The Webster Bible Church Podcast

Hold Fast! - Revelation 3:7-13

Transformative Truth: 
Trust the Authority and Power of Jesus Christ to keep you.

1. The first place you must Trust the Authority & Power of Jesus is in Salvation

But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. Matthew 23:13

2. The Second Place you must Trust the Authority & Power of Jesus to keep you is on Mission

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

3. The third way we trust the Authority & Power of Jesus is to keep us through the Hour of Trial

I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. John 17:15

4. The fourth way we trust the Authority & Power of Jesus is to keep us through Eternity

I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. Revelation 3:11

Rev. 3:12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it...

...and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. Revelation 3:12b

Rev. 3:13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

Heb. 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

Christ's Message To A Dying Church - Revelation 3:1-3

Transformative Truth: 
Christ supplies by his Word and Spirit what the church is lacking.

The Attributes of the Lord Revelation 3:1a

The Assessment of the Church Revelation 3:1b

The Action to Be Taken Revelation 3:2-3a

Wake up, and Strengthen what remains... Remember what you received and heard. Keep it, and Repent.

Christ supplies by his Word and Spirit what we're lacking.

Three Questions for the Apathetic

Am I living in unconfessed sin?

Have I neglected God's means of grace?

What fills my mind daily?

The Appeal to Be Heeded Revelation 3:3b-6

The Letter To The Church In Thyatira: The Cost Of Discipleship - Revelation 2:18-29

Transformative Truth: 
Nothing can be lost in serving Jesus now, that will not be infinitely eclipsed when we inherit Him.

 

Christ's Message To A Compromising Church - Revelation 2:12-17

Transformative Truth: 
Stop compromising and stand steadfast in the shadow of Satan’s throne.

We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one.
- 1 John 5:19

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life – is not from the Father but is from the world.
- 1 John 2:15-16

1. Be awed by Jesus Christ (v. 12)

2. Be aware of your condition (vv. 12-15)

“This church had been faithful under the assault of the world’s violence, but it was yielding to the allures of the world’s friendship.”

While the Israelites were camped at Acacia Grove, some of the men defiled themselves by having sexual relations with local Moabite women. These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, so the Israelites feasted with them and worshiped the gods of Moab. In this way, Israel joined in the worship of Baal of Peor, causing the Lord’s anger to blaze against his people.
- Numbers 25:1-3

3. Take action as a church (v. 16a) 

4. Pay attention to the consequences (vv. 16b-17)

Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 10 So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.
- 1 John 3:9-10

“To humbly submit to the church’s discipline, graciously repenting when approached about personal sin, and lovingly restoring others who become entangled in sin.”

Christ's Message To A Suffering Church - Revelation 2:8-11

Transformative Truth: 
Don’t be afraid of what you’ll suffer as a Christian.

The Addressee of the Letter Revelation 2:8a

The Attributes of the Lord Revelation 2:8b

The Address to the Church Revelation 2:9-10

The Appeal to Each Person Revelation 2:11

“Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?” - Jesus Christ (Mark 8:35-37)

It is possible to be a good church!

A church that pleases Jesus will not be exempt from suffering.

Jesus is worth dying for.

Christ's Message To A Church Whose Love Has Faded - Revelation 2:1-7

Transformative Truth: 
Good deeds and doctrinal purity are no substitute for love.

The Authority of the Lord Revelation 2:1

The Address to the Church Revelation 2:6

The Commendations

The Complaint

The Commands

Good deeds and doctrinal purity are no substitute for love.

The Appeal to Each Person Revelation 2:7

A Sight For Sore Eyes - Revelation 1:9-20

Transformative Truth: 
A fresh vision of Jesus inspires continued faithfulness to Jesus.

Where John was Revelation 1:9-10a

God is not revealing more Scripture to us, but he is revealing Scripture more to us.

What John Heard Revelation 1:10b-11

What John Saw Revelation 1:12-16 He is "clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest." "The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow." "His eyes were like a flame of fire." "His feel were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace." "His voice was like the roar of many waters." "In his right hand he held seven stars...." "From his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword." "His face was like the sun shining in full strength."

What Happened Next Revelation 1:17-20

A fresh vision of Jesus inspires continued faithfulness to Jesus.

The Best Greeting Ever - Revelation 1:4-8

Transformative Truth: 
The God of all grace is worthy of all glory.

THE SETTING (v. 4a)

THE SALUTATION (vv. 4b-8)

• Grace and peace from God

• Glory and praise to God

The Seven-Fold Description of Christ
"the faithful witness"
"the firstborn of the dead"
"the ruler of the kings on earth"
He "loves us"
"And has freed us from our sins by his blood"
"and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and our Father"
"He is coming with the clouds"

The God of all grace is worthy of all glory.

The Blessing Of The Book Of Revelation - Revelation 1:1-3

Transformative Truth: 
God blesses those who read, hear, and heed the revelation of Jesus Christ.

The Book Revelation 1:1-2

God (the Father) Jesus Christ (the Son) His angel His servant John

Four Views of Revelation Preterist (past view) Futurist (pre-view) Historicist (panoramic view) Idealist (parallel view)

The Blessing Revelation 1:3

God blesses those who read, hear, and heed the revelation of Jesus Christ.

A Life Of Expectation - Matthew 5:10-12

Transformative Truth: 
True Righteousness brings persecution; persecution for Jesus' sake brings eternal reward.

First, to stay faithful, you must arm yourself with the expectation of a righteous life.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:5-8

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Romans 8:29

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalm 23:3

Second, to stay faithful, you must arm yourself with the expectation of persecution.

For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 1 Peter 2:20-21

We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.  Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.

To stay faithful, you must arm yourself with the expectation of eternal rewards.

And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you. Jeremiah 1:18-19

Why has my pain been perpetual And my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Wilt Thou indeed be to me like a deceptive stream With water that is unreliable? Jeremiah 15:18 NASB

My soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, "My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord." Lamentations. 3:17-18

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." 
Lamentations 3:21-24

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 2 Corinthians 2:15-16