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The Church Of Sardis Series
Contributed by Randall Lavere Ii on Jun 17, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: an in depth look into Christs teachings to the 7 churches of revelation
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The church at Sardis
Review of the first 4 churches to this point. 1.Ephesus-get back to the way you were at first. 2. Smyrna- you are going to suffer tribulations, but trust me, I’ll be there 3. Pergamos-Get away from the false doctrines, and get into the word of God.
4. Thyatira-I want you for myself, in holiness and perfect
3 fold application/not dispensational as some would teach.
Rev. 3:1-6
V1. these things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars. (ref. Is. 11:2-4)
The 7 spirits of God are not seven different types of The Holy Ghost, but the fullness of the Spirit. We know that from the creation of the earth, that 7 is the number of fullness.
Is. 11:2-4 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots, and the spirit of the lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of Knowledge, and the fear of the lord.
V1 cont. I know thy works, that thou has a name that thou livest, and are dead.
The church has a name that it lives, but is dead. The church today, is supposed to be a Christian Church. To be a Christian, means to be Christ like. To be Christ like, we have to love one another as much as we love ourselves. To be like Christ we must put the needs of others before our own selfish needs and desires. We have to serve God with all of our heart, mind, and strength. That is what it means to be like Christ.
If we are claiming to be Christians, it is time that we start representing the name of Christ. Because when we claim the name of Christ, we are saying that we are indeed one of his. How can I be like Christ, and serve myself?
The word Christ means the anointed one. Unfortunately, there are many churches and people who claim to be anointed ones, but have not a clue of what the anointing is.
The church to whom Christ was addressing here, had a name that they were living, but were dead. They were a lot like the whitewashed tombs that Jesus Spoke of in the book of Matthew. Remember that looks can kill.
Luke 4:18-19 The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor, He hat sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
He has anointed me to preach the Gospel: good news: to the poor-good news to a poor person, is that they do not have to be poor anymore………….
The anointing of God is not for you to be glorified by, but for God to receive the glory. It is the anointing of the Holy Ghost that gives us power to do the works of Christ.
2 Cor. 1:21-22 Now he which stablished us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us is God, who has also sealed us, and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts.
1 Jn. 2:20 but you have an unction from the Holy one, and know all things. The greek word is anointing.
We, the body and bride of Christ need to get a hold on the power that God has in store for us, and run with it. The Power that God has in store for us is unlike anything that this world has seen before. The word of God says that we have the anointing. We already have it within us, we just need to activate what God has placed inside of us.
Jesus did not suffer the death of the cross so that we would always be running around defeated. He came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly. The bible says had the princes of this world known, they would never have crucified the king of Glory.
When Jesus was crucified, he gave us access to the throne room of God. When the veil was split from top to bottom, He gave us the power of the Holy spirit. He gave us the ability to do the very works that he did.
Jn. 14:12 verily I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my father. The reason he said greater works than these shall I do because I go unto my father, was because he Knew that we would be able to walk in the same anointing that he had.