Back to the Basics
Nov. 13, 2011 / 8:30
What are some real essential elements of church growth?
1. A Strong Commitment to God's Word – Acts 2:40-42; 1 Thess. 1:6-9; Acts 6:7; 12:24; 16:5; 19:18-20; Rom. 16:25-27; Isa. 55:10-11; Mark 4:26-29;
Reflection:
How many days of this week, did you have your devotions?
How many times this week have you sown the seed of God’s Word into the hearts (soil) of others?
What is the level of your obedience to God?
2. A Strong Commitment to Prayer – When we read and apply God’s Word, we are sowing the seed; when we pray, we are adding water to it. Cf. Acts 1:4-5, 12-14; 6:4; 1 Tim. 2:1-8; 1 Sam. 4:9-10; 2 Sam. 10:9-12
Reflection:
If praying is equivalent to watering the seed (God’s Word), would the seed itself have the proper moisture to grow in your life?
Circle the one that best pertains to you: The amount of time I spend in prayer this week was:
• Less than one minute
• More than two minutes
• Ten minutes
• 20 minutes or more
Does the subject of your prayers include more or less of yourself?
3. A Commitment to Love One Another Unconditionally – Matt. 22:34-40; John 13:34-35
List four ways Christ has shown His love for you
1.
2.
3.
4.
Have you shown the same love to others? Cf. 1 John 3:14
Back To The Future – Rev. 1:1-6
Nov. 13, 2011 / 10:30
Isa. 8:19: When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
1. The Nature of the Book - Verse 1 – “The Revelation. . .” – “apocalypse” - “to reveal,” or “to make plain.”
2. The Central Theme – v. 1b – The Revelation “of Jesus Christ.”
3. Its Divine Source – The Revelation of Jesus Christ, “which God gave to Him. . .”
Phil. 2:9-11: 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
In honor of the Son’s obedience, the Father rewarded His Son in four ways:
1. He Resurrected Him from the dead
2. He Ascended Him from the earth to heaven
3. He sent the Holy Spirit to continue His ministry and teachings
4. He gave Him an inheritance – the Book of Revelation
4. Its Human Recipients – v. 1d – The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him, “to show to His bond-servants”
Exod. 21:5-6: But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ 6 then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.
Matt. 13:10-11, 13 - The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.”
5. Its Prophetic Character – v. 1e: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, “the things which must shortly take place” -- “shortly” – “soon” and carries the idea of nearness.
2 Pet 3 - 3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
6. Its Supernatural Delivery – v. 1f: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; “and He sent and communicated it by His angel”
7. Its Human Author – vv. 1g-2: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, 2 who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.
8. Its Promised Blessing – v. 3a: Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and heed the things which are written in it;
9. Its Compelling Urgency – v. 3b: Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.
10. Its Benediction – vv. 4-5a: John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
“Grace and Peace” – “Grace” gives power and His power is perfected in times of weakness. “Peace” – God is not at war with you.
• Father: “Him who is and who was and who is to come”
• Holy Spirit – “The seven Spirits who are before the throne.” Isa. 11:2: The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
• Jesus Himself.
11. Its Exalted Doxology – vv. 5b-6: To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— 6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1. He freed you from destructive bondages – “He released us from our sins”
2. He elevates you into a new status – “He made us to be a kingdom and priests to God”
“To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
