Posted on Wed, May 20, 2009
Highlights from Pastor Michael's Sermon on May 9, 2009 by Susan Bond
Pastor Michael has preached for the past several weeks about the letters that Jesus Christ sent to the seven churches. We have seen that in each of the seven letters Jesus described a different characteristic which should indicate a true and living church. The Ephesian Christians were urged to return to their first, fresh love for Him. The Christians at Smyrna were warned of the suffering that would surely come if they were to follow Him without compromise. The church at Pergamum was told to champion truth in the face of error, and the church in Thyatira was told to live righteously in the midst of evil. In Sardis the need was to put real deeds behind an undeserved reputation. Before the Philadelphia church the risen Lord set an open door of opportunity for the spread of the gospel and He bid the believers to step boldly through it. And finally, in the seventh letter, addressed to the church at Laodicea Jesus warned, with fierce denunciation, against complacency and he gave a tender appeal for wholeheartedness.
This week Pastor Michael focused on the letters mailed to Philadelphia and Laodicea. Philadelphia was told that they have an "open door that no man can shut." Jesus Christ, Himself, is the open door. Where does that door open? The door not only opens to salvation, but it also opens to Christian service. The doorway through Jesus is so narrow (Matthew 7:13,14) that only one person at a time can go through; there is no room for baggage like sin and selfishness. As the door to Christian service, however, Jesus is wide open; He is a door through which others can [and must] be invited.
The church at Philadelphia had little strength. Whatever the reason for this, Jesus promised to uphold them. Jesus said, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture" (John 10:9). Not only is Jesus Christ the door, but His authority is the key which unlocks closed doors. Remember the power that unlocked prison doors and chains that had held Peter captive? The same power was reported by Paul and Barnabas to have opened the door of faith on their missionary journey.
Addressing the Laodicean Church, Jesus saw a glaring contrast between what the Laodicean church said they were and what they really were. Jesus was disgusted with the lukewarm Christians at Laodicea. Today he is still disgusted with nominal Christians. He repudiates those whose attachment to him is purely nominal and superficial. So we must break with easy-going complacency. Smug self-satisfaction is not appropriate among us who bear the name of Jesus. Shallow piety will not save anyone. There will be no hypocrites in heaven. Yet Jesus still appealed tenderly for wholeheartedness as he held the door open with his personal call, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me (Revelation 3:20). Jesus is knocking. He wants to come in to take control. He wants us to surrender without condition to his lordship. He asks us to be personally and unconditionally committed to him. Nothing less will do.
No messages have been posted.
|
Post a Message:
|
| Contact: bradentonsdb.org@laura Search |
Copyright © 2012, Bradenton Seventh Day Baptist (S.D.B.) Church Logon |
 |