Open the Scriptures to Revelation
chapter 1. The book of the Revelation chapter
1. I'd like to speak to you on this
subject, Words to the Churches. These are words that God gives
to His people. I'll tell you, we need to hear
words from God, don't we? I know that if the only words
that we listen to today are just my words, then nothing of any everlasting
value will ever come of this service. We need to hear words
from the Lord. We need the Lord to speak to
our hearts. I'm thankful God is not silent. God has not restrained himself,
withheld his words from us, He didn't have to speak to you.
He didn't have to speak to me. But He has spoken. We read in
Hebrews, the first chapter, God has in these last days spoken
to us through His Son. He speaks in His Son. He speaks
by His Son. He speaks through His Son. This
is what I ask of God every time we meet together, every opportunity
I have to speak to you. I always ask the Lord this, O
God, let us hear from you. His is the voice that wakes the
dead. His is the voice that makes the
blind to see. His is the voice that makes the
deaf to hear. His is the voice that makes the
lame to walk. His is the voice that we've got
to hear. Oh God of grace, oh God of peace,
O God of mercy, speak to us. You remember the story in the
Old Testament. We frequently refer to this when
Samuel, having been brought up in the temple, one might hear the voice The boy said, Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel's mentor, his master,
was the high priest of Israel, Eli. He was an elderly gentleman. Young Samuel was very concerned
about Eli. And when he heard his name called,
he immediately thought, That's who was calling him. It was Eli. So he goes in to see him and
Eli said, it wasn't me. It wasn't me. Go back to bed. You've had a dream. And so young
Samuel goes back to bed and he hears his name called again. Samuel. Samuel. And he goes to
the bedside of Eli, and he says, what do you need? What do you
need? And Eli said it wasn't him. Well, Eli perceived it was
the voice of God after the third time. He told Samuel, he said,
now when God speaks to you again, You just say, Speak, Lord, for
Thy servant heareth. Would to God that would be our
attitude today. Speak, Lord, Thy servant heareth. Oh, God, open my ears to receive
Your Word. Remember that the Lord Jesus
in Matthew chapter 13 When He began those parables in that
great chapter, the kingdom parables, He said after each one, He that
hath an ear, let him hear. He says here in Revelation, the
second chapter and the third chapter, when He gives these
letters to the seven different churches, He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. Oh Lord,
open my ears that I could hear Your Word today. Because I know
this, and most of you know this, if He doesn't open up our ears,
if He doesn't open up our hearts, we won't hear anything that God
has to say. We're so deaf. Our Savior said, If I speak,
you won't hear me. But another voice speaks, He
says, you'll listen to that voice every time. Every time. Oh, this is an evidence of the
fault. We will listen to the false word. We will listen to that message
of works. and man's will, we will listen
to that message, salvation by your efforts, but we won't listen
to that message of free grace. We won't listen to that message
that says Jesus Christ is all. We won't listen to that message
that says salvation is of the Lord. We'll never listen to God's
message unless He enables us to hear. Words to the churches. Here in Revelation chapter 1
and verse 4, the apostle John tells us the ones to whom this
book is written. He says in verse 4, after the
first three introductory verses, he says, John, to the seven churches
which are in Asia. Now the word seven is one of
those symbolic words in the book of the Revelation. I've mentioned
to you before, in the very first verse, you see the word signified. That means sign language. The Lord is going to speak in
sign language. And throughout the book of the
Revelation, He refers to seven. That is a very symbolic number. In fact, it's used Fifty-four
times. More than in any book of the
Bible. The number seven. What does it
mean? Completion. That which is full. That which presents the totality
of something. When he says to the seven churches,
he's using these seven churches in a symbolic way. Now, first
of all, these were seven liberal churches. But there were other
churches in Asia Minor as well. There were other congregations.
He speaks to the seven churches which are representative of all
the Church of God. of all the people of God, of
all the redeemed of the Lord Jesus Christ. These seven local
assemblies were real congregations. And you know what? None of them
exist today. They are all Muslim congregations. Many hundreds of years ago, they
left the Gospel. God calls them seven lampstands. Notice how He says that, or candlesticks. Notice in verse number 12. After John hears this voice,
he says, I turn to see the voice that speak with me. And being
turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks or lampstands. And you know what
God did? He removed the light. He just
took the light away. There's never been a local church
that lasts through the centuries. God gives His light. God removes
His light according to His sovereign will. Oh, listen, my brothers
and sisters in Christ Jesus. Don't take the gospel for granted. We read in 1 Timothy chapter
3 that the local church, the local assembly is the pillar
and the ground of the truth. Let's hold it up. Let's set forth
the truth. The truth of salvation by sovereign
grace. God's election of some people
unto salvation. The effectual redemption of the
Lord Jesus of these chosen people. Don't ever be ashamed of particular
redemption. We don't speak in vague language. We don't just say, Jesus Christ
died for sinners, though that is a true statement. But everybody,
practically, in the so-called evangelical world will accept
that language. Our Lord Jesus died for the sheep. He said, I'm the good shepherd.
The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Listen to
the words of the Lord. Ye that hath an ear, let him
hear. God says salvation is of the
Lord. Oh God, help us never to forsake
that message. This is the message that exalts
our God. That's our first reason for existing,
is to give God the glory. Whatever you do, in word or in
deed, do all things for His glory. We exist as a congregation, as
a local assembly of believers. We've been brought together.
The Lord has adhered us together. He's glued us together. according
to his will, to set forth the truth, to announce to this community,
salvation is of our God. We're the pillar and the ground
of the truth, and we're a candlestick where a city set on a hill. That's what the Savior said in
the Sermon on the Mount. A light that cannot be hid. All around us is darkness. I know there are people in churches
this morning, and I use that term very liberally there. There are people in religious
establishments all over this fair city. who are just as sincere
as we are. But there's no light there. Listen,
where there's no gospel, there's no light. Where there's no Holy
Spirit, there's no light. There's no light there. There's
only darkness. And in the midst of this religious
darkness all around us, This darkness where man's free
will is being exalted. Where preachers are saying you
need to make your decision for Jesus. Where preachers are saying God
has done everything He can do for you. Now won't you let Him save you? We're living in the midst of
darkness. And when I say these things,
I'm not trying to be mean. I'm trying to be honest with
people. We've got to tell people the
truth. We've got to tell them who God is. God in His holiness. God in His sovereignty. God in
His justice. God in His faithfulness. God
in His truthfulness. We've got to tell them salvation
is of the Lord. We've got to tell them about
this gospel. It's good news. It's not the
good news of sinner. This is what you've got to do.
It's the good news of sinner. It's done. The work of redemption
is done. The work of reconciliation is
done. The work of the removal of sins
is done. The work of bringing in righteousness
is done. The Savior said on the cross,
it is finished. If He said it, it must be finished. It's finished as God would have
it to be finished. And that's our message. In the
midst of this darkness all around us, religious darkness, set on top of this hill is a
candlestick. We exist to send forth the light. That's why we're here, to send
forth the light. You see, the gospel of redemption,
the gospel of reconciliation, the gospel of God's free grace,
The Gospel that says salvation is due to the work of God alone. His choosing work, His redeeming
work, and that redeeming work results in the regenerating work
of the Spirit of God. That's our message. We just keep
on preaching the same message. We don't veer away from it. We
keep on holding forth the light. because it's the only message
that will glorify God. I said we exist to glorify God. And I'll tell you this, if nobody
else ever believed this gospel, and I know some will, and some
do, but if nobody else believed this gospel, you know what? We'd
keep on preaching it. For this reason, it glorifies
God. It exalts God, and that which
exalts God is the right thing to do. You may never receive from God
the hearing ear, but we're going to keep preaching to you. It
may further harden your heart, but though it hardens your heart,
It pleases God. Words to the churches. God has
things to say to His people. And as we set forth that which
He has said, as we set forth the grace of God and the peace
of God, the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, it glorifies
God. I'll tell you something else
it will do. It will work to the salvation
of God's elect. There's only one message that
God uses for the salvation of His people. It's not error. God does not use the devil's
lies to save His people. He uses the truth as it is in
the Lord Jesus. He said, I'm the way, the truth,
and the life. The man's preaching error is
not going to be used of God to save his people. You read in
our Lord's Sermon on the Mount. He said, a corrupt tree, that's
a false prophet. He says, a corrupt tree can not
bring forth good fruit. Only a good tree can do that. Why do we preach the gospel? Maybe some of you, I hope none
of you, but it may be some of you or maybe somebody watching
on the internet or somebody who listens to this later, maybe
every once in a while you think, why does that man always preach
the gospel? First of all, it's the only message
that glorifies God. You interested in glorifying
God? I sure am. So I've set forth
the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That One whom God has ordained
to have all the preeminence in creation, providence, and salvation. And we preach this Gospel Because
God's got an elect people in this world. It's a bunch of them. In fact, later on in the book of
the Revelation, John says, I saw them all together. He said, I
couldn't even count them all. He said, it goes further than
any of my math classes ever went. He said, it's a multitude. It
can't be numbered. Why do we preach the gospel?
for the conversion of God's elect, you've got to hear who God is. Not about this man-be-pan-be-wheat
God out here that's being touted in the religious edifices of
our day, but the God who reigns in glory. The God before whom
the angels bow in reverence and in worship and in all. They say,
holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts. This religious
state doesn't know anything about a God such as that. They're so
familiar with God. You find out who God is, You'll
fall before Him and you'll understand what Solomon meant when he said,
God's in heaven, you're on the earth. Let your words be few. Just shut your mouth in the presence
of God and ask God to open your ears so you can hear what He
has to say. We're so busy babbling and running
our mouths about religious things. Oh God, shut us up! And open
our ears to what you've got to say. You've got to know who God is. You've
got to know who Jesus Christ is. God in man. No denial of His deity. No denial
of His humanity. Do either one. You're an unbeliever. You deny He's the Christ, you
don't know Him, you're an anti-Christ. Deny God was joined with man,
you're still anti-Christ. We've got to find out who Christ
is. We've got to find out why He
had to come to this world. Because we're sinners, we've
offended God's justice. Listen to the words of God to
His churches. He tells us, all have sinned
and come short of the glory of God. Well, I know I've done a
few bad things. You are a bad thing. You are
a bad thing. You are a filthy thing. You are
a sinner. Like I said in the funeral message
yesterday, you're all sinners and I'm a sinner. We've got to
find out what we are. And the only way we're going
to find out what we are is in the brilliant light of who God
is. When you see who God is, then
you'll begin to see what you are. You'll understand why Job said
we're worms. We're wiggling maggots. I don't care how black you paint
the picture, a half has not ever been told about our depravity. We've got to tell the truth. The Lord's word to his churches He says the wages of sin is death. Well, then what hope do we have?
If we are all sinners, if we are filthy, if we are sin and
we are estranged from God, we are cut off from God, what hope
do we have? My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness. Oh, enter Christ Jesus, the substitute
and the Savior of His people. Listen to the words of God to
His churches. I give my Son for you. I give Him for you. You want to talk about the love
of God? You're in His love. Not that
we loved God, but He loved us. Gave His Son to be the propitiation
for our sins. God's justice demanded satisfaction. Oh Lord, drill that into our
hearts. Justice demands satisfaction. The soul that sinneth must die. I must die. A suitable substitute must die
in my place and satisfy God. He's the propitiation for our
sins. God found the only way whereby
He remained just and holy can save sinners like you and me.
He sent His Son. Let's be a lighthouse. Tell people
who God is. Tell people what we are. and
tell people the only hope sinners have is in the Lord Jesus Christ. And we tell them this, you must
be born again. But that's not something you
can do. That's not your work. The Savior said, He that liveth
and believeth. We're made to live first. Whose
work is that? Well, it's sure not your work.
And it's not my work. It's the work of the Holy Spirit.
He makes us alive. We died in Adam. But as our brother read in Ephesians
chapter 2, and you have he quickened who were dead in sins. He quickened
us. There wasn't the least spark
of life in us. That's the reason you read to
us, having no hope in this world. There is no hope in us. Our hope is in the Lord doing
something for us. Words to the churches. Why do
we preach the gospel? It glorifies God. It saves His elect. There may
be one of the Lord's lost sheep in here this morning. I don't
know whether you're a sheep or not. I'll tell you this, if you're
one of His lost sheep, He's sure going to find you. And you know
what? He might find you. He might be
pleased to find you and lay hold of you and pick you up out of
the miry clay and wash you in His blood and robe you in His
righteousness, lift you up and put you on His shoulders He might
be pleased to do that even now. Wouldn't that be something? That's
the work of grace. That's why we keep on preaching
the Lord's Word. He's got lost sheep. I remember
Brother Mahan, years ago, he brought a message on the trail
of the Lord's sheep. We're on the trail of the sheep.
I don't know who they are, but they're out there. Might be one
of you. And I say, come to the Savior.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And if He lays hold of you, that's
exactly what will happen. As old brother Scott Richardson
used to say, you'll stack your shotguns in the corner, You'll
say, I surrender. I have no other hope but Jesus
Christ alone. I flee to Him. Oh God, show me
mercy for Christ's sake. You'll be a mercy beggar. A mercy
beggar. That's what you'll be. You'll
be like that leper who met the Savior when the Savior was on
the mountain and he came down from teaching the sermon on the
mount and the leper just fell down before him. He just melted
before him. He said, Lord, if you will, if
you will, it's up to your will, you can make me whole. I will be thou clean. I will be thou clean. Oh, sovereign
God, exercise your will in salvation this very moment. And you know
what? He does that when He is pleased
to do it. Words to the churches, words
to the Lord's people. We just keep preaching the gospel. This gospel exalts the Lord, tracks down the lost sheep. I'll
tell you something else it does. It feeds the sheep too. The gospel
feeds the sheep. The last few days have been very
draining, haven't they? I told Nancy, I said, after yesterday,
I said, I'm physically spent and I'm emotionally spent. I need strength. I need encouragement. The Lord has removed from our
congregation a dear brother who just last Sunday night sat on
this platform and read the scriptures and led us to the throne of grace. His passing has left a void in
our group. We need encouragement. We need
to be built up And there's only one message that will do that.
It's the gospel of God's free grace. You know how John introduces
this book? Notice his salutation to the
seven churches. Grace be unto you and peace. Well, I tell you, for a people
who are tried and troubled and afflicted, In this world, we
need to hear the Lord's words to His churches. Grace be to
you and peace. Grace. Unmerited favor. Grace be to you and peace. And this must be very needy for
the children of God. Because as you read through the
epistles, you'll find that Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians,
Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1st Thessalonians,
2nd Thessalonians, 1st Timothy, 2nd Timothy, Titus, Philemon,
1st Peter, and 2nd John all begin by saying, as does the book of
Revelation, grace be to you and peace. And these are not merely my words. These are not the words of a
preacher, not merely the words of the Apostle Paul, or the words
of the Apostle Peter, or the words of the Apostle John. These
are the words of God to His churches. Listen to what He says to you
who are His people. Grace be to you, and peace. And you say, I'm sure you say
as I say, Lord, I'm always in need of hearing those words from
you. Grace, unmerited favor to you. Free grace. Sovereign grace. Saving grace. Preserving grace. Grace that always abides. Justifying
grace. glorifying grace. When in the depths of despondency, amongst the gloominess of this
world, hear the words of God to His
churches, My grace is sufficient for you. And we say, thank you, Lord.
Thank you, Lord. My heart is broken. The days are gloomy. The world is against us. Oh, but Lord, You're full of
grace. And You speak grace to Your people. And you say to us, I saved you
by my grace. Unmerited favor. It wasn't for
anything in you. His grace is in the heart of
God. He's always had it in His heart for His people. Grace. And peace. Peace. Somebody says you need to make
your peace with God. You can't do that. I'll tell
you what, in Ephesians chapter 2, that passage you read, four
words there, He is our peace. I have one who is my peace, the
Lord Jesus Christ. He is not only my peace, He's
the peacemaker. He made my peace by the blood
of His cross. Listen, everything is alright,
people of God. Hear the words of the Lord to
His churches. Everything is alright between
us and our holy God because Christ is our peace. And He made our
peace by the blood of His cross. And you know who these words
come to us from? Grace and peace. These are not
merely from John. Look who it's from. Grace be
unto you and peace. First of all, from the Father.
You see, here's the Trinity. Hear words of grace and peace
from the Trinity. From Him which is, which was,
and which is to come. God the Father says to you, grace
and peace. Grace and peace. You have peace
with God and He gives us peace within our consciences that all
is well with Him. Secondly, this comes from the
seven spirits which are before His throne. Remember the number
seven is significant. It's figurative. From the complete
Spirit. The Spirit who is perfect. The
seven spirits, that's the Holy Spirit who speaks to us and He
says, grace and peace to you. And you know it's the Spirit
of God who whispers this to our hearts even now. But not only do these words come
from the Father and from the Spirit, but verse 5, and from
Jesus Christ, Jesus, He's the Savior. He's the man Christ Jesus. He
is Christ. He's the Anointed One. And you
know what Jesus Christ has to say to His people? Grace be unto
you and peace. Who is Jesus Christ? He's the
faithful witness. He's the prophet. He's the first
begotten from the dead. He died and He rose again. He's
the priest. He's the prince of the kings
of the earth. He is the King. And then special preeminence
is given to the Son. For then John says, unto Him
that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. and hath made us kings and priests
unto God and His Father. To Him be glory and dominion
forever and ever. Amen. He has loved us and washed
us. Let me give you this and I'll
quit. It doesn't say He washed us and loved us. It isn't because we're washed
that He loves us. We are washed because He's always
loved us. This is an everlasting love.
He loved us having loved His own which were in the world.
He loved them to the end. How long will the Lord love you,
child of God? It's a love that will never end. Oh, that ought to give you strong
consolation. And because He loved us, He washed
us. You know who needs washing? People
who are dirty. It used to be every Saturday
night, it was bath night when I was a little boy. Actually, I don't know how people
stood us during the rest of the week. But every Saturday night,
mom would say, it's bath night. And we didn't have showers. And my brother took a bath and
left the water in there, and then I took a bath. Then my sister,
she got fresh water. But I needed a bath because I
was dirty. And we needed to be bathed in
the blood of the Lord Jesus because we are filthy in our sins. But
because He loved us, He came and He washed us from our sins
in His own blood. Oh, what sweet words of the Lord
to His churches. He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the Lord says. I'll give you one other thing,
no charge. One extra thing, another reason
we preach the gospel, it leaves all men without excuse. You may remain an unbeliever
the rest of your life. I don't know. It's not my business. But I know this. You've heard
the gospel of God's grace. We had a large congregation yesterday. God had His Word go forth. It
will accomplish His purpose to soften some, others will be hardened. God's
words are always successful. God's preacher is always triumphant
when he preaches the gospel. The Lord's will shall be done. God give us grace to look to
Jesus Christ and fill our hearts with grace and peace. Let's sing,
redeemed, 475.