 Okay, good morning everyone. Welcome to PC 308 course of education at Daniel. Let's take a moment to train and then we will get started. One of us please pray. Let's pray. My heavenly father I come here under the name of Jesus. Thank you for this day. Thank you for the class we are about to have Jesus. And God as we are listening to revelation God I pray that Jesus you help us to understand the truth, your words Jesus as pastor teaches us Lord help us to open our mind and heart as spiritual eyes and ears to listen to be fully convinced in our faith so that we can boldly go out and face the gospel. Thank you for pastor ashes and I thank you for all my classmates over here Jesus give us a good wife that connection through the throughout the session that everything that we do in Jesus name. Alright, we have started our journey in the book of Revelation. We are in Revelation chapter 2, the last time we had and we looked at the first of the seven churches, the message the Lord Jesus was speaking. Just to review a few points and one goes through everything, a few points and then it will close out on the message the Lord Jesus gave to the church in Ephesians. So what is interesting is that as the Lord is speaking to each of these seven churches in chapter 2 and 3 there is one that some common things being noticed. So one is we said the Lord Jesus introduces himself to each church and then it ends so the Lord Jesus begins speaking but it always ends with he who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. So that's the pattern in all of these seven churches. The Lord speaks and he introduces himself in a particular way to each local church. I am like this and this and this and then it always concludes by saying, hear what the Spirit is saying. So we said that the Lord was speaking, the Lord Jesus was the head of the church, he is speaking and it's the Holy Spirit who is bringing that message to each church and he does that even today. So even in our day and time as leaders our prayer must be Lord, what is the Lord Jesus saying to the church? And listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying because the Holy Spirit is the one who communicates that to us as leaders. Now I am not saying that the Holy Spirit only speaks to leaders but obviously the Holy Spirit speaks to everybody. But as leaders we are in the place of responsibility where we have to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying. So that's a common thing we see in all seven churches which we pointed out and the other thing was for every church, for every church. And this is very interesting but all of the seven churches Jesus begins by saying, I know your books. Very interesting. That's how he starts his composition with all the seven churches. He starts with this sentence or with this phrase, I know your works. Now we would think that the Lord would have said, I know your hearts. No, he's saying to all the seven churches, I know your works. Now we're not putting, you know, we're not trying to elevate works. We live by faith. Our heart is important. But I think there's a message and when the Lord is saying to all the seven churches, the first thing he says, I know your works. I think the message is, you know, like in English we have this phrase, actions speak louder than words. That means it's easy for us to say this and say that and say that. Ultimately, what will you do? Are you going to follow through with action? You know, because words are easy, we can always make promises, we can always say this and this and that. But what are you actually doing? I think that's where the emphasis here is. Because the Lord is saying to each of us, he begins to say, I know your works, that means the Lord is watching. What are we actually doing? Not all the nice things we promise that we say, God, I'll do whatever you tell me or I'll do whatever you say. God, whatever you tell me, I don't speak and, you know, we can always say all those words. Which is good, I mean, it's nothing wrong with that. It's an expression of our commitment to God. And we need to pray those prayers of education, we need to pray those prayers. But ultimately the question is, what do you actually do? Because I can say, God, I'm going to pray. I'm going to seek you, wonderful. But do you actually translate into some action? Am I actually going to go and seek God? I think that's something to just keep in mind because Jesus, the Lord Jesus is looking at what we actually are doing. To all these churches, they say, I know your works. I know what you're doing. I'm observing that. I see what you're doing. And then based on that, he gives a message to each of these seven churches. Now, to the church in Ephesians, specifically, you know, this church was, like we said last week, very, very wonderfully located church. Everything was going really good in terms of their activity, like in terms of what they were doing, everything was going good. So, from the natural, if somebody came and saw this church, it's a very wonderful church. They're very persevering, they're very discerning, they're very enduring, all of that. But the Lord pointed out one thing. He said, you have left the first one. So, like we said last time, I'm just kind of reviewing some of these things. He didn't say they didn't have the first one. They've left it. If you ask the church, do you love Jesus? That's a lot. We love Jesus. That's what we are so good at. That's what they're doing all the time. We love Jesus. But the question is, do you love him first? Because that's the commandment. You have to load your copper, all of it. All of it. So, all of it. Micro. That's what we have to ask ourselves, do I love him first? Is he my first love? Jesus, you've left him first? Yeah. It's not that you don't have love at all. But he's not first in that place. It's like you've moved from that place. But what the sorcery says, that when they have left their first love, Jesus says, you have fallen. That means you weren't down. You're not going up. It's not that. It says, no, from where you've fallen was spying. Revelation 2 was spying. Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen. So when I leave my first love, it only puts me into a place of decline. It doesn't get me up. But let's put it around the other way. The positive way. If I keep the Lord as my first love and I increase in my first love, then I'm going to go up high. If leaving my first love means I'm going to go down with a decline, then keeping my first love and increasing in my first love, I'm going to become a higher spiritual ground in the love of God as it has shown in the love of God and in our devotion to Him. So to go up higher in the spiritual ground, what must I do based on this? I must increase in my first love. So then I'm on a bay or on an upward trail, in my spiritual level. So, and the last thing was six. That is what we went there. We talked about how, I said, you know, was spying about removing your lamp stand from its place unless you repent, which is a very serious thing. That means this local church could be going on here, but they have no connection with heaven. The lamp stand has been removed from its place in the presence of God, which is a little serious thing. So it means this church is functioning here like a nominal thing. It's going on, but it's not one of the churches that actually represent heaven or the earth. It's not connected to heaven. So in the earth, it will be functioning like a church. I think so. We have to remember this. It's going to be very normal. But there's no life coming from heaven. That's a very sad state. It's a very dangerous system. Then he says in verse six, we have the relation to sex. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicalatians, which I also hate. So he's saying, look, you hate this particular sect of people. So Nicalatians, again, not much is known about them. So some people think, so there are, you know, when you read Tom of Treason, people have tried to go back into history and try to find out what was this particular group that is mentioned here, Nicalatians. Again, I'm not a historian, but I read the commentaries. And so one commentary said that this group was a, they think they go by the name, Nikko Latians. So Nikko is to be a ruler. Latians has to do with the laity. So this group was a sect where they really suppressed the laity of Nikko Latians. Based on that name, they come up with this idea that this was a particular sector of people where the laity was really suppressed. So that's one thought that is given. Some other people talk about this, Nikko Latians, because they repeat it again later. Now there are people who practice immorality in those kinds of things. So what exactly this particular sect was? There are varying opinions or thoughts but whatever it was, the church in Ephesians recognized that particular sect and said, we will not have anything to do with it. We will not engage with it. We will not participate in what they are doing. And so the Lord convinced them for that. And even the Lord says, I hate what they are doing but it was engaging in such immorality or engaging in suppression of the laity. So I hate them. And then in Ephesians 7, Ephesians 7, he promises to all who overcome, to him who overcome, the elite of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. The elite of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. So the tree of life, which is symbolic of health and healing. See that again Revelation 20, the tree of belief and the tree of life, which is for health and healing, so non-jewelry strength. That's what it represents. It's in the middle of the paradise. So what I just wanted to comment here is that in Revelation 2, we see the paradise in heaven. So just as a side note, up until the crucifixion of Jesus, up until the resurrection of Jesus, paradise was in Abraham's roots, which was a compartment of Hades, but it was the place where the Old Testament saints were kept. So Hades had two compartments as a hell, it was a hell of a paradise for Abraham's roots. So when Jesus gave the story of the rich man, and God's last was a die, and he went to Abraham's roots. And the rich man died, he went to heaven, place of torment. When Jesus died on the cross, he told the thief, today you will be with me in paradise. So paradise was Abraham's roots, in the lower parts of here, the compartment of heaven. But when Jesus ascended, Ephesians chapter 4 says, he took captivity, captured with him, that means all these Old Testament saints held captive in paradise, in Abraham's roots, until the resurrection of Jesus. When Christ ascended, Ephesians 4, he took them with him. So paradise was moved from there, up into heaven. So in the New Testament, you see, after the resurrection of Jesus, you find paradise in heaven. So Paul writes about this, in 2 Corinthians chapter 12, I was part of to the third heaven, paradise. So paradise now is in the third heaven. Again, here in Revelation 2.7, some paradise has been left, that was being left in heaven. The paradise is just a sight, one place to understand, this difference. Okay, so let's move forward now. We're going to read about the other churches from the 1 Corinthians, so that he take away from the church and Ephesians 4, for us to keep increasing in Ephesians. While we are doing all the other things, which are right, being zealous for the Lord, discerning, enduring, persevere with His own presence, that keep increasing in Ephesians 4. Just put that in prayer. It's a lot I want to keep my focus on you. I want to keep growing in my love for you. I want to keep that as a focus on you. While I serve you, do all the other things, that keep us, and we're going to do the first works. Just to love Him, question Him, spend time with Him, spend time in His world, do the first works, then do the next. That's good. Revelation 2, let's read chapter 8 to 11, something to be stressed, another chapter. Revelation 2, 8 to 11. Revelation 2, what is 8 to 11? And to the intimate church, and to the right-east place, the first and the last, who is 11 in July. I know your works, tribulation, equality, but you are rich. And I know the blaspheming of those who say they are Jews all over, but are a synable Sabbath. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into the prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulations ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I'll give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be birthed by the second death. Thank you. So, the Lord Jesus introduces himself. So, the church is miracle. As the one who's the beginning and the end of everything, that he begins with every end of the question. He also introduces himself as the one who was dead when he came back to me. You will notice that in every introduction, there is a relation to what that particular church is going through. In the previous introduction to the church in Ephesus, he said, I'm going walking around the middle of the candlesticks. Be careful, because I can renew your candlestick from my presence, if you don't accept it. Here, the church in Smyrn is facing death, or some of them are facing death, because of the persecution it's coming against. If you go to Facebook, and so in that context, he says, how about you? I'm the beginning and the end of it, in the first and the last. And I am one who was dead, but I'm alive, meaning even life is in my hands. It's in the hands of the Lord. And if you say, look, do you understand who I am? So that what you're facing, it's not going to overwhelm me. So, very important, we've made things, hardships and life, as the church was about to face, he's warning them, but he's reminding them, remember who I am, I'm the first of the messengers, I'm the only dead of it. So don't even be afraid of the death, the persecution you're going to face and the death that some of them, some of you, are going to face. So he calls the system, be faithful unto death. Now, notice he says, I know your words, that phrase, I know your words, for every church, the tribulation you're facing and the poverty that you're really rich, that you're rich. And the blessing, those who say they're Jews are not but I snagged out of Satan. So this church is facing a lot of persecution. And it seems like, in the natural, they were poor. So, I remember what James writes, James says, you know, James had me too, remember those who are poor in this world, but they are rich in faith. Steps, it's possible that, not it's possible, the fact is, God knows what is evil, what's wrong. They may be poor to start off with, that we know this poverty that's in parts of the world and so on. But those people, God saves them. They come to faith in Jesus and though it may be before I get the eclipsed in faith, that's what Jesus says. I know your works, traditional poverty, but you're rich in faith. And we know James too, says the rich in faith. So, just because suddenly they're saving and they're poor, we don't look down on them. You must understand that they could be rich in faith. Even though at that particular moment in life, they may be in a state of poverty or coming out of poverty. That's what the law recognizes. Poverty, but you're rich in faith. Now, here in Smyrna, and you will see this again in the church in Philadelphia. Look at that. They are facing a group of people, Jews. They claim to be Jews, but the law says they're actually the synagogue of Satan. It was this group of people, synagogue representing an assembly or a gathering of Satan. So it seems that these people, they claim to be Jews, but they are opposing the Christian church. And the law of Jesus addresses that group very strongly. They have a synagogue of Satan. They are the assembly or the gathering. They basically are actually inspired by Satan. And this group is persecuting the church. It says they are going to do not fear the things which are about yourself. They are attacking the church. And what they are doing is actually the devil doing it through them. It says the devil is about to throw some of you into prison. And so that means this group is actually inspired and instigated by the devil, Satan and he had the first killing in the church. And some of them are even going to put into prison. So they are out mourning them. And you have to be in prison for 10 days. So he's saying, look, I want you to be faithful to that. I mean, even if you have to die, I want you to be faithful to that. And you will receive control. So the church of Smyrdam is one of the two churches among the seven who don't receive a review to the other church. It's the church of Philadelphia which we will read about in chapter 3 verses 7 to 13. So Smyrdam and the church of Philadelphia they don't receive a review. But I want to ask a question. I want us to think about something. In Revelation 3 verses 7 to 13 the church of Philadelphia they are also facing the same group of people. We will see in Revelation 3 9 just comparing these two churches. Revelation 3 9 he says, Indeed, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews but are not, but lie. Indeed, I will make them come and worship before your feet and to know that I have loved you. Revelation 3 verse 9 So the question that's in my mind and which I want to just put forward to us is this. Revelation 2 verse 9 there is a church in Smyrdam they are facing this group of people Jesus refers to them telling their Jews they are synagogue of Satan but in Revelation 2 these people harm the church. They put some of them in prison church of Smyrdam Revelation 3 verse 9 church of Philadelphia they are facing similar group to synagogue of Satan but to them Jesus says I will make them come down and fall at your feet and they will know that I have loved you so I have a question for us to discuss why is there this to this Smyrdam the same group of people are attacking them putting some of them in prison worshipping them some of them will suffer for 10 days Philadelphia same group similar group synagogue of Satan but Jesus says I will make them come down and fall at your feet and they will know that I have loved you two local churches both churches long to Jesus both churches made up of believers why in one case the church is suffering being persecuted being put in prison why in another case same people for this we come and worship above down the church what could be the reason ah we don't have it stated yet but I just want to say because if you and I were given a church and said we all want to be like the church and put it healthier we want to see the synagogue of Satan come and bow at our feet why is there this to this what could be the reason I'm not saying we have a very clear answer because it's not given to us but could we just think about it I would like to hear a little thoughts there is no right or wrong answer because we can't prove it's good for us just to think about it or anybody you want to share please go I hope you understood my question and you know what's the difference between the church and the spirit and the church they are facing the same enemies or same type of enemies but one is being persecuted one is in a place with a meaning why can you talk I just said my thoughts I think the motto is for them to hold on to their faith because we see in both of the instances in the church of Surinna he says be faithful to the end and as I was reading the church of Philadelphia he says hold on to what you have I mean even in today's world we see missionaries they are giving up their life they die they get persecuted but not all pastors actually get persecuted so doesn't mean God was not gracious to them God was gracious to us like some pastors they go through persecution and they are not martyred they are alive they stand strong because of some they give up their life for Christ and even death becomes a testimony doesn't mean we all have to go to prisons be tested but some pastors actually they go they sometimes they stand strong for Christ over there and what I believe I mean what I think and of the day it's about us holding on to our faith us holding on to the world and the devil knows where we are weak and that's where he's gonna hate us and that's gonna be different for every one of us that's what I'm thinking so even if we get persecuted even if we go to prisons and all we have to hold on to our faith and in the church of Philadelphia if we have the authority and the devil is coming under our foot again that should not give us any pride and we still have to hold on to our faith I'm just saying it in that way yeah good talk go ahead go ahead please yeah thank you pastor I was also looking at the wordings in both the cases one is at least in my bible in the Zen KJV the heading is for the church in Smyrna as the persecuted church and the church in Philadelphia is a faithful church and even for the other churches there has been different descriptions given so I believe goddess are trying to reveal different what to say different aspects or different sections of people whom he would find during those last days especially in this wordings or the words that he is even quoting here it says that you may be tested and you will have tribulation 10 days so he is very specifically mentioning the reason why it says that you are about to suffer and all that as if Jesus is giving a prior warning to the church and trying to encourage them to be faithful until death whereas in the case of church in Philadelphia it's presented the message to them is presented as if you know they have he has found them to be faithful and so he is saying that I know your words I have said before you an open door and no one can shut it but you have a little strength you have kept my word and you have not denied my name and it goes on to say that I will make those of the synagogue of Satan to come and worship before your feet and to know that I have loved you so it's I feel different aspects of the journey of faith if we compare the churches to believers different sections of believers I would say maybe it is God is saying the church in Philadelphia is already a kind of a faithful church and the other one it's a persecuted church and though Jesus is saying I know your works and all that he is encouraging them to be faithful to the end they are abandoned but he is encouraging them though they will go through a tribulation but be faithful to the end thank you thank you anyone else to share anything I will share my thought it's very similar to what Digen Digena shared so when it comes to church in Smyrna you know as the word I am going to test that it is part of the word which we saw so it's the word says about to throw some of you into prison that you may be tested that's one word which we see towards the end you say be faithful until the end and also when we see the towards the end he who overcomes shall not be heard by the second death so it's also giving a hope of life with Jesus and the they eliscate the second death then they overcome so as we also see in Romans 7 Perseverance so I think it's encouraging the church when they go through tribulation continue in that to have Perseverance in their life when you compare that with church in Philadelphia as we already mentioned about those words but we look at verse 10 because you have kept my command to persevere I will also keep you from the our trial which shall come up and verse 8 also says you have a little strength and have kept my word and have not denied my name so maybe this church would have already gone through a lot of tribulation a lot of a lot of problem already and they have kept the word of God they have kept commandments and verse 10 also says you have kept my command to persevere then God is saying I stand with you and I'm going to bring you a place of dominion so I think it is to do with the time of testing and tribulation that every church needs to face and I think Smirna is yet to face the level of tribulation and Philadelphia church had already gone through it and have overcome thank you good, thank you all so I think the summary of what we have been hearing one is that it's not that either the church in Smirna or the church in Philadelphia one is better or the other because the Lord says even to the church in Smirna I know your poverty but you are rich so he is actually saying you are rich spiritually so that means there, there, there, there it's pretty good spiritually but I think the two things I could point to now is to summarize verse 10 church in Smirna church in Philadelphia we have to be faithful to the end so that's regardless of what we are going through what we go through we will all have different experiences we have to be faithful to the end second thing that seems to be coming out from what we have shared is that the churches are in a different stage in their journey, their spiritual journey so again this is what we are trying to improve it but it's probably the church of Smirna is facing these things so that they can be tested and prove their faithful for the spread as the church of Philadelphia seems to have already gone through that phase because he says, you know, I know of your philosophy I guess I know you've not been able to remain as a good pastor you've been faithful so maybe the church of Smirna is in that stage where they are proving their faithfulness the church of Philadelphia has come into that place of having proven their faithfulness and that's putting them in a place of the many over the same group of people and we don't know if the same group of people in the synagogue of Satan these assembly people have troubled most likely they would have troubled the church of Flida in the past but this church has stayed strong and God is saying now you're going to see a common worship at your feet and most likely the church of Smirna is making the journey right now these these hardships but if they prove their faithfulness they are also going to see the same sort of worship common so I think that's one way to look at it once in a while I'm not saying we can necessarily prove all of this by chaptering this just a little bit to understand that all of us have to be faithful and we are making our different journeys the local churches the local churches are making their journeys with God so we go to different stages we go to different seasons we hope to be faithful and people effort to come into that place there those who persecute those who afflict those who cause us harm along and cause them to come and recognize the beyond so that's yeah, thank you for sharing with us so the church of Smirna they are in that stage where they are facing those hardships a lot of alerting that look this is going to happen that don't give up be faithful to the end you will receive very broad account of life and you will overcome the same difference versus 12 to 17 this is the church in Pergamos let's read that before I break so in relation to 12 to 13 17 and to the angel of the church in Pergamos these things says he who has a sharp two-edge sword I know your works and where you dwell you have been thrown us and you hold fast to my name and did not deny my faith even in the days in which Antipas was my faithful martyr who was killed among you where Satan dwells but I have a few things against you because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam who taught Bala to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel who sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicoletians which thing I hate repent or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth he who has an ear let him hear what the spirit says to the churches to him who overcomes I'll give some of the hidden manna to eat from a white stone and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it so look at how the Lord introduces himself to the church and the context of that church here he say I've got a double edged sword meaning the word you know the word of God is double edged what is the issue in the church it has to do with the word of God now the word is saying hey church I'm just part of phrasing I'm just putting it in a sentence but I don't mean to be discussed simply the Lord is saying church I am the one who speaks the un-contramized word it's almost the double edged sword un-contramized word the problem you have is your compromising word so that's the connection so the church I say this particular local church that's the immediate context but we are also playing to us as local churches the church must hold on to the un-contramized un-corrupted word it's when the Lord was speaking to the church in Pergamot he says look church I know your words I know how you are in a very difficult city this is the place where Satan dwells meaning it's like Satan has made his place here Satan's got so much of influence in the cities Lord was very aware of the spiritual atmosphere over that particular city where they are and over the cities where we are playing Satan is dwelling, devils made his house that's the spiritual atmosphere in the city satan words the Lord is recognizing that even in from the church of Pergamot there was this man called Antipas who died as a martyr so thankfully he died as a martyr but the problem that this church has to do with the doctrine, the teaching in which they have compromised that is a problem so what is the problem they have embraced the verse 14 sorry they have embraced the doctrine of failure sorry that means this kind of teaching which the Lord is referring to it has a doctrine of failure meaning this is the same kind of teaching that failure taught a lot where it was a teaching that God taught the people of God into sin, idolatry and immorality anything that same kind of teaching is going on and the church has accepted it and it is a loving people to hold on to subscribe to that kind of teaching so they are okay with teaching that causes God's people to go into immorality into idolatry and there is this doctrine of Nicolaitia again that is the same group that we read earlier another two different kinds one is the doctrine of failure and the doctrine of Nicolaitia and if you go by the meaning of the word Nicolaitia it is a doctrine that suppresses the laity if you go by what people say about the practices it is basically a group of people that practice immorality similar to the doctrine of failure but the points they have compromised the word the truth of possible the doctrine of failure and the doctrine of Nicolaitia it says it depends on the the very word that you are forsaken with the very word that you have abandoned you are going to be a church to fight against you so think about this Jesus is saying I will fight against his own in this case the church even fight against his own local church not because he doesn't love them but because of what they have compromised compromised on the word of the doctrine okay so let's pause here we'll come back and we'll think about this a little bit more after the break and think about how it applies to us and how today in the world in which we live how important this is to us to apply that to us okay so let's come back right after the break thank you