Aug. 13, 2023

Church Chaos

Confronting the Chaos Series 

Primary Text: Revelation 3:14-17      

This Week’s Teaching: 

1)  Dead Love

Revelation 2:1-4:  To the angel of the church in Ephesus write….  I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance….  You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.  Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 

Revelation 3:1, 4:  To the angel of the church in Sardis write….  I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead….  Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes.  They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.  

DQ 1)  How has much of the modern organizational church forsaken Christ?  

DQ 2)  What makes a church spiritually dead?  Why?

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2)  Sexual Immorality

Revelation 2:12-14:  To the angel of the church in Pergamum write….  I know where you live--where Satan has his throne.  Yet you remain true to my name….  Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. 

Revelation 2:18-20:  To the angel of the church in Thyatira write….  I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.  Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess.  By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.  

DQ 3)  Why do some modern churches tolerate and even endorse sexual immorality?

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3)  Spiritual Poverty

Revelation 3:14-17:  To the angel of the church in Laodicea write….  I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.  You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.'  But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 

DQ 4)  What is spiritual poverty?

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4)  Holding Fast

Revelation 3:7-11:  To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write….  I know your deeds.  See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.  I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name….  Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.  I am coming soon. 

DQ 5)  What does it mean to keep the word of God and uphold His name?

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5)  Real Riches

Revelation 2:8-10:  To the angel of the church in Smyrna write….  I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich!...  Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.  

DQ 6)  What are spiritual riches?  

DQ 7)  Who are the spiritual wealthy?

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