Chosen Disciples of Christ Jesus

 Appointing the Apostles and the Sermon on the Mount

 Book of Luke Chapter 6

 What is wrong with much of the Church today? People tend to institutionalize religion, making it full of form and ritual, rules and regulations, ceremonies, and services.

 What does the Bible say about this? 2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 

 The modern church is denying the power of the Holy Spirit, and many have kicked the Lord Jesus Christ out of the doors of the church.

 The Church becomes a religion like all the false religions and far from Christianity, which is the desire of our Heavenly Father.

 The Church is to walk in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ, or it is not a church!

 Why were we saved to begin with? The Lord Jesus Christ needs people!

 In fact, that word "need “is wrong. The Lord Jesus does not need any of us!

 It is those who are lost who need Christians; they do not need religionists!

 We are chosen to carry the message of salvation to the world.

 How did the Lord Jesus go about choosing people to serve as ambassadors from Heaven?

 *****Luk 6:12  And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 

 The Lord Jesus chose His people after much prayer.

 No matter what we are about to take on, we are foolish not to spend much time in prayer.

 There was a large group of people following Jesus at this time, and not all of them had the right reasons for doing so.

 The leaders of Judaism were filled with hatred for Him, and their hatred was increasing.

 In every circumstance, prayer is the refuge for those who serve Christ!

 Most of us can say our prayers in a minute or two, but in reality, this is not enough time to get our message to our Heavenly Father.

 Yes, He knows what we need, but why should He help us or our ministries if we refuse to spend some time with Him?

 The Lord continued all night. Once the Lord started this prayer, He stayed with it until He got His message across and received His answer.

We may not always get an answer when we pray, but we must get our intentions to the Lord!

Jesus was about to choose men to carry the Gospel to all the world, and yet He had a reason for every choice He made.

 We know that one of those men was Judas Iscariot, and though we may not know the exact reason he was chosen, we do know Christ had His reason.

 By the time the sun had come out, the Lord Jesus Christ knew whom He would choose.

 *****Luk 6:13  And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;

 There were many who were following the Lord Jesus everywhere He traveled, but He chose twelve men from those who were called disciples with the intent that they would be His apostles.

 A disciple of Jesus Christ must:

 1) Believes in His doctrine.

2) Rests on His sacrifice.

3) Keep the knowledge of His Spirit.

4) Follows His example.

 Rest meaning: Mat 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Mat 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 

Mat 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.  

An Apostle of Jesus Christ:

 1) They are commissioned to preach the Gospel.

2) They had the authority of the Master.

3) They aided in the ministry of Christ.

4) They followed His example.

 These are the same things we, who are disciples, must do!

How were an Apostle chosen:

 1) They were men who had been with Jesus.

2) They could testify to the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Act 1:22  Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

3) They were given the keys to the Kingdom of God.

4) They were given supernatural gifts. Act 2:43  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 

5) They were called by the Lord Jesus Christ: Gal 1:1  Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 

6) They were given the inspired Word of God and would not depart from its truth: 1Th 2:13  For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

 These Apostles were to have no successors. They were the only authoritative teachers of the Doctrines of Jesus Christ.

The office of the Apostle ceased when these men died.

 We cannot be apostles, but we can be the messengers of Jesus Christ and the Gospel.

 The Lord Jesus called Himself the Apostle sent from Heaven: Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 

 That word “sent” is the Greek word "Apostello," meaning sent on a mission.

 The Apostle Paul also said the Lord Jesus was an Apostle: Heb 3:1  Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; 

 The Lord Jesus Christ, our great Apostle, was sent from Heaven with the message of salvation.

 So, the Lord chose His Apostles:

 *****Luk 6:14  Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, 

Luk 6:15  Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, 

Luk 6:16  And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor. 

 There should be no doubt that these twelve men were a diverse group.

 Simon, whom the Lord had already named Cephas, which means a "mass of rock" and is translated as Peter, was chosen, as was his brother Andrew.

 We could say that Andrew was more Greek than he was Israelite. He had also been a disciple of John the Baptist

 James and John, along with Simon, were businessmen, and these three seemed to have a closer relationship with our Savior than the rest.

 James and John were also called Boanerges, "sons of thunder".

 Some say this was because of their preaching, but in reality, the name came because of their temper.

 Luk_9:54  And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?

 The enthusiasm of James serving the Lord was probably what got him selected as the first martyr.

 Matthew may have been the wealthiest of them all, but he may have given even his wealth up to follow the Lord Jesus.

 We know Thomas as doubting Thomas, and he may have been a twin.

 James the Less was a son of the sister of Mary, also named Mary.

 One was a political nationalist and an insurrectionist, Simon the Zealot.

 The Zealots were pledged to overthrow the Roman government and to assassinate as many Roman officials and their Jewish cohorts as possible.

 Philip was a native of Bethsaida and seems to have had a prominent place among the Apostles.

 Bartholomew was also known as Nathanael and is always mentioned with Philip.

 Not much is said about Bartholomew. The Lord Jesus did appear to him on the Sea of Tiberias after His resurrection, and he did witness the Ascension of the Lord.

 The Lord Jesus said he was indeed an Israelite. Joh 1:47  Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

 Guile means being crafty, so Bartholomew was a man who fulfilled the true idea of Israel. A man of God, and we could say a man who could get in touch with God through prayer.

Bartholomew would be one of those Israelites who stand at the wall today, praying.

 Judas or Jude, the son of Alphaeus, who was also the son of Caphi, who was a Jewish general under Jonathan Maccabaeus.

 He seems to be the brother of James the Less.

 Then there is Judas Iscariot, the betrayer, also called the Son of Simon. Joh 13:26  Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 

Joh 13:27  And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. 

 None of these men was famous or in any way tied to the government.

 As this group comes together, we can see the power of Christ, who gives us all purpose and meaning to life.

 We should understand that the Lord knew that Judas the traitor would betray Him, and this also was the providence of God.

 1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 

1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 

1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence. 

 Once these things were settled, the Lord Jesus had a sermon that needed preaching.

 *****Luk 6:20  And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. 

Luk 6:21  Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. 

Luk 6:22  Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 

Luk 6:23  Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. 

 Many Bible scholars call this passage the Sermon on the Plain to say it is different from the Sermon on the Mount, but we are going to see what the Lord says here.

 The Lord Jesus had just chosen His twelve Apostles, knowing that one of them would betray Him, which is another lesson for the Church.

 It shows that anyone can spend a lot of time with the Lord Jesus and appear to be saved when they never truly accept who Jesus is and why He came as a Shepherd and will return to be King of kings and Lord of lords.

 Jesus is not only speaking to the crowd that had gathered, but He is also speaking to those chosen to be His Apostles.

 This message, some call the beatitudes, explains clearly what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.

 What is materialism? Materialism is the philosophy that considers the fundamental principle of all things and denies the independence and autonomy of the spirit.

 Some say it is naturalism, but it is not.

It can be called sensualism, but this is an incomplete meaning.

 Materialism is sensual enjoyment in its fullest sense and denies the existence of the spirit world.

 We should understand that some parts of our being are non-material.

 Gen 1:26  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 

Gen 1:27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 

 What is the image of God?

 The image of God in mankind cannot be material because God is Spirit.

 Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 

 God is spirit, and He does not have a body.

 1) Personality is nonmaterial because each of us has self-consciousness and self-determination, which allows us to make choices. Animals do not have this trait.

 Without this, we could not be redeemed!

 Personality reveals our ability to exercise dominion over our created world and develop the earth.

 Gen 1:28  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 

 Gen 2:15  And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 

 2) Our Spiritual being. God is Spirit, so the human soul is a spirit.

 The attributes of a spirit are reason, conscience, and will. These are all non-material.

 God has endowed each of us with those attributes that belong to His own nature as a Spirit.

 This is why we can know God and the foundation of our belief in our Creator.

 If we do not have the image of God, we cannot know Him, and we would be like the animals.

 3) We have a moral nature.

 Man was created in moral righteousness, also called knowledge and holiness, which was lost in the fall of Adam.

 Eph 4:22  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 

Eph 4:23  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 

Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

 Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 

 We are not all material but are also spiritual.

 This was Darwin's error that has followed mankind through the last few centuries.

 We did not evolve from animals!!!!!!!

 The Lord Jesus begins His sermon, preaching to those who are poor in spirit.

 There is nothing in this material world that can make us rich in spirit!!

 We must seek our Creator, our God, and His Kingdom, knowing that He alone has the power to make us rich in spirit.

 Mat_6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 Being poor in spirit is being full of self.

 There is a lot of difference between having self-righteousness and having God's righteousness.

 Self-righteousness dies when the body dies.

 The righteousness of Christ Jesus lives forever.

 Jesus says all those who become rich in spirit will inherit the kingdom of God.

 2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

 Blessed are the hungry. Again, this is spiritual hunger and not physical hunger.

 Being hungry is not a blessing; it is sad and tragic.

 If we hunger after righteousness, hunger spiritually, it means we have a starving spirit that craves the righteousness of God.

 Righteousness means to be right and to do right according to the Word of God.

 Just being righteous is not enough; we must do righteousness!

 Loose living is dangerous. People do whatever they desire, and they feel comfortable with their relationship with Christ, and they are wrong. They must be righteous and do righteousness to be secure.

 Self-righteousness is the first step to legalism and being judgmental.

 Jesus does not say Blessed are the righteous because no one is.

 Rom 3:10  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 

Rom 3:11  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

 Jesus says Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

 Jesus continues Blessed are those who are sorrowful, those who weep and mourn.

 The thought here is of a broken heart over wickedness, helpless against evil, desperate.

 It’s the same brokenness we should feel when we see the Lord Jesus Christ on that cross.

 We should be broken when we realize that we should have been on that cross rather than our innocent Savior.

 We should be desperately sorry for our sin.

We should feel sorrowful for other sinners.

We should feel sorrowful when we experience personal tragedy or trauma.

 When the Lord says He will wipe away all tears, it means we will laugh with the joy and comfort of our salvation and redemption.

 Psa 16:11  Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. 

 We will pass from death to real life!

God will wipe away all our tears.

 We should feel blessed when the world looks upon us as the disciples of Jesus Christ.

 We will be hated without a cause.

Our names will be seen in slander.

We will be charged with false crimes and accusations.

 We should rejoice and jump for joy because our rewards are in heaven and not on this earth.

 We must remember that we are not of this world; our home is in Heaven!

 Those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ and depend upon materialism will not have any of these blessings.

 *****Luk 6:24  But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. 

Luk 6:25  Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. 

Luk 6:26  Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Judgment is coming to all those who depend upon materialism.

We already know that materialism cannot satisfy our God given spirit!

We can say that woe is equivalent to great grief.

I do not consider myself to be rich, but we could say that anyone who has something that they can put away or save after their needs are met are richer than our parents and grandparents were.

Mar 12:41  And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. 

Mar 12:42  And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 

Mar 12:43  And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 

Mar 12:44  For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. 

The wealthy are esteemed, honored, and envied.

Wealth brings power!

Those who are already wealthy usually work hard to gain more.

What does God say?

Eph 4:28  Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 

What did the Lord tell the rich young ruler?

Mat 19:21  Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Riches make most who have it selfish.

Riches attach us to this dying world.

Those who are full are those who are so full of themselves that they do not have room for God!

Those who choose to be full of what this world has to offer.

Rom 16:18  For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. 

They will leave everything they have accumulated behind when they pass on.

There are no desires that can be fulfilled after death.

There are no delights fulfilled in Hell that will last for eternity.

They shall hunger for righteousness, but it will be too late.

What did the Lord Jesus say?

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 

Those who laugh now are those who laugh in their sin.

They have no sense of sin, no sorrow, and no regret over evil or suffering or wickedness.

They pay no attention to this dying world!

They will be alone in Hell to weep over their great losses.

Job 20:5  That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? 

Job 20:6  Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; 

Job 20:7  Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he? 

Worldly people want attention, honor, and praise, but all these things do is fill them with pride that they cannot overcome. 

We must also be aware of the so-called preachers that the world speaks well of.

The modern church would not allow Jesus Christ in the pulpit today.

The modern church has allowed the world into the church, and though they are rich, they are failing because they have rejected the Doctrine of Jesus Christ, who God has made Head of the true Church.

The sermon on the mount and the sermon on the plain would be rejected as false, and the false church will keep growing in sin and riches and end in Hell.

Amen

The Messengers to the Church

Seven Stars and Seven Candlesticks

Book of Revelation Chapter 1 verses 12-20

We need to remember that up until this point all we know is the John was worshiping alone on the Isle of Patmos and the Holy Spirit just overwhelmed John and as he says:

Rev 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

If you are a Christian, you know what John is saying here. Most all of us got in the Spirit the day we prayed that sinner’s prayer and was gloriously saved.

Most of us have had a visit from the Holy Spirit on other occasions. Those that say they haven't, just are not paying attention. The Holy Spirit sometimes speaks in a real small voice

John was having Church. He and the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ were gathered together. What did Jesus teach us?

Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

We can worship when we are alone with the Lord and the Holy Spirit!

BUT Those who do not attend a true House of God do not know what they are missing.

It is sin not to attend the House of God on a regular basis!

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

In our day, we do see the "Day of the Lord" approaching so, we should be in the House of God more today than we have in the past

John and the Holy Spirit were having themselves a time when, in came the Lord Jesus Christ.

There was no doubt in John's mind that this was Christ, but he remained motionless for just a moment listening to the Lord.

It was now time for John to turn and see where this voice was coming from.

Remember John was alone on this Isle of Patmos at least he was alone as he worshiped the Lord.

The Isle of Patmos was a barren lonely place which was John's punishment.

*****Rev 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

Rev 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

John first saw seven golden candlesticks.

First John heard a voice.

Next John turned toward that voice.

Next John saw seven candlesticks.

Again we see the number seven and we will see this number many times in the Book of Revelation and it will have the same meaning each time.

It is a fact that the number seven is considered to be a holy number by many peoples.

To the Hebrew people, every seventh day has a meaning.

Every seventh year has a specific meaning and the multiples of seven have specific meanings.

They would mourn for the dead seven days.

They would also celebrate weddings for seven days.

These things began with the seven days of Creation Week.

Notice to evolutionist, the number seven has no meaning at all except, on the calendar that they do not agree with.

They do like multiples of years but its millions of years and billions of years, so just about anyone will say "well in that many years anything could happen" just to get away from one simple Creation Week when the Lord made everything we see and everything that we cannot see.

The candlestick of the Jewish Temple is called a "menorah".

How did Moses construct such a candlestick?

Exo 25:31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.

Exo 25:32 And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:

Exo 25:33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.

Exo 25:34 And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.

Exo 25:35 And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.

Exo 25:36 Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold.

Exo 25:37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.

Exo 25:38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold.

Exo 25:39 Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.

Exo 25:40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

When John says a candlestick then this is what he saw, and he saw seven of them.

They were either placed in a circle or in a straight line because in the midst of them was the Lord Jesus Christ and I believe they were placed in a circle.

We will see later that these candlesticks represent these seven Churches and seven Church Ages, and they all are to get their light from Him.

Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

The Lord Jesus was in His human form, but oh how wonderful it was the sight of Him.

We could say John saw the Lord as He presents Himself in Heaven.

He had on a garment such as a robe that covered His body down to His feet and was most likely a white robe, but it could be that same scarlet robe He wears later.

Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Jesus was wearing the robe of a prophet because He proclaims the Word of Truth to us.

Jesus was wearing the robe of a priests, because He gives us access into the presence of our Heavenly Father.

Jesus was wearing the robe of a King, because He rules this earth that belongs to Him.

He had on a golden cloth used as a belt around His waist. Much like a priest but it also represents dignity and authority.

The Lord Jesus was dressed as if He were going on a journey!

We must understand that the message of the Book of Revelation is from Jesus Himself!

He was just marvelous to look upon.

Both Ezekiel and Daniel had similar views of the Lord!

What else did John see about the Lord?

*****Rev 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

The head and hair of Jesus were as white as snow which pictures our Lord Jesus as the "Ancient of Days".

The Prophet Daniel spoke often of the "Ancient of Days".

Dan_7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

Dan_7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

Dan_7:22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

Hair on the head of the Lord was white as white wool, a perfect whiteness.

Wool is also an emblem of eternity! The Lord is eternal, who was, who is, and who is to come!

His eyes were as a flame of fire.

His eyes are a token of His omniscience, eyes that can pierce through all things clearly. Eyes that can penetrate even into the heart.

Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Jer 23:23 Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?

Jer 23:24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

Nothing can be hidden from our Savior!

And of what of His feet?

*****Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

Brass signifies strength but also lasting! Jesus Christ has no weakness at all, and our God is eternal. There is no one and nothing that can overcome the power of God.

Brass that has been through the furnace reaches a "white heat". This answers that burnish look, that glowing look that can only be Jesus Christ.

The voice of the Lord. If you were near the Niagara Falls you could not hear anything but the roar of the waters as they flowed down the falls.

The voice of the Lord was the same to John. John could here no other sound as the Lord spoke with the authority that He has.

Remember when the Lord speaks all of nature is listening to His voice for His next command!

John knew he was in the presence of the Almighty God and once He spoke, he had John's full attention!

Psa 93:1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.

Psa 93:2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.

Psa 93:3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.

Psa 93:4 The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

Psa 93:5 Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.

When the Lord speaks to you, you will have no doubt who is speaking! If you have doubts, then it is not the Lord speaking!

We should understand that the Lord Jesus Christ will be a sight to behold and the only One who deserves our worship forever more!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who holds the true Church in His hand!

The next two chapters will deal with those seven churches, their problems and the Lord's solution to their problems!

When the Lord is speaking to the Church, He is expecting us all to pay attention.

We need to hear what the Lord is speaking to us, but we also need to hear what the Lord is speaking to all the church!

*****Rev 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

As we read ahead, we know that these seven candlesticks represent those seven churches and these seven stars represent seven angels who are messengers to those churches.

A true church is a church whose message comes from our Heavenly Father! Anyone, anyone, who has a message that opposes the written Word of God has a false message.

God intends for the true church to survive until He takes the true Church home! Remember this message is to the true Church.

Any gathering of people together that is not to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is then not a true Church.

Those who follow a perverted or twisted up version of the true Scriptures are not a true Church.

Those who search for power that is not the power of the Holy Spirit are not a true Church.

The message of our Holy Father is as a two-edged sword!

Truth: Dan 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Judgment: Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

God the Father has given us His message of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. There is only one message! There is only one true Messenger!

God the Father also gives us the message of righteous anger, to all those who oppose His message of truth!

A two-edged sword cuts on both sides!

The countenance of our Savior implies His abundance of favor toward His children.

Psa 21:5 His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him.

Psa 21:6 For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.

To the Church:

Act 2:25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

Act 2:26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:

Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Act 2:28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

Act 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

Act 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

Act 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

Act 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

The countenance of our Holy Father is seen in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, the Almighty Living God!

This is what John knew and this is what John saw!

*****Rev 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

Rev 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

What are we going to do when we first meet the Lord Jesus Christ in all His glory at the Bema Seat, where Christ will judge His church for rewards or loss of rewards?

We will fall down on our faces as dead men and women at the feet of our Savior!

There is a great big difference in sinfulness and sinlessness!

Luk 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

Some may feel differently, but they will be the first ones to fall at the feet of Jesus!

Then if that same light is shining in our heart, the Lord will say "fear not"!

2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Jesus Christ was the hope of His Church in the past, since He went back to Heaven and Jesus Christ is the Only Hope for His Church today.

His message is that of truth and love!

Our encouragement will always come from the Lord! Today and when we meet Him in the air!

When He reaches down with that right hand of power to touch us in love and says those words "fear not" we will then know for sure we are redeemed and it’s time to go home with Him!

That same hand that holds those stars also holds my soul!

Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.

And those keys!

As the Church we need to understand that all power has been given to the Lord Jesus Christ and He holds the power over death, and He holds the power over who and who does not go to hell.

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

In reality we hold this power ourselves. Make that decision today to call on the Lord.

Rev 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

We know that only the Lord Jesus Christ can take away the life and that is at His choosing!

He may dispatch this to some other as this verse states. He gave the power to Death and Hell, which would be the Angel of Death and the Keeper of Hell who will both be tossed in the Lake of Fire also.

Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

When this takes place, there will be no more death and Hell will no longer be a place, the Final Place for those sentenced to eternal death will be the Burning Lake of Fire.

You see the gates of Hell will never prevail over the Church!

Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

If you place your life into the hands of the Lord, you are assured of safety throughout eternity!

And now the Apostle John is given his instructions.

*****Rev 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

Rev 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

John is to write down the things he sees in all his visions, whether they be in the past, whether they be in his present, or whether they be in his future and therefore in our future as it seems to be.

Some of these facts are that of Christ's Incarnation.

We know that the Lord Jesus Christ left Heaven's glory to come to this earth and grow as a man from a child born in Bethlehem as the prophesies foretold.

As the God-man He became the foundation of the Church and of all Christianity.

All other religions are just man-made rejections of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Faith in Jesus Christ is faith in God and there is no other God than He, Jehovah!

Jehovah Himself said man was created in His image and that of His Son!

Gen 1:26 And God said, "Let us" make man in "our" image, after "our" likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Gen 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: "for in the image of God made he man".

We may not totally understand exactly what being in the image of God means, but we do know we have this connection to our Almighty Creator, Elohim.

God created man and God continues to reveal Himself to man and He explains His relationship by giving us His Book of the Living, we call the Bible.

Pro 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

We are caught up the prophecy of the Messiah.

Pro 8:22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

Pro 8:23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

Pro 8:24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

Pro 8:25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

Pro 8:26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

Pro 8:27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

Pro 8:28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

Pro 8:29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

Pro 8:30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

Pro 8:31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

Pro 8:32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

Pro 8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

Pro 8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

Pro 8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.

Pro 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

How can we deny our Creator or His Son, the only means to reconnect with our Creator in His house!

The Lord takes the time to tell us that those seven candlesticks represent those seven churches in Asia and therefore all the types of the Church and all the Church Ages since the beginning of the first true Church in Jerusalem and then Antioch, where the first missionaries were sent out and deacons were elected.

Those seven stars are then the seven messengers to the church which in my mind means those pastors or preachers, even though I am sure God's Angels watch over not only that Church but also each and every Christian and certainly every true called man of God!

There are not really any mysteries in the Scriptures, if you study the Bible because the Bible itself is its own best commentary if you are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Amen

Let's Pray!