Lessons for the Church

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Victory in Jesus!

• Lessons for the Church
• From the Book of Revelation

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Revelation

• A book with a series of visions
• Visions are best imagined
• Overall thoughts can be seen
• In-depth studies can be informative
• But often lose the BIG picture
• Theme Victory in Jesus
• Each vision will focus on the basic fact that we
  can overcome and achieve victory
• No matter the trial or temptation
• John 1632-33
• Jesus overcame and so can we

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Revelation

• The pattern of the visions
• Each vision has a starting and ending point
• Some start and end with the present
• Some start in the past and end in the present or
  future
• Some start in the present and end in the future
• Some start in the future and end farther into the
  future

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Revelation

• Visualizing the pattern of the visions

PRESENT
PAST
FUTURE
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Revelation

• The first vision is one that rests entirely in
  the present, but what present?
• The present at the time of writing
• But in larger terms the present is the time
  after Christ left earth, and before His return
• The past would be before His ascension
• The future will be His return and thereafter

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Christ and the Churches

• Revelation 1

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Introducing Christ

• Rev 111-20
• Christ standing amidst the lampstands
• The lampstands represent individual local
  churches (Rev 120)
• Christ is watching each church
• He knows their strengths
• He knows their flaws
• He tells them what they need to do
• Although He only addresses 7 churches
• Well see they are a good cross-section of
  churches of all times

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4 Things All Churches Need to Hear

• To the angel of the church
• Christ is directly concerned
• Christ has ALL authority over the churches
• I know your deeds
• God is NOT deceived
• To him who overcomes
• Blessings for success
• Punishment for failure
• He who has an ear, let him hear
• The choices are laid out clearly
• But God forces no one

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Conclusion

• Our Lesson What does Christ know about every
  church?
• The Complete Truth
• Including the part you played in making it that
  way
• For we must all appear before the judgment seat
  of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed
  for his deeds in the body, according to what he
  has done, whether good or bad. 2 Cor 510

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