31:23). The same thing is true of those in Hebrews 11. We are called to be a people of the Gospel; the Gospel must be central to our lives. Listening to a man expound the unsearchable riches of the Word of God. As we think of Gods love, what could we do but be faithful? Its been translated into English. Theyre such a testimony to Gods grace. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death. This is the second of seven messages to seven churches. self in my heart and enthrone the Lord Jesus, 1. 5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions. He comes with comfort. His face beneath the cross is the face of faithfulness. It is like manna from heaven to a hungry heart. Luke 14:25 and 26: And there went great multitudes with Him: and He turned, and said unto them, If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, his wife, and children, his brothers, and sisters, and yea, his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. They assume they will go to heaven. But after thirty-nine years, standing here in this pulpit, there are thousands and thousands who come every Lords day listening to what? False doctrine leads many astray. We would like if He had said, Do not fear because you wont suffer. I would much prefer that. Would You hold fast Your Church around the world, facing so much more in opposition than we face, and when we are called upon to face whatever trials and difficulties, whether suffering at the hands of others or suffering from natural disasters and infirmity and the age of life, may we be faithful even unto death. Its important to remember what happened after the Resurrection! It is a great vast city, today called Izmir. He literally opens up his heart and lets Never. So 36billion total. Supreme love for Jesus our Lord(Luke 14:25-26), A. Web10/ 9/ 94 FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH REVELATION 2: 10 (PAGE 1785 COME ALIVE BIBLE) JESUS CHRIST is appropriately spoken of as "the faithful witness" (Rev. a man loves the world and the things that are in it, he will find his hands And of those 8 billion Christians in the 2000 years since Christ, even nominally Christian, about 70 million have been martyred by one definition or another, a little less than 1%. He never knows a turning back or an ultimate defeat. Is God first in your life? Picking things up after Polycarp has been arrested and hes being brought into the stadium in Smyrna. 4:2). 2 Timothy 4:6-8, Denomination:
But, if in a household there was a slave, and when time came, when that seventh year came and the slave was freeif he so loved his master or she so loved her mistress, that he did not want to leave, then they went through this kind of a simple ritual. We find them suggested in II Kings 2:1-12. Not only that, but to receive from Jesus this comfort, its not simply the comfort of a really good friend who can put an arm around you or a counselor or a therapist or a pastor who can listen to you say and say, I feel so bad for you.. James 1:12: Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trail for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.
Truly, temptations----works of the devil challenge our daily thoughts and decisions. Faithfulness is required for all four quarters, all three periods, all nine innings.
3 Tests Of Plagiarism: Do Your Sermons Pass Them. And they will come and go, and the worse they can do to you is put you to death. Be faithful even unto the point of death because brother, sister, friend, when youre faithful to the point of death for Jesus, you get a crown of life. by Denial of self(Matthew 16:24-25), A. The Bible discusses faithfulness as being much more than worshipping God. Deliberately choosing the cross(Matthew 10:38, 16:24), 1. We cannot be defeated. False doctrine prevents people from being faithful. Give it up and come, take up the cross, and follow me. All England came to know him. But from salvation to glory there are three vitally important Now the next verse: And God counted his faith for righteousness, because he believed in the Lord [Genesis 16:6]. In the little city of Bethany, they plotted His death. Yes, death is an enemy, and we mourn for death. Why Jesus, in His letter to the church at Smyrna, instruct those Christians to Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.. Faith, trust, commitment brings God into our lives and into our scene; and faith knows absolutely nothing about defeat. read more, Scripture:
But faith has ten thousand answers for every how. For me I have it written down. But if I abdicate the throne, and no longer is itself, but if I enthrone my Lord, life becomes infinitely blessed, infinitely precious, infinitely meaningful. Not only that, but the Lord Jesus can sympathize because He, too, is a man, a human being, even now in heaven, the God-man. Currently 160,000 Christians, by one estimate, are martyred every year. Certainly Christians in many places are relatively free from that threat, but at all times there will be part of the Church that will be called upon to make the good confession in the midst of danger, hostility, and death. Hymn, I Have Decided to Follow Jesus, C. Faith If they die faithfully, they get a crown of life. Believed and confessed they were strangers and pilgrims in this earth(Revelation 21:2). All of us do. 3:14). And Jesus is waiting for the day of our coming.
Faithfulness means you keep bearing witness to Jesus. Well, Jesus said something about this. Revelation chapter 2, verses 8 through 11. That sadly has happened. 6:9). The author of Hebrews had just finished writing about great men and women of faith-He wrote about how they obeyed God out of their faith. And anchoring every one of these commands, I said this to the leadership training on Friday night, theres a reason that chapters 4 and 5 come after chapter 2 and 3, because it is the vision of the One who sits on the throne that is the antidote for everything that challenges the churches in chapters 2 through 3. John 8:31, 32: If you continue in My word, then are you My disciples indeed; And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 14:23-24: If any one love Me, he will keep My words . He hands it back to you doubly blessed; sanctified, hallowed when I place Jesus first in my life. Be faithful even unto the point of death because brother, sister, friend, when youre faithful to the point of death for Jesus, you get a crown of life.
Repent.
Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. It is interesting to note the things Jesus DID NOT say to them on how to overcome. Inspirational devotions delivered right to your email inbox. 11:4). The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways (Prov. If we are faithful, God will save us and glorify us in the life to come. When one is baptized into Christ and becomes a Christian, he begins a new life ( Rom. sanctified, hallowed, blessed, II. The Basis of the Gospel WebFAITHFUL EVEN UNTO DEATH II Kings 2:1-12 For the child of God, heaven is our ultimate destination. Every Christian wants to be able to say with the apostle Paul, as he thought about his own death ( 2 Tim. And unbelief will ask, How can such a thing be? Call to worship: It appears that some 65 years earlier the Christian church in Smyrna was facing many of the same trials. WebIts a very tender and touching sceneone of the most moving and heartwarming farewell speeches thats ever been recorded in literature. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. What does it mean for us? That means we are never turning back. And what you do and what you believe and how you carry yourself is thought strange?
This sermon was originally preached by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., at the Alum Creek church of Christ in Alum Creek, West Virginia. Some of those Christians have been killed by other Christians.
When the crowd learned that it would not be possible to set a lion loose, thats what they called for, then they shouted for him to be burned alive. We live, we die, we live again. But from salvation to glory there are three vitally important 1 Corinthians 15:1-58, Denomination:
An outline from the book The Bumps Are What You Climb On "Three Important Looks" by Warren Wiersbe pg 17 1980 Where is your? Yes, death is an enemy for sure, but there is a worse enemy. We come to see that the thing of value is not speed but endurance. He died and He came to life, therefore whatever happens to you, Christian, whatever befalls you, Smyrna, whatever happens among you, Christ Covenant, know that Im the beginning and the end, and even if you die for your faith, listen to the One who died and came to life. II Kings 2:1-12 However, to sin is an everyday reality of truth---a reality of faith. We will suffer. After the resurrection Number one. Pentecostal. Try to set an example from time to time to pray for it here from the pulpit. They were most affluent and well-to-do. One, starting with Nero, Christians were blamed for things in Rome and were being persecuted, at least intermittently. Title: The Face of Faithfulness: John He knows your broken heart in a way that no one else does. A Compelling Conclusion (Part 1) # 18 In the fifteenth chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy is one of the most unusual parabolic instances of devotion that you could ever think for or find in all literature. Some put it much lower than that, if its actually killing you because you confess Christ, the higher number is if in some way the state has starvation or death or opposition to religious groups, including Christians. Suffering. It has never happened in the history of the world. It is a place on which somebody is executed, a cross. He said you can avoid that second hellish death and though you may face martyrdom, you can live a glorious, joyous life, because on the other side of the first death, is eternal life. In 23 B.C. II Timothy 4:6-8 Paul was looking with
The Bible tells us that there is a sin that leads unto death - one single sin - and it might not be what we expect. But when that acclamation and acceptance violates our commitment to Christ, it is to be repudiated by the disciple of our Lord.
And because of the necessity pressed upon him in his growing family, he accepted an affluent church in London. Will God reward you? We allow ourselves to be involved in so many activities that we no longer have the time to devote to Bible study and prayer. It had been for a long time. 3 attributes we find in Pauls heart: 1.
Now, listen to His exact word: Give away what you have. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. [First John] 4:7, Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love one another [1 John 4:11]. WebIts a very tender and touching sceneone of the most moving and heartwarming farewell speeches thats ever been recorded in literature. 1: 5). The fourth characteristic, the fourth mark of a true disciple of our Lordone who continues unswervingly in the Word of God. Will you praise Him in pain? Text: Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mothers sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. [My Glorious Victor, Prince Divine, Handley C.G. Would to God we had ten thousand lives to offer to Jesus. Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! by 4:10). read more, Scripture:
The gate is too strait, and the way is too narrow for a man to enter heaven holding the love of the world in his arms [Matthew 7:13-14]. 5:17; 10/18/2006 Thats the promise in verse 11. In many parts of the West, though not facing yet death, are facing increasing hostility and discrimination, not the likes of which our brothers and sisters may see in Afghanistan or North Korea or parts of northern Africa, but yet facing opposition, persecution. Say away with the atheist.. Verse 10: Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Please, sir, your Majesty, said the pastor, could you grant pardon to the boy? He did it. How do you respond when you are living your best, walking by faith, serving God and the bottom falls out? Remember this is a letter from whom? If they refuse to swear by Caesar, if they refuse to worship our gods, then we must punish them., Polycarp replied, For 86 years I have been His servant and He has done me no wrong. He famously died a martyrs death in 155 or 156, and when he died the church at Smyrna sent out a letter, To tell the story of those who have suffered martyrdom, especially blessed Polycarp, who as though he had set his seal by his martyrdom brought the persecution to an end.. Maybe take a half hour to read it. Hes telling us from Gods Holy Scriptures about our Lord. 12:1). We dont have a little God. It continues to the last stitch. They were hated, they were harassed, they faced the prospect of persecution and even death in this city of Smyrna. Where, O death, is your victory? 14 views Watch this sermon on a Roku or Apple TV! Or suppose I were to stand in this pulpit and lecture on the humanities, or any subject you would choose to name: philosophy, psychology, medicine, astronomy, anything. But in this context, in Smyrna, apparently, it was some of the Jews, whether because they felt like the Christians had sold them out or because they were worshiping another god, or they claimed to have had the Messiah, they would sometimes rat them out and be the informers that would then bring upon the Romans to these Christians in Smyrna. Oh, what a beautiful thing, a precious thing, a wonderful thing: to love our Lord and to follow humbly in the way of Jesus! And when the young man asked, Master, all of these commandments have I kept from my youth, but my heart is still hungry and empty, what lack I yet that I might obtain eternal life? You dont doubt His goodness. I have never heard an exception to this in my life, and it is always false, it is always untrue. They believed the promises and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims in this earth [Hebrews 11:13]: Now, they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: And I turn the pages of the Book, And I John, saw that holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband [Revelation 21:2]. The handles of my plow where tears are wet. Probably dates to around 108 A.D., that is shortly after the death of Ignatius. Psalms 20:5-6 This is the pastor bringing the message entitled Faithful Unto Death. There are so many things in this world, which keep people from being faithful. We dont want to make the mistake of saying that just because one worships three times a week every week he is faithful. It was a difficult situation. After their conversion, they stop using alcohol but after a while they begin using it again. Genesis 50:1-26, Denomination:
We have to remember the reality to come which will last forever and the reality that exists now. We can remember the great examples of Scripture. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love (Jn. read more, Scripture:
[The Pearly White City, Arthur F. Ingler]. This comes in chapter 21, the final chapter in some of the manuscripts of The Martyrdom of Polycarp. Well be here listening. It is one of the truths of life. And the second characteristic and mark of a true child of Christ is to dethrone self in my heart and to enthrone the Lord Jesus: He is the King of my life. Speaking of winning the lost, Paul says, The love of Christ compels us (2 Cor. And a youngster wants to belong to the group. Could I take time to turn aside? There are many benefits to remaining faithful. Near the close of the previous chapter Paul had said," The law entered that the offence might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did much more
15 Outstanding Quotes To Recharge Your Preaching. Rev. They are clear and unequivocal; the first one is this: supreme love for Jesus our Lord. Any Amazon link on this site is an ad. Revelation 2:8-11, Denomination:
The love of your life is in money.
Each sermon has to do with our Christian life down here in the earth. Jesus does not offer a rebuke to Smyrna. Thats a great man, a marvelous man; thats Gods man. He told the disciples do not worry about what you will say in that day. General Washington needed information concerning the British troops.
But to be repudiated and to be censored and to be disliked is a terrible thing to bear. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions [Matthew 19:21-22; Mark 10:21, 22]. Your browser does not support the audio tag. Clearly gathering in this place were not, were not living under the Taliban. 1 John 5:16-18, ON POINT, III A It is one of the marks and the characteristics of a good disciple of Jesus; our love for one another. Paul said, None of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself so that I may finish my race with joy (Acts 20:24). Would it be murder, rape, spouse abuse, adultery, theft, gambling, or perhaps lying? Our Lord is saying, you be faithful and true even if it costs your life, and I will give you a crown [Revelation 2:10], stephanos, crown; the word Stephen, and you read about him and his martyrdom just now [Acts 7:54-60].