And He Healed them all: The Link between Holiness & Healing IV.mp3
Key Text:
1 Peter 3:15
Heb. 11:8-13
1 Cor. 6:12
2 Peter 2:17-22
1 John 5:4,5
Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26
Overview:
Nearly half of the message tonight was review, so this overview will be brief.
We went forward in our study of overcoming and being overcome.
I will quickly mention here that the reason we are covering this is because it is connected to I Cor. 3:16-20; I Cor. 6:12-20; I Cor. 9:24-27; I Cor. 11: 17-22; 28-34 all of which address sin effecting the health and longevity of the body. Therefore demonstrating the link between holiness and health/healing.
“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” ~ 1 Jn. 5:4-5
and
“And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” ~ Rev. 12:11
To those who overcome…
We began to take a close look at what Jesus said to the church as His last revelation to them. Notably, the first things He says to the churches directly all had one common theme – overcoming!
We only got through the first three churches tonight, namely Ephesus, Smyrna & Pergamos.
Rev 2:1-17:
To the angel of the church of Ephesus write:
‘The words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand, Who walks among the seven golden lampstands [churches – Rev. 1:20]. [Here Jesus introduces Himself as the One who holds the angels in His power and dwells among the church of God. All that is said here in within that context]
‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.” [Throughout these chapters it is VERY IMPORTANT to notice that Jesus does NOT say…”I know y our hearts”…He says, “I know your works”! These people had good intentions but dishonorable hearts because they were still in control of their own godliness. This is NO different than the Jews of Paul’s day. [Rom. 10:1-3]
I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for My Name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.
But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. [Notice that they were doing all the right things as though they were a church which honored God – much like Israel in Isa. 58:2. Nevertheless, they were doing these things out of self effort and not in relational trust in Him. They were doing all this FOR Him not WITH Him. – THIS is something the churches MUST overcome.]
Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.
If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand [church] from its place, unless you repent.
Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the one who OVERCOMES I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’ [According to Gen. 3:22, the tree of life is that which causes one to life eternally or better put, to live in intimate knowledge of and oneness with Him eternally. Notice that this statement to the church (believers) of Ephesus was CONDITIONAL.]
To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.” [Jesus here places emphasis on His being the ‘book ends’ of all creation, even of death itself – the One Who died and came alive. All that is said here in within that context.]
‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. [Notice He does not repremand them for their poverty but it is in the list of the things for which He was commending them. Not FOR the poverty, but that though poor they were not bitter nor seeking unnecessary mammon].
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. [Physical suffering should not dictate a believers allegiance. Which is why “loving God for all the things He ahs done for me” is a POOR reason to worship. We worship because of WHO HE is NOT for how we are benefited by Him. If reward is the basis for our honor – we will forsake and deny Him in times like these.]
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. [Notice that He does not tell them that if their faith was stronger they could avoid such suffering.]
Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
The one who Overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’ [The second death is spiritual death – meaning eternal separation from God. Notice that this statement to the church (believers) of Smyrna was CONDITIONAL.]
To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
‘The words of Him Who has the sharp two-edged sword.” [Jesus here is identifying Himself as the One Who is the Author of the Word (Heb. 4:12). All that is said here in within that context]
‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is.
Yet you hold fast My Name, and you did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas My faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. [Both faith in general and the doctrines of the Faith are His. He is acknowledging their faithfulness to stand firm to His Name even through days when they could have been martyred for so doing.]
But I have a few things against you:
- you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. [This was evidently only be practiced by a few but it is an egregious sin. This sin is mentioned in Rom. 14 & I Cor. 8. Often teachers play down the meaning but the context and flow of the passage does not allow for a casual interpretation – neither does the Greek. These passages talk about engaging in activities before those who are young in the faith which wound their conscience. These young believes therefore are emboldened to go against their conscience and therefore sin. As they continue in this activity it leads them to complete and total spiritual ruin (Rom. 14:15 & I Cor. 8:11). I address this more completely in the audio of the message.]
- So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. [No one knows entirely what Jesus was specifically speaking of here but we do have some extra-biblical history of reliable note that sheds some light upon it. Irenaeus, Epiphanius, and Theodoret mentioned the Nicolaitans. Irenaeus says that “they lead lives of unrestrained indulgence.” A Catholic writer of the 3rd century states that they ate things offered to idols. Bede an English monk of the 7th century states that Nicolas allowed other men to marry his wife and Thomas Aquinas believed that Nicholas supported either polygamy or the holding of wives in common.”
Therefore repent. [There was need for all to repent, not just the ones practicing the evil, but the ones who refused to judge it and remove them from their assemblies – I Cor. 5:11-13.]
If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of My mouth. [He judges by His Word – II Tim. 3: 16,17]
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the one who Overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’ [The hidden manna is presumably that which was placed within the Ark of the Covenant as a testimony against Israel – Exod. 16:32-35. It was a testimony to the faifulness of God to Speak to His people – Deut. 8:3. Furthermore, He will give them a new name on a white stone. Guzik says, “A white stone could be a ticket to a banquet, a sign of friendship, evidence of having been counted, or as a sign of acquittal in a court of law.” so it may be with this stone, but one this is for certain – He will be faithful to speak to us a name which is only between us and He. A pet, name is you will, one enjoyed between friends and lovers. Its privacy speaks to its intimacy – those who overcame Knew Him intimately and loved Him devotedly. Notice that this statement to the church (believers) of Pergamum was CONDITIONAL.]
We will pick up with the church of Thyatira this Sunday.
To hear the message simply click on the link above.
