Reality Check - 260201

SPEAKER A Hello, I'm Rosemary Malkiewycz. Welcome to Let God Speak. The phrase "the truth hurts" means you may have to accept an uncomfortable, unflattering, or harsh reality that challenges your self-image, your illusions, your beliefs, or your ego. Being told the truth, however, is something we all need. Jesus loves his last-day church, and sent a truthful message. He gave it a reality check. Join us as we begin a new series of studies on growing our relationship with God. Joining me on the panel today, we have John Kosmeier and Kaysie Vokurka. Welcome and thank you for being here. SPEAKER B Thank you. SPEAKER C Thank you. SPEAKER A But before we begin, let's pray. Dear God, we pray that you will be with us as we discuss your word today, that you'll help us to explain it in the way that you want it done, and that you'll be with those who are listening and watching, that their hearts will burn with a desire to follow you more closely and to know your word better. And I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. SPEAKER C Amen. SPEAKER A Revelation chapters 2 and 3 have the prophetic messages that Jesus gave to the 7 churches. A study of these messages reveals that the— each church represents a period of history from the time of the apostles to the return of Jesus. We are living in the time of the last of the 7 churches, the Church of Laodicea. This is the church before Jesus returns. It is important that we understand what this letter says because it is is speaking to us today. So let's begin by looking at Revelation chapter 3, which is the chapter that contains this letter. And I am going to read from verse 14. And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, these things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. So, Kaysie, what is the important point that Jesus is trying to get to us here about himself? SPEAKER B Well, when it says the faithful and true witness, that is, there's, that's like a title for, for Jesus. And basically it's highlighting the fact that when he speaks, he doesn't lie. He tells truthfully and honestly what needs to be said and the reality of what is going on. And then when it says the beginning of the creation of God, that's another title for Jesus, and it basically is meaning the one who existed before anything else was created. So it's not that he was created by another and he was like the first creation. It doesn't mean that. It means he was there in the beginning, and from him the creation began, like he, he created, he was the one who created. Yeah, so that's the meaning. And so basically what, what Jesus is saying from the outset is, as the Creator, I know everything, I can give a faithful and true witness, and because of that, we need to listen to what he has to say. SPEAKER A Very good. Yes, and I really enjoyed this study today. It's going to be very good. So John, What is the condition of the last day church? SPEAKER C Hmm, sorry to say, according to Revelation chapter 3 and reading on from verse 15: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish that you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. Interesting in this verse, it's going back to Genesis chapter 3, where after Adam and Eve sinned, that was their description. And here we have the Church at the end of time neither hot for God nor cold. God said, I wish you were either one or the other, but it makes it very hard to be both in the world and also in the Church as well. And so here we find that there are people who are actually still in the world, and that's the way they are at the end of time. SPEAKER A Yeah, people trying to get a foot in each camp. So Kaysie, I'm going to ask you, why is being lukewarm in our relationship with God so offensive to him that he would vomit? SPEAKER B Yeah, it's a pretty graphic description, isn't it, of his response? So I guess Christianity, when in the description of being lukewarm, it's like Christianity becomes a formalism, and it lacks the inner transformation of heart and life that the gospel does for us. And so when that gets lost but you still have the forms— like they're still going to church, they're still doing all of these religious things— they lack the power. That's what is described as lukewarm. So it's lacking a vital heart connection with God. And the problem with this— that makes it so difficult and so offensive to God is because, first of all, it's a misleading example. Because people, those who are in the world, if they think that this is a representation of Christians, it's not. Christians who are true Christians have a transformation, the reality of God's power in their lives. So it's a misrepresentation, but also people in this situation think they're okay. They don't feel their need, and so it's actually really hard for God to get through to them to say, hey, you're not in a good place right now and you need to have some change, but you don't realize I'm trying to get your attention. So hence why this letter has been written to the churches. SPEAKER A That's right. It's sort of like taking the— well, it's the third commandment, thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. And that's what they're actually doing. SPEAKER B Yeah, that's right. SPEAKER A By living differently to what they profess. Yeah. Jesus gives us an answer to the lukewarm situation. Let me read Revelation 3:18. "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire that you may be rich and white garments that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness," that spiritual nakedness, "may not be revealed." and anoint your eyes with eye salve that you may see. So what is the gold tried in the fire? What's that about, John? SPEAKER C When you go to the mines where they actually mine metal, they take it out and then they heat it and heat it and heat it and heat it. In the case of gold, until you can see your own reflection in it. SPEAKER B Mm-hmm. SPEAKER C Then the gold has been purified to where it can be used, where it's true gold. And here in James, the Book of James, chapter 1, verses 2 through to verse 5, it gives us an explanation of how we are tried, how we are in the furnace. Verse 2, and I'm reading from the New King James Version. "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." And here God is using the, the fires of experience, if you like, to test our faith until we have patience. Verse 4, "But let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, ask of God, He who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. And so here, this being purged by fire, God uses an example of how our faith is tried, and then we can see our own true self. Even as God sees us. And while it may be terrible to go through them, that's the way God uses to purify us. Yes, and they are terrible to go through, and it'll be worth it in the, in the long run. SPEAKER A It will be, and that's what we've got to keep our eyes on. But Kaysie, what is the white raiment? SPEAKER B So in, um, in Revelation it talked about how they were naked, right? So they needed some sort of clothing. And of course, we're talking about spiritual realities here. And so they did not see that they were lost, and that was why— that's what the representation of nakedness is. But Christ offers them white raiment. That's what he said would be the remedy. And when we have a look at Matthew 22 and verse 11, it says, but when the king came in to see the guests, He saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. Now the context of this verse is a parable that's describing basically what is needed in order to be a part of God's kingdom, and a wedding garment was a key thing you needed. If you didn't have that, you couldn't go in. So that's highlighting how essential it is. And then if we have a look at Galatians 3, verse 27, it says 'For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.' Now that language is kind of alluding to like putting on a garment, right? And basically what is happening here— there is also another text in Isaiah 61:10 that talks about God provides garments of salvation, He provides a robe of righteousness, and this This is basically what Christ gives us. So in Galatians 3:27 it says, "You were baptized into Christ," and it's like you put Him on. It means that you're claiming His offer of righteousness in your life, right to the core basically. So this white raiment is all about accepting Christ's righteousness, His righteous character, and letting that come fully throughout your own character. SPEAKER A It's actually a good study to, to look at in the Bible, all the things to do with white raiment, the, um, clothe, the garments of righteousness and all those things. It's a really good study to understand. So finally, John, what is the eye salve mentioned in Revelation chapter 3? SPEAKER C When you turn to John chapter 16 We find that here is heaven's antidote to spiritual blindness. Verse 8 to 11: And when He was come, the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, of righteousness, of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and you see Me no more; and of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. And, and here we find it's the Holy Spirit that convicts us of sin, and the eyesalve needs to be applied to our eyes so that we can see what we are really like and the need that we have of God. And it's only through the Holy Spirit bringing conviction to us that this that this can happen. And so we need to read our Bibles daily so that we get a full meaning of what the Holy Spirit does in our lives from day to day. SPEAKER A It's the Holy Spirit who gives us the understanding of the Bible, which then is the applying of the eyesalve. SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER A We're told to buy the gold and the raiment, but to apply the eyesalve. If we don't, are not reading our Bibles and asking the Holy Spirit Spirit for guidance. We're not applying the I-self. Okay, so the remedy we need to go through the trials, to sharpen our faith and fully accept Christ's righteousness as our own, and ask for the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to our true condition. That's what we have to do. That's what Laodicea has been told. So, let me just read Revelation 3:19. Jesus says, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent." So, if they are lukewarm, how do they repent and what are they repenting of? SPEAKER B That's a good question. Uh, so basically, um, John was mentioning before about how we need to study the Bible, listen to the Holy Spirit, and all of that. That's how we find out what we need to repent of. Um, we need to be connected with God like that. But the other thing that's interesting in this verse is where it talks about being zealous. That highlights how much energy and commitment we need to devote to this process because the word, the Greek word for zealous is like zelou. I don't know how you properly pronounce that, but it basically means to burn with zeal or be like hot to pursue or hot to change. So the energy and devotion into pursuing God so that he can show us what needs to be changing, that's what we need to do. Like, if you feel like you're in a Laodicean state but you don't know where your life needs to change or where you even need to begin, you need to seek God. Like, you need to get into the Bible. You need to ask for the Holy Spirit to show you what you need and do that with, with zeal. And then God will tell you what's next and show you what's next in your life. SPEAKER A That's right. So how does our relationship with God change when we repent, John? SPEAKER C What happens when we realize just how unfaithful we've been and how spiritually separated we are from God? It's amazing to read this verse in Revelation chapter 3 and verse 20, following on from what you've been reading: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him and he with me. Now, you don't go eating with your enemies or those that don't like you or whatever. And Jesus said, despite everything, I'm knocking on your door because I want to have supper with you. And at the end of time, when Jesus comes back, the first thing that we're going to do is to eat with Him. And, and what a blessing that is. And so it's a very special time that God wants us to have with Him and to live and to sup with Him. SPEAKER A So what message, Kaysie, can we get from the illustration of Jesus standing at the door and knocking? What's it really talking about? SPEAKER B Yeah, it's a beautiful picture really, and it reminds me of a song I learnt in childhood. The words, go along the lines of, Jesus is a gentleman. He never forces his way in. He stands knocking at your door until you let him in. And it's basically a picture of Christ, that he is polite, he is patient, he is respectful. He doesn't force. The devil forces. He comes in without asking, like he's an intruder. And the Bible warns us about that. But Jesus is polite, and He is not a God who will mess with our choice, our free choice. So it comes back to us. Will we let Him in? SPEAKER A Yeah, that's right. And He's knocking on the door of our hearts, not on our physical door. SPEAKER B Yes, that's right. Yeah, it's a metaphor. SPEAKER A So let me read Revelation 3, verse 21. It says, to him 'Who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.' So what does it mean to overcome, and what do we need to overcome, John? SPEAKER C All that we've been talking about, we need to be overcomers. And the word that is used here in the Greek is Nick K-O. There it is there. SPEAKER B Nike shoes. SPEAKER C Everybody knows the Nike. SPEAKER B That's true. SPEAKER C And that comes from that Greek word. Yeah. And it belongs to the goddess of overcoming. SPEAKER A Wow. SPEAKER C And so people don't realize it, but they're walking on with shoes of victory. Good shoes of victory. That's exactly what it means. And so while we belong to the Laodicean church, that doesn't stop us from being victors in Christ. So, amen, it means that we need to have our heart open continually to what God is doing, and then we will be overcomers. What a wonderful promise. SPEAKER A Yeah, that's right, because overcoming may appear to be overwhelming to some people. Especially as they keep falling back into the things that they used to do, their old sins. But how can we have confidence we can overcome? SPEAKER B Yes, well, we can get a lot of confidence from something that Jesus said in John 16:33. It says, these things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. And so I guess Jesus has set the precedence, you know, He has already overcome the world and He is promising to us that He will give us the power that He has gained in overcoming the world. He will give that to us to enable us to also overcome. And we can read also in, in 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 4 and 5, it kind of gives a bit picture of what that overcoming can be— look like— SPEAKER A look— SPEAKER B can look like. And in verse 4 and 5, it says, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. And so Jesus is talking about a thorough transformation that that leads us to overcome even sinful thoughts. And yeah, He is going to do a very thorough and complete work in us by His power. SPEAKER A When Satan tempts us, he tempts us through our minds, through the senses to affect our minds. And so it's important for us to bring all of our thoughts into captivity to Christ, to think as He thought so that we are not overcome. Because He overcame. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER A Yeah. So let's go back to the last moments of Jesus' ministry to hear His words to His disciples after the Last Supper. It's very important that we learn this. So we're going to go to John chapter 15. And here Jesus used a metaphor to describe a relationship with Him. SPEAKER B John, can you tell us? SPEAKER A Tell us about that. SPEAKER C Yeah, reading verses 1 down to verse 4: I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that bears fruit he prunes— still hurts— that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 'Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me.' And this is the way Jesus works. He was about to leave. The disciples didn't know that, but Jesus said, 'You stay in Me.' And it doesn't matter whether Jesus is there or later on He sent the Holy Spirit and so on. He wants us to be there, and then we are connected with Him spiritually, even as a branch is connected to the vine. SPEAKER A So what does the sap in the vine represent, Kaysie? SPEAKER B Well, the sap is basically a picture or metaphor of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. So we might be like a dead branch, but when we choose to spend time with God and connect to Him and be like grafted into the vine, then the nourishment from, from God which comes to us, the Holy Spirit brings that to us, it brings life so that we can start to grow and bring fruit. And in John chapter 14 and verse 16 to 18, it says, and I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it The world neither sees Him nor knows Him, but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you. And so here we see the Spirit of Truth is going to abide with us forever. And so it's like a constant nourishment, you know, about the sap in the vine, a constant nourishment of His presence in our lives that can transform us. SPEAKER A The Bible talks about abiding. Abiding in Christ. And He says, abide in me. So what does it mean to abide in Jesus? SPEAKER C 3 things. One is we read the Bible. Second, we pray. Thirdly, we work for others. If you do that, then you are doing the work that Jesus did. And here in Galatians chapter 2, verse 20, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. SPEAKER A Okay, so let's read John 15:5. It says, I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing. So what is the fruit fruit we bear. SPEAKER B So the fruit we bear is basically the fruit of the Spirit. And so you ask, well, what's that? And we find the answer to that in Galatians 5, verse 22 and 23. It says, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law. So basically, they're these amazing, beautiful attributes. That's what the fruit of the Spirit is, and He will bring that into our lives when— and into our character when we are connected with, with Christ. Very good. SPEAKER A So in Revelation 3:18, we saw 3 things. There was the gold tried in the fire, the white raiment, and the eyesalve. And the gold tried in the fire fire is a testing of their faith. So how do we get that same message of Revelation 3:18 from John chapter 15, John? SPEAKER C Verse 2, every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away, and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit. And so here God will cut off the branches that are useless and the ones that are bearing fruit, he still trims them so that they will produce more fruit. What a wonderful privilege it is to be able to know that God is pruning your faith so that you can be more faithful. SPEAKER A Is the pruning process painful? SPEAKER C Ouch! SPEAKER B It certainly can be. SPEAKER C It's not called tried in the fire for nothing. SPEAKER B Yes, yes. SPEAKER A No, that's right. Faith is tried in fire, we are pruned to produce more fruit because that's what you do with a tree, isn't it? You prune it so that it will produce better fruit and be a better shaped tree as well. And, and God does that with us. It's painful, but it's important for our spiritual growth. Otherwise, we will not grow in God. Abiding in Jesus means communing with him. And doing what he asks of us. In John 14:15, Jesus says, "If you love me, keep my commandments." Abiding in Jesus brings us great joy, and Jesus is knocking on our hearts. He's calling us. We have to make the conscious choice to open our hearts to him, and he will come in and sup with us and prepare us for the great wedding feast in Heaven where we will wear his robe of righteousness. We would love you to be there too. We're glad you have joined us today on Let God Speak. Remember that all past programs plus teacher's notes are available on our website, 3abnaustralia.org.au. Email us on [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you. We'd love to hear from you and tell your friends about the program, and we will see you next time. SPEAKER B God bless. SPEAKER B You have been listening to let God speak, a production of 3ABN Australia television. To catch up on past programmes, please visit 3abnaustralia.org.au. Call us in Australia on 02 4973 3456. Or email [email protected]. we'd love to hear from you.