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FAMILY NEWSPOTLUCK TODAY: Every first Sunday of every month we have a pitch in dinner, and today is the first Sunday in May. If you did not bring anything to pitch, do not worry about it — we have plenty. Plan to stay and eat and visit and enjoy a beautiful day together. WE NEED HELP in getting the property ready for summer. There is loose wood to be picked up under the trees, flower beds need to be weeded and planted, the play area needs leaves raked up, and there is trimming needed around the fence and building. We may have to plan a work day, but it would be better if anyone who has some time can come over anytime and take care of some of these maintenance items. Richard is going in for knee replacement, so see Bill Gibson or John Clayton if you can help in anyway. TODAY'S LESSON
INTRODUCTION
A. Written to the “Seven Churches in Asia” (verse 4)
I. REVELATION 2:18
B. Thyatira — frontier city to Macedonia 1. Center of manufacturing — garments, pottery, brass
C. Home of Lydia, a saleswoman — Acts 16:14 – 152. Purple was the main industry. A. Eyes do not miss anything — feet that shine — no hiding.
II. REVELATION 2:19
A. Doing more than in the past — growing.
III. REVELATION 2:20 – 23
1. If you do not grow, you die — are you growing?
B. Jesus praises perseverance — we cannot just keep house.A. Not a person by name, but a personification
IV. REVELATION 2:24 – 25
1. 1 Kings 16:29 – 33 — Jezebel — 1 Kings 18:4
B. Marrying a non-Christian is not a trivial matter
1. 1 Corinthians 7:39 — real Christian mate makes a difference.
C. Do not have to be a preacher to mislead the church.2. Non-Christian has a different moral code. 3. Straying from God's word has consequences. A. Satan's secrets — myths of our time — drugs, porn, etc.
V. REVELATION 2:26 – 27 — Quote of Psalm 2:7 – 9
B. Salvation is an individual thing — Philippians 2:12. A. Iron — cannot be broken. Not by gangs, government, etc.
B. Rev 2:28 — The morning star is Jesus and his Word. 1. John 3:16, Revelation 22:16
2. Do you have the “Star” in your life? THE BACK PAGETHIS SERMON SERIES AND OUR FUTUREWe are currently in a series of lessons which are taken from the Book of Revelation. The first three chapters of that book are letters from Jesus Christ to the church. The book is written to “The seven churches in Asia” (verse 4). To the Jew seven meant complete, so it is to all of the congregations of the church. What that means is that we need to look at what the Lord has to say about congregations, issues, and what the church is to be about. Last week we looked at Pergamum and saw how much like Dowagiac that congregation was. Today we will look at Thyatira and see some problems and successes they had that we also have. The point of all of this is that change is always needed in the church. Jesus calls the seven churches to make changes, to grow, to become more what God wants them and us to be. In the past decade we have made some great advances and have grown. In the past year we seem to have plateaued. It is interesting to me that the Revelation letters are written to congregations, not to individuals. Our knee jerk reaction to making a change in the church is to fire the preacher. I am all in favor of that, but that alone will not solve all of our problems. As we listen to Jesus talk to the seven churches, let us make sure we apply his words about their strengths and their corrections to us. We cannot stand still. We will not stand still. Illness and aging are hitting some of our main leaders and as that happens the message has to be that before long these leaders will be gone. When that happens either younger, new leaders will step up and propel the congregation onward, or the Dowagiac Church of Christ on M 51 will die, the property will be sold, and we as a congregation will be dead. We have sister congregations that are very near that step. Are we? — John Clayton Our sign by the street!
Sign saying from www.sayingsforchurchsigns.com |
