Deliberately choosing the cross(Matthew 10:38, 16:24), 1. This is the one, verse 8, The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. It is in the transcendence of God that His eminence is so much comfort. Over time, the distinction between sacrificing to the Emperor as a ruler to honor him, and sacrificing to the Emperor as a god, well, that gets pretty fuzzy, and in some peoples minds a difference, a distinction without a difference. But listen to the heroes of the faith. However fate or providence may assail us, our commitment to our Lord is, first, and supreme. Matthew 9:24, Luke 8:53), 2. Committed to a belief in another world(Colossians 3:2, 1 Corinthians 15:19), A. Clarence It was a great city in the day of the flesh of our Lord. . False doctrine leads many astray. The ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity (Lk. B. WebFEATURE SERMON TEXT-FEATURE Featuring a sermon puts it on the front page of the site and is the most effective way to bring this sermon to the attention of thousands Theyre such a testimony to Gods grace. You dont forget His promise. So they didnt have the same protection. 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). read more, Scripture: Revelation chapter 2, verses 8 through 11. And Jesus is waiting for the day of our coming. Charles Wesley was an Anglican minister. The apostle John writes in 1 John 2:15-17: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. And if the challenge in Ephesus was lovelessness, here it is the hatred of those who do not love Christ, or love the truth. An appeal for faithfulness in an era when WebBe faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. read more, Scripture: Files Audio Faithful Unto Death (Video) Notes Transcript Two commands. There is one surviving document we know that came from Polycarp. Its called the Letter of Polycarp to the Philippians. 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]. Hezekiah held fast to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments (2 Ki. He told the disciples do not worry about what you will say in that day. Remembering the things of God will help us overcome temptation. Selfishness prevents people from being faithful. Thats the promise in verse 11. You read these stories of the martyrs and even allowing that perhaps the Church spoke at times with some exaggerated spirituality, maybe, yet we believe that its historically true and happened and happened much like that. Number two let us be faithful even in our limited kinds of persecution. Which naturally leads to the second command, at the end of verse 10 Be faithful unto death. Now may I give, point out a poignant illustration of that in the Word of God? read more, Scripture: For Jesus sake we pray. The shears with rust are spoiled and yet. Many deal with doubt and fear, but it is possible to be certain of salvation and live abundantly in Christ. I started with the story of Polycarp. I AM the LIFE. [John 13:34-35, 15:12-13, 15:7; 1 John 3:14, 4:7, 4:11, 4:21], Great Doctrines of the Bible: Practical Theology, And an unswerving continuance in the Word of God, A continuing living faith in a victorious Christ, And the last one that I mentioned: a devout, fervent love for Gods people. Revelation 2:8-11, Denomination: Some of you will be thrown into prison for a time. Pentecostal. Thats what it is. Most people dont consider that they will die. When the lad was thirteen years old, because of the poverty of the family, they sent him away to London; there apprenticed him to a tailorjust receiving something to eat and something to wear. And you cannot enter heaven loving the wrong world. Oh, what a beautiful thing, a precious thing, a wonderful thing: to love our Lord and to follow humbly in the way of Jesus! If they die faithfully, they get a crown of life. Holiness. WebTrue faithfulness to God is maintained to the end. 2 Timothy 4:6-8, Denomination: There are so many things in this world, which keep people from being faithful. You couldnt see their god, so they said they were atheists. He motioned toward them with his hand and then groaning as he looked up to heaven said, Away with the atheists. Meaning the atheists. We dont want to exaggerate it, we dont want to claim that were facing what other people are facing. If youre faithful unto death, you will get the crown of life. Why didnt the Lord say that to Zaccheus? Thats the cry in each one of these churches. Faithfulness is required for all four quarters, all three periods, all nine innings. Hold fast to what you have, that no one may take your crown (Rev. 10:17), 1. Of those 70 million that scholars estimate, 70 million Christian martyrs in the history of the Church, 45 million were killed in the 20th century, in the last 100 years. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. I recognize the first born of Satan. So he didnt mess around. We, too, can lose focus of whats important in life. Many people have is just the opposite. Moule]. And He took him out under the chalice of the night sky and said, Abraham, count the stars. And Abraham said, Lord, I cannot count that many. And God said, So shall thy seed be [Genesis 15:3-5]. We dont have a small Christ who is coming and just saying, Oh, I will shed a tear for you. No, this is the One who is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. 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. It wasnt the procedure at this time that you would try to stamp out every Christian, but if somebody ratted you out, often your family, and you were brought there, then you were made to recant. 10:39). We come to see that the thing of value is not speed but endurance. And worse than strange, is thought hateful. He literally opens up his heart and lets However, to sin is an everyday reality of truth---a reality of faith. But why do you delay? FAITHFUL Maybe take a half hour to read it. What was important to them in the beginning was no longer important. Suppose I were to stand in this pulpit and speak and discuss English literature three times once a week? Of those 36 billion who have lived in the past 2000 years, by a very generous estimate, 12 billion were evangelized, had some access to the Gospel. 2014.04.20 HE AROSE and you can too! Number one pray for the persecuted Church. The Lord said, if we are faithful unto death, He would give us a CROWN OF LIFE. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarahs womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith being fully persuaded that, what God had promised, He was able to perform. 1 2 3 4 Next He did NOT say, If you are faithful a few short years I will give thee a In fact, Polycarp was a disciple of John, who wrote this book of Revelation. We dont have a little God. Dont think youre the only one to have this struggle. And I wonder if those of you this morning who are facing uncertain times, facing hardships, illness, chronic problems, test results, wayward family members Can you hear this comfort? Truly, temptations----works of the devil challenge our daily thoughts and decisions. 10/18/2006 Title: The Face of Faithfulness: John For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world. . However, when they entered Rahab's house, they found a woman who had already been touched by the Spirit and Theres nothing that says we cant pray for it to be removed. Will God reward you? read more, Scripture: But to be repudiated and to be censored and to be disliked is a terrible thing to bear. More were killed by other religious groups, and far and away, most of those Christian martyrs were killed by the state, some 55 million out of those 70 million. You cannot help but admire this young man. Text: Genesis 49:28-50 As long as Christianity was a sect of Judaism, there was little trouble. Given repudiation of the world, a. Jesus The Resurrection of Jesus says it all. We all love to be acclaimed. May I turn to 1 John 3:14? 1 Cor 15:14 Repent. I dont want it to come. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death. This is the second of seven messages to seven churches. 15, 16), VI. In fact, this one disqualifying sin will exclude us from ever going to heaven and receiving eternal life. And Jesus will reign now and into eternity. Certainly under all of the rules of logic the one who assumes that an apparently dead person is still alive should be able to produce substantial proof. We can remember the great examples of Scripture. heroes of the faith(Hebrews 11:9-10, 16), 1. Come. If we live as Christians simply to avoid death, we are not living as Jesus would have us live. Or suppose I were to stand here, and if I were trained to be a scientist; suppose I were to lecture on science three times every week? Scripture is a powerful force in our efforts to remain faithful-You must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them (2 Tim. Not only is there no evidence of immortality, but the facts show it is utterly impossible for us that there should be a life beyond this one on earth. Thats what they say, the unbeliever and the infidel and the agnostic. But look at Jesus (John 1:10-11, Mark 5:40, It had been for a long time. We respond in Faith! Now you have it translated here, And he was sad at that saying [Mark 10:22]. Notice the Lord Jesus says in verse 9, I know your tribulation and your poverty. This was a church that had more pain than they had money. But in particular it blames some of the Jews. Jesus knows. WebWe 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 and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (Heb. That is an extreme and harsh word taken in itself. 1: 5). There are absolutes in the Christian life. He hands it back to you doubly blessed; sanctified, hallowed when I place Jesus first in my life. As we think of Gods love, what could we do but be faithful? May angels attend you in the way as you come. The tragic and terrible civil war he was fighting in his heart registered in his countenance, stugnaz; and he lost the battle. EASTER SUNDAY 2014 SERMON 15 Outstanding Quotes To Recharge Your Preaching. 1:6). Indeed, the devil will throw some of 4:10). There is a marvelous thing that happens when a man places Jesus first in his lifeloves our Lord supremely above all other loveHe hands back to you your home, your family, your wife, your business, your children, every dream and vision of your soul. Sometimes people do. Because the one who overcomes this present, temporary, fleeting pain will not be pained by the second and everlasting death. The sermons and original blog posts are Copyright by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr. 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.. 22:37). But from salvation to glory there are three vitally important And the world passeth away . His salary was less than two hundred dollars a year. They worship every now and then but not with any kind of regularity. Self, by nature, is on the throne of my heart. Behold the It has never happened in the history of the world. But in 1776, he joined the Revolutionary Army. He lived, he died, he's alive. Believed and confessed they were strangers and pilgrims in this earth(Revelation 21:2). They dont think anything of the second death, thats not a possibility, but maybe theres some way with the right potions and the right exercise and the right diet, I dont actually have to face my own mortality.. Now, listen to His exact word: Give away what you have. 18:6). Suppose I were to stand in this pulpitI majored in English in college, and I love English literature. Just do the sacrifices, just do the ritual, and if you want to say youre doing it to the emperors as rulers, to honor them, and not as gods, then so be it. Can you imagine after forty years the people here by the thousands listening to me lecture on mathematics or science or literature or the humanities? 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