In fact, it was so palpable that Paul writes to this church in Ephesus and he says these things. He says, Since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. This was so palpable. This was so much that Paul wanted to encourage them with that he wrote it about it 14 separate times in the book of Ephesus, in the book of Ephesians. But despite their perseverance, despite their doctrinal knowledge, despite their observation of Christian principles, their church began to crumble and began to be corrupt. It wasn't a catastrophic event that had taken place. It wasn't a moral failure of the church leaders. It wasn't doctrinal compromise. It was in fact the same thing that Paul was praising the church for. See what they were doing, how they were representing themselves, how they were sounding, how they looked. They took their not their eyes off of Jesus, they took their heart off of him. See, I don't care what you do. I care how you feel. See, they had a head knowledge of God. They were diligent in the work of God, but they had left their heart out of it. Revelation chapter 2 and verse 1 says to the angel of the church in Ephesus, if you remember, Jesus gave this vision through an angel to John the apostle on the island of Patmos. And he writes these words to the angel of the church in Ephesus. That's the pastor or the leader of that church. He says, Write. These are the words of him who? That's Christ, who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. Listen, that word walks is crucial. It's important. Let me tell you why. If you remember from last week, we studied Revelation chapter one. Do you remember when John is speaking, when he's writing and he hears a voice behind him? Remember, this is when we get the glimpse of Jesus, where he has. Hair that is white as wool, he is wearing a golden sash across his chest. Out of his mouth comes a what? A sharp two-edged sword. Do you remember? So when John turns around, what does he see? He sees that image of Jesus. And where is he seated? Where is he standing? He is among the churches. But what do we see in Revelation chapter 2? It says that he is walking among the churches. See. Christ is no longer just standing and observing, He is in it. He is walking among the churches, He is walking within the churches, He is guiding the churches. Number two says, I'm sorry, verse two says, I know your deeds, your hard work, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people that you have tested those who claim to be apostles and are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardship for my name and have not grown weary. I want you to know that Jesus is commending this church, yes. But I want you to notice, he says, in your deeds, in your hard work, and in your perseverance. What does that mean? In your deeds, what you do, in your hard work, which is what you do, in your perseverance, it's what you do. This may seem like Praise, but I want you to notice that Jesus is talking all about what they do and nothing about how they feel. I hope you understand the difference between the two. Watch, there are churches out there that are so consumed with building up what the church looks like. They are so consumed about what they sound like. They are so consumed about what systems and operations they put into place that they have forgotten who they do it for. Listen, these things are not bad. You can build up your church, you can build out what it looks like, you can build up the sound. Those are all great things to make your ministry more effective. But if it supersedes your love for Christ, then you are out of alignment. You're out of alignment. Jesus commenced the work of the church in Ephesus. Then he says this yet, somebody say yet. What does that mean? That essentially means that all that good stuff that I said before, forget it, because I'm about to ruin you. I'm about to rebuke you. He says this, yet I hold this against you. I don't know about you, but if Jesus is speaking this way, I'm terrified. Yet I hold this against you. You have forsaken the love that you had at first. What does that word forsaken mean? It means that you have abandoned, you have deserted. The love that you had at first. The weight of this verse is really recognized when you understand what love means in Scripture. I hope that you know Matthew chapter 22. The Lord gives us the greatest commandment. Say it with me if you know it. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. So you understand how important love is within. Scripture, love is relational. Yes? It's not anything that you do, but that stuff, those deeds, that hard work, that perseverance pours up out of you from abundance of love that you have in your heart. Love is relational, no matter how good it makes you feel when you help that little old lady across the street. No matter how good it makes you feel to help her get the groceries into the back of her Buick. I had a Buick before. Bukes are nice, man. Shouldn't said that. You know what I mean. You know what I mean? It doesn't matter how many possessions that you sell, it doesn't matter how much volunteer time you put in. It does not matter how many Bible studies that you attend. If you don't love him with your whole heart, your soul, and your mind, it is all for nothing. And this is what we're seeing in the book here today. This is what we're seeing in the church of Ephesus is that these deeds have come and not out of an abundance of love. It has come because it's deeds and it's hard work, and we need to focus on doing this and doing that and doing this and doing that. No. Those things come up out of a love for Christ. Love Jesus first. Jesus says in verse 5 Consider how far you have fallen. See, the church in Ephesus didn't just fall a little bit, they fell fell a lot of bit. They fell away. And he says, Repent. That word repent means to turn 180. To turn 180. It's not just saying, I'm sorry, Lord. It is a complete lifestyle shift. There's a character change within you, a transformation that takes place. When you say, Lord, I repent. Lord, I'm sorry. Lord, I will change. Lord, I will do these things. Then things will change in your life. He says, repent and do the things that you did at first. What makes this worse for the church in Ephesus is that they had known him before. They had loved him before. They knew what it was like to have Christ at the front. The Bible even says that it is worse off for those that have known him and fallen away for. Than it is for those that have never known him. So Ephesus is struggling here. They're having a rough time. If you do not repent, Jesus says, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. I hope you grasp the magnitude of what he's saying here. He's essentially saying, Ephesus, if you do not turn from your wicked ways, if you do not change, I will remove the church. Out from underneath you. I want you to know if you don't get how. How important love is to God. I want you to look here, see it here. Christ gives three commands. He says, remember, repent, and return. Remember your first love. Y'all remember when you first gave your life to Jesus? I know. Do you remember what it was like when you gave your life to Jesus? Do you remember that bubbling passion that came inside of you? That you felt inside of you, that it was just overflowing, that you wanted you wanted to be in church. You wanted to do all the things that God had called you to do. You wanted to jump in, you wanted to be at church. All the time you wanted to tell people about Jesus. This is what Jesus is telling the church in Ephesus. Find your first love again. And I think that's a word for some of us in here. Some of us have gotten into this mundane routine of coming to church, leaving, coming to church, leaving, checking the box. I want to encourage you today to fall back in love with Jesus Christ. Fall back in love with all that he has for you. Fall back in love with him. Because he will move in your life, I promise you. So remember your first love, repent of your ways, return back to me. Christ may come for the churches that have neglected their first love. Not us. Not faith alive church. Not faith alive church. I said not faith alive church. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Revelation chapter two and verse seven. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life. What is Jesus saying? He says, You walk righteous, you walk with me, you walk hand in hand, and I will give you eternity. Right there. Right there. Right there. I will give you the right. To eat from the tree of life. in the beginning, after God created all the things that we know and see. After God created humanity, He breathed into their nostrils the breath of life. Remember that we are the only living being that possesses the breath of God. Don't ever forget that. After he created us, Adam and Eve are walking in a garden. And they go and they sin. See, the door was open to eternal life, but after the fall of humanity, eternal life was guarded. The Bible says that now cherubim guard, these are guardian angels, they guard the entrance of eternal life, as well as a flaming sword. You know what I get out of this verse? Is that Jesus is so merciful? He's so grace-giving that he gives us opportunity after opportunity after opportunity after opportunity after opportunity to fall back in love with Jesus. And I am celebrating the Lord right now because he gave me another chance. Opportunity after opportunity after opportunity for you. Opportunity after opportunity after opportunity until one day No more opportunity. This is the point of the book of Revelation to be prepared, to be ready, to be warned of what is to come. He gives us opportunity after opportunity to fall back in love with him. But there comes a day when the opportunity will no longer be there. So what do we do? What should we do during this time? What causes us to get off track? Distractions? Why do we stand in the place? We see distractions where on our phones. Hello? We see distractions on our social medias. Yes? We see distractions. Watch this in politics. I said vi si distractions in politics. Hear me in this. Here's my PSA. I won't get into this too much. But men and women have given their lives and sacrificed themselves for you to vote. Go and vote. Go and vote. It's every American's right. Go and vote. I'm not telling you who to vote for, but I'll say this vote upon Christian principles. Vote upon Christian principles. So you got distractions in your phones, in your social media, in politics. You got distraction, watch this within the church. Imagine being so busy with the work of God that you miss the heart of God. Whoa. Whoa. Lord help us to remove these distractions from our lives. Lord, we want you again. Lord, we want to fall back in love with you again. Lord, would you lead us and guide us in this time? It does not matter where we come from, what language we speak, what we've done in our past, you've given us opportunity, and the Holy Spirit of God is for all people. So right now, wherever you are, if you don't know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, I'm just going to ask you to lift your hand. Nobody looking around if you want to know Jesus. Maybe you don't know him. Maybe you knew him at once, one time, and then you don't now. Whether it's in person or online, lift your hand. God sees you. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. I want everybody to pray this prayer after me. Say, Dear Jesus, I love you. I ask that you will forgive me of my sin. I believe that you died for me. I believe that you rose again three days later, and that you are with me today. Lord, would you be my savior from today until the end of my days? It's in Jesus' mighty name that I pray these things. Amen. Somebody celebrate Jesus in the house. Yeah. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Remember your first love. Remember your first love. Remember your first love. Everything flows from the love that you have. And that's my prayer for you as you leave this place, Father. Would you protect us? Would you lead us? Would you help us to recall our first love? Guide us, direct us. We love you, Jesus. And it's in your name I pray. Amen. Somebody give Jesus some praise. Have an amazing day. We love you. Happy Sunday. Thanks for listening to the Faith Alive Sermon podcast. We hope this message encouraged you. If it did, be sure to subscribe or share it with someone else who may need it. If you want to get connected or reach out to one of our pastors, go to our website at faithalive.church. We'll see you next time.