Annapolis First Baptist Church

Lampstand: Laodicea, The Church That Makes Jesus Sick

Lampstand: Philadelphia, The Faithful Church

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 09:49:00 +0000

Philadelphia, The Faithful Church

The Letter to the Church at Philadelphia

Revelations 3:7-13

As we begin our time in God’s word today, I want to begin by asking you to think about a principle found in all throughout scripture: Listen to what God’s word says.
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Jesus said in Matthew 23:12 “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." To be in God’s Kingdom, we must humble ourselves and realize our spiritual poverty apart from Christ.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Blesses are those who mourn over their sin. They humbly confess their need for forgiveness.
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” The world thinks of meekness as weakness, but here Jesus is telling us it’s not the mighty who will inherit the earth, but the meek. Spiritually meek.

The Apostle Paul was given a thorn in his flesh to keep him humble. Paul pleaded with the Lord to remove it but the Lord told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

I bring these up because the two smallest, struggling churches of the 7 in Revelation are the ones that received no correction. However, the largest churches, the ones that appeared to be the most well off, were the churches that received the most rebukes. Like Sardis, that had a reputation of being alive but was dead.

As Jesus was tending to his lampstands, the churches in Asia minor that were shining the brightest, were the small, humble struggling churches.
We are going to see Jesus’ message to the church at Philadelphia.
A small but faithful church.
And to this small, but faithful church, Jesus give nothing but encouragement.

Recap:

In Chapter 1, Jesus gave John a vision and then told Him to write messages to 7 literal historical churches in Asia Minor.

In John’s vision, John saw Jesus tending to lampstands to make sure none of the lights went out. We are told theses lampstands represent churches. This lets us know why God has placed us, Annapolis First Baptist Church, right here. He wants us to be a lampstand. A church shining brightly with the glory of Christ. (Light lamp) Annapolis First Baptist Church, we want to be a faithful church, shining brightly with the Glory of Christ, so that ever dark corner around us can see clearly who Jesus is.

As Jesus tends to these lampstands, He see what each church needs so that they will shine brightly for His glory. Some churches need correction, like the church at Ephesus that failed to love like they should. And some churches only needed encouragement.
We look at the letter to the church in Philadelphia, a church that needed only encouragement.

Revelations 3:7-13

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.
8 “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

The recipient of this letter

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

Angel or angelos in Greek means a messenger. A church leader would have to physically come get this letter from John who was stuck in prison, and take it back with them and read it to the congregation.

What do we need to know about the city of Philadelphia?
Philadelphia was about 30 miles to the southeast of Sardis.

We have started our journey in Ephesus, then north to Smyrna, then further north to Pergamum, then east to Thyatira, after Thyatira, we headed south to Sardis, and now to the southeast we come to Philadelphia.

Philadelphia was actually the youngest city of the 7. The city was named Philadelphia, “the city of brotherly love” because of the loyal love King Eumenes had for his brother Attalus.

Philadelphia was founded to be the “gateway to the east.” Here in Missouri, we have the “gateway to the West”. The St Louis Arch is a historic reminder of how settlers crossed the Mississippi River to take hold of the wild frontier to the west. The United States was expanding its territory further and further west.

Philadelphia was founded to be the “gateway to the east”. It was founded with the goal of spreading the Greek culture and language eastward into the eastern areas of Asia Minor.

Philadelphia was a beautiful city, surrounded by peaks, and with beautiful architecture. It was sometimes affectionally called little Athens. The area around Philadelphia had very fertile soil well suited for vineyards. The fertile soil however came at a cost. It was fertile because of the volcanic activity in the area. And with the volcanic activity came earthquakes.

The city of Philadelphia in its history, was destroyed and rebuilt a number of times. When an earthquake took place, all the people of the city had to evacuate the city. The aftershocks could send the already damaged buildings tumbling down. It was a beautiful city with beautiful architecture, but when earthquakes struck, and with the aftershocks, it was unsafe. The buildings could fall on them.

It would be kind of like living in Florida. In Florida, the danger is not earthquakes, but hurricanes. How many times do residents of Florida have to evacuate because of a destructive hurricane. Or like living in tornado alley.

Multiple times the city was destroyed by devastating earthquakes. And when the city was rebuilt, it often took on a new name. The city of Philadelphia went from being named Philadelphia to Neo Caesarea, to Flavia, back to Philadelphia, and now it is called Alaşehir.

We don’t know much about the church at Philadelphia. Most of what we know about the church is gleaned from Jesus’ message to them here in Revelation.
The two churches that Jesus finds no correction and only encourages are Smyrna and Philadelphia. The pastor of Smyrna was a man named Polycarp. When Polycarp was killed for his faith, Christians from Philadelphia also martyred with him.

The church at Philadelphia was a small yet faithful church.

Who the Message is From

The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

This message is from Jesus and He introduces himself in a way that brings encouragement to the little struggling church at Philadelphia. Notice the imagery He uses to introduce himself.

The words of the holy one.
Only God is holy.
Here Jesus is emphasizing His divinity.
He is God.
And as God He is Holy.

To other churches, Jesus emphasizing His divinity and His holiness would have been a scary thing. But not for this faithful church at Philadelphia. It is encouraging. He is holy and because of their faith in Jesus, they are made holy in Jesus too.

The true one.
Living in a pagan Greek city, false gods were everywhere.
Jesus however lets them know, the God they follow is true.
Jesus is holy and true.

Who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.
Earlier, in the vision I chapter 1, we saw that Jesus was identified as the one who has the key of death and hades. But here, Jesus has the key of David.

In order to understand what Jesus means, we must go back to Isaiah, where this phrase is found almost verbatim. Isaiah 22:22- “And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.”

Here in Isaiah, Eliakim has been made the palace administrator in charge of the household of the King of Israel, King Hezekiah.
The Palace administrator could open and shut access to the King, the Palace, and even to the Kings treasury.
Here Jesus is encouraging the church at Philadelphia that He has the Keys to the Messianic Kingdom.
He can grant access to the Kingdom of God.

This is encouraging to the church at Philadelphia because one of their greatest sources of hostility is a synagogue of Satan. Theses Jews thought they had access to the Kingdom of God because of their physical ancestry. However, they were not true Jews of faith.

Jesus is the one who grants access to God’s Kingdom, and because of their relationship with Jesus, the church at Philadelphia were part of the Kingdom of God. And no one could keep them out of it. Jesus opened the door to them, and no one can shut it.

Christ’s Commendation

I know your works.

As Jesus examines the Lampstand at Philadelphia, he finds a church with no need of correction, only encouragement so that the light will shine even brighter.

We read that the church at Philadelphia has but little power.
In other words, there a small struggling church.
However, a church that is weak, who has been humbled in complete dependance on Christ, is a church that can be used powerfully by God.

Compare the church at Philadelphia to the church at Sardis.
Sardis was the church that had the reputation of being alive.
It was a big growing church.
However, it was a church that had compromised with the world.
It was a church that failed to preach the true Gospel.
It was a proud church.
And because of that, Jesus let us know the spiritual reality of the church at Sardis.
It was dead.

However, this little faithful church at Philadelphia, it may be struggling.
It may be poor.
It may be small.
But Jesus has big plans for the little church at Philadelphia.
Characteristics of the Philadelphia Church.

I would rather be a part of a little church that’s faithful, than be a part of a big well-known church that is dead.

Christ's Encouraging Promises

First, Jesus promises to set before them and open door.

Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.

Jesus, the one with the Keys to the Kingdom of God is opening up access to the Kingdom of God to this faithful church in Philadelphia. And nothing is going to be able to shut them out of God’s kingdom.

Because these believers have truly repented of their sin and in faith submitted their lives to Christ, they are part of the Kingdom.
Those Jews in Philadelphia may think otherwise, but Jesus Himself has opened the door.
This open door to the Kingdom for the church at Philadelphia also gives them opportunity for evangelism.

Once we receive the Gospel message, we gain entrance to the Kingdom of God, but not only for ourselves, but for those we share the Gospel with.
The city of Philadelphia was the “Gateway to the East.” Rather than spreading Greek Hellenism, Jesus was opening up for them opportunities to spread the Gospel.

As we are faithful to Christ, He will bless us with opportunities to be used by Him for the spread of the Gospel. Annapolis First Baptist Church, let’s be a faithful church, a church that is a part of God’s Kingdom and sharing the Gospel so others can enter as well.

I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.

One of the reasons the church at Philadelphia was small was most likely due to the persecution. This was a very Greek city. And it also had what Jesus called, a synagogue of Satan. Jews who had a hatred towards Christ. Jesus encourages them, that even though they are weak, the have but little power, they have kept His word and have not denied His name. They were faithfully enduring persecution.

Notice what Jesus will do to that Synagogue of Satan.
Jesus uses the language of Isaiah 45:14.

Behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.

In Isaiah 45:14 it is a prophecy that those who oppose the people of God will one day bow before them and declare “Surely God is in you, and there is no other,
no god besides him”

Those very Jews who are persecuting them, Jesus is promising that they will have the opportunity to share the Gospel message with them, and they will bow down before them and cry out that Jesus is Messiah. That Jesus does love these Gentile believers. They are part of His Kingdom and with the Gospel opportunities, their persecutors can be saved.

And if all of them do not come to saving faith in Jesus they will still receive vindication. Because one day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.

Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon.

Because they are patiently enduring for the name of Christ, they are demonstrating fruit of a genuine relationship with Christ.
As we read this passage, we must figure out what Jesus means by the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world. When will Jesus try everyone who lives on the earth?
The only time I know of that will affect the whole world is the time period sometimes called the time of Jacob’s trouble, or Daniel’s 70th week. Or the day of the Lord. Or the great tribulation.
Jesus could be promising the faithful church at Philadelphia a pre tribulation rapture of the church.

When Jesus says, I am coming soon, he is letting them know that when He comes, it will be quick.
Jesus’s coming is imminent.
It could be any minute.

The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it

To the faithful church at Philadelphia, who continually had to evacuate their city, Jesus promises to make a pillar in the temple of My God.
When those earthquakes struck, often times, the only thing left standing were the pillars. Whenever you see ancient ruins, what you typically find are pillars. I think about stone henge and those rock pillars that have been there so long no one really knows what they were they for.
Who are the ones who conquer? The genuine, faithful Christians. They will have a place of permanence in God’s presences. It’s a promise of eternal life.

and I will write on him the name of my God,

The Jews tried to tell them they didn’t really belong in God’s Kingdom, but Jesus is telling them they belong to God.
In the movie Toy Story, Andy wrote his name on the bottom of Woody’s boot. Why? Because He belonged to Andy.
And to the citizens of Philadelphia, whose name was changing every time it was rebuilt, Jesus promises a permanent citizenship.

and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven,

and my own new name.

A new identity in Christ.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come.

Christ's Instruction:

Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.

Hold fast.
To the faithful little church, the only command Jesus gives them is to hold fast.
Keep doing what you’re doing.
Hold fast to the true Gospel.
Hold fast in the face of persecution.
Keep holding on.
Keep doing what you’re doing.

Christ’s Command:

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

It is a command to listen.
Let's be a faithful church, shining brightly for the Glory of Christ.
Let’s be the church Jesus wants us to be. Jesus wants a church that is faithful.
Let faithfully commit to being:

A church working hard for His glory
A church patiently enduring for His name
A discerning church
A pure church
A loving church
A fearless church
A church faithful to death
An uncompromising church
A church that does not tolerate sin.
A faithful church

Some other ways we can apply this passage is:

Let’s not look down on a small struggling church.
God can use a small church in big ways.
He can open a door of opportunity that no one can shut.
So, let’s not discount what God can do through a small church.
Did you know that the number of small churches in the SBC far outnumber the big churches. God can use little churches in big ways.
We live in a tiny little town with a tiny population.
However, if we are faithful, God can use this church here in little Annapolis Missouri in big ways.
We just need to be faithful.
Let’s have the right attitude.
A humble attitude of complete dependance on Jesus.
When we are humbly relying on Him, He is able to use us.
Let’s decide now what we will do as persecution begins to come to the United States. Persecution is on the rise in the United States. What we are seeing now in our culture is that Christians aren’t just weird or old fashioned because of our beliefs.
We are bad.
Christians are evil because we call sin, sin.
June in the United States is Pride month.
A month to celebrate sin.
And our culture says that Christian who speak the truth; the truth that God hates sin, the truth that sexual immorality warrants the wrath of God, and even the truth that Jesus can save people out of that sin, we are the bad guys.
We are bigots. We are intolerant. We are full of hate.
It looks like this issue is the issue that is becoming the biggest sources of hostility for Christians in the United States. We need to decide now if we will stand firm or not.
Let’s stand firm on God’s word.
Let’s be faithful to Christ.
Let’s decide now to faithfully endure no matter what the world throws ate us.
Let’s ask God to open doors for the spread of the Gospel.
Use us to expand His Kingdom.
I challenge you to pray every day that God would give you open doors for Gospel conversations.
And when you pray, don’t be surprised when you find yourself with those opportunities.
When we are faithful, He will open doors for us.
Maybe you have never been made right with God.
Our sin separates us from a right relationship with God.
In fact, the bible tells us that our sin makes us enemies of God.
Because of our sin we deserve God’s punishment.
The wages of sin is death.
However, God is merciful and gracious.
In His Grace He sent Jesus to the rescue.
Jesus willingly left His rightful place in heaven, came to earth, humbly took on flesh.
And willing went to the cross to pay the penalty for sin.
He died on that cross, but 3 days later, He rose victorious over sin and death.
If you repent of sin, and in faith turn to Jesus, submitting to Him as Lord of your life, He will become your savior.
He will forgive you of all your sin.
He will make you right with God.
And He will open up to you the Kingdom of heaven.
You can have an eternal home in God’s presence, a new identity in Christ.
You can be blessed with all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places.

Watch the Message Below:

More from Lampstand:

Lampstand: Laodicea, The Church That Makes Jesus Sick

Lampstand: Sardis, the Dead Church

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 08:32:00 +0000

Sardis, the Dead Church

The Letter to the Church at Sardis

Revelation 3:1-6

According to statistics, in 2024, 715 SBC churches in the United States closed their doors. Churches that at one time stood as lighthouses in their community to shine the light of the Gospel of Jesus. But now, they are no longer in existence.

There isn’t much worse for the glory of Christ than an old dilapidated church building in a community that has closed its door. What is that telling the lost community members who drive by that building every day? Nothing good! It’s telling the community, Jesus must not be that powerful. He must not make that much a difference in people’s lives because look at this run-down building. There is nothing about a church closing its doors that brings glory to Christ. What a terrible testimony to the community. Rather than shining for the glory of Christ, it puts a stain on His great name.

When you think of a dead church, this is probably what you think about.

However, did you know that a church can be dead, and still have a nice well maintained, comfortable building.
Still have lots of activities going on.
Still be growing in numbers.
Yet be spiritually dead.

That’s the church at Sardis.
The church at Sardis thought it was doing great.
However, Jesus has a shocking message for the people at Sardis.
Jesus says that you may have a name and reputation of being alive.
But you are dead.

Everything about the church physically, things that can be seen with the physical eyes, was saying this is a thriving church. However, Jesus, He sees beyond the physical. He sees right down to the thoughts and intentions of the heart. He sees spiritual reality. And what Jesus sees at Sardis is a dead church. This is a church composed primarily of false converts. Not true genuine followers of Christ. Rather than being a church that leads people down the narrow road to eternal life, they were leading people on the broad road to eternal death.

And that is true today.
A church can look like it’s a growing thriving church. Y
et when Jesus looks at it, he sees it for what it really is. It’s dead.
They may be growing. But not because the Gospel is being proclaimed. No!
It's because they have a good marketing campaign.
They may have all kinds of activities, but the activities are really just social events.
They may meet for what is called worship, but it’s really just some entertaining music to hype them up emotionally and then give a self-help TED talk with a bible verse to make it sound spiritual. Rather than looking to God’s word and simply teaching what God has to say, they look to psychology and philosophy.
What are people’s felt? And they craft a message about that.
A message that appeals to the flesh, rather than the Spirit.
They pay careful attention not to say anything that might offend.
But when you do that you water down the Gospel.

Recap:

As we have seen, Jesus has given John a vision to write.
In this vision, John sees Jesus tending to lampstands.
These lampstands represent churches.

This reminds us of our purpose as a church. (Light lamp)
We exist to shine brightly for the glory of Christ.
We want to shine so brightly that every dark corner of the world around us can clearly see who Jesus is.

Jesus also gives messages to 7 real historical churches so that these churches will shine for His glory. Jesus assesses the church and gives them messages of commendation for a job well done, or correction when needed.

These messages aren’t just for the churches in ancient Asia minor, but they apply to churches of all ages, even today.

So, because we want to be a church shining brightly for the glory of Christ, we have been composing a list of the kind of church Jesus wants.

Jesus wants

A church working hard for His glory
A church patiently enduring for His name
A discerning church
A pure church
A loving church
A fearless church
A church faithful to death
An uncompromising church
A church that does not tolerate sin.

Because if not, we could end up like the church we will be looking at today.
Sardis, the dead church.

Revelation 3:1-6

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.
“‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. 4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

The recipient of this letter

And to the angel of the church in Sardis write:

If you remember, angel refers to a messenger. Someone would physically have to come get the letter from John who is in prison on the Island of Patmos. Most likely a elder or church leader.

It’s a letter written to the church at Sardis.

Like other churches, our best guess at how the church was started comes from Acts 19 when Paul was teaching daily in the hall of Tyrannus. The Gospel spread to all of Asia Minor.

Let’s talk about the city of Sardis. On the map we have been to Ephesus, then north to Smyrna, then further north to Pergamum. From Pergamum we went east to Thyatira, and now south 30 miles to Sardis which is located in the Hermus River Valley.

Sardis was a very great and wealthy city well known as one of the greatest cities in ancient world. There was a famous saying, “Rich as Croesus” due to the wealth of the King of Sardis, King Croesus. Their wealth came from gold that was mined from the river nearby.

Sardis is the first place to mint gold and silver into coins. In addition to the gold, Sardis was also wealthy due to its location on a major trade route called the Royal Road. Sardis was at the western end with Susa the Capital of Persian on the eastern end.

Militarily speaking, Sardis was known to be an impenetrable city due to its fortified location on one of the hills that jetted out from Mt Tmolus overlooking the river valley below. 1500-foot vertical cliff faces on 3 sides with only one way to access the city made the city almost impossible to conquer. Almost! This led to them being very prideful and overconfident.

Sardis, with its reputation of greatness and undefeatable, was defeated overnight.
One night while they were sleeping, Antiochus the Great, and an army of Cretian mountain climbers silently climbed the walls and easily defeated the city. The city never regained its status in it’s glory days. By the time John wrote this letter, the city controled by the Roman Empire.

Who the Message is From

As Jesus introduces himself to the churches, He uses images from John’s vision in chapter 1 to highlight certain attributes.

When Jesus introduced himself to the churches at Pergamum and Thyatira, He used images that warned of His judgment. However, Sardis is past judgement. They are dead.

The words of Him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

The 7 Spirits is found in verse 1:4
John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness.

We see the trinity in this verse. God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit is identified as the 7 spirits who are before His throne. Why is the Holy Spirit referred to as the 7 Spirits? In Revelation, there is a lot of symbolism that refers back to the Old Testament.

In Isaiah 11:2, the Holy Spirit is described as having 7 characteristics.
In Zechariah, the 7 branched menorah.
So, the idea of 7 is God’s number of completeness.

Jesus has the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
He is letting the church at Sardis know, they need the fullness of the Spirit, and Jesus has it.

Jesus also has 7 stars.
Those stars represent the messengers of pastors in Jesus's hand.
They are faithful pastor preaching truth.

Jesus is letting the church at Sardis know, He has faithful pastors who will preach the truth. And they need it.

Jesus has what the church at Sardis needs.
The fullness of the Holy Spirit and faithful pastors who will preach the truth.
They need a leadership change in the church.
They need a faithful pastor who will faithfully preach God’s word, and they need to submit to the Holy Spirit.

Christ’s Assessment

As Jesus is tending to the church at Sardis, Jesus doesn’t find the lamp flickering. No!
This lampstand is completely out! It’s not shining at all.

I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of God.

Jesus Knows Your Works

I know your works.

This was a church with a lot of things going on.
Some churches die because of a lack of works.
They don’t do anything.
Sins of omission keep them from doing anything to shine for the Glory of Christ.
That’s not the problem at Sardis.
They have a lot going on.
The problem was, as you can see, their works were incomplete in God’s sight.
This church was religious, but devoid of the Spirits power.
The prophet Isaiah would say their religious works were filthy rags.
There works are only a result of human effort, relying on human wisdom, rather than the power of the Holy Spirit.
They have a form of godliness by deny the power.
There works are wood, hay and stubble that will be burned up.
They will not last.
They will be burnt up.

A church like Sardis today may be growing, but only because of skillful marketing campaigns.
They may be friendly, but only for the sake of building their business.
They may have ministries that meet people’s needs, but only to boost their self-esteem so they can justify themselves as good people.
They can be all about the name of their church rather than the name of Christ.
They can be all for the Kingdom of their church rather than the Kingdom of God.
They want to make a name for themselves.

This church at Sardis was concerned about their reputation.
You have a reputation of being alive.
They had a reputation to uphold.
Because of this, I think one of the biggest sins in the church at Sardis was prideful ambition.

Prideful ambition can make a church water down the gospel to make it more palatable. More people will respond that way.

Prideful ambition can cause churches to have a worldly view of leadership in the church. They want ambitious leaders who, rather than faithfully and humbly teaching God’s word to grow the church, grow the church by conforming to the culture and psychology and philosophy. They want to make a name for themselves so much they have no concern for how Christ and His word.

But what does Jesus say about the church at Sardis. They are dead. There has never been a genuine salvation in the lives of these church members. They are dead and devoid of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 2:1 dead in their trespasses and sin.
False converts.
Building with wood, hay stubble.

The Commendation:

None.

Christ's Instruction:

Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of God. Remember then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent.

Wake up
Strengthen what remains and is about to die.
Remember the true Gospel message.
Keep the word of God
Repent

Christ's Warning:

If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at that hour I will come against you.

Jesus warns he will come like a thief in the night to bring judgement.
At an unexpected time.

Christ’s Promise:

Yet you still have a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed this in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before His angels.

Despite this church being mostly dead, there is a remnant. Those who have not soiled their garments in sin. Their lives are not characterized by sin like the prideful false converts of the church at Sardis.

The name of the Kingdom of Sardis church will be blot out. They are dead. But those true Christians, their names will not be blot out. They will have eternal life. They will have an eternal legacy.

Reminds me of what Jesus said, if you deny me, I will deny you. If you acknowledge me, I will acknowledge you.

Christ’s Command:

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Watch the Message Below:

More from Lampstand:

Lampstand: Laodicea, The Church That Makes Jesus Sick

Lampstand: Thyatira, the Church That Tolerates Sin

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 08:05:00 +0000

Thyatira, Church That Tolerates Sin

The Letter to the Church at Thyatira

Revelation 2:18-29

Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
Matthew 18:6-9

These are the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 18:6-9.
Did you notice as I read Jesus words, how seriously He takes sin?
Because Jesus takes sin so seriously, we should as well.

Here in the beginning chapters of Revelation, Jesus gives the Apostle John a vision and he is told to write what he sees in a book.
What did John see?
He saw Jesus tending to lampstand.
Lampstands that represent churches.
He saw Jesus is tending to the lampstands to make sure they shine brightly for His glory.

This lets us know the purpose of our church.
Annapolis First Baptist Church we exist to shine brightly for the glory of Christ.

How do we do that?
Well, Jesus had John send messages to 7 churches of Asia minor.
To Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.
And to each of these churches, He describes what is going on that is good, and what needs improvement. He gives commendation or correction. All so that the light will not flicker out.

Recap:

And we have been composing a list to help us know what Jesus expects of us as a church. Annapolis First Baptist Church, Jesus wants us to be:

A church working hard for His glory
A church patiently enduring for His name
A discerning church
A pure church
A loving church
A fearless church
A church faithful unto death
An uncompromising church

And today, as we look at Jesus’ message to the church at Thyatira, we will add a ninth item to the list.

A church that does not tolerate sin

Light Lamp. Church, we want to be a church shining brightly with the glory of Christ. We want to lift high the name of Jesus so that the light of Christ will illuminate every dark corner of our community and world around us. Let’s be the church Jesus wants us to be.

Revelation 2:18-29

18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
19 “‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. 24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule[a] them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

The recipient of this letter

And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write:

The word angelos in Greek means a messenger. Not necessarily a heavenly messenger. Most likely a human messenger. With John in Prison, someone would physically have to come to him and receive the letter and take it back to the churches. I believe it very well could have been a pastor or elder of the church.

This message is written to the church at Thyatira, but it is also a message for us today.
Let’s talk a little about the church at Thyatira. So far, we have traveled from Ephesus on the coast of the Aegean Sea, up north to Smyrna. Then further north to Pergamum, and now we travel southeast to Thyatira.

We don’t have any record of how the church at Thyatira began. But we know that according to Acts 19, the Gospel message spread all over Asia Minor when the Apostle Paul was teaching daily in the hall of Tyrannus. It’s quite possible that around this time, the church at Thyatira was planted.

There is another possibility as well. While Paul was in Philipi, he met a woman named Lydia from the city of Thyatira. She was a merchant of purple fabric manufactured in Thyatira. Through the Gospel witness of Paul, she and her whole household came to faith in Jesus. Perhaps, someone from her household took the Gospel home with them back to Thyatira and the church was planted.

The city of Thyatira was much smaller than the Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamum. The city began as a military outpost to guard the city of Pergamum from any attackers coming up the road to attack it. The soldiers stationed at Thyatira would slow down the oncoming attackers enough for the city of Pergamum to round up the troops.

After the Roman empire took over, there was a time of peace. The Pax Romana as it is often called. During this the city, settled on a trade route, became a flourishing commercial center.

Unlike the larger cities, it was not the home to numerous temples to pagan religion. Only a temple to Apollo. However, it was home to numerous trade guilds.

The city of Thyatira became a commercial city that produced many products. Like wool, and leather. But the main industry was the production of wool dyed purple. And each of the different industries would have their trade guilds. And each of the guilds would have a patron god they worshiped.

If you were in a certain industry, in order for you to earn a good living, you would need to be a member of the guild. The guilds would have pagan rituals to the false gods that included meat offered to their patron god and sexual immorality.

However, unlike the rest of the churches so far in Revelation, the hostility for the church doesn’t come from outside the church. It comes from within. As we will see Jesus warns them of teaching that Jesus calls the “deep things of Satan.”

Who the Message is From

This message is from Jesus himself. Notice how Jesus introduces Himself. He introduces Himself to the church at Thyatira in a way that warns of judgement.

Jesus identifies Himself as the Son of God. "The words of the son of God."
Jesus’ most frequently used title for himself was Son of Man.
In fact, in John’s vision in chapter 1, John sees Jesus “like a son of man.”

In all the other letters, Jesus uses images from John’s vision in chapter 1 to identify himself to the churches. Here he breaks from that pattern and gives us a different image of who He is. Rather than identifying Himself as the Son of Man, He chooses to identify himself as the Son of God.
Why? Because He is warning of judgment.
The title “son of man” shows us that He is God in the flesh who can sympathize with us. For the church at Thyatira, the time for sympathy has passed.
He introduces himself as the “Son of God” because He is coming with judgment. For the church at Thyatira, it’s not time for sympathy. It’s time for judgement.

The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire…
Remember those eyes of fire?
Those eyes that can see deep down even into the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Jesus is reminding the church of His omniscience.
He sees all and knows all.
And as He comes to the church at Thyatira, it’s a fearful thing, because what Jesus knows about the church at Thyatira warrants judgement.
In his divine omniscience, He has all the evidence that will bring a conviction.

Whose feet are like burnished bronze.
When someone was brought before a King for judgement, they were placed as the kings’ feet. Also, bronze is a symbol of judgement.

Here Jesus feet are burnished bronze.
He has the power to trample in divine judgement those who are found guilty.
He tramples them with those feet of burnished bronze.
In the Bible, God’s wrath is often described as a winepress.
In a winepress, people would step on the grapes to juice them.
In the bible, this imagery is used to illustrate judgement.
Jesus can apply great pressure in judgement that will crush those who stand guilty before Him.
Crush them like grapes.

If you remember from the message to the Church at Pergamum, Jesus has a sword and He knows how to use it. He will use it to war against those who refuse to repent. For the church at Thyatira, he reminds them of His feet of burnished bronze that will crush those who stand guilty before Him.

Jesus may have been meek and mild during His earthly ministry. But here in Revelation, we are seeing another side to Him. As the Son of God, He is not to be taken lightly. We must have a great awe, respect for Him.

The Commendation

With an introduction like that, you might think this church is all bad. But it’s not all bad at the church at Thyatira. There are some things Jesus commends the church at Thyatira for. There are some really good things going on. There are things Jesus gives them a pat on the back. A job well done.

Jesus Knows Your Works

I know your works.

Like the church at Ephesus, the church at Thyatira is working hard.
In fact, Jesus says, your latter works exceed the first.
They are not only a hard-working church, but they are growing and improving.
They are doing even more hard work for the name of Christ.

I am thankful for the hard workers we have here at Annapolis First Baptist Church.
We have some really hard-working folks here.
In fact, in some churches, people get paid full-time salaries for what some of our volunteers do. So, I give you a well-deserved, “Thank You! We may not see all the hard work you do, but Jesus knows.

Jesus Knows Your Love

Your love

The church at Ephesus received correction because they didn’t love like they should.
However, this is a very loving church.
They cared about each other.
This is a very welcoming and friendly church.
And that’s a great thing.

I’m thankful for our church.
I’m thankful for how you care about each other.
I’m thankful for our greeters who help people feel welcome.
But it’s not just the greeters.
Many of you show love towards people and make them feel welcome here at Annapolis First Baptist Church.

Jesus Knows Your Faith

your faith

There were some in the church at Thyatira that had deep faith in Christ.
Jesus commends them for it.
According to what I read, Jesus could also be referring to their faithfulness.
The members at Thyatira were faithful.
You could count on them.

Here at Annapolis FBC, we are blessed to have some faithful people full of faith.
You can really see it in the way they prayer.
There are people here you can count on.
They are faithful.
Jesus knows your faith.
Your faithfulness.
He sees and knows.

Jesus Knows Your Service

your service

There were some in the church at Thyatira that Jesus wanted to give a pat on the back for their service. They were serving and meeting needs in the church at Thyatira.
And I want to say thank you again for those that serve here at Annapolis FBC. Jesus knows your service too. He sees it. Even if no one else does, Jesus sees and knows.

Jesus Knows Your Patient Endurance

your patient endurance

There were some in the church that was facing trials and difficulty, suffering and persecution, yet in the midst of it, they were patiently enduring.
And there are people here at Annapolis FBC who are patiently enduring. Jesus sees and knows the trials and suffering your face, and how you are still patiently enduring. There are many in our church family dealing with health-related trials. Jesus sees and knows what you are going through. Keep turning to Jesus in faith, finding strength in Him. He will walk with you and get you through it.

Christ's Correction:

So, there were good things going on in the church at Thyatira. However, as Jesus sees with those eyes of fire, He sees not only the good going on in the church, but things that must change.

With those eyes like a flame of fire, Jesus sees things that need correction. He says,
But I have this against you. There were things in Thyatira that had to change.

We want to be a church shining brightly with the glory of Christ, so, let’s look and see what needed to change in the Thyatira church so we can be vigilant to protect against it here at Annapolis FBC.

Jesus says to the church at Thyatira, But I have this against you, you tolerate that woman Jezabel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

So, first let’s identify who Jesus is calling Jezabel.
There is a false prophetess being tolerated in Thyatira, and her symbolic name is Jezabel.

In 1st Kings, we read about the Kings of Israel.
Of all the kings of Israel, King Ahab was the worst.
What made him the worst?
His wife Jezabel.

And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
1 Kings 16:30-33

Jezabel led King Ahab and the nation of Israel into idolatry and sexual sin.

Jesus is connecting the false prophetess in the church at Thyatira to Jezabel in the Old Testament. We don’t know her real name. Jesus is symbolically calling her Jezabel because she is acting like Jezabel.

Let’s look at a few things about this Jezabel.

She calls herself a prophetess. She stands up and speaks to the church at Thyatira claiming to speak from God. She calls herself a prophetess, but she is a false prophetess. She claims to speak from God, but her teaching is not from God, but from Satan. She stands before the church and teaches Christians that it’s ok to practice sexual immorality and eat food offered to idols.

Let me remind you of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15.
What instructions did the Jerusalem council give for Christians living in a gentile pagan culture?

For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Acts 15:28-29

Notice they were instructed to abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and also to abstain from sexual immorality. They knew these temptations in the pagan Greek culture would be strong, so they are warned to stay away from them.

This woman Jesus calls Jezabel must have been a very gifted speaker and very spiritual sounding. How do you deceive Christians into sinning like this? She had to have been very convincing. How did she deceive these Christians at Thyatira? Maybe she was bringing in the philosophy of dualism into the church. In Greek philosophy they taught that the flesh was all bad and the spirit was good. Don’t be concerned with the flesh. You can do whatever you want with your body. It doesn’t matter. What matters is what you do with your spirit. You can participate in the pagan idolatry of the trade guilds with your body, then come to worship on Sunday for your soul. You can live one way all week long, then come to worship and get your soul taken care of. We have people that believe that today.

Or, maybe she was teaching a form of antinomianism. We are no longer under the law so we don’t have to obey it today. We are free to live however we want. Just go to the guild pagan rituals. Even if it means idolatry and sexual immorality and God will forgive you.

Jesus however, takes sin very seriously. Remember what he said about people who cause Christians to sin? It would be better for them to tie a millstone around their necks and drown in the sea than to experience his wrath towards them. He takes it seriously.

Later, in Matthew 18, we see Jesus first instruction to the church. This is one of the first times the word church is used in the Gospel. The only other time is at Peter confession that Jesus is the Christ. And on this rock, I will build my church.

Jesus tells the church how to take care of sin.
We are not to tolerate sin in the church.

First, if we become aware that someone in our church has fallen into sin, in love we go to them to restore them. If you are the one who notices the sin, then you as a loving caring brother or sister go one on one to try to restore them.

If they don’t listen, take someone with you. It could be another church member, a deacon or your pastor. Just someone else to try to restore them.

But if they still refuse, you have the church try to convince them to repent so they can be restored. Eventually, if they will not repent, you must treat them like a lost person. Their lack of repentance shows they really do not belong to Christ.

The Apostle Paul told the church at Corinth to exercise church discipline on a man in their congregation. We as a church cannot tolerate sin. Jesus takes sin seriously so we must as well.

Christ’s Warning:

Jesus will bring judgment in order to defend His glory.
Time is up. Jesus says, I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality

Notice what Jesus will do to Jezabel
Behold I will throw her onto a sickbed.
She has been seducing people into a bed of sexual immorality.
Jesus will throw her onto a bed.
What kind of bed will Jesus throw her onto?
If you look this up in the original language, Jesus doesn’t say a sickbed.
He just says bed.
So, what Kind of Bed?
I think Jesus is letting her know that He has reserved a King-sized bed for her in the deepest darkest pit of hell.

Do you know what happened eventually to Jezabel?
As was prophesied earlier by Elijah, she was thrown out of a high tower window, and her body was eaten by dogs.
The Jezabel in Thyatira will experience God’s judgment as well.

What Jesus will do to those who commit adultery with her.

Those who commit adultery with her I will throw into a great tribulation, unless they repent of her works.

The Christians who have been deceived by her still have time to repent.
But, if not, they will experience those feet of burnished bronze bring them great tribulation.
This is not the great tribulation we talk about that will happen during the last days.
The time of Jacob's trouble.
This is a different tribulation.
The word means pressure.
Great pressure.
Like the pressure of being crushed by feet of burnished bronze.

What Jesus will do to her children.

Who are her children? Evidently, she was in Thyatira long enough to make disciples. Not disciples of Christ. But her own disciples. Her own followers who continue teaching the false teachings that she taught. Jesus will kill them with death. Another reference to hell.

And Jesus will bring this judgment to defend His Glory.

And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give you according to your works.

Jesus does this for the sake of His name.
He will defend His glory.
He will judge people’s works.

Christ's Instruction:

Jesus has instructions for the faithful Christians.
But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden.

There were some true Christians in Thyatira who did not hold to the teachings of this Jezabel. They had not learned what Jesus called, “the deep things of Satan.”

Jesus tells them I do not lay on you any other burden.
This reminds me of the Jerusalem council.
The Jerusalem Council did not lay any burden on the gentile churches other abstaining from idolatry and sexual immorality.

Jesus instruction them,
Only hold fast what you have until I come.
Stick to the simple true gospel message.
Live in obedience to Him as Lord and Savior.

Christ’s Promise:

Jesus makes some great promises to those who hold fast to Him.

A Promise to Rule with Him in His Kingdom

The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rob of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my father.

This is a reference to the millennial Kingdom.
Jesus will one day rule on earth from Jerusalem for 1000 years.
And true Christians will rule with Him.
And at the end of the millennial Kingdom, when nations rise up, Jesus will defeat them with a rod of iron, and we will be with Him.

A Promise of Jesus Himself

And I will give Him the morning star.

In Revelation 22:16, Jesus is given the title, the bright and Morning Star.
Jesus is promising us eternal life in His presence.

Christ’s Command:

He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.”

Watch the Message Below:

More from Lampstand:

Lampstand: Laodicea, The Church That Makes Jesus Sick

Lampstand: Pergamum, The Worldly Church

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 08:25:00 +0000

Pergamum, The Worldly Church

The Letter to the Church at Pergamum

Revelation 2:12-17

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Romans 12:1-2

We must be aware that this world we live in is going to try to conform us to the pattern or mold of the world.
Christians, there will be a temptation for Christians to become worldly. But, as Christians, we are commanded to be transformed.
We are not to be conformed, but transformed.
The word transformed in Greek has the idea of metamorphosis.
Like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly.
As Christians, we should be transformed by the renewal of our minds.
So, how do our minds become renewed?
The Holy Spirit uses God’s word. This book!
Like Jesus said, “Sanctify them by truth, your word is truth.” John 17:17

Let’s not be conformed to this world. Let’s be transformed by God’s word.

We are going to see Jesus's message to the Pergamum church.
A church that has compromised with the world.
A church being conformed to the world.
Rather than being transformed, they are being conformed.
Rather than the church influencing the culture, the culture is influencing the church.

In Matthew 5:13 Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how will its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.”

One of the primary uses of salt, especially in Jesus’ day, was as a preservative.
To prevent meat from spoiling. Salt cures meat.
We are to be a preserving agent.
The church should influence the culture, rather than the culture influencing the church.
If the church loses its preserving effect, what use is it?

Let’s be salt and light.
Let’s make a difference in the world around us, rather than allowing the world to influence us.

Paul’s most corrective letters were written to the church at Corinth. The problem in the church at Corinth was the church was allowing the culture to influence the church rather than the church influencing the culture.

In the culture at Corinth, the people loved to argue and debate philosophy. And that cultural influence made its way into the church so that people in the church loved to argue and debate. Of course that caused division in the church.
So, Paul had to write to correct that.

The church at Corinth, in their love for philosophy, added philosophy, man’s wisdom, to the Gospel, So Paul had to correct that.

The pagan culture in Corinth was full of sexual immorality and that was influencing the church into sexual immorality. So, Paul had to write to correct that.

In their culture, wealthy people could do pretty much whatever they wanted because they had money to hire lawyers and take people to court. In Corinth, Church members were taking church members to court. And they did this before unbelieving judges. What a horrible testimony for Christ. So, Paul had to write to correct them about that.

In Corinth, the pagan religion was influencing the churches understanding of spiritual gifts. And their wrong ideas about Spiritual Gifts caused much division in the church. Paul had to correct that and let them know that love is what is most important.

The Corinthian Church had so much division because the church was being influenced by the culture rather than being transformed by God’s word. And the Apostle Paul wrote to correct these things so they could be unified in truth. They were to be united in truth.

We will see Jesus’ message to the church at Pergamum. The church at Pergamum was a divided a church. Some, and probably most, were faithfully following Christ. But there was a group in the church that were being influenced by the culture. And Jesus Himself writes to correct them so that they will be unified in truth.

Recap:

Here in the book of Revelation, Jesus has given the Apostle John a vision with Messages to 7 churches in Asia Minor.
In this vision, John sees Jesus tending to lampstands to make sure they continue shining brightly with the glory of Christ. These lampstands represent churches.

This lets us know why we exist.
We exist to shine brightly with the glory of Christ.
Let’s be a church shining brightly for the Glory of Jesus.
So brightly that every dark corner of our community will have a crisp clear picture of who Jesus is.
Let’s shine so brightly that the glory of Christ is seen not only here in Annapolis, but to the ends of the earth.

We have been composing a list to help us see the kind of Church Jesus wants. If we are going to be a church shining brightly for Jesus’ glory we will need to be:

A church working hard for His glory.
A church patiently enduring for His name.
A discerning church.
A pure church.
A loving church
A fearless church
A church faithful unto death.

And today we will add to the list:

An uncompromising church.

A church that does not compromise on truth.
A church that is not conformed to the pattern of the world but is being transformed.
A church that transforms the culture rather than conforms to it.

Revelation 2:12-17

12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.
13 “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith[a] even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

The recipient of this letter

“to the angel of the church in Pergamum”

As we have mentioned before, Angel, or angelos in Greek simply means a messenger. Messengers would have had to take this message John is writing down and deliver it to the churches. And remember, the messengers are in Jesus right hand.

The church in Pergamum.
We have looked at the message to Ephesus, then went north to Smyrna, and now we are going further north to Pergamum.
Pergamum, now known as the city of Bergama, is about 100 miles north of Ephesus.
Even though it was not a port city, it was 15-20 miles inland, and not on a major trade route, it was a very wealthy prominent city.

Pergamum was known for its pagan temples, for its development of parchment and for its library that was second only to the library in Alexandria Egypt at its time.

Pergamum, like Smyrna, was a free Roman city. Before becoming a Roman city, for a span of 250 years, Pergamum was the capitol city of Asia. In 137 BC the King of Pergamum handed the city over to Rome. And like Smyrna, the cult of Emperor Worship was huge. However, in Pergamum, the cult was even more prominent and more dangerous. Pergamum was home to the first temple to the cult of the Emperor in Asia. The Christians in Pergamum were in even more danger than in Smyrna. In Smyrna, everyone was required to offer sacrifice to the emperor every year. One day a year, the hostility towards Christians was at its worse. In Pergamum, the danger for Christians from the cult of the emperor, was every day.

Not only was Pergamum the home of a temple to the emperor, but temples to other false gods. Athena, Asklepios, Dionysos, and Zeus. So, as you see, pagan religion was rampant.

We do not have historical records on how the church at Pergamum was planted, but it was most likely during Paul’s ministry in Ephesus as He taught daily in the hall of Tyrannus.
Acts 19:10 says: “This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.”
The Gospel spread, even to this extremely pagan City, and a church was formed.
We know the author of this letter is Jesus himself.

Jesus Introduces Himself in a way that brings Warning:

“The words of Him who has the sharp two-edged sword.”

If someone rang your doorbell, and you look through the peep and see them carrying a sharp two-edged sword, would you unlock the door? That sword would be a big red flag. A warning to you that trouble is coming. Jesus is letting the church at Pergamum know that trouble is coming if the church does not repent.

If you remember in John’s vision in chapter 1, Jesus is described as having a sharp two-edged sword. An instrument of war. What a terrifying way for Jesus to introduce Himself!

Jesus Knows

Next, let’s see what Jesus knows. Remember those eyes that see every detail in the life of the churches. Every circumstance, every situation. Jesus sees and He knows. So, what does Jesus reveal about what He knows.

Jesus Knows Where you Dwell

This “I know” is like the “I know” the Smyrna church got.

I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is.

The permanent residence of the church at Pergamum was also the permanent residence of Satan’s throne.

What is Jesus referring to as Satan’s throne? There are a few options.

Jesus could be referring to the huge temple to the false god Zeus. The Pergamum’s acropolis was dominated by a huge temple to Zeus. This temple was considered the greatest of Greek art depicting a great battle of the gods.

Or, Jesus could also be referring to the temple to the false god Asklepios. Asklepios was a false god in the form of a serpent; thought to be the god of healing. In fact, the temple of Asklepios was full of snakes. And when someone was in need of healing, they would sleep in the temple in hopes that the snakes would touch them while they were sleeping and heal them of their diseases.

I hate snakes! I don’t think I would get a wink of sleep. And there is no way I’m going to let one slither over me.

OR, Jesus could be referring to the temple to the Roman Emperor as “Satan’s Throne.” The cult of the emperor represented the greatest threat to the Christians in Pergamum. Pergamum’s temple to the emperor was the leading center of Emperor worship in Asia. And a great source of persecution for Christians.

Jesus may just be grouping all these satanic pagan influences together and calling this place the Throne of Satan. All these pagan religions were a great source of hostility to the Christians in Pergamum.

Jesus Knows you hold fast His Name

“I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name.”

Even though at Pergamum, the church faced much hostility, the majority of the Christians in Pergamum, held fast to Jesus’ name. Many at the church at Pergamum were patiently enduring for the name of Christ this city hostile to Christians.

Jesus Knows You Did Not Deny the Faith During Persecution

“I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is, yet you hold fast my name and you did not deny the faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness.”

Like Polycarp in Smyrna, there were believers in Pergamum willing to give their lives for their faith. Antipas, one of the pastors at Pergamum, was executed primarily because of his refusal to worship the emperor. He was roasted alive inside a bronze bull. Notice what Jesus calls Antipas. “My faithful witness”. What better thing to hear from Jesus about you than, “my faithful witness.” Even with such horrific persecution, some in the church did not deny the faith. There were Christians in Pergamum fearlessly and faithfully enduring for the name of Christ.

However, unlike the church at Smyrna, the church at Pergamum was in need of more than just encouragement. Jesus knew, and could see, some things needed correcting. He gave them a “pat on the back” “job well done” for some things He saw in the church at Pergamum.

Christ's Correction:

"But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality."

Some hold to the teaching of Balaam

In Numbers 22-25 we find Balaam.
King Balak was afraid of the people of Israel, so He wanted Balaam to come and curse the people of Israel.

God however had different plans for Israel.
His plan was to bless the nation of Israel.
Three times Balaam tried to curse Israel but failed.
Rather than cursing Israel, Israel was blessed.

Since he could not curse Israel, Balaam used the Moabite women to tempt the Israelites into sin. The nation of Israel, instead of remaining separate from the Moabites, began to intermarry with the Moabite women. Rather than influencing the Moabites, the Moabite women influenced them into Baal worship.

They were conformed to the pattern of the Moabites. Because of the Idolatry, God had to curse Israel with a plague. As a result of the plague on the nation of Isarel, the nation of Israel lost 24,000 people.

We must not conform to the world.
There is great danger in being a church like the world.
We must be transformed by God’s word.
Some in the church at Pergamum were being conformed to the pattern of the world.
They were intermixing with the culture of Pergamum.
And because of this, they brought the church at Pergamum great danger.

Some hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans

So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

The way this reads in the Greek text, connects the teaching of the Nicolaitans with the teaching of Balaam. It’s the same kind of thing. The teaching of Balaam was an Old Testament example of someone leading God’s people astray. And the teaching of the Nicolaitans is an example of someone from the New Testament leading people astray into sin. Intermixing with the culture rather than being a change agent in the culture.

If you remember from the letter to the Church at Ephesus, Jesus commended the Ephesian Church for hating the works of the Nicolaitans. The church at Ephesus was a pure church. A church not conforming to the world. A church being transformed by God’s word.

We find Nicolaus in Acts 6:5. He was one of the men chosen to take care of the overlooked widows in the Jerusalem church. Evidently, he used his influence in the church to lead people astray, conforming to the world rather than being transformed by God’s word. His followers, Nicolaitans, went as far as teaching Christians is was ok to participate in pagan sexual immorality and idolatry.

Jesus hates it when his people conform to the world. Intermix with the culture rather than being a change agent of the culture. Jesus hates it when His church is led into false teaching and into sinful compromise.

Most of the church at Pergamum were fearlessly faithful to Christ. Patiently enduring persecution. It was only a small group that had been compromised. But even a small group in the church can cause great harm to the church if it is tolerated. It only took a few Israelites intermarrying with the Moabite women to warrant the punishment of God where 24,000 people died.

It only takes a few people being conformed to the world to do great harm to the church.

Christ’s Instruction:

Next see Christ’s instruction. His word of instruction for the church at Pergamum.

Repent

Therefore repent.

Repentance is a change of mind that changes our behavior. See how damaging conforming to the world can be. And allow God’s word to transform you into His image.

Christ’s Warning:

“If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.”

That sword Jesus spoke about when He introduced himself to the church at Pergamum, he knows how to use it! If the church at Pergamum does not repent, then Jesus promises to come use it on them. I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.

The nation of Israel lost 24,000 people.
This sword coming from Jesus’ mouth.
We see it again later in Revelation.
In Chapter 19, the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against Christ.

"From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron."

"And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of Him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds gorged with their flesh."

I also find it interesting to read that the word of God Is like a sharp two-edged sword.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joint and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

A sword has the power to separate and divide. I remember what Jesus said in Matthew 19:34.
“But do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter in law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.”

Jesus has a sword and he knows how to use it.

Christ’s Promise:

To the one who conquers….

The ones who conquer are the ones who listen and obey. Who repent. Who, rather than being conformed to the world, are transformed by the word of God. To those who conquer he gives these promises.

To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna.

Manna is a reference to the bread from heaven God gave the Hebrew children as they wandered in the desert. God provided food to sustain them.

The hidden manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle.

Then during Jesus earthly ministry, He declared, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

Jesus was letting us know that He is the one who sustains us to give us life. Not just temporary filling. But never to be hungry again. It’s a promise of eternal life.

And I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.

In the Greco-Roman culture of Pergamum, a white stone was given to an athlete who was victorious in an athletic contest as a ticket to enter a special award banquet.

Jesus is using this a way to describe eternal life.
Eternal life is for the victors.
It will be an eternal victory celebration.

It talks about a new name.
In Christ, we get a new family.
We belong to the family of God.
We are adopted.
And we get a new name.
"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" John 1:12

A name in the bible often describes a person’s character.
In Christ, we are a new creation.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

A name that no one knows except the one who receives it.
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Corinthians 2:9

Christ’s Command:

He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.”

Each and every message to each of the seven churches, Jesus gives the command to listen.
Do you have an ear to hear? Listen!

Let's be a uncompromising, non conforming church!
A church that refuses to conform to the world.
A church that takes sin seriously and will not tolerate it.
Let’s be a church shining brightly for the glory of Christ.

Watch the Message Below:

More from Lampstand:

Lampstand: Laodicea, The Church That Makes Jesus Sick

Lampstand: Smyrna, The Faithfully Enduring Church

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:23:00 +0000

Smyrna, The Faithfully Enduring Church

The Letter to the Church at Smyrna

Revelation 2:8-11

Are you familiar with the fastest growing church in the world? According to the research organization, Operation World, in the last few years this church has grown from around 500 to over a million. Not only that, but this church is also reaching out with the Gospel and it’s Gospel witness is helping fuel the growth of the second fastest growing church in the world.

Let me tell you a little about the fastest growing church in the world.
This church doesn’t have a big comfortable building.
They don’t have a budget.
They don’t have entertaining music.
They don’t have entertaining speakers.
They don’t have a church structure.
But they have deep commitment to Christ and He makes all the difference.
They don’t have all these things because they are an underground church.
The fastest growing church in the world is the underground church in Iran.
The second fastest growing church in the world is the underground church in Afghanistan.
Afghans are being reached with the Gospel largely in part by the gospel witness of the Iranian underground church.

These are underground churches because of intense persecution of the Islamic governments in these places. In spite of intense persecution, these churches are flourishing. The high cost of being a Christian in Iran fuels a deep passionate commitment to faithful service to Christ. These churches are faithful to Christ even unto death.

Let me remind you from the book of Acts when people try to oppose the Gospel, the church grew like wildfire. In Acts 4, Peter and John were arrested and told not to speak about Jesus. The church gathered to pray and asked the Lord,
“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word will all boldness.” (Acts 4:29)
And as a result of this prayer meeting,
“they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31)

After the stoning of Stephen, the church was dispersed from Jerusalem. As they went, they took the Gospel with them. Wherever these faithful Christians went churches were planted.

After James was killed by Herod’s sword,
“the word of God increased and multiplied.” (Acts 12:24)

Today we are continuing in our series Lampstand. We will pick up in Revelation Chapter 2:8. We have seen in Chapter 1 the vision Jesus gave to John on the island of Patmos. In this vision, Jesus is tending to lampstands to make sure they do not flicker out. These Lampstands represent churches. Annapolis First Baptist Church, let’s be a church shining brightly for the Glory for Christ!

In chapter 2, we find Jesus messages of commendation and correction to each of the seven churches in Asia. These messages were written to literal historical church to help make sure they shine brightly with the Glory of Christ. And these messages apply to our church today.

Recap:

Let’s take a moment to review so far the kind of church Jesus wants. From the message to the church at Ephesus, we saw Jesus wants:

A church working hard for His glory.
A church patiently enduring for the His name.
A discerning church.
A pure church
And a loving church.

And today, we will add to this list, from the message to the church at Smyrna:

A fearless church
A church faithful unto death

Revelation 2:8-11

8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
9 “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander[a] of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

The recipient of this letter

“to the angel of the church in Smyrna”

If you remember from previous weeks, the word angel is angelos in Greek, referring to a messenger. Someone would take the letter and read it to the church.

The recipient church of this message is the church at Smyrna.

Smyrna was a very old and beautiful city, one of the finest and wealthiest in all of Asia Minor located 35-40 miles from Ephesus. Unlike Ephesus, it is a city still in existence, more than just ruins like in Ephesus. However, it is now called Izmir. Like Ephesus, it was an important port city on the Aegean Sea. In John’s Day, Ephesus was the most prominent of the cities of Asia Minor, and Smyrna was second in prominence.

Another thing you should understand about Smyrna is its culture that was a source of great hostility to the church at Smyrna. Smyrna was a free Roman city with a huge emphasis on Emperor Worship. The cult of the Roman Emperor in Smyrna would require the citizens of the city to receive a certificate as proof that they offered sacrifice to the emperor. In fact, about 50 years after John wrote this message to the church at Smyrna, a man named Polycarp, one of the pastors at the church at Smyrna, was burned at the stake for refusing to worship the Roman Emperor. This cult of emperor worship was a major source of hostility for the Smyrna church.

Another source of hostility for the Smyrna church was pagan religion. Not only was there Emperor worship, but a variety of false gods worshiped in Smyrna. Smyrna was a located at a gulf of the Aegean Sea. If you were to look up towards the hills called the Pagos, the hills would have been covered in Temples to false gods.

And a third source of hostility for the Smyrna church was Jews with a hatred towards Christians. The Jews in Smyrna had such a hatred towards Christ, that when Polycarp was burned at the stake, the Jews broke the Sabbath in order to carry logs as firewood to be used for the fire that killed Polycarp.

It was not an easy place to be a Christian. It was a place of great persecution of Christians.
Next see who this message is from. The way Jesus introduces Himself to the church at Smyrna would have given them great encouragement.

Jesus Encourages the Church at Smyrna:

“The Words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.”

Jesus is reminding the church of His eternal nature. Jesus always was, always is and always be. He is “the first and the Last.” He is pointing the minds of the Christians in Smyrna away from their current situation to give them hope of their future.

And Jesus reminds them of the Gospel. Jesus died on a cross to rescue them from sin and give them eternal life. He is the one “Who died and came to life.”

Because Jesus has power over death, these Christians in Smyrna have a wonderful future awaiting them. The have the gift of Eternal life.

Jesus Knows

Jesus encourages them next by letting them know, He knows. He knows what they are going through.

Remember those eyes of fire? Those eyes of Jesus know everything going on in the churches. The good the bad. Every circumstance and every situation. And in the case of the church at Smyrna, this is a message of comfort. I know. I know.

Jesus Knows Your Tribulation

“I know your tribulation.” Jesus knows the hostility the church at Smyrna was facing. False religion is most zealous in opposing that which is true.

See some of the tribulation the church was enduring.

Jesus knows, “the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.” The Jews in their rejection of Christ, are zealously opposing Christians. They are proving that they are not true Jews. They are a synagogue of Satan.

Jesus even knows of suffering that will take place in the future. “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation.”

The church at Smyrna will be going through at time of testing. And in this time of testing, only true Christians will be able to endure.

This testing will only purify the true church. You see, false converts do not stick around when tribulation comes. Tribulation and persecution have a purifying effect on the church. The purifying fire of affliction causes the lampstand to burn all the more brightly.

Jesus Knows Your Poverty

“I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich).”
Jesus also knows the churches poverty.
This church was not just poor; they were utterly destitute.
Why? Most likely as a result of the persecution they faced.
They were constantly robbed of their goods because of their faithful endurance in Christ.

But notice what Jesus says to encourage them.
“But you are rich.”
This church does not have two nickels to rub together, but they were rich.
How were they rich? They were spiritually rich. They were rich in Christ.
And in Christ, they are coheirs with Christ in the Kingdom of God.
To true Christians, belong all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places.

Christ's Correction:

Next, I would like you to notice Christ’s correction to the church Smyrna.
Oh wait. There is none.

As Jesus was tending to the Lampstands, He found this to be one of the most brightly shining churches of all. Rather than having a message of correction for the church at Smyrna, its only encouragement.

Unlike the church at Ephesus, the Smyrna church loved Jesus with all their hearts. And they loved each other. They were a pure church, refined by the fires of tribulation.

Christ’s Instruction:

Next see Christ’s instruction. His instruction is to encourage them.

Do Not Fear

“Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation.”

The church was about to go through some tough circumstances.
But they did not have to be afraid.
I haven’t counted it myself, but I have heard that in scripture, God’s word tells us 365 times not to be afraid. That’s enough for every day of the year.
Christian, do not be afraid.

Be Faithful unto Death

Jesus also encourages the church at Smyrna, “be faithful unto death.” Would you risk your life to faithfully serve Christ? Jesus is instructing us to be faithful even unto death. As a Christian, we must be willing to take up our cross daily and follow Jesus. Take up our cross, a death sentence.

“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” Matthew 16:24-26

Count it all joy my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-3

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

Church, because of these promises, we can be faithful even unto death.
Here in the United States, persecution has not come to the point of suffering to death, but it is on the rise.
Let’s be a church that will not compromise in our faithfulness to Christ.

Christ’s Warning:

Next, notice Christ’s warning. Oh wait.
There is none.
Only encouragement.
This church as it fearlessly and faithfully serves Christ, is shining brightly for His glory.

Christ’s Promise:

Notice the encouraging promise Christ give to the church at Smyrna.

“I will give you the crown of life.”
We do not have to fear death, because as a Christian, we have the crown of life to look forward to.

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28
We don’t have to fear, because a crown of life is waiting for us.

“The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.”

True Christians do not have to fear, because they will not be hurt by the second death.

Revelation 20:11-15
then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. From His presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

True Christians who faithfully endure, do not have to fear the second death. Because we receive the gift of eternal life.

Christ’s Command:

He who has an ear, let him her what the Spirit says to the churches.

The true Christians will have an ear to hear.
They will listen.
Lord would you open up ears to hear!

Watch the Message Below:

More from Lampstand:

Lampstand: Laodicea, The Church That Makes Jesus Sick

Lampstand: Ephesus, When Love Grows Cold

Mon, 25 May 2026 08:02:00 +0000

Ephesus, When Love Grows Cold

The Letter to the Church at Ephesus

Revelation 2:1-7

It is a good practice in marriage to remember and reflect on when you and your spouse began your relationship. Remember how the relationship began. Remember those first dates. Remember the courtship. Remember how you pursued each other. Remember those feelings of love toward your spouse. Remember what made you fall in love with them.

For me, it hasn’t been that long. April and I are still newlyweds in the honeymoon period. But still, it is good to remember. Often in marriage, you can get so busy with life, that you forget how much you love your spouse and take them for granted, and as a result, your love can grow cold.

But a little remembering and reflecting, can be very beneficial. You can remember how you pursued each other in the beginning of the relationship, and start being intentional about pursuing each other in the present, and that can help reignite the fires of love in marriage.

This advice is not only good for marriage relationships, but as we will see in our passage today, it is good advice for our relationship with God.

Today we will continue in Revelation Chapter 2, and we will look at the letter to the church at Ephesus and learn what to do when love grows cold.

Recap:

Last Sunday, we began a study in the book of Revelation. We are calling this study Lampstand. The Apostle John was in a prison labor camp on the island of Patmos on account of the Word of God and testimony in Jesus Christ. On a Sunday, while John was worshiping, Jesus gave him a vision. In this vision, Jesus instructed John to write to messages to the seven churches in Asia. In this vision, we see Jesus tending to the Lampstands which represent churches. This vision helps us know the purpose and mission of the church.

As a Church, We Exist To Shine Brightly for the Glory of Christ.

And we see that Jesus is tending to the churches to make sure they continue to shine for His glory.

Last week, we got a glimpse of Jesus in His glory. He was clothed in a priestly garment that lets us know He interceded on behalf of His church. He has hair white as snow which shows us His purity and Holiness. He has eyes of fire that see everything, even to the thoughts and intents of the heart. He has feet of glowing hot burnished bronze that lets us now that He rules in justice. He has a deadly weapon. A sharp two-edged sword to protect His church. And His voice is speaking loud and clear. Like a trumpet, and like the roar of many waters. And He is tending to His churches so that they shine for His glory.

Annapolis First Baptist Church, let's be a church shining brightly for the glory of Christ. So brightly that every dark corner of our community can see a crisp, clear picture of Christ and His glory.

Today, we will look Christ’s message to the church at Ephesus. And in looking at this message we can learn a lot about the Kind of Church Christ wants us to be.

Revelation 2:1-7

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

The recipient of this letter

To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

The word angel in Greek is angelos or messenger. The angel most likely refers to a messenger who would take this letter from John to the church in Ephesus.

This message is to the church in Ephesus. But it also applies to churches today. Let’s talk a little about the church at Ephesus. These list of cities John is writing to is listed in an order that look a lot like a postal route through Asia Minor. And first on the route is Ephesus. Ephesus was a prominent city in Asia Minor, what we call Turkey today. In Paul’s day and in John’s day, Ephesus was a crucial port city. However now, the ancient city ruins of Ephesus is located inland. The Cayster River has deposited silt into the harbor of the Aegean Sea, so that it’s no longer at the port any longer.

Ancient Ephesus was a major port city with a river inland. And one of the most prominent features was the Temple to Artemis. When Paul was in Ephesus, He spent a considerable amount of time in Ephesus. For two years, Paul taught in the hall of Tyrannus, and the gospel message was spreading from Ephesus all over Asia minor. The Gospel was making such a difference in the pagan city of Ephesus, that the silversmiths who made a lot of money making shrines to the false god Artemis was losing business. And of course they were not happy. They started a riot and Paul had to leave town. Many people left the idolatrous pagan religion of Ephesus to follow Christ. And during the life of the church at Ephesus, they had some really good church leaders such as, Paul, Apollos, Aquila and Pricilla, Timothy, and even the Apostle John. It is believed that John was serving as an elder in the church at Ephesus when he was arrested by the Roman Authorities. The Ephesian church members, saved out of pagan religion, had such a love for Jesus.

This message is from Jesus. Look at how Jesus introduces himself. In each message to each church, He introduces himself in some way that brings us back to John’s vision in chapter 1.

The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

We see a picture of Jesus with these messengers in His right hand. And He is tending to the churches. He is making sure these lampstands, or churches are shining brightly for His glory.

As we look at Jesus message to the churches, we will see messages of commendation; things going well in the churches, as well as correction. Things that need to change so that the churches light will not flicker out.

So, as we read the message to the church at Ephesus, we can see the kind of church Jesus wants: In order to shine for His glory, we see things that should and should not characterize His church.

The Kind of Church Jesus Wants:

1. A church working hard for Christ’s glory

I know your works, your toil…

When Jesus says, “I know”, I am reminded of those eyes. Those eyes like a flame of fire. He knows exactly what is going on in His churches. He has complete full knowledge. And Jesus first has a message of commendation for a job well done. He commends the church at Ephesus for being a hard-working church.

This church was laboring to the point of sweat and exhaustion for the Glory of Christ. They were not a church that just held down a pew on Sunday morning. They didn’t go to church to be entertained. They were a church who lived on mission for Christ. They were aggressively evangelizing the lost. I am reminded of how the church was growing all over Asia minor as Paul was teaching in the hall of Tyrannus. The church was busy helping each other grow in their faith. They were busy caring for people in need.

Annapolis First Baptist Church, lets be a church that works hard for the glory of Christ. Be a church that evangelizes the lost, that helps each other grow in the faith, that meets the needs of the people around us. Jesus wants us to be a church working hard for the Glory of Christ.

2. A church patiently enduring for the name of Christ

And your patient endurance

The church at Ephesus was long suffering for the Glory of Christ even in the midst of a very difficult circumstance. Even though the church was going through persecution for their faith, they remained faithful.

I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake.

Remember in Paul’s day the persecution He faced in Ephesus for the sake of the Gospel. The riot forced him out of town. And think about the Apostle John. He was one of their pastors, and He was arrested and put in a prison labor camp because He refused to worship the Roman Emperor and Refused to stop talking about Jesus.
So, it was a difficult city to be a Christian in.

I think about Annapolis First Baptist Church. Thankfully, it’s a lot easier to be a Christian here in the United States, but persecution is on the rise. Will we as a church stand firm in the face of persecution? Will we be faithful to share the good news of the Gospel to people we come in contact with? Will we be committed to share the Gospel full-strength, without diluting it, so that we can see people saved and growing in their faith? Jesus wants us to be a church patiently enduring for the name of Christ.

3. A discerning church

The next commendation we see is that the church was a discerning church. Jesus gives them a “job well done” for their discernment.
Jesus commends them for “how you cannot bear with those who are evil.”

The Ephesus church would not put up with those who are evil; church members whose lives were characterized by sin. In Matthew 18, we see Jesus’ teaching on church discipline. We see the pattern of how to deal with sin in the church. The purpose of church discipline is never to kick someone out of the church. The goal is for them to repent of sin, and be restored to right fellowship with God and the church body. However, a refusal to repent is a sign that the person does not have a real relationship with Christ. Jesus wants us to be a church that cannot bear with those who are evil.

But have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.

The church at Ephesus was a discerning church not only in how they called out sin, but they called out false teachers.
False apostles came to Ephesus. And the church was able to recognize them as false. People who claimed to be sent from God, but were not. Thankfully, the church at Ephesus had elders who could discern true teachers from false.

Let me show you from Acts 20:28-30 one of the roles of the elders. It was the role of the elders in the Ephesus church, and all the churches and even the Elders here at Annapolis.

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which He obtained with His own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock: and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Acts 20:28-30

In this passage in Acts, Paul is on his way to Jerusalem with an offering to present to the Jerusalem church. And He was trying to get there before Pentecost. So, He stops at Miletus and has the church elders from Ephesus come to him in Miletus. And He gives this instruction to the Elders.

Elders must first pay careful attention to themselves. AS a pastor or elder overseer, of the church, I must pay very close attention to my life. Am I teaching accurately God’s word? Am I practicing what I preach?

Then we see the call to pay careful attention to the flock. The flock the Holy Spirit made you overseers. So, we see the Elders job is to oversee the flock, The church.
Then we see to care for the church. Or shepherd or pastor. You see, Elders, Bishops, Overseers, Pastors, are the same office.
And they pay attention to the flock Christ obtained with His blood.

I know after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you.

Paul foretells that false teachers, fierce wolves, will come in to the church. The Elders have to know God’s word so well they can easily detect false teachers coming in.

Then also, and from your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

There are dangers that come from outside the church and even inside the church. The elders have to be aware of people within the church. People who twist things to draw people to their own agenda rather than the Glory of Christ.

So, Paul commends the church at Ephesus for being a discerning church. Annapolis FBC, we need to be a discerning church. To protect from dangers coming from outside the church and even from inside. Pray for me! Pray for discernment and strength.

We must test everything. Like Jesus commends the church at Ephesus.
But have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.

4. A Pure Church

Yet this you have, you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

In Acts 6, we meet a man named Nicolaus. When division arose in the Jerusalem church because some of the Greek speaking widows were not getting taken care of, the apostles appointed 7 Greek speaking men to take care of the Greek speaking widows to make sure they get the food they should get. One of the 7 men, the last on the list, was Nicolaus. Evidently, Nicolaus used his influence in the church to lead the church into sexual immorality and idolatry.

In the letter to the church at Pergamum, we see that Jesus connects the works of the Nicolaitans to Balaam’s false teaching that led the nation of Israel astray in Numbers 22-25. Balaam could not curse the nation of Israel, because God was blessing them. Since He could not curse them, Balaam chose to led them into sin. He used the Moabite women to lead the Israelites into sin so that God would have to curse them with a plague.
Jesus commends the church at Ephesus for being a pure church. A church that hates immorality and idolatry.

Annapolis FBC, we must be a pure church. A church that hates sexual immorality and idolatry. A church that does not tolerate sin. Let’s live for the Glory of Christ.

5. A Church that Loves Christ

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 22:37-39

Annapolis First Baptist Church, we need to be a church that loves God with all our heart, soul and mind. And a church that loves one another.
So far we have seen the church at Ephesus receive a “well done”. They receive commendations. However, we see here in verse 4 a correction.

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.

The church at Ephesus had so many things going for them. They were a hard working church, a patiently enduring church, a discerning church, a pure church. However, they had an issue that if not corrected could make their lampstand burn out. A danger that could keep them from shining for the Glory of Christ.
Their love had grown cold.

Christ's Correction:

“You have abandoned the love you had at first.”

They don’t love God the way they used to.
They don’t love one another the way they used to.

Christ’s Instruction:

Thankfully Christ, as He is tending to His church, gives them instruction to make sure they continue shining brightly. He instructs them in what they need to do to love like they should.

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.

So, we can summarize Jesus’ instructions as remember, repent, and repeat.

Remember

The church at Ephesus needs to remember the love they had a first.
Do you remember when you first came to faith in Jesus?
And the zeal you had for Him? I hope you do. Every true convert of Christ will be filled with great love joy and zeal for Christ.
Remember how you wanted everyone around you to know about the savior who has made such a change in your life?

I think about the Ephesian Christians, saved out of all kinds of immorality and idolatry.
Jesus radically saved them.

Take some time to remind yourself of your life before Christ.
Remember how you were lost and heading towards destruction in Hell.
Then remember how you came to Christ.
Don’t let yourself forget or take it for granted.
Do you remember?

Repent

Repentance is a change of mind that changes our direction. We turn to Jesus, who changes us from the inside out.

Repeat

And do the works you did at first.

Just like in a marriage, if you stop pursuing your spouse, stop going on dates, let all the busyness of life distract you from each other, then the feelings of love you have for each other will grow cold.

You need to remember, repent, and repeat. Remember how you pursued her at first. Remember what made you fall in love with her. Repent of allowing things to grow cold. And then repeat. Go on dates. Pursue her again like when you first got married.

And it’s the same way with God.

Are you pursuing Him?
In Bible study?
In prayer?
Zealously sharing the Gospel?
Making sure no sin gets in the way to keep you from Him.
Church, will you evaluate your love?
Are you loving God like you should.
If you love God, you will love one another.
If not, then you should remember, repent, and repeat.

Christ’s Warning:

“If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from it’s place, unless you repent.”

Even though the church at Ephesus was a hard-working church, a patiently enduring church, a discerning church and a pure church, the issue of their love growing cold caused them to be in danger of the fire of their lampstand flickering out.

Because they were not loving like they should, loving God and loving one another, their church was in danger. In danger of the light of the glory of Christ being snuffed out.

We want to be church shining brightly for the glory for Christ.
Let’s make sure we are a church that loves.
Let’s be a hardworking church, a patiently enduring church, a discerning church, a pure church, and a church that loves.
Ask God to speak to you from His word.
If you find that your love has grown cold: Remember, repent and repeat.

Christ's Command

He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Genuine believers in Christ have the Holy Spirit within to help us hear from God’s word.
If you have ears to hear, LISTEN!

Christ’s Promise:

“To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”

The true believers in Jesus will have ears to hear.
And they will conquer.
And they will be granted to eat of the tree of life in the paradise of God.
This is a promise of eternal life.
A promise for genuine Christ- followers.
Eternal life is waiting for you.

Watch the Message Below:

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Lampstand: Jesus at Work in the Church

Mon, 18 May 2026 11:33:00 +0000

Jesus at Work in the Church for His Glory

Revelation 1:9-2:1

What is a church?
Often, we call this building the church. But a church is not this building we meet in.

So, what is it?
It’s the called-out people of God gathering to worship, exalt, glorify, and praise the name of Jesus. In the bible, there are multiple metaphors for the church.

A Flock

The church is like a flock of sheep with a shepherd.
Sheep are completely dependent on their shepherd, for guidance, provision and protection.

The role of a pastor is to feed the sheep a rich nutrient dense diet of God’s word.
Not just milk but meat.

The shepherd also protects. If there is a wolf, the shepherd must defend the sheep. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. He is willing to risk it all, put it all on the line, to protect the sheep. One of the bibles most famous shepherds was David. In 1 Samuel, during the story of David and Goliath, David said, "Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them for he has defied the armies of the Living God." 1 Samuel 17:36

In defending his sheep, David has fought off not only wolves, but lions and bears.
You see, a shepherd is a protector of the flock.

A Garden, Vineyard or Vine.

I am reminded of Jesus teaching. "I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me, you can do nothing." John 15:5

A Temple

A building with Christ as our cornerstone. A foundation we can build upon.

A Bride

The church is the bride of Christ.

A Body

"For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many are one body in Christ, individually members one of another." Romans 12:4-5

Just like you body has different parts, or members, your liver has its function. Your toe has its function. Yet each part should function together to make one body.

And in today’s passage in Revelation, we see the church as a lampstand.
A golden lampstand that God intends to shine brightly, radiate, with the Glory of Christ.

Revelation 1:9-2:2

9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
To the Church in Ephesus
2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.

In verse 9 we find John. We find John going through a very difficult time in His life and ministry for the Lord Jesus Christ
.
I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus…

John was suffering persecution for standing firm in His faith.
At this time John was the last surviving apostle.
And He was probably in his 90s.
Jerusalem had been completely destroyed and all hope seemed lost.

…was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

John wasn’t taking an island vacation with his feet in the sand and working on his tan.
He was there as a prisoner.
It was a prison labor camp.
At 90 years old, He was forced to cut stone in a quarry in this prison labor camp.
Why was he in prison? On account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
He was in prison because He would not compromise when it came to God’s word.
He faithfully taught God’s word and gave his testimony about Jesus.
And for that, He was persecuted.

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.
Even though John was in a prison labor camp for the sake of the Christ, He still worship on Sunday. And while He was worshiping, John was taken up to the heavenly realm. The enemy may have thought we got him now. But God elevated him out of the labor camp and into the presence of God and gave him the Book of Revelation to write.

What John heard.

I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet.

In High School and University, I was a member of the Marching Band. When the Marching Band practices outside all summer on the Football Field and then comes back into the band room for a rehearsal, you quickly find out how loud the trumpet section can be. They can make your ears bleed. Sometimes you tell a child use your inside voice. You are telling them to speak softly. The band has to learn to play with their inside volume and outside volume. God speaks to John in such a loud, crisp, majestic way, that he describes it like a trumpet.

Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.

Jesus had a message for the seven churches of Asia.
These 7 churches were literal historical churches in Asia Minor; a place we now call Turkey.
These are 7 churches in 7 different cities.

At first, as we will see today, we will see Jesus at work in His churches.
And then later in chapters 2 and 3 we see Jesus’ message to these churches.

We have seen what John heard, Jesus’ voice strong and commanding like a trumpet.

What John Saw.

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands.

A golden lampstand.

A source of light. In John’s day, there was no electricity.
There were no light switches on the walls.
They used lampstands.
The lampstands would have been made of metal or clay.
They would have been filled with flammable oil with a floating wick.
They would elevate the light source so that could radiate to even the darkest corners of the house.

Notice these are golden lampstands.
Precious valuable golden lampstands.
John tells us what they are.

The seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Not just clay, or bronze, but precious golden lampstands.
Precious churches in God’s eyes.
In this vision, we see the real purpose of the church.
The Church is a lampstand.

The church exists to radiate with the glory of Christ.
To be a shining light reaching every dark corner of their city with the light of the Glory of Christ.

Annapolis First Baptist Church, we exist to brightly radiate with the Glory of Christ.

Notice that Jesus is in the midst of His lampstands.

And in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man.
Jesus is in the midst of his lampstands, tending to them in order to keep them brightly shining for His glory.

2:1 Who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

Jesus is described as one like a son of Man.
One of Jesus most often used titles He called himself was the Son of Man.
This title helps us understand who Jesus is.
This title comes from Daniel 7:13.
Jesus is a man who God presents with dominion, glory and a Kingdom.
Things only God has a right to.
So, by saying Son of Man, Jesus is letting us know He is God in the flesh.

The glory of Jesus in His appearance.

Jesus Intercedes for His church

Clothed in a long robe.
Prophets, priests and kings wore long robes with a sash.
Jesus is clothed as a prophet, priest and King.
In fact, this robe with its Golden sash is like that of the High Priestly Robe.
And Like Hebrews tells us, Jesus is a better High Priest.
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25
Jesus is here for us church.
He can sympathize with us in everything we go through here in life.
He is there for us.

Jesus Purifies His Church.

John looks up at his hair. What does he see?
The hairs of His head were white, like white wool, like snow.
Have you ever looked over a fresh powdery snow with the sun reflecting off it.
It’s bright white.
Jesus’ hair is bright white like wool.
Like snow.
This shows us His purity.
He is pure.
And He purifies His church.

His eyes were like a flame of fire.
Jesus eyes are like a flame of fire showing that He can see right down into the heart.
Jesus can see what you are doing, and even thinking.
As He is tending to these lampstands, He is purifying the churches.
He sees everything you do.
Hears everything you say.
And He knows about it.
He knows about what is going on here in Annapolis FBC.
He wants to purify the church.
"But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16

What John sees next should terrify.
His feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace.
When someone came before a king for judgment, they were placed at his feet.
Here Jesus is showing us His judgement.
Jesus desires a pure church, and He will discipline His church.
He has feet of burnished bronze shining red hot like they just came out of the furnace.
Jesus means business in His church.
The Lord himself will discipline his church.
Sometimes even unto death.
Like in Acts chapter 5 with Annanias and Saphira.
They lied to the Holy Spirit and they dropped dead.
1 Corinthians 11:29-30. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgement on himself, that is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.
In Corinth, some people were sinning in the way they took the Lord’s supper.
Jesus purified His church.
Some got weak and ill.
And some even died as a result of their sin.

1 John 5 speaks about sin that leads to death.
A person can persist in sin so long that God gets fed us and brings death to that person.
Jesus will purify His church.

He speaks loud and clear.

His voice was like the roar of many waters.
Jesus has spoken to us.
If we want to hear from God, we can.
We can open this book and He will speak to us.
He speaks loud and clear.
The bible is the primary way God speaks to us.
It's God’s inspired word.

All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

If you want to hear God speak, just look in this book.

Jesus protects His true church leaders.

John noticed something in His hand.
In his right hand he held seven stars.
Thankfully, Jesus tells us what these stars are.
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches.
The word angel means messenger.
If you remember, Jesus told John to Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches.
The messengers of the churches may have actually came to John to take the book to the various churches to be read.
Jesus has these messengers in his right hand.
There is much encouragement in the book of Revelation for the messenger who reads it.

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

There is a blessing just in reading this book.
There is a blessing in obey this book.
And for the messenger, or preacher teaching on this book, the same promise is true of those original messengers.
He has us in His hand.
His divine protection.

the Lord has a Weapon to Protect His church.

What is coming out of His mouth?
From His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword.

Jesus has a sword, and will attack his church in judgement if they fail to repent of their sin. Notice Revelation 2:16 what Jesus will do with this sword.
Therefore, repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
Jesus has a great broadsword for judgement on fake churches.
Fail to repent and He will bring His judgment on them with the sword.
Jesus will defend His glory in the church.

The Lord reflects His glory through the church.

John looked at Jesus face.
And His face was like the sun shining in full strength.

Have you ever had a projection screen? Here at AFBC, we use big TVs but some churches have big projector screens. You look at the the screen and see a picture, but that screen is not the source of that image. It’s the projector.

Jesus is the light of the world.
We just reflect His glory.
Notice how brightly Jesus is shining.
His face was like the sun shining in full strength.

Back in April 8th of 2024, there was an eclipse. And we lived in the direct path of totality. I got my camera ready to take a photo. But you cannot just take a photo of the sun. You need a solar filter. A filter that reduces the light enough that the sun does not burn out your camera sensor.

Rather than buying a solar filter, I decided to just wait until totality, and take the picture when the sun was blocked by the moon. And I got a pretty good shot. I didn’t get shots of before and after. But right during totality.

That’s just how bright the sun is.
Jesus is shining with His glory full strength.
We as the church exist to reflect His glory.
We shine for His glory.
I think about the Apostle Paul when He encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus.
He saw Jesus in His bright shining glory.

John’s reaction to seeing Jesus.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.
When we see Jesus in all His glory, the natural response is to fall down before Him in awe.
Fall down as though dead. When the Apostle Paul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, He too fell down to the ground. When we see Jesus for who He really is the natural response is to fall down in awe of Him.

Jesus comforts John.

Why is John so afraid?
He has seen Jesus in His glory.
He has seen those feet of burnished bronze.
He has seen that two-edged sword.
He has seen those burning eyes that can see all the way down into your soul.
He has seen that face as bright as the sun.
There is no other response than fear.
But look what Jesus does.

He laid his right hand on me, saying, Fear not.

Don’t be afraid. Why?
He reminds John of His eternal nature.
I am the First and the Last.

He reminds Him of His resurrection.
And the living one. I died, and behold I am alive for ever more.

He reminds John as a true faithful Christian; He doesn’t have to be afraid.
Jesus died on that cross in our place.
He rose victorious over sin and death so that we can have eternal life.
He is alive forevermore.

He reminds John I have the keys of Death and Hades.
John was a faithful follower of Christ; there is no need to be afraid.

John is told to write…

In Chapter 2, we will see that Jesus brings messages of commendation or condemnation for each of these 7 churches.

Annapolis First Baptist Church, let's be a church that shines brightly for Jesus.

Today I pray you get a glimpse of Jesus in His glory.

Are you involved in something that is displeasing to God?
Would you repent.

Is there sin in your life that warrants God’s punishment?
Repent.
Turn from your sin.
Ask for forgiveness.

Jesus promises, If you confess your sin, he is faithful and just to forgive your sin and cleanse you from all righteousness.

Let’s allow God to work in us so that we can be a church shining brightly for His glory.

Lord work in our church. Purify our church. Tend to our lampstand so we can shine for you. Use those feet of burnished bronze and the double-edged sword if need be. Lord, make this church all about you and your glory. Not what people want to hear. Not tikling people’s ears. But unapologetically biblical and Christ-centered. A Christ-honoring and glorifying church.

Maybe you are here today and you need to call out to Jesus for salvation. You can call out to Him like this, Lord I need you. I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I trust that you died on that cross for me. I turn to you Jesus. Come into my life and save me. I submit to you as my Lord and savior.

Watch the Message Below:

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The Impossibility of Saving Yourself

Sun, 10 May 2026 11:51:41 +0000

The Impossibility of Saving Yourself

Mark 10:13-27

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers. Since becoming a dad and watching all that April does, and everything she has gone through as a mom, I’ve gained a much deeper appreciation for mothers everywhere. There is something remarkable about the way a mother gives of herself so freely and so consistently for her children.

During April’s pregnancy with our daughter Claire, she endured a great deal. Morning sickness, aches, pains, and the many physical and hormonal changes that come with carrying a child. Her body changed in extraordinary ways, all to nurture and sustain the life growing within her. It truly is nothing short of miraculous.

When labor began at 3:00 AM, it stretched on for nearly 20 hours. April had hoped and planned for a natural delivery, but circumstances didn’t unfold as expected. Ultimately, she had to undergo a major surgery, a C-section. And then, at 12:10 AM, Claire finally arrived.
Through all of that pain and exhaustion, there was joy, the joy of bringing life into the world.

But even after delivery, the work didn’t end. In many ways, it was just beginning. Caring for a newborn is demanding. Things rarely go according to plan, yet mothers adjust, sacrifice sleep, energy, and comfort, and do whatever is necessary to care for their child. Feeding, clothing, changing diapers, soothing cries in the middle of the night, meeting needs constantly and consistently. A baby is completely dependent on their mother for everything.

And that word, dependent, is really where our passage today begins to speak to us.

Mark 10:13-27
13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is[a] to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him,[b] “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

Today’s passage is one that will likely feel familiar to many of us. It’s a story recorded in three of the four Gospels, found in Matthew 19, Luke 18, and here in Mark as well.

As we look at the Gospel of Mark, it’s helpful to remember something about how Mark structures his account. He doesn’t always present the life and ministry of Christ in strict chronological order. Instead, he often arranges his material in a more thematic way.
Because of that, when we study a specific passage in Mark, it’s important to pay close attention to what comes before and after it. The surrounding context often sheds significant light on what Jesus is teaching in a given moment.
For that reason, we’re going to read two sections today. However, our focus will primarily be on the second. The first passage will serve to set the stage and help us better understand what follows.

It is Impossible to Save Yourself Through Good Works,
so come to Jesus in Complete Dependence

COME TO CHRIST WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE

An Attitude of Complete Dependence

In verses 13–16, we see loving parents bringing their children to Jesus. What a beautiful and important picture that is. Parents, there is nothing more significant than pointing your children to Christ. God’s Word is ultimately about Jesus, and one of the greatest responsibilities we have is to make Him known to the next generation.

In this passage, the disciples wrongly assumed that Jesus was too busy or too important to be interrupted by children. Of course, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Jesus welcomes children. He values them. He desires a relationship with them. In fact, we could easily spend an entire sermon just on this section alone. But today, we’ll focus on one key truth that rises out of it.

The disciples’ misunderstanding creates a teaching moment, and Jesus responds with these words:
“Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
— Mark 10:15

So what is it about a child that Jesus is calling us to imitate?
A child is completely dependent.

Anyone who has experienced parenthood understands this well. A baby cannot meet its own needs. It depends entirely on its parents for food, clothing, shelter, comfort, and care. The parent must feed the child, dress the child, bathe the child, hold the child, and provide constant attention. A baby is fully dependent on someone else for survival. Without a caregiver, they cannot make it.

And that is exactly the posture Jesus says we must have in order to enter the kingdom of God.
We come to Him not with self-sufficiency, but with complete dependence. We admit our need. We recognize our inability. And we rely fully on what He has done for us, through His death, burial, and resurrection, because He alone accomplishes our salvation.

But there is another characteristic of children worth noting as well: their expectation of obedience.
In the biblical world, children were expected to obey their parents. In many ways, that expectation feels reversed in our modern culture, where it can sometimes seem like parents are bending to the will of their children. But that was not the case in Scripture. God’s design is clear, children are called to honor and obey their parents.
And in the same way, those who come to Christ are called to that same posture of trust-filled obedience before Him.

No Condemnation: Right Now and Forever

In verse 17, we are introduced to a man often referred to as the rich young ruler.

He has a lot going for him by the world’s standards.

First, he is wealthy. We’re told later in verse 22 that he had “great possessions.” He is not lacking material security or success.

Second, he is young. Matthew’s account of this encounter makes that clear. There is something recognizable about that season of life, the strength, the energy, the drive. The days before the gray hairs, when the body feels strong and capable, and hard work doesn’t seem to leave the same lingering aches and pains. This man is in that stage of life. He is young.

Third, he holds a position of influence. Luke tells us he is a ruler, likely within the synagogue system. That means he is not only familiar with the teachings of Judaism, but he is also a respected leader within it. In other words, he is successful, disciplined, and deeply religious. He is the kind of man others would naturally look up to and admire.

And yet, despite all of that, he is asking a question about eternity.
That detail is important.
Many people throughout history have rejected the idea of eternal life altogether. The assumption is often, “When you die, that’s it. Life is over. So just live it up while you can.” Even within the religious landscape of Jesus’ day, there were groups like the Sadducees who denied the resurrection and the reality of life after death.

But Scripture is clear: eternity is real, and every person will spend it in one of two places. Heaven or hell. A place of perfect joy in the presence of God, or a place of separation, torment, and the absence of His mercy and grace.

This man, however, is asking the right kind of question. He is thinking about eternity.
And even more than that, he has come to the right Person to ask it.
There is no better place for him to bring this question than to Jesus Himself.

Acts 4:12
There is salvation in no one else, for there I no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

John 14:6
I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

He also comes with the right posture. He approaches Jesus and humbly kneels before Him. That matters. When we come to Jesus, the proper response is always humility.

This man had so much going for him. By every outward measure, he looks like someone who is spiritually successful. And yet, as the passage unfolds, we discover a sobering truth, he ultimately walks away from Jesus sorrowful.

You can have many good things going for you in life,
and still miss eternal life.

There is a critical misunderstanding at the heart of this man’s approach to Jesus.

Look closely at verse 17 and listen to his question:
“Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

That question reveals everything.
He assumes eternal life can be obtained through doing, through performance, effort, and achievement. But salvation is not something that can be earned, deserved, or achieved through good works.

Eternal life is not a reward for the deserving; it is a gift for the undeserving.

In other words, salvation is far more about who you know than what you do.
Do you know Jesus? Not just know about Him, but trust Him? Are you relying on Him alone to save you, or are you still depending on your own efforts to make yourself right with God?

Have a Correct View of Man

In verse 18, Jesus responds to the man’s opening words:
“Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”

At first glance, that response may feel a little unexpected, but Jesus is doing something very intentional. He is pressing in on the man’s understanding of goodness, and ultimately, his understanding of himself.

This man has too high a view of human goodness. He is operating under the assumption that people can be “good enough” to earn eternal life. And that is one of the most common misunderstandings even today.

If you ask most people whether they consider themselves a good person, the typical response is, “Yes, I think I’m a pretty good person.” Then we begin to measure ourselves against others, “I’m better than so-and-so,” or “At least I’m not as bad as that person.” But the standard is never other people.

But our goodness compared to other people is not what matters. Our goodness in God’s sight, our goodness compared to God is what matters.

And when we compare ourselves to Him, Scripture paints a very different picture of humanity apart from Christ:

Romans 3:10-12
as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Psalm 14:3
They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.

Psalm 53:2-3
God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.

Isaiah 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned---every one---to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Ecclesiastes 7:20
Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

James 2:10
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

Taken together, Scripture is clear: apart from Christ, we are not “mostly good people who make some mistakes.” We are sinners who fall short of God’s perfect standard.

Jesus is correcting this man’s foundation. Before anyone can understand salvation, they must first understand the truth about themselves, and the truth is humbling.

We are not capable of earning what only God can give.

Have a Correct View of God

In verse 18, Jesus says, “No one is good except God alone.”

With that statement, Jesus is not denying His own deity or rebuking kindness, He is confronting a faulty perspective. This man has too high a view of humanity and far too low a view of God.

God alone is truly good. Not “mostly good,” not “better than us,” but perfectly and infinitely good in every sense of the word.

He is a holy God.

We see this clearly in Isaiah 6:3:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”

It is worth noticing the repetition here. In Hebrew writing, repetition is used for emphasis. There is no exclamation point to add intensity, so words are repeated instead. When something is important, it may be said twice. But when describing God’s holiness, the declaration is repeated three times: holy, holy, holy.

This is not accidental. It is a way of expressing that God is not just holy, He is utterly, completely, infinitely holy.

He is set apart in every way.

God is morally perfect.
He is omniscient, He knows all things.
He is omnipotent, He possesses all power.
He is omnipresent, He is present everywhere at all times.
He is omnibenevolent, perfectly good and perfectly loving.
He is not limited by time, space, or weakness like we are.
He is holy.

We were talking about God’s holiness recently in our Men’s Bible Study, and Bernaldo shared a helpful illustration. He enjoys caring for plants. A plant is alive, but when compared to a human being, there is a vast difference. We are made in the image of God, and yet even that comparison falls far short of the gap between God and man.

The distance between a plant and a human is significant, but the distance between man and God is infinitely greater.

Isaiah puts it this way:
Isaiah 55:8–9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

We need a correct view of God, one shaped not by our assumptions, but by His revelation of Himself in Scripture.
Lord, help us to see You as You truly are, in Your holiness.

Understand the Purpose of the Law

We also see that this man had a mistaken view of God’s law. He assumed he could keep it. But Jesus brings the law into the conversation to expose something deeper, this man’s sin.

This was a deeply religious man. He knew the commandments. He was familiar with God’s law. But knowing the law is not the same as keeping it, and even more importantly, outward obedience is not enough. God’s law reaches beyond behavior, it exposes the heart.

In this moment, Jesus begins to list commandments five through ten of the Ten Commandments, the commands that deal primarily with our relationships with others. And in doing so, He is gently pressing this man toward a realization: you have not kept God’s law perfectly.

You are a sinner, just like everyone else.

Jesus had already taught this principle in other places. Hatred in the heart is equivalent to murder in God’s eyes, even if it never becomes an action. Lust in the heart is equivalent to adultery, even if it never becomes behavior. God is not merely concerned with external compliance, He is concerned with the condition of the heart.

And that is exactly what the law is meant to do.

The purpose of the law is to reveal sin. It acts like a mirror, showing us who we truly are in light of God’s holiness. Jesus is using the law here not to help this man prove his righteousness, but to help him recognize his need for a Savior.

No amount of religious effort can make a person righteous before God.

Romans 3:20
For by works of the law no human being will be justified in His sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

The law does not save, it exposes.

Galatians 3:24
So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.

Paul describes the law as a “guardian.” In ancient culture, a guardian was often a servant assigned to oversee and guide a child in a wealthy household. Even though the child was the heir, they were still under the instruction and discipline of the guardian. The guardian’s role was temporary, it was meant to guide and protect until the child reached maturity.

In the same way, God’s law was given to guide us, restrain sin, and show us our need for Christ. But it was never meant to be the means of salvation.

Christ is the One who makes us right with God.
Christ is the One who empowers us to live the Christian life.

Sadly, even after being confronted by the truth of the law, this man still clings to his self-righteousness.

“Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” (v. 21)

His response reveals the depth of the problem, he still believes he is enough.

Know Jesus’ Heart for Exposing Sin Is Love

Then we come to one of the most striking phrases in this entire passage:
“…and Jesus, looking at him, loved him…” (v. 21)

That detail changes everything.
Jesus is not exposing this man’s sin out of cruelty or rejection.
He is doing it out of love.
Because love does not leave someone in deception.
Love tells the truth, even when the truth is hard to hear.

Jesus lovingly shows this man that he is not as spiritually secure as he believes. There is something missing in his life, and it is most clearly revealed in the area of his wealth.

Now, the issue is not wealth itself. Scripture never teaches that money or possessions are inherently evil. The problem comes when possessions begin to possess us, when what we own begins to own our hearts.
This man had an idol, and it was his wealth.

One way to recognize an idol in your life is to ask: Can I let it go if God asks me to? If the answer is no, then it has likely taken a place in your heart that belongs to God alone.

The Bible does not say money is the root of all evil. It says:
“The love of money is the root of all evil.”
That distinction is critical.

This man’s unwillingness to part with his possessions, even for the sake of others—=, reveals something deeper. It exposes his heart. He does not love his neighbor as himself. And if he does not love his neighbor rightly, then he also does not love God as he should.
In other words, he stands guilty of breaking God’s law.

He does not love God perfectly.
He does not love people perfectly.
And that is exactly what the law was meant to reveal.

Jesus exposes this truth, not to destroy him, but to awaken him. Because until a person recognizes their need, they will never come to Christ in true faith.
How else will he ever realize his need for a Savior if his self-righteousness is never confronted?

In verse 23, Jesus then teaches about the difficulty of entering the kingdom of God. In that culture, wealth was often seen as a sign of God’s blessing. A rich, religious man like this would have been viewed as someone especially favored by God. So when Jesus says it is difficult for someone like that to enter the kingdom, it would have been shocking.

To reinforce the point, Jesus gives an illustration:
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.

The camel was the largest commonly known animal in that region. The eye of a needle is one of the smallest openings imaginable. Jesus is intentionally using an impossible comparison to make a clear point: salvation cannot be achieved by human effort.

You may have heard the explanation about a gate in Jerusalem called “the eye of the needle,” where a camel could supposedly pass through if it removed its cargo. But there is no historical evidence that such a gate ever existed, and that explanation actually weakens Jesus’ point rather than clarifying it. Jesus is not describing something difficult, He is describing something impossible.

And the disciples feel the weight of that reality:
“Then who can be saved?”

Jesus answers plainly:
“With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

Realize the Impossibility of Saving Yourself

Jesus makes it unmistakably clear:
“…With man it is impossible…”

That statement cuts through every assumption we naturally bring to the table. It is not difficult for a person to save themselves, it is impossible.

Romans 3:20
“For by works of the law no human being will be justified in His sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”

This is the repeated message of Scripture.
Good deeds cannot save us.
Religious effort cannot save us.
Moral improvement cannot save us.
The law was never given as a ladder for us to climb up to God, it was given to show us how far short we fall, and to drive us to Christ in desperation.

The law exposes sin so that we will stop trusting in ourselves and turn fully to Jesus.
One of the greatest barriers to coming to Christ in this kind of dependence is self-sufficiency.

Wealth, in particular, often creates that illusion. When someone has financial resources, they are used to solving their own problems. They are used to having options. They are used to security they can see and control. And that can easily lead to the belief, “I don’t really need anyone.”

But that thinking collapses when it comes to eternity.
It is impossible to save yourself.

This man was not only rich in wealth, he was also rich in religious works. And that can be just as dangerous. Religious people often struggle to see their need for a Savior because they point to their involvement: “I go to church. I serve. I give. I live a good life.” In their minds, they are spiritually wealthy.

But Jesus is showing that all of it falls short.
Our best efforts are not enough.

Isaiah 64:6
“We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.”

Even our most impressive attempts at righteousness, apart from Christ, are stained and insufficient before a holy God.

It is impossible to save yourself.

Understand That Salvation
Is a Miraculous Work of God

Jesus finishes the thought with this powerful statement:
“But not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

What is impossible with man becomes possible with God.
Salvation is not human achievement, it is divine intervention.

Jesus Christ willingly left heaven, came to earth, lived a perfect life, and went to the cross to rescue sinners. On the cross, He bore the full weight of our sin and the judgment we deserved. And then He rose victorious over sin and death. In doing so, He accomplished what no human effort could ever accomplish, He made salvation possible.

The wrath of God against sin has been fully satisfied in Christ.

The Bible describes our condition apart from Him as spiritually hopeless:
“Dead in our trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1)

And what can something dead do? Nothing. A dead person cannot respond, cannot revive themselves, cannot produce life. In the same way, we cannot make ourselves spiritually alive or good enough to earn salvation.

That is why Jesus told Nicodemus:
“Unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Salvation is a miraculous new birth.
We go from spiritual death to spiritual life.
And that is entirely the work of God.

The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin.
The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to the greatness of God.
The Holy Spirit draws us to Christ.
The Holy Spirit regenerates our hearts and gives us new life.
And the Holy Spirit enables us to live the Christian life.

It is, from beginning to end, a miraculous work of God.

It is impossible to save yourself through good works,
so come to Jesus in complete dependence.

Come to Jesus the way He describes, like a child, in complete dependence.
Not trusting in yourself, not trusting in your goodness, but trusting fully in what He has done.

Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished.”
That means the debt is paid in full.
Your sin has already been dealt with at Calvary.

Ephesians 2:8–9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 10:13
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

So the question becomes: will you receive Him?

This is a time to respond, to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to your heart.
If He is showing you your need for a Savior, don’t ignore that conviction.
Call out to Him in faith.

You can simply come to Him and say, “Lord, I need You. I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I am trusting in what You did on the cross and Your resurrection to save me. Please forgive me and give me new life.”

And if you are trusting Christ today, then the only natural response is surrender.
We don’t just come to Him for salvation, we come to Him as Lord.
We no longer live for ourselves, but for Him.

That is what the rich young ruler refused to do.
He walked away because he was unwilling to fully surrender.
And he left without the gift of eternal life.

Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of direction.
A true follower of Christ is not perfect, but they are surrendered.
They desire to obey Him.
They are willing to let go of anything that competes with Him.

Will you come to Jesus in complete dependence and complete surrender?

Watch the Message Below:

More from May 2026:

June 1st, 2026

Lampstand: Ephesus, When Love Grows Cold

May 25th, 2026

Lampstand: Jesus at Work in the Church

May 18th, 2026

The Impossibility of Saving Yourself

May 10th, 2026

An Amazing Promise

May 4th, 2026

An Amazing Promise

Mon, 04 May 2026 17:32:00 +0000

An Amazing Promise

Romans 8:1-4

Have you ever heard a promise that sounded just a little too good to be true?

Maybe it was an ad claiming you could trade in your old phone and get the newest model for “free," no increase to your monthly bill. Then the first statement shows up, and suddenly there are hidden fees everywhere.

Or maybe it was an online deal that looked incredible, like a massive discount that turned out to be a scam. What seemed trustworthy ended up being anything but.

A while back, I was shopping online for a new kayak. I found what looked like an amazing deal: “Inventory reduction sale! All kayaks 50% off!” It seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So I entered my credit card information and placed the order.

But the kayak never arrived.

I had been scammed by a spoofed website that looked legitimate but wasn’t. The deal was too good to be true. Thankfully, I was eventually able to get my money back, but it was still an ordeal I won’t forget.

We’ve all experienced promises that didn’t hold up.

But in Romans 8, we encounter a promise that might sound too good to be true, yet it comes from God Himself. That means it is completely trustworthy. It is a promise you can rely on… a promise you can stake your eternity on.

Romans 8:1-4
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

1. An Amazing Promise

To understand just how amazing this promise is, we have to look at what comes before it.
The opening chapters of Romans paint a sobering picture of the human condition. Scripture makes it clear:

No one is righteous. (Romans 3:10-12)
All have sinned. (Romans 3:23)
Sin separates us from God.
Sin makes us enemies of God. (Romans 5:10)
The penalty for sin is death. (Romans 6:23)

This isn’t flattering—but it is true.

We often try to soften this reality by comparing ourselves to others.
We think, “I’m not as bad as that person.”
But the standard isn’t other people, it’s God.
God’s standard is perfection. Even one sin makes us guilty before Him.

Matthew 5:48
You therefore must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect

James 2:10
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.

If we break just one of God’s laws, we are guilty of breaking all of them. It only takes one sin to make us guilty before God. We are all sinners in need of a savior. We have all broken God’s laws. We have all rebelled against Him in sin.

When we truly grasp that reality, Romans 8:1 becomes all the more astonishing:

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

No Condemnation: Right Now and Forever

Notice two key words in that promise: now and no.

Now means this is not just a future hope, it is a present reality. For those in Christ, there is no condemnation today, tomorrow, or ever.

No means exactly that, none. Not a trace. Not a possibility. Not a lingering threat.

That is the promise, but it is not for everyone.

It is for those who are in Christ Jesus.

What Does It Mean to Be “In Christ”?

Being “in Christ” is more than knowing about Him. It means being in a real relationship with Him through faith.

It means:

Trusting in Jesus as your Savior
Receiving His grace
Being made right with God
Submitting to Him as Lord

Those who belong to Christ begin to show it in their lives. Not perfectly, but genuinely. There is a growing desire to obey Him, to follow Him, and to live for Him.
To be in Christ is to be part of God’s family, under His rule, and secure in His care.

And for those who are not in Christ?
Scripture is clear, condemnation remains.
That is what makes this promise so urgent.

2. The Power of the Three Laws at Work

In Romans 8:2–3, we see three “laws” or principles that help explain how this promise is possible.

The Law of Sin and Death

In science, a law describes a predictable pattern observed in nature, like the law of gravity.

If I hold a tennis ball in my hand and let go, what happens? It falls. Every time. Without exception. That’s the law of gravity at work. What goes up must come down.

In the same way, Scripture reveals another consistent pattern: the law of sin and death.
Ezekiel puts it plainly:

“The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20)

There is a pattern we cannot escape on our own, sin always leads to death.
Both physical and spiritual death entered the world through sin.

In the garden, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, death entered the human story. God had warned them that the day they ate from the tree they would surely die. And that is exactly what happened. Spiritual death came immediately, and physical death began its work as well.

“The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23)

“Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin… and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12)

It is a universal law, sin leads to death.

God's Law

During the Exodus from Egypt, God gave His law, what we often call the Ten Commandments.
The first portion of the law focuses on our relationship with God, and the second portion focuses on our relationship with others. Jesus later summarized it simply: love God and love your neighbor.

God’s law serves a clear purpose: it reveals what righteousness looks like and exposes our sin. It shows us where we fall short and our need for a Savior.
But here is the problem, we cannot keep it.

Romans 8:3 says we are “weakened by the flesh.”
In other words, our human nature is unable to meet God’s perfect standard.

That’s why God gave the law in the first place, not to save us, but to show us we need saving.

It reveals our condition, but it cannot rescue us from it.
It is like a GPS showing you that you are lost and how far you are from your destination, but it cannot physically get you there.
God’s law shows us our sin, but it cannot remove it.

The Law of the Spirit of Life

This is the law that changes everything and it’s the first one we actually encounter in this passage.

Paul calls it “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”

If the law of sin and death is what we are trapped under, and God’s law is what reveals our inability, then this law is what sets us free.

To understand it, think about how different forces work in the world around us.
We know the law of gravity is always at work. Drop something, and it falls, every time.
But we also know there are other forces that can overcome it.
An airplane is a simple example. Gravity is still real. It’s still active.
But lift, produced by the shape and movement of the wings, overcomes gravity and allows the plane to rise into the sky. One law doesn’t cancel the other; it overpowers it.

Or think about buoyancy. A heavy ship doesn’t sink because another force is at work, allowing it to float even though gravity is still pulling it downward.

In the same way, the law of the Spirit of life doesn’t deny the reality of sin and death, it overcomes it.

When a person comes to Christ, something supernatural happens. The Holy Spirit brings new life. The Bible calls this being “born again.”
A new heart is given.
A new direction begins.
What sin once ruled over is now being replaced by life in the Spirit.

This is not human effort trying to escape sin.
It is divine power rescuing someone who cannot rescue themselves.

Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, the power of sin and death has been broken. And now, by the Holy Spirit, that same resurrection life is applied to everyone who believes.
So while the law of sin and death says, “This is your end,” the Spirit of life in Christ says, “You are made new.”

3. God's Provision

This freedom didn’t come cheaply.
God provided a way by sending His own Son.

God has sent His Son Jesus to come to the rescue. Jesus willingly left His rightful place in heaven, took on human flesh, and lived a perfect holy life fulfilling the righteous requirements of the law. He then willingly became the once and for all sacrifice for sin by dying on a cross. He died on that cross, was placed in a tomb, but He didn’t stay there. He rose victorious over sin and death.

Because of what Jesus has done:

Sin is condemned
The law is fulfilled
Salvation is made possible

He has power over sin and death, and He can give us eternal life.
He can empower us to live out the Christian Life.
He alone is able to save.

4. Our Proper Response

So how should we respond to this amazing promise?

We are called to turn to Jesus in faith.
To recognize our sin.
To call out to Him for salvation.
To trust Him as Savior and follow Him as Lord.

Scripture promises:

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

For those who do, something incredible happens:

Our sin is forgiven
Christ’s righteousness is credited to us
We are no longer condemned

And our lives begin to change. We no longer live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Have you come to the realization that you are a sinner in need of a savior?
Will you turn to Jesus and give your life to Him as Lord and Master.
Receive the gift of His grace through faith.

Notice, as Christians, we “walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
Part of a proper response is submitting to Jesus as Lord and Master of our lives.
If you believe Jesus is God in the flesh and Lord of your life, you will want to give your life in service to Him. You will no longer be able to live for yourself. You will want to serve Him. You will live for Him. He is your Lord and Master! You follow Him in obedience.

A Question Worth Answering

So here’s the question:
Are you in Christ?
Do you have a real relationship with Him?
Is He your Savior, your Lord, your King?

If not, this promise is not yet yours, but it can be.
Today is the day to call on Him.

And if you are in Christ, consider this:
Are you walking by the Spirit?
Is your life reflecting obedience to Him?
Jesus said we would be known by our fruit.

This promise is as true today as when it was first written:

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Not later. Not maybe.

Now.

And forever.

The Promise Still Stands

Watch the Message Below:

More from May 2026:

Lampstand: Smyrna, The Faithfully Enduring Church

June 1st, 2026

Lampstand: Ephesus, When Love Grows Cold

May 25th, 2026

Lampstand: Jesus at Work in the Church

May 18th, 2026

The Impossibility of Saving Yourself

May 10th, 2026

An Amazing Promise

May 4th, 2026

Guest Pastor: Bill Jackson

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 07:18:00 +0000

Doing The King’s Business
Until He Comes

Luke 19:11–27

Already a miracle has happened this morning. I thought I was coming to Sunday School at ten o’clock, and I came to find out that ten o’clock was worship. I got here on time without even knowing I was on time, and I’ll just call that a blessing from the Lord.

My wife Irma is back there. We’ve been married sixty-two years, and it’s been a wonderful sixty-two years. God has been good to us.

I want to ask, are there any long‑time residents of Annapolis here this morning? Sixty years or so? A few of you. That tells me I’m in good company.

Annapolis has always had a soft spot in my heart. Both of my parents were from here. My grandmother Copeland lived in a little two‑story house down near what used to be Vincent Sutton’s Texaco station, now the post office. Some of you remember it.

I spent weeks here as a boy, and I’ll be honest, I got bored sometimes. There wasn’t much to do except throw a ball up in the air and try to catch it, and I didn’t always succeed. But every day we’d walk up the hill to Carl’s store, and my grandmother would buy me a box of Cracker Jacks. The Cracker Jacks were good, but the prize at the bottom was what mattered.

Sometimes she’d give me a nickel to walk over to the Texaco station and buy one of those little glass Coca‑Colas, the kind that would make you burp and feel it in your nose. Those were strong back then.

My grandfather passed away before I was born, but he and my grandmother ran the coal and ice business here in town. After he died, she still had the ice house in the corner of her yard. Folks would ring a little cowbell, and she’d come out and chip off ice for them. I still have that cowbell on the mantel at my house.

This town is part of my story. So being here this morning, sharing God’s Word with you, really is like a dream come true.

Do you remember the days before television, when all we had was the radio? Programs like Fibber McGee and Molly. You couldn’t see anything, but you could picture everything in your mind. When someone opened that closet door and everything came crashing out, you could see it without ever seeing it.

We didn’t need pictures then. And sometimes I think we still don’t.

This morning, I want you to go with me to Jericho. There’s a large crowd there, and to understand why, we need to go back to Luke 9:51. That’s where Jesus set His face toward Jerusalem. He was determined.

The disciples had been with Him nearly three years. They had heard His teaching, seen His miracles, watched Him heal the sick, cast out demons, make the blind see and the lame walk. When they saw His determination, they believed this was the moment, this was when He would set up His earthly kingdom and free them from Roman rule.

As Jesus traveled, healing people like blind Bartimaeus outside Jericho, the crowd grew larger and more excited. Hope was building.

But Zacchaeus knew Jericho. He knew there was an old sycamore tree with a limb stretching over the road. So he climbed up and waited.

When Jesus came by, He stopped, looked up, and called Zacchaeus by name. He told him to come down, because He was going to his house.
And something happened in that house that day.

Zacchaeus stood and made a declaration. He said he would give half of what he owned to the poor, and if he had cheated anyone, he would repay them fourfold. That was a man whose life had been changed.

Jesus explained it simply, salvation had come to that house.
When salvation comes, there is change.
If there is no change, we need to take an honest look at our lives.

The crowd thought Jesus was heading for a coronation.
Jesus knew He was heading for a cross.

Because of that misunderstanding, Jesus told a parable, one meant for the time between His departure and His return. That’s where we are living right now.

Luke 19:11–27
11 As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12 He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13 Calling ten of his servants,[a] he gave them ten minas,[b] and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ 14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15 When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. 16 The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant![c] Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ 18 And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ 19 And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20 Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ 24 And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25 And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ 26 ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’”

The Parable of the Ten Minas

Jesus told of a nobleman who went away to receive a kingdom and promised to return. Before leaving, he gave each servant the same amount and told them to do business until he came back.

Some hated the nobleman and didn’t want him to rule.
That opposition made the servants’ work harder.
When the nobleman returned as king, he called the servants to account.
One had multiplied what he was given tenfold.
Another had gained fivefold.
They were rewarded with responsibility.
But one servant returned exactly what he had been given, wrapped up and unused.
And what he had was taken from him.

Understanding the Parable

This parable is about us. The nobleman is Jesus.
The time between His leaving and His return is the time we are living in now.

The business of the King is clear.
Jesus said He came to seek and to save the lost.
And He sent us to do the same.
We are to take the gospel into our homes, our neighborhoods, and our communities.

The mina represents what every believer has been given, salvation and the Holy Spirit living within us. We are to share what God has done in our lives.

Some invest it faithfully.
Some increase it.
And some wrap it up and keep it to themselves.

Building on the Right Foundation

Jesus is the foundation of our salvation.
But the question is how we build on that foundation.

Scripture tells us some will build with gold and silver, things that endure.
Others will build with wood and straw, things that burn away.
Salvation remains, but reward is lost.

There are many good people who never share their faith.
Their neighbors know they’re kind and dependable, but they never hear about Jesus.
We don’t lose salvation, but we lose opportunity.

This church has lost a beloved pastor and his wife, but the work is not finished.
There are still lost people in this community who need to hear that Jesus died for them.
God placed our sins on His Son at the cross. That is how much He loves us.

Today is the day!

Maybe you’ve heard all of this before.
Maybe you’ve put it off.
But today is the day.

Don’t wrap up what God has given you and hold onto it.
Come. Pray. Respond.
Do the King’s business, until He comes.

Type your new text here.

Humbling yourselves
and exalt Jesus with all exaltation.

Watch the Message Below:

More from January 2026:

Guest Pastor: Bill Jackson

January 19th, 2026

Guest Pastor: Sid West

January 12th, 2026

Guest Pastor: Bill Jackson

January 5th, 2026

This article is based on a sermon delivered by Pastor Bill Jackson and has been adapted for written format.

Guest Pastor: Sid West

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 07:59:00 +0000

Three Blessings to Be
Thankful for All Year Long

Psalm 40:1–3

This is a joyful church. I’m an old-fashioned Southern Baptist, and I don’t mind saying it. I’m excited about being here. You all better buckle up your seatbelts. I’ll let you know when it’s twelve o’clock.

I want you to know something, I consider this a five-star church. You don’t find many of those anymore. A five-star church is one that worships on Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. It has Sunday School and disciple training. That tells me a church loves Jesus. It tells me a church loves preaching. It tells me a church cares about raising young people in the Lord and reaching its community. You can’t do better than that.

I believe in winning the lost, and I believe one of the best ways to do it is through a strong Sunday School. When you win someone to Christ, you already have a place to disciple them. You don’t dip them and drop them, you bring them into the life of the church, where they can grow.

I want you to meet my sweet wife, Peggy. She’s the best wife I’ve got, and I’m thankful the Lord brought us together. Some of you ladies ought to let her tell you the testimony of how we met. She was raised in Mississippi. I was raised in the desert of Albuquerque, New Mexico, about twelve hundred miles apart. How does God bring two people together like that? Only the Lord can do that.

She felt called to be a pastor’s wife, and God had called me to preach. I preached my first sermon when I was fourteen years old.

In 2006, Peggy and I walked through something no parents should ever have to face. Tonight, she’s going to give her testimony about the year our middle daughter and our youngest daughter took their journey to heaven just three weeks apart. You’ll want to hear that. I’m going to preach tonight on God’s grace being sufficient. No matter what you go through, deep loss, unanswered questions, or long nights of pain, God’s grace will carry you through.

David’s Song of Gratitude

I want you to open your Bible with me to Psalm 40. David wrote this psalm, and in the first three verses he gives thanks to God for some powerful blessings. I know this isn’t Thanksgiving Sunday, but early in this year, believers need to be reminded of what we have in Jesus.

David says he waited patiently for the Lord, and the Lord heard his cry. God lifted him out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire, and set his feet on a rock. That’s a picture of salvation. If you know Jesus, you’re not standing on sinking ground, you’re standing on a firm foundation.

David also says God put a new song in his mouth. Every believer has a song to sing. It may not come out on key, but it ought to be in your heart. When you wake up in the morning, don’t say, “Oh me.” Say, “Good morning, Lord.” Let God speak to you before the world does.

I want to say this clearly, the most important place in this church building is this altar. This is where people meet God. This is where salvation happens. This is where broken lives find a new start. The invitation is the most important moment of the service. It’s not the time to check your watch or think about lunch. It’s the time to listen to the Holy Spirit and respond in obedience and humility.

David reminds us of three blessings every believer should be thankful for, not just one day a year, but all year long.

Psalm 40:1–3
1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.

1. The Blessing of Salvation

Salvation comes through Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. Every other religious leader is still in the grave, but Jesus rose again. He conquered sin, death, and the grave. David knew God had forgiven him, even after terrible sin. God removed his sin as far as the east is from the west.

No matter what you’ve done, no matter how deep or hidden your sin may feel, God can forgive, cleanse, and restore you. We’ve been redeemed. We’ve been transformed. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. There’s a lot of living between salvation and heaven, and it ought to be lived with joy.

2. The Blessing of Answered Prayer

We have a privilege lost people don’t have; we can come to God in the name of Jesus. God answers prayer. Call unto Me and I will answer thee. A praying church is a powerful church. Revival won’t come through programs or politics; it comes when God’s people get serious about prayer.

3. The Blessing of Eternal Joy

The joy of the Lord is our strength. A merry heart does good like medicine. I’ve been through heart attacks, surgeries, and hospital rooms, and I can tell you, joy matters. The joy we have in Christ is real, and the world needs to see it lived out in us.

With Jesus, we’re on the winning team.

Victory is ours through Him.
If you need to be saved, recommit your life, or answer God’s call, don’t put it off.
Today is the day.
Let the Lord lead.

Watch the Message Below:

More from January 2026:

January 19th, 2026

Guest Pastor: Sid West

January 12th, 2026

Guest Pastor: Bill Jackson

January 5th, 2026

This article is based on a sermon delivered by Pastor Sid West and has been adapted for written format.

Guest Speaker: Brenden Meinhardt

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 08:15:00 +0000

The Power of a Praying Church

Acts 12:1–17

There are moments in life and moments in the life of a church, when we simply don’t know what to do.

We face situations we can’t fix, problems we can’t solve, and burdens we can’t carry. Some of you may know exactly what that feels like. You’ve prayed for a loved one who won’t listen. You’ve faced sickness you couldn’t avoid. You’ve watched circumstances spiral beyond your control. And eventually, the question rises up: What can we even do?

The early church found themselves in that very place in Acts 12.
The church was small. It was persecuted. It was powerless in the eyes of the world. James had just been murdered. Peter had been arrested. And Herod was determined to crush the church completely. From every human perspective, this was a hopeless situation.

Acts 12:5
So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

On earth, Peter was chained and guarded. But in heaven, prayers were rising to God.
On one side, there were bars, soldiers, and iron gates. On the other side, there was God.
And when the church prays, even a small church, heaven moves.

Prayer was not meant to be our last resort.
It was always meant to be our first response.
Our first response when we wake up.
Our first response when we lay our head down.
Our constant connection to our Savior.

When the Church Prays, Heaven Moves

Acts 12:6–7
Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands.

Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with chains, guarded by sentries, and facing execution the next day. James had already been killed. By every measure, this was one of the worst moments of Peter’s life.
Yet while Peter slept, God was working.
While the church prayed, heaven responded.

God sent an angel, not when things were easy, but when they were impossible.
The chains fell off. The guards remained asleep. And God moved in power.

Prayer does not guarantee that life will be easy. But prayer does guarantee that we will never face life alone.

D.L. Moody once compared prayer to a telegraph wire. Now, if history class serves me right, none of us here have ever actually used a telegraph, but the illustration still holds. A telegraph wire has no power in and of itself. It’s just a connection. There’s nothing special about the wire. But on the other end of that wire is power; power that can move information across great distances and even influence nations.

Prayer works the same way. Prayer itself isn’t powerful because of the words we use or how many times we pray. Prayer is powerful because it connects us to God. And He is the One who has the power.

Now, I want to be careful here, because one of my professors used to warn us about treating God like a cosmic vending machine. Sometimes we fall into the habit of thinking that if we pray the right words, or pray enough times, or show up to church enough, then God owes us an answer exactly the way we want it. That’s not how prayer works.
Even Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” Prayer is not about pressing the right buttons, it’s about trusting the God on the other end of the line. The power of prayer is not found in repetition, technique, or ritual. It’s found in the God who hears.

The church is not powerful because of its numbers, budget, or building.
The church is powerful because it is connected to a God who cannot be defeated.

God Can Do More in One Moment
Than We Can Do in a Lifetime

Acts 12:8–10
And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him.

Look at what God does in this passage:

Chains fall off without a key
Guards stay asleep
Soldiers are passed without resistance
An iron gate opens on its own
Peter walks straight into freedom

Every obstacle was removed by God.

So often, we spend our lives trying to fix things in our own strength, trying to change people, repair situations, and control outcomes. We are like toddlers who insist on doing everything ourselves until frustration finally forces us to ask for help.
But one move of God can do what we never could.

George Müller, who ran an orphanage caring for thousands of children, never once asked for money. One morning, there was no food, no bread and no milk. The children sat at empty tables. Müller prayed and thanked God for the food.

Moments later, a baker knocked on the door saying God had told him to bake bread. Soon after, a milkman arrived with milk his broken wagon could not deliver elsewhere.
No fundraising. No advertising. Just prayer.

When believers pray, God opens doors we could never imagine.

Many of you have seen this firsthand through Reach the River. When we first talked about Reach the River, it was just an idea, something that came out of a much larger mission trip in Panama City Beach. The idea was simple: go down to the river and reach the people who were already there.

That first year, it was really small. We had a few college students help us. We played music, handed out free snow cones, and just tried to start conversations. It didn’t look impressive, but God was working. That year, we had over 100 gospel conversations and saw two salvations.

When we started talking about Reach the River again the following year, there was no fundraising and no advertising. Several of our deacons and many of you were praying about how we could do it again. And through prayer alone, doors started opening. We were able to get in contact with a former state representative, Chris Dinkins, who opened up her campground at Twin Rivers in Lesterville to us.

Through prayer, we were given access to generators, equipment, and resources we didn’t have before. Then, out of nowhere, someone anonymously donated $1,000. Again, no fundraising, no advertising, just prayer.

Because of that, we were able to buy ice cream, get a freezer, and take everything down to the river and campground to serve people. And through that, we had just under 300 gospel conversations.

When we pray and seek God’s face, heaven responds.

God Works Even When Our Faith Is Small

Acts 12:12–15
When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 Recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!”

This may be one of the most humorous moments in Scripture.
The church is earnestly praying for Peter’s release. Peter is released.
He shows up at the door. And they tell Rhoda, “You are out of your mind.”

They prayed and yet they struggled to believe when God answered.
Why did God still respond?

Because prayer is not about the strength of the one who prays, but the strength of the One who hears.

God does not require perfect faith. He honors honest faith.

There’s a story of a town suffering from drought. The church gathered to pray for rain. Only one little girl brought an umbrella. That night, it rained.

Even faith that trembles still touches heaven.
Sometimes we pray simply because that’s what we’re supposed to do, without expectation.

Sometimes when we talk about prayer, we can fall into the habit of praying simply because that’s what we’re supposed to do, without any real expectation. I once saw a video of a social experiment that really illustrates this. It took place in a dentist’s waiting room. Everyone in the room was a hired actor except for one unsuspecting person. Every few minutes, a bell would ring, and when it did, everyone in the waiting room would stand up. No explanation was given. At first, the person who wasn’t an actor looked confused, watching everyone else stand. But after a few times, when the bell rang, they stood up too, even though they had no idea why. Then the experiment got even more interesting. The actors were slowly removed from the room and replaced with new people who also didn’t know what was going on. Eventually, the waiting room was filled with people who had no clue why they were standing, yet every time the bell rang, they all stood up anyway. No one told them to. They just did it because everyone else was doing it. Sometimes we pray the same way, not because we are expecting God to respond, but because it’s what we’ve always done.

The challenge is not just to pray, but to pray believing that God can respond.

A Praying Church Changes the World

Acts 12:16-17
But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

Peter stood before the church and testified:
God answered prayer.
God broke chains.
God opened gates.
God rescued His servant.

History was changed because a small group of believers prayed.
That is the testimony of every praying church.
Families are restored.
Hearts are softened.
Addictions are broken.
Marriages are healed.
Souls are saved.
Not because of us but because of Him.

Challenge to pray:

Personally – faithfully, in every season
Specifically – just as the church prayed for Peter
Together – united as the body of Christ
Expectantly – believing God can respond

The greatest thing the church can do is pray.
We may be small in number.
We may lack influence.
But heaven listens when God’s people pray.

Some of you may feel imprisoned by fear, illness, broken relationships, or uncertainty. The same God who opened iron gates in Acts 12 is still opening doors today.

When the church prays, heaven moves.

The challenge is clear:

Let us begin this year earnestly seeking the Lord in prayer, not because we are strong, but because our God is.

Watch the Message Below:

More from January 2026:

January 19th, 2026

Guest Pastor: Sid West

January 12th, 2026

The Making of a Person of God

January 5th, 2026

This article is based on a sermon delivered by Brenden Meinhardt and has been adapted for written format.

2025 Sermon Notes

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 09:11:00 +0000

January 2025: Rooted

Fertile Soil for Christ

January 6th, 2025

February 2025: Love Does

March 2025: Elijah

Which God do you Serve?

March 10th, 2025

March 3rd, 2025

April 2025: Follow

May 2025: Lean on Me

June 2025: Unshakeable

Unshakeable Mentality

June 11th, 2025

Unshakeable Resolve

June 1st, 2025

July 2025: Change the Game

Activate Your Star Players

July 8th, 2025

August 2025: Different

September 2025: Trust Fall

Trust Fall: Overboard Faith

September 22nd, 2025

Trust Fall: Faith That Moves

September 15th, 2025

Trust Fall: Childlike Faith

September 8th, 2025

How to Respond to Evil

September 29th, 2025

When Truth Draws Enemies Copy

September 29th, 2025

October 2025: How to Sink a Submarine

How to Sink a Submarine: The Ruler

October 28th, 2025

How to Sink a Submarine: The Accuser

October 21st, 2025

How to Sink a Submarine: The Destroyer

October 14th, 2025

How to Sink a Submarine: Deception

October 7th, 2025

November 2025: Impact

Revitalize 2025: The Tragedy of Tomorrow

November 5th, 2025

Revitalize 2025: The Five Pillars of Revitalization

November 4th, 2025

Message from Pastor Dan Pitchers

December 1st, 2025

December 2025

More Sermon Notes

Guest Pastor: Don Estes

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 10:33:00 +0000

He Understands the Bitter Cup

John 19:25–30

Because Jesus fully entered human suffering, He understands every bitter cup we face—poverty, betrayal, pain, bereavement, and even death. No matter what lies ahead, we are never alone. Christ has gone before us.

God either causes or allows everything that happens.

To illustrate, here is a story about an old cowboy applying for insurance. When asked if he had ever had an accident, the cowboy replied no, despite being bitten by a rattlesnake and kicked by a mule. When pressed, he said, “They weren’t accidents. They meant to do it.”

From there, Pastor Don shifted to the church’s current season, particularly the challenge of being without a pastor. He shared the story of “Professor Little,” a man who lived in a little town, taught at a little college, earned a little salary, drove a little car, lived in a little house, and had six little children. When asked how he managed, Professor Little replied, “Every little helps a little.”

Every member of the church matters.
No one is too small to serve.
Everyone can do something, invite someone to church, send a card, make a phone call, sing, praise, testify, or simply show up faithfully. When every member decides to do something for the glory of God, the church grows stronger.

John 19:25–30

25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

28 After this, Jesus, [a]knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

At the Cross: A Word to His Mother

Nowhere in Scripture do we see Jesus calling Mary “mother.” Even here, at the cross, He says, “Woman, behold thy son.” This was not disrespect. Rather, Jesus was fulfilling His responsibility and perhaps guarding against the future elevation of Mary beyond her proper place.
In this moment of intense suffering, Jesus ensured His mother would be cared for. John was entrusted with her well-being. Even in agony, Jesus was thinking of others.

“I Thirst” The Cry of Humanity

Hour after hour, Jesus hung on the cross, suspended by tender tendons as waves of pain cycled through His body. Finally, with swollen and parched lips, He cried, “I thirst.”

This was the cry of physical suffering.
The only thing Jesus ever asked for in this world was a drink of water and He never truly received it. Instead of cool water, He was given vinegar soaked on a common hyssop weed.

There may have been bubbling springs, flowing rivers, and costly wine for the wealthy, but when Jesus asked for relief, He received bitterness.

When Jesus drank that bitter cup, He positioned Himself to sympathize with every human who would ever suffer. No matter what we face, Jesus can say, “I have been there.”

Jesus Understands Our Suffering

A person born with a silver spoon cannot truly understand poverty.
Someone who has never known sickness cannot fully understand chronic pain.
Someone who has never buried a loved one cannot truly understand grief.
Over 60 years of ministry, Pastor Don shared that he has buried 13 children and teenagers. Though he and his wife were blessed with healthy children, he could not imagine the pain of losing a child.
Until someone has walked that road, they cannot truly understand, but Jesus has.

As the church looks toward a new year, many have already drunk bitter cups, and others will drink them in the future. There may come a day when someone cries out, “Does anyone understand?”

The answer is yes, Jesus understands.

Bitter Cup #1: Poverty

Poverty is a bitter cup.
Some are better off now than they once were, but many remember lean years.

We see images of starving children, their swollen bellies and frail limbs, a reminder of deep need.

My own father was the youngest of a big family growing up poor. One year, he longed for a cowboy hat that cost just a couple of dollars. His parents saved nickels and dimes, but when Christmas came, the money had to be used for groceries instead.
Remembering my childhood birthdays, we had no parties, no presents, just a simple cake.

Jesus understands poverty. Scripture says He was rich, yet for our sakes became poor. He was born in a borrowed manger, rode borrowed transportation, was crucified on a borrowed cross, and buried in a borrowed grave.
He said, “The foxes have holes, and the birds have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.”

Jesus understands poverty.

Bitter Cup #2: Betrayal

Betrayal cuts deeply.
True friends are rare.
A friend is someone who knows everything about you and still loves you, someone who speaks up for you when you are not present.

Painful stories from the past: a deacon whose best friend stole his wife, pastors who lovingly served people only to be stabbed in the back, and neighbors who returned kindness with lawsuits.

Jesus experienced betrayal firsthand.
Judas, one of His closest companions, betrayed Him for thirty pieces of silver, with a kiss. Peter, who vowed loyalty, denied Him.

Jesus understands betrayal.

Bitter Cup #3: Pain

Pain is real and persistent.
Pastor Don spoke candidly about his own chronic back pain, the surgeries that could not help, and the dependence on medication just to function.
Many carry pain quietly, arthritis, illness, daily suffering.

Jesus endured unimaginable physical agony: a crown of thorns pressed into His head, a Roman scourging that left Him barely recognizable.

Jesus understands pain.

Bitter Cup #4: Bereavement

Grief never fully fades.
A few weeks ago, I spoke here at Annapolis First Baptist and on that day we watched a presentation in memory of loved ones who have passed. And that is good that we remember them, but they pain never fully goes away. First it was my father, then my mother, then my brother, and then my wife. In 2026, it may be my turn or the turn of one of my loved ones or friends. You might lose a member of the church, might loose more than one. It's a bitter cup to lose loved ones.

Jesus had dear friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.
When Lazarus died, Jesus stood at the open grave and He wept.
"Lazarus come forth."

Jesus understands loss.

Bitter Cup #5: Death

Though many claim not to fear death, everybody has a fear of the unknown.
The unknown brings fear.
The fear of how it may happen, cancer, alzheimer, etc.
Yet believers know that God gives grace when the moment comes.

Jesus knew why He came, to die for our sins.
Though He loved creation and life, He willingly fulfilled His mission.
In the valley of the shadow of death, there is light.
Shadows cannot harm us.

I read this from story from when they would send missionaries off and they would go down to the dock and this was back before the big modern boats. The missionaries would get on board and the people from the church that were standing there.
They would sing, "When we asunder part, it brings us inward pain. God be with you till we meet again."

Then as the ship went over the horizon, somebody invariably would say, "there they go, there they go." And he said he would always go back to the church depressed and said one day they saw some missionaries off and sure enough, somebody said there at the end, "There they go, there they go."

There at the church the pastor got to talking to the Lord. And said the Lord said, "Down there they may be saying 'there they go.' But in heaven they're saying 'There they come! There they come!"

Jesus understands death.

The Real Question of Christmas

Storms will come in the new year, some small, some overwhelming.
What matters is whether we are anchored to the Rock.

If you need Jesus, you can invite Him into your heart right where you are.
If you are carrying bitter cups today.
Do not walk alone.
Jesus understands.

Watch the Message Below:

More from December 2025:

This article is based on a sermon delivered by Pastor Don Estes and has been adapted for written format.

Guest Speaker: Brenden Meinhardt

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 10:42:00 +0000

From Manger To Majesty

Philippians 2:5–11

Advent reminds us that Jesus did not begin in Bethlehem. The eternal Son of God willingly humbled Himself, came down from heaven in obedience, and was later exalted in glory. Paul traces Christ’s journey from glory to humility and back to glory and calls believers to respond with humility and exaltation.

During the season of Advent, the church pauses to wait with purpose, remembering Christ’s first coming while longing for His return. Advent reminds us that the story of Jesus did not begin in Bethlehem. The baby born in the manger already existed from eternity past. Jesus did not simply begin His life at Christmas, He came.

Jesus already existed and chose to step into the world He created.

Philippians 2:5–11 gives us one of the most breathtaking descriptions of this truth. Some scholars believe this passage was an early Christian hymn, sung by the first believers to remind one another of Christ’s humility and unmatched love. Rather than viewing the Christmas story from a stable in Bethlehem, this passage allows us to see it from heaven’s perspective, from eternity looking down as God becomes man.

These passages present Jesus as fully God and fully man, the eternal Son, Creator, and ultimate revelation of God.

John 1:1–18
Philippians 2:5–11
Colossians 1:15–20
Hebrews 1:1–4

In Philippians 2:5–11, Paul traces the journey of Christ in three movements:

Christ’s Descent: The Humility of His Coming
Christ’s Obedience: The Purpose of His Coming
Christ’s Exaltation: Glory After the Cross

Philippians 2:5-11
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Christ’s Descent: The Humility of His Coming

Paul begins with a command before he explains Christ’s actions: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” Before describing what Jesus did, Paul tells us how Jesus thought.

Christ’s coming to earth was not accidental. It was not a backup plan. It was deliberate humility. Jesus chose this path from the very beginning.

Philippians 2:5-7
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Paul tells us that Jesus existed “in the form of God.” This means that before His birth, Jesus fully shared in the divine nature. He was not created, nor did He become God later. He was eternally God, equal with the Father in glory, power, and majesty.

Yet Paul says that Jesus “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.” He did not cling tightly to His rights or privileges. Instead, He willingly released them. This is where the wonder of Advent begins. Jesus did not cling to his position. He chose humility. He chose to come as a baby.

Paul goes on to say that Christ “emptied himself by taking the form of a servant.” This does not mean that Jesus stopped being God. Jesus never ceased to be God. Rather, He laid aside His divine privileges and accepted the limitations of human life.

Jesus did not come as a king in a palace. He came as a baby in a manger. He did not arrive surrounded by wealth and power, but in poverty and obscurity.

An example from a movie. A princess, who had spent her entire life in the safety and comfort of a castle, disguises herself as a servant and goes to live among her people. She gives up her bed, her protection, and her privilege. As she lives among them, she sees their brokenness and wickedness, and her heart begins to hurt for them. Though lighthearted, this helps us picture what it means to step down from privilege to serve.

So what exactly did Christ give up?

He gave up His exalted heavenly status
He gave up the visible display of His glory
He gave up freedom from human limitations

When Jesus came to earth, He experienced hunger, thirst, fatigue, and physical weakness. He also gave up immunity from pain and suffering. He felt sorrow and grief.

The one who is seated at the right hand of the Father takes the form of a baby. The One who commanded armies of angels became dependent on two human parents, imperfect parents, to feed Him, protect Him, shelter Him, and help Him grow.
The One we pray to gave all of that up and became dependent on others for the first years of His life.

Toddlers often want to do everything themselves, only to become frustrated and finally ask for help. Jesus, however, never lacked the ability to do anything. Yet He chose dependence. He chose humility.

The humility of Christ’s coming reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways. The world values strength, status, and recognition, but God chose weakness, lowliness, and service.
Advent invites us to marvel at this humility and examine our own hearts. If the Son of God was willing to humble himself for our sake, then humility must live in the lives of those who follow him.

Paul’s call is clear: “Let this mind be in you.” We may not give up a heavenly throne, but we humble ourselves by recognizing that we are sinners in need of a Savior and that Jesus is that Savior.

Christ’s Obedience: The Purpose of His Coming

Paul takes us even deeper into Christ’s humility by focusing on His obedience.
Jesus, “being found in human form,” humbled Himself “by becoming obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.”

Philippians 2:8
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

The incarnation alone is astonishing, but it was only the beginning. Jesus did not come merely to live among us. He came to die for us.
His entire life was marked by obedience to the Father. From His baptism to His final breath, He consistently chose submission over self-preservation.

The cross represents the lowest point of Christ’s descent. Crucifixion was physically brutal, socially humiliating, and spiritually significant. It was reserved for the worst criminals, yet Jesus willingly accepted it.
He did not resist.
He did not turn away.
Though He had the power to command an army of angels and avoid the cross entirely.
He chose obedience.

Instead of exercising those rights, he submitted to the Father and willingly went to a cross for our sake.
This is where Advent and the cross meet. The child born in Bethlehem was born with a purpose, to redeem sinners through His sacrifice.
The manger points us forward to the cross.

From the moment Mary gave birth, Jesus was moving toward this moment of obedience.
Christ came down humbly, lived as a servant, and served everyone. Brenden pointed to Jesus feeding both Jews and Gentiles—5,000 and 4,000—showing that His service was for all people. He washed His disciples’ feet. He gave His life.

The most humiliating act of His service was the cross.

Christ’s Exaltation: Glory After the Cross

Paul does not end with Christ’s humility. He shows us how the Father responded.

Philippians 2:9-11
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Because Christ humbled Himself and obeyed fully, God highly exalted Him.

In the Greek, this phrase carries extra emphasis—“exalted with all exaltation.” The Father raised the Son from the dead, seated Him at His right hand, and gave Him supreme honor.
The One who was humiliated is now glorified. The One who was rejected is now honored.

Paul tells us that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. No one is excluded.
The humble child of Bethlehem will be recognized by all as the sovereign King.

This is where Advent points us forward. We remember Christ’s first coming, but we also anticipate His return. The Jesus who came quietly will come again in power and glory.
For believers, this is great hope.
Humility leads to glory.
Obedience leads to exaltation.
Suffering is never the final word.

Philippians 2:5–11 gives us the full gospel story in three movements:

The humility of Christ’s coming
The obedience of His sacrifice
The glory of His exaltation

What Does This Mean for Us?

First, we are called to humble ourselves.
Paul begins with, “Let this mind be in you.”
We humble ourselves by recognizing that we are sinners.

Romans 3:23 reminds us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Sin separates us from God, and we cannot fix that separation on our own.
We humble ourselves by acknowledging our need for a Savior and recognizing that Jesus is that Savior.

Second, we are called to exalt Christ.
God exalted Jesus, giving Him the name above every name.
We join God in that exaltation through worship, praise, and obedience.

This holiday season is the perfect time.
It’s a perfect time to tell somebody about Jesus.

Many people recognize Jesus as Savior but struggle to recognize Him as Lord.
Exalt with all exaltation!
Exalting Christ means placing Him first, above everything else.

The first way we exalt Christ is by recognizing Him as Lord and Savior.
For those who have never done that, the first step is acknowledging sin and the inability to save ourselves.

If getting to heaven was 99.99% God and 0.1% us, it would be just enough to send us right to hell. Salvation is entirely dependent on Jesus.

If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus died on the cross and rose again, you will be saved.

Humbling yourselves
and exalt Jesus with all exaltation.

Watch the Message Below:

More from December 2025:

This article is based on a sermon delivered by Brenden Meinhardt and has been adapted for written format.

Guest Speaker: Deacon Lee Chronister

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 10:00:52 +0000

A Hunger That Reveals the Heart

Matthew 15:32–39

In Matthew 15:32–39, we read the familiar account of Jesus feeding the four thousand. It comes just one chapter after He fed the five thousand, so it shouldn’t surprise us how the story unfolds. And yet, every time we read it carefully, it exposes something deeper about our own hearts.

Matthew 15:32

“Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.’”

The people in this passage had followed Jesus for three days. Three days, without food, just to be near Him, to hear His words, and to witness His work. Their physical hunger revealed a deeper spiritual hunger.

That verse convicted me deeply.
I had to ask myself a hard question: Why don’t I want it that badly?

The people in this story are so hungry for the word of God that they're going to sit there and starve their bodies to death just to be closer to him, just to have chance to hear his words. I got to the point where I was sitting there so calloused and stale in my walk that I couldn't hardly even get through the morning service without checking my watch, tapping my foot, and wondering when it would be over so I could move on with my day. Shame on me, but if we’re honest, many of us drift into that mindset from time to time.

When Our Walk Grows Stale

Spiritual apathy doesn’t usually arrive all at once. It creeps in quietly. We get distracted, by work, hobbies, schedules, responsibilities. Satan doesn’t always need to pull us into obvious sin; sometimes he just fills our lives so full that there’s no room left for hunger for God.

We begin treating Jesus like He’s on a schedule:

One hour on Sunday morning
Maybe Sunday night
Rarely Wednesday

And forbid things go longer than expected.

What if the pastor got up here, whoever it is, and preached for 5 hours? I'd have been mad, I would get hungry and grouchy. But that's not the outlook to have.

But Scripture says these people continued with Him.
That phrase matters.

In the King James Version, Matthew 15:32 says they “continued with me now three days.” Jesus can tell when we truly want to continue with Him and He can tell when we’ve checked out. We all know what a half-hearted conversation feels like. Do we really think Jesus can’t tell when our faith is half-invested?

Obedience Over Convenience

Throughout Scripture, God consistently emphasizes obedience.

“...Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice...” (1 Samuel 15:22)

God isn’t impressed by religious activity that lacks obedience.
He desires hearts that listen and respond.
Hebrews 10:25 reinforces this:

“Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another…”

If we say we want to obey God, we cannot treat gathering with His people as optional or disengage mentally when we are present.

We must ask ourselves:

Have I grown stale in my walk?
Am I merely going through the motions?
If I’m not on fire, have I become lukewarm?

Lukewarm faith is dangerous. It never gets hot enough to be refined. As believers, we should want to place ourselves where God can work on us, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Seeking First What Matters Most

Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:33:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

First, not after work, not after hobbies, not after schedules and responsibilities.
Everything else must come second.

Paul echoes this in Titus 2:13–14, reminding us that we are a people who belong to Christ, called to be zealous for good works. If we belong to Him, does our passion reflect that?
Most of us have never gone three days without food just to hear someone preach, but these people did.

Trusting Jesus With Our Needs

When the disciples saw the hungry crowd, they asked:

“Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” (Matthew 15:33)

Jesus had just fed the five thousand, yet doubt still crept in. How often does that happen to us? God provides again and again, yet when the next challenge comes, anxiety replaces trust.

Jesus asked a simple question: “How many loaves do you have?”
Seven loaves. A few small fish.
And Jesus did the rest.

This wasn’t a parable or a symbolic lesson, it was a real, historical miracle. Four thousand men, plus women and children, were fed and satisfied, with seven baskets left over.
The same Jesus who multiplied bread still works powerfully today. We often say, “If only I could see a miracle.” But Scripture reminds us that one lost sinner being saved is no less miraculous than Lazarus being raised from the dead.

God’s Word still has that kind of power.

The Power of One Line of Scripture

I once heard a testimony about a prison guard who regularly dealt with an uncontrollable inmate. One day, the guard read him a single line of Scripture from a pocket Bible. The man calmed down and begged him to come back and read more.
Over time, that inmate’s heart changed.

Years later, that same man, once violent and unmanageable, knocked on the guard’s door. He had planted a church and wanted to invite him to attend.

All of that from one line of Scripture.
Even the guard couldn’t remember which verse he read.
God’s Word does the work.

So where are you today?

Who sits on the throne of your heart?

Are you lost and in need of a Savior?
Are you saved but spiritually stale?
Are you half-invested?
Are you continuing daily with the Lord?
Are you anxious about the future?
Do you desire a deeper walk with Jesus?

Only you can answer those questions.

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you… as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1)

May we be people who hunger for Christ, not out of routine, but out of genuine desire. May we continue with Him, trusting Him, obeying Him, and allowing His Word to transform us day by day.

Watch the Message Below:

More from December 2025:

This article is based on a sermon delivered by Deacon Lee Chronister and has been adapted for written format.

Guest Pastor: Don Estes

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 10:21:43 +0000

The Origin of the Devil
& the Battle of the Ages

Isaiah 14:12–15

There was a church where a generous businessman owned the local pharmacy. He often volunteered to buy whatever the church needed but he always used it as a chance to advertise his drugstore.

The church needed new songbooks, so at a business meeting he said, “I’ll take care of it. I’ll buy them.” Everyone expected that he would put an advertisement in the front of every book.
The books arrived, and they checked the cover, no advertisement. They checked the back, nothing. They thought he was slipping.

Then Christmas came. The first song scheduled was Hark the Herald Angels Sing. But as they began singing, the lyrics were… different:

“Hark the herald angels sing,
Burpee’s pills are just the thing.
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
Two for an adult, one for a child.”

The psalmist wrote in Psalm 37:25, “I was young and now am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread.” I can testify that this is true. I’m an older pastor myself, nearly 80, and recently retired.
Sometimes younger pastors ask me for advice. One young man asked an older pastor, “How did I do?” The old pastor answered, “Three things were wrong with your sermon:

You read it.
You didn’t read it very well.
It wasn’t worth reading!”

I hope today’s sermon will at least be worth reading.
Although it’s Christmas time, stay with me, you’ll see how this relates to the birth of our Savior.

Isaiah 14 and the Fall of Lucifer

Isaiah 14:12–14 says:

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning…
I will ascend into heaven… I will exalt my throne… I will be like the Most High.

These words were spoken to the king of Babylon, but they mirror what happened to Satan.
Today I want to speak on the origin of the devil and the battle of the ages and show you what the Bible is really about.

Many say the Bible is about sin. It isn’t.
Some say it’s mainly about God. But God is the hero, the devil is the villain, and that’s still not the main point.
The Bible is a library of 66 books, and to understand it, we start with the Trinity, one God in three persons:

God the Father – might, power, wrath, judgment
God the Son – grace, atonement, redemption, salvation
God the Holy Spirit – purity, comfort, holiness

Each person of the Trinity has heavenly helpers:

The Father’s helpers: Cherubim
The Holy Spirit’s helpers: Seraphim
The Son’s helpers: Angels

There are also archangels, each representing a person of the Trinity:

Michael represents God the Father
Gabriel represents the Holy Spirit
Lucifer once represented God the Son

Lucifer, whose name means “bright shining one,” was originally in harmony with Jesus, the Light of the World. But when God said, “Let us make man … he will fall, and we will redeem him and place him above the angels,” Lucifer said, “Not above me.”
He led a revolt and was cast out of heaven.
That’s the origin of the devil.

The Battle of the Ages

Scene 1: Lucifer Falls
God wins; Lucifer loses.

Scene 2: The Garden of Eden
Satan gets Adam and Eve to put him, rather than God, on the throne of their hearts.

Scene 3: God Pronounces the Curse
In Genesis 3, God says:

The seed of the woman will bruise the serpent’s head.

The “seed of the woman” is Jesus, born of the virgin Mary.
Satan knew then that God’s one plan, His one “arrow”, was the incarnation. If Satan could stop the birth of Jesus, he could stop redemption forever.
So for 4,000 years, the devil tried to stop the birth of Christ.

Tracing the Line of Christ Through the Old Testament

The devil attacked every generation:

Cain and Abel
Satan corrupted Cain and had him kill Abel. But God raised up Seth.
Noah’s day
The whole earth became corrupt except Noah’s family. The promised line continued through Shem.
Abraham and Sarah
Satan tried to prevent the promised son. Ishmael was born through the slave girl, but God said the Redeemer must come through the free woman, Sarah.
Isaac
Isaac was timid, but God directed the servant to find Rebekah as his wife.
Jacob and Esau
Satan made Esau carnal and tried to corrupt Jacob. Failing that, he stirred up hatred so Esau would kill Jacob.
Joseph
Satan thought Joseph, Rachel’s firstborn, would be the chosen line. He targeted Joseph for death, but God’s choice was Judah.

Again and again, Satan lost the trail.

The Birth of Jesus

When Jesus was finally born, Satan had no idea until wise men asked Herod, “Where is He who is born King of the Jews?”

Herod ordered the massacre of all Hebrew boys two years old and under. Satan was certain Jesus had been killed.

But at Jesus’ baptism, God announced:

“This is my beloved Son.”

He tried temptation.
He tried crucifixion.
Hell celebrated.

But on the third day, Jesus rose.
Satan lost, forever.

Satan’s Counterfeits

Since then, the devil has counterfeited:

Grace with works
Salvation with self-righteousness
Baptism with sprinkling that does not picture death, burial, and resurrection
Christian living with careless, worldly Christianity

He knows his time is short.
One day, God will say:

“Michael, take this chain and bind the devil.”

Satan will be cast into the pit for 1,000 years, then into the lake of fire forever.

The Real Question of Christmas

Who sits on the throne of your heart?

Are you trusting:

your goodness?
your record?
your works?

Or are you trusting the finished work of Christ?

Christmas is not merely the story of a baby in Bethlehem.
It is the story of God’s unstoppable plan to save you.

Watch the Message Below:

More from December 2025:

This article is based on a sermon delivered by Pastor Don Estes and has been adapted for written format.

Message from Pastor Dan Pitchers

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 12:23:00 +0000

On behalf of the congregation, Annapolis First Baptist Church announces that our pastor, Rev. Dan Pitchers, and his wife, Ginger, have accepted God’s call to serve another church. Their ministry with us concluded on Sunday, November 30, after 13 years of faithful service to our church family.

We are grateful for their leadership, their love for this congregation, and the lasting impact they have made over these years. Please join us in celebrating all God has done through them by praying for them as they step into this new season of ministry.

We also ask you to lift our church family and leadership in prayer as we navigate this time of transition together.

Message from Pastor Dan Pitchers

We have been waiting for the right time to post what has been going on the last month for us at First Baptist Church Annapolis. Goodbyes are never easy, yet when God directs, there is a comfort in saying, “We will see you again.”

On November 16th, I told the church of the new direction and the “Calling” God brought to our heart for planting a church. (For more on that journey, that will have to be another post or over blackberry cobbler and vanilla bean ice cream and a cup of coffee.)

Sunday morning, November 30th, was my last service as AFBC pastor, baptizing 2 and taking the Lord’s Supper. WOW, did God ever move! You can see in the pics the deacons came, and others as well, praying for us.

We dearly love AFBC. 13 years, 3 months God has allowed us to serve the church, community, school, and surrounding area. We will miss you… And yes, we will see you again.

We now will begin to serve in Warsaw, Missouri at LifePointe Warsaw. I will be the Lead Pastor there at that campus, preaching my first sermon December 7th. Already, we have felt their love for us, and we are extremely excited about what God is already doing and what the future holds for us as well.

The crazy people we are with in the picture below are just that… crazy! They took us in, taught us, loved us, and patiently put up with our “Hey, my computer is…” or “My phone won’t…” and “Wow, how did you do that so fast?”

Lyndal, Miranda, and Justin, everyone knows we loved our church, but when God placed you three in our lives, He said, “Those two are going to need a lot of help…!!” And He sent the three we needed.

Proverbs 3:6: “In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” Staying true to His word with a new path for our life…

Impact: The Call to Discipleship

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 21:22:00 +0000

Impact

The Call to Discipleship

Christian discipleship is the lifelong process of growing in Jesus Christ, becoming more like Him as the Holy Spirit shapes us, strengthens us, and equips us to face the pressures and trials of this life.

Here’s what that looks like in everyday life:
As a born-again child of God, I want to become more and more like my Heavenly Father, not because of anything good in me, but because of the One I’m following. Growing up, my earthly father influenced me deeply. The more time I spent with him, the more I naturally picked up his traits, his habits, even the way he talked.
I know not everyone had a good earthly father, but all of us have had someone in our lives who left an imprint, someone whose character, attitude, or way of living rubbed off on us simply because we were around them.

It works the same way spiritually.

The more time you spend with Jesus and with other believers who love Him, the more His character becomes your own.

So draw close. Stay close. Get around Jesus and His people as much as you can!

World Impact is World Discipleship.

Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen

1. The Call to FOLLOW comes before the call to GO.

Matthew 28:18–19
“Jesus came and spoke to them (His disciples), saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore…’”

Jesus wasn’t speaking to strangers, He was speaking to disciples He had already prepared. He was, in effect, telling them:
“You are ready.”
(Annapolis First Baptist… You are ready!)

34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

A Disciple Follows
Mark 8:34–38
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Before anything else, before ministry, before serving, before going, a disciple must follow.

Matthew 4:18–19
18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

Notice the order:
Before He says “I will make you fishers of men,”
He first says, “Follow Me.”

If you want to make an impact in the world through discipleship,
encountering Christ comes first.

2. The Call Is to TEACH so they will KNOW.

Jesus didn’t just call us to go, He called us to teach.

Matthew 28:20
“…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.”

Discipleship is not complete until teaching happens.

Hebrews 4:12
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Let’s break that down:

Alive — “I portray the Savior.”
Active — “I go as He is in me.”
Sharper — “It gives me direction.”
Penetrates — “It saves.”
Judges — “It convicts us.”

Psalm 119:105
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Lamp — “It is power.”
Light — “It illuminates direction.”

2 Timothy 3:16–17
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Given — “Gifted to us.”

Inspired by God — “He is the author.”
Profitable for doctrine — “It discerns the right ways.”
Reproof — “It shows what God disapproves.”
Correction — “It rebukes and redirects.”
Instruction — “It teaches the way.”
Complete man — “The result of God’s work in us.”
Equipped completely — “Becoming more Christlike.”

Our Story Should Never Stop at Salvation
There is so much more God wants to do in our lives.
He does not want us to stay the same.
This is the process of sanctification and disciples must teach this.

(Illustration: Justin and the bowl of rice for world missions.)

1 Corinthians 3:1-4
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;

Paul explains that spiritual infants must grow from milk to solid food.
People grow by learning the Word of God and following the direction it gives.
They must be taught:
Don’t just hear the words, study them and apply them.

We learn God’s whisper by learning His voice through His Word.

1 Kings 19:11–12
. . . but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

Elijah was overwhelmed, surrounded by chaos, and ready to give up.
But God met him gently, with a whisper.
Among all the noise of this world…
Hear God’s whisper.

Jesus doesn’t leave us.
He walks with us, speaks to us, and grows us into who He created us to be.
And that must be taught so all will know.

3. No one is SENT alone

When Jesus sends us, He never sends us by ourselves.
His presence goes with us, His Spirit lives within us, and His power prepares the way.

Matthew 28:20
and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen

Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Hebrews 13:5
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

When Jesus commands us to go,
He never expects us to go alone.
He prepares the path and walks it with us.

John 21:17
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. "

Jesus already knew the sheep.
He knew where they were.
And He knew Peter would not feed them alone because Christ would go with him.

John 14:15-17
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

A disciple is never sent without the Spirit.
Every step of obedience is empowered by the One who walks with us, fills us, and leads us.

The Call to Discipleship Summed Up

Follow — before you go.
Teach — so they will know.
Go — but never alone.

FOLLOW. LEARN. TEACH. TO MAKE AN IMPACT.

Next Step: Identify Where You Are With Jesus

As you think about the call to discipleship, ask yourself honestly:

Are you introducing others to Someone you haven’t truly met yet?
Is your belief built on man’s words or God’s Word?
Have you spent time with Jesus, but never shared Him with others?

Every journey of discipleship begins in the same place, with the call to salvation.
If you sense that today…
If you feel the draw…
If you feel the Lord tugging at your heart…
That is the call.

Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, and let us reason together,
” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.”

2 Corinthians 6:17–18
17 Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate,
says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
18 “I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the LORD Almighty.”

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Romans 10:9–10
"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."

Acts 2:21
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Ephesians 2:8–9
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."

If God is calling you today, step toward Him.
Salvation is the beginning.
Discipleship is the journey.
Jesus is the One who leads every step.

Watch the Message Below:

More from the Impact Sermon Series:

Impact: Generosity

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 09:23:24 +0000

Impact

Generosity

What is the most generous thing someone has ever done for you that did not involve money?
For me, it has been people investing their time in me.
Family: My mom and dad
Friends: John Will, Gerald Eckert, Frank Kramer, Dave Jaycox, Dave Modglin, Kabeta
Pastors:

Dr. Danny O’Guinn (evangelism)
Frank Whitney (pastoral wisdom)
Gerald Davidson (leadership)
Todd Foreman (perseverance)
Brian Lester (doing your best, and even how to drive a bus!)

Their generosity came through caring for me and taking the time to invest in my life.

Generosity
Generosity is a quality of being kind.
For me, generosity begins as a prompting of kindness, a moment when the Holy Spirit nudges me to respond to a need.

Examples:

Helping someone in Walmart who couldn’t reach the top shelf
Mowing a yard
Responding when I see a need

These simple actions came from seeing, feeling prompted, and choosing to help.
This leads me to a question:

Is my heart in a place where God can prompt me to be generous?

Today is not about money, it is about mission.
It is about eternity.

2 Corinthians 9:6–15
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
9 As it is written:
“He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”
10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,
11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,
13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men,
14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.
15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

There is no doubt that we should practice financial generosity.

“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously… God loves a cheerful giver.” -2 Corinthians 9:6–7

“The generous will prosper, and those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” -Proverbs 11:25

Followers of Christ are generous because they understand everything they have belongs to God. They willingly and joyfully share their resources with God and others.
BUT…
Today is not about money.
It is about mission.
It is about eternity.

1. Generous With Time and Skills

2 Corinthians 9:8

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that you, having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”

What abilities has God given you?
What skills do you excel in that you could pour into someone else?
Examples:

Volunteering in church ministries, community service, or non-profit work
Mentoring someone, especially youth or those in need

The apostle Paul himself was a tentmaker by trade.
Acts 18:3–4
So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.

Paul stayed and worked with Priscilla and Aquila because they shared the same occupation. He supported himself in Corinth during his second missionary journey, and every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.
Paul used his skills and time generously and God used that generosity to reach people with the gospel.

Could God be waiting for you or perhaps already using you to do the same through your time and skills?

Today is not about money.
It is about mission.
It is about eternity.

2. Generous With Hospitality

Examples of hospitality:

Welcoming others into your home
Inviting someone for a meal or fellowship
Providing shelter or support to those in need

2 Corinthians 9:11–12

“You are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving to God. For this service not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God.”

Liberality means being open-handed, open-hearted, willing to give freely and welcome others. This kind of hospitality leads people to thank God.

Remember the extra steps taken by the Good Samaritan:
Luke 10:33–35
33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ?35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

He saw the injured man, had compassion, bandaged his wounds, poured on oil and wine, put him on his own donkey, took him to an inn, took care of him, paid for his stay, and promised to cover any extra expense.

This story of generosity is still told today because his hospitality went above and beyond.
Should we not follow his example?
Should we not also be people who go the extra mile?

Today is not about money.
It is about mission.
It is about eternity.

3. Generous with Spiritual Gifts

Examples:

Sharing your faith
Praying for others and their needs

These practices reflect Christian values of love, compassion, and community support.
2 Corinthians 9:13–15
13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, 14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

When we minister generously, people glorify God, recognizing the obedience of our confession of Christ and the grace of God within us.
God has given every Christian spiritual gifts!

The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts
For the common good
1 Corinthians 12:7

“The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.”

To build up the church
1 Corinthians 14:12

"Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel."

To prepare us for works of service
1 Corinthians 12:4–6
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

God did not save us to be silent.

The gifts He gives are not meant to be wasted but to be used generously to reach the lost in our mission field.
John 4:35

“Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”

Today is not about money.
It is about mission.
It is about eternity.

Look for the fields ready for harvest.

Show generosity in every way, especially with your spiritual gifts.

Memorize and Do:
Proverbs 3:6

“In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.”

Watch the Message Below:

More from the Impact Sermon Series:

Impact: Carriers of Hope

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 09:01:00 +0000

Impact

Carriers of Hope

Romans 10:1
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.”

I remember my father wanting me to play golf with him. One thing about beginners is this: we see a lot of the course from one hole. (Golfers understand.)

My father could have taken several approaches:

He could have let me learn on my own and wait until I improved before playing with him.
He could have taken me along but only let me putt, never letting me learn the whole game.
Or he could do what he actually did, take the time to teach me by talking with me, showing me, and helping me become a golfer.
He even invested in me by buying the right equipment so I could grow, whether he was there or not.

Now, Paul isn’t teaching golf in this passage. That’s obvious.
Paul wants Israel to be saved, period.
But he also understands he cannot teach or preach to them alone. It requires a church, a congregation, a community of believers. His message in writing makes this clear:

The Gospel Needs a Carrier

From the very beginning, God has chosen people, ordinary people like you and me, to carry His light to those in darkness.
To our:

Israel
Annapolis
Wherever people are

Today, we step into our identity as Carriers of Hope.
This light doesn’t just shine from pulpits or platforms. It shines through conversations, generosity, obedience, and everyday faithfulness.

Carriers of Hope spread the Gospel, reaching unlearned ears and penetrating hearts that have not heard the Good News.

Romans 10:13–15
13 “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
14 “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”
15 “And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’”

Paul’s logic is undeniable:
If salvation depends on hearing the Gospel, then someone must share it.
That leads us to our first truth.

1. Carriers of Hope Know The Good News Is for ALL

Salvation is for “everyone who calls.”
The message is universal. The invitation is open to whosoever.

Romans 10:13
“For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

The “whosoevers” in Scripture:

The Thief on the Cross — Luke 23:39–43
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector — Luke 19:1–10
The Woman Caught in Adultery — John 8:1–11
Saul of Tarsus (later Paul) — Acts 9:1–19
The Philippian Jailer — Acts 16:25–34
Cornelius the Centurion — Acts 10:1–48
The Samaritan Woman at the Well — John 4:1–30
The Ethiopian Eunuch — Acts 8:26–39
Pastor Dan Pitchers — September 1979

And you, sitting here today, you are a whosoever, and you need to know Jesus is here, ready and waiting.

God’s heart is global toward the “whosoever” and the “all.”

“For God so loved the world…” John 3:16
No person, no place, no past disqualifies anyone from the Gospel.

Jesus Himself said: “Go therefore and make disciples of ALL nations.” Matthew 28:19
Jesus is an “All” kind of God.
When He cried from the cross, “Forgive them all,” His forgiveness reached universally, to all of us.

The Gospel levels the playing field.
Everyone needs it, and everyone is welcome.
We carry a light meant to shine in every nation, every neighborhood, every heart.
But how will they know unless someone tells them?
The Gospel cannot remain a secret.
Which leads us to the next truth:

2. Carriers of Hope Know We Must Carry the Message

We must impact.
We must shine where God has placed us.

Romans 10:14
“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”

God uses ordinary people to carry an extraordinary message.

“We have this treasure in jars of clay…” 2 Corinthians 4:7
You may feel unqualified, but you are exactly who God wants to use.

God does not call the equipped, He equips the called.
He will never leave us or forsake us.

Ordinary People Used in Extraordinary Ways:

Moses – The Reluctant Leader
Rahab – The Courageous Prostitute
David – The Flawed King
Gideon – The Fearful Warrior
Jonah – The Runaway Prophet
Peter – The Impulsive Disciple
Paul – From Persecutor to Apostle

Our daily lives are divine opportunities.

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” Colossians 4:5

Every conversation, workplace, grocery aisle, these are places to carry light.

Biblical examples of divine opportunities:

Esther 4:14 — “For such a time as this.”
Acts 8:26–40 — Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch.
John 4:1–42 — Jesus and the Samaritan woman.

Your light doesn’t need a passport; it has purpose.
You carry hope where you are.
But just as some are called to go, others are called to send.
Missions is a team effort.

3. Carriers of Hope Know Sending Is as Vital as Going

Missions requires both feet and finances.
Those who give are just as essential as those who go.

Senders enable the mission.

“How can anyone preach unless they are sent?” Romans 10:15
Our willingness to send is part of Gospel partnership.

God honors the sacrifice of sending.

“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Isaiah 52:7 / Romans 10:15
When you give, you are not just funding travel, you are fueling transformation.

You may never go to the next church plant, across state lines, or overseas,
but your prayers and your willingness to send will reach people you may never meet.

The Gospel is too good to keep to ourselves.
Missions is not someone else’s job, It is our shared assignment.

You are the carrier.
You are the sender.
You are the light-bringer.

Let’s not be the generation that dimmed the light.
Let’s be the generation that sends it farther than ever before.

Take one step to carry or send this week:

Start a Gospel conversation with someone in your life.
Pray to send or be sent.

Isaiah 6:8
“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’”
“Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’”

Watch the Message Below:

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